and much afflicted in respecte of theyr late banishment though much assisted to thys worke by the liberalitie and munificencie of Darius King of Babylon so was the building and workemanshyppe of thys seconde Temple nothing comparable for excellencie to the first which was builded by Salomon when the Iewes were in the flower of theyr glorie and riches Thys testifieth Aggeus the Prophet who was one of the builders and he testified the same to Zorobabel and to the rest of those that were with hym by Gods owne appointment in these words The word of God was made to Aggeus the Prophet Tell Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel Captaine of Iuda and Iesus the sonne of Iosedec high Priest and the rest of the people Who is there left of you that sawe this Temple in his first glorie before our transmigration and what saie you to this which nowe we see is it not in our eyes as though it were not at all That is is it not as though it were a thing of nothing in comparison of the former Temple which Salomon builded Thus saide Aggeus by Gods commission of the materiall building of thys seconde Temple And yet to comfort the Iewes with all he was coÌ„maunded presently in the same Chapter to say thus Comfort thy selfe Zorobabel comfort thy self Iesu thou son of Iosedec high Priest and comfort your selues all ye people of the earth saith the Lorde God of hostes doe yee the thinges which I couenaunted with you when yee came forth of the Lande of Egipt and feare not for that my spirit shall be among you Thus saith the Lorde God of hostes a little time yet remaineth when I will moue both heauen and earth both sea and land with al Countries in the world And then shall come the DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS and I will fill his house or Temple with glory sayth the Lord God of hostes Siluer is mine and golde is myne saith the Lorde of hostes great shal be the glory of this last house or temple more then of the first saith the Lorde God of hostes Hetherto are the words of God by Aggeus and the often repetition of the Lorde God of hostes is to signifie the certaintie and great weight of the matter promised Nowe consider then that where as God had saide immediatly before that this second Temple was nothing in respect of the fyrst for pompe and riches of the materiall building which the olde men in the booke of Esdras do testifie by theyr weeping wheÌ„ they sawe thys second and remembred the fyrst yet nowe God sayth that Gold and Siluer is his owne as though he made no account of the aboundance thereof in the former Temple or of the want of the same in thys and that notwithstanding the pouertie of the seconde building yet shall it be fylled and replenished with glorie and that in such sort as it shall farre passe in glorie the former and that shall be as both heere is expressed other where most plainlie by the comming of our Sauiour Christ into the second Temple which shall be a greater dignitie then anie dignitie whatsoeuer was founde in the fyrst building of Salomons Temple Concerning which poynt it is to be considered that the learned Iewes besides the materiall difference of building before mentioned doe note fiue things of great importaunce to haue beene wanting in the second Temple which were in the first To wit the fire sent from heauen to burne to Holocaustes The glory of God or Angels appearing among the images of Cherubines that stood in the Temple The manifest inspiration of Gods spirit vpon Prophets for that prophecie fayled in the seconde Temple The presence of the Arke and last of all Urim Thumim All which great wants and differences notwithstanding God saith as you see that the glory of thys second temple shall be much greater then the first by the coÌ„ming of Christ into the same Which thing Malachie that liued at the same time when the seconde Temple was in building confirmeth more expresly in these wordes Beholde I send my Angel and he shal prepare the way before my face And straight after shal come to this Temple the Lorde or Ruler whom ye seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT whom you desire Behold he coÌ„meth saith the Lord of hostes and who can imagine the day of his comming or who can stand or abide to see him for he shal be as a purging fire c. By all which is made euident that Christ must come and appeare in the second Temple before it be destroyed as Iesus did and therefore he cannot be nowe to come seeing the sayde Temple was destroyed aboue one thousand and fiue hundred yeeres past by the Romaines as hath beene saide Which destruction and finall desolation was prophecied by Daniel to insue soone after the byrth and passion of Christ in these wordes After sixtie and two hebdomades Christ shal be slaine and a people with their Captaine to com shall destroy the Cittie and the Sanctuarie and the ende thereof shall be vastitie or spoyle And after the warre ended there shall ensue the appointed desolation Which prophecie to haue fallen out lytterally about fortie yeeres after Iesus was put to death when Ierusalem was destroyed and the Temple ouerthrowne by Titus the storie of Iosephê° the learned Iew who was Captain against Titus in that war dooth manifestly and at large declare And for that we haue made mention here of Daniels prophecie coÌ„cerning the particuler tyme of Christes coÌ„ming of his death which confirmeth the purpose wee treate of so perspicuously as nothing can be said more euident it shall not be amisse to examine the same before we passe any further For better conceiuing whereof it is to be vnderstood that this Greeke worde Hebdomada signifieng seauen doth some-time import a weeke or seauen daies according to our coÌ„mon vse and then it is called in Scripture Hebdomada dierum a weeke of daies as in Daniel the tenth Chapter and the seconde verse where the Prophet sayth of himselfe that he did mourne three weekes of dayes But at other tymes it signifieth the space of seauen yeeres and is called in scripture Hebdomada annorum a weeke of yeeres As in Leuiticus where it is sayd Thou shalt number vnto thee seauen weekes of yeres that is seauen times seauen which make fortie and nyne yeeres Nowe then it is certaine that Daniell in the prophecie before alleaged where he assigneth sixtie-two weekes to the tyme of Christes death could not meane vveekes of daies for that hee appointeth onely seauen weekes to the rebuilding of the Cittie of Ierusalem of the Temple and of the walles about which were not ended but in fortie nine yeeres after as may be gathered by the bookes of Esdras which fortie-nine weekes doe make iust seauen weekes of yeeres And therefore it is certaine that such Hebdomades of yeeres are
time and euer since he hath made Heerehence it proceeded that all his delight and pleasure vpon earth was to conuerse with sinners to giue them comfort courage and confidence in him Which hee did so manifestly in the sight of al the world as hee became very scandalous offensiue thereby to the Scribes Pharisies other principall Rulers among the Iewish Nation Heere-hence also did proceede those his most meruailous speeches and strange inuitations of wicked men vnto him as for example at one tyme among other when hee cryed out in publique Come vnto mee all yee that doe labour and be heauie loden and I wyll refresh you And at another time going into the Temple of Ierusalem vpon a high festiuall day when all the people were gathered together he stoode vp in the midst of them all and brake forth into thys vehement inuitation wyth a loude voyce as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth If any man among you bee thirstie let him come vnto me and he shal drink Heerby it came to passe that his diuine maiestie was termed commonly Publicanorum et pâ—ccatorum amicus the freende and familiar of wicked Publicans and sinners And heereof finally it did proceede that he receiued all embraced all and forgaue all that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisies Souldiours Publicans Vsurers Harlots Theeues Persecutors or whatsoeuer most greeuous offenders besides whereof particuler examples in each kinde might be alleaged assuring vs furthermore that after hys resurrection and blessed aâ—cention to the right hande of hys father he woulde be more bountifull yet in thys manner of proceeding and drâ—w all men vnto him beeing at one tyme both our Iudge and Aduocate our King and Mediatour our God and Redeemer our Father and Brother our Priest and Sacrifice and he that both pleadeth and determineth our cause together What then shoulde not we hope at thys tyme deere Christian brother at the hands of this our Lorde and Maister which hath left vnto vs such wordes such deedes such assured euidences of hys infallible loue and aboundant mercies towards vs why shold not hys dealings wyth other men before vs giue vs hart and courage to trust assuredlie in him for the time present and to come why shoulde not his former most infinite mercies be vnto vs odoriferous alluring sauors oyntments to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernarde dooth meditate vppon this passage of Christes fragrant oyntments O sweete Iesus saith hee the fresh and odoriferous smell of thy wonderfull clemencie doth allure vs to runne after thee when we heare say that thou despisest not beggers nor abhorrest sinners Wee know right well ô Lord that thou diddest not reiect the theefe that confessed thee nor the sinfull woman that wept vnto thee nor the Chananaean that huÌ„bled herselfe before thee nor the wicked adultresse brought vnto thee nor the touller or tribute gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saule that did persecute thee nor thy tormenters that did naile thy sacred bodie to the Crosse. O Lorde all these are fragrant smels and sauours of thy most sweet mercie and at the sente of these thy oyntments we doe followe and runne after thee Thus farre S. Bernard The fourth part The application of all that hath beene said AND so wyth this to come to the fourth and last part of thys Chapter and to apply all that hath beene said of Gods mercie to our present purpose What man is there liuing in the worlde that reading and beleeuing these things can doubt or mistrust to receiue pardon for hys sinnes If God be hee that iustifieth who is able to condemne vs saith the holy Apostle S Paul If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of his hands If God protest that he wyll pardon vs why should we make any doubt or question thereof at all Why shoulde wee not ioyne rather wyth that confident and faithful seruaunt of his S. Paul who saith vnto vs and to all other sinners liuing in his maisters name Let vs repaire vnto him with a true hart in fulnesse of faith hauing purged our harts from an euill conscience let vs hold fast an immouable confession of our hope seeing he is faithfull which hath giuen vnto vs his promise and let vs consider howe one of vs may prouoke another to charitie and good workes By which words the holy Apostle signifieth that what sinner soeuer shall resolue with himselfe to purge his conscience from wickednesse for the tyme to come and to employ the rest of his life in charitie and good works he may confidently boldly repayre vnto almightie God wyth most certaine assuraunce to receiue pardon remission And alas deere brother why then should any man despaire Wherefore shoulde any man cast awaie hys owne soule that GOD so much desireth to saue what a pittifull and lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the world to goe languishing in their sinnes to giue themselues ouer to all kind of carelesse and dissolute sensualitie which by God himselfe is called desperation vpon this conceit and wicked cogitation that nowe they are gone so farre and so deepely rooted and habituated in thys kinde of life as eyther it is impossible or in vaine for them now to thinke of change or amendment O deere brother let these men harken to thys excellent dyscourse of holy Chrisostome which ensueth If thou be a wicked man saith he thinke vpon the Publicane If thou be vncleane of lyfe consider the harlot If thou be a murderer remember the theefe If thou be a swearer call to minde the blasphemer Cast thyne eyes vpon Saul and Paul first a persecutour and then a preacher first a violent robber afterwarde a good steward and dyspenser First chaffe afterward corne first a woolfe afterward a sheepheard first lead afterward gold first a pirat afterwards a good pilot first a dispersor afterwarde a gatherer together first a breaker down of Gods vine yard afterwarde a planter first a destroyer afterward a builder Thou hast seene manifold wickednes but nowe behold vnspeakable mercie Thou hast heard the pride of the seruant consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I will not thou say to me I am a blasphemer I haue beene a persecutor I haue led an vncleane and abhominable life and therefore I doubt least I shal not be pardoned Say not so vnto me for here thou hast examples to the contrary in euery of these and many other sinnes Thou mayst safely flie to what port thou list and that eyther in the old or new Testament For in the old thou hast Dauid in the newe thou hast Paul I will not haue thee therefore alleage excuses vnto mee for couering thyne owne cowardnes Hast thou sinned repent hast thou sinned a
vs Christians of these dayes to behold the certaintie of these scriptures layde open before vs vpon which the foundation of our whole fayth dependeth THE FIRST PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES FIrst therefore the Iewe for proofe of his Scriptures alledgeth the great and wonderfull antiquitie thereof For as God sayth he was before Idols and trueth before falshood so was the Scripture which is the storie of the true GOD long before the wrytings of Panyms or Infidels Nay further he sheweth that the most part of things recounted in the Bible were done before most of the Panym gods were exstant that the very last VVryters of the Hebrue Canon which are Esdras Aggeus Zacharias and Malachie almost sixe hundreth yeeres before the comming of Christ when the second Monarchie of Persians beganne were before most of the Heathen auncient Hystoriographers to wit before Hellanicus Herodotus Pherecides Thucydides and Xenophon And albeit the Gentiles had some Poets before as Orpheus Homer Hesiodus and Lycurgus the Law-maker that lyued a good whyle after yet the eldest of these arriued no higher then the dayes of K. Salomon which was fiue hundreth yeres after Moses the first wryter of the Bible After whose tyme the most part of Heathen gods were long vnborne as Ceres Vulcan Mercurie Apollo AEsculapius Castor Pollux and Hercules as the Gentiles them selues in theyr Genealogies do confesse And as for Abraham that lyued fiue hundered yeeres before Moses he was not onely elder then these gods which I haue named but also then Iupiter Neptune Pluto and such other who for dignities sake and antiquitie are called by the Gentils Dii maiorum gentium the gods of greater Nations And yet before Abraham doe the scriptures containe the storie of two thousand yeeres or there abouts So that by thys it is euident that the writing of Heathens and the multitude of their gods are but late fables in respect of the old and venerable antiquitie of Hebrue Scriptures consequently the authority of these scriptures must in reason be greater then of all other wrytings in the world besides seeing they were extant before all others in those first times of simplicitie and sinceritie and were in part translated into dyuers languages before the Monarchie of the Persians that is before any storie of the Gentiles were wrytten as Eusebius out of many heathen Authors declareth THE SECOND PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES NExt to the reason of antiquitie is alledged the maner of wryting authorysing and coÌ„seruing these scriptures which is such as greatly confirmeth the certaintie of things contained therein For first what soeuer is sette downe in these wrytings was either taken immediatly from the mouth of God as were the propheciâ—s and bookes of the lawe or els collected from time to time by generall consent according as matters miracles fell out as were the booke of Iudges the bookes of Kinges and Chronicles and some other that containe recordes and Hystories of tymes Which bookes were not gathered by some one priuate man vpon heare-say or hys owne imagination long after thinges doone as Heathen hystories and other prophane records and monuments are but they were written by generall agreement in the selfe same dayes when things were in sight and knowledge of all men and so could not be feygned Secondly when bookes were wrytten they were not admitted into the common authoritie of scriptures that is of Gods word or diuine wrytings but vpon great deliberation and most euident proofe of theyr vndoubted veritie For eyther the whole congregation or sinagogue who had the approuing hereof and among whoÌ„ commonlie were dyuers Prophets did knowe most certainly the things and miracles to be true as did also the whole people that were recorded in these writings concerning Hystories or els they sawe the same confirmed from GOD by signes and wonders as in the bookes of the Prophets of their lawgyuer Moses it fell out Thirdly when any thing was written and admitted for scripture the care of conseruation thereof was such and the reuerence of Iewes thereunto so great as may easily assure vs that no corruption or alteration could happen vnto it For first the thing was coppied out into twelue Autenticall copies for all the twelue Tribes then again in euery Trybe there were so many copies made as were particuler Sinagogues within that Trybe All was doone by speciall Notaries Scribes ouer-seers and witnesses The copies after diligent reviewe taken were layde vp by the whole congregation in the Treasure house of the Temple vnder diuers locks and keyes not to be touched but by men appointed not to be vsed but with singuler reuerence To adde diminish corrupt or alter was present death by the lawes of the Nation And then how was it possible saith the Iewe that among these wrytings eyther falshoode should creepe in or trueth once receiued could afterwarde be corrupted It is not possible saith he in reason and therefore obserueth he another thing in this case which in trueth is of very great consideration to witt that no other Nation vnder heauen did euer so much esteeme theyr owne wrytings that they would offer to die for the same as the Iewes were ready to doe for euery sentence syllable of theyr scriptures Wherefore also it did proceed that in all theyr miseries afflictions wherin they were a spectacle to all the world in all theyr flights and banishments to Egypt Babilon Persia Media other corners of the earth in all theyr spoyles assaults and deuastations at home they yet euer had speciall care to conserue these wrytings more then theyr own lyues so haue kept the same without mayme or corruption more ages together then all Nations in the world haue doone anie other monuments THE THIRD PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES THE thyrde perswasion which is vsed by the Iewe for the veritie of these Scriptures is the consideration of the particuler men that wrote them who were such as in reason cannot be suspected of deceipt or falshood For as I haue sayde the stories of the Bible were written froÌ„ time to time by publique authoritie and by the testimonie of all men that sawe and knew the things that are rehearsed The Bookes of the prophecies were indited by the Prophets themselues who were plaine simple sincere men authorised from God by continuall myracles and yet so scrupulous and timerous of theyr own speeches as they durst say nothing but onelie Our Lord saith this the Lord of hostes commaundeth that c. And when they preached and read their wrytinges in the hearing 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 theyr Nation vntyll by tract of tyme the euent and fulfilling of theyr prophecies shoulde proue them true as alwayes it did and theyr own both liâ—es and deathes declare that they meant no falshood their liues beeing such as were not
subiect to the corruption pryde vanitie or ambition of this life as other prophane and Heathen writers were and theyr deathes for the most part offered vppe in holy martyrdom for defence of that truth which they had preached and wrytten as appeareth in Esay that was sawed in peeces by K. Manasses in Ieremie that was stoned to death by the common people in Ezechiell that was slayne by the Captaine of the Iewes at Babylon in Amos whose braines were beaten out by Amasias the wicked idolatrous Priest in Bethel in Micheas whose necke was broken by Ioam sonne to King Achab in Zacharias that was slayne at the Altar and the like And thys for the Prophets of later times among the Iewes But nowe if wee consider the first Prophet of all that wrote among that people I meane Moses that was not onlie a Prophet but also an Hystoriographer a Law-gyuer a Captaine and a Priest the first that euer reduced that people to a common-wealth and the first that put their acts and gestes in wryting or rather the acts and gestes of the Almightie GOD towardes them thys man I say if wee consider him onelie I meane the circumstaunces of hys person the Iewe thinketh thys a sufficient motiue to make any man of reason beleeue what soeuer hee hath left written in the Bible without further confirmation And first for his antiquitie I haue spoken before and the Heathens doe confesse and for myracles doone by him the greatest enemies that euer he had in the worlde that is Appion in hys fourth Booke against the Iewes and Porphirie in his fourth booke against Christians do acknowledge them Porphirie adioyneth more for proofe heereof that he found the same confirmed by the storie of one Saconiathon a Gentile who lyued as he sayth at the same tyme with Moses But what all those myracles saie they were doone by Arte-magick and not by the power of GOD as Moses boasted But then asketh them the Iewe where Moses a sheepehearde could learne so much Magicke or why coulde not the Magitians of Pharao whose studie was in that profession from theyr infancie eyther doe the like or at least wise deliuer themselues from the plagues of Egypt why did they cry out the finger of God is heere where did you euer heare of such workes doone by Magicke as Moses did when he deuided the redde Sea when hee called into his Campe so manie Quayles vppon the suddaine as suffised to feede sixe hundred thousande men besides women children When he made a rock to yeeld forth a fountaine when he caused a dewe to fall from heauen that nourished his whole Campe for fortie yeres together whē he caused the ground to open and swallowe downe aliue three of the richest noble men of all hys Armie together with their Tabernacles and all other bagges and baggage When he caused a fire to com from heauen and consume fiftie Gentlemen of the former rebels and adherents without hurting anie one that stood about them These things dyd Moses and many other in the sight of all his Armie that is in the sight of many hundred thousande people among which there were diuers his emulators and sworne enemies as by the storie and scripture it selfe appeareth Core Dathan and Abiron with theyr faction sought in all things to dysgrace him and to diminish hys credite and therfore if any one poynt of the myracles had beene reproueable Moses woulde neuer haue durst to put the same in wryting nor would the people haue stoode with him and much lesse haue receiued hys wrytinges for diuine and for Gods owne wordes beeing solicited against him by so potent meanes had not they knowne all things to be most true therein contayned had seene his strange myracles and familiaritie with God But he dealt plainely and simply in thys behalfe hee wrote the thinges of his owne dooings which euerie man present did know to be true and of Gods speeches and communications to himselfe he wrote so much as he was commaunded whereof both God and his conscience did beare him witnesse Hee caused the whole to bee read vnto the people and layde vppe in the sacred Arke and Tabernacle as Gods owne wryting and couenant with that Nation He caused al the whole Armie to sweare and vowe the obseruaunce thereof And then drawing towards his death he made a most excellent exhortation vnto them perswading them sincerelie to the seruice of theyr God and confessing his owne infirmities and howe for hys offences he was to die before theyr entrance into the Land of promise He concealed not the offence of hys Brother Aaron of hys Graund-father Leuie of hys Sister Marie and other of hys kindred as worldly Princes for theyr honours are wont to doe neyther did he goe about to bring in gouernmēt after hys decease any one of his owne sons which is greatly to be obserued notwythstanding he left behinde him goodly Gentlemē fit for that roome himself of power to place them if he had endeuoured but he left the gouernment to a stranger named Iosua as God had commaunded him All which things saith the Iew do proue sufficientlie that Moses was no man of ambition or of worldly spirit but a true Seruaunt of God and consequentlie that hee wrought not by Magicke or falshood but by the onely power of hys Lorde and Maister and that hys writinges are true and of the same authoritie that in hys life and death he affirmed them to bee that is the vndoubted worde of Almightie God THE FOVRTH PROOFE OF SCRIPTVRES THys hee confirmeth yet further by a fourth reason which is the consent and approbation of all later writers of the Bible that ensued after Moses For as among prophane wryters of worldly spirite it is a common fashion for hym that followeth to reprehende the former to hunt after praise by hys auncetours disgrace so in these writers of the Bible it is a most certaine argument that al were guided by one spirit from GOD that in continuaunce of so many ages and thousand yeeres no one yet euer impugned the other but alwaies the later supposing and approouing the former for true doth builde thereupon as vpon a sure foundation So the writings of Iosua do confirme and approue the writings of Moses and the recordes of the Iudges doe reuerence allowe the booke of Iosua The storie of the Kings and Chronicles dooth referre it selfe to the storie of Iudges One Prophet confirmeth another And finally Christ approoueth them all by the knowne diuision of the Lawe Psalmes and Prophets which is a demonstration that all their spirits agreed in one And thus hetherto hath been declared the foure considerations that are external or without the Bible to wit the antiquitie and continuaunce of the Scriptures the maner of their writing and preseruing from corruption the sinceritie vertue and simplicity of theyr writers together with theyr
Ierusalem Babilon ESay the Prophet is wonderfull in foretelling the mysteries acts of the Messias hys natiuitie his life and all the perticulers that happened in his passion In so much that S. Ierome saith he may seeme rather to wryte a storie of deedes past then a prophecie of euents to come But yet among other things it is to be noted that hee liuing in a peaceable prosperous time in Iuda when the Iewes were in amitie and great securitie with the Babylonians he fore-sawe and fore-told the destruction of Ierusalem by the said Babylonians and the greeuous captiuitie of the Iewes vnder them as also the destruction of Babylon againe by Cyrus King of Persia whose expresse name and greatnesse he published in writing almost two hundred yeeres before hee was borne saying in the person of GOD First to Ezechias King of Iuda that reioyced in the freendship hee had wyth Babylon behold the dayes shal com when all that thou and thy fathers haue layd vp shall be carried awaie to Babylon and thy children shall be Eunuches in the King of Babilons Pallace And next to Babylon he sayd The destruction of Babylon which Esay the sonne of Amos sawe c houle and crie for that the day of the Lord is at hand c. The wonderfull prophecie for Cyrus King of Persia. THyrdly vnto Cyrus not yet borne who was preordained to destroy the same to restore the people of Israell from banishment to rebuilde the Temple in Ierusalem he saith thus I say to Cyrus thou art my sheepheard and thou shalt fulfill all my will I say to Ierusalem thou shalt be builded againe I saie to the Temple thou shalt be founded againe Thys saith the Lord to my annointed Cyrus I vvyll goe before thee and will humble the glorious people of the earth in thy presence I wil break their brasen gates and crush in peeces theyr yron bars for my seruaunt Iacobs sake haue I called thee by thy Name and haue armed thee where as thou knowest not me Can any thing be more cleerely or myraculously spoken in the worlde then to name a Heathen not yet borne that shoulde conquer so strong a Monarchie as Babilon was at thys time and shoulde builde againe the Temple of Ierusalem which others of hys owne Religion had destroied before him What cause what reason what likeli-hoode could be of this yet Esay speaketh it so confidentlie as he saith that he sawe it And hee nameth two witnesses thereof that is Vrias and Zacharias that were not borne in manie yeeres after saying and I tooke vnto mee two faithfull witnesses Vrias the Priest and Zacharias the sonne of Barachias Whereof the first was a Prophet in Ieremies time a hundred yeeres after Esay and the second lyued fourescore yeeres after that againe in the dayes of Darius as by the beginning of hys prophecie appeareth and yet both as you see were distinctly named by Esay long time before And wheras this booke of Esay was pronoūced openlie to the people as other prophecies were published into many thousand handes before the captiuitie of Babilon fell out and then carried also wyth the people and dispersed in Chaldea other parts of the world there can be no possible suspition of forgerie in this matter for that all the worlde both sawe it and red it many yeeres before the thing came to passe yea when there was no opinion of any such possibilitie to come The prophecies and dooings of Ieremie in the siedge of Ierusalem THE same captiuitie and destruction of Ierusalem by the Babylonians was prophecied by Ieremie a hundred yeeres after Esay and a little before the matter came to passe yea whiles the Babylonians were about the walles of Ierusalem and besiedged the same for two yeeres together Ieremie was within and tolde euery man that it was but in vaine to defende the Cittie for that God had nowe deliuered it And albeit hee were accounted a Traytor for so saying especially when by an Armie of Egypt that came to the ayde of Ierusalem from Pharao the siedge of the Babylonians was raysed for a certaine time yet Ieremie continued still in his asseueration and said to Zedechias the King thou shalt be deliuered into the handes of the King of Babilon And to the people haec dicit Dominus tradendo tradetur haec ciuitas c. This saith the Lord this Cittie most certainlie shall be deliuered into the handes of the Babylonians And so hee continued notwithstāding he were put in prison whipt and threatned dailie to be hanged vntill indeede the Cittie was taken and Zedechias eyes puld out his children slaine before hys face and all other things performed which Ieremie had prophecied and fore-told them before And which was yet more meruailous Ieremie did not onelie fore-tell the perticulers of this captiuitie but also the determinate time howe long it shoulde endure saying And all this land of Iurie shall be into wildernesse and astoniednesse and all this people shall serue the King of Babilon for threescore and ten yeeres and when threescore and ten yeeres shall be complete I will visite vppon the King of Babilon and vpon that Nation saith the Lord I will lay the same into eternall desolation But vppon Iuda will I cast my pleasant eyes will bring them backe to this lande againe c. In which prophecie is contained first the perticuler time howe long thys captiuity shold endure Secondly 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 beene afterwarde fulfilled not onelie Esdras that lyued at that time and was an actor in performance of the last but all other Heathen Wryters besides doe recorde and testifie And this prophecie of Ieremie was so famous and certainlie beleeued amongst all the Iewes in the time of their captiuitie as when the daie of expiration drewe neere Daniell writeth thus of himselfe In the fyrst yeere of Darius I Daniell vnderstoode in the scriptures the number of the seauentie yeeres whereof God spake to Ieremie that they shoulde be fulfilled touching the desolation of Ierusalem and I turned my face to my Lord God and besought him in fasting sackcloth c. Neither onelie the Iewes vnderstood beleeued this prophecie but euen Cyrus himselfe that was a Gentile gaue full credite thereunto therby was induced to restore the Iewes as appeareth both by his own words proclamations sette downe by Esdras that Executed the same and by his deedes also in restoring home the Iewes and rebuilding theyr Temple at his owne great charges as all Historiographers of the Heathens doe confesse I might heere alledge infinite other examples and make no ende if I would follow the multitude of prophecies which are dyspersed throughout the whole scripture I might shewe howe Daniell fore-told to
Salomon that was Dauids sonne and in some sense they may so be for that King Salomon was a figure of Christ to come yet properly these words and his kingdome shall stand for euer and for all eternitie which are so often repeated in this and other places of Scripture cannot be verified in Salomon whose earthly Kingdome was rent and torne in peeces straight way after his death by Ieroboam and not long after as it were extinguishedâ— but they must needes be vnderstoode of an â—ternall king which shold come of Dauids seede as must also these other words of God in the Psalmes Thou art my Sonne thys daie haue I begotten thee I wil giue vnto thee the Gentiles for thyne inheritaunce Which was neuer fulfilled in Salomon nor in any other temporall King in Iurie after hym And much lesse these wordes which follow He shall endure with the sunne and before the moone from generation to generation There shall rise vppe in his daies peace vntil the moone be taken awaie he shall raigne from Sea to Sea vnto the endes of the world All Kings shall adore him and all Nations shal serue him for that hee shall deliuer the poore man that had no helper he shall saue their soules and delyuer them from vsurie and from iniquitie all trybes of the earth shal be blâ—ssed in him and all Nations shall magnifie him These words of Chrisâ—es eternal kingdom of hys enduring to the worldes end of hys vniuersall raigne ouer Iewe and Gentile of hys adoration by all Nations of hys deliuery of soules from bondage of iniquitie and finally of hys making blessed all Trybes of the earth cannot possibly be applyed to any temporall King that euer was among the Iewes or euer shall be vnto the worldes end but onely Christ. IEREMIES PROPHECIE OF CHRIST THIS promise made vnto Dauid for Christ to come of hys seede is repeated after hys death by many Prophets and confirmed by God as in Ieremie vvhere God vseth these wordes Beholde the dayes come on and I will raise vppe to Dauid a iust seede and he shall raigne a King and shall be wise and shall doe iudgment and iustice vppon earth And in his daies shall Iuda be saued Israel shal dwel considently and this is the name that men shall call him OVR IVST GOD. All this was spokeÌ„ of Dauids seede aboue foure hundred yeeres after Dauid was dead Which proueth manifestly that the former promises speeches were not made to King Dauid for Salomon hys sonne or for any other temporall King of Dauids lyne but for Christ who was called so perticulerlie The sonne and seede of Dauid for that Dauid was the first King of the Trybe of Iuda and not onely was Christes Progenitour in the fleshe but also did beare his type and figure in many other things EZECHIELS PROPHECIE OF CHRIST FOR which cause likewise in the Prophet Ezechiell who liued about the same time that Ieremie did the Messias is called by the name of Dauid himselfe For thus God spake at that tyme vnto Ezechiell I will saue my flocke nor shall they be any longer left to the spoyle c. I wil raise ouer them ONE PASTOR which shall feede them my seruant DAVID he shall feede them and hee shall be theyr Sheepehearde and Prince and I will be their God and will make with them a couenaunt of peace c. In which words not onely we that are called Christians but the later Iewes also themselues doe confesse in their Thalmud that theyr Messias is called by the name of Dauid for that hee shall discend of the seede of Dauid as by reason also it must needes be so for that King Dauid beeing deade foure hundred yeeres before these wordes were spoken as hath beene noted coulde not now come againe to feede Gods people or gouerne them himselfe THE PROPHECIES OF ESAY TOVCHING CHRIST ESay the Prophet who liued about a hundred yeeres before Ieremie and Ezechiel had meruailous fore-knowledge of the Messias and hys affayres and describeth him verie perticulerly beginning in thys manner In the latter daies the HILL of Gods house shall be prepared vppon the toppe of mountaines and all Nations or Gentiles shall flowe vnto him And many people shall saie come and let vs ascende vnto the HILL of our Lorde and he shall teach vs his waies and we shall walk in his pathes he shall iudge Nations c. Which very words are also repeated in Micheas the Prophet are applyed there as also here vnto the Messias can haue no other meaning by the iudgment of the Iewes and Hebrues themselues And Esay doth prosecute the same matter afterwards in diuers Chapters As for example in the fourth talking of the same Messias which before he called the HIL of Gods house he addeth these words In that day shal the issue of the Lord be in magnificence and glorie and the fruite of the earth in sublimitie and exultation to all such as shall be saued of Israell In which words he calleth the Messias bothe the issue of God and the fruite of the earth for that he should be both God and man And in the ninth Chapter he calleth him by these termes Admirable Counsâ—llour God Strong Father of the future world and Prince of Peace In the eleuenth chapter he describeth him most wonderfully in these wordes There shall goe forth a braunche of the stocke of Iesse which Iesse was Dauids father and out of the roote of that braunch therâ— shall mount vppe a flower and the spirit of the Lord shall rest vppon him the spirit of wisedome and of vnderstanding the spirit of councell fortitude the spirit of knowledge and pietie he shall not iudge according to the sight of fleshly eyes nor yet condemne according to the hearing of fleshlie eares but hee shall iudge poore men in iustice and shall dispute in equitie for the mylde men of the earth He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the spirit of his lyps shall he sley the wicked man Iustice shal be the girdle of his loynes and faith shall be the bande of his reynes c. Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet wherin truely nothing can be more plaine and euident then that by the rodde or branche of Iâ—sse is meant the Virgine Marie who directly discended of the linage of Iesse and by the flower ascending froÌ„ this branch must needes be vnderstood Christ that was borne of her and had all those excellencies and priuiledges aboue other men which Esay in thys place assigneth vnto him Whose further graces yet and speciall diuine properties the same Prophet expresseth more particulerly in the Chapters following where he sayth Hee shall for euer ouerthrowe and destroy death he shall open the eyes of the blynde and the eares of the deafe he shall not cry nor contâ—nde nor shall he accept the person of
Gods word So againe where God sayth by Ose I will saue the house of Iuda by Iâ—houa their God which is by Christ Ionathan translateth it thus I wyll saue Iuda by the worde of their God In lyke manner where Dauid wryteth Iehoua saide to my Lorde sitte at my right hande c. Ionathan expresseth it thus Iehoua saide vnto hys word sitte at my right hand So Rabbi Isaac Arama writing vpon Genesis expoundeth thys verse of the Psalme he sent his word healed them c. to be meant of Messias that shall be Gods word And Rabbi Simeon the cheefe of all the Cabalists vpon those words of Iob I shall see God in my flesh gathereth that the worde of God shall take fleshe in a womans wombe So that thys doctrine was nothing strange among the auncient Rabbines For further confirmation whereof seeing the matter is of so great importance coÌ„sider what is recorded in a Treatise called Zoar of high authoritie among the Iewes where Rabbi Simeon that was last before alleaged citeth a place out of old Rabbi Ibba vpon these words in Deuteronomie Iehoâ—â— our Lord is one Iehoua which wordes the said auncient Rabbi Ibba interpreteth thus by the first Iehoua in this sentence being the incommunicable name of God is signified sayth hee GOD the father Prince of all things By the next words our Lord is signified God the sonne that is fountaine of all Sciences And by the seconde Iehoua in the same sentence is signified God the holy Ghost proceeding of them bothe To all which is there added the word One to signifie that these three are indiuisible But this secrete shall not be reuealed vntill the comming of Messias Hetherto are the words of Rabbi Ibba reported in Zoar by Rabbi Simeon where also the sayd Rabbi Simeon interpreteth these words of Esay Holy Holie Holie Lord God of Sabaoth in thys manner Esay by repeating three times holy sayth he doth as much as if he had sayd Holy Father holie Sonne and holie Spirit which three holies doe make but one onely Lord God of Sabaoth Finally I wyll conclude thys controuersie betweene the later Iewes and vs with the authoritie of learned Philo who liued in the very same time wyth Christ was sent Embassadour twyse to Rome in the behalfe of his Nation in Alexandria that is first in the fifteene yeere of Tyberius the Emperour which was three yeeres before Christes passion and the very same yeere wherin he was baptised by S. Iohn and the second tyme about eyght yeeres after to witt in the fyrst yeere of the raigne of Caligula This man that was the learnedest that euer wrote among the Iewes after the wryters of holie Scripture ceased made a speciall Booke of the banishment of his Countrimen wher he hath this discourse ensuing What time may be appointed saith he for the returne home of vs banished Iewes it is harde to determine For by tradition wee haue that wee must expect the death of an High Priest But of those some die quickly and some liue longer But I am of opinion that thys High Priest shal be the very word of God Which shall be voyde of all sinne both voluntarie and inuoluntarie whose father shall be God and this word shall be that fathers wisedome by which all things in this world were created Hys heade shall be annoynted with oyle and his kingdome shall florish and shine for euer This wrote Philo at that time when he little imagined that the same High Priest whom he so much expected and the same worde of God whose kingdome he describeth was now alreadie come into the world And this shall suffise for our second consideration what manner of Messias the Iewes did expect The thyrd consideration NOwe in the thyrd place commeth to be considered what authoritie and power the Messias should haue at his appearaunce vpon earth and whether he should chaunge and abrogate the Law of Moses or no wher in there is no lesse controuersie betweene vs and the later Iewes then in the former point of his diuinitie For we holde with S. Paule that the Lawe of Moses was giuen vnto the Iewes but for a time to entertaine that people withall and by the outwarde signes and ceremonies which it had whereof the most part or all prefigured Christ to come to be theyr Schoole-maister leader to the times of fayth wherein it should be abrogated and a farre more perfect Law set down by Christ in place thereof This we prooue first for that the Lawe of Moses was an imperfect Lawe bringing nothing to perfection as S. Paule well noteth It was as S. Peter saith a burden-som Lawe which the Iewes themselues were not able to beare for the multitude of ceremonies therein contained It was a carnall and seruile Lawe consisting most in the externall It was a Law of terror and feare more then of loue and libertie of the spirit It was a Lawe as I said before of signes and figures for things to come consequently to cease wheÌ„ those things which it prefigured shold come to be present It was a Lawe peculiar and proper for the Iewes alone without respect of all the rest of the world and the exercise therof was allowed onely in the Countrie of Iurie and that which is more it was not permitted but in one place only of that Countrey that is in Ierusalem whether euery man was bound to repaire three tymes a yeere to wit at the Pasqua at the Pentecoste and at the feast of Tabernacles and in that place alone to make theyr sacrifices and in no other Countrey or place besides Nowe then reasoneth the learned Diuine if thys Lawe of Moses were for the Iewes and Iurie onely howe could it serue for the time of the Messias who was to be King as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes and to rule all people in the worlde that should beleeue in him vnder one Lawe If the exercise of this Lawe were allowable onely and lawfull in Ierusalem how coulde it possiblie be fulfilled by Christians that are dispersed ouer all the world As for example hovve coulde they repayre to Ierusalem thrise euerie yeere howe shoulde euery woman that should dwell in England or India repaire to Ierusalem for her purification after euerie child-birth as by the Law of Moses she was commanded Most euident is it then which we said before that thys Law was giuen but to endure for a time And to vse S. Pauls owne wordes it was but introductio melioris spei an introduction to a better hope It was but an entertainment to that people which by theyr beeing among the Egiptians were prone to idolatrie vntill Christ shold come and ordaine a perfect Law That is a Lawe of spirit and internall affection a Lawe of loue and libertie a Lawe that shoulde be common to all men serue for al
Countries tymes places and persons a Law that shold be written in the bowels of our harts a Law that should be tollerable easie sweet plaine light breefe flexible as well to the poore as to the rich a Lawe to conclude that should consist in charitie This signified Moses when he said to his people after hee had deliuered the former Lawe vnto them The Lorde shall rayse vnto you a Prophet of your owne Nation and from among your owne bretheren as my selfe hym shall you heare As though he had saide you shall heare me vntill he come that must be a Law-giuer as my self but yet of a more perfect Lawe and therefore more to be hearde and obeyed And then he addeth who soeuer shall refuse to heare the words of this Prophet I my selfe will reuenge it saith the Lorde GOD. Which wordes can not be verified in anie other Prophet after Moses vntill Christ for that of those Prophets the Scripture sayth There arose no Prophet like vnto Moses in Israell Which is to be vnderstood that they had no authoritie to be Law-makers as Moses had but were all bounde to the obseruation of that Lawe onely which Moses left vntyll Christ came whom Moses heere calleth a Prophet as himselfe that is a Law-maker exhorteth all men to heare and obey him Thys yet is made more playne by the prophecie of Esay who sayth Out of Sion shall come a Lawe and the word of God out of Ierusalem which cannot be vnderstoode of Moses Law that had been published eyght hundred yeeres before thys was spoken that from the Mount Sinai and not from Sion But Christes Lawe began from Sion and Ierusalem and from thence was spred into all the worlde Which the same Esay fore-sawe when talking of the comming of the Messias he sayth In that day there shall be an Altar to God in the midst of the Land of Egipt And the tytle of the Lorde at the ende thereof c. And God shall be knowne to the Egiptians at that daie and they shall honour him with sacrifices and oblations Which words coulde not be verified in the olde Lawe of Moses for that by that Lawe the Egiptians coulde haue neither Aultar nor Sacrifice but at Christes comming it was fulfilled when the Egiptians were made Christians and enioyed both the Aultars and sacrifices that Christians do vse The same thing was fore-told by God in Malachie where hee sayth to the Iewes and of the Iewish sacrifices I haue no pleasure in you neither will I recâ—iue oblations at your handes For that from the vprising of the sunne vnto the going downe therof my name is great among the Gentiles and they doe sacrifice vnto me euerie where and doe offer vnto my name a pure oblation saith the Lorde God of hostes In which words we see first a reprobation of the Iewishe sacrifice and consequently of the Lawe of Moses which dependeth principallie of that sacrifice Secondly wee see that among the Gentiles there should be a pure manner of sacrifice more gratefull vnto GOD then the other was and such as might be performed in euery place of the worlde and not to be tyed to one place onely as the Moisaicall Law and sacrifice was And finally I wil conclude thys whole matter with the expresse wordes of God himselfe concerning the ceremonies and precepts of the old Lawe Dedi eis praecepta non bona iudicia in quibus non viuent I gaue vnto them precepts that were not good and iudgements wherin they shall not lyue That is they were not good to continue perpetually nor shall they lyue in them for euer but vntill the time by mee appointed of which time hee determineth more perticulerly by Ieremie the Prophet in these words Behold the daies shal come and I wil make a newe Couenaunt or Testament with the house of Israell and Iuda not according to that Couenaunt which I made with your Fathâ—rs when I brought them forth of the Lande of Egipt Where you see that at the coÌ„ming of Christ into thys world for of him hys byrth hee talketh at large in thys Chapter there shall be a newe Testament contayning a different Law from that of the olde Testament which was giuen to the Iewes at their going forth of Egipt Thus much then hetherto hath beene shewed that Christ in all ages was fore-told and promised that hee shoulde be GOD and that hys authoritie should be to change the Lawe of Moses that was giuen but for a tyme and to establishe a newe Lawe and Couenaunt and a newe Testament of hys owne that shoulde endure and continue for euer The fourth consideration AND albeit these thinges be very wonderfull and sufficient to establish anie mans beleefe in the world when he shall see them fulfilled which shall be the argument of my seconde Section yet resteth not the Scripture heere but passeth further fore-telleth euery perticuler acte accident circumstaunce that shall fall out of importance about the Messias in his comming incarnation byrth lyfe death and resurrection As for example at what perticuler time season he should appeare Genesis 49. verse 10. That he should be borne of a Virgine Esay 7. ver 14. That the place of hys birth should be the Towne of Bethleem Mich. 5 verse 1. That at hys byrth all the Infants rounde about Bethleem should be slaine for his sake Ieremie 31 verse 15. That the Kinges of the East shoulde come and adore him and offer Gold and other gyfts vnto him Psalme 71. verse 10. That hee shoulde be presented by hys Mother in the Temple of Ierusalem Malach 3 verse 1. That he should â—lee into Egipt and be recalled thence againe Ose 11. verse 2. Esay 19 verse 1. That Iohn Baptist shoulde goe before him and crye in the Desert Esay 40 verse 3. Malac. 3. ver 1. After thys that he should begin his own preaching with all humilitie quietnes and clemencie of spirit Esay 42 verse 2. That he should doe strange miracles and heale all diseases Esay 29 verse 8. and 35 verse 5 61 verse 1. That hee should die for the sins of all the world Esay 53 Daniel 26. That he should be betrayed by his owne Disciple Psalme 40 verse 10 and 54 verse 14 and 108 verse 8. That hee shoulde be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer Zacharie 11 verse 12. That with those thirtie peeces there should be bought afterward a Field of pot-shardes Ieremie 30. That hee should ryde into Ierusalem vpon an Asse before his passion Zacharie 9 verse 9. That the Iewes shoulde beate and buffet hys face and defile the same with spitting vpon him Esay 50 ver 6. That they shoulde whyppe rent and teare his bodie before they put him to death Esay 53 verse 2 Psal 37 verse 18. That they should put hym to death among theeues and malefactors Esay 53 verse 12. That
shall goe down into Egipt and all the Idols of Egipt shall shake at his presence Which later point Eusebius sheweth that it was fulfilled most euidentlie in the sight of all the world for that no Nation came to Christian religion with so great celeritie or feruour as did the Egyptians who threw downe theyr Idols before any other heathen Nations And as they had been the first in idolatry to other Countries so were they the first by Christes coÌ„ming vnto them that afterwarde gaue example of true returne to theyr Creator It followeth in Esay And I will giue vp Egipt into the hands of cruell Lords a Potent King shall take dominion ouer them Which was fulfilled about the very time wherein Christ was to come For that then after many spoyles cruelties excercised vppon Egypt by the Romaine Lords and Princes as Pompey Caesar Anthonie others in the end Cleopatra their Queene that was the last of all the bloode and lyne of the Ptolomiâ—s was inforced to sley her selfe and so Augustus the Emperor tooke possession of all Egypt and subiected it as a Prouince to the Romaines Empire But consider you howe Esay concludeth the matter after all these temporall afflictions threatned against Egipt confesse that such aduersitie is no signe of Gods dys-fauour to them who receiue it For thus sayth God after all hys cominations In that daie there shal be an Aultar of Iehoua in the middest of Egipt they shall cry to God in their tribulation and he shal send them a Sauiour c. Blessing shall be in the midst of that Land to whom the Lorde God of hostes hath giuen his benediction saying Blessed is my people of Egipt And heere we make an ende of our second consideration The thyrde consideration NOwe in the thyrd place there commeth to be considered according to our former dyuision the life conuersation doctrine and myracles of Iesus And first touching things doone by him after his coÌ„ming out of Egypt which might be about the sixt or seauenth yeere of hys age vntil hys baptisme by S. Iohn which was the thyrtith there is little recorded eyther in Prophane or Ecclesiasticall Wryters For that as Saint Iustine S. Chrisostome S. Augustine and others doe write hee bestowed that time in the common exercise and labours of mans life therby to shewe himselfe true man and gyue demonstration how much he hated and detested idlenes Of Saint Iohn Baptist all Hebrue wryters of that time doe make mention with exceeding prayse and admiration of hys holinesse especially Iosephus that liued immediatly after Christes daies sayth he was Vir optimus Iudaeos excitans ad virtutum studia A most excellent man stirring vp the Iewes to the exercise of vertue Hee addeth also that partly for feare of the great concourse of people which flocked vnto him and partlie by the solicitation of Herodias concubine and brothers wyfe to Herode Antipas the great Herods sonne for whose cause he had turned off hys owne Wife daughter to Areta King of the Arabians hee was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Acherun and therein soone after put to death Which murder Iosephus esteemed to be the cause of al the misery which insued afterward to Herod and his whole familie Of thys man it was written by Malachie the Prophet Behold I send my messenger or Angel before me he shall prepare the way before my face presently shal com to his temple the RVLER whom ye seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT whom you desire Which prophecie was fulfilled most euidently vppon the preaching of S. Iohn when Christ came vnto him and albeit S. Iohn had neuer seene him before yet he acknowledged him for the Messias in the presence of infinite people hys acknowledgment was confirmed by the visible descending of a Doue voice from heauen in the sight hearing of all the people present according as three of our Euangelists doe report Which they would neuer haue presumed to doe had not the matter been most euident and without al compasse of deniall or contradiction And truely no one thing in all this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of hys beeing the true Messias then that S. Iohn Baptist whose wisedome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessed and recorded by the writings of all our aduersaries should refuse the honour of the Messias offered vnto himselfe and lay it vpon Iesus as also shoulde direct those Disciples that depended vpon him to the onely folowing and embracing of Iesus doctrine Which is most euidently prooued that hee did for that so many folowers and disciples as himselfe had not one appeared euer after that was not a Christian. When Iesus was baptised he began to preache and his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of hys Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tendeth all to thys one ground and principle Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule thy Neighbour as thy selfe It was plaine easie perspicuous and euident though it treated of most high misteries It had neither pompe nor pryde of rethoricall words nor flattering of mans wickednes as the doctrine of manie Phylosophers had Neyther consisted it of vnprofitable externall ceremonies as the later obseruations of the Iewish Lawe dyd nor was it fraught wyth carnalitie and spirit of thys world as the Turkish Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicitie all was spirit all was trueth al was honestie all was humilitie all was charitie It tooke away or dysanulled no one perfect or spirituall poynt of Moses Lawe but rather reuiued interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For whereasâ— that coÌ„maunded externall obseruaunce this addeth also internall obedience Whereas that sayd loue your freendes thys adioyneth loue also your enemies Whereas that commaunded we should not kyll thys further commaundeth to speake no angry words Wheras that prohibited to commit actuall adulterie thys also forbiddeth to couet in minde Whereas that sayd take no interest or vsurie of a Iewe that is thy Countriman thys fayth take it of no man whatsoeuer Wheras that accounted euery Iewe onely to be thy neighbour thys teacheth euery person liuing to be thy brother Whereas that taught thee to offer vp a Calfe a Sheepe or an Oxe for thy sinnes thys instructeth thee to offer vp a contrite hart by fayth in the bloode of hym that died for all with a firme and resolute purpose of amendement of life And finally thys doctrine tendeth wholy to the true sincere and perfect seruice of GOD thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to the exaltation of hys onely name power goodnes and glorie to the depression of mans pryde by discouering his misery to the contempt of this world vaine pompe thereof to the mortification and subduing of our sensual appetite to the true loue vnfayned charitie of our neighbour to
Arte-Magick Thus said the Iewes of the miracles of Iesus and so sayd Iulian the Apostata of the wonderfull strange things doone by S. Peter and Saint Paule affirming them to haue beene the most expert in Magick of any that euer lyued that Christ wrote a special booke of that profession and dedicated the same to Peter and Paule whereas notwithstanding it is most euident that Paule was a persecutor diuers yeeres after Christ departed One Hierocles also wrote a booke wherin he feigned Appolonius Tyanaeus to haue doone the lyke myracles by Magicke which Christ and hys Apostles did by diuine power And finally it is a generall opinion â—â—aâ— both Nero and Iulian gaue themselues so extreamely to the studie of that vaine Science as no men euer dyd the like vppon emulation only of the miracles done in Rome by Peter and Paule when Nero liued and by other Saints and Disciples in the tyme of Iulian But what was the end Plinie that was a Pagan 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 meruailous exceeding vanitie thereof The like in effect wryteth Zosimus of Iulian albeit himselfe a malitious Heathen And if it were not written yet theyr seuerall extraordinarie calamities and most miserable deathes which by all their Magick they coulde not fore-see doth sufficientlie testifie the same vnto vs especially the last words of Iulian Uicisti Galilaee vicisti Thou hast wonne ô Galilaean thou hast gotten the victorie Acknowledging thereby as wel the trueth of Christes myracles and of his folowers as also the vanitie follie and madnes of hys owne endeuours Thus then went forward Christes Apostles preached him euery where throughout the world Domino cooperante sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis that is as S. Marke affirmeth the Lorde Iesus working with them and confirming theyr preaching by signes and myracles In respecte of which benigne assistance of Iesus in theyr actions Saint Luke sayth further they dealt most confidently in the Lord his word of grace giuing testimonie vnto their dooings and shevving foorth signes and most prodigious wonders by their hands No persecution no terrour no threates of enemies no difficultie or daunger that might occurre coulde stay theÌ„ from theyr course of setting foorth Christes name and glorie And they were so assured of the trueth by the inwarde illuminations which they had and by thys certaine testimonie of Gods fauour and assistance in dooing myracles â—s one of them wryteth thus That which wee haue hearde which wee haue seene with our eyes which we haue beheld which our hands haue handled of the word of life that we doe testifie announce vnto you And another who had beene a greeuous persecutor and was conuerted wythout any conference with any Christian in the world sayd of Iesus that was dead and risen againe that neither tribulation nor distresse nor famine nor beggerie nor danger nor persecution nor dint of sword could daunt him from the seruice of such a Mayster And in another place he sayth that hee esteemed all things of thys world wherein a man might glorie to be as very dounge and detriments in respect of the eminent knowledge that is hys worde of his Lorde Iesus Christ. In which very name he tooke so exceeding great delight as in a fewe Epistles which he left written he is obserued to haue vsed this sentence Dominus noster Iesus Christus aboue two hundred times Neyther endured thys in these Apostles for a tyme onely but all theyr liues which as they spent the same with alacritie in the seruice of Iesus so in the ende they gaue vp the same most cheerefully to what soeuer death presented it selfe for confirmation sealing of theyr former doctrine neuer so full of confidence courage and consolation as at that houre nor euer so boldly denouncing theyr Maister or talking so ioyfully of rewards Crownes and kingdomes as at the very last instant vpshotte of their worldly combat Thys then declareth most manifestly that the actions of these men proceeded not of humaine spirit nor could be performed by the power of man but by the diuine force supernaturall assistance of their Lord and God whom they confessed The thyrd Consideration AND thus much in breuitie of Christes Apostles There ensue next his Euangelists that is such men as haue left vnto vs written hys byrth life doctrine and death Wherein is to be noted that Iesus beeing God tooke a different way froÌ„ the custome of man in deliuering vnto vs his Lawes and precepts For that men who haue been law-makers vnto the world knewe no surer way of publishing theyr Lawe and procuring authoritie to the same then to write them with their owne handes and in theyr life time to establish theyr promulgation So Lycurgus Solon others among the Graecians Numa to the Romaines Mahomet to the Sarafins and diuers other in like manner But Iesus to shew hys diuine power in directing the penne and style of his Euangelists would not leaue any thing written by himselfe but passed from thys world in simplicitie and silence wythout any further shew or ostentation of hys owne doings meaning notwithstanding by hys eternall wisedome that the prophecie of Ezechiell shoulde be fulfilled which fore-signified the beeing of his foure irrefragable witnesses which day night without rest shold preach extoll magnifie theyr Lord Maister to the worlds end Foure then were fore-prophecied and foure as wee see by Gods prouidence were prouided to fulfill the same prophecie The first and last are two Apostles that wrote as they had seene The two middle are two disciples who registred things as they had vnderstoode by conference with the Apostles The first Gospell was written by an Apostle to giue light and open the way to al the rest And the last in like manner was written by an Apostle to giue authoritie and confirmation to all the former The first was written in the Hebrue or Iewish tongue for that Iesus actions were done in that Countrie to the ende that thereby eyther the whole Nation might beleeue them or the obstinate impugne them The other three were wrytten in the publique tongues of all other Nations that is in the Greeke Romaine languages if it be true which diuers holde that S. Markes Gospell was first written in Latine They wrote theyr stories in diuers Countries each one remaining farre distant from another and yet agreed they all as wee see most exactlie in the very same narration They wrote in diuers times the one after the other and yet the latter did neyther correct nor reprehend any thing in the former They published theyr stories when infinite were aliue that knewe the facts and manie more that desired to impugne them They sette downe in most of theyr particuler narrations the time
the same or of the want of Gods holy assistance to that effect if we would with humilitie accept thereof Thys Esay made plaine when hee prophecied of thys perspicuitie that is of thys most excellent priuiledge in Christian Religion so many hundred yeeres before Christ was borne For after that in diuers Chapters hee had declared the glorious comming of Christ in signes miracles as also the multitude of Gentiles that shoulde embrace hys doctrine together with the ioy and exultation of theyr conuersion hee fore-sheweth presently the wonderful prouidence of God also in prouiding for Christians so manifest a way of direction for theyr faith religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wylfulnes to goe astray therein His wordes are these directed to the Gentiles Take comforte and feare not Behold your God shall come and saue you Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the eares of the deafe shall be restored c. And there shall be a pathe and a waie which shall be called The holie waie and it shall be vnto you so direct a way as fooles shall not be able to erre therein By which wordes wee see that among other rare benefits that Christes people were to receiue by hys comming thys should be one and not the least that after hys holie doctrine once published and receiued it shoulde not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might bee whom Esay heere noteth by the name of fooles to runne awry in matters of their beleefe so plaine cleere and euident shoulde the way for tryall thereof be made God hath opened himselfe vnto vs in the holie Scriptures the wrytings and doctrine of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and hys Apostles wherin is contayned whatsoeuer is necessarie for our saluation For although the inuisible thinges of God that is hys power and God-heade may be seene by the workmanship and creation of the world wherin as in a booke written with the hand of God and layde open to the eyes of men the glorie of GOD and hys mightie power appeareth Yet because eyther we reade not thys Booke at all or if wee doe wee reade it careleslie therefore it was necessarie that the Lord God should adde another Booke more plaine and easie to be read so as he may run that readeth it and this is as hath been said his holie wyll reuealed vnto vs in his wrytten word Which Saint Augustine therefore verie well calleth the Letters or Epistle of God sent vnto vs from our heauenly Countrey to teach vs to liue godlie and righteouslie whilst wee soiurne heere in thys present worlde Thys is that Lanthorne wherby our feete may be directed and that light wherby our pathes may be guided vnto Christ it is that most certaine infallible rule and leuell of all our actions wherby both our faith lyfe are to be squared and framed Yea it is that holy and vndefiled way and with all that plaine and easie way denoted by Esay which euen in the very entraunce thereof gyueth light vnderstanding as Dauid speaketh vnto the simple And although wee must confesse wyth S. Peter that there are some thinges in the Scripture harde to be vnderstoode yet wee may also say wyth the same Peter that they are harde to those that are vnlearned and vnstable which peruert and wrest them to theyr owne destruction So that if the Gospell of Christ be yet hid it is hid in them that perrish whose sences sathan hath closed that the light thereof should not shine vnto them And heere-hence is it that the Apostle Saint Paul pronounceth so peremptorilie of a contentious and hereticall man that he is damned by the testimonie of his owne iudgment or conscience for that hee hath abandoned this common direct and publique way which all men might see hath deuised particuler paths and turnings to him selfe And heere-hence is it that the auncient Fathers of Christes primatiue Church dysputing against the same kind of people defended alwaies that theyr errour was of malice and wilfull blindnesse and not of ignoraunce applying these words of prophecie vnto them They that sawe mee ran out from mee Thus then it appeareth that the plaine and direct way mentioned by Esay wherein no simple or ignoraunt man can erre is the doctrine taught by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ and hys Apostles which howsoeuer it seeme to be obscure and darksome to men of peruerse mindes that are not exercised in it yet to the godlie and studious readers and hearers that haue theyr eyes opened and theyr mindes lightened to see the trueth it is most plaine and easie to be vnderstood And thys is the cause that those holie and sage Apostles of Christ for the better preuenting of all bye-waies crooked paths and blinde lanes of errours that afterwardes might aryse as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstoode there should doe manie so earnestly exhorted and so vehementlie called vpon the people to stand fast in the documents then receiued to holde firmelie the fayth and doctrine alreadie deliuered as a Depositum and treasure committed to be safelie kept vntill the last daie And aboue all other things they most diligently fore-warned them to beware of newe-fangled Teachers whom they called Heretiques who should breake from the vnitie of that bodie whereof Christ is the head and shoulde deuise newe glosses expositions and interpretations of Scripture bring in newe senses doctrines opinions and diuisions to the renting of Gods Church and Cittie nowe builded to the perdition of infinit soules The Apostle S. Paule euen whylst hee liued founde some of his Schollers to be remoued by new-fangled Teachers to another Gospell and the better to make them see theyr errour hee appealeth to the Gospell which he had taught them The Gospell he preached was not after man neyther receiued he it of man but by reuelation from Iesus Christ. He brought them no fancies visions dreames interpretations of scripture hatched in hys owne braine but the pure sincere doctrine receiued by reuelation from God himselfe and faithfully deliuered vnto them without hacke or mayme as hee receiued it Therefore Saint Ierome vpon that place considering howe all Heretiques haue iugled wyth the Scriptures from time to tyme sayth That Marcion and Basilides and other Heretiques the contagious botches plague sores of the Church haue not the Gospell of God because they haue not the spirit of God without which that which is taught groweth to be mans Gospell Thys maketh that learned Father to resolue vpon the matter that it is a dangerous thing peruersly to expound the holy Scriptures for by thys meanes that is by wrong and peruerse interpretation that which is Gods gospell is made mans Gospell et quod peius est and that which is worse saith this holy Father it is made the deuils Gospell
so we must examine the trueth of our fayth by cōsideration of our life for then not otherwise are we true Christians if wee fulfill in works that whereof we haue made promise in words That is in the day of our Baptisme we promised to renounce the pompe of this world together with all the workes of iniquitie which promise if wee performe nowe after Baptisme then are we true Christians and may be ioyfull But contrariwise if our life be wicked contrary to our profession it is saide by the voyce of trueth it selfe Not euery one that shall say to mee Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen And againe why doe yee call mee Lord Lord doe not performe the things that I tell you Heer-hence is it that God complained of his old people the Iewes saying this people honoureth me with their lips but their harts are farre off from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people They loued him with their mouth and wyth their tongues they lyed vnto him Wherefore let no man presume to say he shall be saued if faith and good life be diuorced put a sunder which S. Chrisostome noteth by the wofull and heauie chaunce iudgment that happened vnto him who in the Gospell was admitted to the feast of Christian faith knowledge but for lacke of the ornament or garment of good life was most contumeliouslie depriued of his expectation Of whom Saint Chrisostoms words are these He was inuited to the feast and brought vnto the Table but for that by his foule garment he dishonored our Lord that had inuited him he was not onely thrust from the Table banquet but also bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter darknes where there is eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs not deere bretheren let vs not I say deceiue our selues and imagine that our dead and vnfruitfull faith wyll saue vs at the last day for except wee ioyne pure life to our beleefe and in this heauenly vocation of ours doe apparrell our selues with the worthy garmēts of vertuous deeds whereby we may be admitted at the mariage day in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted his wedding weede Which thing S. Paule well noteth when hauing sayde wee haue an euerlasting house in heauen not made with mens handes he addeth presentlie thys exception Si tamen vestiti et non nudi inueniamur That is if wee be founde at that day well apparrelled and not naked Would God euery Christian desirous of hys saluation woulde ponder well thys discourse of S. Chrisostome And so wyth thys alone to conclude our speeche in thys Chapter without allegation of further matters or authorities which are infinite to thys effect it may appeare by that which hath alreadie beene sette downe wherein the true profession of a Christian consisteth and thereby each man that is not partiall or blinded in his owne affection as many are may take a viewe of his state and condition and frame vnto himselfe a verie probable coniecture how he is like to speed at the last accounting day That is what profite or damage hee may expect by hys knowledge and profession of Christian Religion For as to him that beleeueth soundly and walketh vprightly in his vocation performing effectually euery way his professed duetie there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewards prepared so to hym that strayeth aside and swerueth from the right path of fayth and life prescribed vnto hym there are no lesse paines and punishments reserued For which cause euery Christian that is carefull of his owne saluation ought to sixe his eyes verie seriouslie vppon them both and as in beleefe to shewe himselfe constant firme humble and obedient so in life conuersation to be honest iust pure innocent and holie And for this seconde poynt concerning life and manners hath been already handled in my former booke which as I vnderstand is imprinted in England I shall neede to wade the lesse in further discourse heereof But for I haue beene admonished by the writinges of diuers howe my former booke hath beene misliked in two speciall poynts first that I speake so much of good workes and so little of faith secondly that I talke so largelie of Gods iustice and so breefelie of his mercie whereby the consciences of many haue beene offended let the last Chapter going before of beleefe and life aunswer the first and that which immediatly followeth serue for the latter obiection and so I doubt not but a Christian man may be thorowlie resolued OF THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS FROM Resolution Which is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercy through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their offences CHAP. VI. AMong all other the moste greeuous and perrilous cogitations which in thys worlde are accustomed to offer themselues to a minde intangled and loden wyth great sinnes this vsually is the first through the nature of sinne it selfe and crafty suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fall into distrust and dyspaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Caine one of the first inhabitants of the earth who after the murder of his owne onely brother and other sinnes by him committed brake into that horrible and desperate speeche so greatly offensiue vnto his Lorde Maker Mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like manner the desperate conceite of wicked Iudas one of the first of thē that were chosen to the peculier seruice of our Redeemer who feeling hys conscience oppressed wyth manifolde iniquities and most of all with the prodition of his owne Lord and Maister tooke no other way of amendmēt or redresse but to destroy himselfe both in bodie and soule adioyning onoly these words full of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wretched ende he more greeuouslie offended and iniured his most louing and mercifull Sauiour then by all his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouer burdened wyth the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dreadfull cogitations by the blastes stormes of Gods threates against sinners doth cōmonlie make her shypwracke That is that most horrible depth and dungion wherof the holie scriptures saith The impious man when he is come into the bottome and profunditie of his sinnes contemneth all Thys is that remedilesse sore and incurable wound wherwith God himselfe charged Ierusalem when hee sayd Insanabilis fractura tua thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorowe the multitude of their wickednes to encline now to dispayre of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into thys most pittiful cōplaint For this will I
them vpoÌ„ their first signification of greefe and sorrowe for the same And not onelie thys but our Sauiour also Iesus Christ was promised to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fall they had lost After thys vntill the tyme of Abraham and of the people of Israell as some vvorkes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writte that were exercised vppon irrepentant offenders so are there many more celebrated of his mercie only two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorrowe which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first whereof was the murderer Caine who at the beginning denyed hys wickednes vnto God and then beeing conuicted despayred of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a prophane fornicator who found no place of repentaunce albeit with teares he sought the same Whereof S. Chrisostome giueth the reason in these wordes For this cause Esau obtained not pardon for that hee did not repent as hee should haue doone his teares proceeding rather of anger and temptation then of true sorowe When the people of Israell came to be a distinct Nation to be gouerned at Gods appointment how greeuously trowe you did they offende daily and almost hourelie his diuine Maiestie And howe graciouslie did his vnspeakable clemencie remit pardon their manifolde and innumerable sinnes and trespasses doone against him The whole Scripture in truth seemeth nothing els but a perpetual narration of Gods incredible patience and infinite mercies towardes them And if I woulde speake of perticuler persons among them which he receiued to his fauour after great and manifold offences committed there would be no ende of that recitall Let Manasses that most impious and wicked king be an example for al of whose enormous life most detestable acts whole pages are replenished both in the bookes of kings and Chronicles and yet afterwardes notwithstanding the same man falling into miserie and calamitie among the Babilonians a fortunate schoole oftentimes for Princes who in their prosperity are wont to contemne God he beganne to be sorrowful for hys former life and actions and became repentant as the Scripture saith in the sight of God for the same Whereat his diuine incomprehensible mercie was so much moued presently as he receiued him to fauour and brought him backe from his prison and fetters to hys kingdome imperial throne of Maiestie The example also of the Niniuites is very notable and singuler in this behalfe against whom almighty God hauing decreed a sentence of death to be executed within a certayne time he commaunded Ionas the Prophet to goe and denounce that sentence vnto them But Ionas well knowing the nature and disposition of God towardes mercie fore-sawe as afterwardes hee signifieth that if hee shoulde goe and beare that embassage vnto them and they thereuppon make chaunge of theyr lyues his Maiestie woulde presentlie pardon them and so hee shoulde be taken for a false and lying Prophet For auoiding which inconuenience he chose rather to flee away by sea to the Cittie of Tharsis there to hide himselfe But almightie God raised a teÌ„pest in that iourney and disposed in such sort as Ionâ—s was cast into the sea and there receiued and deuoured by a whale froÌ„ whose belly he was commaunded afterwardes to repaire to Niniuie and to doe his former message which hee performed And the tenour of his message was that wythin fâ—rtie dayes that huge cittie of Niniuie should be destroyed Whych hee hauing denounced vnto them the sequel fell out as Ionas before had suspected For the Niniuites beleeuing the message betaking themselues to repentance GOD forgaue them presently whereat Ionas was exceedinglie greeued offended and complained sweetly to God of hys strange dealing herein demaunding why he had enforced him to come preach destruction vnto them knowing before hand that hee would pardon them But his mercifull Lorde aunswered him fully to this poynt by a certaine accident that fell out wherto Ionas was not able to reply one word For so it chaunced that Ionas sitting wythout the walles of the Cittie Niniuie vnder an Iuie bushe that in one night by Gods appointment was sprong vp to couer him from the sunne the same Iuie by Gods ordinance perished vpon the suddaine and was coÌ„sumed by a worme leauing the poore Prophet destitute of that coÌ„solation of shadow which he receiued by it Wherewyth he beeing not a little disquieted and afflicted God said vnto him thou Ionas art sorowful and much greeued for losse of thine Iuie tree which notwithstanding thou diddest not plant or make to growe nor tookest any labour at all about it But the same grew vp in one night and in one night it perished againe And shall not I then be carefull to pardon my great Cittie of Niniuie wherein there be aboue an hundred twenty thousand innocent people which cannot distinguish betweene their right hande and theyr left This was the answer of almighty God to Ionas for defence of his singuler inclination to mercy in respect that the Niniuites were his owne creatures his own workmanâ—hip and the labours of his own hands as all other people also are Of which kynde of reason and consideration there haue beene diuers thinges sayde and declared before for manifestations of Gods infinite mercie And all thys that hetherto hath been spoken is of things onely doone in time of the olde Testament before the appearance of Christ our Sauiour in the flesh But nowe if wee looke into the tyme of grace when God incarnate came himselfe in person to shew the riches of hys endlesse mercie vnto mortall men vpon earth wee shall see more examples without comparison of his exceeding clemencie For that nowe our Creator and shepheard ouercome as it were with extreame compassion came downe into the vale of our miserie with resolution not onely to offer pardon and forgiuenes to all his sheepe that were astray would returne but also to follow and seeke them out and beeing found to lay them on his owne shoulders and so to beare them back vnto the fold againe and there to giue his life and bloode for theyr defence against the Wolfe O sweete Lorde what greater loue can be imagined then this what more pregnant signification of inflamed charitie can mans cogitation conceiue or apprehende is it meruaile nowe if hee which descended vnto vs with his hart and wyth these bowels of burning affection did sette open the gates of all his treasures fauours and graces vnto vs Is it meruaile if the holy Apostle Saint Paul doe say of this time Superabundauit gratia that grace did ouer abound and yet further in another place that Christ being very God did in a certaine sorte impoueriâ—h and emptie himselfe with the most wonderfull effusion of mercies and hauocke of heauen which at this
thousand times repent a thousand times vnfainedly This is the only oyntment that may be poured into an afflicted conscience the torment whereof I doe well knowe For the deuill standeth by whetting his sword of desperation saying vnto thee Thou hast liued wickedly all thy youth and thy former daies thou hast mispent thou hast hanted playes spectacles with thy cōpanions and followed after loose and lasciuious women thou hast taken other mens goods frō them wrongfully thou hast been couetous dissolute effeminate thou hast forsworne thy selfe thou hast blasphemed and committed many other hainous wicked crimes and therefore what hope canst thou haue of saluation Truely none at all Thou art a meere cast-away and canst not nowe goe backe and therfore my counsaile is that now thou vse the pleasures and commodities of thys worlde and passe ouer thy time in myrth of hart without cogitation of other affaires These are the words of the deuil louing brother these are the counsailes and perswasions of our enemie But mine are contrary If thou haue fallen thou maiest rise againe If thou haue beene a lost cōpanion yet thou maist be saued If thou haue committed fornication and adulterie in time past thou maist be continent for the time to come If thou haue haunted playes and games thou maist draw back thy foote from henceforth If thou haue delighted in leud and euil company thou maist hereafter acquaint thy selfe with good Thys only is necessarie that thou beginne thy conuersion out of hand and that thou repent and take in hande to reforme thy selfe though it be at the first but a little Let thyne eyes begin but to shed forth one teare enter into thy conscience consider thy selfe but indifferently examine thyne actions and what they deserue lay before thy face the day of iudgment with the torments of hell on the one side and the ioyes of heauen on the other Repent confesse amende thy life seeke a medicine for thy wounde out of hande while thou art in thys lyfe in what state or condition soeuer thou be Yea if thou be vpon thy death-bed and readie to breath out thy soule spirit feare not to repent for that Gods mercie is not restrained by the shortnes of time Which I speake vnto you my deere brethren not to make you hereby the more negligent but onely to styrre you vp to the confidence of Gods mercie and thereby to auoid the most daungerous gulfe of desperation Hetherto are the wordes of thys holy and learned Father In which long and large dyscourse of his we are to note that together with most excellent encouragement which hee giueth to all sinners of what state and condition soeuer they be in all times and seasons to trust in Gods mercie and neuer to despaire he giueth also an holesome admonishment that we shoulde not by thys confidence become more negligent in reforming our liues but rather doe it out of hande without all delay or procrastination Whereunto in like manner the holy father S. Augustine in like exhortation against despaire dooth endeuour most vehemently to stirre vs vppe in these words Let no man after a hundred sins nor after a thousande despaire of Gods mercie but yet so let him not despaire as hee seeke presently without all stay to reconcile hymself to God by amendment of life least perhaps after that by custome he hath gotten a habite of sinne he be not able to deliuer him selfe from the snares of the deuill albeit hee woulde And in the very same sermon he discourseth yet further of the same matter in manner folowing Not euery man that hath sinned but he that perseuereth in sinne is hatefull and abhominable in the sight of GOD. For that no man must distrust of Gods mercie towards hym that wyl amende and leaue his sinnes For that God himselfe as a most sweete comforter hath sayd by his Prophet That the impietie of a wicked man shal not hurt him at what time soeuer he shall turne from the sam◠But yet this great mercy of the Lorde is then onely profitable vnto vs if we delay not our conuersion nor doe multiply sinnes vpon sins Which I wil declare vnto you by the example of woundes ruptures of our body by which the infirmities also of our minde and soule may be conceiued Thus then we see if a mans foote leg or arme be broken with howe great paine the fame is restored to his accustomed strength But if any member of our body shoulde be broken twise or three times or more often in one and the selfe same place your charity can imagine howe harde a thing it were for that part to recouer her perfit health againe So fareth it deere brethren in the woundes and ruptures of our soul. If a man doe commit sin once or twise doe vnfainedly with out dissimulatiō make his refuge to the medicine of repentance hee doth out of hande obtaine health again that somtimes without any skar or blemish of the disease past But if he begin to adde sins vpon sins in such sort that the woundes of his soule doe rather putrifie within him by couering and defending them then heale by repentance confession it is to be feared leaste that heuie speech of the Apostle be fulfilled in him to whom he sayth Doost thou not know that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentaunce but thou by thy obdurate and irrepentant hart dost heape to thy self wrath in the day of vengeance and of the reuelation of Gods iust iudgement Thus farre S. Augustine But now deere christian brother what can be spoken more effectuallie either to erect vs to hope cōfidence in Gods mercie or to terrifie vs from presumption in delaying our amendment then here hath been vttered by these noble pyllers and fathers of Christes Church and most excellent instruments and temples of his holy spirit The diuine wisedome of almightie God in a certaine place saith That the wordes of wyse men ought to be spurs vnto vs and as it were nailes dryuen into the depth of our hearts meaning thereby that wee should be styrred vppe and most vehementlie mooued when we heare such wise men as the holie Ghost there meaneth which in deed are only they that haue the knowledge and true feare of GOD make such exhortations vnto vs and gyue vs such holesome admonishments as these godly Fathers in this great affaire haue done And howe is it then deere brother that we are nothing stirred vp therby nothing quickned nothing awaked Well I will conclude thys whole Chapter and treatise wyth an other exhortation and admonishion of S. Augustine for that besides the graue authoritie of the man which ought to mooue vs much I thinke nothing can be spoken more excellently or more agreeing to our peculier purpose Thus then he saith Almightie God doth neuer despise the repentaunce of any man if it be offered vnto him sincerely and simplie
I might treate of many almost infinite braunches yet for order and breuities sake I meane onely to take in consideration these fewe that ensue Wherin not onely the power of Iesus but also his loue his care and prouidence and most perfect accomplishment of all hys promises and finally the iustification of all his speeches prophecies and doctrines vpon earth haue beene declared And to reduce what is to be said heerein to some order and methode it is to be noted that in the first place shall be considered the sustentation protection increase and continuation of Christes little Church and kingdome that himselfe first planted and left vpon earth The second consideration shal be of hys Apostles and theyr Actions The thyrde of hys Euangelists The fourth of hys witnesses and Martyrs throughout the world The fyft shall treate of the kingdom of infernall powers beaten down by his vertue The sixt of the punishment iust reuenge that lighted vppon hys enemies who most impugned his diuine personne in the world The seauenth and last shall declare the fulfilling of all such prophecies and predictions as proceeded frō his diuine mouth while he was conuersant vpon earth The first Consideration NOwe then for the first it is to be considered that at Iesus departure out of thys world from the Mount Oliuet S. Luke reporteth that all the multitude of hys followers which there had beheld his ascention into heauen returned backe together into the Cittie of Ierusalem and there remained in one house together continuing in prayer and expectation what shoulde become of them The whole Cittie was bent against them themselues were poore and simple people and diuers of them women Lands or reuenewes they had none to maintayne them nor freendes in Courte to giue them countenaunce against theyr enemies The name of Iesus was most odious and whosoeuer did fauour hym was counted an enemy to the state There wanted not perhaps among them who considering the great multitude would imagine with themselues what should become of them where they should finde to maintaine and sustaine them what should be the ende of that feeble congregation For abroad they durst not goe for feare of persecution and continue long together they might not for want of necessaries Besides that euery houre they expected to be molested and drawne foorth by Catch-poles and other Officers And albeit in these dystresses the fresh memorie of Iesus and hys sweete promises made vnto them at his departure as also the delectable presence of hys blessed Mother and her often exhortations and encouragements vnto them dyd comfort them generally as may be supposed yet to him that by humaine reason shoulde ponder and weigh theyr present state condition it coulde not chuse but seeme harde and no waies durable But beholde vppon the suddaine when they had continued nowe tenne daies together might by all probabilitie find themselues in verie high degree of temporall distresses Iesus performed his promise of sending them a COMFORTER which was the holie Ghost By whose comming besides the internall ioy and incredible alacritie and exultation of minde they receiued also fortitude and audacitie to goe foorth into the worlde They receiued the gyft of tongues enabling them to conuerse deale with all sorts of people They receiued wisdome and learning wyth most wonderfull illumination in highest mysteries wherby to preach to teach conuince their aduersaries They receiued the gift of prophecie to fore-tell things to come together wyth the power of working signes myracles wherby the whole world remained astonied And for a taste or earnest pennie of that which shoulde ensue concerning the infinite increase of that little Congregation they sawe three thousand of theyr aduersaries conuerted to them in one daie by a Sermon of S. Peter Which increase went on so fast for the tyme that insued that within fortie yeeres after the Gentiles themselues confesse that the braunches of thys Congregation were spread ouer all the world and began to put in feare the very Romaine Emperors themselues Whereof not long after a man that was as learned as euer was any conuerted from Paganisme to Christianitie beareth recorde in hys defence to an Emperour hys Officers who according to the nature of persecutors accounted Christians for Traytors and enemies to his state and dignitie Which vulgare obiection thys foresaid learned man refuteth in these words If we were enemies to your estate you might well seeke new Citties Counteries whereof to beare gouernment for that you should haue in your Empire more enemies thē Cittizens We haue filled your Townes your Citties your Prouinces your Ilandes your Castels your Fortresses your Tents your Campes your Courtes your Palaces your Senats and your Market places Onely we haue left your idolatrous Temples vnto your selues all other places are full of Christians If we were enemies what dangerous warres might we make against you albeit our number were far lesse who esteeme so little of our liues as to offer our selues dailie to be slaine at your handes This then is your safetie in verie deede not your persecuting of vs but that we are honest patient and obedient and that it is more lawfull in Christian Religion to be kylled then to kil By which wordes of Tertulian in thys first beginning and infancie as it were of Christian Religion for hee liued in the second age after Christ we see how this ltitle flocke and kingdom of Iesus was increased notwithstanding all the resistance and violence of the world against it◠Which appeareth by the same Tertulian to haue beene such and was euen at that time when hee wrote those wordes the fourth persecution beeing then in most furie as all the malefactors of the worlde together had not so much rigour shewed against them as had the most innocent Christian that liued for confessing onely that name and Religion Thys then declared most apparentlie that it could not proceed but of some diuine power and supernaturall assistance that in so short a space amidst the contradiction and opposition of so many aduersaries among the whyppes swords tortures of so great potent and violent persecutors thys poore simple and feeble congregation shold pearse through and augment it selfe so stronglie Especially if we cōsider the outward meanes of this increase wherein there was nothing to allure or content mans nature nothing gorgious nothing delectable nothing to please or entertaine sensualitie We reade of an Emperour that taking in hand to conquer the worlde made thys Proclamation for winning men vnto hys partie Who soeuer wyll come and bee my seruaunt if he be a foote-man I wyll make him a horse-man If hee be a horse-man I wyll make hym ryde with Coches If he be a Farmour I will make him a Gentleman If he possesse a cottage I wyll giue him a Village If he haue a Village I wyll giue him a Cittie If he be Lorde of a Cittie I
will make him Prince of a Region or Countrey And as for gold I wyll poure it foorth vnto them by heapes and weight and not by number Thys was the Proclamation and Edict of Cyrus to his followers very glorious as we see in pompe of wordes and oftentation of style Let vs nowe compare the Proclamation of Iesus whose entraunce and Praeface was Paenitentiam agite Repent ye And then it foloweth In hoc mundo pressuram habebitis in thys worlde you shall receiue affliction And then after againe They shall whippe and murder you And yet further You shal be hateful in the sight of all men for my sake Then is there adioyned He that loueth hys life shall loose his soule After that ensueth he that will follow me must beare his Crosse. And finally the conclusion is He that commeth to me and doth not hate his father his mother his wife his children his bretheren his sisters and also his owne life for my sake he is not worthy to be my seruaunt Thys was the entertainement proposed by Iesus to such as woulde come and serue vnder his Banner wyth expresse protestation that himselfe was sent into the world not to bring peace rest and ease to fleshe and blood but rather to be the cause of sworde fire tribulation combat and enmitie And yet wyth these cold offers presented to the world by poore abiect and most contemptible Officers and by this doctrine so crosse and opposite to mans nature inclination and sensuall appetite he gained more harts vnto him within the space of fortie yeeres as hath beene sayd then euer did Monarche in the world possesse louing Subiects by what soeuer temporall allurement they dyd or might propose Which argueth most euidently the omnipotent puissaunce of him that contrary to mans reason could bring to passe so miraculous a conquest The second Consideration THere followeth in order the consideration of Christes Apostles which in som respect may be sayd more strange and wonderfull then the former in that they beeing both rude simple and vnlearned men and for the most part of the baser sort should be chosen and assigned to so great a worke as was the conuersion of all Countries and Nations and to stand in combat with the power learning and wisedome of all the worlde Neyther onely had they to contende fight against theyr enemies but also to direct gouerne and menage all those who should be adioyned to theyr Maisters kingdome To which charge they seemed so vntoward and insufficient in all that time wherein they lyued with him heere vpon earth as by they questions and demaundes made vnto hym a little before his passion they might appeare to haue learned very little in three whole yeeres conuersation and instruction and in very deede to be incapable of so hygh mysteries and functions Yet notwithstanding these men who of themselues were weake and impotent after strength and confirmation receiued by the descending of Gods holy Spirite into them became so perfect able and most excellent men as they brought the whole worlde in admiration of them Not onely by the most exquisite perfectiō of their doctrine wherin on a suddaine without studie they excelled conuinced the greatest Phylosophers then liuing but also and that especially by the rare and stupendious miracles which they wrought in the sight of all men The contemplation whereof as S. Luke reporteth droue the beholders not only into great meruaile but also into feare and exceeding terrour And for example he recounteth the restoring of a lame man at the Temple gate of Ierusalem which had been a Cripple for the space of fortie yeeres and more and this miracle was doone and testified in the presence and knowledge of all the Cittie Hee recordeth also the dreadfull death of Annanias and Saphira by the onely speech and voyce of S. Peter as in like manner the healing of infinite sicke people by the presence shadow of the same Apostle He reporteth also the most wonderfull deliueraunce of the sayd S. Peter out of the hands and prison of Herode by the Angell of GOD. The varietie of languages which all the Apostles spake The visible descending of the holie Ghost vppon all such on whom the sayd Apostles did but lay theyr hands The miraculous conuersion of Saint Paule by Christes appearing vnto him in the way when hee went to persecute Of which miracle Saint Paule himselfe protesteth in euery place afterward and once especially in an open audience and iudgment before King Agrippa and Festus Gouernour of Iurie These myracles and many moe are recorded by Saint Luke whereof some part were seene by himselfe and the rest most euident to all the world as doone in publique before infinite witnesses Neyther is it possible they coulde be faigned for that as in the like I haue before noted it had beene most easie to haue refelled them and thereby to haue discredited the whole proceedings of Christian Religion in those first beginnings As for example if the myracle of Saint Peter beeing deliuered forth of the hands and pryson of Herode Agrippa had any way beene to be touched with falsehood howe manie would there haue beene of Herods Officers Courtiers seruaunts and freendes that for defence of their Princes honour so deeplie tainted by this narration of S. Luke published not long after the thing was done how many I say would haue offered themselues to refute and disgrace the VVriter heereof hauing so pregnant meanes by publique record to doe the same So againe whereas the same S. Luke reporteth of hys owne knowledge that in a Cittie of Macedonie named Philippi S. Paule and Silas after many myracles doone were whypped and put in pryson with a diligent guarde in the lowest prison of all theyr feete locked fast in stockes of Tymber and that at midnight whē Paule and Silas beganne to pray the whole pryson was shaken and all the doores thrown open as also the gyues not onely of those two but of all the other prysoners vppon a suddaine burst in sunder and that thereupon not onlie the Iaylor cast himselfe at the feete of S. Paule but the Magistrates also who the day before had caused them to be whypt came and asked them pardon and humblie intreated them to depart out of theyr Citty Thys storie I say if it had been false there needed no more for confutation thereof but onely to haue examined the whole Cittie of Philippi which coulde haue testified the contrarie And yet among so many aduersaries and eager impugners of Christian Religion as Gods enemie styrred vppe in the primatiue Church of all sorts and sects of people no one euer appeared that durst attempt to take in hande the particuler improuing of these or the like miracles but rather confessing the facts sought alwaies to discredite them by other sinister calumniations namelie and commonlie that they were wrought by the deceits and sleights of