lyfe so vncertaine of lyfe and of it selfe alone no life which so many yeares is a growing and so fewe houres a fading if thou be thus discharged of thy bodily trauell and of the feare of trauell by these thy two speciall friendes Howe much more circumspection and stedfast care and diligence oughtest thou to haue ouer thy soule so incorruptible a thing so eternall so heauenly and vnspeakeable a gift in so short a minute chaunged from sinne to blesse from man to an Aungell from earth to Paradice from momentanie lyfe to vnspeakable thousandes of ages from warre to rewarde from tryall of fayth to triumph for victorie from continuall vexation strife and vnquietnesse to perpetuall consolation securitie and quietnesse Howe much more prouident especiallye in this wonderfull age wherein thy mynde is so mooued and tossed to and fro to see the worlde wonder and the Deuill rage that Christ his true Religion is raysed vppe and published oughtest thou to bee in puruaying for the assured knowledge of the true Tranquillitie stay and confirmation of thy minde a matter sufficient and able to buylde thee a celestiall habitation wherein thou mayest lay vp thy heauenly treasure wherein thou shalt inioy the parpetuall fellowship of Aungelles the continuall contemplation of Gods deuine Maiestie the fruition of euerlasting ioy and felicitie and the liuely fountaine of eternall lyfe If thou with this lightnesse of hearte with this zeale of minde and with these tokens of gladnesse wilt accept and imbrace thy friends which haue shewed thee of so earthly a commoditie of so fraile a thing and as I maye terme it of such a masse of Morter With how much more feruent zeale pure loue and beneuolent minde beloued art thou to accept the Author hereof and Translator of the same who haue presented so singuler a benifite vnto thee as is this booke which may so much further and profite thee for the safetie of thy soule The one of these thy friendes nurst and educated in the beautifull lappe of liberall science the other led till he had seene this booke with delightes and trayned from youth to the intisementes of Courtly vanities The one alwayes fedde with deuine foode of Euangelicall Doctrine the other taught till ere-whilste with prophane knowledge of obscure darkenesse The one practising as well by his life as by his penne to compile and gather togither the deepe and secret wisedome of Tranquillitie of the minde the other beeing scoller to this booke and hauing put in proufe the Lessons therein learned remayneth as a witnesse to the worlde of the manifolde consolation and commoditie reaped by the same The one hauing layde vp in store this maruellous stuffe of building for the edifying of hymselfe and of all those in the vniuersall worlde which vnderstand the Latine tongue the other for the dutie he oweth to hys Countrie hath brought foorth the same and layde it readie before the eyes of all oure Englishe Nation and Countrie All the thanks and recompence which he hopeth to reape of thee is that thou and that for thine owne singuler pleasure comfort and commoditie wylt wholye reade ouer the same especially bycause it is one whole continued stile and Oration depending consequently yet playnly easily and manifestlye one poynt vpon an other And therefore thou must of necessitie so doe if thou wilt learne how to obtaine the true quietnesse of thy mynde This I will assure thee gentle Reader that if thou wylt with attentiue eares pervse this booke in such sort as I haue declared vnto thee of what state condicion or degree so euer thou bee or howe so euer thy bodie bee inclined or thy mynde affected thou shalt reape inestimable and heauenly profite thereby In such sort as if thou be high of dignitie thou wilt not become disdainefull If thou bee base of state ambicious Or if thou bee meane of calling mutable and inconstant Neyther in prosperitie thou wilt shewe thy selfe vngratefull but thankefull not prowde but lowly of spirite In sodaine sadnesse thou wilt lay holde vpon speedie merynesse In vnreasonable merinesse vpon discreete temperaunce In the leaden lethargie and disease of sinne vpon the quicke remembraunce of mercie by Christ In aduersitie thou wilt not become impacient nor pensiue but quiet and ioyfull In sicknesse not murmuraunt and waywarde but pacient and content with Gods visitation Yea such fruite mayst thou finde by some small paynes bestowed herein as I dare speake it thou shalt confesse thy selfe to stand a thousand tymes more afeard of thy three most spitefull aduersaries I meane the worlde the fleshe and the deuill when the worlde most flattreth thee with the glorious and glittering shew of hir vaine giftes bestowed vpon thee and in thy chiefest securitie of welth and happy dayes than in the most troublesome tempestes of trying thy fayth by affliction of the worlde by prouocation of the flesh or by Sathans instigation of thy minde eyther else in the time when God by his owne handes doth lay his gentle correction of sicknesse vpō thee Afeard I say in such safe prosperitie least God make small account of thee glad and ioyfull in pinching aduersity bicause he acknowledgeth thee for his naturall child and not reiecteth thee as a reprobate bastard That thou being thus mortified to the world and renued by Christ to the life to come mayest so long as the blessed will of God is that thy wretched carkasse shal yet remaine vpon the face of the earth be so light and glad of heart so firme calme quiet of minde in the true faith of Iesus Christ and so rauished with angelicall and spiritual cogitation vpon deuine and heauenly treasures as thy verie self may be alredy seperated from thy selfe and thy body no longer seme to beare rule suppresse and Prison the spirit as in euery carnall minded man it doth But the spirite altogither to direct sanctifie subdue and gouerne the bodie and the same to beare leade and carie about with it no lesse than if it were alreadie chaunged and lifted vp to the euerlasting felicitie of Gods eternall kingdome purchased for vs by hys sonne Iesus who with the father the holy ghost one eternall God be blessed praysed and magnified nowe and in the worlde to come Amen An admonition to the Reader ALthough beloued Reader this Treatise be not of those sort of Bookes vvhich are vsually deuided into Chapters eyther short or long yet asvvell by notes in the margent as also by the tytles oboue the heade of euery leafe you are no lesse plainlye directed to euery perticular matter therein than by the other you might be A godly and faythfull Oration full of comfort which intreateth of true tranquillitie of the minde compiled and gathered in Latin by Iohn Barnard englished by Anthonie Marten IT SHALL GOOD people be a thing most profitable and very godly and in all mischaunces the readiest refuge if I shall in déede performe as in hope I haue attempted to shewe with all diligence where the
But first since in vaine we spend our labour in this matter vnlesse God by his holy spirit expell the blindnesse from our minds as one might the scale from our eyes and through his coniming take awaye our naturall blindnesse making things plaine and manifest and by thys key open and vnlocke vnto vs his secrete will and pleasure we must besides the reading of the holy Scriptures which the Church hath as the one and onely guide and ground of hir fayth in Christ and besides the exercise of the spirit of fayth in the word of God wherby we aspire attaine to the knowledge of discerning of spirites we must I say haue recourse to prayer also and often and earnestly call vpon God almightie and craue his ayde in this maner Giue me vnderstanding O Lorde leade me in the pathes of thy commaundements Incline my heart vnto thy testimonies Open thou mine eyes that I may sée the wonderfull things of thy lawe If the Lord shall make plaine and manifest his will vnto vs and being so manifested shall appoynt vs to report the same t◠others and to declare it to the ignorant and vnlearned we must also pray with the Prophet that it may be auaileable to them and that it slip not out of their memorie but take good roote within their heartes Vpon which indeuor of helping and perswading others that prayer of Esay procéeded Binde fast thy testimonies O Lord make sure thy lawes within my disciples Also we must purpose and determine with our selues earnestly to corect and amend our life For otherwise the vngodly reader or preacher that with a peruerse and crooked minde expoundeth the scriptures and neuerthelesse persisteth still in his wickednesse shall heare what God hath spoken to the sinner Why doest thou saith he set forth my lawes and takest my couenant in thy mouth when as thou hatest to be reformed and doest cast my woordes behinde thée Great submission reuerence and méekenesse must be had in exercising and vsing of the worde of god For God hath a fauour to such as tremble and quake at his sayings and gently he beholdeth him that is of an humble and contrite spirite The Publican that stroke his breast and the Senturion that sayde he was not worthie to haue the Lorde enter into his house these enter by the doore into the shéepefolde The Pharisie boasting of his merits and climing by an other way after high matters entered not in but fell for his pride and arrogant boldnesse was cast downe hedlong when as the other for their true humilitie submission were greatly magnified We must submit our necke vnder the yoke of Christ that we may shewe our selues as Disciples in following our mayster who like a true Shepherd hath pledged his life for his flock and hath yelded himselfe to the most vile contemptuous death of the crosse It followeth that by humble and lowly estimation of our selues we shall shew the mistrust we haue in our own strength we will craue without fayning for the assistance of God and wholy yéelde our selues to the rule and gouernement of his grace By which meanes we may acknowledge the true voyce of the true shepehearde more than eyther the Oxe that knoweth his Lorde or the Asse his maisters stable Rightly therefore the auncient holye Fathers preferred this vertue in Christian pietie aboue others Well and eligantly did Saint Barnard set it before virginitie in this maner of comparison Virginitie sayth he is a comendable vertue but more necessarie is humilitie The one is councelled to be kept the other is commaunded to be had To the one thou art called to the other thou art forced Of the first it is sayde he that can compasse it let him doe of the latter it is spoken vnlesse a man become as one of these little ones he shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen The one therfore is recompenst the other is demaunded at our hands Thou mayst without virginitie be saued wythout humilitie thou canst not Where lamentation is made for virginitie lost there can humilitie pacifie againe Without humilitie I dare take vpon me to say that the virginitie of Mary had not béene so acceptable Vpon whome sayth the worde shall my spirite rest vpon the humble and peaceable he sayth not vpon the virgin so sheweth Marie hir owne selfe He regarded the lowlinesse of his handmayden Although she pleased for hir virginitie yet she conceyued for hir humilitie Howe appeares that euē bicause hir humility doubtlesse brought to passe that hir virginitie was so lyked of Virginitie truely is not with euery one but with farre fewer is humilitie ioyned with virginitie If thou canst not but wonder at the virginitie in Marie endeuour to follow hir humilitie and it is sufficient for thée But if thou be a virgin and haue also the grace of humilitie thou art great whosoeuer thou be Hitherto Barnard Moreouer to come by the pure knowledge of the Scriptures we must bende our selues very much to charitie vnto the which we ought to haue a speciall regarde For else knowledge maketh men haughtie when on the contrarie part charitie edifieth The Apostle willeth vs that we séeke to excell vnto edifying For if we haue all knowledge and haue no charitie we are nothing Adde moreouer to the knowledge of the Scriptures that we must forsake the world with hir pompes and flatteries We must resist Sathan with his craftes and fierie dartes We must not incline our selues to surfeyting dronkennesse and the pleasures of this life but repugne the mocions of the fleshe We must be diligent in our vocation vse abstinence and liue blamelesse in our lyfe And from thence procéedes the promise that who so doth his will the same shal perceiue by the doctrine whose it is And againe Blessed be the cleane in heart for they shall sée god And lastly to the knowledge hereof In so holye a worke we must auoyde disputations which be vngodly and done out of due tyme Whereof if any question shall arise to follow the councell of Gregorie Nazianzen that excellent deuine let vs pourge the mynde from all vice and put of or at leastwise indeuour to put of from our bodies all prouocation to euill For as the sight of him that is bleare eide sayth he is hurt by looking agaynst the Sunne like so it is verie daungerous to handle a thing that is pure with handes vnwashed and a man not to pourge himselfe that he may become a vessell sanctified to honour méete for the vses of the Lorde and prepared to all good woorkes Moreouer these misteries must not at all tymes nor in all places nor of euery one be vsed But at such time as we be voyde of cares of this lyfe and haue not our minde drawne hither and thither with cogitations of this worlde least wée mingle Baulme wyth Durt And among those onely must it bée done who bée studious and desirous to learne not
euill and then taking vp the sworde of the spirite we put the whole armour of God vpon vs So with a valiaunt courage let vs enter to the battell and by the Lorde and his strength let vs stedfastly continue in resisting the assaultes of the Deuill Endeuor we now our heartes being made cleane by fayth to passe the tyme of this our pilgrimage vncorruptly and let vs associate our selues with the number of those which Saint Peter calleth the chosen generation the royall Priesthoode and the holy Nation that we maye set forth his vertues with a glad heart who hath plucked vs out of the power of darcknesse and called vs to hys maruellous light that he might make vs fit to be pertakers of the inheritaunce with Saints in the light Let vs giue our bodies a liuely Sacrifice holye and acceptable to God not fashioning our selues lyke vnto this world but transforming our shape by renuing our minde that we may trie what the worde of God is Let vs seperate our selues from such as eyther be addicted to the worlde or be seruants to their lustes Who like vile bondslaues beare the yoke with vnbeleuers and reioyce at all filthie talke refusing not to serue and flatter for suche men as were conuenient that they themselues should haue power and dominion of as Lordes ouer seruauntes Let vs learne our sanctification of our Mayster Christ whose doctrine what else doth it teach than repentaunce than sound and liuely fayth in Iesus our Sauiour than mortifying of our flesh denying our owne selues contemning of the worlde dispising of all things which eyther in the flesh or in the worlde displease God by the same christ our sauior learne to obtayne eternall lyfe Which as here we lay holde of by faith so in that blessed resurrection and redemption of our bodyes which we waite for we shall fully gloriously and perfitely inioy Let vs nowe so finishe the whole course of our lyfe as we may to the last breath obserue charitie procéeding forth of a pure hart good conscience and fayth vnfayned which is the finishing of the commaundement And aboue all things let vs endeuour to kéepe the vnitie of the spirite one with another through the bonde of peace that contention being taken away and abholished as much as is possible we may all togither speake one thing in Iesus Christ and thinke one thing in him in whom onely we increase in godly agréement and consent of friends by wearing out with voluntarie forgetfulnesse the iniuries done vnto vs we maye loue euen our enimies as the Lord hath commaunded vs and prouide to our power both for the safety of their bodyes saluation of their soules From hence shall that ioy in the holye ghost abounde and a quiet conscience shall lighten the minde Hereof it commeth that when at any tyme our minde is eliuated with any godly studie continuing stedfastly in prayer our communication with God becomes so pleasaunt and delectable that in maner forgetting our selues and taking verie little care for the bodie we neyther passe vpon sléepe nor desire meate nor yet séeme at that instant to liue amongst men in the earth but hauing attayned as it were to immortalitie we may séeme after a sort to be in company with Angels Hereof bréedeth so great a quietnesse and securitie as the day of the Lord which to the wicked shall become fearefull and terrible to vs shall be thought ioyfull luckie prosperous and happie And at the approching of the same let vs lift vp our heades and looke vp bicause the fulnesse of our redemption then draweth nigh For from them which haue the testimonie of a good conscience and being sealed with the holy spirit of promise beholde the pleasaunt beautie of the sonne of righteousnesse not with sadde but with chéerefull countenaunce and desirously with a ioyfull minde let in by the window of the hart the shining beames of the worde of God from such I saye doth the pleasaunt taste of eternall life which they perceyue while they liue here wype away all griefe and sorow and ingendring a contempt of the most vaine vanities of thys worlde bringes into them a most delectable ioy but the same ioyned with desire of putting of mortality For as euerlasting life is all wholy perfected in the immortalitye to come so is it at least wise begunne in this present lyfe But how may we attaine to that desired knowledge of perceyuing what maner of life that euerlasting life is which with such vnspeakable vncredible pleasure draweth the minde to God and what kinde of taste hath it among the Saintes that constraynes the children of God to haue such great desire to attaine to heauenly thinges before they be discharged of this mortall tabernacle of the bodie I will recite the wordes of Saint Augustine which do make this matter that we séeke for maruellous plaine vnto vs If the raging of the fleshe sayth he be at rest in a man the imaginations vpon the earth water and ayre be at quiet in him the heauens still and the verie soule it selfe be at rest in it selfe and go beyonde it selfe not in déepe cogitation of it selfe if he be quite voyde of dreames and imagined reuelations if euerie tongue euery signe or other transitory thing whatsoeuer be altogither at quiet forasmnch as if a man giue eare all these things doe say we our selues haue not made our selues but he made vs that abydeth for euer Which being sayde if these thinges then whishe bicause they lifted vp their eare to him that made them and that he alone may speake not through them but by himselfe to the intent we may heare his worde not by the voyce of the fleshe nor by the voyce of an angell neyther through the sounding of a clowde neyther by obscure questions of similitudes but euen him whome in these thinges we loue himselfe without these things let vs heare euen as at this instant we stretcht out our selues with our rauished cogitation attayned to euerlasting wisedome which resteth vpon all thinges If this shall be continued other imaginations which be farre incōparable to these being withdrawne and onely this imagination rauishe swallow vp and repose the beholder thereof among inwarde ioyes that such maye be the life eternall as was thys present moment of vnderstanding him to whome we haue lifted vp our heartes Is not this as much as to enter into the ioy of thy Lorde Wherefore the same Saint Augustine in the last booke of his confessions adioyned this prayer therevnto O Lorde GOD giue vs peace for all things hast thou shewed vnto vs both the peace of rest the peace of a quiet conscience and the peace of eternall rest for all this beautifull order of things very excellent shall passe away when the measure of them is fulfilled and the morow after becommeth the euentide in them And the same is eyther the seuenth day or euentyde and hath no Sunne going
let vs by staying vpon Gods promises cast our minde beyond all griefe and vexation vpon the euerlasting good thinges and by laying the one against the other transferre those heauie troubles which presently molest vs to the rewarde of immortalitie and euerlasting ioyes to come Let vs fully resolue with our selues that there is neyther fortune nor chaunce but that all things be most righteously gouerned by the prouidence of God almightie and that what displeasure and miserie soeuer doth happen in mans life happeneth for the best to them which haue respect to godlynesse and loue God from the bottome of their hart and hauing a feruent zeale towards him doe desire him earnestlye doe choose him for their Protector and defender in all their affaires doe call vpon him onely doe flie to his mercie onely and doe repose their trust on him as their onely and alone succour So we putting our trust in the frée goodnesse mercy and clemencie of almightie God shall be replenished with excellent comfort and being kindled with loue of the true eternall good things shal be brought with a full and perfite course to that most desired quietnesse of minde Where we being filled with the spirite be it in prosperity or aduersitie let vs speake vnto our selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie in our hartes with thanks giuing alwayes to the Lorde for all thinges in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ which is one and the same both yesterday and to day for euermore To God the Father also who is king of Kings and Lorde of Lordes who onelye hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine who largelye plentifully and aboundantly will participate with his elect people the thing which here onely in the heartes of Saintes is begonne euen the rest of eternall life which we so greatly long for through his beloued sonne in whome he hath made vs deare vnto him To him be dominion vertue power glorie honor and prayse euerlastinglye worlde without end Amen FINIS The Philosophers traÌ„quillity Democritus The iourney of Apollonius The wonderfull thirst that Cleanthes had after wisedome The tranquillitie of ciuill Gouernors The insaciable ambition of Alexander Gainmongers tranquillitie Spoken ironice or in mocking wise Ouid. Esay 5. The tranquillitie of voluptuons men The modestie of the author Voluptuous men haue no part with tranquility of minde The voluptuousnesse of Xerxes Iob. 21. Luke 6. Luke 16. True tranquillitie with getting of ryches hath no societie Horace 2. Tim. 6 Math. 16. Psal. 48. Heb. 13. Iob. 1 Luke 12. Crates threw his substaunce into the sea Psal. 38. Psal. 61. Gredinesse of honour hath no part with true tranquilitie of the minde Lucan in his second booke Seneca Horace Seneca in Thyeste What true tranquillitye of the minde is and the coÌ„mendation thereof Prayse of Philosophie Psalme 18. True tranquillitie is scuered from Philosophie and is transserred to Christ Aristotle A notable saying of Plato TraÌ„quillity trantierred to Christ Ephe. 1. The lettes of true traÌ„quillitie Mens Ioue bent vpon casuall goodes The confidence wee haue in meÌ„ The trust men haue in their own power and riches Euripides MiscoÌ„tent with our owne state and wondering at other mens Wicked and vnlawfull Artes. Deute 18. Desire of excelling others Heape of troubles Our life a continuall warfare The craftie wylinesse of Sathan The grieuous euils of our time The worme of the conscience What a murder Bessus committed Alexander deliuered to be worshipped as God. Sylla and Antiochus dyed wyth the disease of lyce Denying of Christ by othe Psal. 124. They lyuing in maruellous dispaire after they had forsaken the Gospell at length killed themselues Loke Gribalde in english That Christ is the true tranquillitie of the minde Math. 11. Esay 61. Luke 4. Esay 53. 2. Cor. 1. The memorie of the misterie of our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ is chiefly celebrated in the precept of the Eucharist The benefites which ensue the right receyuing destributing of the sacrament of the Eucharist Psal. 110. The apt similitude of Cyrillus Purgatory Cyprian in his treatise against De metrianus S. Ambrose Comfort taken by the worde of God. Luke 11. Psal. 119. Psal. 1. Deut. 28 Leuit. 26. 2. Tim. 3. Rom. 15. Chrisosteme in the thirde sermon of Lazarus 2. Tim. 2. Gregorie in an Epistle to bishop Lean. Augustine in the third Epistle to Voluscanus Saint Hieroms opinion Drigin in a certayne Homely How the conscience may be quieted in time of contention about Religion Iohn 5. Actes 17. Chrysostomes prophecie of this oure age vpon the. 24. of of Mathew Antichrist in the church Rom. 1. Psal. 6. No refuge but to the scriptures Myracles chieflye wrought among false Christians S. Hierom vpon Nahum Mark 14. That the people themselues in the ende of the worlde shall seeke for the scriptures Luke 16. The word of greater aucthoritie than the Church The Church hir office Galat. 1. August in an Epistle to Hierom. Only the canonicall Authors can not erre Exercise of the spirite of fayth in the word of god 1. Tim. 4. The differeÌ„ce betwene spirites Often and feruent prayer Indeuor to helpe others Earnest indeuor of amendement Reuerence and humilitie towards Goddes worde An excellent comparison betweene the virginitie and humilitie How nedefull is charitie to the scripture A pretie similitude of Gregorie Nazianzen in the first booke of diuinitie 2. Timo. 2. Euils imputed to Gods worde must not discourage vs from louing and defending the same Iere. 44. 3. King. 18. Amos. 4. 1. Cor. 4. A pretye quip of Tertuliau August in his seconde booke de ciuitate dei The multitude of heresies reigning abrode must not disswade vs from reading of scriptures Apoc. 2. 1. Cor. 1â— Dissolute life and other euils not to be imputed to the worde of God. The supersticious sort more feruent in their Religion than the true worshippers in theirs Euiles imputed to man himselfe to Sathan and to the worlde The true Preachers without blame Act. 10. Augustine in a certaine Homily Our departing from Goddes worde The laste yeare of K. Edwarde Why Gods worde was taken from vs. The prophecie of Latimer and others In steede of Gods worde Idolatrie Goddes thretnings The Church of God and christian religion augmentes with persecution August to Volusianê° A noble sentence Who be excluded from a quiet minde To whome Christ is become the true tranquillitie of the minde 1. Thessa. 4. Hebrues 12. Of concupiscence How the conscience that is troubled with inwarde concupiscence may be quieted Howe to suppresse concupiscence Idienesse the feeder of lustes Mariage the shoeteanker of concupiscence 1 Cor. 7. Last of Hebrues Corrupt life of Church-men Ephe. 4. Gene. 6. Gone 19. Leuit. 8. Num. 25. Iud. 30. Sensuall lustes the cause of translating kingdomes Promise in baptisme A prettie saying 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 12. 1. Tymotb 1. The meanes of true quietnesse Of eternell life hauing beginning in this life August of the feele of eternal life Why the holy elect do so vehemently desire to leaue this earthly habitation Rom. 7. Philip. 1. Rom. 8. 2. Collos 5. The felicitye of the Saintes in life to come Psal. 35. Apoc. 7. The rewarde of the iust Psal. 83. True tranquillitie of the mind resteth in the sure confideÌ„ce in christ in the testimonie of a good conscience and in the liuely hope of eternall life Iustifying by fayth S. Barnard Of true traÌ„quillitie of minde in time of afflictions 2. Colos 4. Deut. 29. Psal. 119. Why God doth suffer his elect to be tormented by the wicked Rom. 7. The elect not free from sin but rather prone to euil Psal. 77. The chiefe causes why God sende affliction to the iust The first cause Why God sheweth himself angry with his elect The second cause The thirde cause Publike calamuies the voyce of the lawe The fourth cause The difference of induring trouble betwene good men and euill Iere. 10. Augustine in his booke de peccatoruÌ„ meritis The fife cause The sixâ—… cause Tranquillity two wayes to the godly The seuenth cause Gene. 22. Iob. 1. Deut. 13. The eight cause Why the godly are brought to extreeme perill Psal. 21. Psal. 21. The ninth cause That there is no fortune but all thing be rightly gouerned by the omnipotent power of God. 1. Kin. 2. Math. 10. Esay 46. Esay 31. Euilles turnde to our benefit Cyprian Tranquilitie in all sicknesse and diseases No murmuring in aduersitie Mycheas the last chapter Danyel 9. Hebr. 72. Rom. 8. We see by examples whom God loueth he also chastiseth Heb. 12. â— Tim. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Dan. 6.14 Psal. 26. Psal. 32. Psal. 32. Exod. 4. Psal. 61. The Saints of most quiet minde in aduersitie Actes 16 2. Cor. 11. Wisd 5. Esay 8. The stedfast ioy of Martyrs at their death 2. Macha 7. The effecient cause of the Saints traÌ„quillitie in affliction Death an aduauntage to the elect Hatred of the worlde the rewarde of vertue Banished for the gospell of christ Math. 10. Psal. 146. How God prouideth for the yong Rauens Esay 30. Foure causes whye god suffers the wicked so long to florishe Rom. 2. Luke 16. Mat. 6. Psal. 16. A repetition of that whiche went before In the time of Qucene Mary
minde whereof the other is framed and whereto it is semblant And what doth Philosophie promise to bring to passe being adorned with so many high prayses as it is called the guide of our life the schoolemaister of manners the mother of vertues the expeller of vices the tilling of the witte the medicine of the minde doth it not promise a rest from cares delectation of the mindes of such as be trauellers therein And doth she not as in hir owne right challenge the shaking of of vaine carefulnesse quenching of lusts driuing away of feare and the curing or to speake least the moderating of turmoyles of the minde Neyther doth Phylosophie set forth onely in vtter shewe so greate a profession but the héerers also thereof being taught goodly preceptes and instructed with iolly perswasions doe declare both by their life communication the vertue and force therof resting in them Which of the olde Phylosophers was eyther moued with the occasions of sorrowe or was appalled at death when it aproched Socrates fast bounde in prison seased not to dispute of Phylosophie and the very daye of his death reasoned at large concerning the immortalitie of the soule And when in his hande he helde that deadly cuppe he departed this miserable body with so pleasant and iocande a minde as he séemed not to be preased to his death but vsing pleasaunt wordes as if he had gone to a solemne banket of his friendes whome he had not séene a good whyle before Wherefore to such as know not Christ beyng not yet reuealed to all the worlde I woulde iudge no kinde of life comperable to the Phylosophers eyther if they séeke to driue away cares eyther else for the naturall recreation of their mindes For what is there that eyther in welth and riches eyther in pleasure and pastime either in honor and aduancement doth so excéedingly pacifie the minde and poures gladnesse therin as doth the science of Phylosophie and knowledge thereof which hath beene author of those goulden precepts of lyuing and being collected into bookes hath published the same for a memoriall to all the posterities But after that Christ the brightnesse of glorie who being the same light that giueth light to euerie man comming into this worlde shewed himselfe to the earth and opened the secret will of his father and the true knowledge of tranquillitie of the minde both to kingdomes and nations we are commaunded to here his voyce him to obey and serue him to follow as our onely shepherde and maister in whome all treasures of wisedome and knowledge lye hid The Phylosophers were but men and as Saint Paule calleth them but naturall men who coulde attaine no higher from earthly things than the naturall reason of man woulde permitte them But Christ both is and was the sonne of God who of his infinite mercy left the throne of his maiestie in heauen and from the bosome of his father descended downe vpon the earth to open the misteries hid from euery generation since the beginning of the worlde that wherevnto man being but a creature could not attaine by reason of his blindenesse therevnto his minde might ascende being lightned chaunged and regenerated by the spirite of Christ And the Phylosophers doe chiefly exhorte euerye one to that worthye and triumphant victorie which is ment of our lustes and appetites than which they accompt none more greater nor yet more honorable For he that hath ouercome an enimie was of more force than his enimie but he that by restrayning himselfe bridleth his owne lustes such a one hath ouercome himselfe He that hath ouerthrowne his enimie hath vanquished an externe aduersarie but he that subdueth his owne desires conquereth a Rebell and domesticall Traytour There is no euill that is not easier to be resisted than worldly pleasure For of what sorte so euer it be the same is a terror to vs euen at the first sight and for the asperitie thereof striketh vs with a quaking feare For she with hir smiling lookes allureth men vnto hir and with hir sweete motions falling into the senses spéedily winneth fauor no lesse than doth the song of the Marmayde call backe and drawe to hir companie such as passe by Through wanton pleasures was Hanniball vndone at Capua yet could no ouerthrow in battel discomfite him Wherfore he that ouercommeth his lustes doth not only with the olde Troians put away Helene frō him but plainly triumpheth ouer sin doth a greater act than to ouercome the strongest holde in the world Very well therefore sayd Plato A man to ouercome himself is the chiefe and most excellent victory of all others but to be ouercome of himselfe of all others is a most shameful horrible fall With such like exhortation the Phylosophers doe annimate and incorage vs to this difficult hard conflict and teach instruct vs with all the preceptes they can and yet doe they neyther kéepe néere the right course nor rightly set forth the same and are neyther present with their hearers as they shoulde be neyther indue them with diuine powre from aboue neyther yet are able to gyue grace for bearing away of victorie But Christ leadeth vs from all wandring and troublesome crossewayes of error and blindnesse and setteth vs with his doctrine a true and readie way and doth not only sit as Iudge of our doings but furnisheth vs also with the whole armour of God wherewith we being armed and fortified on euerie side maye resist all our aduersaries at once both ouercome the motions of the fleshe and kéepe our soules vndefiled from the worlde And the same Christ being truly present with his spirit in euery place both exhorteth vs to fight indueth vs from aboue with strength to the battell by hys grace helpeth vs to ouercome when wée faint lifteth vs vp and when we get the victorie crowneth vs Moreouer although we willingly imbrace the wholsome admonitions of Philosophers whereby we are called to remember our frailtie and weaknesse and to kéepe downe the pride of man and although we set some store by those excellent disputations which deliuered the minde from perishing and so earnestly endeuored to set the same at libertie yet verie greatly and I knowe not how farre of Philosophie hath béene from the féele and taste of eternall life Euen so much as neyther eie hath séene neyther eare hath heard neyther heart hath imagined Yet some maner of féeling thereof hath God reueled to his elect by his holy spirite But of the exceding greatnesse of that vnspeakable glorie none of the olde Philosophers coulde so much as dreame vpon or make coniecture of Which thing God in his sonne Iesus hath appoynted as a right of inheritaunce to be inioyed of the true worshipers of him euen since the first beginning of the world and creation of all things For others lacked the holy spirit of promise and adoption which God imparteth to the faythfull that desire and call vpon him for the same and
by the inspiration of the same spirite doth regenerate quicken and renue teach rule gouerne sanctifie erect comfort and confirme vs in fayth helpeth our infirmitie maketh vs light and readie to all good workes Through which we crie with boldnesse Abba father which doth beare witnesse with our spirite that we be the sonnes of God and heyres with Christ Who béetng the earnest of our inheritaunce we are sealed to redemption of the possession purchased by him and being lightened in the ioyes of our minde we knowe what the hope is wherevnto we are called and hauing gotten the inheritaunce of the children we obtaine the riche glorie of his inheritaunce vppon the saints Wherefore seeing in all places the way to Christ is so large as he is present euerie where with his elect to their lyues ende and to the last consummation of the worlde we haue no néede eyther to include our selues in Monasteries or houses of Religion vnder a name of holinesse or to take long pilgrimages in hand for the quieting of our minde or to hide and kéepe our selues in secret wildernesse as the maner was of religious sort in olde time vnlesse like persecution of Christians should waxe hote againe as in those dayes it did But euery man abiding in that vocation whiche God hath called him vnto shall reache to the true ioye of the minde and attaine to the true solitarie contempt of the worlde purchasing to himselfe the testimonie of a good conscience if he put on Christ and laye holde of him in such sorte as he hath shewed himselfe in the scriptures and deuorsing from him all preposterous Iewish fashions he preferre the woorkes commaunded by God before mannes ceremonies and inuentions and to ende all at once if hée lyue and behaue himselfe as he ought both towardes GOD and his worde But of Christ and his worde of the maner of good liuing of the testimonie of a good conscience of the sense of eternall life and of the great comfort by learned men shall be spoken of more at large hereafter Now it is necessarie to declare the lets and impedimentes whereby the most part are so plucked from the true tranquillitie of the minde that a very fewe can attayne therevnto And first of all an excéeding number of people giuing ouer their true confidence in God depende vpon the goodes of fortune being once depriued of them they faynt in their mindes by and by and become sorowfull Moreouer others there be which stay themselues vpon the succour of great men and haue a light heart and indifferent mind so long as they are maintayned with reliefe from them But if the mainteyners themselues quaile they streightwayes runne downe hedlong and fall into most bitter mourning yea and further the greater sort themselues for a tyme vaunte and boast of their power and ryches but if they be excluded from theyr seate of honour and diseased of their flourishing fortune they streightway be at wars with themselues and spende all the rest of their life in sorrow and heauinesse All these being disappoynted of their expectation lye in miserie complayning of their crooked fortune and are woont to sing that doolefull verse The earth is full of sinfulnesse The sea is frayght with wretchednesse Some misfortune there happeneth alwayes in mans lyfe to interrupt and subuert our quietnesse vnlesse a man arme his minde to abide all misaduentures and prepare himselfe before hand to beare what soeuer shall happen vnto him Which common state and rule of life Euripides hath prettily set forth in these thrée verses following There is no worde so fearefull spoke nor fatall chaunce so glide Nor mischiefe wrested into man from wrath that tooke his seede But man by nature should put vp and paciently abide Wherfore Plato compared mans life to a Die whose best chaunce euery Dicer desireth to haue but yet howsoeuer it happeneth he must by arte remedie that which chaunceth to him otherwise than he desired For as the Bée gathereth most swéete hony out of the withered Tyme and out of other herbs of more vnpleasant iuice like so may we also out of euil and vnprofitable things picke out that which may turne to our profite and commoditie Euen as shipwracke to Zeno Citius and banishment to Diogenes gaue them occasion to studie Philosophie But let vs procéede to other perillous matters which be lettes of true tranquillitie of the minde There is seldome founde out any one that is content with his calling but thinks an other in happier case than himsefe When as the poore prefers the riche estate the rich the noble man the noble man the King and euery one hauing other states in admiration desires to be in the same case that they be in Hereof groweth so often chaunging of our trade of lyfe which séemes to bring a happie state with it when in déed they differ not much from sickmen which so often doe alter their purpose For euen as the sickeman cannot away wyth the sight of his wife blameth the Phisition is gréeued at his friende that comes to visite him and yet being gone is displeased againe at there going euen so is the wauering way and trade of life and the wandedring and inconstant mutabilitie of the minde which seldome doth ariue at the quiet and desired porte Wherefore euen as they which are quesie stomacked and are disquieted with vomiting doe leape from one ship to another that they maye finde some ease therby vntill they perceiue themselues nothing the better but to doe the same still that they did before carying their vomite as I may say still about with them where euer they go Euen so they which euer betwene whiles choose now one now an other trade of lyfe doe rather intangle themselues in cares and troubles than be discharged and rid therefrom For whilste they studie as it were to lande at next shallowes they are caryed ofttymes into a more huge déepe and as I may say into a bottomlesse poole What if we do not except out of this number the curious tellers of mens natiuities the Mathematricians and the Astronomers who after a sort doe drawe and call backe all things to a fatall lawe and suppose that mans life maners and successes are gouerned by the power of starres and in prognosticating of other mennes misfortunes cannot foresée their owne destruction With these men let vs ioyne the guessing Soothsaiers which by their deuination tell before of thinges to come Also the wicked inchaunters and detestable Nigromancers which rayse vp the soules of deade men or rather call vp Deuils of whome the Lorde doth plainly forbid to aske any question Such men putting confidence in their vnlawfull and abhominable practises and forsaking the true God being led with their owne horrible errors and ouerlong deceyued with lyes neuer remayne in a stayde and quiet minde And there be others which be so inflamed with the loue of themselues as they couet to
of controuersie concerning our fayth and haue intreated of euerie thing in order as matters necessarie for our purpose did fall out There resteth that by all wayes and meanes we can we searche more dilygentlye and when the place serueth better for the purpose to trye out vppon whome Christ is woont to bestowe that excellent peace which he promosed at his departing hence to giue to his Apostles and wyth them to leaue it Shall all persons enioye this peace shall euery one possesse thys so high a benefite I woulde all Christians woulde so wholye dedicate themselues to Christ and so dyligently obserue the rule prescrybed to them by him their onely maister that they might aspire to that most plesaunt ioye of a quyet minde But the way to this so firme a peace is cut off from an infinite multytude through their owne default who starting from the purenesse and integritie of lyfe are defiled in their sinnes and serue their owne lustes Farre from thys are they kept which laying aside the feare of God set great store by themselues which walke in this world according to the tyme according to the spirite that workes in peruerse children and according to their owne concupiscence and which studie not wyth all indeuour and resistaunce to purge the olde leauen but doe whatsoeuer pleaseth the fleshe and their owne fansies To be short all such as are excluded there from as wittingly and wyllingly repugnaunt to the Table of the ten commaundements with all pronenesse of minde rushe hedlong into all mischiefe naughtinesse A great way also are they seuered from thys peace to recken euery sinne more perticularly which be whoremongers adoulterers delicate persons théeues couetous folke drunkardes raylers extorcyoners vniust and wicked men mankyllers lyers periurers enuyers whisperers backbyters spightfull highe minded and glorious men and al vncleane persons which obstinatelye contynue in their sinnes and boldly followe whatsoeuer is enimy vnto the wholsome doctrine of the Euangelist and vnto the glory of the blessed god For those men cannot but tremble in their mindes and quake with inwarde dreade when they vnderstande the wrath and vengeaunce of God towardes them when they perceyue before hande that they shall haue him to be a Iudge and reuenger of their naughtinesse And all those which be prophaners of his temple and runne hedlong into vice the Lorde will destroy and iudge except they repent For he will punishe them with a seconde death casting them into the lake burning with fyre and brimstone and condemning them to euerlasting paine For they obtayned not the spirite of promise eyther by reason of their vnbeliefe pride and wantonnesse eyther for that they were apparelled with no workes of righteousnesse nor practised the worde of God as they ought to haue done but lyued after their owne wayes or rather after the maner of Dogs in gyuing themselues to vncleanesse ryot and other vices And bicause they walked on still after the maner of men in their owne concupiscenses not agréeable to reason therefore hath the Lorde whyle they yet liue called them deade the Apostle named them fleshely and beastlye the Prophete termed them cattell and brute beasts common experience counted them no better than cattell voyde of reason and finally the lawe it selfe hath iudged them vncleane persons Therefore they only are taught by Christ and finde rest vnto their soules which detest sinne and turne to their God by fayth especiallye with the desire of their heart which crucifie the flesh with hir lustes and kill the déedes of the same by the spirite and being deade to sinne liue to righteousnesse and innocencie The which being buried togither with Christ liue againe with him and studie to walke in newenesse of life They which after a sort worke violence to theyr owne nature to take away dominion of sinne in them and they also which reposing their trust in God endeuour to liue in the fleshe as if they were not in the fleshe that the old man being shaken of they may dayly put on the new and the Image that in Adam was lost they may recouer again by renuing the same more more in there mynde euery day They only ascend to that blessed kingdome wherein is ioy and peace in the holy ghost which perceiue the loue of God towardes them and imbrace the same from the bottome of their heart with thankesgiuing helping their poore brethren as farre as their habilitie wil stretch both with their trauell councell and substance They also which spare no labour to serue in their vocation but hauing taken a function in hande do passe through the same to the glorie of god They which couet not riches which compasse not honors nor hunt after pleasures but with a stayde mynde dispise all humaine and earthly things and fixe the same vpon the high and celestiall treasure And they moreouer which in wishing for the Lordes comming doe rather lyke the same should come than dread and abhorre it Such persons as thus renounce all impietie and bestowe the course of this lyfe in godlinesse righteousnesse holinesse and sobrietie of verye right are called men both pure spirituall and liuing to God bicause they haue the spirit of the father which maketh man pure exalteth him to the life of god Whose quietnesse what is it the can impaire when they perceiue féele the louing kindnesse of God so great towards them as he doth not onely of his fatherly affection appoynt them among the number of hys children giues them plentie of his spirite and as the Apostle sayth richely endueth them styrres vp new desires in their harts and such as are correspondent to the will of God inflames vs to loue God and to haue charitie towards our neighbour driues vs to prayse God continually to confesse our sinnes to aduaunce the Gospell to call for helpe to render thankes to haue true and stedfast confidence in God mooues vs moreouer to all dueties of godlinesse to pacience in aduersitie to sobrietie in aboundaunce to dexteritie towardes our neighbor to diligence in our calling to meeknesse in behauiour to the indeuour of peace and concorde to vertues méete for a Christian to liue friendly to the life of man and profitably to the Church of Christ to the reposing of our sure and stedfast saluation in Christ But he also beholdeth vs with hys fatherly countenaunce kéepeth vs carefully as it were the apple of his eie and brings vs to that glorious kingdome where wée being ridde from the burthen of necessitie and turmoyles of this lyfe all the blessed shall inioy the continuall beholding of their god Vnto which blessednesse let no man thinke he shall attaine which vnder the cloke of fayned holinesse and colourable chastitie of life shal for a time bleare mens eyes and hyde his secret filthinesse wyth craftie and hypocriticall dissimulations vnlesse he shall inwardly also before God appeare such a one as he outwardly professeth and shall in déede liue continently temperately soberly
touching the firme promises of eternall life hath determined the heritage to vs So likewise he by his omnipotent power finisheth the worke of saluation begonne in vs if we wauer not but stande stedfast in faith Let vs therfore call vpon the Lorde to poure into our mindes the gift of fayth and daylie to increase the same being begonne in vs that in asking séeking and knocking we maye receyue finde and haue it opened vnto vs. For the iustification by faith from whence the true quietnesse of the minde doth growe and by which accesse with boldnesse to the throne of Maiestie is assigned vnto vs and by whose helpe and defence we are brought to this grace wherein we stande and boste our selues vnder the glorie of God is after Saint Barnardes opinion as it were a mid passage from eternall predestination vnto the magnification as he calles it to come by which we ascende to the heauenly Ierusalem the Citie of the lyuing God to the innumerable company of Aungels to the congregation of the first borne Sonnes which are written in heauen to the spirites of the iust and perfite men and to God the iudge of all men and to Iesus the Mediatour of the newe Testament where we being blessed shall inioye euerlasting lyfe Since all Scripture preacheth vnto vs that these things must with true and certaine perswasion be beléeued and denounceth against the vnbeleeuers payne and eternall death why are we discouraged in our mindes if miserie assayle vs why doe we lowre and lament if but easie aduersity come vpon vs why doe not excellent perswasions take so good roote in vs that we contemne and weare out afflictions of time present by conferring the same with lyfe to come which is reserued for vs why are we not so armed with the continual studie of most blessed immortalitie which is looked for and with sure hope of that most happie kingdome that whatsoeuer shall chaunce we beare it both paciently and quietly If the longest age of oures being compared with euerlasting life can scarcely be counted one minute why regarde we not those transitorie things as matters of no effect which may easily be abidden setling our minde farre beyonde afflictions vpon the good things eternall which tarie looking for vs And why waighe we not downe this light affliction that indureth but for a season euen onely with the earnest thought of the felicitie to come Of our momentany and light affliction speaketh Saint Paule iudging that it bréedeth in vs a wonderfull and excéeding waight of glorie while we haue not regarde vnto the thinges which are séene but to those things which are not séene For the things which are séene are temporall the things which are not séene are eternall For by affliction are good men throughly tryed as Iobe and Tobias were or else euill men therby are corrected and amended as Manasses and many other kings of Iuda Where should either the vertue and power of the spirite be so euidently perceyued or the noble and excellent vertue of pacience giue so splendent a shew or fayth haue any earnest exercise if the Saintes shoulde be strayned with no miserie For euen as the starres doe shyne in the night but in the day time they lie hidden euen so true vertue wering bewtifull by temptation doth as yron with vse shew in aduersitie what force it is of which otherwyse in tyme of prosperitie laye hid in secret And howe should euill men forsake their earthly desires relinquish and cast from them their wicked deuises if no such thing should happen whereby they may be ledde from loue of the worlde from generall flattering of themselues and from their naughtie and sinfull custome For as the Phisition bindeth him fast that is vered with a frensie stirres him vp that is troubled with the disease of Lytharge putteth them both to vexation and yet loueth them bothe being not onely desirous to restore health vnto them both but also applyes verie diligently his whole arte studie in curing of those things euen so God although he be sharpe in punishing yet doth he most louingly by such meanes procure saluation vnto hys elect Wherefore Moses reckneth affliction in steade of benefite when he thus speaketh to the children of Israell But thys also sayth he waigh thou within thy heart that euen as a man chastiseth his childe so doth the Lorde thy God correct thée that thou mayest walke in hys wayes and feare him After like maner doth Dauid in this sentence following extoll the chastining of the Lorde as a speciall benefite vnto vs It is good for me that thou hast humbled and afflicted me whereby I may learne thy statutes But why doth GOD many times suffer his elect to be afflicted by the euill and wicked Truely they which be most holy of all commit something euerye day worthy of punishment For not so much as in the fleshe of the very children of God there abydeth anye thing that is good but in them is concupiscence of the fleshe against the spirite and they are so chaunged into a newe creature as neuerthelesse the olde man is not vtterly shaken of They may referre that saying of Iohn to themselues as well as to others if we saye we haue no sinne we deceyue our selues and there is no truth in vs For euen the verie thought of the heart is inclyned to euyll if occasion be ministred therevnto There is no such prerogatiue giuen to the Saintes so long as they liue in this light if they remember their owne frailtie and weaknesse to make them thinke those common prayers of the Church as Lorde forgiue vs our trespasses washe me more and more And enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt that they pertaine not as well to them as to others Wherefore the Lorde béeing a righteous Iudge by his iudgement correcteth first his owne householde bringeth them into the way againe and admonisheth them to call vpon him for helpe least they should be condemned with the reast of the worlde And euen as euery beast that is striken with lightning turneth his face towarde the lightning so likewise if the houshold of God will haue regarde to God when he pleaseth them he will compell them also to haue an eye to him when hee strykes them according to that saying when he slue them they sought him and turning back they called to remembrance that God was their rock and the high God their redéemer But and if the afflicted housholde of God will from thence forth diligently séeke after their God with sighings from their heart and with righteous and pacient mindes will abide wayting for his secrete councell their lamentation shall enter into the eares of the Lorde of Sabaoth who pluckes them out of their aduersaries handes that he may learne them to depend onely vppon him reuenges them also at length of their very enimyes if they scorne them and the rod of punishment which they execute not
and Prophets and finally that the gentiles and whosoeuer else in the vniuersall world which through beléefe obtayned saluation did here This worde as it was reuealed to the fathers so the will of God makes it knowne vnto vs by expresse declaration in Bookes Wherevnto if we giue no credit neyther will we beléeue if one shall ryse againe from the deade With this worde is the Church of God made and ordayned and the same is buylded vpon the rocke Christ who is the foundation and precious stone therof For take away the scriptures of the Church and thou shalt also take the Churche quite awaye For euen as the Church did neyther founde nor make anye certaine or vndoubted scripture but receyued it in olde time with great reuerence being erected before by the holy ghost the author therof and deriued from Christ and his Apostles by perpetuall succession into all Churches and after she had receyued the same allowed it which being allowed circumspectly kept it for the instructing of euerye age so did she specially take care that nothing vnder the name of Scripture which dyd beare no certaine signe of scripture should be allowed in it ye that if an Aungell in heauen shoulde preach any other Gospell condemned him accursed This one holye catholicke and apostolicke Church that is which is gouerned by the scripture of the Apostles and Prophetes doth seuer after the example of Paule and set apart those things whereof It hath no commaundement by God from the excellent preceptes of Christ making a great difference betwéene them to the intent it may will the things which be of Christ to remaine vnuiolate and suffer nothing contrarie therevnto to be admitted But those matters which be of the churches owne constitution although they be sounde and the spirite being author of thē are set forth amongst vs yet It leaueth them at such libertie as testifiyng in plaine termes that it woulde none to cast anye doubtes in those things whereof they haue no expresse commaundement from god Whatsoeuer things It findeth in the holy Scripture which containe the lawe of the Lorde and doctrine of fayth perfected and throughly finished aboue the rest wythout any sticking It commendes allowes receyues and estéemes and also reuerenceth all things therein without choyse and election shunning al that may be the crime of new deuise that most vainely might be layde to hir charge In assuring hir iudgement It accounteth none more wyser than Christ more holy than the Apostles nor more auncient than the Primatiue Church And next after these It placeth the monumentes of such as teach thinges concerning the religion of Christ and innocencie of lyfe but alloweth nothing without iudgement and without dilygent examination thereof with the law of god Wherevpon It compelled Augustine hir most seruiceable childe to set forth this confession folowing I confesse to thy charitie saith he that I haue learned to attribute this feare reuerence onely to those bookes of the holy scriptures which are now called Canonicall so as I stedfastly beléeue that none of the Authors of them haue erred in wryting And if I shall finde any thing in those bookes which may séeme cōtrary vnto the truth I will make no doubt but that eyther the booke is faultie or that the interpreter hath not followed the matter as it is spoken or else that I my selfe vnderstand not the same Other Authors also I réede in such sort as howe great a porte soeuer they beare of holinesse and learning I may not therefore thinke them true bicause such was their opinion but for that they coulde eyther by those Canonicall bookes or else by good probable reason perswade me in a thing that swarueth not from the truth Wherefore if we make the scripture subiecte to the iudgement of men we therewithall disanull the doctrine of most holye men For it is not the worde of God but the worde of men that is gouerned after the opinion of men But this is that holye sacred treasure of the Church this is that excellent consolation of faith that high and stedfast knowledge of life that the Scripture being planted not by men nor in the hande of men but by God in the hande of God through his sonne Iesus authorised by the holye Ghost was deliuered to the Church and by the same Church published and set forth to the instruction of all posterities Wherefore such as be members of the church doe not attribute to themselues any authoritie against their heade Iesus Christ but being subiects to their heade as méeke shéepe giue eare to no other voyce then to their owne pastor to whome they owe their faith conscience and subiection and the same as the voyce of Christ doe acknowledge here and follow from whence soeuer it be vttered and whatsoeuer thing it commaundeth that is righteous and iust to be done For by iudging of holsome doctrine they know also the contrarie making a difference betwéene them that it which is sounde right and lawfull may be allowde according to the saying Proue all take the best and things contrarie and straunge therevnto maye be reiected and disprooued The iudgement wherewith we discerne approue instruct and reproue must be supported with knowledge Knowledge springeth chiefly by exercise of the spirite of fayth in the worde of god Whereby with a sensible vnderstanding we sincerely accorde those places togither which appeare contrarie to a likenesse and resemblance in themselues according to the proportion of our fayth We way the beginning with that which followeth and by diligent comparing euerie thing in it selfe we indeuour to attaine to that knowledge of the Lordes meaning For this cause Paule mooueth Timothe that he continually exercise himselfe in reading exhortation and teaching These things sayth he exercise in these remaine that thy profiting maye be knowne in all things Hereby we finde out the difference betwéene the spirite of truth and the spirite of error that whereas the spirite of Christ searcheth and séeketh for nothing but the glory of God ioined with the care and safetie of our neighbor contrariwise the other being set on and inflamed with the loue of it selfe with ambicion couetousnesse pride reuenge tyranny the immoderate loue of things priuate defileth polluteth and corrupteth all thinges so wresteth and turneth the scripture from the sense and meaning thereof as it can by a counterfeyte way séeme to defende and maintaine the verye same thing which it doth repugne and stande agaynst By this reading and exercise the traditions of the godly which of right we call the holy séede being taught may both cause a man to take héede to himselfe and by reclayming of himselfe may conuince errors which Christ prophecied should be so great and aboundant before his latter cōming that he doubted whether the son of man at his comming should find fayth vpon the earth shewed before that the verse elect if it were possible should be deceyued by them
all filthynesse and pronownce wrath and punishment against those which be defiled Let vs be abashte to commit in the sight of God who séeth all things such filthinesse as we would be ashamed off if but our owne companion should be priuie therevnto Let it come into our remembraunce what we professed in baptisme howe famous conquerours warryours and Captaines we would become and vpon victorie gotten what large and bountyfull rewardes we shall looke for as eternal tryumph in heauen lyfe peace euerlasting saluation blessed and heaped immortalitie with all good thinges Let vs still beare in minde the shortnesse and vncertainetie of this lyfe death in a maner euerye minute to be looked for Let vs thinke of the last and dreadfull iudgement of hell the féends and fire that shall neuer be extinguished Through remembraunce whereof the vnlawfull raging of our fleshe and lustes of the same maye be abated and for feare of punishment of our wickednesse we will kéepe our selues in better order But and if we preuaile nothing through all these remedies if we perceiue our selues to profite little neyther by the earnest practising of the worde of God neyther by the contynuall company of good and godlye men by often prayers made to God nor yet by shunning of ydlenesse and auoyding the discōmodities which ensue vpon the same If neyther by earnest industrie and studie by honest labors godly exercises and occupations if through much hunger fasting and watching through sobrietie and temperaunce of life if by thinking vpon the promises and threatninges of God that if eyther we ouercome we shall haue euerlasting ioy or if we be ouercome we shall haue eternall payne we obtayne nothing we profite and preuayle nothing thereby there resteth then the shoote anker wherevnto we must flie being so called wythout any scruple of conscience euen honest and lawfull matrimonye appointed for them which cannot kéepe themselues continent and the onely safe remedie chiefely prepared by God for redresse of this euill according to the saying Let euery man take his owne wyfe for auoyding of fornication and againe it is better to marry than to burne Which thing the holye ghost doth aduaunce with this notable praise Honorable is wedlock among all persons and the bed vndefiled Wherfore he that shall in this sort obey rather Gods calling than giue eare to mens prohibicion maye not thinke himselfe to sinne thereby Naye rather he sinneth by cloking the matter before men with a fayned holynesse by disdayning the matter when God doth call him by nourishing still his vnlawful lustes and filthie cogitations and by distayning his conscience Many godly wryters of our tyme bewayling the filthy lyfe of Church-men for which the whole order of them farde the woorse haue complayned not without cause vppon the lawe of single lyfe which by the sincere iudgement of them haue drawne manye troopes of men to desperation to the eternall wrathe of God and to blasphemies Let vs therefore thinke and vtterly resolue in our hart and minde the thing which is most true that is to say that a naughtie and corrupt conscience can not call vpon God which is playne by that saying of Iohn in his first Epistle and thirde Chapter If our heart condemne vs not then haue we trust to God warde and whatsoeuer we aske we shall receyue of him It is a lamentable thing in such sorte to liue as thou darest neyther call vpon God nor yet to put thy trust in his gouernment and defence Such persons so lyuing without God and so alyenated from a godly lyfe the deuill doth blinde euery day more and more and bewraps them in hainous crimes For the Apostle testifieth in playne words that blindnesse is the punishment of lustes Wherein they being blinded become voyde of all councell and wytte but purchase to themselues punishment and destruction If Ioseph had defiled himselfe with adultery he had forgone many gifts of God and being forsaken of hym had fallen into manye sinnes As it happened vnto Dauid who besides the adulterie committed with Bethsabe added thereto the murther of Vryas hir husbande that excellent man and many other offences committed he The Lord opened the Cataractes of heauen to destroy the worlde with the floude for the licencious lustes thereof With fyre and Brimstone he consumed those two Cities which so raged and shamefully went a madding in all kinde of wicked lustes He slue all the Sychemittes by the handes of Iacobs sonnes for rauishing of Dyna He destroyed all the Cananites bicause they were defiled with incestious lusts besides the hanging of their chiefe rulers For adultery he consumed xxiiij thousande from among the children of Israel He brought the whole tribe of Beniamine well néere to an ende for defiling the Leuits wyfe He suffered Salomon being delighted with lustes of fowle voluptuousnesse and inchaunted with the intisements of Harlots to allowe the examples of Idolatrye Moreouer amongst other things he deliuered Ierusalem chiefely for this sinne into the handes of the king of Caldea To this rule maye be referred the destruction of Cities and kingdomes which are rehearsed of Ethnike Wryters besides the mutation of common weales and pitifull endes of famous men As for example the rauishing of Helen was the destruction of Troy and the incest of Oedipus appeared to be cause of great euill that happened vnto the citie of Thebes The kings for deflowring of Lucretia were banished out of Rome and for the wicked acte of Appius the Decimuir the common welth was chaunged againe Very well therfore doth Aristotle in the first treatie of the Politicals rehearse by many examples which there he alleageth that sensuall luste is one of the causes of mutation of kingdomes At Athens the sonnes of Pysistratus for the dishonor they did to a mayde were driuen out of the citie And Pawsanias the Lacedemonian Captaine for the like iniury that he had done at Byzance was cōdemned by the Iudges to die with famine although he being a victor before had remoued the Persian armie Wherefore bearing away the calamities which doe chaunce not wythout cause to such as be polluted but yet as punishmentes whereby God declares hys wrath to the worlde against this sinne Let vs also whither we leade a single lyfe or be maryed when occasion is offered remember howe we haue dedicated our name to our chiefe Captaine Christ and are sworne to his worde howe we haue promised to fight vnder him all the dayes of our lyfe and so let vs manfully set forward to fight Let vs remember that none may be crowned but he that shall ouercome and that none can ouercome except he fight nor can fight except enimies be present which should prouoke to the battaile Whose prouocation what else is it at length but the séede and occasion of euerlasting glorie if we yéelde not to temptation but cleaue to the shielde of fayth wherewyth wée destroy all the fierie darts of that