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
intreate of the punishment of them that are dead For therefore a great tribulation shall go before and afterward fire shall descend and shall quickly purge all the relickes of sinne in iust men For as Ireneus notes in the ende of his fift booke Then sodainly the Church which is on earth shal be taken to her spouse Neither then shall be any time of purging any more as there is now after death before iudgement Here is purgatorie and no purgatorie for those fathers in déede speake of a purging which shall be at the daie of iudgement by fire but not of those onely that then shall liue as M. Bellarmine here séemes to expound Ierom but of all men in generall as appeareth by the words Ierom there vseth Peccatores quosque flumina ignis ante cum traehent voluentia The rowling streames of fire shall drawe before him all sinners not those that be liuing as Master Bellarmine expounds him And the Lord is called a fire and a consuming fire that he may burne our wood hay and stubble alluding to that place of Saint Paul That if any man haue built vpon Iesus Christ wood hâ—y or stubble the day of the Lord shall trie euerie mans worke not the workes of them that liue then onely but euerie mans worke And after he addeth That according to the saying of Ezechiel whatsoeuer in our gold and siluer that is in our vnderstanding and word is mingled with brasse iron or lead in the Lords furnace may be a Percoquitur thorowly fined that pure gold and siluer may remaine Here Ierome speakes of all sinners not of those that shall liue then And he addeth That our gold and siluer that is iust mens workes as well as sinners drosse shall then bee examined And in another place which hath béene alleadged before he manifestly confirmeth this exposition As we beleeue saith he that the torments of the Diuell and of all them which denie God and of wicked men which say in their heart there is no God Ieron in 66. ca. Esaiae are euerlasting So also wo is me of sinners yea of Christians whose workes shall be purged and tried with fire we suppose that the sentence of the iudge shall not be extreame but mixed with mercie This place against M. Bellarmines exposition prooues that all Christians workes which are sinners shall be tried and purged at that daie and not those onely that then are liuing in stéede of the purgatorie they should haue endured Saint Augustine also saith which place Master Bellarmine there also hath alleadged for purgatorie Aug. de ciuit lib. 20. cap. 25. of these things which haue been spoken it seemes to appeare most euidently that in that iudgement there shall be some purgatorie punishment of some but he names not who they be It should séeme he means those whom Ierom meant before Neither doth that place of Irenaeus which alleadgeth make anie thing for his purpose For Irenaeus there first writes thus The day of the Lord is as it were a thousand yeeres Iren. lib. 5. And in sixe daies were all things finished that were made And therefore it is manifest that the sixt thousand yeere shall be the consummation of all these things And therefore in all that time man being made in the beginning by the hand of God that is of the Sonne of the Spirit that he may be according to the image and likenesse of God the chaffe being cast away which are Apostacie and the corne being taken into the barne that is they which bring forth fruits to God through faith And therefore tribulation is necessarie for them that shall be saued that being as it were broken in peeces and made into smal powder and sprinkled here and there through patience by the word of God yea euen beene all a fire they might be fit guests for the kings banquet And as one â— our Christians who being iudged to be cast to wild beasts to be torne in peeces of them for his martyrdome towards God said Because I am the corn of Christ I am grinded by the teeth of these wild beasts that I might be found fine manchet of God And after The nations are so farre profitable and fit for the iust in as much as the stubble is profitable for the increasing of the wheat the chaffe thereof to burne for the purifying of Gold And therefore in the end when the Church departing hence shall be taken aloft there shall be saith he tribulation such as neuer was nor shall be That shall be the last combate of the iust wherein the conquerors shall be crowned with incorruption Thus farre Irenaeus And here M. Bellarmine mistakes a word for repetente Ecclesia as it is in Irenaeus printed at Basil Anno Dom. 1526. which is as much as to say the Church repairing againe to a place he puts in repente that is sodainly As though this sodainnesse of her departure should be the cause of that her purging by fire because she could not stay to endure the fire of Purgatorie It may séeme of that one word he grounds this his exposition And if he doe it is but his collection it is not Irenaeus assertion as he saith and that also of a false foundation taking repente for repente which is in the auncient copie And if so be that the word were repente so dainly yet there néeded not anie Purgatorie fire to the end that they might attaine saluation For euen sodainly God is able and hath also saued sinners as Elias is called of Saint Iames A man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subiect to like affection and perturbations euen as we are Iam. 5.17 and therefore a sinner yet was he translated into heauen sodainly And our Sauiour himselfe speaketh thus of Zacheus who before was a Publican as soone as he beléeued on him This day is saluation come vnto this house Christ also healed very many both of their bodily Luke 19.9 Mark 5.34 Luke 7 50. and spirituall diseases sodainly saying thy faith hath saued thee No doubt if these had then died they should haue béene saued euen sodainly without enduring anie Purgatorie There is a place in saint Paul where the word sodainly is vsed 1. Thes 5.3.4 For when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction c. But you brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as a theefe in the night But that sodaine destruction or punishment respects the wicked not the faithfull that shall then liue at that day more then them that haue liued before that day Here is not one word of anie purging but of the purging of afflictions And that shall be all the time of the continuance of the world saith Irenaeus And that shall so cleane purge vs as it shall make vs fit guestes for the Lords banquet and what other purgatorie then shall the faithfull stand néede of Here is not that those that liue at the
must all his Christians So did Saint Paul who writes thus of himselfe God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to me Gal. 6.14 I vnto the world What worldly pompe or delight was there in the crosse of Iesus Christ but hunger cold nakednesse vineger raylings and such like In these S. Paul reioyced Let the worldlings with that rich man delight in their braue apparell in their daintie fare in their state and pompe S. Paul with his Sauiour Iesus Christ will despise all these and reioice rather in nakednes in hunger in reproches as he himselfe witnesseth in another place Euen vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst are naked 1. Cor. 4.11 are buffetted haue no certaine dwelling place no place to put our heads in This is the crosse of Christ which Saint Paul reioyced in Here is a contempt of all the pleasures of the world And in another place We approue our selues the ministers of God in much patience 2. Cor. 6.4 in afflictions in necessities in distresse Here is the proofe that S. Paul was an Apostle of Iesus Christ and by the same arguments must all Christians proue themselues to be Christians For thus our Sauiour pronounceth of his Apostles and in them of all Christians Blessed are ye poore Luke 6.20 for yours is the kingdome of God Blessed are yee that hunger for ye shall be satisfied Blessed are ye that weepe now for ye shall laugh Blessed are ye when men hate you and when they separate you and reuile you and put out your name as euill for the Sonne of mans sake Reioyce you in that day and be glad For behold your reward is great in heauen for after this maner did their fathers to the Prophets But woe vnto you that are rich for you haue receiued your consolation Wo be vnto you that are full for ye shall hunger Wo be to you that now laugh for ye shall waile and weepe Wo be to you when all men speake well of you for so did their fathers to the false prophets c. Here is plainly put downe Diues and Lazarus Diues was rich was full reioyced euerie daie was highly no doubt commended of all men and Lazarus was poore hungry despised contemned of all men But mark what followes befals to both these Abraham told there Diues Sonne Luke 16.25 remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures or good things and contrariwise Lazarus paines or euill things Now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented The same here our Sauiour pronounceth to all those which embrace the pleasures of this present world Woe to them that now laugh for that they haue receiued their consolation And againe Blessed are they which now weepe and that despise the pleasures of this world for that their consolation is to come And here is plainelie portrayed out vnto vs the crosse of Christ wherein Saint Paule gloried hunger wéeping reuilings and such like to which a blessing is pronounced But a wo and curse to the contrarie Let all Christians therfore hearing this lesson at their Sauiours mouth and séeing it plainly put in practise of Saint Paul and of all the rest of the Apostles nay perceiuing the terrible execution of the transgression thereof verified in that rich man learne to despise this world and all the pleasures and delights thereof and only to reioyce in the crosse of Christ with Saint Paul and to remember that solemne vow they made in their Baptismes Let them not buy repentance so deare The money they bestow vpon these vaine delightes and pleasures maie be far better bestowed with Cornelius vpon almesdeeds and works of mercie Act. 10.1 Such a despiser of the world was Abraham Gen. 14.22 Who told the king of Sodom that he would not take of all that was his so much as a thréed or a shoo latchet whē as he offred him all the spoiles We would haue said who but a foole would haue refused gold whē as it was offred him But such a foole was Abraham We would haue bin sure to haue taken the riches with this flattering perswasion beguiling our owne selues as manie doe now adaies Iam. 1.22 that when we had possessed them we wold haue bestowed them well But Abrahā chose the safer way not to meddle with them at all His like contempt of the world appeares in his dealing with his brother Lot whē their heardsmen fell out Who though he was the elder had the promises of God made vnto him Gen. 13.1 9 yet he said Let there be no strife I pray thee between thee and me neither betweene thine heardsmen and mine heardsmen for we are brethren Is not the whole land before thee Depart I pray thee from me If thou wilt take the left hand then I wil go to the right if thou go to the right hand then I will take the left If Abraham had made account of the world he would not haue yéelded from his right hee would not haue giuen Lot leaue to haue chosen The like we reade of Moses who when as he was come to age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11.24 chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God He reioiced rather in the crosse of Christ with Saint Paule then in worldlie pleasures with Diues Some here would haue said though I be in Pharaohs Court I will serue God in my heart I maie do both But Moses thought that Pharaohs delightes and pleasures and Gods loue and fauour could not stand together The prophet Zacharie writes thus of Christs Church Zach. 14.16 that euery one that is left of all the nations which came against Ierusalem shall go vp from yeare to yeare to worship the king the lord of hosts to keepe the feast of Tabernacles And they which will not come vp c. vpon them shall be no raine A strange law and no lesse strange punishment God séemes to renewe againe the ceremonies of the olde law which by the comming of our Sauior are abrogated Againe it is very strange that omitting all the other feasts hee will haue one onlie to remaine that is the feast of Tabernacles Here no doubt the Prophet teacheth vs to forsake the letter For the letter killeth The feast of Taberbernacles was ordained as appeareth in Exod. 23. that the children of Israel might remember their abode in the wildernesse 40. yeares without anie dwelling houses And this feast though it be abolished literally yet God will haue the faithfull still to obserue it spiritually that as they trauailed in the wildernesse those fortie yeares so we also in this world should be as pilgrims and strangers all the course of our life and that we should know that we are borne here in the world no◠that we should fixe our hearts here but that we should as it
THE TRVE CATHOLIQVE FORMED ACCORDING TO THE TRVTH OF THE SCRIPTVRES and the shape of the ancient Fathers and best sort of the latter Catholiques which seeme to fauour the Church of Rome The Contents vvhereof are to be seene in the Page following Exod. 12.35.36 And the children of Israel did according to the saying of Moses and they asked of the Egyptians iewels of siluer and iewels of gold and rayment And the Lord gaue the people fauour in the sight of the Egyptians and they graunted their requests so they spoyled the Egyptians Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 3. And because now his second comming drawes neere his bountifulnesse and the great account that he makes of vs doth lighten our hearts vvith the light of truth euery day more and more Ambros de Abrah pat lib 2. cap. 9. We reade of a fire kindled at the sunne-setting which should lighten the euening of the world and should shine in the darknes and should reueale things which were hidden AT LONDON Printed by PETER SHORT dwelling at the signe of the Starre on Bredstreet hill 1602. THE CONTENTS OF this Booke 1 A Preface to the Reader 2 The true Catholikes Alphabet or A B C. 3 His Pater-noster or Lords prayer 4 His Catechisme or briefe summe of Religion wherein the Papists opinion concerning Antichrist is refuted and the true meanes of the calling of the Iewes is declared 5 His house or the notes and marks of the true Church drawne out of the Scriptures 6 Certaine godly Prayers which dayly he may vse 7 The liues maners of the ancient Christians drawne out of the Scriptures and Fathers To the Christian Reader I Offer vnto thee good Christian Reader in this Treatise the summe of our Religion And if forraine things delight thee as now adayes they do all men most commonly I do offer vnto thee I say our Religion proceeding out of the mouthes of the verie enemies thereof For as the people cried and said in Darius his dayes 1. Esd 4.41 Truth is the greatest and strongest thing of all others Euen so this sentence shall stand true for euer And here thou shalt see that performed in deed which Dauid did but prefigurate that Goliah his head is stricken off with his owne sword 1. Sam. 17.51 And surely if the bodie and the shadow bee relatiues as the Philosophers teach and that euerie shadow hath a bodie then truly Dan in the law may be also a figure of Antichrist in the Gospel Gen. 49.17 2. The. 2.2 and the Madianites of the Papists Dan as his name imports in Hebrew is a Iudge He will vsurpe the office of a Iudge amongst his brethren And euen so doth the Pope this spirituall Dan Leuit. 13.3 Matt. 8.4 He will be a Iudge also by vsurpation he will not iudge only betweene leprosie and leprosie that is betwixt notorious sinnes as the law commanded but he will iudge euerie light disease which the law commands not Hee will not bee iudge onely of those knowne sins which goe before to iudgement 1. Tim. 5.22.24 which Saint Paul bids Timothie that he should take heede of but also of those which follow after He will know the secrets of mens hearts of which Saint Paul saith Iudge nothing before the time 1. Cor. 4.5 vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shall euerie one haue praise of God And is not this to be Dan Is not this to be a Iudge Madian signifies iudging And as hee is Dan so also his armie and souldiers are Madianites they come of Dan that is their name For they take their name of him as the Papists do of the Pope and they shal perish also as did the Madianites Of whose ouerthrow thus we reade Iudg. 7.22 When the three hundreth blewe with trumpets the Lord set euery mans sword vpon his neighbour and vpon all the host which fled to Beth-hashittah Tsererah to the borders of Abel-Meholah vnto Tabbah Here first is the small number of the Lords armie the small number of the professours of the Gospell in comparison of the Madianites of Papists Friers Here are also the Lords weapons the trumpets of the Gospell against Madian and their destruction by one of them drawing swords against another Here is to make perfect this victorie and to conquer also Sathan the father of Dan the breaking of pitchers that is the mortification of the flesh Rom. 6.19 Col. 3.5 Matth. 16.24 and of the lusts thereof which Saint Paul so often teacheth and the denying of our selues and the following of him with our crosse on our backes which our Sauiour also commands And they fled to Beth-hashittah Tsererah and to the border of Abel Meholah vnto Tabbah Here is that verified which our Sauiour saith of the eternitie of the Scriptures That heauen and earth shall perish Mat. 5.18 2. Tim. 3.16 Rom. 15.4 but not one ioâ—te or tittle of the word of God shall perish And that Saint Paul writes of the excellencie of them That all the whole Scriptures are giuen by inspiration from God And againe That whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning And againe Nowe all these things came vnto them for examples 1. Cor. 10.11 and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Euerie verse and word in them doe edifie and are of force nay they edifie and teach vs And in this one point they surpasse almost all other writings The lawes of Iustinian manie of them are not conuenient for our age nor Galens prescriptions of medicines for our bodies 1. Pet. 1.25 but the word of the Lord is the same for euer The Madianites fled to Beth-hashittah Tsererah as to their castle of refuge and that is in our language to the afflicted house now readie to fall on their heads And do not euen now the Papists so Ierem. 7.4 Do they not crie as the Iewes did The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord So now they The Church of Rome the Church of Rome Is not the continuance thereof so manie yeares and the great glorie of it their Refuge Is not this one of their chiefest arguments But what is Rome Is it not Beth-hashittah Tserarah that is 2. Thes 2.8 that afflicted house now readie to fall on their heads It consumes daily by the Spirit of God as Saint Paul prophesieth that it should do and euerie day is it in declining And ere it belong in one day Reu. 18.8 that is sodainly as Saint Iohn prophesieth shall her plagues come vpon her death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire For it is the mightie Lord euen God himself that iudgeth her And she shall fall into that miserable sorow and destruction which here also followeth euen to the very border or lippe as it is in the Hebrew of Abel Meholah
of Adam hauing no goodnesse left in vs but that we maie become the sonnes of God we must be borne againe and receiue Gods spirit and by it be now not helped as the Councell of Trent teacheth but quickened and made aliue againe to do good works And therefore Saint Paul agréeing to this doctrine of our Sauiour writes Eph. 2.8 that by grace yee are saued through faith and that not of your selues no not in parte as the Councell here would haue it For it is Gods gift saith the Apostle and dare we imagine that Gods gifts are not most free most ample Dare we our selues challenge anie part in them this no doubt were diuelish pride proud presumption Nay but that which followes plainlie prooues the same Not of workes saith Saint Paul least anie man should bragge In this matter of our saluation God will haue all the glorie himselfe man maie challenge no part thereof God will not haue him bragge no not of a mite thereof he will haue all the glorie thereof ascribed to himselfe alone As all the Saints of God in the Reuelation to our instruction doe also confesse Reu. 7.10 And they cried with a lowd voice saying Saluation commeth of our God that sitteth vpon the throne and of the Lambe Shall they thus alowde crie out this lesson to vs and shall we not heare them shall they all with one consent testifie this and shall we not beléeue them But Saint Paul to make this matter more manifest goeth on forward For wee are his workmanship created in Christ Iesu to good workes which God also hath long prepared before that wee should walke in them This is an inuincible reason able to stoppe the mouths of all bragging Pharises we are Gods workmanship againe as wel in our Regeneration as in our Creation and we are new creatures can he that is created challenge any part of his strength to himselfe Such is mans estate to that which is good after his fall and to all good workes he is regenerate vnto them And the same doctrine Saint Paul teacheth in another place 2. Cor. 5. â—7 If anie man be in Christ he is a newe creature Olde things are gone and behold all things are newe Here first this lesson is generall If any one be in Christ he is a new creature It concernes all Christians they were all in the same case Secondly we are all new creatures we euerie one of vs now haue newe willes new strength new hearts all thinges are newe The olde things are not onely mended and repaired as the Papists teach Mans naturall frowardnesse to goodnes was described to vs euen in iust Lotte he was loth to go out of Sodome he protracted the time And the men tooke him by the hand the Lord being mercifull vnto him and led him out He had Gods vocation he had Gods grace offered preuenting him but did he by and by as the Councell teacheth embrace it and assent vnto it Naie it is said that the Angels constrained him Gen. 19.15 vim faciebant as Arrius Montanus translates it Such fréedome of will to assent to Gods grace offered was in Lotte and doe we thinke that anie of Gods seruants haue had hearts better disposed No verely The like we maie reade of the children of Israell who although God had promised them the land of Canaan Gen. 17.8 Exod 14.27.16.15.13.21 and drowned Pharao before their eies and fedde them with Mannah and went before them by daie in a clowde and by night in a piller of fire yet such was the frowardnesse of their willes Exod. 16.3 Num. 11.6.14.4 Gen. 6.5 that they spurned against all these graces offered them and euen daily before their eies and often made mention of returning to Egypt againe so that the will of mans corrupt nature of it selfe is now euen from the cradle proue to all euill enemie to all goodnesse euer resisting as Saint Stephen taught the Iewes and not willingly and fréely assenting to the Spirit of God as the Papists teach vs. Act. 7.51 The Councell to confirme their doctrine misapplieth that saying of the Prophet Zacharie Zach. 1.3 Turne you vnto me and I will turne vnto you These words were spoken to the circumcised Iewes who had beene well instructed in the law of the Lord and therefore cannot fitlie be applied to the man vnregenerate Rupertus a Papist expoundes this place of Zacharie thus Rup in ca. 1. ver 13. Zac. Thus saith the Lord of hostes the father and the Lord of hostes the Sonne and the Lord of hosts the Holy-ghost Turne vnto me and I will turne vnto you that is beleeue in me and all anger being set apart I will be reconciled vnto you Be not like your Forefathers to whome the former prophets cried saying Turne from your euill waies and from your wicked thoughts and they woulde not heare nor giue heed to mee saith the Lorde This is like to that which the Holy ghost saith by Dauid To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and in the day of temptation in the Wildernesse when your Fathers tempted me proued me and saw my works c. Thus farre Rupertus Where first that word of reconciliation argues regeneration and a former loue and friendship but most manifestlie the example of the Israelites which he addeth out of Dauid These Israelites of whome Dauid here speakes 1. Cor. 10.2 were regenerate in the redde sea as Saint Paul teacheth and had seene Gods wonderous workes and had beene as should seeme a great while schollers in his schoole and therefore to such might this exhortation fitlie be applied But to the vnregenerate the councell doth not rightlie applie it euen by Rupertus his iudgement Luk. 10.30 That man that descended from Ierusalem to Iericho may resemble a man regenerate and now falling into greeuous sinnes or if he signifie Adam falling from Gods fauour into the hands of the diuell let vs marke what a miserable case hee was in hee had no power to helpe himselfe no not a tongue to aske helpe and being helpen vp was neither able to stand nor to goe but was set vpon the good Samaritans owne beast to beare him Hee was halfe dead the flesh liued in him his worst halfe but his spirit and power to doe good was quite dead If this man which came from Ierusalem was in this case what shall wee saie of them which neuer saw Ierusalem It was not the helping vp that would serue the turne but hee stood in neede of other legges to beare him of Wine and Oile to be powred into his wounds and not of these onelie but his wounds were to bee bound vp least these heauenlie graces being powred in should runne out againe and of two pence to be giuen him to paie for his charges Such a case was this man in he had nothing left him hee was quite robbed and spoiled of all his riches Psal
104.15 hee had not a drop of the true wine of God to comfort him nor of the oile of Gods spirit to cheere his countenance he now hid his face Gen. 3.8 he ranne awaie from God he had no will nor mind nor desire nor loue towards him he stood in neede of all these afresh to bee powred into him Andradius also and the Vniuersitie of Collen Lib. 4. Orth. explic are of the same opinion almost word for word with the councell of Trent The Fathers of Collen saith Andradius do proue by many and strong reasons that there is free-will in the mindes of men beeing possessed with neuer such vgly monsters of sinne to vndertake any good worke neither that that can be extinguished or blotted out vvith any filthines of sinne whatsoeuer but yet it may bee so bounde with yron fetters that it cannot rid it selfe out of them without the power of God And therefore the cause why wicked men can do no perfect or spirituall good worke as long as their minds are ouerwhelmed with the spots of sinne is not because they lacke free-wil but because that that is so entangled with the snares of sinne and so kept vnder with the weight of their offences that it can no way vnloose it selfe nor by his owne power any way looke vp no otherwise then they which are in the stocks haue power to go although they cannot goe vnlesse the bonds bee first taken away which hinder their moouing VVhen as therefore the light of Gods grace shines into the minds of the wicked it doth not violently thrust righteousnes vpon them or forceth them to embrace those ornaments of their soules but stirres vp the will which now lies on the grounde and being weake helpes it vp that now it being as it were comen to it selfe by Gods helpe it may freely yeeld to the calling and pleasure of God and receiue his grace neither is there any thing then that may hinder or bind this liberty This is also the opinion of the Vniuersitie of Collen and of Andradius concerning this matter But how quite contrarie to the Scriptures is this their assertion Man saie they hath free-will still in him be he neuer so wicked euen to vndertake anie good worke But this his free-will is fettered or hindered onely through sinne the which fetters being by Gods grace remooued it worketh freely that which is good So that they make mans fréewill the chiefe and principall cause of dooing good and the grace of God but the secondarie cause or causa sine qua non as the Philosophers doe tearme it that is the cause without the which the thing could not haue beene doone And thus Vocabularium scholasticae doctrinae a booke of the Papists owne making defines Causa sine qua non Causa sine qua non est qua posita aliud ponitur aliunde quamuis secundum candem That is which cause beeing present another effect followes in another thing and yet by the meanes of it Surelie that which wrought the effect the let beeing taken awaie freelie and of it owne accord maie bee said to be the principall or an equiualent cause at the least if the grace of God do after the let be taken awaie worke with the will as the councell of Trent seemes to affirme But the Scriptures teach quite contrarie to this Esay 26.12 Esay saieth Thou O Lorde hast wrought all our works in vs And what hath our will doone then And saint Paul saieth Phil. 2.13 that it is God which workes in vs both the will and also the performance in those things which bee good according to his good pleasure Man by saint Paul his iudgement abiding yet in his sinnes is not like a man in fetters who would gladlie goe if his fetters were loosed and who would gladly haue his fetters taken awaie from him but quite contrarie hee delights in sinne he loues and likes well of his fetters he thinkes that hee is in Paradise hee would neuer haue not so much as a will or mind to be loosed vnlesse God gaue it him This will then remaines not in man as Andradius and the Vniuersitie of Collen teach but according to the doctrine of saint Paul it is a new worke of God in him And whereas they saie that the grace of God doeth offer no violence in the conuersion of sinners what meanes then that saying of our sauiour Ioh 6.44.12.32 that no man can come vnto him vnles his father draw him And againe when I shall bee exalted from the earth I will draw all vnto me What meanes these drawings of God the father and of his sonne Iesus Christ but a certain holie violence in the conuersion of sinners In that parable of the gospell Luke 14 23. those that sate in the high waies and vnder hedges were they not types of the Gentiles which should be saued And were they not compelled to come in to the Supper Surely without this compulsion they would neuer haue comen in of themselues What meanes also that which Dauid so often prayes in the Psalmes Make me to walke O Lord Psal 119.35.144.8.11.119 107. in the waies of thy commandements and direct my pathes vnto thee and make me know the way that I should walke in and quicken mee according to thy word but that euen he himselfe felt this froward will in himselfe to all goodnesse and this blind vnderstanding so that God had neede euen as it were to force him to goodnesse What meane those goades and nailes which the Preacher speakes of Eccle. 12 11. Hebr. 10.24 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pricking and prouoking to loue and good works which the Apostle mentions but a certaine kind of violence which both God himselfe vseth by the ministerie of his word in drawing sinners to him and wee our selues after our calling must vse one towards another in stirring vp our dull and slow willes to goodnes And no doubt of this violence and of these goades which the Lord God himselfe vseth in the conuersion of sinners it is said in the Acts that the Iewes who were conuerted to the faith by Peters Sermon Acts 2.37 were pricked in their hearts No doubt they felt these goades of God And in their conuersion God vsed some violence But let vs a little consider how other Catholiques somwhat so under then these haue declared their iudgementes concerning this matter First Granatensis writes thus Lib. 2. de orat cap. 11. The necessitie of praying continually vnto God doth spring of mans pouertie and miserie into the which he fell through his sinne and of the diuersitie of his estate wherein hee is now and wherein hee was when God created him For if he had continued in that first estate he had not needed these engines nor so many meanes to drawe his soule to God and that he might be lifted vp to the consideration of heauenly things For euen as the Eagle of hir owne
Sixtly she must go out by absolution and come into the citie of Ierusalem that is into the holy Church and be reconciled to her againe by a spirituall life Lastly she must confesse and testifie both in word and worke that Christ is the sonne of God as did also the Centurion Here truely Ferus declares what mans hart is before regeneration It is a rocke there is no softnesse nor aptnesse to goodnesse in it before grace And it is euen now as great a miracle for God to conuert a sinner Exod. 16. ver 6 as it were for him to make the water to runne out of the hard rocke Fer. in 9. cap. Act. Ferus also on this matter writes verie excellently vpon these wordes O Lorde what wilt thou haue me to doe This is the speech of a changed heart See here what Gods correction can doe what grace can doe what the spirit can doe In one word it makes a wolfe a sheepe For by and by he cries what wilt thou haue mee doe O Lord For I am now readie hereafter to obey thy commandements I would to God we were made all so ready by the Lords correctiō Surely then it would fare better with vs. For God strikes vs that he might by by heale vs and if we be not healed that comes of our own wickednes frowardnes Therfore we must praie thus that he will conuert vs also Conuert vs O God of our saluation c. Thou seest that this beginning of true repentance doth proceede of none other cause but from God when as he doth touch our heart with the feeling of sinne and doth also so vnderproppe it that it despaire not as we heare here that he did to Paul For he being so terrified had runne from Gods presence and had vtterly despaired vnlesse by Gods spirit he had been called backe againe that he might crie O Lord what wilt thou haue me doe Thou seest therefore how true repentance differs from that which is false and counterfeit For vnlesse all the hart be kindled with this earnest desire that it say O Lord I couet to forsake mine owne euill waie and to doe that which thou wouldst haue me doe it is but hypocrisie it is no repentance But this earnest desire no man can frame to himselfe vnlesse God touch his heart Therfore the beginning the middle and the end is of God and is Gods worke Here we may learne what we were before grace we were wolues we were no shéepe and therefore not a helping vppe or pricking forward was necessarie for vs but as our Sauiour teacheth a regeneration And this is that which God himselfe promiseth by the Prophet Ezechiell Ezech. 11.19 I will take away their stonie heart and I will giue them a heart of flesh God had néede shewe his most mightie power as well in mans regeneration as in his creation His heart was become a stone and therefore vnapt to mooue and apply it selfe to the grace of God as the Papists teach What fitnesse is there in a stone to receiue into it anie moisture or to mooue it selfe vpward and such like were all mens hearts to grace before regeneration as God himselfe here plainlie teacheth by his Prophet Ezechiell And hereof also is that which Iohn saith in the Gospell to the proud and bragging Iewes of their carnall descent from Abraham Matth. 3.9 That God was able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham no doubt by these stones he meant all Abrahams spirituall sons who by the preaching of the Gospell and by faith in Iesus Christ should be borne vnto him And doe we not sée now this prophesie of Iohn verified The proud bragging Iewes are reiected and the Gentiles who before were as stones are by Gods grace now become Abrahams children This also that vision that God shewed Peter As Ferus also notes hereafter Act 10.11 when as hee would call the Gentiles prooues most euidently He saw heauen opened and a certaine vessell came downe vnto him as it had been a great sheete knit at the foure corners and was let downe to the earth wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping thinges and foules of the heauen No doubt these beasts as Peter himselfe also after expounds this vision signified the Gentiles Into such monsters we were growen by reason of sinne Psalm 49.12 Man being in honour had no vnderstanding euen Adam that first man and in him all men and so became as the beasts that perish so that man must be killed and quickened againe as God here commands Peter he must haue new life put into him before he can please God So farre off is he of his owne nature to assent fréelie to the grace of God offering it selfe vnto him sinne being onely done away And this is that which Ferus here teacheth men must become of wolues shéepe before they can be acceptable sacrifices vnto God The beginning of the desire which they haue to serue God and the middle and continuance thereof when as they haue once begun and the ende also thereof is of God Not the beginning onely as the Papists doe teach And this is that also which Saint Peter teacheth all true Catholiques 1. Pet. 1.5 in his Catholique Epistle That we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation He not onely at the beginning workes fréely our iustificaon as the Councell of Trent teacheth but euen also fréelie through the same faith he then wrought in our hearts he continually preserueth vs. So that our whole saluation the beginning and the middle and the end thereof we must only and wholy ascribe vnto God This great worke is his worke alone no man what soeuer maie challenge anie part in it with him hee alone must haue all the glorie of it Ibid. And to this effect the same Ferus writes thus againe Marke here that God is not onely the beginning but also the perfection of all goodnesse in vs. For he that begins the same also finisheth He workes in vs both to will and also to finish he giues the increase To this maie be applied that which Moses saith The land which the Lord will giue you is not like the land of Egypt c. The forces and powers of nature are sufficient to externall workes but to those things which concerne our saluation we must looke for a shower from heauen that is grace Therefore euerie godlie man must say I will not trust in mine owne bowe And after The light of nature seemes to be reason but in diuine matters they are but scales hindering the sight as thou seest here in Paul These scales signifie that couering which is ouer Moses face yea ouer the hearts of all the Iewes before faith Those scales also which claue together in the body of Leuiathan are wicked men amongst whom Saul was All these when the light commeth fall downe to the ground c. The light
of nature by Ferus iudgement profits nothing but rather hinders our saluation And after Fer. in cap. 10. Act. These beasts signifie all them which should beleeue of the Gentiles For the Church was to bee collected not onely of the Iewes but also of the prophane Gentiles And they are fitly compared to beasts for what is man without the knowledge and the feare of God but a beast according to that Man when as he was in honour vnderstood not c. He was compared to beastes and became like them he liues like a beast as a swine that is washed wil wallow in the myre againe he lacks reason he is full of poison The poison of Aspes is vnder their lippes He is more fierce and cruell then any beast See what a miserable creature a sinner is If thou doest not knowe thy selfe at least wise hereof learne to knowe thy selfe Thus farre Ferus Here man maie see as in a looking glasse what hee is of his owne nature he is a Lyon a Beare a filthie Swine no Lyon so cruell no swine so filthie as he Fer. Ibid And here also wee maie learne out of Ferus what kind of sinners these beastes doe signifie he names thrée kinds of beasts For all that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh or the concupiscence of the eyes or the pride of life Foure footed beasts signifie riotous persons creeping things signifie couetous men foules of the Aire ambitious men that ambitiouslie seeke after honors Peter is commanded to eate and deuour all these c. Sée then what accompt God makes of thee what an vglie monster thou art in his eies whosoeuer art giuen to thy pleasures who soeuer art couetous and greedie of this earthlie claie whosoeuer art ambitous and gapes after honors and promotions Though thou seeme in thine owne eies neuer so glorious nor of so great estimation thou art but a filthie swine a creeping vermine and a soaring Kyte And learne hereby rather to please God then either man or thy selfe Againe vpon these wordes I also am a man hee wrytes thus Ibid. He teacheth the Apostles successours that they ought to flie ambition for it is an horrible fault and it makes vs ascribe vnto our selues those things which God workes in vs or by vs as it were by instruments when as all glory is due vnto God And therefore Paul ascribed to himselfe all the paines he tooke but to God all the fruites of his labours I saieth he haue laboured more then they all but not I but the grace of God with me The fruit of Gods word he yéelds wholie to God For he works in vs both to will and to performe hee teacheth them also to challenge no praise to themselues for these thinges which they haue doone in Christs name and by his power The false Apostles and Byshops obserue neither of these Fer. in cap. 13. Act. And after Thou seest how necessary Christ is ascribe not light to reason nor saluation to thy works but both to Christ And after vpon these words And they beleeued as manie as were predestinate No man beleeues but hee which is predestinate No man comes to me vnlesse my father draw him Here he giues vs to marke that faith is not of the desert of man but of the mercie and election of God for the Lord saith in the Gospell to Peter confessing Christ Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And to Nicodemus vnlesse one be borne againe from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God All these places doe not impute to God the fault why the wicked are condemned but rather they proue euidently that the election and grace of God is the cause of the saluation of the godly least any man should attribute to our strength that which belongs onely to God Thou seest also here who are predestinate to life they who beleeue in Christ therefore thou needest not curiously dispute of predestination beleeue in Christ and bring forth good works in him and thou art sure that thou art predestinate Otherwise if thou were the very signet of Gods right hand thou shalt be cast away Our owne forces and strength by Ferus his iudgement maie challenge no part in our saluation And declare thy faith by thy good workes as Saint Iames teacheth thee and bee sure of thy predestination saieth Ferus In cap. Act. 17. And vpon these wordes God is in vs. The power of God appeares in no creature more then in man although he fulfill all things as he saith by the Prophet Ieremie An◠I God onely nigh at hand and not a farre off also Therefore he saith truly that God is not farre off of euery one of vs who workes by vs as a workeman with the toole which he hath made And after They are fit to receiue the word of God which earnestly thirst after it In cap. Act. 18. which shut the eies of reason who altogether distrusting to their owne righteousnes wisedome or knowledge do relie onely vpon the word of God acknowledging themselues to be blind and euer to erre and stumble vnles they be lightned with the heauenly light And for this cause they require and earnestly desire often this lightening in their godly prayers Of them it is said in the fift of Matthew Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes And a little after The flesh is euer fearefull Ibid. and escheweth perils and trembles at death nor can endure any trouble for the Lords sake Therefore we haue need of the grace of God by which we are that we are By this it appeares that there is no goodnes in the flesh And of Abraham he writes thus In cap. Act. 19. True faith doubts not of the word of God though all things seeme contrary So Abraham beleeued God when as he had heard of him This shall not be thy heire meaning Ismael but he that shall proceed out of thine owne bowels he shall bee thine heire Though he himselfe were an old man and had a very old woman to his wife who also was barren yet he beleeued God promising him a sonne against nature against reason against mans capacity That I may say with Paul He beleeued in hope against hope he gaue God the glory and hee brought in bondage himselfe and his owne reason And that was accompted to him for righteousnes that is pleased God more then all thinges that Abraham had doone hitherto That for this faith he was iust and so accompted of before God c. Thus we may see what is in man euen regenerate still flesh bloud resisting the will word and promises of God which all good Christians must striue dailie to conquour 1. Epist Ioh. 5.4 And this is that great victory of faith which Saint Iohn speakes of And of S. Paul when he was come to Ierusalem the same Ferus writes thus Letting all other things
Paul to the Colossians thus In 1. cap. ad Col. I supply the wants or rather the remnants of the afflictions of Christ as Ambrose doth translate it not that Christs passions are insufficient for vs but that the afflictions of his mysticall body the Church that is of the holy Martyrs are accompted the afflictions of Christ which he accompts his saying That which ye haue done to one of the least of these ye haue done to me Thus Gagneius expounds this place out of Ambrose he confesseth that Christs passion is sufficient for our redemption and that the passions and afflictions of the Saints are honoured with that honourable title that they are called also the afflictions of Christ because he is the head of his Church He brings in also another exposition of Photion that to fulfill the wants and remnants of Christs passion is nothing els then to suffer for him as he suffered for vs. For Christ suffered for you saith Peter leauing you an example that you should follow his steps Christ therefore suffered for vs what now remaines but that we should also be afflicted and suffer togither with him he that doth this fulfils that was wanting of the afflictions of Christ not on Christs behalfe but on his owne For although Christs afflictions were sufficient to redéeme all men yet on our behalfe this is wanting to them that we should suffer for the Church and one for another For by many tribulations we must go into the kingdome of heauen Therefore saith Saint Paul The want of his afflictions that is that which wanteth for vs to doe after his afflictions I fulfill in my flesh in stéede of Christ by so long and grieuous afflictions for his bodie which is the Church Our afflictions are Christs steps we must follow him in them they are no part of the price of our redemption they are the waie which wee must walke in if we will go to heauen they are not the purchase of heauen And these S. Paul endured for the Church in seruing it not in sauing it Stella also of Christs redemption writes thus In cap. Luc. 1â— Fourthly looking for their maister they make all things readie they strewe and sweepe their whole house So we also which looke for our maister must furnish our vnderstanding with the knowledge of God and our wils with his holy loue and our memories with the remembrance of all the good things which we haue receiued of his bountifull hand For when we were vtterly lost and vndone through the sinne of our first parents he redeemed vs so perfectly that Paul saith where iniquity abounded there grace superabounded for by his death he opened to vs the gates of heauen and gaue vs the resurrection of the flesh Stella here plainly confesseth that Christ redéemed vs perfectlie and that by his redemption whereas by the fall of Adam sin abounded to punish vs and to condemne vs now grace more abounds to pardon vs and to iustifie vs. Christs grace is not limited within the banks of the Babylonicall Euphrates that his merites should take awaie crime and not paine that thereby the merites of Friers and such like might gaine riches to the Church of Rome but it spreades it selfe farre beyonde all the bankes of mans reason and deuice The vertue force of Christs passion no man is able to comprehend his riches which all Gods ministers are commanded to preach with Saint Paul are vnsearchable they are without bottome or ende Ephâ—l 3.8 Euen vnto me saith Saint Paul the least of all Saints is this grace giuen that I should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearcheable riches of Christ And dare the Pope saie that hee hath found out the bottome of them to establish his pardons In cap. 8. Act. Ferus also verie excellentlie teacheth all Pastours what is meant by that phrase when it is said that the Apostles preached Christ To preach Christ saieth he is to teach that hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and that there is saluation in none other And it is to preach righteousnesse sanctification remission of sinnes and redemption For Christ is become all these thinges vnto vs. Therefore hee preacheth not Christ which teacheth to trust in works or to seeke by any meanes else saluation then of Christ As the false prophets doe which teach vs to seeke righteousnesse and remission of sinnes some where else then in Christ For they say Behold here is Christ behold him there In Christ onely these things are to be found For there is no other name vnder heauen in which we must be saued To this all the law and the prophets beare witnesse that we doe receiue remission of sinnes by his name If this be true then Poligranes and all the Popes pardon-sellers which teach that not onelie by Christs merites sinnes are forgiuen but ioine the merites of Martyrs and the treasure of the Church vnto them preach not Christ by his iudgement naie they are false Prophets Neither here nor there in no place else nor in nothing else remission of sinnes is to be had but onlie in Iesus Christ no not at Rome in the yeare of Iubile saieth Ferus In cap. 11. Act. Againe to the same effect the writes thus To preach Christ is to teach that all our trust is to be put in him alone man can doe no more but preach and exhort the which he that shall diligently do is guiltlesse before God if anie perish Ferus of Christes satisfaction verie excellentlie writes thus What sorrow was euer like mine Part. 4. pass 26. from the crowne of my head to the sole of my feete there was no found part what therefore remaineth O father but seeing that I make satisfaction so aboundantly but that thou lay apart thine anger forgiue them haue mercie vpon them and powre vpon them the streames of thy grace Ibideâ— Vpon these words It is finished Ferus writes thus Beholde now the Lord be praised by me is finished whatsoeuer my Father hath decreed I haue suffered whatsoeuer the law and the prophets haue foretold and whatsoeuer was necessary or profitable to mans saluation The sacrifice is made the figures are fulfilled the shadowes are taken away From whence springs the patience of Martyres but hereof Bar. in Ser. Cant. 61. that a Martyre by deuout and continuall meditation doth hide himselfe in the stripes and woundes of Christ The Martyre standes in this tryumphing and dauncing although his body bee all rent and the Sword pierce his side he beholds the holy bloud to boile out of his fide not onely valiantly but ioyfully Where then is the Martyrs soule Surely in safety that is to say in the rocke that is to say in the bowelles of Iesus His wounds being open that he may enter in thither If he were in his owne bowelles searching them without all doubt he would feele the Sword hee were notable to abide the paine he would yeeld he
how is he all cleane which is commanded as yet to wash his feete Yea how can he be all cleane which is baptized when as the Scripture in euerie place affirmeth that no man is without sinne It is most true that no man is without sinne and yet notwithstanding it is also true that he is all cleane that is purified by faith For he because he is grafted into the body of Christ by faith doth participate and possesse the holinesse and puritie of Christ And therefore Paul said to them that beleeue ye are washed ye are sanctified by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ And againe there is no condemnation to those that are in Iesus Christ Therefore they which are grafted into Christ are called holy for the faith name and bloud of Christ although in the meane time in themselues they are nothing els but sinners and haue in them much sinne as yet but no condemnation because they are accounted iust with God through faith in Christ Hereof it is that Paul speakes of himselfe with my minde I serue the lawe of God but with my flesh the lawe of sinne Ferus here plainly teacheth that mans righteousnesse is by imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ and not by any inherent righteousnesse in himselfe And againe speaking vpon Stephens death he giues these notable lessons vpon these words Fer. in cap. 7. Act. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit He railes not nor curseth not but with great modestie cals vpon God To him alone he coÌ„mits his soule Here I would haue thee also learn the best manner of dying First he is carefull not for his body but for his soule the wicked doe contrarie Secondly hee cals vpon God distrusting in himselfe and of his owne merites but the wicked trust in their owne merites and therefore they builde vpon the sande Thirdly he confesseth his faith briefly but most perfectly calling him Lorde who is able and Iesus who is also willing to saue These three things are especially to be marked for they are verie necessarie to a blessed and happy death For they are blessed which die in the Lord. I would to God all true Catholiques which minde to die wel would learne these thrée lessons of Saint Stephen out of Ferus First to haue more care of their soules then of their bodies It makes no matter what maner of death they die or what cost be bestowed vpon their funerals let them do good and bestow their goods themselues 3. Cor. 5.20 while they are in the bodie Secondly that at the houres of their deathes yea and all their life long also if then in that extremitie they would call vpon none other but as Saint Stephen doth here vpon Iesus Christ Thirdly that they would condemne themselues as vnprofitable seruants before the maiestie of God and not trust in their owne merites as Ferus here teacheth them And here if Saint Stephen trusted not in his Martyrdome being so notable a worke neither was it laid vp in the treasurie of the Church to helpe the saluation of others much lesse the works of anie other as Poligranes teacheth And lastly that they would confesse the Lord Iesus euen this shorte faith these two wordes as Saint Stephen did For as Saint Paul saith God will make his account and gather it into a short sum Rom. 9.28 with righteousnes for the Lord wil make a short count vpon the earth God will make now a short account with his faithfull seruants Psal 143.2.12 with them that beleeue in Iesus Christ they shall not be called to so strickt account of euerie idle word as the Infidels shall Psal 32.1 Matth. 12.36 Luke 9 26. 1. Cor. 15.35 Reuelat. 1.18 Matth. 11 28 they shall be blessed because their sinnes shall be couered and because Iesus Christ at that great day of account shal not be ashamed of them That they would confesse I saie but euen with S. Steuen these two words Lord Iesu That he is a Lord of death of hell and of the Diuell and therefore is able to saue them and that he is Iesus who cals all that are heauie laden with the burthen of their sins vnto him And therefore be thou neuer so blinde Marke 10.49 euen as blinde as Bartimeus thou maiest boldly come vnto him as he did when as he called him and thou shalt not onely receiue thy sight but also be saued as he was Who neuer repelled anie from him not halte not lame not leapers not possessed Mat. 21.14.8.2 28. Iohn 11.44 naie who raised euen dead men vp againe and therefore is willing to saue They which acknowledge but these two things from a liuely faith néede no more This is the summe of Christian religion thus Stephen died and in this Religion Againe the same Ferus speaking of the word of God faith That is rightly called the word of grace because it preacheth grace In cap. 14. Act. and comes to vs of the grace of God and it condemnes merites And againe Of this Chapter as well the preachers of faith In cap. 15. Act. as the Preachers of workes make their bragges and therefore it is most diligently to be marked of all men the question was whether the lawe was necessâ—rie for them which were conuerted to Christ or whether faith in Christ sufficed The same question is now also amongst vs whether faith or workes doe iustifie It is not called in question whether good workes are to be done or no for all are forced to confesse that that good workes must be done but whether they iustifie or not The Apostles conclude that faith iustifieth and not workes nor the lawe And why doth faith iustifie because it leanes vpon the grace and mercy of God vpon the promises of God vpon the merites of Christ Why doth not the law iustifie because no man euer kept it Why doe not workes iustifie because they are vnperfect All our righteousnesse is like a defiled cloth This is the summe of the Apostles councell saith Ferus what can be spoken more plainly then this Here are questions proposed and answeres shaped to them and the conclusion is that faith onely iustifies because it relies wholie and onely of the mercie and promises of God and that works no not of the best men cannot iustifie because they are imperfect I wish that all they which crie out Generall councels Generall councels and will beleeue nothing but that which generall councels doe teach would marke diligently the conclusion of this first Generall and Apostolicall councell in this great and waightie matter euen in the saluation of their soules and that they would condemne all other generall councels which doe not agree with this both in matter and forme They direct their decrées from that generall thus Act 15.28 It seemes good to the holy Ghost and vnto vs Not it séemes good to Peter to vs which should haue béene the title if Peter had béene the head of the Church but
mette in anie man since Adams fall till now Truth now hath flourished out of the earth Verse 11. O happie earth that bore at length such a blossome All men before were liars till Iesus Christ was borne Psal 12.2.62.9 In whose mouth was no deceit So that now it maie be said that trueth hath flourished out of the earth and neuer till now And righteousnes hath looked downe from heauen Euen nowe also to impart her selfe to men who were all before vnrighteous who were altogither naked as their great grandfather Adam confessed to cloath and adorne them Gen. 3.10 O happie assembly of heauenly vertues Oh blessed natiuitie of Iesus Christ Without this earth had still brought forth lies man had béene still vnrighteous anger and displeasure of God had raigned in the world Luk. 2.24 Esay 53.5 punishments and all manner of plagues had taken hold of all men Oh happie Metamorphosis and exchange That for lies truth for sinne righteousnesse for anger peace for punishment mercie and louing kindnesse is bestowed vpon man Naie this our king is such a king as that Righteousnesse shall go before him Vers 13. it shall direct his goings in the way he shall not once treade awrie So that to the verie faces of his enemies he shall saie Iohn 8.46 Which of you can rebuke me of sinne And none of them shall be able to accuse him He shall iustifie sinners that trust in him Esay 53.11 He is able to pay their debts and minister iustice for all those that are oppressed to their oppressors as he did to Naboth and Ahab 1. King 21.21 Luk. 16.25 to Diues and Lazarus This is the meaning of this Psalme Granatensis as he is full of holie meditations so especiallie he excéedes in this matter so that although the places I shall take out of him be verie long yet I hope the excellencie of the matter will make them séeme short Euen as it is written of Iacob Gen. 29.20 That he serued seuen yeeres for Rahel and they seemed to him but a few daies because he loued her So all they which loue Iesus Christ all the paines they shall take in reading things that concerne him it should séeme nothing vnto them Granatensis first therefore in a discourse he makes vpon the Lords prayer writes thus verie excellentlie of mans iustification by Christ in the sight of God But O Father doest thou forgiue vs our sinnes freely and without any recompence Truely thou forgiuest them freely not freely not freely for although mercy be readie to forgiue yet iustice will be satisfied freely because thou hast giuen vs freely that wherwith to repaie iustice that is that great and inestimable treasure which thy onely begotten sonne the whole space of xxxi j yeeres did laie vp as treasure for vs An entrance to the which he hath purchased for vs with his bloud We offer to thee this treasure O Father take thereof as much as thou wilt There may be drawn out thereof abundantly but it can neuer be drawne drie we may spend thereof but it can neuer be diminished All his merits are ours his satisfaction is ours his bloud is our ransome Therefore we beseech thee O Lord that being pacified with the bloud and merits of thy sonne that thou wouldest winke at our sins the which if thou shalt call into a streight account there is no man shall be able to abide the fauour much lesse the rigour of thy iustice Let thy mercie helpe vs who acknowledge our selues worthie to be damned for a thousand sinnes by thy iustice Purge vs with the feruent fire of thy loue take vs againe to thy fauour be friendes with vs Forgiue vs our trespasses Thus farre Granatensis And this which he teacheth must all Gods Saints pleade at the tribunall seate of Gods iustice They must saie with Dauid Pleade thou my cause O Lord Psal 35.1 with them that striue with me fight thou against them that fight against me And againe And now truely what is my hope 39.7.38.15 Truelie my hope is euen in thée And againe For in thee O Lord haue I put my trust thou shalt answere for me O Lord my God This must be their plea if they minde to be saued against all the accusations of their owne consciences and enditements of Sathan And this is that which our Sauiour teacheth Verely verely Ioh. 5.24 I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Granatensis concludes the Lords prayer thus Behold most louing Father how our childishnesse hath plaied her part as well as she can in vttering the words which thy only begotten sonne hath taught vs but now we powre out altogither and at once without wordes our whole hearts that thou wouldest mercifully grant vnto vs those things which we desire of thee O Father we most humbly beseech thee that thou wouldest mercifully bestow vpon vs all those benefites and graces before recited not respecting our vnworthinesse but the worthinesse of thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ For he is our aduocate our priest our sacrifice and our patrone before thee For we doe not prostrate our prayers before thy face trusting in our owne righteousnesse as the Prophet saith but in the multitude of thy mercies and in the merites of thy sonne our Lorde For whatsoeuer he hath done or suffered all that he hath giuen vnto vs he hath suffered and done al that for vs therfore for his sake we desire thee that thou wilt grant vs all these our requests By him thou hast created all things and by him thou hast restored all things that were lost by him thou hast created man to thine owne image and likenesse and by him thou hast reformed man againe to the same image He is the foundation of our being he is the foundation of our righteousnesse and the cause of our merites he is our intercessor with thee he is our aduocate and the strength of our hope Therefore whatsoeuer hitherto O heauenly Father we haue asked we haue asked all that by thy sonne for that which is not due to our righteousnesse is due to his merites If thou shalt finde no goodnesse in vs truely thou canst finde no wickednesse in him If there be no merites in vs behold his merites without estimation or number By him therefore we pray thee by him we beseech thee honour him in vs. For that which thou giuest to vs the verie same thou giuest to him for whatsoeuer is bestowed vpon the members redounds to the head whereof they are members We confesse O Father we confesse our pouertie we haue nothing of our owne that we may offer vnto thee least notwithstanding that we should appeare emptie before thee which thing thou forbiddest in thy law behold we offer vp in sacrifice vnto thee thy onely begotten sonne with all his labors
sorrowes stripes wounds and whatsoeuer he hath done and whatsoeuer he hath suffered from the first minute that he was borne into this world and that he beheld this light vnto the verie last gaspe which he dying on the Crosse yeelded vp all that we offer vnto thee For we are partakers of all these al these are ours he did all these things for vs he suffered them for vs We trusting and relying wholy of this oblation of this sacrifice of these merits do come vnto thee and we desire mercie of thee euen as it were now of iustice and good right for if thou respect thy sonne it is iustice but if thou respect vs it is mercie But there is also another thing that makes vs bolde that makes vs hope well that makes vs be of good courage because we doe not come to thee through mans presumption or with the impudent face of flesh and bloud and doe begge of thee these so great requests and petitions but we come thus begging sent of thine only begotten sonne for he commands vs to come to thy throne to aske in his name whatsoeuer is necessary to both our liues Neither doth he onely command vs this but also he hath put wordes in our mouthes fitte for the same purpose he hath giuen vs those phrases and maner of speeches which thou knowest and art acquainted wel withall which hitherto we haue repeated Know them O Lord it is the stile of thy sonne they are the words which he left vs to deserue our saluation Remember O Father that woman of Thekoah which obtained pardon of Dauid for his beloued sonne Absolon assoone as the king perceiued that shee came being sent of Ioab the captaine of the hoste which fauour Ioab expounded to be done vnto himselfe and not to the woman so I O Lord am sent of thine onely begotten sonne it is he that hath put these words in my mouth it is he that beseecheth thee by me and for me That which thou grantest to me thou grantest to him and he will thanke thee for it Remember O Lord how thou didst not condemne but commende that vniust steward of thy goods who made himselfe friends with them Be not angrie with me if that I the poorest creature in the world who haue euill spent thy goods and wasted them doe come to thy sonne make him my friend submit my selfe to his patronage and protection that in this time of my neede and extremity he may receiue me into his tabernacle and that his merits may protect and shrowde me I know that it is a dangerous thing to come into thy sight without our spirituall brother Beniamin that is thine onely begotten sonne Behold him therefore behold we bring him with vs and we present him vnto thee that by his intercession we may be mercifully heard of thee And thou also O thou onely begotten sonne of God who also art the sonne of man stretch foorth thy arme ouer vs. For thou art our protectour and with thy cloake couer our nakednesse and with thy riches helpe our pouertie and do not put vs backe from thy grace and fauour whom thou hast vouchsafed to make partners and companions of thy nature who liuest with the Father and the holy Ghost for euer and euer We maie learne here how that as our iustification is frée in respect of our selues but déerelie bought with the precious bloud and innumerable merites of Iesus Christ so likewise all the good things we haue we also obtaine by his meanes He is the captaine of the Lords hoste by whose meanes all disobedient wicked Absolons are restored into their heauenly fathers grace and fauour againe he is that beloued Beniamin without whom it is dangerous to appeare in our heauenly fathers presence Therefore in our praiers let vs be sure euer to bring him with vs and no bodie els To the same effect Granatensis also writeth in another praier Thou art my king Orat. 7. pro impet amor dei for thou gouernest me with thy spirit thou hast fought for me and hast pulled me out of the hands of mine enimies thow art my high Priest for thou hast prayed and dost still pray for me without ceasing as an euerlasting high priest in the presence of God thy heauenly Father Thou are my sacrifice for thou hast offered vp euen thine own selfe a sacrifice vpon the Altar of the crosse that most graciously and mercifully thou mightest purge and wash away my sinnes Thou art my Aduocate for when the diuell accuseth mee and teacheth to thy father against me an inditement wherein are written all my sinnes thou defendest me and maintainest my cause Thou laiest downe of thine and suppliest all that is wanting to my righteousnes Thou art my redeemer for thou art both God and man mans friend and also true man a friend also that can do much with God and the true Son of God And therefore thou settest thy selfe as a Mediatour in the midst between God and me And after To conclude thou art my Sauiour and surely such a Sauiour who euery where alwaies and in all things sufficeth me for thou didst worke in the middle of the earth most perfectly and absolutely all whatsoeuer was required to my saluation Thou hast lightened my ignorance with thy doctrine thou hast strengthened my weaknes with thy examples thou hast kindled and enflamed my luke-warmenes with thy benefits Thou hast instructed my soule with thy mysteries Thou hast enriched my pouerty with thy merites Thou hast healed my wounds with thy sacraments Thou hast paide and satisfied for my pleasures with thy griefes and sorrowes and now sitting in heauen at the right hand of thy father thou makest intercession for me VVhat shall I vse many words Thou art made my wisdome my righteousnes my sanctification and redemption and therfore all my goods This glorie Granatensis attributes to Iesus Christ and all true catholiques wil most assuredlie beleeue this doe the same Here is the perfect summe of our saluation And speaking of the holie communion he writes thus That it is a Sacrament of infinit vertue Lib. 3. Mem. cap. 1. I say of infinit vertue saieth hee for it containes in it Christ who is the fountaine of grace And man by that Sacrament is made partaker of all the merites of the Lords passion which also haue neither measure nor number If this be true how doeth Poligranes measure and number them affirming that they take awaie the fault and not the punishment Hée also writes thus This faith affirmeth Lib. 1. Mem. cap. 5. that the reward of vertue and the punishment of sinne the one of them is so sharpe and the other so great that if all the world were full of bookes and all creatures were writers yet all these writers should be sooner weary and the world should be ended then that they should lacke matter what to write of either of these what these things containe in them according to their exceeding greatnes
thou art yet thou hast somewhat wherein thou must confesse thy selfe a sinner before God Here is our saluation the free mercie of God bestowed vpon vs in Iesus Christ that we should knowledge our selues euen damned creatures if Christ had not deliuered vs and howe perfect soeuer we are still to acknowledge our selues sinners before God and therfore of our selues deseruing damnation And after he writes thus By these it appeareth that of Adam we are borne euill and wicked for euen as a field of it selfe without seede brings foorth no fruit if any thing growe it is either Tares or if it be like good fruit yet there is nothing in it it is but meate for beasts so truely the sonnes of Adam vnlesse they be regenerate by Christ bring foorth nothing but euill fruit and if they shall seeme to bring foorth good fruit as the Philosophers taught morall vertues yet they are vaine they iustifie truely and haue their glorie In cap. 13. mat but with men not with God Whereas Ferus saith that the sonnes of Adam vnlesse they bee regenerate by Christ bring forth nothing else but euill fruites the Romane Corrector bids put out nothing but as though man could doe some good without Christ What is this els but to gainsaie the Gospell Iohn 15.5 where Christ saith meaning of good without me you can do nothing In cap. mat 14. And of Christ in another place he writes thus Neither by any other meane meaning Christ Iesus saieth Ferus canst thou passe ouer the sea especially at the extremitie of death which on the one side will make thee affraid and the Diuell on the other side and behinde thee the multitude of thy sinnes what wilt thou doe in this case If thou respect these daungers thou seest nothing but the sea and the depth therefore thou must needes despaire remember therefore that thou looke onely vpon Christ neither doubt any thing for by this meanes thou maiest passe ouer as Peter did Thus farre Ferus And hee teacheth plainelie that by no other meanes then by Christ we can passe ouer the sea of death But the Roman Corrector bids put out that and put in without this meane we cannot passe ouer death And whereas Ferus bids vs onely haue an eie to Iesus Christ the Corrector bids put out onlie They must haue an eie to their owne workes and an other to Christ as it should séeme so iniurious are they euen to Christ himselfe who is our only Sauiour Esai 63. who alone trode the wine presse for vs as himselfe witnesseth Of iustification also Ferus writes thus In cap. 16. Io. The holy Ghost shall reproue the world of righteousnesse because I go to the father my righteousnesse can pierce the heauens and come before God and not any other righteousnesse And after The holy Ghost sheweth that the righteousnesse of the world sufficeth not to saluation And then he shewes that there is one only true righteousnesse with God that Christ is gone to the father that is that his death and resurrection iustifieth vs. And of faith he very excellently writes thus I require no great price but as I haue promised freely so I will giue freely onely if thou canst but beleeue in me In Ioh. cap. 11. Faith therefore is the meane whereby we obtaine the life and resurrection and all the goods of Christ Ferus of mans righteousnesse writes thus In cap. 4. Ioh. All mens righteousnesses are more vncleane then that they may iustifie vs or may commend vs to God If any man seeke righteousnesse out of the lawe howe much good soeuer hee doth yet he cannot obtaine thereby peace of conscience yea thereby also his conscience is the more disquieted the law often times accusing him that at length he is compelled to trust onely to the mercie of God and to say we are vnprofitable seruants and no flesh shall be iustified in thy sight Also in another place he writes thus In cap. 3. Ioh. Furthermore also by this word may be vnderstood that onely Christ by right and merit ascended into heauē for to him by right belongs the kingdome of heauen because he is the naturall sonne of God And therefore he saith all thine are mine And Dauid saith The heauen of heauens are the Lordes but the earth hath he giuen to the children of men All others which haue ascended or shall ascend haue this onely of grace by no right but because God onely hath promised this of his mercie neither our works of what kinde soeuer they be are so great that they may deserue this reward either of right or of desert but in as much as God accepts them in mercie Hereof it is that Saint Paul saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glorie we shall haue And the same Paul saith The waight of eternall glorie aboue all measure surpasseth all the sufferings of this life And of these he collecteth That we are saued by grace and not of workes least any man should glorie And lastly so that word may be vnderstood that no man by his owne righteousnesse may stand or appeare before God but onely Iesus Christ neither any maruell For all are gone out of the way and are altogether become vnprofitable And also if any good workes of righteousnesse appeare in vs yet we haue euer more sinnes so that Dauid iustly cried out If thou Lord shall extreamely marke what is done amisse who may abide it Furthermore our good workes haue some imperfections in them yea for the most part they are infected with vain glory or with some other fault of the old man so that it is truely said All our righteousnesses are like a defiled cloth And for this cause also Dauid praied Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified If therefore our righteousnesse cannot stand in Gods sight how could it open heauen vnto vs or deserue the holy Ghost to reconcile vs to God But Christ dare appeare before God because he is the sonne of God and all other being damned and quite vndone he onely hath the fauour and grace of God he onely possesseth righteousnesse and to conclude he onely hath in himselfe all the good gifts of God Also onely his righteousnesse is acceptable to his father because it is mingled with no sinnes yea it is most pure hauing proceedeed from the great loue and charitie of his father That all the world may know saith he that I loue the father I doe as the father hath commanded And Saint Paul saith he was obedient euen to death Therefore he alone could deserue for vs the opening of heauen the loue of his father and the holy ghost By this word therefore Christ would humble vs that we should neuer presume of our selues nor of our owne righteousnesse not that we should doe no good but that we should acknowledge our selues vnprofitable seruants although we shall haue done all that
if he will haue him For who doubts but that God knowes how to saue and is also able and willing to saue For God is the God of saluation as saith the Psalme but whether hee will saue him or no this the Diuell cals in question especially if a man haue liued among the wicked as Christ was here among the theeues Therefore it is a great temptation when the Diuell makes a man doubt which trusts in the Gospell that although he beleeue that Christ is our righteousnesse yet that he should doubt whether he be his righteousnesse or no c. Euerie true Christian must beléeue in particular that Christ is his righteousnesse if he minde to ouercome the Diuell and be saued To beléeue in Generall that he is the righteousnesse of all men is the marke the Diuell shootes at and this doctrine the Papists some of them doe now teach But he must go further that will be saued and apply this soueraigne plaister of Christs death to himselfe and to his owne soule and beléeue that he is his righteousnesse also Granatensis also of the same matter writes thus But thou O Lord as thou art omnipotent in vertues Granat de perfectione amor dei lib. 2. ca. 34 so thou art sufficient for all men in loue thou art infinit in them both and therefore that cannot be wanting to any which hath neither lymits nor any ende although it be deuided amongst many Euen as no man enioyeth lesse the light of the sunne because it shineth to all men but he receiueth so much thereof euen as though he were alone in the world so that heauenly bridegroome loues no lesse all the Godly soules both in particular and in generall then if it were one soule alone For he is not a louer like to Iacob whose loue towards Leah was colder for the feruent loue wherewith he loued Rachel but as an infinite God whose vertue is no lesse in euerie particular person though it be deuided also amongst many And after The Philosophers say Cap. 37. that goodnesse is to be beloued of it selfe but also that euery one loues his owne goods the best for when as man loues himselfe by nature it followes by a necessarie consequent that he must loue all his owne things as proper and pertaining to himselfe alone Wherefore euerie one loues his owne house his owne vineyard his owne money his owne seruants his owne horses and whatsoeuer he possesseth for all these serue to his vse and therefore man as he loueth himselfe so he loues all things which belong to himselfe Therfore if then thou my Lord God be not the onely best good thing in the world but also my best good thing that I haue in the world I minde here to consider in what degree thou art mine and by how many titles thou art mine that hereby I may more manifestly know how greatly I ought to loue thee Therefore I see O my God that thou art my Creator that thou art my sanctifier and that thou art my gloryfier Thou art my helper my gouernour defender tutour and keeper thou sustainest me thou encouragest me thou preseruest me thou to conclude art my God thou art my Lorde thou art my saluation thou art my hope thou art my glorie thou art all the good things I haue Thou art all these thinges vnto me O Lorde as thou art God but in that thou art man there are many other titles other duties and other bonds wherewith I am bound to thee Thou art my repairer for thou hast made perfect againe mans nature which by sinne was corrupted and weakned thou art my deliuerer for by thy captiuitie thou hast deliuered me from the tyranny of sinne death hell and the diuell my deadly enimy thou art my redeemer for with a price and incomparable treasure laid out for my sake thou hast redeemed me from that seruitude into the which thorow sinne I was fallen thou art my King for thou gouernest me with thy Spirite thou also hast fought for me and hast deliuered me from the hands of mine enimies And so going forward he reckons vp a great many benefits of Iesus Christ to his Church and after concludes thus All these things thou art O Lord my God and more then these both to all and to euery one and to me alone And therefore with what face shal I not loue thee Lord to whom I am bound by so many titles and meanes Par. prec orat 7. de impet amore dei Michaelab Istelt cites thus Granatensis praying But when as indeed euery good thing is to be beleeued by it selfe yet notwithstāding euery one doth loue his own good the best I wil therfore loue thee O Lord my God not only because that thou art the best good thing but because that thou art my good too For when I consider and way with my selfe by how many titles and means thou art become mine my very entrails melt within me and I crie out with the Bride My loue is mine and I am his For thou O Lord art my creator thou art my sanctifier and glorifier thou hast giuen me the essence of nature thou hast giuen me the essence of grace and thou wilt giue me the essence of glory Thou art my helper my gouernour my defender my tutor my preseruer and lastly thou art my Lord and my God thou art my saluation my hope my glory thou art all the goods I haue And truly thou art all these vnto me in as much as thou art God in as much as thou art the Creator and preseruer of all things but in that thou art man there are many other titles other duties and other bonds wherewith I am bound to thee and thou to me for the which also I ought of good right to loue thee if it were possible with an infinit loue c. Granatensis here affirmes that God is not onely the best good thing in the world but that hee is his good to him And what is this else but to teach men to beleeue speciall grace Mem. lib. 2. cap. 4. Granatensis also himselfe of speciall grace writes thus Amongst all those losses which the sinner incurres thorow his sinne there is none greater or more to be lamented then that hee loseth God himselfe for this is the root and fountaine of all other losses For to haue lost God is not to haue God a speciall father tutor pastour and defender and now to haue changed him from being a most louing Father into a most seuere Iudge Here is the verie word vsed that God is as it were a speciall father protector and defender to euerie one of his Granatensis in another place of speciall grace writes thus Mem. lib. 5. orat remiss peccat O Lord remember thy wordes which are most comfortable which sometimes thou spakest by the mouth of thy Prophet Ier. 31. But thou hauing plaide the harlot with manie louers yet turne againe to mee sayth the Lord. Wherefore O mercifull father
yet more to humble thy selfe Crie vnto God without ceassing and saie O Lord I haue nothing I can doe nothing without thy helpe I can do nothing else but sinne Cast down thy selfe prostrate with that notorious sinner and be so greatly ashamed euen as a woman is woont to be that hath defiled her husbands bedde and comes to aske pardon of her husband With such like shame O soule stand thou before thy heauenly spouse in despight of whom thou hast committed fornication so often with manie louers beseech him bedewed with many teares touched with great sorrow that he will pardon and forgiue thee whatsoeuer thou hast sinned against him and that he will receiue thee againe into his family for his great mercy beeing indeede that riotous and prodigall Sonne Thus farre Granatensis I woulde all Papists woulde teach this doctrine It woulde make men humble it woulde make them not trust in their workes it woulde make them flie truelie to the mercie of God which is the onlie and true Sanctuary for all Christians to flie vnto Againe of the imperfections of our good workes hee writes thus It is most certaine that thou felst into the foresaid sinnes speaking of the breaking of all Gods commaundementes before thou hadst receiued the true knowledge of God but after thou hast knowne him if thou haue knowne him yet desire of him that he will open the eies of thy mind and thou shalt find many reliques of the old Adam many of the Iebusites yet to remaine in the land of promise onely allured by thy curtesie And againe a little after VVhen as God doth not so much respect the worke it selfe as the meaning and purpose of the vvorke how many good works dost thou thinke that thou hast doon which are pure from the dregges of vaine glory and free from gaping after worldly praises How many are there which thou wouldest neuer haue giuen thy mind to but being drawne and moued vvith outward ceremonies Howe many are there in which thou hast sought thine owne estimation And how few are there which are doone from a sincere heart and for the pure loue of GOD and for which thou hast not paid the world her toll And all such workes what are they else then a smoake shadow and as it were a vizarde of vertue And againe If thou shalt diligently search all the corners of thy soule if thou shalt put thy hand into thy bosome thou shalt pull it out againe full of leprosie as white as Snow and thou shalt finde therein many deadly wounds Oh what deepe root hath swelling pride taken in thee How doth ambition raigne in thee How many waies doeth hypocrisie and the counterfeite shew of vertue trouble thee by which thou wouldest faine cloake thy faults and imperfections and desire to seeme another then thou art indeed Ah how carefully doest thou pursue after those things which are thine own which are acceptable to the flesh pleasant to the bodie how often vnder pretence of necessitie thou makest much of thy selfe and pamperest thy bodie most daintilie so that hereby thou seemes not to nourish nor feed it so much as longing after pleasures and delites to put a spurre vnto it And hereof this is a most euident argument that if any man who before was most gratefull and acceptable vnto thee shall a little reproue thee and find fault with thee and thine inordinate desires thou shalt feele bie and bie the roote of enuie to sproute in thee and thy selfe to bee woonderfullie mooued against him or if anie one shall a little impaire thy honour howe greatlie wilt thou bee displeased with him Thus farre Granatensis In which wordes hee doeth verie truelie describe the corruption of mans nature that no pure worke procéedes thereof But as long as wee liue in this flesh wee cannot so mortifie olde Adam but he will be mingling his Chaffe amongst the Lords Wheate and his dregges amongst his most cleare water streames of the holy spirit And as hee hath in this place most excellently shewed the grieuousnesse of the wounde so in another place hee shewes the salue and remedie The Souldier sayeth hee comes vvith his Speare and shaking it he thrusts it with all his force into the Lordes heart the crosse being moued with the force of the stroke shakes and by and by out of the fresh wound comes water and bloud to wash awaie the sinnes of the whole world O floud issuing out of Paradice and with thy streames watering the vvhole vvorld Oh precious wound of that side not so much wounded with the fiercenes of the Iron as with the force of loue O gate of heauen Window of Paradise place of refuge Tower of fortitude Sanctuary of the iust the graue of strangers the nest of chaste Doues the fragrant bedde of Salomons spouse Blessed be the wound of that precious side wounding the soules of the godly blessed be that pricking which pricks the soules of the iust blessed bee that beautifull and redde Rose that inestimable Carbuncle the way to Christes heart the testimony of Gods loue the free pledge of euerlasting life Thorough thee all beasts cleane and vncleane doe enter in which desire to be saued from the waters of the floud by the meanes of the Arke of the true Noah All they which are tempted flie vnto thee all those which are afflicted find comfort in thee with thy liquour all those which are sicke are healed through thee sinners do enter into the Palace of heauen in thee all pilgrimes and banished persons doe take their ease most pleasantly O firy Ouen of loue house of peace treasure of the Church veine of the water of life springing into life eternall O Lord open vnto me this gate take me home with thee and make me dwel in this most pleasant house Giue me grace by this to enter into the secret places of thy loue Giue me leaue to drinke of this most sweet Fountaine and make mee drunken with this most precious liquour Sleepe O my soule in this Caue most soundly forget here all the cares and businesses of this world here take thy ease here eate and drinke here sing most ioifully with the Prophet This is my rest for euer and euer here will I dwell I haue chosen this Thus farre Granatensis Wherein hee affirmes that Christes merites and not the merites of Saintes or of Monkes and Friers are the treasure of the Church and that the water and bloud of his woundes heales all sicke sinners And in another place writing of the end of our works he sayeth thus The benefites sayeth hee whereby we do receiue any good De orat Med tract 7. cap. 8 are oftentimes perceiued of men but these secret benefites which doe not consist in bestowing any good vpon vs but in turning awaie and repelling euill who can vnderstand Therefore it is necessary that we giue God thanks no lesse for these then for those other Let vs remember also how many things we doe
liue by faith Heb. 10.38 but he that shal withdrawe himselfe hee that shall shrinke as wee saie and whose heart shall faile him My soule shall haue no pleasure in him This faith wee must haue in all things in the matter of our saluation in receiuing of the Sacraments as here Granatensis teacheth vs Mark 11.24 Iam. 1.6 Heb. 11.6 and in our prayers as also our Sauiour and saint Iames instruct vs And without this faith it is impossible to please God in any thing we go about Ferus of the certaintie of our saluation writes thus O father I will that those which thou hast giuen me be with me c. All the Gospelles are full of such promises And Saint Iohn plainly affirmes that the Gospell for no other end hath beene and is now preached vnto vs then that we should haue all these promises common to vs together with the Apostles And a little after Fer. in cap. 1. Epist Iouis Our Apostles for this end preached the gospell that mens consciences might be comforted and that all Christians might be knitte and remaine so knitte fast and vnited to God and the Church that is the society and communion of the faithfull Therefore he that teacheth to this end that mens consciences may bee made to doubt or troubled and that the Communion of Saints may bee rent and that men may be pulled backe from GOD and heauenly things c. surely he is not ledde with the Spirit of the Apostles And here vvho sees not if vve shal pronounce sentence according to this doctrine of Saint Iohn how many of them which thinke themselues euen next to the Apostles will be one day reiected for false prophets Ferus maie seeme here to touch the pope for his doubtfull doctrine of saluation Philippus de Dies also of the certainty of our saluation B. Dionys Epist 8. Phil de Dies Sum praed Tit. amor Dei erga hominem Exod. 20. writes thus Saint Denis in his Epistle very greatly extolling the loue of God saith We dare boldly auouch this for truth that God himself for the greatnes of his loue is as it were euen besides himselfe as we say hauing a care of his creatures and through loue he abaseth himselfe from his high estate of Maiesty that he should be present amongst all things Wherefore also hee is called A zealous God that is earnest and feruent in loue towards those things which are worthy to be loued And this is his property both to be the onely thing which is to bee beloued and also to bee loue it selfe The Kingly Prophet Dauid considering the excellency of this loue of God towards man faith What is man that then art mindfull of him or the Sonne of Adam that thou visitest him In this place this holy King as that wise learned man Eusebius notes vseth two meanes that is to saie Enos and Adam whereof the one was giuen to man to signifie the wants and imperfections which the soule runnes into through sinne and the other to declare the mortality and misery which naturally in his body he is subiect vnto For Enos is deriued of a certaine word that signifieth forgetfulnes and so Enos is nothing else then one that is forgetful or that lacks memory and Adam signifies that which is earthly and mortal This did so woonderfully amaze the holy prophet that he said Who is man O Lord who being vnmindfull of thee and offending thy Maiesty that he should be euer imprinted in thy memory Dost thou remember him who forgets thee Doest thou seeke for visit and loue exceedingly him that flies away from thee A thing verily to be greatly woondred at that God of such infinit maiesty should set his loue vpon such a miserable thing Whereupon Saint Ierom expounds those words of the diuine Psalmist Thou hast done Psal 39. Beat. Ieron super Psal O Lord thy manie woonderfull works and in thy thoughts who is like vnto thee on this manner Thou hast wrought O Lord my God many wonderfull things worthy of thy wisedome and power but of all other this is the chiefe thy very thoughts in the fauour which thou yeeldest to men in the loue wherewith thou louest them in the helpe that thou affoordest them and in the iustification which thou bestowest vpon them Is not this of all other miracles the greatest that God should loue men so greatly and should thinke on them so earnestly that he should say Prou. 9. My delight is to be with the Sonnes of men Truly this secret was made manifest onely to the diuine hart that when as the most high God hath not communicated to the Angels his personall essence and also the diuine properties which are in it as the Apostle also considered saying Hath he taken vpon him the Angels who as farre as mans reason can iudge would not perchance haue beene so vnmindfull of his benefits but would haue beene more thankfull then men when as I say he hath not granted all these things to the Angels yet he hath vouchsafed to communicate to bestow them most liberally vpon vnthankfull and miserable men Of which vnspeakeable loue it comes that the good things which he doth to vs he saith that he doth them to himselfe Wherefore the Patriarch Iacob amongst the blessings of his Son Dan being sodainly turned to thinke of the Messias speaking vvith the eternall father he said O Lord I will looke for thy saluation which the Chaldee paraphrase expounds literally of the Messias for Iacob being now about to die did prophesie of Sampson which was to spring of the Tribe of Dan and to saue the people of the Hebrewes from the tyranny of the Philistines But that hee might giue to vnderstand that he should not be the true Sauiour being as it were rapt into a trāce he breakes out into these words O Lord I wil looke for thy saluation as though he should haue saide I will not looke for Sampson nor Gedeon nor Iepthe nor others as though they were true Sauiours but I will yet looke for the true Messias which shall come being the true Sauiour of the world With such so stately a title Simeon also named him saying Luc. 2. Psalm 11◠O Lord now thou lettest thy seruant depart c. Because mine eies haue seene thy saluation The Kingly prophet also calles him so And let thy mercie come vpon me O Lord euen thy saluation according to thy word Christ is called the mercy of God because he is the beginning and foundation of all the mercies of God For in this mercy wherein the word became flesh all other haue their foundation And therefore Saint Paul saith to the Ephesians Ephes 1. In whome we haue redemption by his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to the riches of his grace And thy saluation according to thy word that is according to thy promise In all these places Christ our Lord who is our saluation is called the saluation
of that were for the most part corporall but the commandements of this are spirituall the commandements of that were temporall but of this are eternall that was the law of seruants this of children that was giuen by the hand of man though a holy man this by the hand of the word it selfe of the eternall father and wisedome of God By the excellencie of the law-giuer appeares the excellencie of the law The best wine of the feast was reserued for that Lord whose duety and office it was to turne the cold water of the law into the precious wine of the Gospell c. This studie of the lawe of God and especially of the Gospell of Iesus Christ should be the chiefe studie of all christians by Granatensis iudgement and it is of verie manie their least and last studie Naie the church of Rome hath hidden them from her children as a sharp knife least they should cut their fingers therewith But shee should not haue done so by Granatensis his iudgment In 6. cap. Luc. Stella vpon these wordes And they came to heare him writes thus As the soule of Christ was the instrument of the Deity to worke miracles in the bodies of men so the wordes of Christ were the instrument of the same Deitie to worke miracles in their soules And as it was a wonderfull thing that Christs hand should giue sight to the blinde and should cleanse the Lepour so it was farre more wonderfull that his very word should giue life to dead soules For the words of Christ did not only stirre vp the mindes of his hearers neither did only perswade them as other preachers are wont to doe but they had also such a vertue and power that they seemed euen to compel the hearers that they should doe that which he preached Therefore the words of Christ gaue grace also without the which the minde cannot once moue her selfe to that which is righteous before God And a little after He that is of God heareth Gods word therefore you heare them not because you are not of God Euery one is glad to heare the noble actes of his country-men If any bee a Frenchman hee delights to heare any man tell the noble actes of Frenchmen but if one in the presence of a Frenchman should tell of the noble acts of the Hungarians he would make no account thereof he would giue no eare So by nature euery one delights to heare of the famous actes of his kinred and of his auncestors because hee comes of them But if men chance to talke of those thinges which belong not to his he makes no account of them but he goeth away So they truely which are Gods children delight to heare those things which are of God but they which are not of God but haue the Diuell to their father as obstinate children they delight not to heare Gods word And therefore the Lord said vnto them Therefore you heare not because you are not of God Whose are they then You saith he are of your father the Diuell and therefore you delight to heare his wordes and communication as murmurings blasphemies filthie and dishonest words One of the chiefest signes whereby it may be knowne whether one be predestinate or no is this whether he delite to heare the word of God and sermons For if he delite and take pleasure to heare the word of God surely it is a great argument that he is elected and of the householde and family of God O what a great company is there which are weary of hearing sermons and haue not tasted or sipped of the words of life So there is a great company of them that goe to hell They will haue leasure enough to read prophane filthy bookes wherin is nothing handled but of the world and the flesh but they cannot abide a holy and deuout booke in their handes no not halfe an hower yea if a sermon last aboue halfe an hower how will they goe home murmuring and grudging That now that saying of Paul may be verified of our miserable and vnhappie time There shall come a time when they shall not endure holsome doctrine but they shall heap to themselues teachers according to their owne lusts hauing itching eares and shall turne alwaie their eares from the trueth and shall be giuen to delight in fables Oh that all Christians would acknowledge this mightie power of Gods word which Stella héere teacheth It is as forcible and mighty euen now to heale soules as Christs hand when as hee was here was of force to heale bodies And that if they would apply it often to their soules it would heale all their infirmities Secondly that they would delight to heare Sermons It is the chiefest signe to knowe whether one be predestinate or no and who would not gladly be assured hereof In 6. Luc. And after speaking of the ground of Gods Lawe he writes thus Wherein O good Christ is thy law founded Not in power For thou hast compelled no man to receiue thy faith neither hast thou forced any to embrace thy law Neither is it grounded on naturall reason for although it be not against naturall reason but doth presuppose it yet it is aboue it for it surpasseth all the bounds of reason and goes beyond all the wit of man be he neuer so quicke witted and subtill In what thing therfore is this law grounded Surely onely in his Authoritie for only because Christ hath spoken this therefore we must beleeue it His word must be our only and sufficient warrant in all our actions 2. lib. de Abraham Pat. ca. 5. S. Ambrose verie excellentlie writes of the daily reading of the scripture And that thou maiest know that it is good that the beginning and the ende should agree together good Iesus him selfe hath saide I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende Therefore let our minde be euer with him let it neuer depart from his Temple and from his word let it euer bee occupied in reading the Scriptures in Meditations in Prayers that the worde of him who is in deede may euer worke in vs and that daily we either going to the Church or giuing our selues to prayers at home we may beginne with him and ende with him So the whole day of our life and the whole race of the daie shall beginne in him and ende in him For euen as in the beginning of our life to beleeue in God and to follow him is our saluation so perseuerance to the ende is necessarie And it is the best care that a soule can haue that marking wel the word of God it do nothing against reason wherewith it may be made sadde that euer knowing well what shee doeth shee maie keepe the ioy of a good conscience Here Saint Ambrose puts downe the whole course of a Christians life dailie to studie the Scriptures and to direct all his actions according vnto them De Iacob beat vita 2. lib. cap. 2. And againe he
doth not say the words I haue spoken a little before but the wordes I doe speake are spirit and life and therefore are my flesh For euen as that which containeth a mans spirit and life is his flesh euen so saith our Sauiour that which containeth my spirit and life is also my flesh So that by this short sentence he exhorteth all men to the reading of his word Wouldest thou be partaker of Christs life and spirit then eate his flesh that is read his word muse and meditate therein day and night And no doubt beleeue the saying of thy Sauiour his wordes he hath spoken shall be spirit and life vnto thee Thus we may sée how Ferus doctrine most manifestly agrées with the doctrine of our Sauiour Manie for want of eating of this flesh which feede their bodies daintily with the flesh of fishes and foules at this daie haue faint and pined soules nay dead soules void of the life and spirit of Iesus Christ In Mat. cap. 7. Ferus also of the certaintie of our saluation and of the sufficiencie of the Scriptures writes thus What saith he do men so greatly desire as securitie How much would the Emperor of Rome giue that he might be safe from his enemies How much would euery iust man reioice if he were certaine of his estate if he knewe that he should neuer fall how greatly would euery sinner reioyce if safetie were assured him against death hell But all these things doe Christs words onely performe This saith Ferus But the Romane Correctors in their copie do command to put out onely They are loth that so much should bee attributed to the Scriptures Of the sanctification also of the sabboth In cap. Mat. 22 Ferus hath this notable lesson The chiefest worke of the sabboth saith he is to cease from thine owne workes and to giue place that God may worke his in thee that is faith charitie patience longanimitie chastitie The second worke is that we apply our selues to doe good workes and to meditate in the Law of God to heare the word of God to pray in spirit and truth Especially therefore the word of God is to be heard without which there is no hallowing of it know that this is commanded thee of God that thou heare his word and keepe it and of this he will require an account of thee in the day of iudgement Neither is it enough for thee to heare it once or twise vnlesse thou heare it often The Diuell is euer assaulting thee and thou must euer by the word of God resist him by which alone he is ouercome Againe thou must meditate of the word of God or els thou hearest in vaine And two things especially are to be meditated out of the word of God that is to say our sinnes and Gods goodnesse And by these two as in Iacobs ladder sometime we must descend into our selues and sometime ascend vnto God Thus farre Ferus If this be true how hallowed they the Lords sabboth in the daies of our forefathers when Gods word was neuer or seldome preached to them If this be true that we should meditate on this Law of God then must we know it And here the Romane addition to Ferus detractes from the word of God againe that dignitie which Ferus giues to it By which alone saith he the Diuell is conquered but they blot out alone Of voluntarie religion Ferus writes thus Then In cap. 4. Ioh. their worshippings had not the warrant of the word of God and how can then they be certaine or sure to please God for they onely followed their owne reason and the examples of the fathers For thus they reasoned with themselues If an earthly or fleshly calfe pleased God offered at Ierusalem how much more shall a calfe of gold seeing it is more precious lasteth longer Also if it were lawfull for our holy fathers to worship God in this mountaine why is not the same lawfull for vs But in the worship of God neither mans reason neither the examples of the fathers but Gods word are to be followed Thou shalt not doe saieth he that which seemeth good in thine owne eies but that I command Here Ferus sets downe the only true and certaine ground of Gods true worshippe that is the word and commandement of God Here the reason of man or the examples of the fathers are denied to bee sure grounds of Gods worshippe and yet the Papistes doe builde their faith on these Dom. 1. Sexag Of the Scriptures also Philippus de Dies writes thus The matters which faith teacheth are so excellent that no mans wit be it neuer so sharpe and subtile can attaine vnto them for if it could then it were no faith And therefore to obtaine this faith we must heare the word of God as the Apostle exaggerates saying howe shall they beleeue in him which they haue not heard And after he concludes saying Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God And so it appeareth how to the obtaining of faith it is necessarie to heare the word of God Behold how God which is the fruit which we hope for is not obtained without charitie and charitie is not obtained without faith and faith is not obtained without the preaching of the word of God And therefore for the verie great agreement and likenesse that it hath the Lorde called his worde seed What other doctrine doe we teach at this day here in England of the necessitie of hearing and knowing the worde of God In 3. cap. ad Col. Theodore also vpon that place of the Apostle to the Colossians Let the word of God dwell plentiously among you writes thus The olde law also commanded the daily meditation and studie of Gods word Thou shalt meditate in them saith the Lawe sitting at home in thy house rising vp also and lying vpon thy bed and going in thy iourney This thing the Apostle commandeth that we should also carrie about with vs the doctrine of the Lord and that we should praise him and that we should sanctifie him with our tongues with spirituall songs That phrase also in your hearts is as much to say As not in your mouthes onely That same note which the Hebrew text yéelds in that same Psalme we vse daily to repeat is worth marking Psal 95. v. 7. In the Hebrew it is thus Because he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and sheepe of his hands If to day you will heare his voice Here is the full point in the Hebrew text and here endes the verse and not where the common translation appoints it to ende So that then we are his people and shéepe of his pasture Here are great priuiledges such as none could be wished greater such as euerie man would desire to be partaker of But as euery one desires to be partaker of these priuiledges and blessings so let him as well marke the infallible and most plaine
mā doubts but that he is good merciful iust We know also assuredly that they which obey the will of this most holy God to be crowned with most excellent rewardes in that heauenly kingdome and againe that those which offende him impudently with sins offences shall be thrown with great shame reproch into that miserable darke dungeon of hel If now God had not giuen vs his law wherin he had declared to vs as well those things which were to be eschewed as those things which were to be embraced sorrowfull surely and most sorrowfull heauie had beene the life of man For although we had knowen that we had bin created to euerlasting felicitie yet we should haue bene vtterly ignorant how we should haue obtained it Therefore that great God and parent of all things hath bestowed vpon vs a singular and most excellent benefit when he did proclaime his law by which all Christians may plainely vnderstand what was necessarie to obtaine euerlasting life and what was also required to eschewe that darke dungeon of hell So the notable Psalmist speaking to God saith Because of thy law I haue endured thee patiently If thou hadst not giuen mee thy law I could neuer haue endured this life So the same Psalmist saith againe Thy word is a lanterne to my feet a light to my pathes That benefit was no small benefit by which God bound all men to him when as he gaue them his lawe to the square and leuell whereof they should frame and apply all their actions c. What can be said more in the commendation of Gods word then this It makes knowne to vs Gods pleasure and will It is a rule and square to frame all our actions by It is Gods lanterne to direct our steppes in the darke night of this world and what neede we then anie other Is not this sufficient And after he writes thus Wilt thou know how excellent and of what great force the law of God is consider with thy selfe but a little this one thing that God himselfe did not disdaine to submit himselfe vnto it and to obey it O then a most excellent and princely lawe and shall not man submit himselfe vnto it and obey it Nay shall anie man say that he is aboue it and hath power to dispense with it Ibid. as the Pope now doth Of mans will the same Stella also verie excellently writes thus The beginning of our miserie and vndoing was the pride of our first parent when as he refused to keepe that commaundement which he ought to haue kept He had rather doe his owne will then Gods will Therefore when God came to redeeme vs it was necessarie that he should come humble to cure our pride and obedient to cure our disobedience which disobedience was the fountaine and cause of all our euils There is nothing burnes in hell but mans owne will the which man had rather fulfill then the will of God So the Lord God himselfe witnesseth Of olde times thou hast broken the yoke and burst my bonds and hast said I will not serue the Lord but will walke after mine owne deuises From the smallest to the greatest all will fulfill their owne willes euery one is ruled by his owne iudgement doth that which seemeth good to himself Thus farre Stella Where we may learne that we must not doe our owne willes Mat. 16.24 Psal 119.115 Io. 15.15 we must denie our selues as our Sauiour teacheth in the gospell and that especially in Gods seruice we must do the will of God And his will is reuealed to vs in his word To the same effect the same Stella writes thus againe in the same Chapter In these fewe wordes saith hee the Euangelist saith thrise According to the law of God first According to the law of Moses Secondly As it is written in the law of the Lord And thirdly As it is said in the law of the Lord. Wherein the Euangelist would signifie vnto vs how studious our thoughtes ought to be and our wordes and workes howe greatly they ought to be conformable to the law of God Because Christ whatsoeuer he did he did it according to the law of God The which thing Dauid also declared in the Psalme saying What loue haue I vnto thy law O Lord All the day long is my studie in it If this be true what degenerate Christians be they which thinke they ought not to know the law of God which all their life neuer care for it These follow not Dauids steps nor the holy steps of Iesus Christ And after let vs also wōder at Iesus Christ beleeuing those things stedfastly not which appeare outwardly but which the holy scriptures the Catholike saith do testifie according to that whē thou entrest into the house of God stand fast draw neere that thou maist heare for we cannot see the maiestie of God with our eies neither comprehend it with all our witte but with our faith and hearing only without any more search or enquirie Beware of that He that searcheth the Maiestie of God shall be confounded of his glory So many Iewes Philosophers and Heathens were confounded erred and were deceiued who because they would not captiuate their vnderstanding into the obedience of Christ and according to their knowledge worship him fell into many errors and heresies For euen as in Isaake now being olde all his senses were deceiued when he blessed his sonne Iacob besides his hearing so about the vnderstanding of our Sauiour Christ all mans senses are deceiued besides hearing The voyce saith hee is the voyce of Iacob In this thing onely he said trueth but he was deceiued in that he said thy handes are the handes of Esau So thou O faithfull Christian when thou hearest Simeon confessing Iesus Christ to be the light and saluation of the world and Anna confessing that he is the King of Israell and that the redeemer which was so greatly looked for is comed beleeue that these things are true for Isaackes hearing was not deceiued c. I would to God the Papistes would obserue this rule in their worship of God their inuocation of Saints their Latine prayers their images haue no warrant in the worde of God where heare they that these are commanded That which hee saith after of hearing the Church and the Martyres is true if they shall speake that which they haue heard from God for they maie not speake of their owne heads Gal 1.8 Againe of the excellencie of the Scriptures he writes thus The word was vpon Iohn he saith because it descended vpon him For Esay saith Euen as the showers and snow doe descend from heauen c. so shall the word be that proceedeth out of my mouth For that word vpon signifieth an excellencie because the word of God doth not ascend vp into the hart of man but the word doth descend to the heart and the heart ascendeth vnto the word So holy Dauid cals all his Psalmes by
dangers So the Apostles teach three things first the law that is what we must doe and what we must eschew Secondly the gospell Thirdly they bring remedies against perils But he especially counsels them that they should take meate for there is nothing more necessarie to thē that be in danger then the bread of the word of God No man can swimme out and escape from death vnlesse he first strengthen himselfe with the bread of life Wouldest thou escape death then follow Ferus his counsell strengthen thy soule with this bread 8. Of Pilgrimages FIrst concerning Pilgrimages Ioh. 4.21 the Gospell teacheth vs these lessons And Iesus said vnto the woman of Samariah Woman beleeue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem worship the Father c. No nor in any other set place But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth that is in euerie place Mal. 1.11 And this is that which Malachie also prophesieth of Christs kingdome From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my Name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shall be offered in my name Here are two things of vs to be considered First that Gods name alone shall be great among the Gentiles and of it shall proceede incense that most swéet smelling sacrifice vnto God in euerie place And what is this els but prayers to bee made in all places in the name of Iesus Christ The same lesson also grounded no doubt of this Prophesie Saint Paul teacheth al christians I will therefore that men pray euery where 1. Tim. 2.8 lifting vppe pure hands without doubtfulnesse No doubt this prayer in all places is that sacrifice and most pleasant incense whereof Malachie spake before But that place of Saint Paul most manifestly ouerthrowes all Pilgrimages The word is neere thee Rom. 10.8 euen in thy mouth and in thy heart This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation The word of faith the worde of saluation is nigh thée saith Saint Paul thou néedes not go to Rome or to any other place for it For if at home in thine house thou shalt beléeue in the lord Iesus confesse him with thy mouth thou shalt be saued thou néeds not make any great long iournie for to obtain thy saluation Nay our sauiour Christ himselfe most manifestly makes it a signe of heretikes to teach this doctrine of pilgrimages There shall arise false Christes saith he and false prophets c. Mat. 24. Wherefore if they shall saye vnto you behold he is in the desart goe not forth behold he is in secrete places 23. or in their cels cloisters beleeue them not For as the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth into the West 27. So shall also the comming of the sonne of man be Not onely in his comming to iudgement but also to euerie faithfull soule as saint Luke seemes to expound this For as the lightening that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen shineth vnto the other part vnder heauen Luke 17.24 so shall the sonne of man be in his day Where as that which saint Matthew calles his comming saint Luke calles his day And saint Luke before calles the light of the Gospell the daie of the sonne of man which in the thicke darkenesse of Antichrist he saith Vers 22. Men shall desire to see but one of them and shall not see it Christ in his kingdome as the true sunne of righteousnesse to illuminate to quicken things nowe dead thorow sinne shines not onely at Rome but thorow the whole world Of Pilgrimages to Rome or to other places Concerning this matter Ferus writes thus By this word hee shewes Fer. in ca. 4. Io. all controuersies of the prerogatiue of places are to be taken away for in the newe Testament the worship of God is tyed to no one place but in all places of his dominion God is praised of the faithfull as it was foretolde by Malachie This is our great comfort that we may finde God in all places For otherwise if we must all goe to Ierusalem who seeketh not howe fewe should haue beene saued therefore he left not one stone vpon another in the Temple of Ierusalem that we might all know that that law of worshipping God in one place was now abrogated as concerning externall things for spiritually we all do worship and sacrifice nowe in Christ the true Temple of God Fer. in pass Parte 4. And againe of the same matter in another place hee writeth thus To conclude saith hee no man knowes where Moses graue is neither makes it any great matter But Christes graue is knowen to all men and so also it was necessarie that of it wee may learne our burials and resurrection for as Christs passion is ours so his buriall is ours also that wee are buried with him in baptisme to death c. It makes no matter for Moses his graue saith Ferus and the chiefe end of Christes graue why it is knowne where it is is not to go to sée it but to beleeue that as hee was buried and rose againe so shall wée also But how contrarie is all this to that which the Rhemists in their Testament haue noted vpon the second chapter of Saint Matthew vpon these wordes Came to adore they write thus This comming so farre of deuotion to visite and adore Christ in the place of his birth was properly a pilgrimage to his person and warrants the faithfull in the like kinde of externall worship done to holy places persons or things But this followes not they came to worship Christ therefore the faithfull may go a pilgrimage to worship holy places or things when as God is onely to be worshipped Then they had a starre to direct them but we haue none now therefore their fact cannot warrant vs. 9. Of Traditions and ceremonies AS concerning traditions and ceremonies Deut. 16.1 and what account to make of them that shadow of the lawe may seeme to teach Thou shalt keepe the moneth of Abib or new corne as Ierome translates it that is when as corne growes to be eared Reue. 11.1.8 And thou shalt celebrate the Passeouer vnto the Lord thy God For in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of the land of Egypt The comming out of that corporall Egypt was a signe no doubt of the comming out of the spirituall Egypt as S. Iohn teacheth vs in the Reuelation And amongst manie other resemblances Rom. 15.4 that the one of these hath to the other this is not the least and to be obserued of vs
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
what doe we answere to this We thinke it not meete that that manner of speech which hath obtained the name of a custome among them should be accounted for a rule and canon of true doctrine Let vs both stand to the iudgement of the holy scriptures inspired by God and amongst whome are found opinions agreeing to the diuine Oracles let the sentence of truth bee pronounced on their side What can be plainer then this Custome must not be the canon and rule of truth in doctrine but Gods worde and they which haue that on their side let them haue the victorie The like offer now we make to the Paâ—â—â—ts But that booke of S. Basill is of Erasmus suspected to be forged and that not without iust cause as the most Reuerend Father in God the L. Byshop of Winchester in his booke called The difference betweene Christian subiection and vnchristian rebellion hath verie learnedly prooued Of Christes doctrine Ferus writes thus Fer. de pass part 2. and he quite ouerthrowes the verie ground of Traditions Christ proueth saieth he the truth of his doctrine by two arguments First that he neuer taught secretly but openly For he that doth euill hateth the light but he that doth the truth comes to the light Secondly he giues his hearers leaue to iudge I saith he spake openly in the world in secret I spake nothing that I would haue kept secret or not come to light yea he plainly coÌ„manded his Apostles That which I tell you in darknes preach you in the light He told his Disciples many things alone but for no other cause then that others were not able to comprehende them For whatsoeuer Christ hath taught he will haue it published and made knowne to all least any should excuse himselfe And hereof Saint Paul saith If our Gospell be hidde it is hidde in those that perish For in truth Christ speakes openly in the world euen now wisedome cries in the streets Therefore no man can iustly excuse himselfe of ignorance And this also is most true that he taught in the Synagogues and Temple of the Iewes where all were wont to assemble themselues yea not onely in the Temple and in their Synagogues but in ships and hilles Luke 6. and plaine fields That is publikely where men most commonly mette together therfore they can haue no excuse Therefore at another time he said vnto them If I had not comed and spoken vnto them they had had no sinne c. This quite ouerthrowes the Popes Religion Christ will haue his doctrine knowne to all and the refore he frequented common places They goe about to kéepe it in secret and thinke it not conuenient that all shoulde know it Againe he deliuered all things openly and nothing by tradition secretly Lib. 5. Eccles Hist ca. 2.4 Eusebius also of Traditions writes thus Not onely saith hee of the day of Easter is the controuersie but also of the manner of fasting for some thinke that the fast ought to be kept but one day some other but two daies other moe daies some fortie daies so that counting the howres of the day and night together they make a day which varietie of obseruations began not in our times but long before vs of them as I suppose who holding not surely that which was by tradition deliuered in the beginning haue eyther by their negligence or vnskilfulnesse afterward falne into another custome Héere we may learne that traditions are no safe and sure kéepers of trueth as the papists would make vs beleeue How soone had they lost the true tradition of fasting which the Apostles practised euen in Eusebius daies And shall wee nowe in the ende of the worlde grounde our faithes vpon traditions Ier. de ord Eccle part 3. c. 9. Saint Ierome also concerning the authoritie of Bishoppes and Elders in the Church writes thus If any of vs could know the custome of the time past I would proue that which I say to haue beene obserued euer and to haue beene obserued when as the Apostles preached in the Church And after by the spite of certaine some things were corrupted and some things were presumed Héere Ierome affirmes that what was done in the Apostles times he could not then certainly learne much lesse we nowe Such an vncertaine rule in matters of faith tradition is And Austen also of Antichrist writes thus But what is the cause of the delaie that he may be reuealed in his time you do know De ciu del lib. 20. ca. 19. that which he said that they knew he would not vtter And therefore we which know not which they knew desire to come to the knowledge of that which the Apostle ment with great labour neither can we attaine vnto it because that those things which he added haue made the sense also more obscure for what meanes this nowe the mysterie of iniquitie worketh let him onely that now holdeth holde till he be taken out of the waie and then that wicked one shall be reuealed I plainely heere confesse my selfe to be ignorant what he hath said yet I will not keepe close the suspitions and surmises of men which I haue read or heard concerning this matter In Austens daies that tradition which was deliuered by saint Paul to the Thessalonians concerning Antichrist a most great and weightie matter was forgotten and doe we thinke that till our daies the Church hath kept traditions of lighter matters inuiolably Irenaeus to Florinus an heretike writes thus I saw thee Euseb lib. 5. Eccle. hi. ca. 19. when as yet being but a childe I was with Policarpe in Asia who then didst verie well whilest as yet thou remainedst within the Emperours palace and didst studie to please Policarpe For I remember farre better the things which were done then then they which are done now because those things we learne wheÌ„ we are children grow vp in vs with our minde and doe cleaue fast vnto it Wherefore also I can tell thee the place wherein Policarpe did sit when as he did dispute and also his manner of going his countenance the maner of all his life and also his apparell and also his sermons and discourses he made to the people and also howe he liued with Iohn and how he was wont also to tell of others which had seen the Lord and also how he remembred all the words which the Lord spake which he had heard of them and of his miracles and doctrine and yet notwithstanding he reported all these agreeing to the scriptures the which things I then of the mercie of God which he vouchsafed to bestow vpon me hearing attentiuely and diligently did write not in papers but in my heart and which thinges by the grace of God I yet keepe faithfully and doe as it were chew them ouer againe with my selfe without ceasing I take God to witnesse and in his sight I affirme vnto thee that if that blessed Apostolical man Policarpe had heard any such matter as thou
ghost teach Peter this lesson Thirdly In ca. Act. 10. Whom God bindes doe thou not loose and whome hee looseth do not thou binde for thou hast not power at thy pleasure to place soules in heauen or hell but according to the worde of God For all soules are mine saith the Lord. Fourthly whome I haue serued let it not grieue thee to serue them also for the disciple is not aboue his maister I haue been a seruant to all do thou so also Fiftly whome I haue not as yet condemned doe not thou iudge rashly or condemne least thou be condemned thy selfe He glaunceth at the Popes authoritie in pardoning and condemning whomsoeuer he pleaseth And he is no changling as in his Commentaries vpon Mathew In ca. Act. 10. so here also he quite writhes the Popes temporall sword out of his hand vpon these words Arise Peter By an excellent metaphor saith he the office of the Apostles is described whose office is to rise not to take their ease and to watch take care for their flocke and then to kill not with the materiall sword for that was forbidden Peter but with the sword of the spirite which is the word of God which sword the Apostles are commanded to buye if they sold their coate for it And they kill when they preach the lawe and shew men their sinnes and doe teach that our strēght and righteousnes is nothing yea that wee are nothing but euen damned and miserable sinners And after also hee makes Peter subiect to the Church In ca. 11. Act. Peter saith he an Apostle the first and chiefe of the Apostles is forced to yeeld an account to the Church neither doth hee take this grieuously as a thing not agreeing to his authoritie For hee knewe wel enough that he exercised the office not of a Lord or maister but of a seruant of the Church The Church is the spouse of Christ and she is the Ladie of the house Peter is but a seruant and minister The Church therefore hath authoritie not onely to aske accompt of her seruants but also if they bee not fitte quite to put them away So heretofore it hath been often done in generall councels But nowe wicked Bishoppes will not be reproued nor rulde by the Church as though they were Lordes and not seruantes Therefore by the iust iudgment of God they are despised of all men Ferus agrées here with Austen and the auncient Fathers that the Church rules she is Christs vicegerent shee calles to accompt and deposeth whome it pleaseth her The fathers called this the Colledge of priests and hereof Cyprian called Cornelius Colleague This holy Colledge of priests ruled through the world not anie one prelate as now the Papists teach Euerie one seuerallie euen Peter the Bishop of Rome are but a seruant the Church is the Lady as Ferus termes her They are wicked Bishops sonnes o◠perdition that wil not be ruled by the Church this is Ferus iudgment And againe he writes thus vpon these words In cap. 9. Act. Hee went thorowe euery Citie confirming and stablishing that which the other had taught or adding to that which they had not done sufficiently he caried that scrole imprinted in his heart which Christ last of all commanded Peter saying Feede my sheepe if thou louest me In Peter thou seest the office of B shops that is to visite all according to that saying Heale that which is weake and binde vppe that which is broken c. They which are Bishoppes and doe sleepe and are idle doe not know in what a dangerous estate they are nor doe not thinke that the bloud of all that perish shall be required at their hands Heere hee makes Peter a patterne for all bishops to followe and not a type of the Pope and his successors And after vpon these words Behold three men c Marke saith hee that these wordes spoken to Peter doe belong to all pastours For so it is sayde to euerie one of them Behold men as though hee should saye These sheepe committed to thy charge doe require care and help the sinner succour the weake strength those which go astraie doctrine the vnrulie correctiō those which are tormented through afflictions comforte the whole church now dispersed peace Secondly Arise thou art not a Lord but a seruant this is not a time of ease but of labour hitherto thou hast done nothing through thy negligence the Wolfe hath entred in that is the Diuell For he is a Wolfe howe greatly soeuer he shewe the face of a friend c. Peters lessons Ferus attributes to all pastours And againe In ca. 10. Act. In Peter thou seest expressed what becomes Bishoppes that is to goe vp aloft to fast to praie Thou seest the contrarie in wicked and euill Bishoppes they onely take care of temporall thinges themselues they committe spirituall things to others They liue like Princes not like shepheards they neuer praie they giue themselues to pleasures And after hee writes thus In this Chapter Luke dooth prosecute the historie of Paul and Barnabas pilgrimage and hee names certaine countries which in their preaching they passed through Fer. in Act. ca. 14. that here al men may see how couragiously these two Apostles preached to al men the word of saluatiō to the great shame of those which brag themselues to be the successors of the Apostles whē as they are nothing else but slothfull vnfaithfull seruāts sharply to be reproued of the Lord nay iustly to be condemned No doubt he condemnes here the Popes proud and idle state And after he writes thus of the first generall councell of the authoritie of Iames Iames confirmes the sayings of the three Apostles pronounceth sentence as Bishop of Ierusalem If Peter had been dead of the vniuersall Church he should now haue pronounced sentence and ratified the councell as the Pope doth now But then this one thing verie euidentlie proues that there was no such authoritie acknowledged of Peter seeing that in the first generall councell in his presence Iames pronounceth sentence and as it were confirmes the councell And after Marke that he saith not that thou shalt haue much people but I haue much people in this citie As though he should saie the people is not thine but mine So he sayd to Peter Fer. in Act. cap. 18. Feede not thy sheepe but my sheepe As though he should say they are mine I haue redeemed them with my bloud I loue them I take care of thē therefore thou shalt not rule ouer them at thy pleasure thou shalt plaie the part of a shepheard and not of a Lord. If Peter had Christs authoritie committed to him and were his vicegerent then he had a kinde of Lordship ouer his sheepe But this Ferus denies And writing of Apollo he saies thus Mention of him is made in this place very fitly for he was such a great man the Corinthiās made him equall with Peter and Paul I
say they hold of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas If that CorinthiaÌ„s had béen taught this principall point of religion which nowe the catholiques accompt the chiefest point of all other that Peter had béen ordained of Christ his Vicar generall they would neuer haue matched Apollo with him By this it is likelie the there was no such superiority among the Apostles taught in the primitiue Church Fer. in 21. Act. And again vpon these words Thus saith the holy Ghost the Lord as a most wise gouernour of his doth foreshew the crosse which is appointed to his but sodaine destruction falleth on the wicked He makes the holie Ghost the gouernour of the Church And in another place No congregatioÌ„ can contiâ—ue without order Therfore it is a great matter in the reformation of the Church that order be kept Therefore they offende grieuously which in the Church of God disturb rent asunder and quite take away all order Fer. in 23. Act Christ himselfe ordeined an order some Apostles some Prophets some doctors He makes in this order appointed of Christ no one visible head And after speaking of the Apostles hee writes thus It is the office of the Apostles to be seruants or ministers and witnesses of Christ They haue all one office by Ferus iudgement The same Ferus also of the supremacie writes thus The seruant saith he is not aboue his Maister Fer. in pass part 1. By this worde therefore Christ doth bridle all the pride and ambition of ecclesiasticall persons for admitte whosoeuer they be whether Popes or Bishoppes or Cardinals or Doctours what are they else but seruants And if they be seruants as no man will denie they ought to behaue themselues so as that they should not climbe aboue their maister howe this is done among them let them looke to it For here is not a place as we saie to rake in this filthie fenne or lake Their owne consciences will tell them in what thinges they are vnlike to Christ nay wherein they endeuour to climbe vp aboue Christ c. Here Ferus is loth to meddle with the Popes pride as should séeme but for all that hee glaunceth at it and giues him as wee saie an Item And a little after he discouers some parts of this pride In worldly affaires no man dare preferre himselfe before his maister or will seeke to take more ease then his maister doth but in spirituall matters we see it farre otherwise There is no man but coueteth and wisheth to be in better estate theÌ„ Christ was in Christ wheÌ„ as he was in the shape of God huÌ„bled himselfe we vile wretches caÌ„not abide humilitie Christ ministred to vs who were his seruaÌ„ts we thinke scorne to minister or do seruice to any Christ did good euen to the simplest we thinke much to do good euen to our brethren Christ laboured tooke paines we seeke our owne ease Christ although hee were the brightnes of his fathers glorie yet patiently endured the reproches of men we are of a contrarie minde Christ being the iudge of all men notwithstanding suffered himselfe to bee iudged we disdaine to be iudged or reproued of any Christ by the crosse and death entred into his glorie we thinke to come thither by riot and pleasure What therefore doe we else but preferre our selues before our maister and desire a better estate then hee had Therefore not without cause he vrgeth this word so often so vehemently vnto vs He will haue vs knowe that we are seruants Againe that we should consider what he hath done and suffered he that markes this diligently will bee most readie to doe all good and most patient to endure all euill He séemes here also to glaunce at the Popes pride and pompe Againe howe Peter was chiefe amonge the Apostles he writes thus of the washing of the Apostles féete It is most likelie that he began at Peter who was the first or chiefe amonge the Apostles not in calling for Andrew followed Christ before him but in the election of the Apostleshippe for there Peter is placed in the first place c. So that by Ferus his iudgment Peter was the chiefe among the Apostles because when as Christ chose his xij Apostles he first chose Peter he was the first in order the first chosen of the twelue And againe that the Pope ought not to haue both swords Fer. Part. 2 pass he writes thus Christ speakes thus to Peter Hinder not my death but rather studie to imitate it Awaye with thy sworde which kills men my sworde which I haue committed vnto thee cuts off vices but saues men Therefore put thou that materiall sworde into thy sheath againe or as the other Euangelists saide into his owne place The proper place of the materiall sworde is the ordinarie power that is the ciuill magistrate Put thy sword therfore into that sheath let the ciuill magistrate vse it and not thou In this place as in manie other places alledged in this discourse Ferus plainlie teacheth that the Pope ought not to haue both swords because Peter had them not and therefore he quite ouerthrowes the Popes supremacie This is the very foundation thereof that the Pope hath the right of both the swordes And after Againe he teacheth by this worde that the gospell is not to be defended with worldly weapons nor with mans ayde but the defence thereof is to be committed to God So saith Paul the weapons of our warfare are not carnall so Christ neuer vsed any sword nor his Apostles are euer read to haue been girded with swordes They taught the word and the word it selfe fought with his owne power And the Apostles went euer away conquerors So Christ in Luke sayth I will giue you a mouth and wisdome which your enemies shall not be able to resist Therefore Christ especially by this word forbiddes his Apostles the externall sword for they haue and they ought to haue the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God And hence Esay prophesieth that the battell of the Apostles shal be as in the day of Madian that is as Gedeon ouercame the Madianits not with weapons but with trumpets and breaking of pitchers so should the Apostles do spiritually that they should subdue the whole world to Christ by the trumpet of the word of God and by suffering afflictions c. Here also Ferus plainly teacheth the the gospel must not be maintained with armes and swords with fire and fagotte as the Pope séeke nowe to maintaine his kingdome And Ferus of Christs kingdome Part 3. pass writes thus My kingdome is otherwise gouerned then a warlike kingdome for this is gouerned with a materiall sword but my kingdome stands in no neede of that sword for the sword thereof is the word of God The kingdome of the world hath Cities Castles Townes Villages Armes Weapons but my kingdome only requires the hearts of men The world raignes ouer mens bodies and goods but I ouer
mens hearts consciences The world raignes with fleshly power but it obeyes the spirituall power but I make no accouÌ„t of fleshly power but I raign spiritually against fin death and hell c. The Popes kingdome is far vnlike this And of Christs crowne of thornes he writes thus The crownes of the kinges of this world Fer. part 3. pass are some of iron some of siluer some of golde By which is declared that the kingdome of the world consisteth of fleshly power glorie and nobilitie But Christs crowne is a crowne of thornes that by this token thou maiest knowe that Christes kingdome consists of thornes and afflictions And what kinde of king Christ is himselfe such like kings he makes vs that is subiect to afflictions No doubt then the Pope was neuer made king by Christ he is farre vnlike him as hee was here in this world Nay this his thornie crowne plainly condemnes that his triple crowne of golde In cap. 16 Mat. Titilman a Frier also vpon these words Vpon this rocke I will build my Church writes thus Vpon this rocke vpon this truth of faith which thou hast confessed and hast vttered saying Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God and also vppon my selfe a most sure rocke which in thy foresaide speech thou hast confessed I will build and founde my Church c. So that all catholiques as M. Bellarmine affirmes doe not expounde Peter to be that rocke Cyril in Io. ca. 5.6 Cyrill of the authoritie of all the Apostles writes thus vppon these words And hee breathed vpon them When as hee woulde make his disciples famous and excellent for the great dignitie of their apostleshippe and would ordaine them the holy guides of his mysteries he forthwith sanctifies them with his holy spirite which by breathing he bestowed vpon them Here is the authoritie common to all the Apostles And although hee affirme that Christ built his Church on Peter as it were vpon a rocke or stone yet of Peter he writes thus and of that his thréefold loue Peter euer went before the rest for beeing especially in loue with Christ hee was euer most readie both to do any thing and to make answeare therfore euen now a little before seeing the ship came slowly to the land he girding his coate about him leaped into the sea Cap. 64. And wheÌ„ as our Sauiour asked his disciples saying whoÌ„ do men saye that I am When as againe after their answere he demauÌ„ded of them againe But whom doe you saie that I am as the principall and head of the rest he first cried out Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God He also smote off Malchas eare thinking by this meanes that he should euer cleaue to his maister Therefore of good right Christ asked him if he loued him more then the rest and that thrice Peter also confessed that he loued him and he calles none other to be witnes of this his loue but Christ himselfe And in euery one of his confessions the words being a little altered he heard that he must haue a care of Christs sheepe But this speech doth bring to light a hâ—gher matter for because Peter with the rest was adorned by Christ with the name of an Apostle and he denied him thrice at his passion by good right now the coÌ„fession of his three-folde loue is required that his three fold deniall might be requited with the like nuÌ„ber of his coÌ„fession So that which was committed by words was cured with words He asked of him if he loued him more then the rest for he which had tried the greater clemeÌ„cie of his maister towards him by good right ought to haue loued him more And although all the Apostles generally were stricken with great feare when the Lorde was betrayed yet Peters fault was the greatest that in so short a time denied him thrice Therfore seeing by the mercie of our Sauiour he obtained forgiuenes of a great sinne iustly of him greater loue is required All pastors of the Church hereby learne that they can no otherwise be beloued of Christ then if so bee that they shal studie with al their maine might that his sheep be wel fed like well Such a one was Paul c. He proues that Peter had his Apostleship common with the rest of the Apostles that by this place it was restored him againe and no primacie granted him ouer all the church And that all doctors heere haue receiued a charge not Peter onely He concludes thus By Peters threefold confession his three folde sinne of denying is done away And hee sayde to him feede my Lambes restoring to him againe the dignitie of his Apostleshippe least through his deniall which chanced by mans frailtie it had seemed to haue beene disanulled Héere is a restitution of Peter heere is no prelation as the Papists teach of the supremacie Ierome writes thus The arke of Noah was a figure of the Church Ierom. contra lucifera nos as Peter saith In the arke of Noah a fewe that is eight soules were saued by water As now also baptisme saueth vs. As in that were all kinde of beasts so in this are men of all countries and conditions The arke had her nests so the Church her mansions Eight soules of men were saued in the arke and Ecclesiastes biddes vs giue part to seuen and part to eight that is beleeue both the testaments And therefore some psalmes are written for the eight and by eight verses which are put vnder euery letter And in the 118. psalme the iust man is instructed and the blessings by the which the Lorde signifieth his Church in the mount are eyght c. A Crowe is sent out of the arke and returneth no more and after the Doue sheweth the peace of the earth So in the baptisme of the Church that blacke birde being expelled that is the Diuell the Doue of the holy ghost declareth the peace of our lande The arke beginning of 30. cubits is built by little and little decreasing into one cubite So likewise the Church consisting of many degrees at length is finished with Deacons Priests and Bishops Héere wee maye plainly sée that Ierome makes the whole order and brotherhood of Bishopps to bee that one cubite in which the arke was finished and not anie one Bishop no not the Bishoppe of Rome For in the same booke he alleadgeth thus Cyprian writing to the Bishop of Rome He ends saith he his discourse which hee had made to Stephen Bishop of Rome after this manner We haue shewed these things to your conscience most welbeloued brother both for our coÌ„mon honour and for my sincere loue I beare vnto you hoping that those things please you for the truth of your faith and religion which are both true and religious But wee knowe some that will hardly refuse that which they haue once tasted nor chang their resolution easily but the knotte of peace and concorde being kept
neglecting these do teach vs to seek for righteousnes remissiō of sinnes through a vaine rash confidence Behold saie they here there is Christ The which is in truth to seduce for these things are to be founde no where else then in the Catholike Church his spouse by Christ Thus the Romane edition enterlaceth and addes to Ferus They doe mislike that righteousnes and remission of sinnes should be obtained from Christ and by Christ They will haue as should séeme our owne workes and their sacraments of pardones ioyned with him and their Church For that they meane by the Catholique Church This they would force Ferus to teach which he neuer taught But Ferus in his true originall concludes this matter thus Christ therefore meanes in these wordes that wee should hope or looke for no other Christ but him that is that we should seek for righteousnes saluation remission of sinnes of him alone nothing regarding if the false prophets taught any other thinge Secondly of these wordes thou hast taught thee that Christ is tyed to no place outward shew peculiar kinde of worshippe or state of men that he should be found there alone and no where else otherwise all men must be forced to goe to one place or to be of one trade He is not bounde to Ierusalem nor to any other Citie that there all men should finde him neyther that he should bee founde of any other but of him that went thither Christ may be founde in euery Citie and in euery state and trade of mans life which is not repugnant to the word of God There are two things to which he hath bound himselfe wherein he hath foretold that he may be found that is to saie his word and his sacraments annexed to his worde There thou shalt finde Christ in deede neither is hee a false Prophet that sendeth thee thither Thus farre Ferus Where wee may note that to teach men to séeke for righteousnes in any other thinge then in Christ is to looke for another Christ is to denie Christ to becomed in the flesh And therefore is to be a disciple of Antichrist Though they séeme neuer so much to reuerence Christ with their toongs if they beleeue not with their hearts that he is such a Christ as the gospell teacheth that he alone is our righteousnes they are of Antichrist Secondlie if we will haue Christ we must séeke him in his word He is tyed to no place but to it How greatlie then did they beguile our forefathers which taught them to goe a pilgrimage to vndertake great iournies to séek Christ at Ierusalem and other places and in the meane time negelectd and neuer regarded his word Surelie they taught men the wrong waie to finde Christ if this be true that Ferus taught which is most true No nor if Christ bee not tied to any one state of men more then to another then not to their Friers as they bragge he is more then to anie other kinde of men If this doctrine had been taught our forefathers I thinke they would not haue bestowed their landes vpon Frieries and Monasteries as they did Lastlie whereas Ferus saith that Christ is only tyed to his word and sacraments annexed to his word the Romane edition leaues out Annexed to his word as though there might be sacraments not annexed or grounded vpon the word of God As in truth manie of their sacraments are Againe Ferus vpon these words Let them that be in Iewrie flie vnto the hilles writes thus But whither must we flie To the hils to the higher places As he did which saide I haue lift vp mine eies vnto the hilles from whence commeth my helpe And also In thee O Lord haue I put my trust I shall neuer bee put to confusion And I haue lift vp my soule vnto thee Happie is hee that hath fled to the hilles he shal be safe in deede Ferus heere by these hilles meanes heauen and that we must trust onelie in God as is most manifest by the scriptures he alleadgeth The Romane edition addeth Wee must flie vnto the hilles that is to the Catholique Church And to the superior places as he did shal said I haue lift vp mine eies vnto the hilles c. They would haue men trust in their Church as should séeme And so they abuse both Ferus meaning and the Scriptures he alleadgeth which cannot be referred to the Church but to God alone Gagneius vpon that place of S. Peter Babylon Coelected writes That the Greeke scholia and al other interpretors doe interprete Rome to be Babylon which he so calles for the confusion of their Idols Where we maie note first that Peter makes himselfe equall with other elders calling himselfe Compresbyterum that is a fellowe elder in his former epistle And in this his second epistle If Babylon be Rome as Gagneius séemes to affirme he makes it equal with other Churches calling it Coelected that is equallie chosē of God with other Churches And what prerogatiue then can either Peters successors or the Church of Rome challeng Secondlie if by al interpretors iudgments as Gagneius affirmes by Babylon Rome is vnderstood then no doubt this séemes to giue a light to S. Iohns Reuelation foreshewing where that Babylon should be which he should prophecie of For all the scriptures are as a golden chaine one linked within another and like that strange whéele Exechiel sawe A wheele appeared on the earth by the beasts hauing foure faces The fashion of the wheeles and their worke was like a Chrisolite Eze. 1.15 and they foure had one forme And their fashion and their worke was as one wheele in another wheele This strange whéele no doubt represented the gospell The scriptures agrée altogither S. Peter and S. Iohn did meane one Babylon And that former is Rome by Gagneius and all interpretors iudgments And surelie the second also Who will now then if he doe but marke these two places conferred togither for in scriptures one place expoundes another looke for anie good from thence Againe if Peter had béene made head of the Church by our sauiour he had sinned in not taking that power and authoritie vppon him in debasing himselfe and making himselfe equall with other pastors In 1. cap. Luc. Stella saith That it is humilitie to accept any honour offered of God And it were pride to put any let or hinderance vnto it How then did not Peter here by Stella his iudgment offend in pride in putting a stoppe or hinderance to that authoritie which our sauiour had giuen him when as he makes himselfe equal with other pastors That place of S Paul which they alleadge for the authoritie of the Church of Rome ouer all the world I thanke my God thorowe Iesus Christ for you all because your faith is published thorowe the whole world In 2. cap. Luc Stella expounds That is in manie places Stella also of the obedience to the ciuill magistrate writes thus That wee
of the Crosse And of this conuersion of the Iewes and of this their wéeping ioyning hands as it were with the Prophet Zacharie Ier. 50.1 the Prophet Ieremie prophesieth thus also saying The word which the Lord spake concerning Babylon and the land of the Chaldees by the hand of Ieremie the Prophet Declare among the nations and publish it set vp a standarde and conceale it not say Babel is fallen c. And in those daies and at that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Iuda togither going and weeping they shall go and seeke the Lord their God And that this destruction of Babel shall be in the end of the worlde Saint Iohn witnesseth who out of Ieremy cites this Verse Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins Ier. 50.8 Reu. 18.4 21. Reu. 18.21 and that ye receiue not of her plagues And after A mightie Angell tooke vp a great stone like a milstone and cast it into the sea saying With such violence shall the great Citie Babylon be cast and shall be found no more And this is also Ieremies conclusion of his prophesie concerning Babel Ier. 51 6◠And when thou hast made an ende of reading this booke thou shalt binde a stone to it and cast it into the midst of Euphrates And shalt say Thus shall Babel be drowned and shall not rise from the euill I will bring vpon her and they shall be wearie Thus farre are the words of Ieremy So that this destruction of Babylon and this wéeping and conuersion of the Iewes shall be at one time no doubt in the verie latter ende of the world immediately before Christs comming to iudgement The Babylonians shall still striue to maintaine their kingdom but they shall not prosper they shall be wearie I would to God that all Seminaries and Iesuits that take such great paines to establish the Popes kingdome would marke but this one word and the last of Ieremies prophesie it would make them cease from their vaine labours And that testimonie also which Saint Paul cites out of Esay for the conuersion of the Iewes Rom. 11.26 Esay 59.17 plainly prooues that they shall be conuerted in the verie latter end of the world and euen by Christs comming to iudgement For thus saith the Prophet He shall put on righteousnesse as an habergeon and the helmet of saluation vpon his head and he shall be cloathed with the garments of vengeance for cloathing and was clad with zeale as with a cloake As to make recompence as to requite the fury of the aduersaries with a recompence to his enemies he will fully repaie the Ilands So they shall feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glorie from the rising of the sunne when the enemy shall come like a floud But the spirit of the Lorde shall chase him away or shall lift vp a standard that is Gods word against him as it is in the Hebrew Is not here a most plaine and euident description of Christs comming to iudgement Phil. 2.7 In his first comming he came as a sauiour clothed in his apparell like a man but now he comes like a iudge to requite his enemies now he comes cloathed with the garments of vengeance And shall he not come thus at his second comming Doth not now also Antichrist and enemies assault the Church of Christ like a floud and doth not the spirit of God put them to flight doth it not raise vp the standard of Gods word against him 2. Thes 2.8 as Saint Paul also prophesieth that by that meanes Antichrist shall be ouerthrowne And then next after this followes in Esay that prophesie which Saint Paul alleadgeth for the conuersion of the Iewes And the redeemer shall come vnto Sion and he shal turne iniquitie from Iacob So that by the comming of Christ to iudgement the Iewes shall be conuerted and not by the comming of Elias and Enoch Acts 3.20 The same lesson also Peter taught the Iewes Amend your liues and turne that your sinnes may be done away when the times of refreshing shall come from the face of the Lord and he shall send Iesus Christ who hath been preached to you before Thus farre Peter This refreshing no doubt argues the great heate of afflictions the Iews haue endured And these comfortable times shall come to them but not from the face of Elias and Enoch which they now dreame of but from the face of the Lord himselfe when he commeth to iudgement For before that time now after his ascension they cannot sée his face For Saint Peter there saith that the heauens must containe him till all things be restored which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his prophets since the world began This Sermon of Peter may séeme to be a perpetuall lesson to the Iewes for euer Dauid also in the Psalme most euidently declares the sin of the Iewes against Christ Psal 59. their dispersion and also the manner and time of their conuersion Verse 2.3 Deliuer me saith he from the wicked doers and saue me from the bloudie men For loe they haue laid waite for my soule the mightie men are gathered against me not for mine offence nor for my sinne O Lord. Here is first Iesus Christ painted out most liuely vnto vs who alone might saie The mightie men are gathered togither against me not for my sin O Lord who euer could say so els Now verely here is the sinne of the Iewes they conspired against him they sought his life being a poore innocent Verse 11. Slay them not least my people forget it but scatter them abroad by thy power and put them down O Lord our shield Here is their dispersion and continuall and grieuous punishment like Caines whose posteritie they are for their bloudie and haynous offence against their brother Gen. 4.12 And thou O Lord God of hosts O God of Israel awake to visit all the heathen Verse 5. and be not mercifull to those that offend maliciously Is not here plainly the last iudgement What is it els for God to awake and to visit all the heathen and not alwaies as it were to be a sleepe and to keepe silence as it is in the 50. Psalme but to come to iudgement And then followes the time of their conuersion Verse 6. They go to and fro in the euening they howle or barke like dogs and go about the Citie Their conuersion shall be in the euening they shall weepe or howle like vnto dogs Is not this plainlie to agree with Zacharie that they weepe and lament wofully one by one euen as dogs vse to doe And after their zeale followes And in the euening they shall go to and fro howle like dogs Verse 14. and go about the Citie they shall run here and there for meate and surely they shall not be satisfied though they lie without doores all night This
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
of grace is called the fulnes of time And for this cause the sonne of God is called the hand of the father because as by the hand things are wont to be distributed So the eternall father by the sonne hath giuen his heauenly gifts This hand Dauid praied so earnestly for send out thy hand from aboue c. If we lacke anie thing we are wont to receiue it at mens hands and not at their féet So here let vs receiue all things at the hands of God Almightie let vs not seeke anie thing at Saints or Angels which may resemble Gods féet In ca. 19. Esa Ierome writes thus vpon these words And they shall not remember the former things Although this may be said that in the new heauen and the new earth all the remeÌ„brance of our conuersation shall be quite blotted out least this should be some peece of euill to remember our former griefes and necessities As the saints shall not remember their former anguishes or griefes to impaire in anie respect their ioy so no doubt much more not the griefes of others And againe In all their trouble there shall be no trouble And the Angell of his face shall saue them that is Iesus Christ who is the Image of God and appeares before God now for vs or else who is like to vs and is perfect man Psal 118. v. 27. In times past as Dauid witnesseth The sacrifices were bound to the hornes of the Altar not to the postes of the house of God though they were neuer so holy and gilded So now we must binde our sacrifices that is our prayers to the Altar Iesus Christ not to the postes of the house that is to the Saints In cap. 3. Io. Ferus also writes thus Afterward Iohn expresseth the conditions of those that be Christes friends he standeth saith he as readie to doe whatsoeuer is to be done he heareth what the bride groome talketh with the bride and he reioyceth in the glorie of the bridegroome These are those thrée conditions of all the friends of Iesus Christ which were bidden to the marriage by Ferus his iudgement and of all Gods Saintes And no doubt as they performed the two former while they were here in this life that is they stood all readie to doe his commandements and they gladlie heard his words so likewise in heauen they reioice in his glorie his glorie is their glorie They all with Saint Iohn here doe put awaie all glory yéelded vnto them and attribute it vnto him And after he must increase I must decrease we are taught by this sentence that all the authorities dignities offices righteousnesses wisedomes powers of all men are to be made no account of that only Christs authoritie dignitie office righteousnesse wisedome power may be established To conclude it belongs to him to be exalted it belongs to vs to be humbled If this be true what meanes all those hymnes and songs and prayers to the glorie of Saints which the Church of Rome vseth In the councell of Rhemes cap. 2. celebrated vnder Charles the great An. dom 913. we are taught that it is not lawful for a christian not to know without booke the Lords prayer or not to vnderstand it or not too often vse it If this be true how many thousand Christians in the time of Poperie were transgressors of this lawe who vnderstood not the Lords prayer Theodoret against prayers to be made to Angels writes thus They which defended the law In 3. ca. ad Col. perswaded them to worship Angels saying that the lawe was giuen by them And this fault remained long in Phrygia and Pisidia wherefore also the synode which met at Laodicea which is the chiefe Citie of Phrygia did forbid by law that they pray to Angels And euen vnto this day we may see amongst them and amongst their borderers houses of prayer of S. Michael They gaue men counsell to doe this vsing humilitie saying the God of all things could not be seene nor comprehended nor that any man could come vnto him and that they must get them the good will of God by the means of the angels Is not this plainly the papists doctrine at this day they build Churches to Angels they teach that by the meanes of Angels we must procure the fauour of God And after vpon these words Doe all things in the name of our Lords Iesus Christ because saith Theodoret they commanded to worship Angels he commaunds the contrarie that they should make glorious or acceptable to God both their wordes and deedes by the remembrance of our Lord Christ And saith he send forth your thankesgiuing to God your father by him and not by Angels The councell of Laodicea following this law and hauing a minde to cure this olde disease decréed Conc. Lâ—od cap. 32. that they should not make any prayers vnto angels that they should not leaue out the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Here we may note that we should not make anie prayers vnto Angels and that we should neuer leaue out of our prayers the name of our Lord Iesus Christ but that we should doe all things in his name and that he alone makes our prayers glorious in the sight of God and procures vs Gods fauour Stella also of the great mercie of our Sauiour writes thus Secondly he touched the leaper In 5. ca. Luc. that he might mooue vs boldly to come to him and that he might take away all occasion of feare let no man be affraid let all come to him Christ doth not loathe our Leprosie nor filthy corruption but he pities vs more then any father doth his children because he knowes whereof we be made If a leprous sinner maie come boldly to Christ what sinner shall be affraid to come Also vpon the first of Luke he askes a question why God sent an Angell to the virgin could not God himselfe haue reuealed this mysterie to the virgin he could truely but he would send an Angell first that he might declare the loue and charitie he beares vnto vs so that he procures our redemption euen by the ministerie of Angels So Paul saith Are they not all ministring spirits for those which shall receiue the inheritance of saluation Out of which place man may drawe an argument that he may magnifie or thinke well of his owne estate because Angels are sent to minister and serue vnto him And after If any prince or noble man should prostrate himselfe on the ground that he might gather vp the crums which fell from thee were he not despised and no account made of So thou which art a noble and excellent creature of God when as thou hast Angels to be thy seruants oughtst not to bow thy selfe to these earthly things which are vile and of no reputation Thus farre Stella The same reason we make against praying to Angels If God haue so exalted vs that Angels are our seruants why should we abase our selues to knéele downe to
dreame of vs we not knowing that we doe appeare Nay he thinkes that those apparitions are of Angels which appeare sometimes to men and commaund that their bodies should be buried when as they themselues whose bodies they are know no such thing If Austen smelled thus much in his daies concerning burying of bodies of Saints that they were not the saints themselues that appeared but angels the saints neuer knowing we may suspect that they were also euill angels that did appeare then because they lied but if they were good angels as Austen thought yet we maie iudge of the like thus much that those apparitions which were in time of Poperie which often appeared and craued to be holpen out of purgatorie in the likenesse of mens soules were not their soules nor perchance the soules of such neuer knew anie such thing but were lying angels Of the knowledge also of them which are dead Austen in the same booke writes thus Those which are dead Cap. 15. may know some things here which are necessarie for them to know and againe not know what is not necessarie for them to know both things past present and also things to come the spirit of God reueâ—ling it vnto them as also not all men but the Prophets while they liued here knew Neither knew they all things but such things as Gods prouidence iudged fit for them to know So that by S. Austens iudgement first it is vncertaine whether the Saints know anie thing at all of our earthlie affaires or no. And againe if they know they know not all things but such things as God reueales to them and thinks méete for them to know And now in this vncertaintie of their knowledges who will make their prayers vnto them and not be sure whether they be heard or not especiallie when as the same S. Austen in another place writes If faith want prayer dies De verb. dom secund Lucam ser 36. for who will pray that beleeues not Wherfore the blessed Apostle when as he exhorted to prayer said Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued And that hee might shew faith to be the fountaine of praier neither that the streame can runne where as the head of the water is dried vp he added and said But howe shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued Therefore that we may pray aright let vs beleeue and let vs pray also that faith faile not by which we pray So that without certaine faith that our praiers are heard and obtained praiers by S. Austens iudgment in this place are nought but such praiers can no man make to saints Againe Ser. 120. de temp he teacheth that prayers are now the sacrifices of christians Therefore God commanded the Iewes to leaue the whole land and to offer sacrifices in one place and to pay their vowes because then all the land was vncleane with the smoake of Altars and with the sauour of graues and with other pollutions which from the sacriledge of the prophane Gentiles were brought vpon it But to vs nowe that Christ is comed and hath purged the whole earth all places are become places fit for vs to pray in And therefore S. Paul exhorts and commands to pray without ceasing and in euery place c. So that now in stoode of all Iewish sacrifices praier is the Christians sacrifice and in stéede of their one place Ierusalem where they were bounde to offer their sacrifices onely we maie now praie in all places And againe De ciu lib. 10. cap. 4. he that sacrificeth to gods but to God alone shall be destroyed for that I may say nothing of other things which belong to the seruice wherewith God is worshipped as concerning sacrifice there is no man dare say but that it belongs to God alone And againe Who euer thought that he ought to offer sacrifice but to him either whom he knew to be God or supposed or imagined to be God So that praiers being now Christians sacrifices and sacrifices being due onlie to God therfore praiers by Austens iudgement should be due to God also onlie Lib. 22. ca. 10. And in another place of Martyrs he writes thus We build not so our Martyrs Churches as to gods but memorials as to dead men whose spirits doe liue with God neither there doe we erect Altars vpon which we may sacrifice to Martyrs but we ofter all our sacrifices to our onely God and also the God of the Martyrs At which sacrifice as men of God which through the confession of his faith haue ouercome the world they are named in their place and order yet they are not called vpon of the priest when he sacrificeth for he offers sacrifice to God and not to them although he offer sacrifice at their memorials for hee is Gods priest and not theirs And the sacrifice he offers is the body of Christ which he offers not to them because they are it themselues Here S. Austen doth teach vs most manifestlie these thrée things That sacrifice belongs onlie to God and that inuocation is sacrifice and that the bodie of Christ which the Priest offers is not Christs naturall bodie as the Papists teach and would haue vs beléeue that S. Austen taught when he speakes of the oblation of Christs bodie in the Eucharist but his mysticall bodie and the sacrifice of that bodie I think the Papists will not saie anie thing profits the dead And if inuocation be sacrifice as S. Austen here plainlie teacheth shall we inuocate martyrs and saints If the priests in those daies did not inuocate them shall we now This is S. Austens resolute iudgement His speeches in his other booke of the care of the dead are but doubts Rom. 8.26 Saint Paul of prayer writes thus Likewise also the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe makes requests for vs with sighs which cannot be expressed But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God We must alwaies praie in the holy Ghost Iude v. 20. as S. Iude teacheth vs but onlie God which searcheth the hearts as S. Paul here teacheth knoweth and vnderstandeth the sighings of the spirit and no angell or saint els therfore we must make all our praiers to God alone and not to anie saint or angell Prayer is a talking with God and therefore Dauid saith Psal 5.1 Heare my words O Lord and vnderstand my meditation But are we sure when we speake to a saint that he heares vs And who will speake to anie that he is not sure whether he heareth him or no And Ferus also yéelds this reason Fer. in cap. 12. Act. why we should inuocate onlie Iesus Christ Christ saith he was present in the congregation at Antioche according to his promise Where two or three be gathered togither in my
name I am in the midst of them And he was at the same time present with Peter at Ierusalem For he fils heauen and earth And this is the comfort of the godly that God is present with them in all places and therefore in all places they may call vpon him for he is nie vnto them that call vpon him in truth Here is a forcible reason whie we should call vpon God alone because he alone fulfils heauen and earth and therfore in all places we maie boldlie call vpon him So are we not sure of the presence of anie creature els so that when we praie to them we maie perchance praie to the walles Ferus speaking of the woman that powred the pretious ointment on Christ writes thus Fer. de pass part 1. Marke with what confidence this woman comes vnto Christ whom notwithstanding that same holy man Iohn was affraid to touch at Iordan She conceiued this confidence by no other meanes then of the often tried and approued goodnesse of Christ therefore it was not rashnesse in this woman but great charitie and exceeding loue So also the faithfull although they be not now altogither without sinne yet they dare boldly say vnto God our Father Ibid. Of Peters refusall also to Christ to washe his féete he writes thus Againe in this Peter also erred that as should seeme because he would haue reuerenced Christ therefore he refused this his seruice Euen as in another place also he repelled Christ from him when as he said Depart from me Lord for I am a sinner yea but if thou shalt thinke thy selfe to be a sinner yet thou must not put the Lord from thee This seemes to be a kinde of reuerence but it is a preposterous reuerence proceeding of flesh and bloud As many for their vnworthinesse thinke that they dishonour God if they pray vnto him or receiue the sacraments But faith thinkes farre otherwise that is that he dishonors God which sins and not he which craueth pardon and vseth the meanes ordained of God to heale his sinnes so he dishonoureth God not which endures his seruice but he that refuseth him and preferres his owne iudgement before the will of God It is a good thing to confesse our owne vnworthinesse nay we ought to doe it It is a good thing also to reuerence the Maiestie of God but this goodnesse turnes it selfe into superstition if we exclude the seruice of Christ for out vnworthines Therfore let vs not feare to come vnto God because he commaunds vs to come vnto him and to call vpon him Come to me saith he all yee that trauell c. And againe Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble Nay thou yeeldest to God the greatest honour if thou shalt call vpon him faithfully And againe thou dishonourest him with the greatest dishonour that may be if he calling thee vnto him and promising thee helpe thou despise him by not comming vnto him so also thou yeeldest greatest honour vnto Christ when as thou endurest his seruice towards thee Hence it is that Marie sitting as it were quietly and idly at Iesus feete enduring Christs ministerie which he yeelded vnto her by preaching is farre more honourably commended then busie Martha To conclude if thou wouldest haue health thou maiest not put away the Physition from thee yea come thou so much the more boldly to him as thine infirmitie or vnworthines is the greater So also in our necessities concerning these our temporall and worldly things we respect neither our owne vnworthinesse not the dignitie of any other so that we may be helped and relieued So he that is hunger-bit and almost famished will not feare to speake to any be he neuer so honourable being forced with the extremitie of hunger doe thou so likewise c. And after Also hee couertly shewes his Apostles by what means and as it were greeses or steps they must climb vp to God For we cannot come to the father but by Christ for he is the way And we cannot come vnto Christ vnlesse we receiue his Apostles that is their words therfore we must begin to climbe vp to God by the hearing of his worde He that receiueth this receiueth Christ and he that hath Christ hath the Father and he that hath the Father hath all good things c. So that to heare Gods word is the first steppe to climbe to God and then in what case are they that refuse to hear Gods word preached Secondly by hearing Gods word we are taught the next steppe that is to make our praiers to Christ only for Gods word teacheth vs to make our praiers to God by the means of no other And therfore the inuocation of saints is no step of this heauenly ladder by Ferus his iudgement Ferus of Christ being whipped and spit vpon writes thus Fer. part 3. pass Thinke these things with thy selfe O Christian behold Christ in this forme and plight and thou shalt neuer despaire of his grace for he will neuer forsake thee trusting in him which suffred so great things for thee deseruing nothing at his hands And of Christs mother the blessed virgin hee writes thus For at other times Christ seemed to vse hard speeches vnto his mother that is when as the worke of God was to be done Fer. de pass part 4. as in the 2. of Iohn Mat. 12. Luk. 12. For when as Gods businesse is in hand all mans affections must cease and giue place But here on the Crosse he acknowledgeth his mother most faithfully and curteously c. In Gods affaires all motherlie affection must cease saith Ferus but the forgiuenesse of sins and such like are Gods affaires therefore in these matters the blessed virgin medleth not Of the first word that our Sauiour spake on the Crosse Father forgiue them Fer. part 4. ◠for they know not what they doe Ferus writes thus When as the Lord Iesus was made now a true sacrifice and now he was come to the fulfilling of our redemption and saluation although he were oppressed with vnspeakeable torments yet remembring wherefore he suffered such things that is for our sakes therefore forgetting all his griefes and paines he begins to encounter with his fathers anger with his prayers and now he begins to execute his office he begins his priesthood he is become a mediator betweene God and man an intercessour and a defender of vs and he sets himselfe wholy as an inuincible wall against his fathers anger for he could not forget his naturall goodnes Therefore whereas others would haue cursed blasphemed and rayled he praies and that not for himselfe but for others and not onely for others but for his most deadly enemies and his crucifiers who notwithstanding had been woorthy either to haue beene deuoured with fire from heauen or to haue been swallowed vp of the earth And a little after If Christ prayed so earnestly for his crucifiers how much more now doth he make intercession for those
which call vpon him and beleeue in him c. This great zeale and loue of Christ towards his verie enemies in the midst of all his torments must néedes worke an assured confidence that he will now heare vs which beléeue in him And therfore we néede not flie to anie other in our prayers but only to him If he so willingly saith Ferus forgaue the sinne done against his owne person he will no doubt farre more easily forgiue vs. Therfore we come boldlie and without all feare to God hauing so louing a patron and aduocate Fer in 4. cap. Mat. Ferus also of Inuocation that it is a part of Gods honour writes thus Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God This adoration consists not in bowing of the knee or such like but in spirit and truth To worship God to beleeue in him to serue him to cal vpō him without these thou art an Idolater whatsoeuer thou doest if thou loue or feare any other thing more then God if thou in thy necessitie call not vpon him for for this cause he sends thee aduersities that thou shouldest call vpon him And they haue not inquired after the Lord but haue trusted in the helpe of Egypt And so many of vs do Thus farre Ferus Here we may plainlie sée first that Ferus makes this Inuocation of God a speciall part of Gods worship or Latria and that to this end to make vs to call vpon him he sends vs afflictions Secondly how he reprooues them that trusts in Egypt that is in man either liuing or dead or in what thing soeuer Dom. 23. post pent conc 2. Philippus de dies also of prayer writes thus Whosoeuer doth knocke at the doores of the tender mercie of God with his prayers with faith and reuerence with humilitie and sure confidence with all which this woman was furnished he truely toucheth the Lord and drawes his vertue and spirit to him Therefore happy is he that truely can say with the Prophet I will offer the fat burnt offrings He offers to God fat burnt offrings which offers him prayers full of humilitie assurance of obtaining them and deuotion And he offers prayers without marrow which offers prayers without loue deuotion or attention And these whether they be Clergie or Lay-men although they pray a great number of Psalmes or of other prayers as a taske without any intention of the minde blessing God with their mouths but with their hearts giuing themselues to pleasures and delights in the streetes these truely thrust the Lord they touch him not because they onely touch him with their bodies and not with their spirit And therefore they receiue from him neither any vertue or grace What must we doe then brethren Truely that of Saint Paul I will praie with my spirit I will pray with my minde I will sing with my spirit I wil sing with my minde Thus much Philippus de Dies Wherein he condemnes all the Latine prayers made of the ignorant and simple people which vnderstand no Latine And such were almost all their prayers in the daies of our forefathers because they lacked this marrow of truth and confidence of the assurance of obtaining their prayers at Gods hands they lacked this minde and vnderstanding which S. Paul speaketh of And as Dies truely affirmes they that pray so thrust and throng Christ but they touch him not Stella also to the same effect writes thus In 1. cap. Luc. My soule doth magnifie the Lord saith the blessed virgin Marie And that verie fitly for God is to be praised rather in heart and minde then in voice according to that of S. Paul Sing to God in your hearts And after My soule saith she doth magnifie the Lord because my toong stambreth neither can it number all the benefits bestowed vpon me Therefore I offer the inward affection of my minde in giuing of thanks And againe Where we are taught that God is to be praised rather in minde and heart then in body But many haue the prayer of the voice onely and mouth and not of the heart to whom the Lord saith This people honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me And of our Sauiour Iesus he writes thus In that they led Iesus with them to Ierusalem Idem in ca. 3◠Luc. thou oughtest to learne that in all thy iournies and in all thy trauailings most sweete Iesus ought to accompanie thee Haue him alwaies before thine eies let no worldly matter enter into thy minde but in all thy affaires direct all thy thoughts to him as it were to a marke If we ought to haue him alwaies before our eies why should we haue then anie other And that Iesus Christ is so louing towards vs that we néede not haue anie other he writes thus after preferring his great loue towards vs before the loue of Iohn the greatest saint in the world and so by a consequent before anie other saint whatsoeuer Therefore saith he Iohn preached in the wildernesse because in the Citie there are so many sins and abominations that Iohn could not abide them Iohn was grieued at the heart neither could he digest so many sinnes But when as he saw the Pharisees he could not abide them but he burst out saying O ye generation of vipers c. But Christ hath a better stomacke to beare with our iniquities and to cure our infirmities as one that loues vs with all his heart and with all his affection and winkes at the sinnes of men that they might repent And for this cause Iohn would not enter into Cities that he might not see the lying of artificers the vsury of merchants the vanitie and pompe of noble men c. Thus farre Stella But quite to ouerthrow all inuocation of Angell or Saint whatsoeuer Coloss 2.18 doth not S. Paul most euidently write thus Let no man make you shoote at a wrong marke or defraude you of your price at his pleasure through humilitie in worshipping Angels intruding himselfe into those things he knowes not puffed vp vainly by the conceipt of his owne flesh As though he should saie If any man teach you this doctrine that it is humilitie to worship Angels and that you maie not presume to come in Gods sight such a one beguiles you he makes you lose your price lose your reward For he that runnes in a race must obey his pleasure that maketh and appointeth the game masterie If you pray neuer so much and fast neuer so often if you doe not these according to Gods word in the name of Iesus Christ you lose your price and he that teacheth contrary is puft vp of the pride of his owne minde he followes his owne reason and not the light of Gods word and therefore in these matters is starke blinde and knoweth nothing As S. Paul teacheth of all such If any man saith he teach any other doctrine and giues not heede respects not the holesome words of our Lord Iesus
well know what they say Let vs now discouer such sleights and crafts of the enemy and let vs also consider the diligence of the Saints in eschuing them that by imitating them we may set light by and make no account of those who can ouercome none but such as willingly yeeld them selues vnto them By these things which haue been spoken the saying of Aggathon the Abbot may bee prooued true who being asked what spirituall exercise of all other was most painful answered prayer because while we pray that euill spirit doth trouble vs sometimes assaulting vs openly sometimes secretly laying siege against vs and by all meanes endeuouring that he may confound and trouble the mindes of them that pray being not ignorant what a forcible matter with God is the constant continuall and perseuerant intention of the minde of him that prayeth with humilitie This Papist confesseth that when we praie we must not rashlie powre out our words but with discretion that we must not be like drunken men when we praie praying we cannot tell what And were not such like all the Latine praiers which without vnderstanding the simple people made in Poperie He confesseth that amongst all other our spirituall workes Satan labours especiallie to hinder our praiers or to peruert them which thing he néede not doe in Poperie he had framed them as the common prouerb is the bowe to his own bent They in those daies praied ignorantlie without faith with wandring mindes being fixed on nothing euen as hee would haue them The same Viuiennus also of prayer writes thus Lib. 2. de offic boni patrisfam cap. 25. With what kinde and how great an affection of his minde Dauid prayed he himselfe testifieth saying I haue made my supplication before thy face with my whole heart And againe I haue cried with my whole heart heare me O Lord. He hath cried vnto the Lord with his heart who hath prayed earnestly not they which doe make a chattering with their words and doe not conceiue with their minde that which they post ouer with their lippes And after him Salomon the most wisest king of all the kings of Iudah in that booke if it be his which is intituled the booke of Wisedome I gate me vnto the Lord and I made my prayer vnto him and I spake from the verie bottome of my heart He is to be prayed vnto with our whole heart who is commaunded to be loued with our whole heart But they which praie carelesly doe seeme to make light account of him of whom they do request anie thing and therefore they do not obtaine their requestes They do but chatter like Parats Pies by Viuiennus his iudgment that know not what they do pray for And such like chatterings were all the Latine prayers in poperie which the common people daily did make Caietane also agréeing with him of prayer writes thus Prayer saith he with a good intent without attention that is Sum. Caieta◠diligent marking or vnderstanding is vnlawfull for the want of deuotion or reuerence that is ioyned with it Thus farre Caietane He that praies must marke what he praies whether he pray himselfe or giue his consent by saying Amen to the prayers of another And therefore the simple Christian and vnlearned must as well vnderstand the common prayers of the Church as his owne priuate prayers Shall he say Amen and giue his consent to that he knowes not what it is That were an absurd thing euen in our trifling worldlie matters no man will do so and shall we do so in heauenly matters matters of great waight and importance But in the darkenes of poperie the most part neither vnderstood their priuate nor their publike prayers and how then could they haue that attention which Caietane héere requires Bernardus de Frenesda another Papist In praef 2. par Granat de devot med of prayer also writes thus It is the generall doctrine receiued of all the Saints that there are three things necessarie to a iust man which bring him vnestimable commodities and that by these three the iust man is preserued in his righteousnes And these are praying reading and wel-doing In these should a wise man daily exercise himselfe and so discreetly with Christiā zeale measure and diuide his time that he should be euer occupied in one of these Prayer giues light purgeth comforts makes merrie kindles zeale lightens afflictions nourisheth deuotion ingenders confidence if our owne spirit do not reproue vs expels slouthfulnes terrifieth the diuels ouercomes temptations These are the most excellent fruits commodities of prayer But now the same author teacheth vs also the true manner of prayer Then saith he we do pray truly when as we thinke on nothing else and when all our thoughts are bent on heauenly things whenas our heart is inflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost His prayer is perfect whose cause tongue deeds and speech and life and thoughts cries And he addeth that the third effect of prayer is the spirituall refreshing of the soule And that to this effect of prayer is necessarily required the attention or marking of the soule not that which is spēt about the material words of the prayer nor that only which is about the meaning of the words but that which respects the end of the prayer which is God and that thing for which a man prayeth We may learne here by his iudgement that he which will reape this last and most principall fruit and effect of prayer which is the spirituall refreshing of his soule must not onelie marke the meaning of the words of his prayer but chiefelie the Maiestie of God and the thing he praies for If this be true then the papists haue bereaued their brethren of this chiefe fruit of prayer which is the spirituall refreshing of their soules when as they taught them to pray in Latine when as they neither vnderstood the words of their prayer nor the thing they prayed for And so by this authors iudgement though they prayed manie and long prayers in those daies and did rise vp earlie to prayer yet the poore sillie soules for lacke of vnderstanding these their prayers were famished and receiued no spirituall refreshing or comfort thereby De orat med tract 7. ca. 8. Granatensis himselfe also of praier writes thus Euen as one that is sicke takes more profit of the meat he eats and chewes himselfe then of that which being chewed of another is giuē him like abroth or some pottage so the prayer a man makes himselfe of thos◠words which the holy ghost ministreth vnto him is more profitable then that which is framed and made by other mens words which are often repeated as of some that know not what they meane without any attention or deuotion Thus farre Granatēsis We may note here how he also condemnes praiers without vnderstanding And because that when we repeat prayers made of others though we do vnderstand the meaning of the words
teach which brings with it vncertaintie of their saluation And of the certaintie and full assurance that we ought to haue in obtaining our prayers when we praie Ibidem hee writes thus out of Bernard Of the first fruit or rather effect of prayer Bernard thus speakes As often as I speake of prayer me thinkes I heare in your hearts but as it were some ordinarie talke betwixt man and man which also I haue heard very often of others and sometime tried in my selfe For what a matter is this that although we neuer cease from praying yet at any time scarce any one feeles what is the fruite or commoditie of his prayer As we come to prayer so we depart from prayer as though no man answered vs againe or gaue vs a word as though no man minded any thing but as that we haue seemed to haue laboured in vaine But what saies the Lord in the Gospell Iudge not saith he according to the outward appearance but iudge ye the righteous iudgement And what is the righteous iudgement but the iudgement of faith because the iust man liues by faith Therefore follow thou the iudgement of faith and not thine owne experience because faith is true but thine experience is oftentimes deceitfull And what is the truth of faith but that the sonne of God himselfe hath promised whatsoeuer ye shall desire in prayer beleeue that you shall receiue it and it shall be done vnto you Let none of you O my brethren make light account of his praiers For I say vnto you that he to whom we pray makes no small account of it For before it go out of our mouth he commaunds it to be registred in his booke And one thing of these two we may without all doubt hope for that he will grant eyther that which we desire or that which he knowes to be more profitable for vs. For we know not to pray as we ought to pray but he hath compassion of our ignorance and receiuing our praier courteously giues vs not that which is not either profitable for vs or is not necessarie to be giuen vs so soone And againe When we aske that which is not profitable for vs he heares vs not but he giues vs that which is more profitable euen as the carnall father is also wont to do who when his child desires of him both bread and the knife he will giue him the bread but not the knife This assurance we should haue when we make our prayers that God answeres vs granteth vs our requests or else that which is farre better for vs and with this trust and assurance whensoeuer we praie we should returne from praiers not as though we had praied to a wall or that we were not better then we were before naie when we returne from speaking to that bountifull and rich king we must beleeue assuredlie that we returne not againe emptie but enriched with many great and heauenlie treasures This assurance in poperie how could they haue which knewe not what they saide nor for what they prayed And againe of Gods great willingnesse to heare our praiers he writes thus It would verie greatly delight and please the mercie of God if men were so readie to heare his voice as he is to heare theirs For it is most true that we are a great deale more slacke in our duties then he is in his Can. 6.12 Therefore when as he cals his spowse in the Canticles he cals her foure times he repeats the same word foure times Return returne saith he O Shulamite returne returne But she when she cals her bridegroome cals him but once And behold he is at hand Returne saith she my beloued be like a Roe or a young Hart vpon the mountaines of Bether Can. 2.17 And is God thus willing to heare our praiers and shall we not pray vnto him shall we praie to anie other Of the great mercie of God Granatensis writes thus Dauid said O Lord say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Par. psal 50. As though he should say I haue my eares now full of thy terrible names and titles O let that time come wherein by thy new name thou hast promised saluation to my soule And that is truly when as thou shalt be called Iesus that is a Sauiour This Dauid said in times past in the person of vs all But after that thou remembring the mercie and promises made to our fathers that the time should be that thou wouldest take vpon thee our humanitie and miserie When as I say thou camest out of thy hall of power and iustice and comming to vs thou wentest to thy pallace of courtesie and mercie thou fulfillest then whatsoeuer thou before hadst promised to all men That same chiefe and great follower and Apostle of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord first began to call thee then father of mercies and God of all consolation Father that he might declare vnto vs that as a father thou wouldest helpe vs and God because thou canst helpe whom thou wilt So that now sinners seeing thee to haue comed out of thy hall of seueritie into thy pallace of mercie and comfort seeing thee altogither clad now with their apparrell and becomed now one of their familie now they will no more runne wandering vp and downe they cannot tell whither but being knit to thy most holy Church with syncere faith and sure hope they doe come to thy throne asking pardon of their sinnes Thus farre Granatensis He declares to vs now that this faith euerie Christian must haue that now God himselfe is become like one of vs and therefore we may boldlie go euen to his throne our selues we need no intercessors to him yea although we be sinners And euen of himselfe on his throne our selues craue pardon for our sinnes And this doctrine is not his owne but it is grounded on saint Pauls Heb. 4.15 We haue not an high Priest saith he which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe euen in the time of need We haue a most mercifull high priest tempted in all things like to vs. Neuer man so tempted who may say as that Poet makes Quéene Dido to say to the Troianes I my selfe who haue felt sorrowes haue now learned to pitie all such as be in sorrowes none may euermore trulie saie this then Iesus Christ And therefore boldlie we may go euen to his throne euen to aske mercie not onelie to beg spirituall graces or blessings And mercie argues sinnes where there is mercie and pardon craued there as sinne euen such miserable sinners may come boldlie to this throne of grace to craue pardon for their sins Granatensis nay the Apostle Paul tels all Catholikes this and will they not beléeue them And if they beléeue them what néed they go
to anie other The same Granatensis writes thus of himselfe Ibidem And surely the errours of my life and sinnes are so manie and so great that some men being in the same state of damnation as well as I and not considering O Lord thy omnipotencie but measuring according to their owne frailtie and wauering mindes with their forward thoughts haue entered into iudgement with thee saying Mine iniquities are greater then that they may be pardoned and giuing no credite to thy words and promises imagine that as some angrie or cruell man thou thinkest vpon punishment and reuenge and not vpon grace and pardon And such O my God when they shall see that thou wilt forgiue me my sinnes shall be ouercome and ashamed of their iudgements And they shall acknowledge that which thou spakest by thy Prophet that is As high as the heauens are exalted from the earth so are thy waies farre aboue the waies of men and thy thoughts aboue their thoughts Therefore O Lord haue mercie vpon me and blot out mine iniquitie Thus farre Granatensis He confesseth himselfe to be a damnable sinner Here is no merits then and yet for all that he hopes for pardon comes to the throne of Gods mercie nay they which think God to be an angrie God so that he will not heare sinners he plainlie teacheth that they haue a wrong opinion of God And do not the papists teach this in their doctrine of intercession to saints Angels This faith al the scriptures teach vs that when we pray in the name of Iesus Christ God doth most assuredly heare vs. And so we ought to frame our words when we pray as though we were in the presence of God and our hearts after we haue praied that God in whose presence we haue praied hath granted our requests This faith the gospell teacheth They which beléeue not this denie the faith of the Gospell And the same Granatensis that he may the more déepelie imprint and fasten this loue of God in our hearts which is the very roote of the assurance which we haue in our prayers in another place let vs marke how excellentlie he commendeth and expresseth this excéeding great loue of God towards vs. Can there be any greater argumēt of the goodnes of God wished or desired then to consider that a God of such infinite Maiestie Granat de perfect amor dei cap. 28. who not for any need but onely of his owne goodnes doth stoupe downe humble himselfe so greatly that as a steward purueyour of birds fishes and wormes he prouides all things necessary for their life Neither being content with this alone he doth humble himselfe so far that he giues them also pleasant things wherewith they may delight themselues stirring vp in them also certaine motions of pleasures That euen as thou O Lord hast not only an essence or being but also a most happie and blessed essence so also thou wouldest haue all thy creatures be they neuer so vile and base in their kinde to participate of thee and to enioy both these that they should haue both an essence and also a most happie and ioyfull essence Who is not now amased to see such a miracle who hereby acknowledgeth not the infinite kindnes nobilitie and liberalitie of Gods heart who shewes himselfe so louing and courteous to so vile creatures which if a man meet withall he will make no account to trample vnder his feet Which of vs is it that thinkes it concernes him any thing at all whether a Flie or Pismire haue food or not or whether she be merie or sad Who therefore will not maruell that a God of such great maiestie in comparison of whom all the world is no bigger almost then a little Pismire not onely to haue special care of the liues of these smal vermine but also of the delights and pleasures wherewith euerie one of these is delighted when as he lookes at the hands of these neither for praise nor thanks O wonderfull goodnes O inestimable sweetnes O my God how great incomprehensible are those things which in the bosome of thy glorie thou hast reserued for thy faithfull friends when as thou hast such a speciall care of vile wormes How can I distrust of thy prouidence mercie towards men whom thou hast bought with thy precious bloud when as that is not wanting euen to the beasts of the field Thus farre Granatensis This onelie consideration should make vs pray to God alone Chap. 29. And after of the praiers of the faithfull he writes thus What shal I say O Lord of thy readines in hearing the praiers of the iust what of thy speedines in fulfilling their desires how often doest thou promise vs this in thy holy scriptures that thou mightest take away our infidelity distresse In a certain place thou saiest which of you askes bread of his father and will he giue him a stone our askes fish and will he for fish giue him a serpent or if he aske an egge will he reach him a Scorpion If ye therefore when as ye are euill know to giue good things to your children how much more shall your heauenly father from heauen giue his holy spirit to them which aske him And in another place Aske and it shal be giuen to you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you But the words of our Lord which are in S. Iohns Gospell doe declare the same much more manifestly by which it is manifest that God hath at once opened to his friends all the gates of his mercie when as he saith If you abide in me and my words abide in you aske whatsoeuer ye will and it shall be done vnto you Could the heart of man if a wish were giuen him to wish whatsoeuer he would haue wished a more large or greater benefit when as in these words he hath leaue giuen him to aske whatsoeuer he will And he giues his word also that whatsoeuer he asketh he shall obtaine These are the promises of the Gospell from which they also disagree not which are found euerie where amongst the Prophets The Psalmist saith in a certaine place he will doe the will of them that feare him and he will heare their prayer and will saue them And in another place The eies of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open vnto their prayers And in another place hee saith He hath regarded the prayer of the humble and hath not despised their petition Esay also sings the same song to vs. For after he had shewed with what good works God is especially serued by and by he addeth the reward that shall be giuen to them that serue him saying Then he shall call and the Lord shall heare him he shal crie and the Lord shal say Behold here am I. And as though this were but a small thing thou thy selfe O Lord addest a farre greater and more bountifull promise in the same Prophet
pastors to feed their flocks themselues and our blessed Sauiour enioines this thing to Peter Ier. 23.2.4 Ezec. 34.16 as his principall duetie to feede his flocke The true shepheard is to binde vp the woundes of his flocke and to heale them himselfe He that doth not so is that idol shepheard Zach. 11.16 whereof Zacharie prophesieth He shall not looke for the thing that is lost nor seeke the tender lambes nor heale that which is hurt nor feede that that standeth but he shall eate the flesh of the fatte and shall teare thir hoofes and clawes in peeces And haue not the shepheards in poperie done thus Psal 119.105 whereof manie of them neuer preached Is not the word of God the lanterne and candle in Gods house to lighten our pathes and wherewith also to séeke that which is lost Luke 15.8 which candle that wise woman which was a figure of Christs Church lighted and therewith sought for her lost groat which the foolish woman the Popes Church hath quite put out and hidden vnder a bushell Matt. 5.15 Is it not the leaues of that tree of life Iesus Christ which serue to heale the nations Reu. 22.2 as Saint Iohn sheweth vs in the Reuelation Are not the scriptures those fruitfull trees also whereof Ezechiel prophecieth that by the riuer of Gods spirit which is our only comforter in this life as our Sauiour doth teach vs do grow on the brinke thereof on this side and on that side whose leafe shall not fade neither shall the fruit thereof faile and it shall bring forth new fruit according to his moneths because their waters run out of the sanctuarie and the fruit thereof shall be meat and the leaues therof shal be for medicine Is not here a liuelie description of Gods spirit and of the scriptures The one is a well a streame springing into euerlasting life a comforter that onlie like water comforts in all the heats and broyles of this life as our sauiour teacheth And the other as trees that grow on the brinke of this heauenlie riuer The word of God and his spirit are neuer separated which euer haue their leaues and fruit no winter can make their fruit fade nor frost cause their leaues fall Nay because they are watered from the sanctuary they do not onlie like other trées bring forth stil the same fruits but new fruits euerie moneth And their fruits are meate and their leaues medicines If this be true then the papists in whose coasts in times past these fruitfull trées were not seene growing and flourishing lacked also that heauenly and comfortable riuer that procéeded out of the sanctuary They had in those daies worldlie comfortes enough like to that rich man but they lacked the comfort of Gods spirit their soules were famished for the want of these trées whose fruits are the onelie food of soules And their sinnes and wounds of their soules were putrified and festered for lacke of these leaues to heale them which are the onely plaisters for spirituall sores as the prophet Ezechiel Saint Iohn do plainlie teach If we will liue we must applie these leaues to our hearts as the preacher doth teach vs. It is better saith he to go into the house of mourning then of feasting because this is the end of all men Eccl. 7.4 And the liuing will lay it to his heart And Abacucke saith that the iust shall liue by faith Abacuck 2.4 And Saint Paul that faith commeth by hearing the word of God Therefore what life could be in that Church where Gods word was seldome or neuer taught It is written of the blessed virgine Marie Luk. 2.19.51 that she laid vp her sonnes words Iesus Christs words and the words of the shepheards in her heart So must all good women that minde to be blessed that loue the blessed virgine follow likewise these her holie steps and laye vp Iesus Christs words their pastors words in their hearts and the words of no others They must not séeke straungers to confesse their sinnes and to lay open their sores vnto as the popish Church teacheth Nay euen now when as these trées beginne againe to flourish in the world many are not thankefull to God for such a great blessing that now hath made these holesome and fruitfull trées to spring againe in their coasts but doe finde fault with them do despise them They will haue nothing but olde fruit They can abide no new fruit But here they must learne that these trées bring forth new fruits euerie moneth They must not be so wedded to antiquity as to contemne condemn all nouelty but rather let them marke well what euerie thing is Let them say if it be a fruit of the tree of life if it haue a roote and ground in the scriptures 1. Thes 5.21 1. Io. 4.1 I will receiue it most thankfully ioyfullie Let euerie one of vs Trie all things and keepe that which is good as Saint Paul counselleth vs and examine the spirits whether they be of God or no as S. Iohn also commaundeth and not wilfully shut our eies or straight way cast it out of our hands we wil none of it because it séemes new Let vs remēber how that these fruitfull trees of the Lord which are watered with the water that comes out of the sanctuarie bring forth new fruits euerie moneth They diminish the dignitie of these trées are enemies to their owne health nay to their owne onely true greatest ioy and pleasures that they can haue in this world that beleeue not this and will not taste of these new most pleasant fruits And here also we must marke another singular smacke or relish and another speciall commendation or priuiledge which these fruits which the word of God hath beyond all other fruits and writings of men whosoeuer Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord saith Dauid are pure words as siluer purified to the Lord of the whole earth and fined seuen times And no siluer else whatsoeuer nay all the golde of man yea of the fathers whosoeuer is but drosse to this siluer And so must all Christians account of the fathers and yet I cannot tel how it comes to passe that in many mens mouthes the writings of the fathers haue a better relish and pleasanter taste then the word of God But let all men heere learne that euen the gold of the fathers euen the purest doctrine they teach is impure in comparison of the doctrines of the scriptures They haue onely this commendation that they are siluer purified seuen times to the Lord of the whole earth And in the repairing of the Church of Christ which now in our daies is in hand which Antichrist had defaced Re. 11.1 2.3.4 Saint Iohn in the Reuelation borrowes this testimonie of Dauid where after he had declared how much of Gods house should be repaired againe how farre the builders should procéed in that worke he addes what
testimonies God will haue and what witnesses in his Temple what trées in this his new Paradise and what candles in his house Exod. 25.31 The old Tabernacle had but one Candlesticke in it with seuen braunches to lighten it 2. Pe. 2.5 Heb. 3.5 and the olde world but one Noah to testifie to them the wil of God and the house of Israel but one Moses as a seruant to testifie those things which should be spoken after As our Sauiour also tolde the Iewes Doe not you thinke that I will accuse you to my father Io. 5.45 there is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whom you trust But in the Church of Christ shall be two witnesses The Law and the Gospell Besides this former testimonie of Moses The gospell also shall be preached to all nations for a testimonie Mat. 24 14. Mat. 18.16 saith our Sauiour and then shall the ende come Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euerie word or matter be confirmed Before his iudgement God will haue his truth firmely ratified to the world And therefore of these two witnesses and of these two testaments of the Law and of the Gospell in our daies in the repairing againe of the Temple which was prophaned and defaced by Antichrist Saint Iohn saith These are two Oliue trees and two Candlestickes standing before the God of the earth Alluding no doubt to Dauid here in the Psalme The word of the Lord is purified to the Lord of the earth and these Oliues and Candlesticks stood before the Lord of the earth As though the word of God and these Oliues and Candlesticks were all one The word of God the two testaments are the Lords two Oliues able not onely to sustaine Psal 104.15 but to chéere and make merie all Gods household seruants They are also the Lords two great lights like the Sunne the Moone which are sufficient also to lighten his whole house in all obscure and dark points of Religion and to shew vs the perfect and readie way to heauen Now let all his faithfull seruants haue an eie only to these De Mirah scrip lib. 1. cap. 6. Let vs marke what authoritie saint Austen himselfe yéelded to the fathers and expositers of the holy scriptures which were before him who speaking of the doores of heauen which were opened and of the fountains of the déepe at Noah his floud writes thus We cannot saith he for the slendernes of our wit and knowledge vnfold the hardnes of this matter with a grounded or ratified opinion that that is truth which we teach notwithstanding we will without anie partiality shew what in these matters the studies of our former masters could finde out in their diuers opinions yeelding no more authoritie to one then to another of whose iudgements and of whose particular choises we giue euerie man leaue to allow or disallow at his pleasure This opinion Saint Austen had of the opinions and iudgements of those which before him expounded the holy scriptures whom he cals Masters he himselfe was bound to none of them nor no more would he haue anie other And so no doubt by this his owne example he hath taught all men what opinion if they will not be wilfull euery one should haue of his writings expositions So that then in the time of popery the shepheards the pastors of congregations in not giuing this meat vnto their flocks in not healing their woundes sores with the leaues of these trees in not preaching the word of God they haue declared themselues not be Christs shepheards Io. 10.10 but to be Antichrists hirelings Nay to make this matter more plaine They haue not only not fed them but torne in peeces their hoofes as Zacharie prophecieth wounding their consciences and weakneng their faithes in teaching that vnlesse they sang masses for them after their deaths their faith in Christ did not profit them And that they were damned if they brake one of the least of their ceremonies and traditions Is not this quite to teare in péeces the verie hoofes and clawes of the poore sillie lambes whereby they began now to go and to lay hold on Christ Secondly this same Author saith That now one hauing gotten such a faithfull and holy confessor let him account of him euen as of God himselfe and reueale to him boldly all his secret sins and all the secrets of his heart And is not this plainly to say that the Pope is Antichrist He shall sit in the Church shewing himselfe as God saith saint Paul And doth not he here confesse the same What is it else to be God Psal 7.9 Ier. 11.20.20.12 Reu. 2.23 but to search the harts and raines as the scriptures often teach This thing they attribute to God onely And yet the Pope and his cleargie arrogate it to themselues And is not this to sit in the Church as God Saint Paul writes to the ministers of the Church of Corinth that they should iudge nothing before the time 1. Cor. 3.5 vntill the Lord come who shall lighten things that are hidde in darknesse and make the counsels and secrets of the hearts manifest 1. Ti. 5.24 and then shall euerie man haue praise of God And to Timothie Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement but some mens follow after But the papists by this their doctrine contrarie to saint Pauls doctrine in both these places doe make their confessors to take vpon them that knowledge of secrets which belongs to God and that no sinnes are to be reserued vnto the daie of iudgement Their confessors if men will not be damned as they teach must knowe them before This author here himselfe confesseth that to know the secrets of the heart belongs onely to God And that therefore euerie one is to account of his confessor euen as of God himselfe And is not this plainly to affirme that the Pope shall sit in the Church as God Let vs neuer looke that anie other shall euer come into the Church and challenge or take vpon him more of the diuine Authoritie then this And therefore let vs acknowledge that this prophecie of saint Paul is alreadie fulfilled in him And that the Pope and his cleargie sit now in the Church of God 17. Of Purgatorie Psa 40.1 FIrst concerning Purgatorie that vehement and comfortable Sermon which God commaundes Esay and in him all ministers to preach to his Church is as it were a double cannon to beat downe the paper wals of Purgatorie Comfort comfort my people saith the Lord your God speake to the heart of Ierusalem and crie vnto her that her warfare is now at an end and that her iniquitie now hath obtained pardon For she hath receiued at the Lords hands double for all her sinnes This is a sermon of comfort and this must be preached to the heart of Ierusalem and of all Gods Church and cried out in their eares that their warfare now
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
euidently he writes thus If any man therefore haue tares which may be burnt which the enuious man did sowe whilest the housholder slept these shall the fire burne these shall be burnt and in the eies of all the Saints their punishments shall be made manifest which in steed of gold siluer and pretious stones haue built vpon the foundation of the Lord hay wood stubble food of that euerlasting fire And after As of the diuels and all them that denie God and wicked men which say in their hearts there is no God we beleeue their torments are euerlasting fire so also of sinners Alas euen of Christians whose works are to be prooued and tried with fire we thinke that there shall be a mercifull sentence of the iudge mixt with clemencie This fire and this purging and this sentence Ierome plainly affirmes to be at the last daie Also writing of that hard place of the Psalme Pardon me before I go hence he writes thus Lib. 18. in Es He truely which while he liues in this body and hath not obtained pardon for his sinnes and so shall depart out of this life perisheth to God and ceaseth to be any more although as concerning himselfe he remaine in punishments Of purgatorie also Ierom in another place writes thus Ier. Epist 135. ad Damas God wil not punish twise the same fault and he that hath once receiued euils in this life shall not suffer again the same torments at his death which he hath suffred in his life But if néed be al Gods children are chastened in this life saith S. Peter Againe 1. Pet. 1.6 4.27 now the time is that iudgement begins at the house of God Therefore none of Gods children shall be punished hereafter If need be they shall be punished now Ephes 4.5 Iam. 4.12 And S. Peter séemes to make but as there is one God and one law and one lawgiuer so also but one iudgement concerning all the transgressions of this law And he affirmes that it is begun alreadie in Gods house among Gods children but it shall bee perfited and consummated at that great day of iudgement of all the wicked and damned And in another place he writes thus Tract 1.2 par Epist 3. ad Dar. Doe we therefore seeke where this healthfull burning shal be No man doubts but in the holy Scriptures By the reading whereof all the sinnes of men are purged These thrée purgatories Ierome séemes to auouch vnto vs the purgatorie of Gods worde the purgatorie of afflictions and the purging fire of the daie of iudgement which according to the opinion then receiued of manie in the Church he thought should purge the Lords gold without impairing it or hurting it from his drosse that it might shine the brighter Although S. Peter doe referre this purging to the afflictions of this life 1. Pet. 1.7 Cyp. de mortalitate The common receiued opinion of the Church was in Cyprians daies that all Christians departed were with the Lord as at large he prooues first by a vision secondly by the scriptures He writes thus When as one of his fellowes ministers and priests being now wearie with sicknesse and affraid of death approching desired deliuerance from death there stood by him thus desiring and almost dying a young man of maiestie of honour to be worshipped of great dignitie and glorie whom no mortall eie could almost behold but that he was able to see him being now ready to die But he not without griefe of minde and voice groned out and said Are you affraid to suffer will you not depart hence what shall I do to you Our brother being at the point of death heard what he should say to others for he which heard it being nowe dying heard it to this end that he should shew it to others he heard it not for himselfe but for others c. And after he writes thus To vs our selues the least and basest of all others how often hath it bin reuolued how often and plainly by the grace of God commaunded that I should diligently and humbly preach and protest that our brethren are not to be lamented that by the Lords calling are deliuered out of this world when as I know that they are not lost but sent before and departing from vs that they go before vs. And that as going a iourney or sayling we should long for them we should not lament them neither that we should here weare mourning garments for them when as they there haue taken white garments And that we should not giue occasion to the Gentiles that they may iustly and rightly reprooue vs that we should lament those as extinct or perished whom we affirme to be aliue with the Lord and that we should reprooue with the testimonie of our heart and mindes the faith which wee professe with our tongues and voice We our selues sin against our owne hope and faith all the things we say seems but faigned forged counterfaited It auaileth nothing in wordes to tattle of vertue and with deeds to destroy the truth S. Paul also reprooues and chides and blames those that are sorie for the departure of their friends He affirmes that those are sory for their friends departure which haue no hope but we which liue thorow hope and beleeue in God and beleeue that Christ suffered for vs and rose againe we beleeue that those that remaine in Christ Iesus shall rise again by him and in him Why will not we our selues depart out of this world or why doe we deplore and lament our friends departing as though they were perished Our Lord Christ admonishing vs saying I am the resurrection he that beleeues in me though he were dead yet shall he liue And all that liues and beleeues in me shall not die for euer If we beleeue in Christ let vs beleeue his words and promises and we shall not die for euer that we may come to Christ ioyfully and without care with whom we shall liue and raigne That in the meane time we die by death we passe to immortalitie neither can immortalitie succeede vnlesse we depart hence first Death is not a going out of the doores but a passage from a worse place to a better And an earthly iourney being ended as an arriuall to things eternall who will not hasten to obtaine these things which are better Who will not wish the sooner to be changed and to be made like the forme and shape of Christ to come to the dignitie of eternal glorie as S. Paul preacheth our conuersation is in heauen 3. Philipp And that we shall be such as our Lorde Christ promiseth when as he prayeth to his father for vs that we might be with him And that we may liue with him in eternall dwellings and may reioice with him in the heauenly kingdome O father those that thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they be with me and that they may see my glorie which thou
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
bring foorth So likewise when it is said Sit thou on my right hand till I put c. it may verie well hereof be gathered that all Christs enemies somtime shal be put vnder his feet otherwise that vntill were vnfitly said So also when it is said Thou shalt not go out till thou hast paide the vttermost farthing we may very wel inferre Therfore sometime he shal pay the vttermost farthing and so consequently shall go out from thence But Stella of this place writes farre otherwise then M. Bellarmine The iudge shall giue thee to the Iaylor In 12. Luc. The sentence shall be pronounced of Christ the iudge and the wicked man shall be deliuered to the Iaylor that he may punish him because the sinner shall be deliuered to the Diuell to be punished For the Lord saith to the wicked Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his angels c. And the Iaylor cast thee into prison that is into hell Of which prison Esay speakes They shall be shut in prison And lest he should despise this prison thinking it to be a light matter he addes the grieuousnesse of it saying I say vnto thee Thou shalt not go out thence till thou haue paide the vttermost farthing Thinke not that hee shall sometimes come out For this word vntill in the holy scriptures signifies eternitie of times whence we haue it thus written in the Psalme The Lord said to my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I put thine enemies c. And yet it is most certaine that Christ our Sauiour sits in the excellent good things of his father for euer and euer Secondly this place may be expounded properly as it foundeth Because thou shalt not go out till thou hast paide the vttermost farthing and yet after thou shalt go out But thou shalt neuer go out For one can neuer come to the end of a thing that is without end But the punishment of hell for continuance of time is without ende and therefore a man can neuer come to the end of his paiment So is meant that of the Psalme Iustice shall spring in his daies and abundance of peace as long as the moone endureth that is till she shall cease to be in heauen and yet she shall neuer cease to bee in heauen therefore that peace shall neuer faile So the wicked shall bee in hell vntill they haue paide the vttermost farthing The which because they shall neuer pay it is most certaine that they shall bee there for euer Ferus vpon these words After these things I wil returne writes thus In cap. 15. Act. This saying is taken out of Amos. As long as we are here God doth not quite cast vs away but he returnes to vs againe for God hath not forgotten to be mercifull but euen in his anger thinkes of mercie And hereof Dauid saith As a father is mercifull toward his owne children so God is merciful towards them that feare him But after this life he is either angrie for euer or mercifull for euer Ferus here séemes to make no meane nor middle place of Gods wrath Med. 10. vitae Christi Granatensis of afflictions writes thus As with a file iron is purged and by filing is polished and made smoothe all the rust being done away so the spirituall file of tribulations doth wipe away all the rust of sins and makes the soule pure and bright from all the drosse of vices In 6. cap. Luc. Stella writes thus If he which did no sinne nor there was anie deceit found in his mouth nor he stood need of any purgation of afflictions yet for our sakes would suffer so great things before he entred into his glorie Shall we who are guiltie of so many grieuous sinnes and to whom manie and grieuous punishments are due refuse to be afflicted that we may enter into that glorie Ferus also yeelds the same effects to the tribulations and afflictions of this life Affliction saith he doth not only not hurt vs but doth vs much good For it shewes vs what we are and then it purgeth the euill which we haue gotten then it leades vs to God Fer. in 4. cap. Act. To conclude the Crosse is Gods schoole house the nurture of our manners the praise and meditation of our blessednesse the shoppe of the holy Ghost and the treasurie of all good things So that by his iudgement in the schoole-house of afflictions in this life all Gods children are beaten for their faults In this shoppe of the holie Ghost they are purged filed and made bright In 7. cap. Act. And againe of the fathers he writes thus Marke that the fathers of the olde testament were by no other means brought to saluation then we are that is by faith Therefore if by our faith we passe from death to life as our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell then also by Ferus iudgement euen so did they Those same phrases in Beda of the faithfull departed Bed lib. 2. eccles hist Aug. cap. 1.5.7 lib. 5. cap. 23. He went out of this life to the true life which is in heauen and he went vnto the Lord which he vseth of Gregorie Egbertus and others quite ouerthrow purgatorie Olympiodorus vpon that place of Ecclesiastes Olymp. in 11 cap. eccl v. 1. In the place where the tree falles there it lies he writes thus Trees in the holy Scriptures signifie sometimes good men sometimes sinners The South is also taken for a bright and cleare place or els for that true light which is Iesus Christ our Lord God Contrariwise the North is taken for an obscure place and full of darkenesse and for the diuell himselfe who dwels in darkenesse In what place soeuer therefore either light or cleare or obscure and darke that is either in the filthy state of sinnes or in the commendable state of workes a man shall be found when he dieth in the same degree and order he shall remaine for euer For either he shall rest in the light of eternall felicitie with the iust and Christ our Lord or els he shall be tormented in darkenesse with the wicked and the Diuell prince of the world Thus farre Olympiodotus Hee makes but two places after death Into either of which who soeuer shall fall at his death there he shall abide There is no helpe after death In his time it is likely that purgatorie and pardons were not knowne Master Bellarmine alleadging manie authorities to confirme purgatorie out of the olde testament Lib. 1. de Purg. cap. 3. as that place of Esay cap. 4. ver 4. and Mal. 3. v. 2.3 addeth the expositions of the fathers vnto them that they expound these places of purgatorie And after of that place of Ierom vpon Malachie he cōcludes thus Ieroh in cap. 3. Malac. Although the paine of purgatory is not that of which we speake of now for that shall purge them that liue but we
taken the Tabernacle Moloch saith he was an Idol of the Ammonites The Iewes oftentimes desired to serue God with strange worships So they yeelded vnto the true God the worshippe wherewith Moloch was worshipped of the Ammonites in the meane while omitting that which he had commanded So Ieroboam appointed calues as though that had bin a more acceptable worship to God then that which Moses had prescribed so Achaz in the Temple placed an altar like that which he had seene at Damascus so Achab besides Ieroboams calues brought in the worship of Baal In that thing therefore wherein they thought greatly to please God they greatly offended him Therefore in the sacrifices of God a good meaning as they say is not sufficient vnlesse it agree with the word of God Ferus herein teacheth vs two things first that vnder the worship of Baal the Iewes worshipped the true God And to this his exposition séemes to agrée that place of Osea Osea 2.16 At that day saith the Lord thou shalt call me Ishi and shalt call me no more Baali And that spéech of Rabsake 2 king 18.22 But if you say vnto me we trust in the Lord our God Is not that he whose hie places and whose altars Ezechias hath taken away and hath said to Iudah and Ierusalem ye shall worship before this altar at Ierusalem Secondlie that all worship be it neuer so austere and sharpe in pinching themselues as was Baals or so costly of gold and siluer as was Ieroboams calues or so stately in building as was the high places which no doubt of their statelinesse tooke their name can please God if it bee not commaunded in his word and by himselfe ordained And after Ferus declares vnto vs the greatest thing that the Diuell takes pleasure in and what he labours most about I would to God all Catholickes would marke his lesson and not further the diuell in his worke Behold saith he the diuell hath euer gone about and goes about yet that the glorie of God omnipotent may be yeelded to creatures As on the contrarie Fer. in ca. 8. act the holy Ghost counsels vs to giue all glorie to God Of Idolatrie and what it is the same Ferus writes thus As God abhorres no other sin more then Idolatrie In cap. 17. act so thou shalt find the saints of God to haue beene moued to anger with no sin more then with Idolatrie Moses is a witnes hereof who for this sinne brake the tables written with Gods owne finger Helias is a witnes hereof who for this sinne slew many hundreds of the sacrificers Iosias also and Matathias is a witnes hereof who slue Antiochus seruant compelling the Iewes to Idolatrie so also Phinees c. For a godly man cannot patiently endure and see the contempt of God And surely he that can behold and endure this hath no religion in him So Paul was greatly moued when as he saw the citie most famous for learning and religion to be wonderfully giuen to Idolatrie Paul had trauelled thorow many cities yet it is reported of none of them that they were altogether giuen to Idolatrie but of Athens where learned men were So the olde prouerbe was verified The more learned the more wicked So amongst all the Iewes the inhabitants of Ierusalē were the worst So is it also now amongst vs. And after he sheweth what is Idolatrie thus Ye men of Athens It may be gathered out of the text that the Athenians were studious of Gods honour for so it is said before that Paul saw the citie giuen to Idols And after that they erected altars to vnknowen gods But Paul cals this worship not religion but superstition Then he proues that they are not to be called Gods which dwell in temples made with hands and stand need to be helped of others Religion is one thing and superstition is another yet many thinke it comes to passe that they which seeme religious to themselues before God are accounted nothing but superstitious To the vnknowne God This was the title To the Gods of Asia Europe and Africa straunge and vnknowne Gods Paul amends this title putting in the singuler number for that which they put in the plurall And he applies that title to the one true God who truly is the God of Asia Europe and Africa of all the earth but to that day vnknowen to the nations The which you ignorantly worshippe This is most truly said For the Apostle did not preach anie new God that which the Gentiles thought but they shewed the same God which al the Gentiles worshipped not knowing him for although they erected Images to themselues yet their mind was to worship the true God Here we may learne what a horrible sinne Idolatrie is Men account it as nothing but of all sinnes it is most grieuous And let vs take héed that we incurre it not againe now by sathans perswasions with the olde Paganes They worshipped in their hearts the true God to whom they made their images But that was Idolatrie saith Ferus And shall we commit the like The grieuousnes of the sinne should make vs verie carefull least by anie meanes we should come neere it And of that foolish pitie which mooues many simple mens hearts when they sée great buildings pulled downe or golden images defaced Fer. in 19. ca. act Ferus writes thus They which practised curious arts came and burned their bookes True charitie respects not the price nor losse of anie thing when she seeth that it is contrarie to Gods commaundements So Ezechias and Iosias destroyed the Altars and Temples although they were builded with great cost Againe a little after he writes thus For the ouerthrowing of Idolatrie of all other things the Apostles most suffered persecution Diana was the Moone which the Ephesians worshipped for her speciall influence which she hath towards these earthlie things The Temple of Diana the Goddesse of the Ephesians was 220. yeeres in building of all Asia It was 425. foot in length 220. in breadth It had 127. pillars in it euerie one of them built of a king threescore foot in height whereof 36. were engrauen To conclude this Temple was built in a marrish ground that it should not fal with earthquakes Here I beséech you mark how vngodlines spares no expēces costs in an euil superstitious matter whē as she is most niggardly to giue any thing to a good worke there are very many so superstitious amongst vs. That famous Church being so long in building built with such great cost Paul pulled down in two yéers by the word of the gospell Therfore great is the glorie force of the gospell Fer. in act 28. And againe vpon these words They said he was a God They said this of the vanitie of the Gentiles of their false opinion they had concerning the Gods The world can keepe no meane for it either ouermuch despiseth a man or else it attributeth too much vnto him But
lambs for so Gedithaik the Hebrew word signifies nigh vnto the tents of those sheepheards Here is that heauenly Oracle first she must know for her selfe Habac. 2.4 Heb. 8.10 The iust man must liue by his own faith And this is now the new couenant that all shall know me saith the Lord from the smallest to the greatest They which lacke this knowledge no doubt are without the couenant And this is life eternall saith our Sauiour that they know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Io. 17.3 They which know not thus much shall neuer haue eternall life But how now shall we attaine this true knowledge and be sure not to go astray in so manie by waies as now are in the world The answere is plaine and easie Follow the tract of those sheepe Hatsoon saith the spouse as it is in the Hebrew that is of the first Christians not of euerie common shéepe as the Papists would haue vs. The shéepe will make a tract or way by which it may appeare which way they haue gone Euen so let vs follow the steppes of the ancient Christians Let vs beléeue to be saued as they beleeued let vs liue as they liued and then surely we shall rest with Iesus Christ For as saint Paul saith The Corinthians wanted nothing 1. Cor. 1.7 but were euen now readie to looke for the comming of our Lord Iesus to iudgement What things then they had not as necessarie to their saluation what néed we thē And S. Peter saith testifieth that that was the true grace of God wherein the Christiās stood in his daies 1. Pet. 5.12 And shall we beleeue to please God now by any other new deuises And this is that which saint Paul teacheth the Corinthians For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timothie 1. Cor. 4 17. which is my beloued sonne and faithfull in the Lord which shall put you in remembrance of my waies in Christ Saint Paul would haue the Corinthians follow his tract follow his waies And againe in the same Epistle Be ye followers of me 1. Cor. 11.1 euen as I am of Christ And againe to the Philippians Brethren be yee followers of me and looke on them which walk so Phil. 3.17 as ye haue vs for an example And to Timothie he writes thus 2. Ti. 3.10 Thou hast fully knowne my doctrine manner of liuing purpose faith long suffering loue patience c. And to the Hebrewes Remember them that haue the ouersight of you Heb. 13.7 which haue declared to you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath been the end of their conuersation No doubt these are those shéepe which the bridegroome here counselleth his spouse to follow And feed thy younglings Vers 2. Here all Catholickes must learne another principall marke of Gods Church that is to instruct their young children in the law of the Lord as Dauid teacheth them also Wherewith shall a young man redresse his waie euen by taking heed thereunto according to thy word Psal 119.9 1. Ioh. 2.14 And saint Iohn also in his Epistle I write to you babes that you haue knowne the father Euen young infants must know God the Father and then Iesus Christ the Sonne also who makes God to be our louing father Luk. 2 14. and then the holy Ghost by whom this loue of God is shed into our hearts And saint Paul writes of Timothie Rom. 5.5 2. Ti. 3.15 that he knew the scriptures of a child And shall we not beléeue all these and instruct our children in the lawe of the Lord By the Tents of those shepheards that is of the Apostles whō Christ made pastors of his Church not of euery common shepheard nor also of anie one of those shepheards no not of Peter Ephe. 4.11 God hath giuen Apostles Prophets and Euangelistes to the building of his Church and no one Apostle Embrace therefore all the Apostles writings and féede on them and not on Peters onely embrace and follow all the Apostolical Churches as the fathers did and not the Romane Church onely And here I cannot but giue a lift at that great rocke which being deriued from that rocke whereof our Sauiour Christ speaketh in the 16. of Matthew the Papists oppose for the defence of their Church that because hel gates haue neuer preuailed against her Mat. 16.18 as they haue done against others because that now only of the Apostolical Churches she remaines therefore that she is the true Church But I answere that if by hell gates be vnderstood Heresies as some of the Fathers haue expounded them Epiphan in ancorato August de symbolo ad Catechum lib. 1. ca. 6 Bellarm. de Ro. Pont. lib. 4. ca. 3 D. Reinolds against Hart. ca. 7. deuis 8. and as Master Bellarmine seemes to affirme neither haue heresies preuailed against anie of the other Apostolike Churches For Artius though he assaulted the Church of Alexandria and Nestorius the Church of Constantinople yet they preuailed not but had the repulse in the end Nay in the Church of Rome there haue bin Bishops that haue béene heretiks as hath beene of late verie learnedly proued Neither hath hell gates at this day that is heresies preuailed against those Churches of the East which now the Turk possesseth but rather his sword power And that partly for their own sins partly for the sin of the Pope as may appeare by that prophecy of Zachary Zach. 11.17 O Idol sheepheard which leauest the flocke the sword shal be vpon his arme and vpon his right eie His arme shall be cleane dried vp and his right eye shall be vtterly darkened Which prophecie I haue handled else where in a Treatise of the Epistle of saint Iude. Har. euang ca. 66. But if by the gates of hell be meant the kingdome of the diuell as Iansenius doth expound them surely then also the gates of hell haue preuailed against the Church of Rome as well as against other Churches For from what monstrous sinnes hath she béene frée as appeareth by their owne histories But the true meaning of this promise Read Platina that hell gates shall not preuaile against the Church of Christ and against that faith which Peter professed is that although Sathan assault it with all his power and might with sinne heresies persecutions c. yet it shall neuer be quite ouerthrowne Mat. 24.2 as is now that stately Temple of Ierusalem which though it were builded on an earthly hill hath not now one stone left on another but shall remaine euer vnto the worlds ind Nay euen the reliques of those other Apostolicall Churches professing Christianitie remaine yet vnder the Turkes tyrannie so that Rome cannot brag that she alone remaines God shall haue at the least two witnesses to confirme his truth for euer Reuel 11.3 So that whereas the bridegroome bids his spouse to
féed her young ones by the Tabernacles of those shéepheards he meanes not anie one of the Apostolicall Churches but them all And what these Apostolicall Churches taught we may learne by Chrysostome Cyrill Clemens Gregorie Athanasius and others which succéeded in them whose works we haue at this day Againe wée haue now the Ethiopian Church which professeth Christ where Prester Iohn gouernes and the Gréeke Church founded no doubt by the Apostles which in manie points of religion differ from the Romane Church which Churches also we are here by the bridegroomes sentence to embrace and feed our younglings by Lastly that correlation or mutuall respect which the bridegroome here vseth betweene those shéepheards and those shéepe may plainely declare what shéepe he meaneth whose tract we are to follow For by those shéepheards no doubt he meanes the Apostles And then by those shéepe he meanes likewise those Christians which liued in the daies of the Apostles This is that heauenlie and manifest aunswere which the bridegroome himselfe makes vnto the bride of this waightie and doubtfull question I would to God all true Catholiks would marke it well and by it be resolued It is plaine And this is the effect of this treatise following It teacheth first the faith of the Church and her true markes and next the tract of the Lords shéepe the manners and conuersations of the former Christians which here the heauenly bridegroome counsels his spouse to follow The true Catholickes house or the notes and marks of the true Church taken out of the holy Scriptures THe true Church began in Paradice And God himselfe as he was the Creator of man so was he the founder thereof For thus we read in Genesis immediatly afer mans creation And God commaunded Adam saying In eating thou shalt eate Gen. 2.16 that is thou maist fréely eate of euerie tree of the Garden But of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt not eate therof for in the day wherein thou shalt eate thereof thou shalt surely die Here is the foundation of the Church the preaching of Gods word God himselfe being the first preacher thereof Now followes Sathans synagogue But the Serpent was craftier then euerie beast of the field which the Lord God had made Gen. 3.1 Here is first craft and subtiltie in the foundation of the false Church Gods Church is builded vpon a plaine sure and hard rocke but Sathans Synagogue on a moorish deceitfull and vnstable marsh or fenne And to this saint Paul alludes writing to the Corinthians I am iealous ouer you saith he euen with the zeale of God I haue made you fit for one husband 2. Cor. 11.2 to make you a chast virgine to Christ Here is first saint Pauls great loue to the Church of Corinth he is as iealous ouer them euen as God is ouer his No greater loue can be then wherwith he loueth them And as a token of this his loue as louing Parents are wont to bestow great cost vpon their children to preferre them in mariage so he hath made theÌ„ a fit spouse for Christ He hath adorned theÌ„ with all heauenly Iewels that he might set them forth as a chaste virgin fit for Christ and all this he hath done by the preaching of the Gospell But as louers are euer carefull and fearefull of them whom they loue and especiallie parents of their children So S. Paul feares one thing least that as the Serpent by his wilinesse beguiled Eue in Paradise and caused her to depart by his subtilties and wilines from Gods plaine word and commandement so now also least he should corrupt their vnderstandings from the simplicitie and plainnes that is in Christ As Gods commandement was plaine to Adam that in what day soeuer he did eate of the trée of knowledge of good and euill he should die the death so in the gospel he hath as plainly taught that whosoeuer with a liuely faith beleeueth on his sonne Iesus Mark 16.16 Ioh. 3.16 and now by faith eateth againe of that true trée of life shall be saued So that as that corporall eating of the trée of knowledge condemned them euen so now the spirituall eating of the trée of life shall saue vs. But the Diuell as he did then so he doth now seeke to drawe awaie mens mindes from this simplicitie and subtillie to mingle things of his owne deuise to this plaine meanes of our saluation so that now to be saued by his doctrine is the most intricate hardest and grieuoust thing in the world So manie obseruations of his owne besides Gods word as he did then so hath he now forged and added to this plaine worde of our saluation by faith in Iesus Christ And that which S. Paul then feared we sée now plainlie come to passe And he said to the woman yea Gen. 3.1 and hath God commaunded you that you shall not eat of euery tree that is in the garden Here secondly is another corner stone of Sathans house to depart from Gods expresse word Whereas God had commanded Adam plainlie that he should eate of euerie trée now Sathan comes and preacheth quite contrarie that God had commanded that they should not eate of euerie tree And so he doth preach still if we doe marke well Whereas God doth command that we should make no grauen Image Exod. 20.4 and that we shall not kneele downe to it nor worship it Sathan saith that wee maie make Images and knéele downe to them and worshippe them And whereas God saith Psal 50.14.15 that in the time of our trouble we shall call vpon him and he wil deliuer vs Sathan perswades vs then to make other intercessors and spokesmen for vs. And whereas God saith herein we shall glorifie him Sathan saith that this inuocation is not Latria it is no part of Gods honor but he communicates it to Angels and creatures Thirdly Eue by giuing eare to this craftie serpent and by communing manie words with him as should séeme as sathans first wâ—â—d doth séeme to import whereas he saith yea and hath God c. She addeth a stone or two more to further sathans building by adding Gen. 3.2 detracting and doubting of Gods word And the woman said to the Serpent we shall eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden but of the fruit of that tree which is in the midst of the garden said God ye shall not eate of it nor shall ye touch it least peraduenture ye die Here Eue ioines hands with sathan to erect his synagogue First she detracts from Gods word wheras God most amplie had commanded them that they should eate freely of euerie tree of the Garden Gen. 2.16 she leaues out euerie trée and saith onlie of the fruit of the trees of the Garden Againe she addes that that trée which was forbidden them stood in the midst of the Garden Gen. 3.2.3 that was more then God told them And that they might not touch it And this
Church How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued saith the Apostle The sense and féeling of miseries and calamities will make a man call for help Rom. 10.24 And thus we may plainly sée how by an excellent order our faith is portraied out euen in Adams children and the true Church described In Seth his daies as should séeme was no publique inuocation of the name of God True religion would not so soone take roote though he laboured no doubt verie earnestly about it or else being planted of Adam by Cains posteritie it had bene defaced But in his sonnes daies she sprang vp and put out her head againe And then men began to call on the name of the Lord. Here is another principall marke of the true Church to call vpon the name of the Lord. For the holy ghost doth meane the whole here by the principall part No doubt they offered sacrifices then as Abel and Cain did and they did meditate of that promise of God made vnto them of the womans seed Gen. 3.15 But this was a speciall note of Gods Church They called on the name of the Lord. To commend the excellencie and necessitie of praier Mark 11.17 our sauiour also saith That his house shall be called a house of prayer to all nations and not a house of preaching As tectum the roofe of the house in Latin is put for the whole house so inuocation of the name of the Lord is here put downe for the whole seruice of God Exod 20.1 And this seruice of God he commaunds in his first commaundement thou shalt haue no other Gods but me That is thou shalt trust vnto shalt call vpon no other but me for on them whom men trust in they call vpon Psal 50.15 And in the Psalme more plainly call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou sholt glorifie mee Where are added two notable reasons to make vs willing and euen to binde vs to this seruice first that God promiseth that he will deliuer vs and who being in trouble will desire anie thing else Secondly we shall hereby glorifie God This is such a seruice and dutie as belongeth to him alone we may not yéeld it to anie other This was also Abrahams religion which no doubt he had learned of his auncestors For thus we read of him Gen. 13.1 And Abraham came out of Aegypt and his wife with him and all that he had and Lot with him towards the South And Abraham was verie rich in cattell and in siluer and gold And he went on his iourney from the South to Bethel to the place where his tent had beene in the beginning betweene Bethel and Haie vnto the place of the Altar which he had made there at the first And there Abraham called on the name of the Lord. Here is Abrahams religion and worship of God set down in one word Rom. 4 12. he called on the name of the Lord. As he is the father of the faithfull in beleeuing as saint Paul teacheth so he is their father in this point also All his sonnes must follow his steppes This is a marke of the true Church If they do this they cannot erre And here we maie also note that Abraham changed not his religion though he had béen in Egypt Trauellers must not alter their religion they must not be like wethercocks turned about with euerie blast of vaine doctrine Eph. 4.14 And though also he was now waxen rich yet he kept the same religion he professed in the beginning Religion must be alwaies one no time maie alter it no wealth make it wauer Abraham being now wealthie comes a great iourney to worship euen there where he did worship before when he was poore So must the rich men of this world do riches must not choake their religion their zeale in Gods seruice as manie times they do They should now be more zealous not more slacke in Gods seruice then they were before The Philosopher could say he that found out benefites found out fetters And shall not Gods benefites binde them as they did here Abraham more firmelie vnto him Again here Iesus Christ is portraied out vnto vs He comes to the altar betweene Bethel and Hai. Bethel in Hebrew signifies Gods house and Hai desolation or a disordered heape and masse and maie fitlie represent the world Betwixt these is Abrahams altar that is Iesus Christ that all maie haue accesse vnto him he is placed betwixt Bethel and Hai Euen as God placed Ierusalem in the midst of the world as a fountaine of liuely waters that all people that would might repaire thither Esay 55.1 and freely quench their thirst And Abraham there called on the name of the Lord. The same lesson no doubt he taught Isaac his sonne who went out at the euentide Lashnak as it is in the Hebrew Gen. 24.63 to meditate or to pray in the field He called on the name of the Lord as his father did And in this one word his religion or seruice of God is put downe also Thus also is Enochs religion described he walked with God Gen. 5. â—2 24 Heb. 11.27 and he was no more séene for God had taken him away He walked with God not onlie praying but also euen liuing He liued so as though God had been alwaies present with him Psal 9.17 as he was indeed and is with euerie man although the wicked forget God and thinke not so As Moses also walked Verse 22.24 And it is twise said that he walked with God as a speciall commendation This is that great promise which our Sauiour Christ hath giuen to his Church Ioh. 16.23 That whatsoeuer they shall aske in his name they shall obtaine it And who that beleeues this will desire anie more if prayer in the name of Iesus Christ giue vs all things who will praie for anie thing in the name of any other And this is the marke whereby christians were knowne in the primitiue Church Acts 9.14 Ananias said vnto Christ Saul hath authoritie to binde all that all on thy name and after Pauls conuersion Verse 21. all the people that knew him said Is not this he that persecuted all that called on this name To call on the name of Iesus Christ was the badge of all christians in the primitiue Church by this Cognisance they were then knowne And Saint Paul himselfe by this marke points out all christians when he writes to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1.3 and to all that cal on the name of the Lord Iesus as well in their places as in ours That is euen in all places thorow the whole world Psal 50.5 And Dauid in the Psalme against the daie of iudgement when as all Gods shéepe shall be gathered togither giues this generall marke of Gods Church and this common brand of all his shéepe Gather my Saints togither saith God that haue
be by it wiser as he himselfe was then the aged By Gods word the holy Ghost shall so teach euerie one of them that now as saint Iohn saith they shall need no other teacher 1. Io. 2.27 Esay 11.9 Then shall be fulfilled that which Esay prophecieth The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord euen as the waters that couer the sea If this be the marke of the true Church then euerie one that is not to too partiall or will not shut his eies wilfully against the light of the sunne néed goe no further but may here plainly discerne which is the true and false Church and may decide that great doubt which at this day troubles so many mens consciences Hath this knowledge béene in the Popes Church Haue they thus knowen God from the greatest to the smallest Speake truth herein whosoeuer thou art And if it be most apparant that this knowledge hath béene wanting therein be not afraid to say with the Prophet Ieremie and with S. Paul with Esay that she is none of Christs spouse that she hath no part in his testament This same onely marke bewrayeth her and condemneth her The same marke hath God put downe againe of his house and true Church by the Prophet Esay least we should doubt thereof Esay 59.20.21 The redeemer shall come vnto you and vnto thē that turne from iniquitie in Iacob saith the Lord. Here first is Iesus Christ now followes his Church And I wil make this my couenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is vpon thee the words which I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed saith the Lord frō henceforth euē for euer Here is first a couenant Secondly here are the spirit Gods word vnited and knit togither So that euen as the windes accompanie the waters so doth Gods spirit the waters of comfort Rom. 15.4 that is the waters of the scriptures And these words as they haue bene in Christs mouth for he spake not of himselfe but as his father gaue him commaundement so he spake so they shall be in the mouth of his séed Io. 12.49 and of his seedes séede for euer If these be the true markes of the Church the Popish Church which lacks these markes is not the true Church Nay she hath broken this couenant most apparantly And therefore no doubt she is that whore of Babylon which saint Iohn speaketh of in the Reuelation Reu. 17.2 Io. 6.63 Ro. 8.9 Gen. 1.2 Act. 10 44. 2. Cor. 3.6 Nay she is not onely a trucebreaket but a murtherer she hath debarred Gods people of his word and so also of his spirit which is the verie life of the faithfull and without the which they are but withered braunches For the word and the spirit are knit togither as the Prophet here teacheth vs and therefore shée is guiltie of murther And of such liuing and spirituall murtherers of whom the ciuil lawes of magistrates take no hold Saint Iohn saith also Cap. 9.11 that they will not repent of these their murthers but still maintaine them and practise them euen as the Papists doe at this daie They which wil be accounted Gods séede and his children let them sée that they haue Gods word in their mouthes euen as Iesus Christ had Let it neuer depart neither from their mouthes nor hearts let it alone direct all their workes let them in all their workes saie as he said As my father hath commanded me so doe I. Iohn 14.30 Dauid also thus pictureth out Gods Church Psal 87.1 A paraphrase of the 87. psal 1. Cor. 15.3 Her foundations are vpon the holy hils What other holy hilles are these but the scriptures Gods Church is built vpon the scriptures vpon them shée groundeth all her doctrines God loueth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Iacob Here is next her glorie her beautie her strength her felicitie God loueth nowe the meanest christian better then the best Iewe euen the gates of Sion before the stately pallaces of Iacob Ier. 9.23 So that now let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but let him that reioiceth glorie in this that he knoweth me saith the Lord. 1. Cor. 1.31 And wherein this knowledge consisteth S. Paul teacheth that is to know that Iesus Christ of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That according as it is written saith S. Paul let him that reioiceth reioice in the Lord for these things for this wisedome of Gods word for this strength of faith for the riches of Christ merits which all are ours And therefore he saith so often to the Philippians Phil. 4.4 Reioice in the Lord and againe I say reioice And why because God loues thee If thou be a christian euen whosoeuer thou art though thou be neuer so meane a christian though thou be but a gate no stately pallace yet the Lord loues thée more then all the pallaces of Iacob Though thou be but a little one in Christ Mat. 18.10 yet thy Angell thy seruant that attends vpon thée beholds the face of God in heauen And this loue of God is another marke of Gods Church Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou citie of God The Church is called here the citie of God Reu. 22.17 shee is called also the Spouse of Christ And againe Esay writes thus of her Esay 54.10 For a moment in my anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion of thee saith the Lord thy redeemer And againe O thou afflicted and tossed with the tempest that hast no comfort Behold I will lay thy stones with the carbuncle and lay thy foundations with Saphires And I will make thy windowes of Emerauds and thy gates shining stones and all thy borders of pleasant stones And thy children shall be taught of the Lord and much peace shall be to thy children In righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression for thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come neere thee These are great blessings euen in worldly affaires in things that concerne our bodies but in those things which concerne our soules how farre more excellent are they such glorious things are spoken of Gods Church But the Romish Church by their placing of peblestones and stones that lie in the hie waie in the windowes of Gods church that is simple and vnpreaching Prelates and also by teaching the doctrine of the vncertaintie of saluation hath obscured this glorie I will thinke of Rahab and Babylon with them that know me c. Here is another marke of the church She shall now be spread ouer the whole world
pardon of sinnes for them euen like the prowd Pharisées She lacked a window in her she was like a dungeon without anie light Psal 1.2 She teacheth not her children to meditate in the law of God day and night Col. 3.16 and that the worde of Christ should dwell plenteously in their houses Her light is not midday like the light of the Arke but midnight Her Linsie Wolsie translation of the newe testament into English which shee giues some leaue to reade is but a light in a corner whereas S. Paul excepts none it lightens not the whole house it is but the light of a Rush it is not the light of a torch Psal 119.105 The doore in her was not in the side but on her toppe by the Pope all entred into heauen for the most part in her She had diuersities of mansions in her as the Arke had but shée did disorder them that should haue béen placed in them She placed her Prelates and Cleargie in the highest roumes Rom. 13. ◠and Princes and Magistrates in the inferiour roumes The onlie true meanes of saluation the couenants of God she hath not taught the people with Noah naie she hath apparantly broken the couenant in denying the cuppe to the laytie which Christ cals the new couenant and therefore belongs to all as though they had not béen in the couenant or if they were 1. Cor. 11.25 to exclude them That blessing our Sauiour pronounceth to all good Pastors Blessed is that seruant Luk. 12.42 whom his maister when he commeth shall finde giuing meate to his family in due season She hath quite taken awaie she hath not fedde Gods flocke as Noah did in the Arke but she hath pined them Matt. 4.4 For man liueth not by bread only saith our Sauiour but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God But her pastors haue not giuen meate to the Lords familie in due season nay they haue not giuen them anie meate at all They haue fedde their bodies with bread as though man had liued with bread onlie as Sathan then did séeme to instruct our Sauiour and would haue the world beléeue still and not their soules with Gods word which foode was the more necessarie Amos 8.11 And to conclude the Church of Rome is not built in all points according as God hath commanded How manie points of doctrine hath she in her which are not grounded vpon anie promise or commandement of God her inuocation of Angels and Saints departed her Latine prayers her worshipping of Images prooue this Therefore being so farre vnlike shee doth falsly bragge that shee is the Arke of Noah as hereby euerie one maie see Iericho also is a figure of the world and of Satans Citie as the name thereof in Hebrew deriued from the Moone which is called Iarak prooues which neuer continues in one state but is euer stil either increasing or decreasing Iosuah 6.34 The compassing also thereof 7. daies about with the Arke of God and the seuenth day 7. times plainly declares the same So after Christs ascension seuen Angels blew their trumpets Reu. 8.6 and in the daies of the seuenth Angell when he shall begin to blowe the mysterie shall be finished there shall be no more time the walles of Iericho shall fall downe And surely the daie we liue in now is the seuenth daie At this daie Iericho is compassed about with the Arke of God euen seuen times as much as in all the daies before The plentifull preaching of the Gospell by men speaking and writing more then euer before in anie age plainly prooue this The sunne now arising all the birds of heauen begin to sing whereas before the cockes onely did sing Surely this generall knowledge of God in the world and the profession of his gospell euen of some wicked Kites and couetous cormorants and Rauens declares that the rising of the true sunne Iesus Christ is not farre off And as Iericho resembles the worlde so no doubt the house of Rahab the harlot resembles the Church God will haue a house in Iericho Psal 87.4 Mat. 8.24 he will haue a shippe on the raging sea of this world And first her name Rahab which signifies a streete or enlarged agrées with the calling of the Gentiles The Church of God now is Rahab that is it is enlarged Esay 54.2 now is that prophesie of Esay fulfilled stretch foorth thy cordes and spare not c. Secondly her condition of life agrées with the Church She was Zonah Heb. 11.31 which signifies a vittailer or rather as the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounds it and restraines it she was a harlot and so is the church before regeneration an Adultresse Iam. 4.4 Esay 50.1 Ezech. 16.15 Iosuah 2.2 separated from God the Spouse of Satan Assoone as the men were come into her house the king of Iericho had word and persecutes them by and by So the Gospell of Iesus Christ his true professors shall be sure to be persecuted in this world 2. Tim. 3.12 They cannot be so secret in anie place but the king of Iericho the prince of this world will heare of them will spie them out And the woman tooke the men and made them go vp to the toppe of her house and hid them in line of that tree which shee had laid in order vpon the roofe of her house Here is a liuely Image of the true Church She greatly honours reuerences and makes much of Gods seruants and ministers Rom. 10.15 Gal. 4.15 she exalts them she would euen pull out hir owne eies to giue them to do them good withall as the Galathians would haue done to Paul And she hides them in the line of that tree Bepishbe Hagnets This line of that tree no doubt is a figure of the holy Scripture which was to bee written in paper which is made of linnen cloth And in the line of that tree meaning some notable and especiall trée no doubt signifies Iesus Christ He is that tree of life Reuel 22.2 that whosoeuer tasteth of shall liue foreuer and he that shrowdes himselfe vnder it needes not to feare the persecutions of the king of Iericho In the line of this tree the true Church hides her Ministers with this they are couered They are mightie in the Scriptures with Apollo In these they are ouer the head and eares Acts. 18.24 as we say Againe here we may learne how the true Church esteemes of the Scriptures She placeth the line of that tree vpon the roofe of her house She hath them in high estimation according as Dauid saith in the Psalme Psal 138.2 O Lord thou hast magnified thy name and thy word is aboue all things And she had laid her line in order 2. Ti. 2.15 Psal 2.10.11 Ro. 13.1 Ephes 5.22.23.6.1 5 So the true Church doth rightly deuide the word of God She hath meat for kings subiects for men and
wiues for parents and children for maisters and seruants Before the men slept she went vp vnto them Heerof we may learne the zeale the true Church hath of hearing the word of God She makes no delay she goes vp to them presently She is desirous to heare the doctrine of her saluation She prefers this ioyfull newes before her sléepe And she saith to the men Vers 9 I know that God hath giuen you the land for the feare of you is fallen vpon vs c. Here is the confession of a true faith and here is also first the first propertie of a true faith not to doubt to know to be assured I know saith she that you shall conquere this land though as yet their wals stand and there many mightie kings being linked togither in leagues liued and flourished All these fleshly arguments could not daunt her faith I know saith she you shall haue the victorie For we haue heard how the Lord dried vp the red sea before you when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites which were beyond Iordan Sehon and Og whom ye killed 1. King 10.1 Ro. 10.14 Here is the ground of faith Faith commeth by hearing She hearing the wonderfull works of God beléeued to teach vs the meanes to obtaine faith by hearing also Now followes the confession of her faith Wee haue heard and our heart is quite gone and there is no courage left in any one of vs against you For your God is a God in deed in heauen aboue and in the earth beneath Deut. 64. Mat. 28.18 Psal 136.13.14.15.16 First her faith is grounded on one God and of his omnipotencie that he alone is of all power in heauen and earth he can drie vp the red sea he can destroy mightie kings euen Sheon and Og kings of the Amorites And here also the true Church may learne in her iourney out of Egypt with what enemies she must encounter For euerie true Israelite must now also come out of Egypt euen as those auncient Israelites did Reu. 11.8 Ps 114.1 1. Cor. 10.11 and the red sea must be dried vp before him and those two kings of the Amorites conquered and subdued And here first the red sea in Hebrew is called the sea of Rushes or the sea of consumption or ending And surely this world also for these two respectes may fitly be called the red sea First it is a sea neuer quiet but in it still one waue of afflictions followes another Secondly it is a sea of Rushes There is nothing sound in it Though the honours riches and pleasures thereof seeme great gréene to flourish yet they are but rushes they are not sound within they are but vanitie As that great king Salomon who had experienced all these things teacheth al men in his booke called the Preacher All saith he is but vanitie And if that were all it were well but he addeth further Eccles 1.14 and vexation of spirit This is worse then the former that such vaine things should vex a mans heart should trouble him should make him hurt his neighbour nay euen offend his most gratious God This world also is a consumption Ia. 5.4 2. Ti. 4.10 2. Sa. 20.10 a destruction to all that do loue it The louers of this world are enemies to God and he that embraceth this world with Demas it will in the end slay him as Ioab did Amasa traiterously and Iudasly This Rushie sea God dries vp by the mightie operation of the holy spirit to all his faithfull seruants 1. Cor. 7 31. 1. Pet. 2.11 before they enter into his land of Canaan They despise the world they vse it as though they vsed it not They account themselues here but as pilgrimes And to this agréeth that which is said in the Reuelation when the first Angell blew his trumpet there were haile and fire mingled with bloud cast into the earth Reu. 8.7 and the third part of the trees were burnt and all greene grasse was burnt This is not meant literally but spiritually That is that in all Gods children all worldly pompe and vanitie is now quite consumed The world is to them crucified and they to the world Gal. 6.14 The other two enemies which also must be destroyed are two kings Sehon and Og kings of the Amorites Whose names declare their natures Sehon signifies in Hebrew a rooter vp and Og signifies fine māchet And they may fitly resemble our flesh and our spirit our appetite and our senses Our senses delight in vanitie and therfore Dauid saith Psal 119.37 Col. 3.5 Turne away mine eies least they behold vanity And our appetites or fleshly desires must be mortified which are the rooters vp of all vertue This Sehon is king of Hesbon which signifies Reason so in the carnall man is will and lustes of the flesh And so also Og that is the flesh that delights in fine delicates in manchet is king of Basan that is ouer the spirit of God which is compared to oyle and fatnes the which also Basan signifies in Hebrew These two kings must be conquered of all Christians before they enter into the land of promise and Hesbon that is reason now must rule ouer Sehon that is affections And Basan that is Gods spirit must rule ouer Og that is Num. 21.23 33. the pleasures of the flesh And Sehon fightes with Israel in Lasha that is the field of saluation Og in Edrai that is on the mount of strength Mans carnall wisedom thinkes it selfe able to saue Psal 20.7 Psal 44 3. Reue. 7.10 and the flesh thinks her arme of force But Gods children must acknowledge another arme to be their strength euen the arme of the Lord and their saluation also not to be of themselues but of the Lord. And these are two kings of the Amorites which signifies rebellious These two kings are in man that do daily rebell against that onely and great king God Almightie And these two Rom. 7.33 saint Paul called the law of his members No doubt for their kingly authoritie which without Gods spirit they do challenge in vs. And these two kings must be killed nay as the Hebrew word which Rahab vseth Hekeramtem signifieth must be euen vowed to destructiō Psal 119.106 1. Pet. 3.21 And what doth this note else but our baptisme Wherein euerie one vowes himselfe a souldier against these kings And now sweare vnto me in the Lord because I haue shewed you mercie Ios 2. that you also will shew mercie vnto my fathers house and that you will giue me a signe of this truth And you shall cause to liue my father and my mother and my brethren and my sisters and all things that they haue and ye shall deliuer our soules from death Here is another marke of the true Church all her doctrines must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 1.15 3.1 Mat. 5.18
and sisters home vnto this house Euerie one must exhort his brother we must exhort one another as S. Paul commands Againe 1. Pet. 3.21 Ephes 4.4 Iosuah 6.25 Rom. 16.17 we must bring them all into one house There is but one Arke of Noah that saueth but one house in all Iericho that shall escape but one church of God wherein is saluation And therfore we must beware of schismes in the Church we must not be more cruell then the souldiers Ioh. 19.24 which would not rent in pieces Christs coate without seame but cast lots for it He that departs out of this house into the streete Verse 19. his bloud shall be on his owne head We must kéepe vs within the limits of the Church we must also follow her holie precepts that we go not foorth into the stréetes They which shall followe the world which shall doe as the most part doe Luk. 13.24 Rom. 12.2 shall be in danger of death But whosoeuer shall continue within the house Verse 19. shall be assuredly safe his bloud say they be on our heads if any touch him The ministers of the Gospell to all faithfull and obedient hearers ought and maie safely warrant them of their saluation they maie euen venture soule for soule they are so sure thereof they maie warrant their hearers And they ought not now to doubt thereof but to beleeue their preaching And lastly we must beware of Apostasie of Reuolting from the faith when persecution comes for the Gospell or when Sathan shall with faire promises go about to make vs forsake it we maie not be turnecoats we must be Peters that is stones not reeds 1. Pet. 2.5 Ephes 4.14 vnremoueable in the faith Though the king of Iericho terrifie vs or our friends flatter vs Gal. 1 16. or reason and flesh and bloud go about to perswade vs yet we must not be ledde by anie of them Wee must keepe the faith with Paul 2. Tim. 4 7. wee must finish our race we must not giue ouer as they saie in the plaine fielde And shee said according to your words so be it Verse 21. And shee let them downe and they departed And shee tied the red threed in her windowe Here is to conclude the last but not the least marke of the true Church according to your words so be it So Marie the blessed virgin answered the Angell Luk. 1.38 Behold the seruant of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy words And after when she was purified according to the lawe Luk. 2.22.23.24 and she presented him to the Lord as it is written in the lawe and she gaue an oblation as it was commaunded in the lawe So should the Church of Christ do all according to the scripture Gal. 1.8 But now let vs consider a little how vnlike Rahabs house the Church of Rome is Rahab placed the line of that trée that is the Scriptures of Iesus Christ in the roofe of her house She makes greatest account of them but the Church of Rome doth not so Concil Trid. Sess 3. she makes equall all her traditions and vnwritten verities with them She couers and hides the spies of Iosuah in them 2. Tim. 3.9 Acts 20.32 1. Pet. 5.2 Gen. 3.7 2. Tim. 4.4 the ministers of Iesus Christ should be cunning in the scriptures but the Church of Rome hath not couered her pastors with his holie line but hath rather with hurds of her own with Adams figge leaues with rags of mans deuises with the Master of the sentences and such like She doubts not of Gods word she knowes that Iericho shall be destroied and that Israel shall be Lords thereof The Church of Rome doth not teach her children this assurance grounded vpon Gods promises neither in their saluations neither in their prayers they make to God She mingles the drosse of mans frailtie Iam. 1.6 with the pure gold of faith and when as this colde water of doubtfulnesse is ready enough of it selfe to créepe in at the riftes of our weake shippe she bids vs not to stoppe it out but let it haue frée passage Rom. 10.11 Deut. 6.4 Mat. 28.18 Deut. 10.20 Ier. 5.7 Sophon 1.5 Her faith is grounded only vpon God that he is God alone that hath all power in heauen and earth and she requires an oath of them in his name as though this were a chiefe part of his honour But the Church of Rome hath vsually sworne by creatures in her thicke and palpable darknesse and her children as yet can hardly be drawne from it She dwels in the wal she reposeth all her trust in Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.21 The Church of Rome dwels farre from this wall reposing part of her trust and confidence in other things 1. Cor. 11.26 Rom. 10.9 She hangs the purple coard in her window she is able with her mouth to confesse Iesus Christ and him crucified the Church of Rome for lacke of the knowledge of the scriptures 1. Cor. 11.26 is not able to shew foorth the Lords death She brings her father and mother and brethren and sisters home to her house but the church of Rome doth not exhort one another Heb. 10.24 for the thicke darknes that raigned therein no man did sée his brother And lastly according to their words so she did shee added nothing of her owne when they were gone Mat. 28.20 but the Church of Rome hath added manie things of her owne to the commandements of Iesus Christ which he commanded his Apostles to go and preach to all nations and therfore in this point also as in the former she is vnlike to Rahab Exod. 25.3 The Tabernacle also which Moses builded for the children of Israel maie teach vs as a shadow which is the true bodie and as a type which is the true Church of Christ It was moueable and caried on the Priests backs from place to place Num. 4.15 Exod. 25.2 It was called the Tabernacle of the appointment because there God promised to answere them concerning all matters and in no place else Vers 9. 40. It was made of the voluntarie offerings of the people It was made according to the fashion and forme that God shewed Moses in the mount according to all that I shall shew thee saith God shall ye make the forme of the tabernacle and the fashion of all the instruments thereof And to the building of this his tabernacle God admitted as well haire of Goats as silke as well yron and brasse as gold And here first the consideration of this Tabernacle ouerthrowes the doctrine of the Roman Church Exod. 25.3.4 who teacheth that the Church in this world shall be alwaies visible and that at no time she shall loose her glorie And therefore they teach all men to beléeue the visible Church and then they shall be sure of their saluation But this Tabernacle which the people of Israel had here in the
wildernes which was a figure of the militant Church of Christ neuer rested in one place it was caried to and fro and therefore it quite ouerthrowes that firme and vniforme state of the Church which the Church of Rome now teacheth The Tabernacle was not only assaulted of enemies but also the Arke of God was taken of the Philistines 1. Sa. 4.11 No doubt an euident argument how Antichrist should possesse the visible Church of God in our daies The Church is a Tabernacle it is a Shippe it neuer continues in one place nor in one state and therefore they are vnwise Mat 8.24 1. Pet. 1.25 that will build their faith on the outward shew or name or place thereof But we know Gods word endureth the same for euer And therefore the more surer way is to builde our faith on it The Leuites and Priests caried onely the Tabernacle of the appointment of the Lord Num. 1.51 Ios 3.3 but the Church of Rome hath admitted allowed her Friers to carie it and hath dispensed with their Priestes Their Friers preached the couenants of God and his appointments made with man Their Priests were bound to say their seruice onely Granat prolog memor Thus much Granatensis confesseth This duty saith he especially belongs to the Priests and Ministers of the Church whom God hath commaunded that they should instruct and teach men in his law And therefore among other ornaments of the high Priest was his breastplate of iudgement which he bare on his breast wherein was engrauen learning and truth which two things God would haue in Aaronâ— heart that from him as from a fountaine all other men might draw learning and truth And after writing of the ignorance of the cleargie he writes thus But now wo is me the parish Priests and other Curates thinke that they are bound to nothing else but to minister the Sacraments and to say their seruice in due time and doing this in Hamlets and villages or in some townes they thinke that they haue verie well discharged their dutie and office Thus much Granatensis saw and condemned Exod. 25.2 The Tabernacle was made of the voluntarie offerings of the people The Church of Rome had vowes no man might be a priest vnlesse he would vow chastitie Here was a yoke of necessitie laid vpon their necks Vers 2. This voluntarie offering was quite taken away In the Tabernacle they offered onely to God but they in those daies offred to creatures And euerie one contributed somthing towards this building none was excluded but the cleargie in the Popes kingdome tooke vpon themselues only the name of the Church and excluded the people Lastly this Tabernacle was builded in all points Exod. 26.30 according to that patterne which Moses saw in the Mount Therefore euen as in Noah his Arke so in Moses Tabernacle and so in Christs Church also all mans deuises and inuentions must surcease But the Church of Rome admits the inuentions and deuises of man in her buildings And therefore as she is vnlike to Noah his Arke so she is also disagreeing to Moses Tabernacle And God commanded also Moses besides this tabernacle Exod. 25. ve 10 to make an Ark of Shittim wood two cubits an halfe long a cubit an halfe broad And thou shalt ouerlaie it with pure gold within and without shalt thou ouerlaie it And shalt make vpon it a crowne of gold round about it This Arke as the Tabernacle did represent the Iewish Synagogue so may it represent the Church of Christ Esay 60.17 Vers 11. of which as the Prophet Esay prophecieth I will giue thee for siluer gold and for yron siluer So heere it was all couered with Gold both within and without no doubt with the gold of God 1. Io. 4.8 1 Cor. 16.14 Phil. 3.12 that is with charitie For God is charitie saith saint Iohn and let all things be done with charitie saith S. Paul The length of it two cubits and an halfe declares that our perfection in this life is but imperfect The crowne of gold round about it signifies that as saint Iohn and saint Peter teach 1. Pet 2.9 Reuel 1.6 all Christians now are Kings and Priests And thou shalt cast foure rings of Gold for it Vers 12. and put them in the foure corners thereof that is two rings shal be on the one side of it and two rings on the other side thereof And thou shalt make barres of Shittim wood and couer them with gold And thou shalt put the barres in the rings by the sides of the Arke to beare the Arke with them the barres shall be in the rings of the Arke they shal not be taken away from it These foure rings doe liuely paint out vnto vs Io. 20.31 1. Ti 3 15. Ephe. 4.11 the foure gospels of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which are rings which are perfect and absolute which are fastened to the Arke which should neuer be parted from the Church And the two barres put thorow them couered also with gold to carie the Ark signifie Pastors and Doctors which preach these gospels and carie and spread the Church being guilded with this gold of charity thorow the whole world And these all must studie the gospell they must not be taken from it So thou shalt put in the Arke the testimonie that I shall giue thee The testimonie is the law of God Vers 16. Psal 19.7 Psal 119.129 Io. 14.6 Heb. 8.1 Act. 20.31 Nehem. 8.2 Heb. 8.11 which is not onely a rule of our life but also a couenant and contract betweene God and his people And this testimonie must be in the Church of God continually this she must witnes to great and small This contract or bagaine euerie one must know that will be saued And thou shalt make a mercie seat of pure golde Vers 17. two cubites and an halfe long and a cubit and an halfe broad And thou shalt make two Cherubims of gold of worke beaten out with the hammer Vers 19. Thou shalt make them at the two ends of the mercie seat And the one Cherub shalt thou make at the one end and the other Cherub at the other end of the matter of the mercie seat shal ye make the Cherubims on the two ends thereof This propitiatory or couering Luke 22 1â— Io. 13.1 this mercy seate signifies Iesus Christ He was pure gold His onely loue towards man caused him to be incarnate nay to die for vs. This mercie seat is in length and breadth as much as the Arke to declare that all the Arke stands need of this propitiation and couering So that now as Dauid witnesseth Psal 32. ver 1. the blessednes of euerie man liuing consisteth herein that his sinnes are couered And saint Iohn teacheth all Christians the vse of this propitiatorie or seat of mercie If anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous 1. Io. 2.2 and
the beast And doth not the Angell preach the euerlasting Gospell againe at the fall of Antichrists kingdome and at the reedifying of the Church of Christ to all nations kinreds tongues and people As though he had corrupted all these And is then Vniuersalitie if these bée true as they are most true an infallible note of the Church The name also that the Apostle giues to Antichrist declares who he is 2. Thes 2.8 he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without law whom no lawe will bind who will dispense with Gods word And he shall sit in a chaire vers 4. and not be vexed with Elias and Enoch as the Papists following the Iewish opinion héerein do teach And hath not the Pope of long time done so till of late God hath reuealed him and taken the vizard of counterfeit holinesse from his face Antiquitie which they make the second mark of the Church were of some force if it be sincere and pure For that saying of our Sauiour against the Iewes Matt. 19.8 is an vndoubted Maxime of true Christian religion From the beginning it was not so But as Antichrist counterfeited holinesse so he also counterfeited Antiquitie He made Gods people beléeue that all his trish trash was frō the beginning lying like the Gibeonits to Iosuah of their old bread and bottles whereas they were inuented but yesterday and of no great antiquitie at all Ios 9.13 So the blind and superstitious Iewes vrged antiquitie against our Sauiour Christ Art thou greater then our father Abraham Ioh. 8.53 whom makest thou thy selfe And thou art not yet fiftie yeares olde and hast thou seene Abraham Thus they séeme to vrge him with antiquitie But he answered them Before Abraham was I am So the woman of Samaria could saie to Christ Ioh. 4.12 Art thou greater then our father Iacob that gaue vs this well and hee himselfe dranke thereof and his cattell and his children So the old Prophet 1. King 13.14 with his graie haires beguiled the man of God But we must cleaue to the word of God whatsoeuer séems old without this is not old it is copper it is no gold The word of God is the true and only touchstone it onlie endures for euer 1. Pet. 1.25 Gen. 4.26 Succession also of how small force it is the historie of Adam teacheth Enoch began to call vpon the name of the Lord. Adams posteritie as it should seeme till his daies Gen. 11.15 had forgotten this And Heber also teacheth the same which after Enoch his planting of it was quite againe rooted vp and remained in the familie of Heber who not agreeing to go with those wicked Idolaters to build the tower of Babel as some thinke his tongue being not diuided gaue the name to the Hebrue tongue Iud. 2.10 After the daies of Iosuah and the Elders which were in his dayes how soone did the next generation forsake the true worship of God For thus it is written And so all that generation was gathered vnto their fathers and another generation arose after him which neither knew the Lord nor yet the works that he had done for Israel Then the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim And do we thinke our generations without Gods speciall grace to be more sound then they So Manasses the sonne of good Ezechias 2. Chron. 24.2 became a most notable Idolater And euen in the newe Testament that we should not looke for anie better succession Act. 20.29 Saint Paul told the Church of Ephesus that he knew that after his departing should grieuous wolues enter in which should not spare the flocke And Saint Peter tels all Christians in his Catholike Epistle That as there were false Prophets among the people of the Iewes 2. Pet. 2.1 so shall there bee false teachers among thē many shal follow the way of their damnable heresies That mystery of Peters death which our Sauiour told him may haue a good spirituall sense that when he is olde another shall draw him whither he would not Ioh. 21.18 And doth not the Pope so Who saith he is his successour teaching doctrines contrarie to his doctrines in his Epistles Ferus describes the notes of the true Church vpon these words Ferus in 9. cap. Act. The Churches had rest through all Iurie Galile and Samaria and were edified and walked in the feare of the Lord were multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost He often repeates and beates into our heads with what goods and riches the Primitiue Church was famous to our shame which seek nothing but earthly things And wee thinke wee haue verie well prouided for the Church if it abound in riches and riot And after vpon these words They entred into the Synagogue The examples of Christian life may be gathered out of this Text. In cap. 12. Act. First they enter into the Synagogue they teach not in corners For he that doth the truth comes vnto the light Secondly thou seest heere that the Iewes on their Sabboths came together to heare the law and for that cause especially the Sabboth was ordained And therefore hee saith not on the Sabboth thou shalt be idle but that thou shalt keep it holy For the day is holy in it selfe but it ought also to be holy vnto vs which then it is when wee cease from doing euill works giue our selues to those which be good and especially to the hearing and meditation of the law of God without which it is not kept holy at all Neither is it sufficient for thee to haue heard once vnlesse thou heare often For the diuell is euer in assaulting thee thou must euer resist him with the word of God by which alone he is ouercome And also thou must meditate in the word of God or else thou hearest in vaine Thou must meditate also of thine owne sinnes and of Gods blessings these things also wee must doe in keeping and sanctifying our Sabboth Thirdly he saith that they sate downe Behold also Paul himselfe sits downe amongst others and heares the law he doth not intrude himselfe rashly or foolishly but with silence hee waites till opportunitie was offered to him of preaching The which thing makes verie much against the despisers of the Scriptures and haters of vocall preachings Fourthly after saith he the reading of the law and the prophets Thou seest here that the word of God not mans fancies was read Thou seest also that they did not only teach the law that is works but the Prophets also that is faith for both these are verie profitable and necessary to saluation Fiftly they sent vnto them Paul did not speake but being commaunded least he should seem to any to be presumptuous against those which cannot hold their peace as Elihu in the booke of Iob. Sixtly he said Men and brethren Thou seest that after the reading of the law and Prophets that
by and by ought to follow exhortation and interpretation thereof So Paul saith There is but small profit if they speake with tongues in the congregation and doe not also prophesie and expound Here also marke that prophesiing is not to be despised that the interpretations iudgements of others in expounding the Scriptures are to be heard Héere we maie sée as in a little mappe the whole summe of Christian religion and the markes of the true Church The true Church solemnizeth the Lords Sabboth in preaching and hearing his word And without this saith Ferus there is no sanctifying of the Sabboth at all And if this be true in the thicke darknesse of Poperie where Gods word was neither preached nor heard nor meditated on there was no Sabboth kept Nay euen in our daies there are manie Catholikes which thinke they keepe holy the Sabboth verie religiouslie and yet will not come to the Church to heare Gods word And all such Ferus tels that they prophane the Sabboth and kéepe no sabboth at all Againe he teacheth that the onlie weapon to ouercome the diuell is the word of God Then no doubt the diuell was a great conqueror when as no man almost had this sword in his hand he had made as great a conquest of Christians soules as Sisera had made of the bodies of the Iewes of whom being now by her conquered Deborah sings thus They chose new gods then warre was in the gates Iud. 5.8 Was there a speare or shield found among fortie thousand of Israel So dealt Sisera with Israel and so dealt Sathan with Christians he depriued them of their weapons to kéepe them more surely in his obedience Can he be a mans friend that takes his weapon from him in the midst of most raging and cruell enemies But this hath the Church of Rome done she hath taken the Scriptures which Saint Paul calles the sword of the Spirit Ephes 5.16 1. Pet. 5.8 from the hands of the lay people and the diuell is called of Peter A roaring lyon seeking whom he may deuoure In the true Church saith Ferus Gods word is read and not any fancies of man Paul himselfe sits and heares the word of God and therefore no Christian people must thinke scorne to do it And that after the reading preaching ought to follow and that not only works but faith also must be taught These are the markes of the true Church by Ferus iudgement And whether the Church of Rome haue had these in her or not let euerie man iudge In cap. 15. Act. Againe of Christian religion he writes thus vpon these words Why go you about to lay a yoke The second reason is that it is not lawfull for the Apostles to put a yoke vpon the consciences of men which the Lord hath not put for he that doth so tempteth God It is the dutie of the Apostles to preach the Gospel that is glad tidings and not like tyrants to rule ouer mens consciences Let those Bishops marke these words of Peter which make our religion which the mercie of God would haue free in the fewnesse and manifestnesse of her seruices a bondslaue with their burthens they lay vpon it so that the Iewes are in far better case then we who were subiect to the ceremonies of the law and not to mans deuises And Augustine writes thus to the questions of Iamarus c. Euery true Catholike maie marke here how he toucheth the pope who taketh vpon him to rule ouer mens consciences and euen to loade them with his decrees and constitutions And because the Papists brag much of their generall Councels let vs mark how Ferus there describes a true generall Councell vpon these words And when there had beene great dissension See how wisely they deale in the matter They doe not rashly pronounce sentence but they weigh euerie thing For in matters of faith which touch the consciēce it is not enough to say We will and command Marke therefore how the Apostles assembled themselues together They came together plainely they seek for nothing else but the glorie of God they desire the saluation of others To conclude they weigh all things wisely What maruel is it then if the holy Ghost were in this Councell according to the promise of the Lord Where two or three are gathered together c. We come together otherwise with great pompe and state we seek to maintaine our owne glorie and estate and we perswade our selues that we may do any thing by the fulnesse of our authoritie And how can the holy ghost allow such assemblies c He toucheth the Popes state pride He thinks that the holie Ghost will not guide such proud and stately assemblies Againe of the conclusion and doctrine of that Councell he writes thus vpon these words Which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare The law is an intollerable burthen because it requires not onely our hand but also our heart Secondly because it conuinceth vs to be sinners For wee doe euer more against the lawe then according to the law And also those things we do according to the law wee do them imperfectly but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we do beleeue to be saued A conclusion and a knitting vp of the matter both very godly and Apostolike that by the grace of Christ both Iewes and Gentiles are saued and not of their merits For only Christ sufficeth to all so that the law profiteth nothing to the Iewes to their saluation for euen they are saued by grace not by the law so farre against all reason is it that any man should impose those things to the Gentiles which profited not the Iewes themselues And to this end were the Epistles of Saint Paul written to the Romans and to the Galathians And our saluation is called the grace of Christ because he hath deserued it for vs. Let them therefore bragge of their merits we will seeke the glory of God Thus farre Ferus Here is the true Church put downe and her doctrine the milke she giues her children That onely the grace of Iesus Christ saues not merits She that brags of her merits and trusts in them is the strumpet is the whore is not the true Church and the spouse of Iesus Christ by Ferus his iudgement And whereas it is obiected of some against the Gospell that since the preaching thereof heresies haue sprung vp in the world and that before the Church was in peace let vs marke how Ferus answereth that obiection vpon these words Ferus in cap. 13. Act. And he resisted them Behold the combat saith he of truth and falshood This combate euer hath beene and will be God spake but one word in Paradise and by and by came the serpent which resisted it Moses being sent into Egypt found there sorcerers which withstood him The Prophets euer had false Prophets opposite vnto them Christ comming into the world found aduersaries The same thing
with the holy Ghost And this is that which Christ promised once If two of you shall agree vpon earth whatsoeuer thing they shall aske it shall be done vnto them Ferus would haue common praiers made with the common consent of the whole Church or else saith he they are of no force Contrarie to the common practise of the Roman Church amongst vs in times past Againe he writes thus of the euill life of the Church which offends manie Ferus in cap. Act. 23. Although it be a great imperfection and defect where the life is not approued and vertuous yet there is lesse danger if the faith be right and sound then if the life were good and the faith euill For without faith it is impossible to please God and he that comes to God must beleeue Therefore it is of more force if the faith be pure and good then if thy works were good Thus farre Ferus He preferres that Church which hath a right faith although in some respect she faile in good workes before that Church which hath good works and an euill faith And of the Church Ferus in Act 21. and of the sacrifices thereof he writes thus Paul taught that Gods house was the Church and that now the true sacrifice was to bee offered in euerie place So Theodoret expounds it in cap 1. Malach. alleageth this place of S Paul and that of our Sauiour Ioh 4.23 1. Tim. 2.8 the which thing also Malachie prophesied Ferus séemes to expound the sacrifice which Malachie speaks of to be Christian prayer as Saint Paul doth also who saith I will that men pray in all places lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubtfulnesse S. Paul here without all doubt alludes to Malachie Here is pure hands and that pure sacrifice void of wrath and doubtfulnesse Here is in all places And expounds that place of Malachie of Prayer and not of the Eucharist as some of the Papists do Iacob Vshanskus Guesnensis Archiep. Heb. 13.15 Ose 14 3. And for all Iewish sacrifices for that sacrifice Mincha which was drawn to the altar now Saint Paul puts downe in another place the fruit of our lips which sentence he takes out of Osee who cals prayers and giuing of thanks the calues of our lips And of religion maintained by warres he writes thus He that maintaines his cause by seditions and tumults of the people Ferus in Act. 21. discouers and bewrayes himselfe that he hath not a iust cause A good cause needs not vproares or mans authority who hath God the fauourer and protector of it And doth not the Pope vse these meanes to further his cause In this he declares he is not of God But in this waightie matter to let all mens testimonies passe which are light vpon the ballance as Dauid termes them Psal 62.9 yea lighter then vanitie it selfe and to returne to that vndoubted fountaine of all truth the word of God with which I began That is an euident and infallible marke of Gods Church which the Angell taught Saint Iohn Reu. 19.10 Who when as he would haue worshipped him said See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren which haue the testimonie Iesus Worship God Here is an euident marke of Gods Church she worships only God and not Angels And secondly here is a reason why we should not worship Angels we debase our selues in worshipping them they are our fellow seruants And who in common sense will worship his equals By worshipping Angels we forget that great dignitie whereunto Iesus Christ hath aduanced vs. We are now Iesus Christs we are his members 1. Cor. 3.23 1. Cor. 6.15 Therfore as he doth not no more should we worship Angels A second mark of Gods Church here also we may learne She hath the testimonie of Iesus And what is that that is the spirit of prophesie as the Angell after expounds it that is the Spirit of God wherby all Gods children are able in some measure to vnderstand and expound the scriptures For as all Gods children haue Gods Spirit so it is no doubt a fire in them and therefore it will burne through Christian charitie it will lighten their knowledge and disperse the mysts of darknesse This fire hath Antichrist quenched by taking the wood and matter of it awaie I meane the Scriptures from the common people And to this that of Saint Paul hath relation no doubt 1. Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit But here they thinke that because they worship Saints and Angels therefore they shall be blamelesse But that shall not excuse them Reu. 14 7. because they are plainly taught and commanded to worship him onely that made heauen and earth And by these words God onely is signified and all other creatures are excluded And this Epithite is commonly attributed to God in the Scriptures Psal 124.8.134.3 Our help standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth Here is as it were a distinction put betwéene the workes and the workman all the works iointly must worship their maker they must not begin one to magnifie or worship another Nay the more to conuince them in this their errour all the Saints and angels haue refused this seruice Act. 10.26 Act. 14.15 Peter to Cornelius Paul to the men of Lystra saying We are men like to your selues why do you honour vs And the angell twise in the Reuelation wheras S. Iohn did not forget himselfe and would haue yéelded to the angell the honour due to God but euen this ciuill outward honor which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the angell twise refused alleaging my former reason Reu. 19.10 22.9 that he was one of our fellow seruants and fellow seruants must not worship one another but only their master Teaching vs to be very warie in worshipping yea euen angels least our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grow into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as amongst the Papists it hath done These two are easily in words distinguished but not so easily in déed To bowe the knée is but a ciuill honor but yet to bow the knee to Baal Rom. 11.4 God accounts part of his honor And S. Paul writes thus most manifestly of the worshipping of angels Let none ouer-rule you Col. 2.18 or spoile you of your prize which by the worshipping of God you obtaine by humblenesse of mind and worshipping of Angels aduancing himselfe into those things hee neuer saw rashly puft vp with his fleshly mind As though hée should saie No man knowes the estate of angels whether they heare our prayers at all times and can helpe vs at their pleasures or not and who will then pray vnto them nay this shall make vs lose our prize We all in this life as Saint Paul teacheth runne as it were in a race 1. Cor. 9.24 now he that runneth in a race must haue his eyes still fixt on the goale
heresie now discourage anie of Gods children So did they reuile and hate the verie names of the true prophets of God Luk. 6.22 as our Sauiour witnesseth So at this day the Papists goe about by all means possible to defame and discredite the persons of the professours of the Gospell But as Saint Paul passed not for the name of Heretike no more let vs. Beleeuing all that is written in the Law and the Prophets Here is another marke of the true Church here is a ground of a true Christians conscience concerning his faith and religion To beleeue all that is written in the lawe and the Prophets This was Saint Paules ground he beléeued no more and according to that he worshippeth God and he cares not let them cal him what they wil. Whosoeuer lacks this ground shall be caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine Ephe. 4.14 like children To confirme and strengthen vs in our faith God hath put in his Church Apostles and Euangelists Ephes 2.20 and Wee are built vpon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone The like marks of the true Church Saint Paule setteth downe in the Epistle to the Romans as arrowes out of the same quiuer of our Sauiour to confound the enemies that would craftily créepe into Gods house Rom. 1.9 2. Pet. 2.1 God is my witnesse saith he whom I serue in my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne Here also is the platforme of the true Church and a patterne of a true Christian God is only my witnesse saith Saint Paul not anie Saint or Angell The true Church must here with Saint Paul attribute this knowledge and searching of hearts to God alone and not to anie Saint or Angell else whatsoeuer Act. 1.24 15.8 Secondly she must serue this God onely and none els for to whom this knowledge belongeth to him also diuine seruice and Latria as they call it belongs Thirdly Whom I serue in my spirit saith Saint Paule not with anie outward or externall things or ceremonies like a Iew but with my heart as Iesus Christ now hath taught all men to worship the Father Fourthly in the Gospell of his Sonne here he describes the maner how the true Church of God must worship him Our seruice of God must be according to the Gospell of his Son And hereunto Dauid also agréeth in the Psalme There is no speech nor language Psal 19.3 where their voices are not heard speaking of the preaching of Gods word And he addeth Kauam as it is in the Hebrew that is their line their leuell their square is gone through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world To teach vs that Gods word is a line leuell square to rule limit and square the faiths of all nations by But to conclude Let vs marke what Saint Paule also writes concerning this matter to the Thessalonians and how he describes the Church and Gods house there From you the word of God was spread 1. Thes 1.10 not only in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith towards God came into euerie place So that we neede say nothing thereof for they shew and declare what an entrance we had vnto you how you turned vnto the Lord from idols to serue the liuing and true God and to looke for his sonne from heauen whom he raised from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the anger to come Here are most manifestly set downe the markes of the true Church and the Catholike faith which was in Saint Paules dayes preached through the whole world To turne from Idols and to serue the true and liuing God And here first that blind distinction of Dulia and Latria which the Papists make to cloak the worshipping of creatures is quite ouerthrowne not onely Latria but as by this place appeareth Dulia is due vnto God Secondly we must serue the true and liuing God These two Adiuncts take away all worshipping of false gods and also of Images We must worship no false nor dead thing whatsoeuer we worship it must be liuing and true And therefore we must worship no Images which are dead stockes nay wee must worship nothing but God alone Those Images which the Prophet Dauid describeth Psal 115. what are they els but Papists Images That Psalme followeth the 114. Psal which containeth Israels going out of Egypt it may séeme to describe the spirituall Egypt Thirdly we must now euery day waite and looke for the comming of his Sonne Iesus Christ from heauen We must not thinke that he will not come yet as the Papists teach by their doctrine of Antichrist Fourthly wee must constantly beléeue that Iesus hath not onely deliuered vs by his passion from the guilt of sinne but from the punishment also thereof and anger to come And lastly if the Papists will thereof conclude that the Church of Rome is the mother Church of all the worlde Rom. 1.8 because Saint Paule saith that their faith was published throughout all the world Then the Church of Thessalonica must be her elder sister 1. Thess 1.8 because her faith also was spread through all the worlde and that before hers as should seeme For Saint Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Romans when hee giues this testimony to the Roman Church Rom. 15.26 1. Thess 1.8 the fruits of Macedonia and Achaia which was planted by the Church of Thessalonica And in a word to make an end of this matter let all men marke that plaine lesson which Dauid teacheth them in the Psalme Kings of the earth and all people Psal 148.11 Princes and all Iudges of the world young men and maides old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord. For his name onely is to bee exalted and his praise is aboue the heauens and the earth All Gods seruants must praise his name and they must praise it alone and they which praise anie thing else do not rightlie vnderstand as yet the maiestie of God his praise is aboue heauen earth that is all heauen and earth is not able to expresse the greatnesse of his praise And here is the reason Because he exalts the horne of his people he aduanceth to honor and makes mightie and strong which is a praise for all his saints euen for the children of Israel Gnam kerovo a people that drawes néere vnto him as it is in the Hebrew Would you haue God exalt your horne would you be his people then you must praise him alone then you must draw neere to him and not fly from him to any other The which God giue all grace to do for Iesus Christs sake to whom be praise for euer Amen Certaine Prayers fit for euerie true Catholique dayly to vse both for himselfe and his family taken out of the scriptures Granatensis and others Matt. 7 7. Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and
it shall be opened vnto you Luk. 18.1 And he spake a parable vnto them to the end that they ought alwayes to pray and not to waxe faint and not to giue ouer saying There was a iudge c. Reioyce euermore Pray continually in all things giue thanks For this is the will of God in Iesus Christ towards you 1. Thess 5.16.17 Ioh. 16.24.24 Ephes 5.20 Col. 3.17 Iames 4.2 that is these are the things that God would haue you doe these are the things that hee delightes in so that they bee done in the name of Iesus Christ Ye haue not because ye aske not A Thanksgiuing vnto Iesus Christ for the benefites he hath bestowed on vs taken out of Granatensis which may be called the true Catholikes Graces Gen. 1.26 I Giue thée heartie thankes most swéete Iesu for that thou hast created me according to thine owne image and likenesse Psal 104.30 139.15 for this bodie which thou hast giuen me with all the senses thereof for this my soule with all the powers of it that with them I might both knowe thée Col. 3.5 and loue thee Giue me grace O Lord so to serue thée my creator and heauenly Father that all my sinfull passions vaine affections being mortified killed in me 1. Cor. 3.17 thy image maie be renued in me againe vnto the which I was created and that I may be made like thee in the innocencie of life Psal 22.10 I thanke thée O my swéete Sauiour for the benefite of my preseruation for euen thou the same who hast created me doest euer preserue and kéepe me in this essence and being which thou hast giuen me Moreouer I giue thée most humble thankes because also for this same preseruation of mine thou hast created all things whatsoeuer are in the world Psal 115.16 1. Cor. 3.22 as the heauen the earth the sea the sunne the moone the starres beastes fishes birds trees and in a word all creatures els whereof thou hast made some to sustaine and féede me some to heale me some to refresh and delight me some to teach me and other some to correct me I beséech thée O Lord giue me grace that I may so vse all these in this world as I ought to do and according to that right vse whereunto thou hast made them that is Rom. 1.20 that I may by thē come vnto the knowledge of thée my onlie true God and Lord and that by them there may be stirred vp and kinled in my heart an admiration and wonderfull loue of thy holy name O Lord Iesu 1. Pet. 1.19 I thanke shée for the benefit of my redemption that is for that incomprehensible goodnesse and for that exceeding great mercie which thou hast shewed towards me Also for that most feruent loue Phil. 2.7 wherewith thou hast redéemed me descending downe into the earth that thou mightest lift me vp to heauen being made man Rom. 15.7 that thou mightest make me God and suffering most cruell death that I might haue true life Ioh. 14.6 Luke 2.7.21 Matth. 1.14 4.2 Luke 6.12 9 58. I thanke thée for the humilitie of thy incarnation for the pouertie of thy birth for the bloud of thy circumcision for thy flight into Egypt for thy fasting in the wildernes for thy watching all night in prayer lastly for the pouertie humilitie and miserie of all thy whole most holy life I giue thée thanks for the labours paines reproches mockes Luk. 22 64.23 33.22.44.54.64 Matth. 26.67 Matt. 26.21 Luk. 22.64 Ioh 19.2 Mark 15.32.26 Ioh. 20.25.19.24.30 Mat. 11.35.16 17. Act. 12.28 and taunts which thou enduredst for me in thy most sorrowfull and shamefull death I thanke thée for thy prayer in the garden for thy bloudie sweat for thy attachment for thy buffettings for thy spittings vpon for thy slaunders for thy stripes for thy crowne of thornes for thy purple robe for thy railings vpon for the gall vineger thou drankest for the nailes for the speare for the crosse and for thy death which for me and my saluation thou enduredst I giue thee thanks O swéete Iesu that euen from my cradle thou hast receiued me into the lap and bosome of thy Church that thou hast instructed and taught me in the Catholike faith that thou hast made me a Christian and that thou hast sustained and preserued me both in bodie and soule euen till now I desire thy gratious goodnesse graunt me thy grace that thou onlie maist be the most pleasant and sweete meat of my heart Ioh. 6.27 Ioh. 7.37 and that my soule may alwaies thirst for thée the verie fountaine of the water of life that when the course of this my pilgrimage is ended I may then reioyce in thy most blessed happinesse and felicitie 2. Tim. 4.7 Psal 17.15 Reu. 22.1 and taste of that plentifull and euerflowing floud of delights which comes from the well of life and of all good things els I giue thée thanks most louing Iesu who hast deliuered me from manie and verie great perils and daungers both of soule and bodie Psal 68.20 euen vnto this present day without all my forecast or wisedome when as I in the meane time was worthie to be neglected and reiected of thée I giue thée thankes that when as I lay snorting and as it were buried in the filthinesse of my sinnes that thou hast waited for my repentance so long Rom. 12.11.2.4 and with such great patience notwithstanding that I haue offended thee so often and haue resisted thy holy inspirations Act. 7.51 Graunt vnto me O Lord that hereafter I may follow thée with an humble affection and that with all readinesse and obedience I may obey and embrace thy heauenlie inspirations and good motions Psal 119.122 and that I may driue out of my heart the loue of all visible things 1. Ioh. 2.15 that so being wholie occupied and employed in thy seruice I may neuer be separated from thée hereafter I giue thée hartie thankes O Lord that besides all these benefites thou hast done and 〈◊〉 vpon me thou hast instituted and ordained such most excellent and wonderfull sacraments for my saluation 1. Cor. 11.25 Ephes 4.5 and for a remedy to cure and heale my wounds that thou hast visited me with so manie good holie thoughts and inspirations Also for the blessednesse of eternall glorie Psal 40.5 which thou hast prepared for me if I make not my selfe vnworthie thereof through my manifolde sinnes and wickednesse 2 Pet. 2.22 These O Lord are but thy common benefites which I haue remembred There are manie other which I neither remember nor knowe for the which I giue thée no lesse thanks then for these I haue now reckoned vp yea so much the greater thanks I giue thée for them as the greatnes of thy goodnesse appeares in them more manifestlie For at what time I slept thou didst wake to defend me
thy truth and faith in thée Rom. 8.30 that thou hast poured into vs good inspirations and good thoughts that thou hast deliuered vs from that euill one Matt. 6.13 and preserued vs from all perils and dangers from sodaine death burning with fire robbing with théeues and such like casualties Iob. 1 19 Luk. 13.4 wherewith manie are sodainlie taken in the night vnawares that thou hast with such greate patience and mercie staied thy wrath so long frō vs Rom. 2 4. giuen vs so large a time of repentance amendment or life For these and all other thy benefites which thou hast bestowed vpon vs from the first day of our birth vntill now Psal 105.2 which are mo in number then the haires of our heads we giue thee as we are most bound O most mercifull Father in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ continual and most humble and heartie thanks And we offer vnto thee O Lord all that we go about to do or suffer to be done Psal 37.5 all our labours all our studies all our exercises in a word all that we are to doe or wherein we shall bee employed or occupied this daie And we beséech thée poure downe thy blessing vpon them and prosper and giue good successe vnto them Psal 90.17 118.25 To thee also we offer euē our selues our soules and bodies with all ours Psal 150.6 that both we and all things els maie shewe thy praises set forth thy honour and declare thy glorie Into thy hands we commit all our affaires so that thou maiest do and worke in all things and dispose of all things whatsoeuer as shall please thy most holy and sacred will euen as though they were thine owne businesses and affaires and none of ours Moreouer Matt. 26.39 for as much as of our selues we are not able to doe thee anie seruice giue vs O Lord thy grace that we maie be so strengthened therwith Ephe. 3.16 that we may think saie or do nothing which is not agréeable to thy most blessed will O Lord make our wils alwaies agrée with thy wil. Psal 19.14 1. Cor. 3.5 And we most humblie beséech thée euer to assist vs with thy grace and to giue vs power and strength against all kind of sinnes especiallie against those whereunto we are inclined of our owne natures as pride couetousnesse enuie maliciousnesse gluttonie vncleannesse vaine glorie idle words such like so that through the power of thy might Ephes 6.10 we maie get victorie against these and all sinnes whatsoeuer Furthermore for as much as man is borne to labour and trauell as the birds to flie and thou hast ordained him the day to labour in Iob. 5.7 Psal 104.25 thou wouldst not haue him liue idly or spend his time vainlie endue vs all O Lord with thy grace that wee maie euerie one labour and studie to serue thée faithfullie in our callings Ephe. 4.1 2. Tess 1.11 And that labouring for the bodie and sustentation of this present life we maie yet cast awaie the great blindnesse of our minds and carefulnesse of worldly thinges and maie alwaies labour without all care ioyfully Matt. 6.33 1. Pet. 5.7 euen as the birds flie putting our whole trust in thée being most assuredlie perswaded that thou carest for vs and therfore O good Father giue vs grace to cast all our worldly cares vpon thée And giue vs alwaies onlie this care that we maie put our whole studie and care in kéeping of thy commandements O good Lord 2. Pet. 1.5 Iam. 1.23 make vs not only hearers but doers of thy word O Lord let vs not haue only a shew of thy religion but let the force and power thereof shine in our liues and conuersations 2. Tim. 3.5 Matt. 18.7 that we be not offences and stumbling blockes but lights and good examples to others And that wee may dayly do this Matt. 5.16 O good Lord as it hath pleased thée to make the Sunne to shine vpon the earth to giue our bodies light so we most humbly beséech thée inlighten our mindes and hearts by thy holy Spirit 2. Pet 1.19 that we may bee euermore directed in the way of righteousnesse Psal 90.2 And as this day addeth somwhat to our age so let thy holy spirit adde therein somewhat to our knowledge and faith that so growing in the measure of thy grace daily Ephes 4 15. Luk. 1.71 till we come to our perfection which is in Christ Iesus we maie serue thée in holinesse and righteousnesse not onlie this daie but all the dayes of our life Graunt vs these our petitions deare Father and all other necessarie graces for vs and thy whole Church for thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ his sake our most blessed Sauiour to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euer Amen Amen A Forme of Euening Prayer for Christian Families O Almightie God our heauenlie Father Psal 47.7 73.24 139.1 which art the great king ouer all the world which gouernest and preseruest all things which searchest vs out knowest vs which knowest our sitting downe and our vprising and vnderstandest our thoughts long before which art about our path and about our bed and spiest out al our waies We thanke thée through our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for blessing vs this daie past in all the studies businesses and affaires that we haue gone about We confesse what soeuer we haue brought well to passe to haue beene thy great mercies towards vs. Psal 108.13 Wée thanke thée for sauing vs from all dangers of bodie and soule we confesse our life our strength all the good things we haue Iam. 1.17 wholie and onlie to depend of thée And now as the day which thou hast made for labour is past and the night is come Gen. 1.25 which thou hast in like manner created for the refreshing of our wearie bodies and minds graunt vs therefore so to take our bodilie rest therein that our soules maie continuallie watch for thée and our heartes be lifted vp to loue thée Cant. 5.2 Grant that our sléepe be not excessiue but onelie sufficient to comfort our weake natures Giue euerie one of vs good Lord we beseech thée thy grace Pro. 6.9 that before we suffer our eies to sléepe or our eie lids to slumber or the temples of our heads to take anie rest to examine our consciences and to iudge our selues and to call to remembrance all our actions that wée haue done this daie whether all our thoughts words and works haue béene agréeable to thy holie will and commandements Psal 145.2 or no. And if we haue done anie thing well to giue thée in the name of Iesus Christ heartie and humble thanks for it Matt. 6.12 and if we haue omitted anie good worke which we might haue done to condemne our negligence slacknes and wearinesse in thy
disquieted within me O put thy trust in God For I will yet giue him thankes which is the helpe of my countenance and my God The ioy of the Lord is your strength Nehe. 8.10 Rom. 15.13 O Lord of hope fill vs with all ioy and peace through faith that we may abound in hope through the power of the holie Ghost When we shall heare the clocke strike let vs say Blessed be the houre wherein our Lord Iesus Christ was borne and died for vs. When as we shall haue done any thing well let vs say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 but vnto thy name giue the glorie For thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake When we shall take a iourney I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God Psal 71.16 and I wil make mention of thy righteousnes only In a doubtfull matter let vs pray thus In silence and confidence is our strength Esa 30.15 In dangers let vs pray thus Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord Psal 124.8 who hath made heauen and earth For Faith let vs pray thus with the Apostles O Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 For the loue of God O Lord poure thy loue abundantly into our hearts Rom. 5.5 by thy holy Spirit For remission of sinnes Haue mercie vpon me O God after thy great goodnesse Psal 51.1 according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Psal 19.13 Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou mee from my secret sinnes Psal 25.7 O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke vpon me O Lord for thy goodnes For good thoughts Psal 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redeemer For good workes Psal 119.122 Make thy seruant delight in that which is good that the proud do me no wrong At the houre of death Psal 31.5 Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth For the Church pray thus Psal 28.10 O saue thy people giue thy blessing vnto thine inheritance feede them and set them vp for euer Psal 80.7 Turne vs againe thou God of hosts shewe the light of thy countenance and we shall be saued Psal 85.4 Turne vs O God our Sauiour let thine anger cease from vs. In the afflictions of the Church Amos 7.2 O Lord God spare vs I beseech thee who will raise vp Iacob for he is small Psal 51.18 O be fauourable and gracious vnto Sion build thou the wals of Ierusalem Psal 122.6 7 8 O pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles and plenteousnesse within thy pallaces for my brethrens and companions sake I will wish thee prosperitie Saint Gregorie his Prayer Greg. post Psalmos poenitent O good Iesu the word of the Father the brightnesse of the Fathers glorie on whom the Angels do desire to looke teach me to doe thy will that being led by thy good Spirit I may come to that blessed Citie where is an euerlasting day and one spirit of all men where is certaine securitie and secure eternitie and eternall tranquilitie and quiet felicitie and happie pleasure and pleasant ioy where thou God liuest with the Father and the holie Ghost for euer and euer Amen He that shall vse these short prayers no doubt as arrowes they shall mount vnto the skies and enter euen into the eares of God A View of Gods houshold and of all his Seruants THis is set downe by king Dauid very excellently in the Psalme They haue seene O Lord Psal 68.25 thy goings how thou my God and king hast walked in the Sanctuarie Here Dauid teacheth vs that the Lord God as a mightie Prince sometimes as it were euen walketh in his Sanctuarie and among the faithfull in the congregation Now followeth his traine The singers Sharim go before the Musitians Nogenim they which play with the hand on instruments of musicke follow after in the middest are virgins playing on timbrels or drummes Here is Gods traine first singers then virgins and lastly they which plaie with the hand And these may signifie vnto vs thrée sorts of men in Gods Church Singers maie represent Martyrs or Confessors of the faith Virgins those that next to them though they haue not shed their bloud for the loue of Christ yet for his sake they haue abandoned all the vaine and fleshly delights and pleasures of this world and therefore by good right they challenge to themselues the middle or second place And lastly are those cunning Musitians which play with the hand Gal. 5.6 these are those Christians whose faith worketh through charitie Who haue sowne plentifully with their handes the Lords talents that he hath blessed them withall 2. Cor. 9.6 as Saint Paul exhorteth them to doe And they which haue done so do receiue plentifully againe as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungrie and ye gaue me meate c. And how fitly agrées all these together Martyrs may bée rightly called Singers for as Prudentius writeth of Romanus the martyr when as the cruell persecutor had bored through his chéekes he spake thus to him Prudent in Rom. mart O Ruler fierce I yeeld thee thanks that for one mouth too straite Now manie mouthes thou hast me made my Christ his praise to speake Virgins may bee said to play with Drummes For their praise soundeth farre and wide Matth. 19.12 Of virginitie Christ said He that can comprehend it let them comprehend it As though hée should say it is a price propounded of me to all my disciples to runne for 1. Cor. 7.32 Happie is he that can attaine it And S. Paul erhorting all men to virginitie I would haue you without care saith he But this thing can only virginitie afford you The vnmaried man careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord But hee that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife Yea there is difference betweene a virgin and a wife They are not all one the one farre excelleth the other The vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is maried careth for the things of the world how shee may please her husband Here is the excellencie of virginitie put downe weighed as it were in a paire of ballance and compared with mariage that euerie one maie sée the excellency and difference of the one before the other The virgin careth only for the Lord the maried person for the world The virgin
hide from Abraham the thing which I do God doth here euen as the kings are wont to doe also with their Noblemen and Princes hee imparts with him his secrets and counsels Gen. 18.17 Seeing that Abraham shall bee indeed a great and a mightie nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him For I know him that hee will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the word of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him And is not Abraham here called a prince of Zabulon by Gods owne mouth He wil teach his family I know saith God Such a Prince also was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 4.53 that Nobleman in the Gospell of whom it is reported that when his daughter was cured he beleeued and all his houshold Such a Prince was Cornelius a Captaine and a Centurion who are wont commonly to be most vnruly it is reported of him that he was a deuout man and that he feared God and all his houshold Act. 10.2 which gaue much almes to the people and prayed to God continually Here are three notable properties of a good housekéeper to instruct his family to giue much almes and to pray continually I would to God that all housekeepers would learne but these three good pointes of husbandrie of him surely they would enrich them nay make them Princes euen in the Lords Court But what doe I reckon vp these examples in the new Testament For euen Iosuah himselfe did professe the same to all Israel And if it seeme euill to you to serue the Lord saith he choose ye this day whom you will serue Ios 24.15 c. I and my house will serue the Lord. It is a shame for Christians who by reason of their long continuance in Christs schoole Heb. 5.12 should now be Doctors and teachers of others as Saint Paul writes to the Hebrewes not to learne this lesson being now taught it by so many examples If Abraham our Father did catechize his familie though he were a mightie man shall any of his sonnes thinke himselfe too good to instruct his familie If the Noble man in the Gospell did shewe himselfe so kind for one benefite receiued at the hand of Iesus Christ shall not we much more hauing now receiued so manie If Cornelius a Souldier did this how shall a Citizen excuse himselfe if he doe it not And if Iosuah in the shadow did it how shall a Christian in the light not doe the same In the last but not in the least place are the Princes of Nephthalie and Nephthalie signifies a Comparison And such a kind of Prince is he that dare compare himselfe with Gods enemies nay that goes beyond them in all their morall vertues Such Princes of Nephthalie God hath had in his Church such as neither Roman nor Grecian in anie morall vertue euer excéeded or went beyond But now they are dead they are gone to the great shame of Christians Now Turkes excéed them in vertues to the great shame of the professors of Gods word Now manie Papists goe before them in good works Saint Paul thus writeth to Titus Let ours learne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.14 to excell in good workes to helpe poore men in their necessities that they be not vnfruitfull And our Sauiour saith to all his disciples Matth. 5.20 Vnlesse your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen And the Pharisees fasted and prayed often Matth. 9.14 Luke 18.12 as the Gospell teacheth vs Nay Saint Luke records that the Pharisie there said that he fasted twise in the weeke And hee is reproued there not of lying but of boasting And manie Christians thinke much now to fast once in the wéeke We cannot abide now no set times of fasting which this Pharisie obserued This is that most grieuous complaint that God makes against Ierusalem Eze. 15.48 that after so manie benefites bestowed vpon her euen from her cradle that Sodome and her daughters hath not done as Ierusalem and her daughters Neither hath Samaria committed halfe of her sinnes and that shee hath iustified both these her sisters And this is that which God saith to the Iewes by the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 2.10 Goe to the Iles of Chittim and behold and send out vnto Cedar and take diligent heed and see whether there bee such things God here as wee may sée vseth comparisons and compareth his seruants with others And do we not thinke that as he did then that hee doth not so euen now still also And are we not ashamed then that Turkes or Papists should go beyond vs in good workes Thus we haue séene a briefe viewe of Gods houshold now followes their manners The liues and maners of all Christians in particular briefly drawne out of the Word of God FIrst euerie Christian is bound continually to meditate vpon the word of God for so God commaunded the Iewes Deut. 6.6 And these wordes which I commaund thee this day shall bee in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually to thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thy house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shal be as frontlets between thine eyes And thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates This commaundement is generall to all not to Priests only And it was commanded the Iewes much more vs Christians Deut. 11.18 And againe Therefore shall yee lay vp these my words in your heart and in your soule and bind them for a signe vpon your hand that they may be as frontlets betweene your eyes And yee shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp Men should talke of the word of God in their houses and should teach their children the same This is a plaine commandement without anie trope or figure and yet how hath Satan bewitched a great manie that they thinke it concernes them not that will neither know it themselues nor suffer their children to learne it And not onely Moses but also Dauid teacheth all men the same lesson And it is his first lesson that he teacheth a man to make him blessed Psal 1.1 Blessed is that mā saith he that doth not walk in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners not sit in the seate of the scornefull But his delight is in the lawe of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night And as he teacheth all men this lesson so he practised it himselfe though he were a king Psal 119.44 My hands also will I
lift vp vnto thy commandements which I haue loued And I will meditate in thy statutes vers 9â— And againe Oh how do I loue thy law it is my meditation continually And this commandement also God himselfe gaue to Iosuah being a Captaine and a man of warre Ioâ—ua â—â— Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein For then shalt thou make thy waie prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe And Dauid no doubt grounded that his great blessing which euery one that meditateth thus on the word of God should reap that is that whatsoeuer hee doth it shall prosper vpon this great promise of God made vnto Iosuah Eph. 6 11.1â— For now euerie Christian is the Lords Captaine against that spiritual enemy Sathan As Saint Paul doth also applie that same other great blessing of God made to Iosuah As I was with Moses Heb. 13.5 Iosua 1.5 so will I be with thee I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee to euerie Christian souldier Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse saith he and be content with such things as God presently sends what kind soeuer they be for he hath said I will not faile thee neither forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me That same Eunuch of Candaces Queen of Ethiopia Act 8.28 no doubt moued by Gods Spirit fulfilled that commandement of Moses giuen to the Iewes who as he was in his iourney read the Prophet Esay If a Barbarian did this in his iourney whie should not Christians do the like Luke 24.14 Our Sauiour also after his resurrection appearing to those two Disciples that trauailed to Emaus talked of him expounded to them the Scriptures Hereby also no doubt teaching euen trauailers what to talke on in their iournies Neither was this commandement onelie giuen to the Iewes but also it is as it were Col. 3.16 reuiued againe amongst vs Christians Let the word of God saith S. Paul dwell amongst you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts vnto the Lord. 1. Ioh. 2.14 And S. Iohn in his Epistle writes generally vnto all I write vnto you babes because ye haue known the Father I haue written to you Fathers because ye haue knowne him that is from the beginning I haue written vnto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye haue ouercome the wicked Young men must know the word of God and therefore old men And this is their strength against that spirituall enemie Satan And therefore as all Christians are Souldiers in this warfare against this enemie Ephes 6.10.11 as Saint Paul teacheth so all must be endued with this strength and armed with this sword As our Sauiour also by his example hath most manifestly taught vs that as he did so also must we fight against all the assaults of Satan with this sword Matt. 4.4 So that then this is the first dutie of all Christians to know and meditate vpon the holie Scriptures Kings Captaines old men young men trauailers and to conclude all men in generall All the Lords faithfull seruants and souldiers doe this Secondly euerie good Christian must be altogether prayer as Dauid wils theÌ„ as he witnesseth of himselfe that he was For my good will saith hee they hated me Psal 109.3 but I was prayer Am te phillah as it is in the Hebrew He must pray without ceasing as S. Paul also commands him He must pray without wearinesse although prayer of all spirituall exercises bee the Luke 18.1 most troublesome as one noteth as our Sauiour himselfe doth also enioyne him Such earnest practisers of this holie exercise haue all Gods seruants béene Daniel who was a Iew and bare a type of them Dan. 6.10 prayed thrise euerie day and that vpon perill of his life He chose rather to venture his life then to omit his prayers But we that are Christians are to exceede the Iewes in our righteousnesse Matt. 5.20 and in our good workes as our Sauiour teacheth And shall not we pray so often Nay Dauid also in the person of Christ and of all Christians saith Euening and morning Psal 55.17 and at noone will I pray and that instantly and thou shalt heare my voice Psal 119.164 And in another Psalme Seuen times a day do I giue thankes to thee because of thy righteous iudgements Geâ— 5.22 That is no doubt verie often So Enoch is said to haue walked with God That is no doubt by the works of his hands by the words of his mouth especially by praying He did all things Col. 3.17 as S. Paul teacheth vs to doe in the name of the Lord Iesus So no doubt in the sight and presence of God himselfe Gen. 24.63 Isaak is reported to haue gone into the fields euery euening to pray and meditate And Abraham praying for the Sodomites teacheth vs his perseuerance in prayer for himselfe Gen. 32.28 Iacob when as he wrestled with the Angel by prayer obtained a newe name and was called Israel that is mightie with God They that will be Israel that is of force and great power with God must be earnest prayers And of this force of prayer it was that God himselfe spake to Moses Exo 32 1â— 1. Sam. 16 1. Suffer me now that I may destroy them And againe the Lord said to Samuel How long wilt thou mourne for Saul seeing I haue cast him away from raigning ouer Israel No doubt this mourning was in his prayers Such a forceable thing prayer is that it séemes euen as it were to bind God himselfe Ios 10.13 So at Iosuah his prayer the Sunne stood still And Iosuah when as he was ouercome of his enemies by Achans sinne 7.6 hee and the Elders of Israel sought with prayer and so found out the cause of their ouerthrow Elias as S. Iames reporteth by prayer opened and shut heauen Iam. 5.17 And as Ecclesiasticall histories doe testifie Saint Iames was such a diligent practiser of this holy exercise Euseb Eccles hist lib. 2. c. 23 that his knees were with often kneeling downe to prayer as hard as brawne Neither must Christians onely pray but also euen watch in prayer as S. Paul often commands them First to the Ephesians Ephes 6.18 And pray alwayes in all maner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance And againe to the Colosians Continue in prayer Col. 4.2 and watch in the same with thanksgiuing And that this his watching is literally meant no doubt that example of our blessed Sauiour from which he deriued it plainly proues Luke 6.12 who
is said to haue continued all night in prayer So that good king Dauid saith of himselfe At midnight will I arise to giue thankes to thee for thy righteous iudgements And of Anna that holy widow it is said Psal 119.62 Luke 2.37 that shee serued God with fastings and prayers day and night And here is another holy circumstance ioyned to our prayers that is fasting 2. Sam. 12 1â— This also Dauid ioyned to his prayers for his child as we may reade nay euen for his verie enemies when they were sicke he put on sackcloth Psal 35.13 and humbled his soule with fasting and his prayer returned euen to his owne bosome And shall not we then ioyne fasting to the prayers we make for our friends nay for our selues So Daniel ioyned prayer and fasting together those three weekes wherein no pleasant Dan. 10.4 bread nor flesh came within his mouth and therefore his prayers were heard as that man sent from God to him teacheth vs Dan. 10.12 Feare not Daniel saith he for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to vnderstand and to humble thy selfe before thy God thy words were heard I am come for thy words No doubt these words were his prayers So in the Acts Cornelius a Heathen Act. 10.30 and a souldier was praying and fasting to the ninth houre of the day and he saw an Angell appeare vnto him and Peter was fasting and praying till the sixt houre that is Vers 9. till noone and he saw that heauenly vision of the calling of the Gentiles and shall not we followe these holie examples in this cleare light of the Gospell Shall we neither watch in prayer nor ioyne fasting to our prayers Is this to professe the Gospell Is this to haue faith 2. Tim. 3.5 This is to haue a shew of godlinesse as Saint Paul prophesieth that some should haue but plainely to denie the force thereof Oh let vs watch in prayer and ioyne fasting to our prayers Let not the Papists herein go beyond vs. These are plaine and manifest commandements of the Gospell and shall we not obey them Nay how often saith Dauid Psal 5.3 143 8. Psal 108.2 thou shalt heare my prayers betimes in the morning And early in the morning I will looke vp and direct my prayers vnto thee And againe Awake lute and harpe I my selfe will awake right early And yet we will scant now come to prayers at nine of the clocke Surely the Papists Mattens if they had béene done with vnderstanding had béene more agréeable to Gods word then our slouthfull and sluggish prayers are which wee now vse God will be serued earlie in the morning And therefore it is noted as a speciall mark and commeÌ„dation of Abrahams faith that when as he was commanded to offer his son Isaac Gen. 22.3 that Abraham rose vp in the morning very early If Abraham rose vp so early to offer such a sorrowfull sacrifice what should we doe which offer vp such a pleasant sacrifice to God as our prayers are Hence it is that the Christians in the Primitiue Church as hereafter shall be noted had their assemblies before day to praie to God and to giue him thanks The Scriptures also teach Christians to ioine another circumstance to their prayers and that is wéeping and sighing And so no doubt Samuel prayed for Saul as before it hath béene alleaged And Dauid often mentioneth these his teares added to his prayers Euery night will I wash my bed Psal 6.6 and water my couch with my teares And againe Away saith he from me ye wicked for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping vers 8. Dauids teares spake to God And againe Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto my crie keep not still silence at my teares Psal 39.12 And thus it is also recorded of Ezechias that when as Esay the Prophet had denounced to him that heauie message from the Lord Put thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue 2. King 20.3 that then he turned his face to the wal and prayed to the Lord saying c. And Ezechias wept sore And after Esay was gone out of the middle of the court The word of the Lord came to him saying Turne again tell Ezechias the Captain of my people vers 5. Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayers and seene thy teares Behold I haue now healed thee No doubt if Christians in their sicknesse would vse these pilles to purge their heads withall that is their teares as Ezechias did God would heale them as he did him These teares are the best and surest purgations in the world And for lacke of these it is likely all our other pilles and potions deuised of Physitions do manie times so little good So Marie Magdalene so Peter Luke 7.38 Matt. 26.75 in their sinnes wept bitterly as the Gospell teacheth vs. And who dare say that he is not as grieuous a sinner as either of theÌ„ No man liuing knowes his secret faults Psal 19.12 It is written thus of the people of Israel that when as they had sinned against the Lord that Samuel commanded to gather all the people to Mizpeh 1. Sam. 7.5 and that he would pray vnto the Lord. And they gathered togâ—ther to Mizpeh and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted the same day and said there We haue sinned against the Lord. No doubt these waters they drew and poured out before the Lord were teares from their hearts And here is that perfect patterne and forme of repentance which Ioel teacheth Ioel 2.12 Turne to the Lord with weeping fasting and mourning So these Israelits here no doubt turned to God And this is that iudgement which Saint Paul teacheth all Christians to vse euen against themselues Iudge your selues saith he that you bee not iudged of the Lord. For if we would iudge our selues 1. Cor. 11.31 we should not be iudged of the Lord. But now for lacke of this iudgement many are sicke amongst you and many sleepe and are dead Euerie Christian for the sinnes he hath committed against God should now be as it were a iudge against himselfe euen as it were punish himselfe by fasting weeping praying for his sins and so turne to God as Ioel counselleth And then as Saint Paul here teacheth without doubt he shall escape the iudgements and plagues of God in this world as sicknesse and such other euils which his sinnes deserue But aboue all other examples especiallie the example of our Sauiour should moue vs to ioyne these teares to our prayers of whom wee reade thus Which in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications Heb. 5.7 with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death If Christ for our sakes offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares
shall not we doe the like for our selues Let vs follow his example But what speak I of shedding teares when we pray some are now growne so stiffe-necked that they will hardlie how their knées when they praie That is now accounted of manie superstition they saie it is sufficient to bow the knées of their hearts But howsoeuer they saie it is superstition I saie it is lacke of reuerence to the Maiestie of God and of deuotion O come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker Psal 9◠6 saith Dauid We say this euerie daie at our prayers with our mouthes do it not with our bodies What is this but euen as it were to mocke God S. Paul is said to bow his knees to the father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom is named all the families in heauen and earth Ephes 3.14 Nay Iesus Christ himselfe is said to haue prostrated himselfe vpon the earth to God his Father Matt. 26.39 And shall we thinke much to bow our knées to him Or is it to stoupe a little with their heads when they praie as some vse to do to knéele Is that superstition which Saint Paul and our blessed Sauiour vsed To conclude then this second dutie of a Christian Thus he is taught manifestlie in the word of God to praie continuallie thrise a daie at least To watch in the night in his prayers to praie earlie in the morning and to ioyne with his prayers fasting wéeping and knéeling And then when he prayeth the Lord shall heare him as hee did Dauid and endue his soule with much strength Psal 138.3.109.7 Without these let him take héede his prayers be not turned into sin A third dutie which concernes all Christians is to exhort one another to good workes and to reprooue their brethren when they sée them to commit sinne and especiallie of maisters to catechize and instruct their families And this is that which Ecclesiasticus saith And hee saide vnto them Eccles 17.12 Beware of all vnrighteous things Hee gaue also euerie man a commandement concerning his brother Euery man must haue a care of his brother to exhort him to goodnesse and to keepe him from sinne And this is that allegorie of a bodie which Saint Paul also vseth and teacheth vs Rom. 10.4 We are all members of Christs bodie Now euerie member will not onelie labour for and helpe another but also if it be hurt will haue a care to heale it againe The same care should euerie Christian haue of his brother And hence it is that Saint Paul saith Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren least at anie time there bee in anie of you an euill heart and vnbeleeuing to depart from the liuing God But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day least any of you bee hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne No doubt for lacke of this daily exhortation so manie at this daie amongst vs are hardened with sin No man now adaies exhorteth his brother to do good A man maie do what he list no man will reproue him And the same lesson he repeates againe as a lesson worthie the learning Heb. 10.24 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and good workes not forsaking the fellowship that we haue amongst our selues as the maner of some is but let vs exhort one another and that so much the more because yee see that the day draweth neere c. The néerer that the day of iudgement approcheth the more we stand in néed of this exhortation and prouocation one of another forward to good works For then as should séeme Reu. 12.12 Sathan shall labour mightily as we find by experience to draw all men to sinne And therefore all men had neede to ioyne hands together and to labour against him We fight against mightie enemies Ephes 6.12 against principalities and powers as the Apostle telleth vs. And yet the iudge being now at the verie doores Iam. 5.9 and the day no doubt béeing at hand and this enemie béeing so mightie euen now raging so fiercelie because he knowes that hee hath but a short time to raigne Reue. 12.12 No man almost exhorteth his brother to good workes as loue and charitie but rather vnto pride and couetousnesse by his euill example No man reprooueth the sinne of his brother Men are nowe become like Caine who said Gen. 4.9 Am I my brothers keeper What haue I to doe with my brother This is a Caines and not a Christians voice The holy Ghost fell vpon the Apostles in the forme of fitie tongues Act. 2.3 To teach all Christians that are indued with the holie Ghost what their duties are they must be tongues they must not be dumbe they must exhort they must teach they must speake yea they must be firie tongues that is they must reproue also But now adaies that saying of King Dauid is verified Psal 94.16 Who will rise vp with me against the wicked Or who will take my part against the euil doers Perchance one amongst an hundred endued with this firie zeale of Gods Spirit will rebuke sinne will stand vp against the wicked but no man will take his part no man will ioine with him And so by that meanes his godly zeale doth little good One man is no man as the prouerbe is And without manie be ioined and coupled together there is no strength there is no force Secondlie as euery man is bound to exhort his brother so especiallie euerie Master his familie as appeareth by Gods owne spéech to Abraham when as hee reuealed to him the destruction of Sodome Ge. 18.17 c. And the Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do Seeing that Abraham shall be indeed a great and a mightie nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him For I know him that he will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that hee hath spoken vnto him Let vs mark here all that will be accounted Abrahams children what God himselfe pronounceth of Abraham that hee will teach his sonnes and his familie to feare God do righteousnesse and let vs follow his steps then shall all that God hath promised Abraham come vnto vs. Would we then be partakers of Gods promises and of his blessings let vs then instruct our children and families Here is a condition or limitation prescribed to vs by Gods own mouth All men condemne Herod that killed the Innocents and yet they which catechize not their families and children are more cruell then he Matth. 2.16 for he killed other mens children and these men kill their owne Nay hee killed but their bodies only and these kill their soules O cruell Herods Let all true Christians beware of this crueltie and be rather Abrahams true children in instructing
wâ—re trauell to heauen To this all Gods creatures do as it were exhort vs which shew vnto vs the excellencie of their Creator that we should seek him alone And when as the holy Ghost is compared to Raine as Dauid saith prophesying thereof Psal 68.9 Thou Lord shalt send a gracious Raine on thine inheritance c. Zacharie plainly testifieth that vpon those that do not thus celebrate this feast of Tabernacles but are carefull of these worldly affaires that heauenlie raine shall not fall O terrible sentence O barren soules that lacke this heauenlie and gracious raine The like lesson God taught all men by the burning of Iericho and all that was therein which no doubt was a type of this world and her delights and pleasures Iosua 6.24 Whereof when as Achan amongst the spoyles saw a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of siluer a golden tongue as it is in the Hebrue and coueted them and hid them in his tent Hee was stoned to death with stones for his labour And here are those thrée dearlings of the world againe plainly described to vs which S. Iohn mentioneth which are not of the father a Babylonish garment which maie signifie the pride and state of this life two hundred shekels of siluer which may signifie couetousnesse and the desire and lusts of the eyes And a golden tongue which maie signifie the lust of the flesh which must haue a golden tongue must bee dayly fed daintily with Diues Luke 16.19 Zephanie 1.8 God wil visite such as are clothed in strange apparell no meane diet or fare will content it These things damned Achan Let all true Christians despise and contemne them Let our garment not be in the fashion not strange not Babylonish but comely and such as our owne countrie hath vsed Let our treasures bee not excessiue Let not our tongue bee a golden tongue but content with simple fare as was our Sauiour Iohn 6.9 who is read to haue had barly bread and fish for his prouision Iosuah no doubt was a figure of our Sauiour Iesus and that earthlie Canaan of our heauenlie inheritance Iosua 3.17 But how brought Iosuah the Israelites into that Canaan The first thing they did they went ouer Iordan drie shod And what doth that teach vs but that wee must also passe ouer the Iordan of this life drie shod so that our féete must not be dipped in the delightes pleasures honours desires and affaires of this present world 1. Cor. 7.29 And hereof the Apostle said The time is but short henceforth let them which haue wiues bee as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not c. And Dauid Psal 66.6 They passed through the riuer on foote there did wee reioyce in him The true souldiers of Iesus Christ passe ouer the floud of this life with drie féete but there that is in the life to come we shall reioyce in him we shall be as it were drowned in that bottomlesse sea of pleasures The like contempt of the world Iosuah himselfe declared who when as he had conquered all the land of Canaan was serued the last himselfe Iosua 19.49 When as they had made an end of deuiding the land by the coasts thereof then the children of Israel gaue an inheritance vnto Iosuah the son of Nun amongst them according to the word of the Lord they gaue him the citie which he asked euen Tymnah-serah in mount Ephraim and he built the citie and dwelt therein Here he was not his owne caruer but the children of Israel gaue him it and it was called Tymnah serah that is a great image such an account made he of his inheritance but euen as of an image as of a type of that heauenlie inheritance The like account made Dauid of this world Psal 119.17 Psal 16.2.3 though a king O Lord saith he thou art my portion And againe Thou art my Lord my goods are nothing vnto thee To thy Saints that are in the earth or to the excelleÌ„t my delight is in them All Dauids account was of God he made no account of his riches and then next vpon Gods Saints that is vpon his seruants and vpon the poore He set more by the poore then he did by his riches O that this mind were in vs Christians Matt. 9.9 Rom. 13.7 Matt. 17.27 Matthew sitting at the receipt of custome which was a gainfull and a lawfull office for as Saint Paul saith Tribute is to be paid to whom tribute belongeth and our Sauiour paide tribute himself yet he despised this gainefull and lawfull office and followed Iesus Christ But especially that notable example of Zacheus and that singular commendation that our Sauior yéeldes to him for it should teach all Christians to despise the world As soone as Christ had entred into his house Luke 19.8 hee stood forth and said vnto the Lord Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore and if I haue taken anie thing from anie man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold What néed he haue giuen halfe of his goods to the poore but that he despised them and this world and that his delight was now vpoÌ„ Gods Saints as Dauids was To make restitution was necessary but the other was voluntarie And our Sauiour addeth This day is saluation come vnto this house Here are euident signes of a liuelie faith This mans faith flames through charitie for as much as he is become the sonne of Abraham Gal. 5.6 Gen. 18.1 Such a faith had Abraham which wrought through charitie as appeared by his sitting in his tent doore euen in the heate of the day which was extreme in those countries to waite that hee might entertaine strangers As soone as Christ entred into Zacheus his house he stood forth and said thus Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue vnto the poore c. They which lacke this faith and this charitie it is to be feared that Christ is neither yet entred into their houses nor into their hearts where Christ is by and by this fire flameth And surelie this his liberalitie to the poore maie séeme but reasonable that a man should giue againe halfe to God Pro. 19.17 1. Cor 4.7 1. Sam. 12.8 who gaue him all that he hath and reserue but the other halfe for himselfe and his children And it séemes to be written for an example not for vs onlie to talke of but for all rich men to follow Whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 saith Saint Paule And nothing is put downe idlie in the Scriptures Christ Iesus will feede the fancies or pleasures of no men no not of kings no not of Herod himselfe Luke 23.9 O that our rich men then would follow this so manifest an example then should the poore be sufficientlie relieued and they do but their duties and be blessed for their labours Then should they be
all that thou hast And wilt not thou be content at his request 1. Cor. 4.7 to lend that which thou maiest well spare So that the commandement is but euen in mans reason iust good nay if the commandemēt were hard against reason yet the reward which is annexed to this kind of frée lending should euen force vs to it And your reward shall be great in heauen saith our Sauiour and you shall be the sonnes of the most Highest He doth not say onlie we shall be rewarded in heauen but that our reward shal be great in heauen What wise man will not prefer a reward in heauen before all the vsurie and gaine in the world much more a great reward They which are not thus minded in truth are plaine infidels and do not know what heauen meaneth whatsoeuer they saie with their mouthes Naie who would not be Gods sonne Surely they which lend so shall bée Gods sonnes as the Sonne of God himself here telleth them and do we not respect this great dignitie Surely they which will not lend without great vsurie and respect not this great promise no doubt saie in their hearts Psal 14.1 as that foolish man doth whereof Dauid speaketh The foolish bodie hath said in his heart that there is no God What greater rewards could haue béene promised then these To haue a great reward in heauen and to be the sonnes of the most Highest And shall not these make vs lend fréelie And here let no mans vnthankfulnesse or wickednes hinder any man from this charitable act God himselfe saith our Sauiour is kind both to the vnthankfull and wicked And shall not we follow his steps And here our Sauiour séemes to haue relation to that shadow of the law The sunne comforteth but the shadow no lesse delights Matt. 5.20 The charitie and righteousnesse of Christians towards their brethren should exceede the charitie of the Iewes towards their brethren they were but as children vnder a schoole master we are perfect men as S. Paul teacheth Gal. 4.1 It is a shame for a man not to knowe so much nor to goe so farre forward in the waie of godlines as a child doth Deut. 15.1 At the end of seuen yeares thou shalt make a remission or forgiuenes faith God and this is the word of forgiuenesse that euery Lord or owner shall forgiue that his hand or abilitie hath lent He that hath lent to his neighbor shal not ask it of his companion of his brother when as that yeare is called The forgiuenesse of the Lord. Of a stranger thou maist require it but that which shall bee betweene thy brother and thee thy hand shall forgiue Luke 4.21 Col. 2.17 Phil. 3.1 What can bee plainer then this The Iewes euerie seuenth yeare were commanded to forgiue their brethren their debtes And now to vs Christians euerie yeare is a Sabboth and a yeare of Iubilée and euerie man is our brother Therefore if our brethren were not able to paie vs we should euerie yeare forgiue them And so lend as that we looked for nothing againe as our Sauiour here teacheth And then it followeth The Lord shall blesse thee in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee for an inheritance to possesse it So that thou hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God to obserue and do all these commandements which I command thee this day Wée must not do Gods commandements at our pleasures as manie thinke that they maie do and speciallie this commandement of lending but wee must doe all Gods commandements and then God shall blesse vs in our land and in all our businesses and affaires A Prophet saith Moses shall God raise vp vnto you like to me him ye shal heare not in some principall matters of faith Deut. 18.15 7.37 Act. 3.22 as the most men doe but in all things in matters of maners also And euerie soule that will not heare that Prophet his soule shall bee rooted out from among his people This Prophesie is first deliuered by Moses and after repeated by Saint Peter and shall we not beléeue it It is terrible let vs marke it well The soule that fulfils not all things that that Prophet shall speake shall bee rooted out from amongst his people And dare vsurers then take vsurie against the expresse commandement of their Sauiour Doe they not heare the danger of their soules To bee rooted out from among Gods people What will all their vsuries profite them Luke 9.25 Nay if they should gaine all the whole world if so be that they should lose their soules But here I know some will saie If the case stand so they will not lend at all vnles they might gaine something by this their lending But to such I answere Let them take héed how they hide their talents though it be neuer so cuningly and finely and lap it vp in a napkin The owner thereof will not like well of that at their hands Gods will is that all his talents should be employed Matt. 25.28.30 Take saith he his talent from him and cast therefore that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth O terrible sentence And here let euerie one marke that he saith not Cast that wicked but that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse God will haue all his seruants painefull and profitable seruants They must not onely eschew euil but they must also doe good Psal 34.14 The figge tree which brought forth no fruite but troubled the ground was therefore threatned to be taken away The rich man must lend if he be able he must not by anie excuse whatsoeuer hide his talent God is the searcher of hearts much more of chests Act. 1.24 15.8 Hee knowes what is in thy chest whether thou be able to lend or no. If thou shalt pretend inabilitie to thy brother when as thou art able hee that seeth and knowes what is in thy chest bee thou sure he will punish thée for it Beware thou be not an vnprofitable seruant Marke well the punishment Cast him into vtter darknesse saith our Sauiour there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth O vse thy talents whosoeuer thou art beware of this terrible sentence The Fathers to exhort men to this liberall kind of lending are verie plentifull August in Psal 36. If saith Augustine thou hadst giuen one a little money to lone and he to whom thou hadst giuen this money for thy little mony should giue thee a farme which were farre better then it how wouldest thou thanke him how glad wouldest thou bee But see what an excellent possession hee will giue thee to whom thou hast lent Come yee blessed of my father receiue ye What that which you haue giuen God forbid you haue giuen earthly things which if you had not giuen would haue putrified in the earth For what wouldest thou haue done with it if thou hadst not giuen it that which
would haue perished in the earth is preserued in heauen Therefore that which is preserued we shall receiue Thy desert is preserued thy merit is become a treasure For marke what thou shalt receiue Receiue ye the kingdom that was prepared for you from the beginning of the world On the contrarie they that would not lend what shall they heare Goe yee into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Thus farre Augustine Where he plainly sets downe the great blessing that the merifull lender shall obtaine at Gods hands and the terrible punishment which not the vsurer only but he that will not lend shall be sure to haue I would to God all Christians would but marke what censures the verie Heathens haue giuen concerning vsurie WheÌ„ as one asked Cato Censorius Cic. lib. 2. Off. what were the chiefe points of good husbandrie He answered To feed well to cloath wel and to till well And to him that asked What is it to commit vsurie Is not that also a point of good husbandrie Cato answered What is it to kill a man He thought that an vsurer sinned as greatly as a murtherer Did Cato iudge thus of vsurie by the light of nature and shall Christians professe it or thinke better of it in the light of the Gospell Panor lib. 4. Alphonsus king of Aragon compared vsurers to greedie birds which snatched catched all things And surely no doubt verie iustlie For vsurers are the cruellest Kites and vultures in the world They consume mens patrimonies they often kill their bodies and vndoe their heires And this they do to their brethren to whom they were bound to open euen their verie hearts and bowels to do them good 1. Ioh. 3.17 as Saint Iohn teacheth And will not then these cruell hearted men open to them their coffers or purses Another compares Vsurers to the diuell for what els saith he do Vsurers but that which the diuell perswaded Christ to haue done when as hee would haue had him to haue made stones bread for by their lending Pet. Greg. de Rep. lib. 2. cap. 20. they gaine of stones and mettalles that which nature cannot bring forth For naturally a peece of gold or any other money engendreth not money O wicked age that we liue in now vsurie amongst some is accounted the gainfullest and surest trade of liuing And wheras lending was commanded of God to profit our brethren now the vsurer thereby peruerting this order of God profits himselfe To conclude that interpretation of the two edged sword in the Reuelation of Victorinus an ancient Bishop Victor in Apocal is worth the marking By the two-edged sword glistering out of his mouth is meant that it is he that now shewed to the world the glad tydings of the Gospell and by Moses the knowledge of the lawe But because by the same word hee shall iudge hereafter all mankind that were both vnder the law and vnder the Gospell therefore it is said to be a two edged sword A sword armes a souldier kils a mans enemie and punisheth a reuolter or a turnecoate And that he might shew his Apostles that he preached iudgement he saith I came not to send peace into the world but a sword And after that he had ended his parables he saith vnto them Haue you vnderstood all these things And they said yea Therefore euerie Scribe learned in the kingdome of God is like to a housholder bringing out of his treasure new and old things that is the new words of the Gospell and the old of the law and Prophets And that these come out of his mouth He said to Peter Go to the sea and cast in an angle and the fish that thou shalt first take opening his mouth thou shalt find a stavre that is two pence giue it for me and thee And Dauid also by the holy Ghost saith God hath spoken once I haue heard these two things That God hath once determined that in the beginning that shall continue to the end To conclude when as he is appointed of his Father to be Iudge he minding to shew that through the word which is preached to them men should be iudged he saith Do you thinke that I will iudge you in the last day But the word which I haue spoken vnto you that shall iudge you in the last day And Paul against Antichrist saith to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2.8 Whom the Lord shall kill with the spirit of his mouth This is therefore that two-edged sword proceeding out of his mouth c. I would to God all men would marke this exposition By Gods word all men at the last daie shall be iudged whether they haue directed their liues according to that which they haue heard with their eares or no And therefore our Sauiour saith so often Matt. 11.15 13.9.43 Mark 4.24 Hee that hath eares to heare let him heare And againe Take heede what you heare As though he should saie one daie ye shall giue an account of it And here that is verified that our Sauiour saith You are cleane for the word that dwelleth in you Ioh. 15.3 Gods word maketh our faith and religion pure and cleane and also our liues cleane But we must not be like those that can say Lord Lord Mat. 7.22 and haue done wickedlie which haue professed Christ with their mouthes and haue denied him with their works Wee must not onlie embrace the promises of saluation which the Gospell teacheth vs but also the precepts of life We must eate the whole Paschal Lâ—mbe or else it will do vs no good Exod. 12.9 As well the feete as the head and purtnance Manie at this daie eate gréedily the head and purtnance of Christ that is his diuine promises and his heauenly miracles they are verie desirous to eate these but few eate the féete that is his precepts and commandements Matt. 24.14 To such the Gospell shall be preached as a testimonie of their condemnation at that day of iudgement and not of their saluation Let vs beware that we be not hearers but doers Iam. 1.22 and not onely desirous to eate the head and purtnance but also the féete of Christ and let vs as willinglie learne his precepts and commandements and do them as we are content to beléeue his promises and remaine in them These are the waies which Gods word teacheth all Christians to walke in These are plaine waies here are no tropes or figures yet manie which will séem to professe Gods word make no account of these let such take héed at the day of iudgement they stand not among those to whom God shall saie Why didst thou preach my lawes Psal 50.16 or take my couenant in thy mouth Why didst thou professe my word and wouldst not bee reformed by it All such hypocrites shall then be condemned The manners and conuersation of the ancient Christians drawne out of the Fathers IVstine the Martyr thus describes