one God and father of all c. Paul Rom. 4. Doth declare that wee are iustified by the same meanes whereby Abraham was iustified namely by faith that the manner of the fathers election and our election is all one namely free and vnchaungeable 1 Cor. 10. The Apostle saith that the fathers did eat the same spirituall meat and drinke the same spirituall drinke which we eate and which wee drinke Which thing all the godlie and these which haue vnderstanding doe sée to bée vnderstoode of the substaunce and fruite of the Sacramentes and not of the sacramentall signes These and other such like sayings doe teach vs that there is but one Testament and one couenaunt of grace in substance and trueth 3 Notwithstanding the olde Testament the Newe doe so differ in the dispensation that the newe Testament doeth farre exceede the olde Math. 13. 17. Verily I say vnto you manie Prophetes and iust men haue desired to see the thinges which you see and haue not seene them and to heare the thinges which you heare and haue not hearde them Yet let vs knowe that these thinges are spoken respectiuely and not simplie For hee doeth not denie that the Fathers knewe the same kinde of doctrine but he preferreth the estate and cōdition of Christ his Church before the discipliue of the lawe as beeing better For after that Christ the light of the worlde beganne to teach there did so great light of the knowledge of God shine in the heartes of the faithfull that hee that was least in that newe estate of the church was greater in the kingdom of heauē then Iohn the baptist if you consider the plentifulnes of doctrine In the eight to the Hebrues vers 7. the apostle reasoneth thus If that former testament he meaneth the olde testament had bene such that there had beene nothing wanting therein then had there béene no place sought for the second But there hath béene a place sought for the newe couenant vers 8. 9. And that may be vnderstood of the worde and the sacramentes For séeing the same doctrine the same faith and the same Christ doth raigne in the Church of both testamentes the diuersity of dispensation consisteth in the letter administration and whether you respect the preaching of the word or the administration of the Sacraments and not in the spirite and trueth But some there bée which doe attribute vnto the Fathers the shadowes and vnto vs the trueth And to the end they may prooue this they alleadge the wordes of the Apostle Heb 10. 1. The lawe hauing a shadowe of good thinges to come and not the very expresse forme of thinges c. I answere First they falsely take that as spoken simply which is spoken respectiuely and by way of comparison touching the moste solemne yéerely sacrifice which was nowe abrogated when Christe was vpon the Altar of the Crosse Secondly if they attribute no more vnto the Fathers but the shadowes and doe spoyle them of the truth then surely they thinke y◠there was but small prouision made for their saluation and restoring For what shall wee thinke that any man can bee saued without the trueth Thirdly why doeth Paul attribute to vs Circumcision made without handes Col. 2. 11. and to the Fathers Baptisme and the spirituall meate and drinke 2. Cor. 1. 2 if the thing signified by the Sacrament be not common to the faithfull of both Testamentes For all men doe know that their signes and ours are not all one Lastlie what shall we say Augustine meant when hee did affirme that the Sacramentes of the Fathers and ours doe differ in the signes but are all one in substance But of these things we shall speake else where The latter part of the sixt verse Also my spirite shall stande in the middest of you feare not 4. Argument There is no cause why the taskemaisters and ouerseers of the Lordes worke shoulde bee discouraged with the feare of their enemies and the feeling of their owne infirmitie seeing that the spirite of God doeth stande in the middest of them The reason For the spirite of the Lorde is a spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding a spirit of counsell and strength a spirite of knowledge and feare of the Lorde But the holy spirite of the Esay 11. 2. Lorde will bee present with you Iewes whilest you are in building the Temple This minor proposition is grounded vppon his promise who is a God that cannot lie Wherefore you must goe forward stoutly in the holy worke and hope Tit. 1. 2. well of the successe My The same holy ghost is sometimes called the spirite of the Father sometimes the spirite of the sonne Whereby it is well proued that hee doeth procéede from the Father and the sonne as we shall hereafter declare Spirite Certayne taking the effectes for the cause doe thinke that it is to be vnderstood of the giftes of the holy Ghost But Christ vsing the same argument when hee was readie to goe to the Father promiseth his Disciples the holy Ghost which should be present with them and shoulde leade them into all truth Shall stande These wordes doe signifie presence and perpetuall helpe like as doeth that phrase To stande at any mans right hande Psalm 16. 8. In the middest of you Therefore the holy spirite is present by the presence of his grace with these onely to whome this thing was promised and giuen by the Father Of the holy spirite Aphor. 1. This worde Spirite Ruah Pneuma is sometime attributed to the creator sometime to the inuisible creatures This distinction is drawen from the cause and the effectes God is the cause and creator of all thinges The same is also a spirituall essence infinite eternall vncreated 2 When as the worde spirite is attributed to the creator it doth sometime signify the essence which is common to the thrée persons sometime the diuine nature of Iesus Christe sometime the person of the holy spirite according to these sayinges Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirite This may be vnderstoode of the same essence of God Rom. 1. 4. The Sonne of God being mightily declared according to the spirit of sanctification c. He setteth the spirite that is the Godheade of the worde against the flesh that is the humane nature which is in Christe Ephe 1. 13. You are sealed with that holy spirite of promise 3 The third person in the Godhead is the holy ghoste because hee is the essentiall power of God whereby all thinges are vpholden and the Church is sanctified The worde Spirite doeth signifie a worker and mouer not any qualitie in God 1. Cor. 12. 4. There are diuersities of giftes but one spirite ver 12. 4. For to one man is giuen the worde of wisedome by the spirit and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirite 4 The spirite is a substaunce or person distinguished from the father and the sonne by the note and marke of proceeding 1. Cor. 12. 11. But that one
which must be referred vnto th' office of his priest-hoode and Mediatorship and not vnto his princely authority There is also some ambiguitie in this phrase to deliuer vp the kingdome which in this place doth not signifie to put away and lay away the princely person and dignity but to approoue the office of mediation and intercession which Christ hath most faithfullie executed as hee shall manifestly declare 57. Lect. Aug. 15. 1580. Verse 24. In that day saith the Lord of hostes will I take thee O Zerubabell my seruaunt the sonne of Sealthiel saith the Lord I wil make thee as a signet because I haue chosen thee saith the Lord of hostes FOr instructions sake wee will handle in this oracle which is last in order not in excellencie of the mystery three things first what accompt we ought to make of this oracle sccōdly what we must thinke of the figure historie there-of thirdly what is the truth of this oracle I will intreat of the first pointe syllogisticallie The oracles which with-out al doubt doo come from God th' author there-of must be accompted most holy for God can-not lye Tit. 1. 2. Further-more his truth is the foundation of our faith for which cause Paul calleth faith periphraftically the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. But this oracle came from God for our prophet affirmeth thrise in this one verse that the Lorde of hostes spake it 1 We will here note first y◠the word who was partaker of y◠eternity of the father is the fountaine from whēce doo spring these oracles which God would haue to be declared to the fathers 2 Secondly that the holy sermons which cōtaine the interpretation of the oracles of God are most of all commended for the sanctifying of the name of God Therefore I conclude that thauthority of this oracle is holie The considering here-vpon serueth both for our instruction because if we be wise we learne nothing but that which God doth allow of and also for our consolation for our conscience cannot be quiet vnlesse it be certainely persuaded of the fauour of God Of the second thing namely of the figure and of the history there-of In this part wée must obserue two things A briefe discription of a person a most swéete promise where-by God did make glad the heauy heart of Zerubabell Of the discription of the person there be three members his name his father his adiunct where-of we will speake in order 1 His name was Zerubabell where-of we His name haue often-times spoken before Here let vs note thus much the God doth some-times speake vnto by name the whole Church company of his elect that most kindly as for example Esa 45. 1. Feare not because I haue redeemed thee I haue called thy name thou art my people Some-times hee speaketh vnto some one of the faithfull particularly * His sheepe heare his voice and hee calleth his sheepe by name hee leadeth them out Let vs therefore heare the voice of Christ Iesus who speaketh in vs by his holy spirit let vs receiue the same with a pure heart let vs reioice in heart that we haue this testimony of Gods fauour towarde vs. 2 His father was Sealthiel Wée will not His father stande about this man whose history all men know which study the holy scriptures as they ought Wee will rather vse that admonition which the Apostle setteth downe Heb. 12. 9. If we haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs we gaue them reuerence shall we not much more be in subiection to the father of spirits and we shall liue For they verely for a fewe daies chastened vs after their owne pleasure but hee chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holines Therefore let vs loue and feare with all our heart this father let vs readely and sincerely obey him and séeing that hee is our treasure let vs sanctifie his name 3 The adiunct My seruant Magistrates are the 3 The adiunct seruants of God first because they haue God to be their Lord and to rule them who is blessed and prince onely the king of kings and Lord of Lordes Therefore Princes do offend most gréeuouslie 1. Tim. 6. 15. when they doe not remember that they are men but thinke that they are equall with Psalm 9. 1◠God As it is said of the king of Tyre Eze. 28. 2. Beccause thine harte is exalted and thou hast saide I am God I haue fit in the seate of God in the middest of the Seas yet thou art but a man and not God and thou hast set thine harte as the harte of God c. Secondly because they must serue by his counsell Act. 13. 36. For Dauid when he had serued his time by the counsell of God he slept Psal 2. 11. Serue the Lord in feare and reioyce vnto him with reuerence Therefore if you respect God and his commaundements princes are neither frée frō making an accompt nor yet from lawes And let vs also remember that we also are made the seruauntes of God through his grace who hath called vs vnto the fellowship of the saintes and that most happilie for our parte séeing that we haue néede of such a Lorde as may cherishe and defend vs vnder the shadowe of his winges and leade vs into all trueth by his holie spirite Let vs therefore feare him and loue our fellow seruants and liuing wisely in the perfect way let vs bestowe the talant committed vnto vs by God well that when as we shall hereafter giue an accompt of our factorshippe and ministerie vnto the Lord we may heare that amiable voyce Well done good seruant thou hast bene faithfull ouer few things therefore shalt thou be appoynted ouer many thinges enter into the ioye of thy Lord. Mat. 25. Lect. 58. Aug. 15. The promise which was a medicine for sorrowe WHen as Zerubabell through the difficultie of the times was very sad sorrowfull God Greg. Wee shal easely bee comforted if amiddest the stripes which we suffer wee call to minde the faults which we haue done cheared him vp with this promise I will take thee vp I will set thee as a signet because I haue chosen thee sayth the Lord of hosts We will handle this promise according to the causes thereof 1 The forme of the benefite is ciuill authoritie wherein the gouernours must excell euen against their enimies will whereof Zerubabell had great store I will take thee vp that is I will lift thée vp and exalt thée The like thing is said of Dauid Psal 78. 70. He chose his seruaunt Dauid he tooke him from the sheepefoldes 1. Sam. 16. For Dauid was called e caula in aulam from the shéepe coates to the courte vnto the office of a prince Thou shalt be my signet that is most deare and in great estimation as pretious stones and signets vse to be Furthermore what thinges soeuer thou
man that walketh to prepare his Ier. 10 23. owne goinges * But that one and selfe same spirite worketh in vs all these thinges distributing them particularly as it pleaseth him For like as there is one body and it hath many members but all the members of one body albeit they bee many are but one body so likewise Christe that is that misticall body of the Church whose heade is Christe and whose members are the faithfull according to the diuersity of the members hath diuers functions the which that the members may execute rightlie and orderly they are furnished with gifts misteries and habilitie by the holie spirite who is one and the selfe same in the head and members Therefore wee are all baptized into one body by one spirite whether wee bee Iewes or Greekes whether wee bee bond or free and wee haue all drunke of one cuppe 1. Cor. 12. 11. 12. 13. into one spirite * Therefore do we so greatly reioyce because of this so great grace fauor of God which resteth vppon the immutable purpose of his will that throughlie weighing the greatnes stablenes and fruite thereof we doe not suffer the feeling of aduersity to pearce trouble vs to much Let vs not thinke that this was onely saide vnto the Apostles by Christe Iesus but vnto vs also But I say the truth vnto you it is expedient Ioh. 16. 7. for you that I goe hence for vnlesse I shall goe hence that coÌ„forter shall not come vnto you but if I shall goe hence I will send him vnto you Therefore let vs desire to be gouerned and raised vp by the holie spirite let vs consecrate our selues wholy vnto him and let vs most gladly suffer our selues to bee ruled and directed by him The meditating vpon the fourth benefite which is the gathering together and preseruation of the church ministreth vnto mee fruite of most excellent consolation We belieue the holie Catholike church the communion of sainctes being fullie persuaded that we also haue an entraunce by one spirite vnto the father seeing wee are no longer straungers and pilgrimes but fellow citizens with the sainctes and the housholde seruants of God being builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whose chiefe cornerstone is Christe Iesus * Ep 8. 19. 20. O wee most happie creatures whom our heauenlie father hath made meete to be partakers of the coÌ„dition estate of the sainctes in the light* and hath deliuered vs from the Col. 1. 12. 13. 14 power of darknes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his wel beloued sonne in whom wee haue redemption through his bloude that is remission of sinnes * And although as it becommeth good citizens to bee carefull for their common countrey so also it becommeth all the faithfull to haue an earnest care for the church which is their common countrey their duetifull and tender mother being carefull tender ouer them her children yet let them thus certainly persuade them-selues that the almighty God who in the time of Pharao Senacherib Antiochus Epiphan Dioclesian Julian the apostata of the florishing Antichristianisme did saue and defend most miraculously an holy seede namely a remnaunt of godly men will also in this last time bee present with his church to saue his and to iudge and punishe both the open and priuy enimies thereof Wee haue seene manie and that notable examples of the deliuerie and defense of the church and of certaine godlie men Wee haue also seene testimonies of the iust iudgements of God executed vpon tyraunts and false brethren who when they made manifest both by their words and writings that they were giuen vp into a reprobate minde some pined away through griefe of minde some hanged them-selues some broke their owne necks some of them came to their end by some other meanes being men which coÌ„demned them-selues and being their owne iudges The histories of Hoffmeisterus Latomus Crescentius and certaine other false brethren and enimies not much vnlike vnto these are well knowen The fift benefit is iustification If we truelie belieue the remission of sinnes that is if we be persuaded that our sinnes also are forgiuen vs why are we so much vexed with the feare of earthly miseries and dauÌ„gers If God bee on our side who is against vs How shall not he giue vnto vs al things with him which hath not spared his onlie sonne but hath giuen him for vs all Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who is hee that can condemne Christe is hee which died yea rather which was raysed vp againe who sitteth also at the righte Rom. 8. 31. 32. 33. 34. hand of God maketh intercession for vs. * We sinne I confesse oftener then we would being preuented with manifolde occasions of falling neither ought wee to make small accompt of the greatnes of sinne and of the wrath of God against the same yet let vs coÌ„fort our selues herein that we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the righteous for he is the propitiation for our sinnes * 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2. Hee came into this world that he might saue these sinners to whom he giueth grace to repent and to turne vnto him * 1. Tim. 1. 15. And although it bee an horrible thing and a spectacle by all meanes to bee lamented in this our time that the wrath of God is reuealed by so many meanes from heauen against al impiety vnrighteousnes of men as they which vnrighteously keepe backe the truth * that many are giuen ouer into a reprobate Rom. 1. â—8 minde a minde voide of all iudgement that certaine passing ouer Antichristianisme doe so rage against their fellow seruaunts and the standerd bearers amongst the people of God as if they might safely behold papistrie a farre of and to rage as enimies against their brethren were a glorious thinge for them that finally there is in the mindes of manie men no desire to knowe the truth as their wordes and deedes doe declare notwithstanding it standeth vs vppon to reuerence most reuerently the iudgemeÌ„ts of God most iust and most mighty to learne by the peruerse zeale and ruine of other men what wee ought to leaue vndone and what wee ought to do in feare trembling to worke Philip. 2. 12. out our saluation * to reioyce in our owne felicity and to ioyne the loue of the truth with the loue of our brethren For although seeing that clowdes and darknes are rounde about the Lord wee cannot see perceaue finde out the depth of his iudgmentes with the dazeling eyes of our minde yet is it certaine that righteousnes and iudgement are the foundation of his seate therefore must Psalm 97. 2. wee stay our selues reuerently vpon God being well pleased and vpon his iudgementes And when as wee are fullie persuaded in the Lord of our iustification assure our selues that wee are iustified freelie
Worde and the Sacramentes and to chaunge the Sacraments into idols to attribute greater efficacie vnto them then vnto the Worde For vnlesse the worde bee added vnto the element there shall be no sacrament Moreouer it is euident that the worde is sufficient if the sacrament bee wanting but not on the contrarie And nowe if in an vnbeleeuer the word of God be not effectuall what force shall the sacramentes haue in him Therefore let vs affirme that which is most true that the efficacie of the worde and sacramentes doeth depend vpon the will of God And that hee will haue faith to bee ioyned therewith in the right vse thereof And consequently that God who giueth not holy thinges vnto dogges will not haue the vnbeleeuers to bee made partakers of the truth of the word and sacraments aswell as the faithfull Therefore as blindnes hath not power to beholde the light nor deafenes to heare the words which are vttered neither numnesse of the lymmes to feele the qualities which are perceyued by touching but let and hinder men from perceyuing such obiectes so incredulitie which is the priuation of faith hath no greater force then the worde of God and the sacraments but yet notwithstanding it doeth so let and hinder the Infidels that they cannot bee made partakers of the internall worde and the substaunce of the sacrament For faith is such an instrumentall cause that without the same we cannot lay holde vpon the celestiall giftes As without eyes no man seeth without eares no man heareth without smelling no man smelleth without tasting no man discerneth tastes without touching no man toucheth any thing so without faith can no man see heare smell taste eat and finally touch Christ 3 Thirdly the instrumental cause is the ministers of the worde of God 2. Cor. 3. 9. For wee are Gods ministers 1. Cor. 3. 5. Therefore who is Paul or who is Apollos but the ministers by whome yee haue beleeued and as the Lorde hath giuen to euerie man Mat. 16. The Apostles the Lorde working with them preached in all places Mat. 16. Quest If such be the efficacie of the worde of God howe commeth it to passe that all men which heare the same doe not beléeue it Ans I answere that that commeth to passe by meanes hereof because it is not giuen to euerie one to knowe the misteries of the kingdome of God And for this cause it is not giuen to euerie man to know the misteries of the kingdome of God because all men are not of God Mat. 13. 11. Ob. That which is openly preached in the hearinge of all that is receiued of all men But the word of God is hearde as well of the vnfaithfull Iohn 8. 47. as of the faithfull which are present Therefore is it receyued as well of the one as of the other An. I answere there is a double fallacie in this argument In the maior proposition there is a Or a crauing o◠that to be granted which is chiefly in controuersie Or a fallacie grounded vpon the diuerse significations of one word fallacie called * petitio principii Secondly in this worde Hearde there is * fallaci aeqniuocationis and also in these words the worde of God The vnbeléeuers doe heare with their eares the externall worde of God but they doe not receyue into a pure hearte the seede of the internall worde Therefore that same externall worde is a testimonie against them But the faithfull doe heare the holy spirite inwardly beating into them and sealing vp in thē those thinges which the ministers doe outwardly teach and testifie forasmuch as this thing is giuen vnto them alone and not vnto the other 22. Lect. Id. Ianu. 1580. An answere vnto an argument whereby this may be reduced vnto an absurditie THerefore these men are not to bee blamed for their incredulitie which haue not the gifte of faith giuen them which is the acknowledging of the trueth séeing they are rather to be pitied then reprehended Ob. I argue thus Euerie man hath not faith 2. Tim. 3. 2. Therefore are the vnbeléeuers not to bee reproued for their incredulitie Solu I answere I denie the consequent My reason is because here is a fallacie in this that y◠is assigned to be a cause which is no cause The middle and next cause of incredulitie is left out namely the will of the vnbeléeuer beeing wrested and turned away from God and the blindnes and hardnes of mans hearte 2 Of the phrase To heare the worde of God and of the obedience of faith No man can heare the voyce of the Lorde vnlesse God doe open his holy mouth and speake vnto him 1 God is saide to speake sometimes without vsing any wordes when hee sendeth thunders and tempestes 1. Sam. 12. 11. The Lorde sent thunder and rayne Sometimes God is Psal 29. saide to speake in playne wordes as when hee called our first parents vnto iudgement * when Gen. 6. hee gaue the lawe in mount Synai Deut. 18. I cannot heare the voyce of the Lorde anie longer And agayne The Lorde spake vnto Exod. 20. Deut. 18. you out of the middest of the fire you heard the voyce of his wordes but sawe no similitude Deut. 4. 12. Math. 3. 17. saue a voyce And when hee bare witnesse of his onely begotten sonne * 2 It pleased him to speake vnto men sometime in his owne person sometime by some other Hée spake in his owne person that I may not repeat the former examples when he made this aunswere vnto our Lords Iesus Christe saying I haue both glorifyed it and will glorifie it agayne The author of the Epistle to the Ioh 12. 28. Hebrues doeth testifie that hee hath sundrie times spoken vnto his saintes by others God many times and diuerse wayes in tymes past spake vnto our fathers by the Prophetes in Heb. 1. 1. these last dayes hath he spoken vnto vs by his sonne * 3 Hée will haue vs no lesse to estéeme hys voyce and worde vttered by others then if he vttered the same himselfe Luk. 10. 16. Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that reiecteth you reiecteth me and he that reiecteth me reiecteth him that sent me Examples The Iewes hearing the voyce of Haggeus thought they hearde the voice of the Lord. And the men of Thessalonica béeing taught by Paul receyued the worde of God with a pure 1. Thes 2. 13. heart Ob. The efficient causes are not to bee mixed But you in attributing that vnto the secondarie cause which is proper to the principall cause doe mixe them You attribute that vnto the ministers which is proper to GOD namely the effectuall worde of God Ergo. Ans I answere vnto the minor proposition wherein is a fallacie a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter Forasmuch as this reason is grounded vpon that which is spoken respectiuely as if it were spoken simplie That thing is attributed vnto the externall ministerie in some respecte
kindes of curses these also must bee reckoned vp when the hope which men haue of their studies affaires is frustrate Iam. 4. 2. Yee lust and haue not ye enuie and haue indignation and cannot obtayne yee fight and warre and get nothinge because yee aske not Prayers made in vayne as the same Apostle telleth vs in the verse following Ye aske and haue not because ye aske amisse that yee may spende them vppon your lustes ver 3. 3. Labour bestowed in vayne It is in vaine to hast to rise vp earely and late to take rest and to eate the bread of sorrowe so shall hee giue his beloued sleepe Psal 127. 2. 4 And in verie deede that which is spoken concerning the haruest and vintage may well bee referred vnto other thinges also as vnto the studie of diuinitie and vnto the administration of the word of God The Lord in his iust iudgement doth accurse many so that seeing they wil not loue the trueth they are alwayes learning yet are they neuer able to come to the knowledge thereof For they preferre the opinion of men before the manifest worde of God and beeing addicted to heresie they become blinde deafe so that they can neither see nor heare these things which notwithstanding other men doe easilie see and heare and furthermore they fall to rayling as Galene saith verie truely The same opinion must we haue of the ministerie of certayne men and of their vaine labour whereby they profit no man For seeing that they seeke themselues and the glorie of this worlde they rage c. 53. Lect. 17. Iune 1580. Verse 28. I smote you with drought and meldewe all the workes of your handes and yee turned not vnto me saith the Lorde THis verse contayneth not onely a recitall of the causes of the former scarcitie wherewith the Lorde hath punished the Iewes but also a complaint of their stiffeneckednes which they did declare whenas they were not bettered though they were moued thereto by the miseries whereof they tasted Paul calleth this Hardnes and an heart that cannot repent Wee wil first handle the rehearsall of the causes secondly this notable question Whether Rom. 2. 5. aduersitie doeth make men better or no. The recitall of the causes This rehearsall of the causes comprehendeth in it selfe a treatie concerning meteores wherein wee must consider the causes and kindes of contrary tempestes The principall cause of such tempests is God who sometimes by the good temperature of the ayre and heauen doth blesse vs sometimes hee rayseth vp horrible tempestes and destroyeth the corne and making the ground either too dry or too moyst he doth send a curse vpon vs. Mat. 5. 45. Our heauenly Father maketh his sunne to rise vpon the bad and the good and hee sendeth rayne vpon the iust and the vniust Act. 14. 17. God hath not suffered himselfe to be without witnes in doing good giuing vs rayne from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hartes with meates and gladnesse But of the fearefull tempests of the aâ—re heauen whan it is troubled it is said Psal 29. 3. The voyce of the Lord is vpon the waters the God of glory maketh it to thunder c. Let vs therefore take no heede to these men which thinke that Deuils and their bondslaues magicians and witches are able to stirre vp teÌ„pestes Let vs rather thinke thus that the wicked spirits which are conuersant in the ayre and water dâ— forsee by the signes and causes tempests which are at hand and so they perswade witches to practise their deuillish charmes at that very instaâ—t when the tempeste ariseth One kinde of horrible tempest is hayle And hayle as Plinie in the second booke of his naturall historie chap. 60. doth witnes is a shower congealed which falleth oftener in the day time then in the night season and is sooner resolued De nat Deor. Lib. 30. then snowe And that which Cicero saith is false But the Gods doe not care for the smaller thinges neither doe they destroy the small fieldes and little vines of all men neither was it for Iupiter to take any heede to that if blasting or hayle haue hurt any thing neyther doe kinges regarde euerie small thing which is in their kingdome For both in this place and also in many other places of the holy scripture it is playnely affirmed that God doeth stirre vp and also appease tempests at his pleasure Psal 78. 47. Hee destroyed their vines meaning the Egyptians with hayle and wilde figge trees with the great hayle Hee gaue their cattle also to the halye and their possessions to the coales of fire Drought is called of the latines Vredo of the Gretians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby herbes trees vines are spoyled Plinie in his naturall historie writeth after this sort of diuers kindes of tempests Ante omnia autem duo genera caelestis iniuriae meminisse debemus c. And before all things we must speake of two sortes of iniuries which the heauen doeth One which weâ— call tempestes vnder which are comprehended haile stormes such like which wheÌ„ they chauÌ„ce it is called the greater violenâ—â— These proceede from the horrible starres as wee haue often times saide as from Arcturus Orion the Hoedi The other is the thinges which come to passe when the heauens are silent and when the nightes are faire which no man can perceyue vntill they bee done These thinges are common and doe much differ from the former which some call canker some blasting some the carbuncle but all barrennes Ruellius in his seconde booke of the nature Cap. 151. num 40. of stockes saith Plerique dixere c. Most men haue said that the dewe which is burnt with the whote sunne is the cause of canker in fruites and of the Carbuncle in Vynes which Plinie supposeth to be false in some respects and that all blasting commeth by colde onely and that the sunne doeth no hurt For first of all wee see that this thing happeneth onely in the night season and before the heate of the sunne and that it commeth to passe altogether by reason of the Moone because this hurt is done onely in the change and in the full of the Moone c. Robigo doth signifie both a feigned goddesse Or blasting whose feast was called Robigalia and also a maledie which happeneth to Corne. If any man bee disposed to reade of the thrée feastes of the Romanes which were called Robigalia vinalia Floralia let him reade amongest others bookes Plinie in the 18. booke of his naturall historie Cap. 29. Quest Whether doeth aduersitie make men better or no Ans I answere first by a distinction of men whereof some do loue God and some do not To those which loue God all thinges fall out for the best Therefore euen sufferings are vnto them Rom. 8. 24. instructions For they knowe and vnderstand that they are therefore iudged of God that they may not be condemned with the worlde 1.