thinges as we beleeue by gyuing vs light and vnderstandinge with internal ioye and consolatiō in beleeuing them And owtwardle he gyueth testimonie to the same with so manie conueniences probabilites and argumentes of credibilitis as Diuines doe call them that albeit the verie pointe of that which is belieued remaine still with some obscuritie to th' ende there may be place for our will and merite yet are there so many circumstances of likelihodes to induce a man to the beliefe therof ' as in all reason it may seeme against reason to denie or mistrust them This shall easelie appeare by the treatise following of Christ and Christianitie and of the foundations of our religion which shal be confirmed by so manie pregnant reasons and most manifest circústáces of euidét probabilitie as I doubt not but the zelous Christiá shall take exceedig cófort therin esteeme hymself happie to haue a lotteī that faith religion wher he shall see and feele so much reason proofe and conueniencie to concurre and shew it self for his satisfaction And to this effect it shal be of no meane moment that I haue proued before the certaintie diuinitie and infallible truth of the Iewes scriptures or old testament which writinges we hauing receaued frō that Nation that doth as it were professe enimitie against vs the same being writen so many ages before the name of Christianitie was knowen in the world it can not bee but of singuler authoritie what so euer shal be alleaged out of those recordes for our purpose And therfore as before in prouing our first principle that there is a God we vsed onlie the testimonie of such witnesses as could not be partial so muche more in this confirmation of Christian religion shall we stande onlie ether vpon the confessions of such as are our enimies or vpon the recordes of others who must needes be indifferent in the cause for that they liued before ether cause or controuersie in Christianitie was knowen or called in question My whole purpose shal be then to make manifest in this chapter that Iesus Christ was the Saueour and Redeemer of mankind fore-promissed and expected from the beginning of the world that he was the sonne of God and God him self and consequentelie that what so euer he hath lefte vs in his doctrine and religion is true and sincere the onlie waie of Saluation vpon earth For clearer proof and declaration wherof I will reduce what soeuer I haue to saye herein vnto three principal heades or braunshes according to th' order of three distincte tymes wherin they fell out that is to saye in the first place shal be considered the thinges that passed before the natiuitie or incarnation of Christ. In the seconde the thinges dōne and verified from that tyme vnto his ascension which is the space of his aboode vpon earth And in the third place such euentes shal be cōsidered as ensued for cōfirmatiō of his deitie after his departure In declaration of which three general poinctes I hope by th' asistance of hym whose cause wee handle that so many cleare demonstrations shal be discouered as shall greatelie cōfirme thie faith gentle reader and remoue all occasions of temptations to infidelitie Hovv Christ vvas fortolde to Ievve Gētile Sect. 1. FIrst then for such thinges as passed before Christ appeared in fleshe and doe make for proofe of our Christian religion it is to be noted that they are of two sortes or at least-wise they are to be taken from two kindes of people that is partelie from the Iewes and partelie frō the Gentiles For seing that Christ was appointed from the beginning yea before the world was created as S. Paul affirmeth to worke the redemption both of Iewe and Gentile and to make them both one people in the seruice of his father herehēce it is that he was fortold and presignified to both thes Nations diuers forwarninges were left among them both for stirring them vp to expect his comminge as by the considerations following shall nost euidentelie appeare AND TO beginne with Iewes no man can denie but that throughout the whole bodie and course of their scriptures that is from the verie beginning to the last ending of their old testament they had promissed to thē a MESSIAS which is the same thing that we call CHRIST that is to saye a person annointed and sent from God to be a Saueour a Redeemer a Pacifier of Gods wrath a Mediatour betwene God and man a Satisfyer for the sinnes offences of the world a Restorer of our innocencie lost in Paradise a Master an Instructour a Lawgyuer and finally a spiritual and eternal king that should sitt rule and reigne in our hartes to conquer the power and tyrannie of Satan that ouer-came our first parentes and assaileth vs daylie This is euident by the first couenant of all that euer God did make with man whē he said to Adā our first father in Paradise In vvhat daye so euer thou shalt eate of the tree that is forbidden thou shalt die Which couenaunt being after broken on the parte of our said progenitour he receaued his iudgement but yet with a most benigne promisse of redemptiō for the tyme to come for thus God said to the deuil or serpent that had deceaued hym The seede of the vvoman shal crushe thy head thou shalt lye in vvayte to hurt his heele That is one shall proceede in tyme of the seede of the woman who shall cōquer death sinne that are thy weapons and shall not care for thy tēptatiōs but shall treade them vnder his feete this shal be Christ the Messias of the world Thus did not onlie the eldest Iewes and Rabbines vnderstād this place what so euer the latter haue dreamed that there Messias should be only a tēporal kīg but also the old Chaldie paraphrase named Thargum Hierosolymitanum expoūdeth it plainlie ī thes wordes applīed vnto the deuil that had deceaued Adam They haue a certaine and present remedie against the o deuil for that the tyme shall come vvhen they shall treate the dovvne vvith their heeles by the helpe of Messias vvhich shal be their kinge The same thing is confirmed by the verie same promise seuen tymes repeated and established vnto Abraham that liued verie neare two thousand yeares after Adam and againe to Isaac his sonne after hym In 〈◊〉 tuo benedicentur omnes gentes terrae All nations of the earth shal be blessed in thy seede Which had bene in deede but a verie small benediction to Abraham or to other Iewes after hym that neuer saw this Messias actuallie if he had bene onlie to be a temporal king And much lesse blessing had it bone to Gentiles and other nations if this Messias of the Iewes must haue bene a temporal and worldlie Monarche to destroye and subdue them to the seruitude of Iurie as fondlie thes later teachers of that nation doe
Peter was sent vnto him for his instruction and establishment in right faith I adioined moreouer that ther being two parts of Christiā diuinitie the one Theorike or speculatiue belonging principally to knowledge discours and beleefe the second called practique or actiue appertaining cheefly to action and execution the first is more easy and common then the second bicause it is more easy to know then to doe to discourse then to worke to beleeue as we ought then to liue as we should and the things that a man hath to beleeue are fewer then the things he hath to doe learned in shorter time and with lesse difficultie thé the other are executed Euen as we see by experience that a breefe Cathechisme instructeth a man sufficiently in his faith but al the bookes and sermons that we can read and heare can not persuade the least part of men to performe so much in life as by their vocation is required For which cause I said that both our Saucour and his Apostles did treate much more in their speaches and writings of things to be done then of things to be known of vertuous liuing then of right beleeuing The like I saied of Holie fathers and Doctours in the Church after them as it may be sene in their homilies sermons exhortations treatises commentaries and expositions For this cause I saied also that I had chosen to say some thing of this second part of Christian diuinitie appertaining to manners and direction of life allotting to my self three principal pointes to be handled therin and to be treated in three seueral bookes The first wherof to conteine the reasons and motiues which may stir vp a Christian man to make a firme and sound resolution The secōd to prescribe the particular meanes how a man without errour may put in vre and practise his resolution made The third to declare certaine helpes and instructions wherby to be able to perseuer vnto the end The first of thes bookes was then set downe and published The secōd and third vpon necessarie causes were deferred for a time And this is the summarie of al that was writen in my former preface and Induction suppressed now by M. Buny for meere conscience sake as he protesteth Wherin notwithstanding I doe not easilie see what may be accompted either so heinous or intollerable as his scrupulous conscience should be a fraide to let the same passe vnto the readers eare except it were for that in a certaine aduertisement I desired eche Catholique to pray for our persecutours or for that perhaps in the lines before repeated I doe affirme faith and beleef to be more common and easy then vertuous life which notwithstanding I thinke many Protestants in England wil confesse to be true and wil easilie proue the same by the liues and actions of their own preachers and ministers So much then for this now let vs behold how M. Buny hath set foorth the same booke with his purgation of M. Bunis edition M. Buny hauing taken this booke into his correction as also into my Lord Archbishop of Yorke his protection geueth it this title A booke of Christian exercise c. Perused and accompanied vvith a treatise tending to pacification by Edm. Buny And vnder the title he writeth this sentence of scripture IESVS Christ yester day and to day and the same for euer The misterie why he set thes wordes ther him self alone as I thinke vnderstandeth and hard it were for other men to coniectare If he had taken the wordes immediatly following in the same sentence of S. Paul they had bene more cleare if not more also to the purpose For they ar thes Be not caried avvay vvith variable and strange doctrines But let vs permit M. Buny to folow his kinde The holie fathers that write against auncient heretiques doe note it for an old tricke of thos companions to delight them selues and deceue others with obscure places of scripture And S. Peter expresly signifieth of the same men that principally they vsed to take the said obscure sentences out of S. Paul whence this by M. Buny is also cited And this for the first page In the next page he placeth my Lord of Yorkes armes accompanied with a paire of goodly crosse keyes and a croune set ouer thé Vnder which he writeth two latin verses that say thus much in English Thes armes haue bene noble in times past by ancient gentry and commendation of learning but novv they are made more noble by the honour of Peter adioined vnto them So that now as ye see it is both good doctrine and very commendable in my Lords grace of Yorke to clame both keyes croune from Peters seat which in the Byshop of Rome is made so hainous and so bitterly inueighed against daily After the armes insueth the dedication of the whole booke treating of mortification and contempt of the world vnto his good Lordship The reason of which dedication M. Buny vttereth in thes wordes For that hauing had saieth he so longe experience of the vvorld as your Lordship haue very liklihood teacheth that needes you must grovve more and more from the loue therof And it is sufficiently knovvn vnto al that hauing found this mercy your self you haue in like sort in this long course that God hath geuen you much called on others to doe the like In which wordes we see that touching the first pointe of my Lords wearines of this world M. Buny proueth it very slenderly by a bare likelihood only Albeit in the second of his Graces calling vpon others to like mortification he alleageth the commō and sufficient knowledge of al wherunto in reason eche man must yeld And in truth I haue heard how ther want not of diuers sortes and sexes also who can witnesse by experience of my Lordes good mortification and how hotely he hath poursued them of late for such affaires and therfore no doubt but that this booke was very fitly dedicated to his Lordships protection After the epistle dedicatorie vnto my Lord ther foloweth a preface to the reader wherin M. Buny saieth That by the litle that he hath bestovvedin the studie of schole men he vvil perceaueth that this booke vvas gathered out of them vvho liuing in the corrupter time of the Church as he speaketh did most of al by that occasion treate of reformation of life vvhen as others vvere rather occupied in controuersies To which I answer that by the litle which M. Buny here vttereth he sheweth him self scarse worthy to be my Lord Archbishops chaplaine albeit to that dignitie much learning be not required for that whosoeuer shal looke vpon the homilies sermons commentaries and other workes of S. Ambrose Augustin Gregorie Maximus Bede Bernard Anselme and other that were not scholemen and shal compare the same touching exhortation and instruction to good life With the questions distinctions speculations and subtilties of Peter Lumbard
could not be donne by beastes or vnreasonable creatures euē so in the vew and consideration of this world If we cast our eyes vpon the heauens we remaine astonished with the miracles that we behold but who made them we see the skyes of exceedīg huge highenes distinguished with colours and bewtie most admirable adorned with starres and planetes innumerable and thes so qualified with theyr diuers and different and vnequal motiōs as albeit they neuer moue or goe together yet doe they neuer gyue lett or hynderance th' one to th' other nor chāge there course out of order or season Quis enarrabit caelorum rationem concentum caeli quis dormire faciet Who is able to declare the reason of thes heauēs or who can make cease or sleepe the vniforme course of theyr motion saith God to Iob As who would say that because no man or mortal creature can doe this therfore may we imagine of what power and perfection their maker is Which king Dauid had donne when he pronounced caeli enarrant gloriam Dei opera manuum eius annunciat firmamentum The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament doth preache the workes of his handes vnto vs. If we pull downe our eyes from heauen to earth we behold the same of an infinite bignesse distinguished with hills and dales woodes pastures couered with all varietie of grasse herbes flowers and leaues moistened with riuers as a bodie with veines inhabited by creatures of innumerable kindes and qualities inriched with inestimable and endeles treasures and yet it self standing or hanging rather with all this weighte and poise in the middest of the ayer as a litle balle without proppe or pillar At which deuise and most wonderful miracle God hym self as it were glorying said vnto Iob. VVhere vvere thou vvhen I layed the foundations of th' earth Tell me if thou haue vnderstanding vvho measured it out or drevv his lyne vpon the same VVheruppon are fastened the pillars of his foundation or vvho layed the first corner stone therof If we looke nether vp nor downe but cast our countenance onlie a side we espie the sea on eche hand of vs that invironeth rounde about the lande A vaste crcature that conteineth more wonders theu mans tongne can expresse A bottemlesse gulfe that without running ouer receaueth all riuers which perpetuallie doe flow A resteles fight turmoile of waters that neuer repose netherday nor night A dreadful raging and furious elemēt that swelleth and roareth threateneth the lade as though it would deuoure it all at once And albeit in situation it be higher then the earth as the philosopher sheweth doe make assaultes daylie towardes the same with most terrible cries and waues mounted euen to the skie yet when it draweth neere to the lande and to his appointed borders it stayeth vpon the suddaine though nothing be there to let it is inforced to recoile backe againe mur muring as it were for that it is not permitted to passe any further Of which restrainte God asketh Iob this question VVho hath shutt vp the sea vvith gates vvhen he breaketh forth in rage as from his mothers vvombe Wherunto no man being able to gyue answer God ansuereth hym self in thes wordes I haue limited hym vvith my boundes I haue set hym both a dove and a barre and haue said vnto hym hytherto shalt thou come and shalt not passe further here shalt thou breake thie svvelling vvaues This in summe is of thinges without vs. But if we should leaue thes and enter to seeke God within our owne selues whether we consider our bodies or our soules or any one parte therof we shall finde so manie straūge thinges or rather so manie seas of miracles and wonders that preach and teach their maker vnto vs as we shall not onlie perceaue and see God most euidentlie but rather as a certaine old heathen hath writen we shall feele and handle hym in his workes Which kinde of speech also S. Paul hym self doubteth not to vse affirming that God hath geuen space to euery man in this life to seeke hym siforte attractent cum aut inueniat if perhappes they would handle hym or finde hym oute Which maner of wordes doe siguifie that by consideration of gods creatures and especiallie of the wonders in man hym self we may come to see and perceaue the Creator so cleerlie that in a sorte we may be said to feele and handle hym So iointelie doe all thinges concurre to the manifestatiō of their maker So manifestelie and effectuallie doe they teach and demonstrate and painte out God vnto vs nothing being so lyttle that declareth not his greatnes nothing so greate which acknowdlegeth not his soueraitie nothing so low that leadeth vs not vp to behold his maiestie nothing so highe that descendeth not to teach vs this veritie It were a labour without ende to goe about in this place to alleage what might he saide in the profe of this principle that there is a God seing there was neuer yet learned man in the world ether Gentile or other that acknowledged and confirmed not the same being dryuen therunto by the manifest euidencie of the truth it selfe If you obiect against me Diagoras Protagoras Theodorus Cyrenensis Bion Borysthines Epicurus and some few others that were open Atheistes denied God I answer that some of thes were vtterly vnlearned and rather sensual beastes then reasonable men and consequentlie might deny any thing according to the saying of holie Dauid the foole said in his hart there is no God Others that had some smacke of learning rather iested at the falshode of their owne Panisme idoles then denied the being of one true God But the most parte of thes mē in deede and such others as in old tymes were accompted Atheistes denyed not God so much in words as in life factes such as S. Paul called Atheistes in his dayes that obeyed their bellies and followed their pleasures in sinne sensualitie not vouchsafing to thinke of God in this life such was the Epicure and manie other are at this daye of his profession but yet as Lactantius well noteth when the same men came to be sober speake of iudgement as at their death or other tyme of distresse and miserie they were as redye to cōfesse God as any other what soeuer But for learned men and people of diseretion sobrietie and iudgement there was neuer yet any were he Iewe or were he Gentile that doubted in this veritie but had meanes of probation to confirme the same as more particulerlie in the rest of this chapter shal be declared Hovv the heathens proued there vvas a God Sect. 2. AMONG the Gētiles or heathē people those men were all wayes of most credite and estimation that professed the loue of wisdome for that respect were termed philosophers Who being deuided into diuers sortes sectes
all others in those first tymes of simplicitie and sinceritie were in parte translated into diuers liguages before the Monarchie of the Persians that is before any storie of the Gentiles were writen as Eusebius out of manie heathen authours declareth NEXT TO the reason of antiquitie is alleaged the manner of wryting authorising cóseruing thes scriptures which is such as greatelie cōfirmeth the certaintie of thinges conteyned therin For first what soeuer is sett downe in these wrytinges was ether taken immediatelie frō the mouth of God as were the propheties and bookes of the law or els collected from tyme to tyme by general consent according as matters miracles sell out as were the booke of iudges the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles and some other that conteine recordes and histories of tymes Which bookes were not gathered by some one priuate man vpon hearsaye or by his owne imagination longe after thinges donne as heathen histories and other prophane recordes monumtes are but they were writen by general agreement in the self same dayes when thinges were in sight and knowledge of all men and so could not be seigned Secondlie when bookes were writen they were not admitted into the canon or authoritie of scriptures that is of gods worde or diuine writinges but vpon great deliberation and most euidēt proof of their vndoubted veritie For ether the whole cōgregatió or Synagoge who had th' approuing here of and among whom commonlie were diuers prophetes did know most certainlie the thinges and miracles to be true as did also the whole people that were recorded in thes writinges conteining histories or els they saw the same confirmed frō God by signes and wonders as in the bookes of their prophetes of their-law gyuer Moises it fell out Thirdlie when anie thing was writen and admitted for scripture the care of cōseruation therof was such and the reuerence of Iewes therunto so great as may easilie assure vs that no corruption or alteration could happen vnto it For first the thig was copied out into twelue Autentical Copies for all the twelue tribes and then againe in euerie tribe ther were so manie Copies made as were particuler synagoges within that tribe All was donne by special Notaries Scribes ouerseers and witnesses The Copies after diligent renewe taken were layde vp by the whole Cōgregatiō in the treasure-howse of the temple vnder diuers lockes and keyes not to be touched but by men appointed nor to be vsed but with singuler reuerence To adde diminish corrupt or alter was present death by the lawes of the Nation And how then was it possible sayeth the Iewe that among thes writinges ether falshode should creepe in or truth once receaued could afterwardes be corrupted It is not possible sayeth he in reason and therfore obserueth he an other thing in this case which ī truth is of verie great consideration to witt that no other Nation vnder heauē did euer so much esteeme their owne writīges that they would offer to die for the same as the Iewes were redieto doe for euerie sentēce and syllable of their scriptures Wherof also it did proceede that in all their miseries and afflictions wherin they were a spectacle to all the world in all their flightes and banishementes to Egipt Babylon Persia Media and other corners of the earth in all their spoiles assaults and deuastations at home they yet euer had special care to conserue these writinges more then their owne lyues and so haue kepte the same without may me or corruptiō more ages together then all Nations in the world haue donne any other monumentes THE THIRD persuasion which is vsed by the Iewe for the veritie of his scriptures is the consideration of the particuler men that wrote them who were such as in reason can not be suspected of decept or falshod For as I haue said the Stories of the Byble were writen from tyme to tyme by publique authoritie and by the testimony of all men that saw and knew the thinges that are rehersed The bookes of propheties were endited by the prophetes them selues who were plaine simple and sincere mē authorized from God by continual miracles and yet so scrupulous and timerous of their owne speeches as they durst say nothing but only our Lord saith this the God of Hostes commaundeth that c. And when they had preached and reade their writinges in the hearinge of all the people they protested that it was not mans worde but gods and that for such they left it in the publique treasurie of their Nation vntill by tracte of tyme th' euent and fulfilling of their propheties should proue thē true as alwayes it did and their owne both liues and deathes declare that they meant no falshode their liues being such as were not subiect to the corruption pride vanitie or ambitiō of this life as other prophane and heathen writers were and their deathes for the most parte offered vp in holie martirdome for defence of that truthe whiche they had preached writen as appeareth in Esay that was sawed in peeces by kīg Manasles in Ieremie that was stoned to death by the common people in Ezechiel that was slayne by the capitaine of the Iewes at Babylō in Amos whose braines were beaten oute by Amasias the wicked idolitrous priaest in Bethel in Micheas whose necke was broken by prince Ioam sonne to kinge Achab in Zacharie that was slaine at th' Aulter and the lyke And this for the Prophetes of later tymes amōg the Iewes But now if we cōsider the first Prophete of all that wrote among that people I meane Moyses that was not only a Prophet but also an Historiographer a Law giuer a Captaine and a Prieste the first that euer reduced that people to a common wealth and the first that putt their actes gestes in writing or rather th' actes and gestes of almightie God towardes them this man I say if we cōsider hym onlie I meane the circūstances of his person the Iewe thiketh this a sufficiēt motiue to make anie mā of reason beleeue what so euer he hath lefte writen in the Bible without further confirmatiō And first for his antiquitie I haue spokē before and the heathēs doe confesse it for miracles donne by hym the greatest ennemies that euer he had in the world that is Appiō in his fowerth booke agaīst Iewes and Porphirie in his fowerthe booke agaīst Christiās d ee acknowledge them and Porphirie adioyneth more for proofe therof that he fownde the same cōfirmed by the storie of one Saconiathō a Gentile who liued as he saith at the same tyme with Moyses But what all those miracles say they were donne by artemagicke not by the power of God as Moyses boasted But thē asketh thē the Iew wher Moises a shepheard could learne so much magick or why could not the Magitians of Pharao whose studie was in that profession from their infancie ether doe the
the sonne of Barachias Wherof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies tyme a hundred years after Esay the secoÌ„d liued fowers kore years after that againe in the dayes of pari ' as by the beginig of his prophetie appeareth and yet both as you see were distinctely named by Esay so long before And whereas this booke of Esay was pronouÌ„ced opeÌ„lie to the people as other propheties also were and published into manie thousand handes before the captiuitie of Babylon fellowt and then carried also with the people and dispersed in Chaldea other partes of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgerie in this matter for that all the worlde both sawe it and redde it manie yeares before the thing came to passe yea when there was no opinioÌ„ of suche possibilitie The same captiuitie and destruction of Ierusalem by the Babyloniens was prophetied by Ieremie a hundred yeares after Esay and a litle before the matter came to passe Yea whiles the Babylonians were aboute the walles of Ierusalem and besieged the same for two yeares together Ieremie was within and tolde euerie man that it was but in vaine to defende the Citie sor that God had now deliuered it And albeit he were accompted a traitour for so speaking especiallie when by an armie of Egipt that came to th' ayde of Ierusalem froÌ„ Pharao the siege of Babylonians was raised for a certaine tyme yet Ieremie continued still his asseueration and said to Zedechias the king thou shalt be deliuered into the handes of the king of Babylon And to the people haec dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec ciuitas c. this sayeth our Lord this Citie most certainlie shal be deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians And so he continued notwithstanding he were putt in prison and whipt threatened daylie to be hanged vntil in deed the Citie was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out his children slaine before his face and all other thinges perfourmed which Ieremie had prophotied and fortolde them before And which is yet more maruelous Ieremie dyd not onelie fortell the particulers of this captiuitie but also the determinate tyme how longe it should indure sayinge And all this land of Jurie shal be into vvildernesse and astoniednesse and all this people shal serue the kinge of Babycon for threescore and ten yeares and vvhen three scare and ten yeares shal be complete I vvill visite vpon the kinge of Babylon and vpon that NatioÌ„ sayeth our Lordo and I vvill lay the same into aeternal desolation Eut vpon Iuda vvill I cast my pleasant eyes and vvil bringe them backe to this land againe c. In which prophetie is conteined first the particuler tyme how longe this captiuitie should indure Sechdlie the destruction of Babylon and of that Monarchie by the Persians and thirdlie the returning home of the Iewes againe which three thinges to haue bene after fulfilled not onelie Esdras that liued at that tyme and was an actor in perfourmaunce of the last but all other heathen writers besides doe recorde and testifie And this prophetie of Ieremie was so famous and certainlie beleeued amongest all the Iewes in the tyme of their captiuitie as when the daye of expiration drew neare Daniel writeth thus of hym selfe In the first yeare of Darius I Daniel vnderstoode in the scriptures the number of the seueÌ„tie yeares vvherof God spake to Ieremie that they should be fulfiled touching the desolation of Ierusalem and I turned my face to my Lord God and besoght hym in fasting and sakcloth c. Mother onelie the Iewes vnderstoode and beleeued this prophetie but euen Cyrus hym self that was a GeÌ„tile gaue full credit ther vnto therby was iuduced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by his owne wordes and proclamation sett downe by Esdras that executed the same by his deedes also in restoring home the Iewes and rebuilding their temple at his owne great charges as all historiographers of the heathens doe confesse I might here alleage infinite other examples and make no ende if I would followe the multitude of propheties which are dispsed throughout the whole scripture I might shew how Daniel fortolde to Balsasar king of Babylon in the myddest of his triuÌ„phe and in the hearing of all his peeres the destruction which in sned vpon hym the verie same night after I might alleage how the same Daniel in the first yeare of Darius the Median in the beginning of that second Monarchie of Medians and Persians fortolde how manie kinges should regine after in Persia how the last who was the fowerth after hym his name also Dariê° should fight against the GraeciaÌ„s be ouercome by a GraeciaÌ„ king which was AlexaÌ„der and how that kingdome also of Greece should be deuided torne in peeces after Alexanders death and not passe to his posteritie as Iustine and other heathen writers doe testifie that it was by Antigonus Perdiccas Seleucus Antiochus Ptolomaeus and other Captaines of Alexander that deuided the same among them selues aboue a hundred yeares after Daniel was deade I might declare how the same Daniel forsawe and fortolde the fower greate Monarchies of the world and described the same as distinctelie as if he had liued in them all and as by experience we finde since to be true I might alleage the particuler descriptioÌ„ of the fight betwene Darius and Alexander sett downe by Daniel vnder the names of the greate Ramme the fearce Goate with one horne which Goate hymself interpreteth to be meant of a Graecian kinge that should conquer the Persians And therfore Alexander as Iosephus reporteth comming to Ierusalem about a huÌ„dred yeares after and reading this prophetie of Daniel interpreted vnto hym by Iaddus the highe priest assured hym self that he was the man therin signified and so after sacrifice doÌ„ne to the God of Israel of whom he affirmed that he had appeared vnto hym in Macedonie had exhorted hym to take this warre in hand and after he had bestowed much honour and manie benefits vpon the highe priest and inhabitans of Ierusalem he went forward in his warre against Darius with greate alacritie and had that famous victorie which all the world knoweth A hundreth such propheties more which are as plaine as euident and as distincte as this I might alleage of Elias Elizaeus Samuel Dauid Ezechiel the twelue lesser prophetes and of other which I haue not named And in verie truth the whole scripture is nothing els but a diuine kynde of bodie replenished throughout with the vital spirit of prophetie and euerie daye some prophetie or other is fulfilled though we marke it not and shal be to the worldes ende And the miracle of this matter is yet more increased if we consider what manner of people they were for the moste parte by whome thes propheties of hydden thiges were vttered to witt not such men as
compasse of denial or coÌ„tradiction And truly no one thing in al this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of his being the true Messias then that Iohn Baptiste whos wisdome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessed and recorded by the writings of al our aduersaries should refuse the honour of Messias offred to hym self and lay it vpoÌ„ Iesus as also should direct thos disciples that depended of hym to the only folowing and embrasing of Iesus doctrine Which is most euideÌ„tly prooued that he did for that fo so many folowers and disciples as hym self had no one appeared euer after that was not a ChristiaÌ„ WHEN Iesus was baptised he beganne to preache his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of his Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tended all to this one ground and principle thou shalt loue thy Lord vvith all thy soule and thy neyghbour as thy self It was plaine easie perspicuous and euideÌ„t though it treated of most high mysteries It had nether poÌ„pe nor pride of Rhetorical wordes nor flattering of mans wickednes as the doctrine of manie Philosophers had Neither consisted it of vnpro ficable externall ceremonies is the later obseruations of the Iewishe laye did nor was it fraught with carnalitie and spirit of this world as the Turkishe Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicitie all was spirit all was trueth all was honestie all was humilitie all was charitie It tooke awaye or disanulled no one perfecte or spirituall point of Moyses lawe but rather reuiued interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For wheras that commannded external obseruance this added also internall obedience Whereas that said loue your frieÌ„des this adioyned loue also your enemies Wheras that commaunded we should not kill this further commaundeth to speake no angrie wordes Wheras that prohibeted to committ actual adulterie this also forbiddeth to couet in minde Wheras that said take no interest or vsurie of a Iewe that is thy couÌ„trie-man this saieth take it of no man what soeuer Wheras that accoumpted euerie Iewe only to be thy neyghbour this teacheth euery person liuing to be thy brother Wheras that taught thee to offer vp a calse or a sheepe or an oxe for thy finnes this instructeth thee to offer vp a contrite harte in the blood of hym that died for all with a firme purpose of amendement of life And finallie this doctrine tendeth whollie to the true sincere perfect seruice of God thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to th' exaltatioÌ„ of his onlie name power goodnes and glorie to the depression of mans pride by discouering his miserie to the contempt of this world and vaine pompe therof to the mortification and subdueing of our sensuall appetit to the true loue and vnfeigned charitie of our neighbour to the stirring vp of our spirit to celestiall cogitations to peace of conscience tranquilitie of mynde puritie of bodie consolation of our soule And in one word to reduce mankvnd againe to a certaine estate of innocencie simplicitie and Angelicall sanctitie vpon earth with his eye fixed onlie in th' eternall inheretaunce of Gods kingdome in heauen THIS was the doctrine deliuered by Iesus which is the same that Gods Prophets fortolde should be deliuered by the Messias And as for his life and conuersation by the testimony of his greatest aduersaries it was more admirable then his doctrine his life being a most liuely table wherin the perfection of al his doctrine was expressed A man of such grauitie as neuer in his life he was noted to laugh of such humilitie as being the sonne of God he scarse vsed in this world the dignitie of a seruaÌ„t of such sweet and mylde behauiour as al the iniuries of his ennemies neuer wreested from him one angry word Finally he was such an one as he was described by Esaie so many ages before he was borne in thes wordes he shal not crye nor contend nor shal any nan heare his voice in the streete he shal not crush a broken reade nor tread out a litle flaxe that lieth smoking on the grounde And an other Prophet not long after hym brake foorth into this speech vpoÌ„ consideratioÌ„ of the behaueour that should be in the Messias Reioyse thou daughter of Sion trjumphe thou daughter of Ierusalem for beholde thy king shal come vnto the thy iust sauiour he is poore and humble c. And as thes Prophets did foretel the vertue sanctetie of the Messias so the deuils theÌ„ selues could not but confesse the same to haue bene fulfilled in the person of Iesus as is most euident by the testimony of Porphyrie a professed enemie of the Christian name Who after consideration of diuers Oracles vttered by his Idoles touching Iesus he breaketh into this confession It is exceeding vvonderful vvhat testimonie the Gods doe gyue of the singuler pietie and sanctitie of Iesus for vvhich they auovvch hym revvarded vvith iÌ„mortalitie but yet thes ChristiaÌ„s are deceyued in calling him God Thus muche writeth Porphyrie And last of al Iosephê° the Iewe that was borne imediatlie after hym writeth of hym thus Ther vvas at this tyme one Iesus a vvise man if it be laufull to cal hym a man a vvorker of most vvonderful miracles and a Maister and teacher of al such men as vvillingly vvere content to embrase the truth IN WHICH testimonie of Iosephus we see mention also of Iesus miracles which is the next thing wherof we are to consider And as Iosephus in this place being a Iewe beareth witnes that Iesus performed many straunge miracles so most apparantly and according to the interpretation of Iosephus in this place were the same miracles fortolde by the Prophetes of God that they should be done by the true Messias So Esaie in his 35. chapter describeth at large how the Messias at his coming shal declare his commission by gyuing sight to the blind hearing to the deafe speech to the dombe agilitie of body to the Lame CrippleÌ„ And that which is more maruailous God reuealed this point very particularly to the Gentiles by the Sibyles among who one of them wrote thus of Christ to come as Lactantius recordeth He shal doe al by his only vvord he shal cure al infirmities he shal raise the dead he shal make the lame to runne skippe the deafe shal heare the blind shal see the dombe speake In fiue loaues and tvvo fishes fiue thousand persons shalve satisfied and the fragmentes shal fil tvvelue baskets to the hope of many He shal commande the vvindes and vvalke vpoÌ„ the furious sea vvith his feete of peace And after diuers other greeke verses to this purpose she coÌ„cludeth in thes wordes MeÌ„ shal saie that I am a madde and lying Prophetesse but vvhen at thes things shal come to passe then remember mee for then shal no man say more that I vvas a liar but rather the
him self and the rest most euident to all the worlde as dōne in publique before infinite witnesses Neither is it possible they could be forged for that as in the like I haue noted before it had bene most easye to haue refelled them and therby to haue discredited the whole proceedings of Christian religion in thos first beginnings As for example if the miracle of Peters deliuery forth of the handes and prison of Herod Agrippa had any way bene to be touched with falsehood how many would ther haue bene of Herodes Officiers Courtiars seruantes or friends that for defence of their Princes honour so deeply tainted by this narratiō of S. Luke published not lōg after the thig was dōne how many I say would haue offred them selues to refuce and disgrace the writer therof hauing so pregnant meanes by publike recorde to doe the same So againe wheras the same Luke reporteth of his owne knowledge that in a Citie of Macedonie named Philippi S. Paul Silas after many miracles dōne were whipped and put in prison with a diligēt guarde in the lowest prison of al their feete locked fast in stockes of tymber and that at midnight when Paul and Silas beganne to pray the whole prison was shaken and all the dores throwen open as also the gyues not only of thos two but of al the other prisoners vpon a sudaine burst in sunder that therupon not only the Iayler cast him self at the feete of Paul but the Magistrates also who the daie before had caused them to be whipt came and asked them pardon and entreated them to depart from their Citie This storie I say if it had bene false ther needed no more for consutatiō therof but only to haue examined the whole Citie of Philippi which could haue testified the contrary And yet amongst so many aduersaries eager impugners of Christian religiō as Gods enemie stirred vp in the primatiue Church of all sortes and sectes of people no one euer appeared that durst attempt to take in hand the particuler improouing of thes or the like miracles but rather confessing the factes sought alwayes to discredite them by other sinister calumniations namely and commonlie that they were wrought by the deceits and sleights of art magike Thus said the Iewes of the miracles of Iesus and so said Iulian th' Apostata of the wonderful straunge thinges done by S. Peter and S. Paul affirming them to haue bene the most expert in Magike of any that euer liued and that Christ wrote a special booke of that profession and dedicated the same to Peter and Paul wher as notwithstanding it is most euident that Paul was a persecutour diuers yeares after Christ departed One Hierocles also wrote a booke wherin he feigneth Appolonius Tyanaeus to haue done the like miracles by Magicke which Christ and his Apostles did by diuine power And finally it is a general opinion that both Nero and Iulian gaue them selues so extremely to the studie of that vaine science as no men euer did the like vpon emulation onely of the miracles done in Rome by Peter and Paul when Nero liued and by other Saintes disciples in the time of Iulian. But what was the ende Plinie that was a Pagane writeth thus of Nero that as no man euer laboured more then he in that science so no man euer left a more certaine testimonie of the maruailous exceeding vanitie therof The like in effect writeth Zosimus of Iulian albeit him self a malitious heathen And if it were not writen yet their seueral extraordinarie calamities and most miserable deathes which by al their Magike they could not forsee doth sufficiently testifie the same vnto vs especially the last words of Iulian Vicisti Galilae vicisti Thou hast woune ô Galilaean thou hast gotten the victorie Acknowleging therby as well the truth of Christs miracles and of his folowers as also the vanitie follie and madnes of his owne endeuours Thus then went foreward Christs Apostles and preached him euery wher throughout the world Domino cooperate sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis that is as S. Marke affirmeth Our Lord Iesus working with them confirming their preaching by signes miracles In respect of which benigne assistance of Iesus in their actions S. Luke saieth further they dealt most confidently in our Lord his vvord of grace giuing testimonie to their doinges and shevving forth signes and most prodigious vvonders hy their handes No pers cution no terrour no threats of enemies no difficultie or daunger that might occurre could staie them from their course of setting foorth Christs name and glorie And they were so assured of the truth by the inward illuminations which they had and by this certaine testimonie of Gods fauour and assistance in doing miracles as one of thē writeth thus That vvhich vve haue eard vvhich vve haue sene vvith our eyes vvhich vve haue beheld vvhich our handes haue handled of the vvorde of lise that vve doe testesie and announce vnto you And an other who had bene a greeuous persecutour and was cōuerted without conference with any Christian in the world said of Iesus Christ that vvas dead and resen againe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bulatiō nor distresse nor sainine nor beggarie nor dāger nor persecutiō nor dint of svvorde could daunt him from the seruice of 〈◊〉 a maister And in another place he saith that he esteemed all thing of this world wherin a man might glorie to be as 〈◊〉 dunge and detrimentes in respect of the eminent knowledge that is his worde of his Lord Iesus Christ. In which verie name he tooke so exceedig great delight as in a few Epistels which he left writē he is obserued to haue vsed this sentence Dominus noster Iesus Christus aboue two hundred tymes Neither endured this in thes Apostles for a time onlie but all their liues which as they spent with alacritie in the seruice of Iesus so inthe ende they gaue vp the same most cherefully to what soeuer death presented it self for cōformation sealing of their former doctrine neuerso ful of cōfidence courage and consolatiō as at that houre nor euer so boldly denouncing their Maister or talking so ioyfully of rewardes Crounes c Kigdomes as at the verie last instant and vpshot of their wordly combat This thé declareth most manifestly that the actions of thes men proceeded not of humane spirit nor could be perfourmed by the power of má But by the diuine force and supernatural assistance of their Lord and God whom they confessed AND THVS MVCHE in brauitie of Christs Apostles Ther ensue his Euangelistes that is such men as haue lefte vnto vs writen his birth life doctrine death Wherin is to be noted that lesus being God tooke a different way from the custome of man in deliuering vnto vs his lawes and preceptes For that men who haue bene law-makers vnto the worlde knew no surer way
a thing at that time not probable in reason for that the Romanes permitted the exercise of al kindes of religions And that notwithstanding in all thes pressures and intollerable afflictie is his faithfull followers should not shrincke but holde out and daily encrease in zeale fortitude and number and finallie should atchiue the victorie and conquest of al the world a thīg much more vnlikly at that daye so farre passing al humane probabilitie as no capacitie reason or cōcept of man might reach or attaine the foresight therof And with this wil we cōclude our third and last part of the general diuision set doune in the beginning concerning the groundes and proofes of Christian religion The Conclusion Sect. 4. BY AL that hytherto hath bene saide we haue declared and made manifest vnto the gentle reader three thinges of great importance First that from the beginning and creation of the worlde ther hath bene promised in all times and ages a Messias or Saueour of mankinde in whom and by whom al Nations should be blessed as also that the particuler time maner and circumstance of his cōming together with the qualitie of his person purpose doctrine life death resurrection and Ascension were in like maner by the prophets of God most euidently forshewed Secōdly that the very same particulers and special points that were dessigned and set doune by the said Prophets were also fulfilled most exactly with their circumstances in the person and actions of Iesus our Saueour Thirdly that besides the accomplishment of all the for said propheties there were giuen by Iesus many signes manifestatiōs and most infallible arguments of his Deitie and omnipotēt puissance after his Ascention or departure from al humane and corporal conuersation in this world By al which waies meanes arguments and proofes by ten thousand more which to the tongue or penne of man are inexplicable the Christian minde remaineth setled and most firmely grounded in the vndoubted belief of his religion hauing besides al other thinges euidēces certainties and internal comfortes and assurances which are infinite thes eight demonstratiue reasons and persuasions which ensue for his more ample and aboundant satisfaction therin First that it was impossible that so many thinges should be foretold so precisely with so many particularities in so many ages by so different persons al of sanctitie with so great concorde consent and vnitie and that so long before hand but by the spirite of God alone that only hath foreknowlege of future euents Secondly that it could not possibly be that so many thinges so difficult and strange with al their particularities and circumstances should be so exactly and preciselie fulfilled but in him alone of whom they were truly meant Thirdly that it can no waies be imagined that God would euer haue concurred with Iesus doinges or assisted hym aboue all course of nature with so aboundant miracles as the Gentiles doe confesse that he wrought yf he had bene a Seducer or taken vpon hym to set foorth a false doctrine Fourthly if Iesus had intended to deceaue and seduce the world he would neuer haue proposed a doctrine so difficult and repugnant to al sensualitie but rather would haue taught things pleasant and grateful to mans voluptuous delight as Mahomet did after him Nether could the nature of mā haue euer so affectuously embrased such austeritie without the assistance of some diuine and supernatural power Fistly for that Iesus being poorely borne and vnlettred as by his aduersaries confessiō doth appeare and that in such an age and tyme when all worldly learning was in most florishing estate he could neuer possibly but by diuine power haue attained to such most exquisite knowlege in all kinde of learning as to be able to decide all the doubtes and controuersies of Philosophers before him as he did laving doune more plainly distinctly perspicuously the pithe of all humane and diuine learning within the compasse of three yeares teaching and that to auditours of so great simplicitie then did al the Sages of the world vntil that 〈◊〉 in so much that euen then the most vnlearned Christian of that time could say more in certaintie of truth concerning the knowledge of God the Creation of the world th' ende of man the reward of vertue the punishment of vice th' immortalitie and rest of our soule after this life and in other such highe poinctes and mysteries of true philosophie then could the most famous and learned of al the Gentiles that had for so many ages before beaten their braines in contention about the same Sixtlie if Iesus had not meant plainly and sincerely in al his doinges according as he professed he would neuer haue takē so seuere a course of life to himself neither would he haue refused al temporal dignities and aduancemēts as he did he would neuer haue chosen to die so opprobriously in the sight of al men nor made election of Apostles and Disciples so poore and contemptible in the world nor if he had would euer worldly men haue folowed him in so great multitudes with so great seruour zeale constancy and perseuerāce vnto death Seuenthly we see that the first beginners and founders of Christian religion left by Iesus were a multitude of simple and vnskilful persons vnapt to deceyue or deuise any thing of them selues They beganne against al probabilitie of mans reason they went forward against the streame and strength of al the world they continued and encreased aboue humane possibilitie they perseuered in tormētes and afflictions insufferable they wrought miracles aboue the reache and compasse of mans habilitie they ouerthrew Idolatrie that then possessed the world and confounded al powers infernal by the only name and vertue of their maister They saw the propheties of Iesus fulfilled and al his diuine speeches and predictions come to passe They sawe the punishmēt of their enimies and chief imnugners to fal vpon them in their dayes They sawe euery daie whole Prouinces Countries and kingdomes conuerted to their faith And finally the whole Romane Empire and world besides to subiect it self to the lawe obediēce and Ghospel of their maister Lastly among all other reasons and argumentes this may be one most manifest vnto vs that wheras by many testimonies and expresse propheties of the olde Testament it is affirmed that the people of Israel should abandone persecute and put to death the true Messias at his comming as before hath bene shewed and for that facte should it self be abandoned of God and brought to ruine and dispersion ouer al the world wherin according to the wordes of Osee they shal sitt for a long time vvithout king vvithout prince vvithout sacrifice vvithout Altar vvithout Ephode or images and after this againe shal returne and seeke their God in the last daies we see in this age the verie same particularities fulfilled in that Nation and so to haue continued now for thes fiftiene hundreth yeares that
deedes the wil and commaundementes of his father in this life For want wherof he assureth them that manie at that daye who had not onlie belieued but also donne miracles in his name should be denied reiected and abandonned by hym Which longe lesson of vertuous life being the first that euer our Saueour gaue in publique to his Disciples then newlie gathered together as S. Mathew noteth hauing treated verie litle of pointes of faith before but onlie in general by some miracles and preachinge hauinge shewed hymself to be the true Messias doth sufficientlie teache vs that it is not enoughe to beleeue in Iesus and to make professiō of his name and doctrine except we conforme our lyues and actions accordinge to the prescript of his commaundmentes For albeit in Christian religion faith be the first and principal foundation whervpon all the rest is to be stayed and grounded yet as in other material buildinges after the foundation is layed ther remaineth the greatest labour time cost cunning and diligence to be bestowed vpon the framinge and furnishinge of other partes that must insue euen so in this celestial edifice or buildinge of our soule hauing layed once the foundation and grounde of true beliefe which a Christian oftentimes dispacheth in the space of one weekes learninge the rest of al our life time labour and studies is to be employed in the perfecting of our life and actions and as it were in raising vp the walles other partes of our spiritual buil ding by the exercise of al vertues and diligent obseruation of Gods commaundements Without the which our faith is to no more purpose or profite then is a foundation without a building vpon it or a stocke or tree that beareth no fruite Which thinge S. Iames expresseth most excellentelie in this fit similitude Euen as a bodie vvithout spirite is dead so is saith vvithout vvorkes Which necessary point of vertuous life and obseruing Gods commandements for that certaine carnal and sensual Christiās in the primatiue Church euen yet whiles the Apostles thē selues were aline would in no wise vnderstande aright but for pleasing their owne appetites deuised vpon certaine darke and hard speeches of S. Paul that only faith was sufficient to saue them S. Austine and other auncient fathers were of opinion that not only thes last wordes of S. Iames the whole discourse which he maketh of this matter in that chapter but also both his and all other Apostles writinges set forth and published after S. Pauls epistles were prin cipally to represse this most absurde and pernicious errour For declaratiō wherof I wil allege only thes words of S. Augustine folowing expresly writē in a booke for this purpose intituled of faith good workes Thus then he beginneth For that this wicked opinion of only faith was sprong vp in the Apostles time by ill vnderstāding of S. Paul al the other Apostolical epistles which ensue of S. Peter S. Iohn S. Iames and S. Iude were directed principally to this ende to proue with al vehemencie that faith without good workes is nothing worth Euen as in deed S. Paul him self did not define euery maner of faith wherby we beleeue in God but only meaneth that profitable euangelical faith which hath workes annexed proceeding of charitie And as for that faith which is without workes and yet seemeth to thes men to be sufficient for their saluation he protesteth that it is so vnprofitable as he doubteth not to save of hym self If I should haue all faith in such sort is I vvere able to moue mountaines yet had not charitie I vvere nothing By which charitie no doubt good life is meant for that as in an other place it is said Charitie is the fulfilling of al the lavv Wherfore S. Peter most euidently in his secōd epistle hauing exhorted men to holines of life and maners sheweth that certaine wicked persons tooke occasion by some obscure sentēces of S. Paul to promisse them selues securitie of saluatiō by only faith Which hard sentences S. Peter affirmeth that thes miserable mē peruerted to their owne destruction as they did also other holiescriptures seing that S. Paul was of the verie same opinion that the other Apostles were concerning life euerlasting to be obtained by none but by such onlie as ioined vertuous life with their beliefe But S. Iames of al other is most vehement against al such as thinke that faith can suffice to saluation without good workes in so much as he compareth them to the deuils thē selues saying Doest thou belieue that there is one God thou doestvvel the deuils also doe belieue the same and tremble What could be spokē more truly briefly and vehemently then this seing in the Ghospel we read that the deuils made the same confession of Christes deitie that did S. Peter and yet Christ commended the one and reprehended the other c. Wherfore let not simple mindes be deceyued thincke that they knowe God if they confesse hym with a dead faith that is with a faith voide of good works as deuils doe for that they read perhappes in scripture thes wordes of Christ this is life euerlasting that men knovve thee the true God and Iesus Christ vvhom thou hast sent Lett them not I saye be deceyued with this but lett them remēber how Christes Apostle expoundeth that saying when he writeth By this vve knovve God trulie is vve keepe his Commaundementes and vvho soeuer sayeth that he knovveth hym and yet keepeth not his Commaundementes he is a liar and the truth is not in hym Thus farre S. Augustine declareth this veritie out of the scriptures and he addeth further in an other place the testimonie of S. Paul for comprobation hereof who admonished the people of Corinthus in thes wordes Deceyue not your selues nether fornicatours nor adulterours nor theeues nor couetous persons nor backbiters nor drunckards shal obtaine the kingdome of God Which S. Augustin proueth that S. Paul in truth could neuer haue auouched if the Corinthians by onlie faith might haue escaped damnation The very same discourse maketh S. Gregorie the great out of holie write vpon this pointe For hauinge considered thos most confortable wordes of Christ to S. Thomas blessed are they vvho haue not seene and yet haue beleeued he annexeth as followeth Perhaps here euerie Christian will saye within hym self I doe belieue and therfore I am blessed shal be saued Wherin he saith truth if his life be answerable to his beleefe For that a true faith doth not contradicte in maners the thiges which it professeth in wordes For which cause it was said of certaine false Christians by S. Paul that they confessed God in vvordes but denied hym in deedes and by S. Iohn that vvho soeuer saith he knovveth God and keepeth not his commaundements is a lyar Which being so we must examine the truth of our faith by consideration of our
sueing vnto sinners for their conuersion it followeth that we should in this third place examine some what more in particuler what certaine assurance his diuine Maiestie geueth of vndoubted pardon and ful remission of their sinnes to al such as vnfainedlie shal resolue them selues to make their refuge vnto him Which thing albeit euerie mā by that which before hath bene treated may sufficientlie conceaue yet for th' importāce of the matter it shal not be amisse in this place also to adde a word or two for more plaine and euidēt demonstration therof And this shal be donne by setting doune both the wordes and deedes that is both the promisses and perfourmāce which almightie God hath vsed and excercised in this behalf to al such as haue offended him whatsoeuer And for the first which are his promises most apparent it is as wel by the thinges which before haue bene discussed as also by the whole course bodie drift of holie scripture that the promises of mercie and pardon which his diuine Maiestie hath made to synners and wherunto by his sacred word he hath in a certaine maner obliged him self are both manifold vehement absolute resolute vniuersal VVho so euer shal depart from his vvicked vvayes and turne vnto me saith almightie God I vvil receaue him Behold the vniuersalitie of al people and persons without excluding any And then further At vvhat day soeuer an impious man shal returne vnto me from his impietie his vvickednes shal not hurt him saith the same L. God of hostes see the vniuersalitie of al times seasons without exceptiō But yet harken what God addeth besides Leaue of to doe peruerselie saith he to the Iewes c. and then doe you come and finde fault vvith me if you can For if your sinnes vvher as red as skarlet they shal be made as vvhite as snovve c. Consider the vniuersalitie of al kind of synnes be they neuer so greeuous so horrible or haynous And finallie God talking to a soule that hath oftentimes fallen most infinitelie offended him he saith thus it is a common receaued speech that if a womā depart from her husbād and doe ioine her self to an other man she may not returne to her first husband againe for that she is defiled and made contaminate And yet wheras thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication with many other louers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I wil receaue the saith almightie God By which wordes is expressed the fowerth vniuersalitie containing al states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or how oftentimes or how contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against his diuine Maiestie And what may be added now more vnto this was ther euer prince that made so large an offer vnto his subiectes or was ther euer father that gaue so ample and vniuersal promise of pardō vnto his children Who can now mistrust him self to be excluded from this assurance of mercie wherin al sortes of people al kindes of sinnes al times and seasons al states and qualities of sinners are comprehended O most miserable and infortunate man that excludeth him self whom God excludeth not What is ther in this general and vniuersal promises wherof anie man in the world should haue pretence to make any least doubt or question Of the meaning perhapes and intent of him that promiseth O deare brother it is onlie loue and tharitie and consequentlie can not deceaue vs. Of the truth and suertie of his promisses It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that he hath to perfourme his promisse It is infinite and not restrained by any boundes or limitation wherof thē may we doubt or in which of thes three pointes may we not conceaue most singuler consolation heare the comfortable meditation that blessed S. Bernard made vpon thes three particulers which wee haue now mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistit charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis c. That is I doe consider three thinges saith this holie mā wherin al my hope cōsisteth wherby it is made inuincible First the exceeding loue and charitie of him that calleth me to him by repentance secondlie the infallible truth and certaintie of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercie thirdlie the endles power and abilitie he hath to perfourme whatsoeuer he promiseth This is that triple or threefold rope and chaine which holie scripture saith is hardlie broken for that by this rope let donne vnto vs from heauen which is our contrie into this world that is our prison we may ascende and mount vp if we wil euen vnto the sight and possession of Gods eternal kingdom and heauēlie glorie Thus farre that blessed father But now to the second pointe if we consider how faithfullie almightie God hath put in execution thos promises of his from time to time how no one man vpon earth so many ages as the world hath continued was euer yet frustrate of his hope in making his conuersion vnto his Maiestie if he made it from his hart we shal finde further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or ī reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past wil breake his promise for the time to come especially seing now in Christianitie when we haue this aduantage aboue other former times as S. Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our iudge is become also our aduouocat to pleade our cause Cast backe thine eyes then my louing deare brother and take a vew of al ages times and seasons past and gone Beginne from the first creation of the world and come donneward euen vnto this daye examine indifferentlie whether in al this wide compasse of times persons places most greeuous offences committed against his diuine Maiestie ther were euer yet any one sinner vpon earth that returned vnsay nedlie and was not receaued The sinne of our first parentes was presentelie forgeuen vnto them vpon their first signification of greefe and sorowe for the same And not onlie this but our Saueour also Iesus Christ was promissed to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fal they had lost After this vntil the time of Abraham and of the people of Israel as some workes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writ that were excercised vpon irrepentant offendours so are ther many more celebrated of his mercie and onlie two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorow which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first wherof was the murderer Cain who at the beginning denied his wickednes vnto God and then being conuicted despaired of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a profane fornicator who
men that is God shal permit wicked mē to fal into snares which are as plentiful in the world as are the droppes of raine which fal doune from heauē Euery thing almost is a deadly snare vnto a carnal and loose harted mā Euery fight that he seeth euery word that he heareth euery thought that he conceaueth his youth his age his freendes his enemies his honour his disgrace his riches his pouertie his compagnie keeping his prosperitie his aduersitie his meate that he eateth his apparel that he weareth al are snares to draw him to destruction that is not watchful Of this then and of the blindnes declared before doth folow the last and greatest miserie of al other which can be in this life And that is the facilitie wherby worldly men doe runne into sinne For truely saieth the scripture miseros facit populos peccatum Sinne is the thing that maketh people miserable And yet how easily men of the world doe commit sinne and how litle scruple they make of the matter Iob signifieth when talking of such a man he saieth bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem He suppeth vp sinne as it were water that is with as great facilitie custome ease aduētureth he vpō any kind of sinne that is offered him as a man drinketh water when he is a thirst He that wil not beleeue the saying of Iob let him proue a litle by his owne experience whether the matter be so or no. Let him walke out into the streetes behold the doinges of men vew their behauiour cōsider what is done in shoppes in halles in consistories in iudgement seates in palaces and in cōmon meeting places abroad what lying what slandering what deceiuing there is He shal find that of al things wherof men doe make any accōpt in the world nothing is so litle accounted of as to commit a sinne He shal see iustice solde veritie wrested shame lost and equitie despised He shal see the innocent condemned the guiltie deliuered the wicked aduaunced the vertuous oppressed He shal see many theeues florish many vsurers beare great sway many murderers and extorsioners reuerenced and honoured many fooles put in authoritie and diuers which haue nothing in them but the forme of men by reason of money to be placed in great dignities for the gouernmēt of others He shal heare at euerie mans mouth almost vanitie pride detraction enuie deceit dissimulation wantōnesse dissolution lying swearing periurie and blaspheming Finally he shal see the most part of men to gouerne them selues absolutely euen as beastes doe by the motion of there passions not by law of iustice reason celigion or vertue The. 5. pointe of the parable OF THIS DOTH ensue the fifte point that Christ toucheth in his parable and which I promised here to handle to wit that the loue of this world choketh vp and strangleth euerie man whom it possesseth fromal celestial and spiritual life for that it filleth him with a plaine contrarie spirite to the spirite of God The Apostle saieth Si quis spiritum Chrsti non habet hic non est cius If any man haue not the spirit of Christ this felow belongeth not vnto him Now how contrarie the spirite of Christ and the spirite of the world is maie appeare by the twelue fruites of Christs spirite reckned vp by S. Paul vnto the Galathians to wit Charitie which is the roote and mother of al good workes Ioye in seruing God peace or trāquilitie of minde in the stormes of this world Patience in aduersitie Longanimitie in expecting our reward Bogitic in hurtig no man Benignitie in sweete behauiour Gentlenes in occasion geuē of anger Faithfulnes in performig our promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from alkind of wickednes Chastitie in conseruing a pure minde in a cleane and vnspotted bodie Against thes men saith S. Paul there is no lavv And in the verie same chapter he expresseth the spirite of the world by the contrarie effectes saying the worcks of flesh are manifest which are fornication vncleannes wantonnes lecherie idolatrie poysonninges enemities contentious emulations wrath strife dissention sectes enuie murder drōkennes glutonie and the like of which I fortel you as I haue tolde you before that those men which doe such things shal neuer obteine the kingdome of heauen Here now may euery man iudge of the spirit of the world and of the spirit of Christ and applying it to him self may coniecture whether he holdeth of the one or of th' other S. Paul geeueth two pretie short rules in the very same place to trye the same The first is They vvhich are of Christ haue crucifie ltheir flesh vvith the vices concupisconces therof That is they haue so mortified their owne bodies as they commit none of the vices and sinnes repeated before nor yeld not willinglie vnto the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is if vve liue in spirite then let vs vvalke in spirit That is our walking behauiour is a signe whether we be aliue or dead For if our walking be spiritual such as I haue declared before by the twelue fruites therof then doe we liue and haue life in spirite but if our workes be carnal such as S. Paul now hath described then are we carnal and dead in spirite nor haue we any thing to doe with Christ or portion in the kingdome of heauē And for that al the world is ful of those carnal workes and bringeth forth no fruites in deede of Christs spirit nor permitteth them to grow or prosper within her thence is it that the scripture alwaies putteth Christ and the world for opposite and open enemies Christ him self saith that the vvorld can not receaue the spirit of trueth And againe in the same Euangelist he saieth that nether he nor anie of his are of the world though they liue in the world And yet further in his most vehement prayer vnto his father Pater iuste mundus te non cognouit iust father the world hath not knowen thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any man loue the vvorld the loue of the Father is not in him And yet further S. Iames that vvbs soeuer desireth only to be a sreend of this vvorld is therby made an enemie to God What wil worldly mē saie to this S. Paul affirmeth plainlie that this world is to be dāned And Christ insinuateth the same in S. Iohns gospel but most of al in that wonderful fact of his whē praying to his Father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non promun lo saith he I doe not aske mercie and perdone for the world but for those which thou hast geuen me out of the world Oh what a dreadful exception is this made by the Sauiour of the world by the lambe that taketh awaie al sinnes by him that asked perdone euen for his tourmentours and crucifiers to except I saie now the world
probabilite had bothe sene him and heard him in his life This man then hauing liued verie long in this his charge of bishoprike being now a hundred and twentie yeares olde was in the time of Traian the Emperor S. Iohn the Euangelist being dead a litle before accused by certaine heretiques who then first as Egisippus saith who liued in the same time beganne to shew them selues openly in the world hauing liued secretly in corners before for that al the holy Apostles and others which had heard our Sauiour speake were now dead and therfore thes heretiques deuised now what new expositions vpon scriptures liked them best And for that this man was the only or cheefe piller that stood against them for defence of the Catholique faith and apostolical traditiō at that daie they caused him coningly to be apprehended and presented before Atticus then gouern our of Iurie for the Emperour Who after many allurementes and threates vsed vnto him when by no me ās he could moue him to relent from his cōstancie in Christes seruice he caused him to be beaten with whippes and to be tormented many daies together which the old man indured with most wonderful corage in so much that Atticus being astonied saith our author that one of six skore years of age could beare so many torments commanded him finally to be nailed on a crosse as his master Christ was and so he died At the very same time liued therin Asia a man of singuler name for his holines called Ignatius disciple to the apostles by them or deined bishop of Antioche after that S. Peter had lest the same This mā being accused for his faith to the gouernour of Syria and standing constant in the confession therof was condemned by him to be torne in peeces of wild beastes But for that he was a person of great marke he was sent prisoner to Rome vnder the custodie of ten soldiars to suffer ther. And albeit thes soldiars vpon the way vsed him very discurteously and kept him straite yet founde he meanes either by speech or letters to comfort al Christians as he passed by them But especially as Eusebius noteth he inculcated two pointes to be remembred of them Primum vt haereses quae tum primò emergere caeperunt maxime praecaue ēt deinde vt apostolorū traditioni 〈◊〉 adhaerescerēt first that they should aboue al other things take heed of new opinions and heresies which then first began to creepe abroad and secōdly that they should sticke and cleane most firmely to the tradition of th' Apostles for the true vnderstanding and interpretation of scriptures that is to say they should admit no other interpretation but that which al churches by general and vniforme consent had receaued from th' apostles insinuating hereby that this should be an infallible rule to guide men by vnto the worlds ende Besides this the good man got time also and opportunitie in his iourney to write diuers epistles to sandry churches which Eusebius in his storie setteth downe And among other things either he being informed or fearing of him self that the Christians in Rome hearing of his comming would make means to the Emperour to get pardon for his life and so depriue him of martyrdome he write a most earnest letter vnto them beseeching them not to doe so Out of which letter both Eusebius and S. Hieron doe cite thes most excellent words following In this my iourny saieth he from Syria to Rome I am inforced to fight day and night with ten leopards that is with ten soldiars sent to keepe me Who the more benifites I doe bestow vpon them the worse and the more cruel they are towards me But their iniquitie is my instruction and yet hereby I am not iustified Would God I were once come to inioy thos beastes that are appointed to deuoure me I desire greatly that it may be hortly that they may be stirred vp to eate me quickly least perhapes they abstaine to touch me as they haue done from the bodies of other martyrs But if they should refuse to set vpon me I wil intise them on my self Pardon me my children for I know what is good for me Now I begine to be Christs true disciple desiring nothing that is sene in this world with mans eyes but only IESVS Christ my Sauiour Fire crosse beastes breaking of my bones quartering of my members tearing and renting of my body and al th' other tormentes that the diuel can inuent let them al come vpon me only that I may inioy my IESVS Thus far doth Eusebius cite the words of his own epistle which yet is exstant And S. Irenaeus S. Ierom doe 〈◊〉 yet further that when he came to suffer and heard the roringes of the lions redy to come forth vpon him he vsed thes words I am Gods corne and the teeth of thes wild beastes must grinde me to the ende I may be pure and good bread for Christs table He suffered saith S. Ierome in th' eleuenth yeare of Traians reigne and his reliques were carried backe againe by Christians from Rome to Antioche and ther are kept without the gate called Daphnitica Here we see the feruour of this seruant of God we see his constancie his corage his comfort in suffering And how came he deare brother to this most happie and blessed estate We heare him say of him self that novv he began to be Christes true disciple vvhen he desired nothing that mans eye can behold but only his Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ. This burning loue then of IESVS did consume in him al other loue and affection that stayeth worldly men from like resolution He was no frende or louer of this world Heare the saying of an other light and lanterne of Gods church which liued at the very same time and suffered so one after him for the same cause and spake with him in his iourney toward Rome I meane S. Policarpus who wrote thus of Ignatius presently after his martyrdome vnto the Philippenses I beseech you brethren to yeld al obedience wher it is due and to vse al patience in your afflictions according to the example which you haue seene in Ignatius and other martyrs as also in S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles assuring your selues that thos men ranne not in vaine but in faith and iustice and therfore are gone to the place which was due vnto them being now with their Lord of whos afflictions they were made partakers in this life They were no louers of this world but they loued their maister who suffered death for our loue and rose againe for our glorification Thus far Policarpus And for that we are fallen into the mention of this rare and worthie man Policarp who albeit he sawe not Christ hī self in flesh yet did he liue most familiarly with diuers of the Apostles especially with S. Iohn Euāgelist whose domestical disciple he
now dead fower daies and also buried which signifieth the fower degrees of a sinner the first in voluntarie delectation of sinne the second in consent the third in fulfilling it by worke the fowerth in continuance or custome therof wherin whosoeuer is once buried saieth this holy father he is hardlie raised to life againe without a great miracle of God and many teares of his owne part The reason hereof is that which the wiseman saieth Languor prolixior grauat medicum an old sickenes doeth trouble the phisition Breuem autem languorem praecidit medicus But the phisition cutteth of quicklie a new or fresh disease which hath endured but a litle time The verie bones of an old vvicked man shal be replenished vvith the vices of his youth saieth Iob and they shal sleepe vvith him in the dust vvhen he goeth to his grauc We reade that Moyses in part of punishment to the people that had sinned in adoring the golden calfe broke the same in peeces and made them drinke it So the vices wherein we delited during our youth are so dispersed by custome in our bodies and bones that when old age doth come on we canne not ridde them at our pleasure without great difficultie and paine What folie then is it to deferre our amendment vnto our old age when we shal haue more impedimentes and difficulties by a great deale then we haue now If it seeme harde to thee to doe penance now to fast to praie and to take vpon thee other afslictions which the Church prescribed to sinners at their conuersion how wilt thou doe it in thy old age whē thy bodie shal haue more neede of cherishing then of punishment If thou find it vnpleasant to resist thy sinnes now and to roote them out after the continuance of two three or fower yeeres what wil it be after twentie yeres more adioined vnto them How madde a man wouldest thou esteeme him that trauailing on the waie and hauing great choise of lustie strong horses should let them al goe emptie and laie al his cariage vpon some one poore and leane beast that could skarse vphold him self and much lesse sustaine so great a burden cast vpon him And surelie no lesse vnreasonable is that man who passing ouer idlely the lustie daies and times of his lise reserueth al the labour trauaile vnto impotent and feble age But to let passe the folie of this deceit tel me good Christiā what ingratitude and iniustice is this towardes almightie God hauing receiued so many benefites from him alredie and expecting so great a paye as the kingdome of heauē is for thy seruice to appoint out notwithstanding the least and last and worst part of thy life unto his seruice that wherof thou art most vncertaine whether it shal euer be or neuer or whether God wil accept it whē it cōmeth or no He is accursed by the prophet which hauing whole and sounde cattel doth offer vnto God the lame or halting part therof How much more shalt thou be accursed who hauing so many daies of youth strength and vigour doest appoint vnto Gods seruice onelie thy limping old age In the law it was forbidden vnder a most seuere threate for any man to haue two measures in his house for his neighbour one greater to his frend and an other lesse for other men And yet thou art not ashamed to vse two measures of thy life most vnequal in preiudice of thy Lord and God wherby thou allotest to him a litle short maimed and vncertaine time of old age and vnto his enemie the world thou assignest the greatest the fairest the surest part therof O deare brother what reason is there why God should thus be vsed at thy handes what lawe iustice or equitie is this that after thou hast serued the world flesh and deuil al thy youth and best daies in the end to come and thrust thine old bones defiled and worne out with sinne into the dish of thy Creatour his enemies to haue the best and he the leauinges his enemies the wine and he the lies and dregges Doest thou not remember that he wil haue the fat and best part offered to him Doest thou not thinke of the punishment of thos who offered the worst part of their substance to God Folow the counsaile then of the holie Ghost if thou be wise which warneth thee in thes wordes Be mindeful of thy Creator in the daies of thy youth before the time of affliction come on before thos yeeres dravv neere of vvhich thou shalt saie they please me not How many hast thou sene cut of before thine eyes in the middest of their daies whiles they purposed in time to change their life How many haue come to old age it self and yet then haue felt lesse wil of amendement then before How many haue driuen of euen vnto the verie houre of death and then least of al haue remembred their owne estate but haue died as dum ne sensles beastes according to the saying of holie S. Gregorie The sinner hath also this affliction laied vpon him that vvhen he cometh to die he forgotteth him self vvhich in his life time did forget God O how many examples are there sene herof dailie how many worldlie men that haue liued in sensualitie how many great sinners that haue passed their life in wickednes doe end and die as if they wēt into some place insensible where no account no reckening should be demanded They take such care in their testamentes for flesh and blood the commodities of this world as if they should liue stil or should haue their part of thes vanities when they are gone In trueth to speake as the matter is they die as is there were no immortalitie of the soule and that in verie deede is their inward persuasion But suppose now that al this were not so and that a man might as easilie commodiouslie yea and as surely also cōuert him self in old age as in youth and that the matter were also acceptable enough to God yet tel me what great time is their lost in this delaie what great treasure of merit is there omitted which might haue bene gotten by labour in Gods seruice If whiles the captaine and other souldiers did enter into a rich citie to take the spoile one souldier should saie I wil staie come in the next daie after when al the spoile is gone would you not thinke him both a coward and also most vnwise So it is that Christ our Sauiour and al his good souldiers tooke the spoile of this life enriched them selues with the merites of their labours caried the same with them as billes of exchange to the bancke of heauen there receaue paie of eternal glorie for them And is it not great folie and peruersnes in vs to passe ouer this life without the gayning of any meritat al Now is the time of fight for
the matter and thinke of it herafter I haue tolde thee my opinion hereof before Thou shalt neuer haue more abilitie to doe it then now and perhappes neuer halfe so much If thou refuse it now I may greatlie feare that thou wilt be refused hereafter thy self There is no waic then so good deare brother as to doe it presentlie whiles it is offered Breake from that tyrant which detaineth thee in seruitude shake of his chaines cut in sunder his bandes runne violentlie to Christ which standeth redie to embrace thee with his armes open on the Crosse. Make ioyful al the Angels and court of heauen with thy conucrsion strike once the stroke with God againe make a manlie resolution saie with that old couragious souldier of IESVS Christ Sainct Ierome If my father stoode vveeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my necke behinde me and al my brethren sisters cvilaren and kinssolkes hovviing on euery syde to retaine me in sinful life vvith them I vvould sting of my mother to the ground dispise al my kinred runne ouer my father and tread him vndermy seete therby tarunne to Christ vvhen he calleth me Oh that we had such hartes dcare Christian brother as this seruāt of God had such courage such manhood such seruent loue to our Maister Who would lie one daie drowned in sinne who would liue one daie in such slauerie as we doe who would eate swaddes with the prodigal sonne among swine seing he may returne home and be so honorablie receiued and entertained by his owne father haue so good cheere and banqueting and heare so great melodie ioye and triumphe for his returne I saye no more herein deare brother then thou art assured of by the word and promise of Godes owne mouth from which can proceede nether falshood nor deceit Returne then I beseeche thee laie handfast on his promise who wil not faile thee runne to him now he calleth whiles thou hast time and esteeme not al this world worth a strawe in respect of this one acte For so shalt thou be a most happie and thrise happie man and shalt blesse hereafter the houre and moment that cuer thou madest this fortunate resolution And I for my part I trust shal not be voide of some portion of thy good happe and felicitie At least wise I doubt not but thy holie conuersion shal treat for me with our common father who is the God of mercies for remission of my manifolde sinnes and that I may serue and honour him together with thee al the daies of my life which ought to be both our petitions and therfore in both our names I beseeche his diuine Maiestie to graunt it vnto vs for his deare sonne our Lordes sake IESVS Christ. Amen The end of this first booke treating of resolution A BREEFE METHODE HOVV TO VSE THE FORMER treatises chapters and considerations to diuers purposes according to the diuers qualitie of the person time state place or neede vvhen they are to be vsed An Annotation IT is to be remembred that al thes pointes and parcels of the booke which are here assigned for euery one to-applie to him self the same may be accommodated and practised by ech man towardes his frind or by the parēt towardes his child or by the master towardes his seruant or scholer and especially by the Confessour towardes his penitent persuading assigning or commanding him to reade such parcels of this booke as he thinketh may doe him most profite for his soule in the state wherin he standeth Of diuers states conditions and qualities of men IF a man either in him self or others doe feele his soule lumpish and heauie and vnwilling to heare or thinke of spiritual affaires let him reade the first chapt part 1. of inconsideration As also the last of al the booke touching Slouth and Negligence page 852. Let him examine also the cause of this vnwillingnes in him self according to the three causes ther set downe page 9. c. especially if he find in him self any horrour against reading of spiritual bookes as many doe He that should any way be tempted in faith hath many things in this booke for his confirmation and first if he be troubled with plaine Atheisme doe doubt whether ther be a God or no let him reade the whole 2. chapter page 25. If he confesse God but yet doe doubt of Gods particuler and infallible prouidence in desposing al matters of this world let him reade the fowerth argument of the Metaphisique page 44. If he doubt about the immortalitie of the soule let him consider the fift argument of the Metaphisique page 46. He that hath any suggestion against the infallible truth of the holy scriptures or any part therof let him reade the whole third section of the 2. chapter page 61. He that should haue any doubt or scruple about any thing in Christian religion let him reade the whole 4. chapter page 132. As for exāple if he should doubt whether Christ were fore promissed to be God man wherof page 132. or whether he should haue authoritie to change Moyses law wherof page 162. or the like He that should be resolued of the truth of Christian religion in general but yet among so many sectes and diuers opiniōs which are holden therin should doubt which to take or how to iudge of the certaintie therof let him read the first part of the 5. chapter treating of right faith page 298. also the whole fift chapter part 2. of the examples of true resolution page 747. If a man find him self or other careles confident nothing fearing the seueritie of Gods iustice let him read the 7. chapter page 349. of the accompting day Also the 11. chapter page 444. of punishmentes prepared after death Also the 6. chapter page 793. of presumption He that feeleth him self inclined to follow worldly designes and courses of ambition and thinketh that he may so doe yet come to heauen also let him reade the 3. chapter page 110. of mās final ende Also the third fourth fifth pointes of the 4. chapter concerning the world page 683. If a man feele him self desirous of the pleasures prefermentes and commodities of this world or els afflicted for that he hath them not let him reade the whole fourth chapt page 683. of the vvorld And in particuler if he loue honour see 700. If estimation of wisdome see 703. if beautie see 706. if braue apparel see 708. if riches see 711. c. He that findeth him self or others easy to fal into sinne and not greatly abhorring or fearful therof let him reade the 8. ch par 1. pag 378. of the nature of sinne sinners Also the first part of the 6. chapter page 326. of resisting sinne Also the 9. chapter page 400. of Gods Maiestie and benefites When a mar should feele him self to make smal accompt of the ioyes of