of the glory of God Neytheâ— doe weâ—soâ— onely but also vvee Rom 5 3 â— 4. 5. reioyce in tribulations knowing thaâ— tribulatioâ— bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of GOD 〈◊〉 abroade in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen â—nto vs. Thus much for fiâ—â—th onely §. 14. NOwe as we finde true fayth in Iesus Christ to be the chiefe onely means of our iustification so may vvee likewise certainly assure our selues that it is also the very vvell-spring or Fountaine 〈◊〉 whence alâ—â—e all good works â—oe flow For surely it is as much impossible for true â—ayth to be without good workes as it is for a man to speake without a toâ—â—gâ—e to see wanting eyes or to liue lacking a hart Aâ— example further to confirme vs in the vndoubtâ—d truth â—eereof may be read in the story of Zaccheâ—s who had no sooner â—â—câ—iued Christâ—into his house and much mâ—re into his â—art by fayth but presently hee brake forth into these spâ—â—ches saying â— Behold Lord the halfe of â—â—y Luke 19 8 goodâ—â— giue vnto the pâ—ore and if I haue taken from any man by false or vnlawfull meanes â— restore him foure fold Againe vvhat 〈◊〉 it my Brâ—â—heren Iam 2 14. 15 16 17 saith â— Iames though 〈◊〉 say â—ee hath fayth when â—ee hath no works Caâ— that fayth saue him For if a brother or a sister be naked and dâ—stituâ—â— of daily fâ—â—de and one of you say vnto theÌ„ Depart in peace God send you warmnes and foode Notwithstanding you giue them not those things which are needfull to the body what helpeâ—h 〈◊〉 Euen so the â—ayth if it haue no workâ—â— iâ— dead in itselfe But some man might say Thou hast the Iames 2 18 â—aith and I haue workes Shewe mee thy faith out of thy workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes Thou beleeuest that there is one God verse 19. thou doost well the deuils also beleeue it and tremble But wilt thou vnderstand ô thou vayne verse 20 21 22 man that faith vvithout workes is dead VVas not Abraham our Father iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Seest thou not that the fayth wrought vvith his workes and through the works was the faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfilled which verse 23 saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes he was called the friend of God Yee see then how that of workes a man verse 24 is iustified and not of faith onely For as the body vvithout the Spirit is verse 26. dead euen so the fayth without workes is dead §. 15. Wee must not yet heere thinke that the Augustine sayings of the two Apostles S. Paule and S. Iames are contrary one to the other where as Paule saith A man is iustified without workes And Iames saith Fayth without workes is vaiâ—e For Paule speaketh of the workes that goe before fayth and Iames speaketh of the vvorkes vvhich follovve after fayth Our Religion likewise doth not discerne Augustine the righteous from the vnrighteous by the lawe of workes but by the lawe of faith vvithout the which euen those works that seeme good are turned into sinnes For vvhatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Rom 14 23 And where faith is not good vvorkes is Augustine not The intent indeede maketh a good worke but fayth directeth that intent Besides good workes make no man to be accounted iust or righteous in the sight of God but a man being once iustified by faith doth good workes through loue Also in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision Gala 5 6. auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but fayth which worketh by loue For like as the goodnesse of a Tree is Luther alwayes knowne by the good fruite which it bringeth foorth euen so the fayth of a godly man is euermore declared vnto the world by his religious obedience towards the law of GOD and his workes of charitie towards his neighbour VVee are iustified therfore by that Beza liuely fayth which doth apprehend all the mercifull promises of God made towards vs in Iesus Christ VVhich fayth neyther sleepeth nor is Beza idle but alwayes awaketh and is continually busied about the performing of some good worke Resting fully perswaded that good Bernard vvorkes are the vvay to the kingdome of heauen though they be not the cause of raigning there ¶ Of Feare §. 1. FEare as Pacuuius saith is a diuine Pacuuius affection or passion of the minde by a feeling regard conducting vertue to all the actions of the soule It groweth from an vndoubted beleefe in GOD and maketh a man carefull to lead his lyfe pleasing in the sight of his Creator But before I enter any further into the discourse of this Vertue I am to enforme the Reader that there are two sorts of Feare The one Seâ—uile or slauish the other Fâ—liall or chyld-like The Seruile or slauish feare is that which euery bond-man beareth to his bodilie Maister or wicked offenders to wise Iudges This feare is also a defect of the minde and a harmefull hinderance to all vertuous resolutions killing courage by cowardise and pietie through distrustment It many times causeth the tongue to controle the hart and maketh the mouth to marre the meaning of the minde It teacheth men to talke according to the time and enforceth faint-harted subiects to sooth the sinnes of their Soueraigne Like vnto those people of whom Plutarch Plutarch speaketh Whose hearts saith hee harbour hatred against an vngodly Tyrant for his bad gouernement yet notwithstanding with the labour of their lyps they neuer cease fearefully to flatter him in his folly to the end hee should not hurt them But the Filiall or Chyld-like Feare vvhereof I onely meane in this place to speak is a diuine chastiser of euill in it selfe hauing in it such force that it causeth concupiscence to flie and maketh a man to abstaine from all sinne and wickednes It dependeth not on hate but on loue not resembling the feare of seruaunts but the feare of sonnes not like the trembling and despayring feare of * Saule when sathan in 1 Sam 28 19 20 the forme of Samuell fore-told him how little awhile he had to liue But rather like the reuerent and religious feare of Dauid * when hee kept Abishaâ— his Captaine froÌ„ 1 Sam 26. 9 killing the Lords annoynted This 〈◊〉 feare as wee finde in diuers places of the holy Scripture hath alwaies been a guide vnto the godly to direct their dooings and a Tutor to teach them the perfect pathway to eternall felicitie §. 2. Plato the Prince of Phylosophers affirmeth Plato that this excellent feare was so excellently excelling in the harts of the Heathen that in Sparta they built a Temple to true Feare in which they daily vsed to burne thevâ— first sacrifice
that beleeueth in the Sonne of God 1 Iohn 5. 10 hath the witnes of God in himselfe hee that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer because hee beleeued not the record that God witnessed of his Sonne And this is the record that God hath verse 11 12 giuen vnto vs euerlasting life and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life and hee that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life These thinges haue I written vnto you 1 Iohn 5. 1â— that beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of GOD that yee may know that yee haue euerlasting life and that ye may beleeue in the Name of the Sonne of God For hee that shall beleeue and be baptized Mar. 16. 16. shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned §. 11. S. Paule going about in his Epistle to the Galathians to prooue our iustification to come onely by the grace and mercie of God through fayth in Iesus Christ not by the works of the Law beginneth thus VVee * which are Iewes by nature and Gala. 2. 15. 16. not sinners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustified by the vvorkes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Euen wee I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the works of the Lawe because that by the works of the Lawe no flesh shall be iustified But wee beleeue to be saued through Acts 15. 11. the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ For as many as are of the workes of the Gala. 3. 10. Law are vnder the curse For it is written Cuâ—sed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And that no man is iustified by the lawe Gala 3 11. in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by fayth I through the Law saith he am dead to Gala 2 19. 20. the Law and that I might liue vnto God I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee and in that that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the Son of God vvho hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee I do not abrogate the grace of God for verse 21. if righteousnes be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause But nowe is the righteousnes of GOD Rom 3 21 22 made manifest without the Lawe hauing witnes of the Law of the Prophets To wit the righteousnes of God by the fayth of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue For by grace we are saued through faith Ephe 2 8 9 and that not of our selues it is the gift of God Not of works least any man should boast himselfe §. 12. If Abraham saith the same Apostle Rom 4 2 3. were iustified by works he hath wherin to reioyce but not with God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God it was counted to him for righteoushes Now to him that worketh the wages is verse 4 5 not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is counted for righteousnes For * Gregory onely beleeuing is righteousnes Besides it is not vvritten for Abraham Rom 4 23 24 25. onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Knowe yee therefore that they vvhich Gala 3 7 are of fayth the same are the chyldren of Abraham For the Scripture fore-seeing that God verse 8 9. would iustifie the Gentiles through fayth preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham For the promise that hee should be the Rom 4 13 heire of the world was not giuen to Abraham or to his seede through the Law but through the righteousnes of fayth For if verse 14 they which are of the Law be heires faith is made voyde and the promise is made of none effect For the Law causeth wrath but vvhere verse 15. no Law is there is no transgression By the lawe also commeth the knowledge Rom 3 20. of sinne Nay I knew not sinne but by the lavve Rom. 7 7. for I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not lust Therefore is the promise by faith that it Rom. 4 16. might come by grace and the promise might bee sure vnto all the seede not to that onely which is of the lawe but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all §. 13. Doe wee then make the lawe of none effect Rom 3 31 through fayth God forbid yea vvee rather establish the law For the doctrine of faith is the ornament Caluine of the lawe and by it wee embrace Christ who by his death hath fully satisfied the lawe So that the law which could not bring vs to saluation by reason of our owne corruption is nowe made effectuall to vs by the meanes of Christ Iesus Iâ— the lawe then against the promise of Gala 3 21 22. God God forbid For if there had been a lawe giuen which coulde haue giuen life surely righteousnes shoulde haue beene by the law But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shoulde be giuen to them that beleeue But before faith came we were kept vnder verse 23. the law shut vp vnto the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our Schoolemaister verse 24 to bring vs to Christ that vvee might be made righteous by fayth But after that fayth is come we are no longer vnder a Schoole-maister for wee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ Not that the doctrine or any commaundement Caluine of God in the law concerning vertuous life is abolished but that all Iewish Ceremonies are nowe ceast and the curse or condemnation of the lawe which vvas due vnto vs for our sinnes is cleane taken avvay through fayth in our Redeemer Christ Iesus Who came into the world as hath already Math 5 17. been shewed not to destroy the law or the prophets but that he might fulfil them VVee conclude therefore that a man is Rom 3. 28. iâ—stisâ—â—d by faith vvithout the vvorkes of the Lawe And beeing iustifieâ—d by faith wee haue Rom 5 1 2 peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also â— vvee haue acâ—esse through fayth vnto this grace whereiâ— we stanâ—â— and reioyce vnder the hope
doth hee not make intercession for vs vnto himselfe page 197 198 That in Christ and through Christ we haue all things page 198 199. ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the fourth Discourse OF Fayth page 200. What fayth is page 200. The force of faith page 201 202 Onely beleeuing is righteousnes 210. That the doctrine of fayth is the ornament of the Law page 211 That a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law page 213 Of good workes page 213 214 That fayth without works is vaine page 214 215 The agreement of the two Apostles S. Paule and S. Iames concerning fayth and workes page 215 216 ¶ Of Feare page 227 That there are two sorts of Feare page 217. 218 The difference betweene seruile feare filiall feare page 218 219 The worthines of true feare page 220 221 222. c. ¶ Of Loue. page 227 That there are two sorts of Loue. page 227. 228 The difference between Concupiscence and diuine Loue. page 227. 228 The worthines of diuine loue and the sundry effects thereof page 228 229 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the fift Discourse WHat the will and desire of GOD is concerning men page 240 That it is the will of God that all men should be saued page 241 Gods desire and willingnes that sinners should repent and amend page 242. What true repentance is the seuerall parts thereof page 248. 249 That in the worke of true repentance satisfaction ought to be made three seuerall wayes page 251 252 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the sixt Discourse WHat seruice God requireth of man during this life page 264 The seruice which God requireth of vs is that vvee keepe his commaundements page 264 265 266 267 c. Of compassion towardes our brethren and forgiuing one another page 280 281. 282 283 Of Prayer page 228. Of thankes-giuing page 293 Of Fasting page 295 Of Almes-deedes page 299 To beware that the almes vvhich wee giue be of our owne true-gotten goods page 306. 307. Of Humilitie page 308 That there be three degrees of humilitie page 308 Of Obedience page 311. 312 ¶ A further Declaration of our dutie towardes God and our neyghbour 315. Against Images page 315 Against swearing page 319 Of sanctifying the Sabaoth day 321. Of honouring our Parents page 322 Against pride page 325. Against enuie hatred malice anger wrath and murther page 330 Against sloth and idlenes page 336. Against couetousnes page 340 Against vsury page 346 Against gluttony page 349 Against drunkennesse page 353 Against adultery and fornication page 357 358 359 Against stealing lying slaundering falswitnes bearing coueting another mans vvealth page 363 364 365 366. c. Against iniustice wrongfull dealing oppressing the poore page 368 Against ouer-hastie rash iudgement page 375. Against iustifying our selues foolish boasting and ouer-much regarding of other mens faultes page 378. c Against the following of false-teachers page 384 Against the choyse of meates and difference of dayes page 387. Against ouer-curious searching adding of any thing to the vvorde of God page 392. Against foolish securitie page 394 Against the loue of the world 396. Against euill company keeping 399. ¶ A breefe collection of certaine other godly precepts and counsels from page 404. to page 429. ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the seuenth Discourse OF trouble and affliction wherby God tryeth his chyldren page 429. The tryall of Abraham page 430. The tryall of Tobie page 431 The tryals of Dauid page 431. The tryals of Iob. page 432 433. 434 Of trouble and persecution for the Gospels sake page 445 c The example of S. Paules sufferings diuers other Saints of God 455. 456 457 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the eyght Discourse OF the many fauours of God towards the godly heere in this lyfe c. page 462 463 464 c. The seuerall blessings of glorified bodies in the kingdome of heauen page 488. The sundry beatitudes of the soules of Gods Saints in heauen page 489 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the ninth Discourse OF the heauie wrath of God against the vngodly heere in thys life c. page 495 496 497 c. The prosperitie of the wicked theyr suddaine fall page 498 499. Theyr seuerall practises against the godly and the euill successe that followes them in the end page 499 500 c. The fearefull trouble of conscience that many times molesteth the vnrighteous in this life page 515 Of the seuerall torments and perpetuitie of the paines that the damned shall suffer after this life in hell page 523 524 525 526 527 c. FINIS N L
for all the companie of the faithfull in the kingdome of his Father And thus much likewise witnesseth the words of S. Iohn in the Reuelation where hee sayth * Blessed and holy is hee that Reue. 20 6◠hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power Blessed also are the dead which hereafter Reu◠14 13 die in the Lord euen so saith the Spirite for they rest from theyr labours and theyr workes follow them ¶ Of the last Iudgement after death commonly called the general iudgement or Doomes day When the body and soule of euerie Man departed out of this life beeing by the power of God ioyned againe together shall with the rest of all mankind then liuing receiue the finall sentence either of eternall pleasure or paine §. 1. AFter death saith Esdras shall the 2 Esdras 14. 35. day of Iudgement come vvhen we shall liue againe and then shall the names of the righteous be made manifest and the workes of the vngodly shall be declared And many of them that sleepe in the Dan 12 2. dust of the earth shall awake Some to euerlasting life and som◠to shame and perpetuall contempt §. 2. But before the comming of this day saith Christ there shall be great warres Luke 21 10 11. troubles in the worlde For Nation shall rise against Nation and Realme against Realme There shall also be great Earthquakes in diuers places and pestilence and hunger and fearefull things appearing frō heauen and many other great signes and wonders There shall be signes in the Sunne and Luke 21. 25 26 in the Moone and in the starres and vpon the earth trouble among the Nations with perplexitie The Sea and the waters shall roare and mens harts shall fayle them for feare and for looking after those thinges which shall come on the World For the powers of heauen shall be shaken §. 3. After this shall appeare the signe of the Math. 24 30. sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kindreds of the earth mourne Then also shal the wicked goe into the Esay 2 19 holes of the Rockes and into the Caues of the earth frō before the feare of the Lord and from the glory of his Maiestie vvhen he shall rise to destroy the earth Then shall they beginne to say to the Luke 23 30 Mountaines fall on vs and to the Hils couer vs hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the Reue 6 16 17 wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand In those dayes men shall seeke death and Reue 9 6. shall not finde it and shall desire to die death shall flee from them And they shall see the Sonne of man Math. 24. 30 come in the clowdes of heauē with power and great glory Who beeing ordained of Acts. 10 42 * God to be the Iudge both of the quicke and deade shall sende his Angels vvith a Mat. 24 31. great sound of a trumpet and they shal gather together his Elect from the 4. windes and from the one end of heauen vnto the other §. 4. Then shall Christ sitte vpon the throne Math 25 31 32 33. of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall seperate them one from another as a sheepheard seperateth the sheepe from the goates And hee shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left The shall the earth restore those that 2 Esdr 7 3◠haue slept in her and so shall the dust those that dwell therein in silence and the secret places shall deliuer the soules that were cōmitted vnto them And they shall come foorth that haue Iohn 5 29. doone good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation For Christ our righteous Iudge vvill Math. 16. 27 then giue to euerie man according to his deedes And reward euery one according Reue 22 12 as his worke shall be Hee will then say to the righteous whom Math 25. 34 35 c. hee hath placed on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was hungry ye gaue mee meate I was thirstie and yee gaue me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged mee I was naked and yee clothed mee I was sick and yee visited me I was in prison and yee came vnto mee Then shall the iust say Lord when haue we doone these things vnto thee And the King shall answere Verily when you did them to the least of my bretheren you did them to mee Then will he say to the wicked standing Math. 25 41 42 c. on his left hand Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels For I vvas hungry and ye fed mee not I was thirstie and ye gaue mee no drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged mee not I was naked and you clothed me not I was sicke in prison and ye visited me not Then shall they also aunswere saying When ô Lord haue wee seene thee hungry or thirstie or a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison and haue not ministred vnto thee And he shall aunswere Truly I tell you inasmuch as yee haue not doone it to one of the least of these my bretheren yee did it not to mee And these men shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall §. 5. Miseries saith Esdras shal then vanish away 2 Esdr 7 33 34. and long suffering shall haue an end Iustice onely shall cōtinue the Truth shal remaine and Faith shall be strong The worke shall follow and the rewarde verse 35 shall be shewed the good deedes shall be of force and vnrighteousnes shal beare no more rule For the day of Iudgement shall be the 2 Esdr 7 43. end of this world and the beginning of the immortalitie to come wherein all corruption shall cease Then shall no man bee able to saue him 2 Esdr 7. 45 that is destroyed nor oppresse him that hath gotten the victory §. 6. VVe finde in the New Testament that Saint Paule the Apostle vvriting to the Corinthians to prooue the resurrection of the dead and the second cōming of Christ vseth many arguments to expresse the same and neere vnto the end of his chapter he thus concludeth * Behold I shewe 1 Cor 15 51 52 53 you a secret thing vve shall not all sleepe or die but wee shall all be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption And this mortall must put on immortality c. According
examples that the Saints of God yea such men as vvere most high in Gods fauour haue alwaies beene carefull to serue their Creator with feare and reuerence And without true feare and reuerence Augustine no man liuing can be righteous in the sight of God Boldly hereby may we then with Sirach Ecclê° 18 26 count him a vvise man that feareth God in all his actions And rightly with Salomon pronounce Prou. 28. 14 him blessed that standeth alwaies in dread to doe that which may offend his Maker But hee that hardneth his owne hart shall fall into euill Happy therefore is the man vnto whoÌ„ Ecclê° 25. 12. it is graunted to haue the feare of God And blessed is the soule of him that feareth Ecclê° 34. 15 the Lord. Yea blessed is euery one that feareth Psal 128. 1. the Lord and walketh in his wayes It shal goe wel with such men at the last Ecclê° 1 13. and they shall finde fauour in the day of their death For who so feareth the Lord hee shall Ecclê° 1 18 prosper and at the end of his life hee shall be blessed Yea the spirits or soules of such men Ecclê° 34 13 shall surely liue for their hope is in the Lord their God that can helpe them ¶ Of Loue. §. 1. LOue as Plotinus saith is a diuine Plotinus passion of the soule or Spirit inspiring it with a celestiall desire of heauenly things and inflaming the harâ— to God-ward through the hope vvhich iâ— conceiueth of euerlasting felicitie But like as I haue saide before of Feare that there are two sorts thereof so doe I heere certifie vnto euery one that readeth that diuers worldly men haue out of this holie roote of Loue deriued tvvo seuerall Trees Namely this diuine Loue wholelie dedicated to Pietie and an immodest affection extending it selfe to base Concupiscence vvhich they entitle by the name of Loue also This vile Loue or rather Concupiscence is as Aristotle saith the vvorst Aristotle worke of a mans Malus Genius It disturbeth the passions of the hart and maketh the sences mad It is the roote of violence furie murders and execrations and the sole confounder of all the holy actions of the soule Full fraught with this filthy lust-loue was the heart of wicked Amnon vvhen 2. Sam. 13. through his deceitfull policie he obtained meanes to abuse by violence the body of his sister Thamar But the other Loue sirnamed Charitie which is true perfect diuine and onelie sacred * is the very originall and cheefe Gregory ground of all godly actions It is the way of man to God the vvay Augustine of God to man It is heauens Embassadour to the soule Rauisius and the whole scope or fulfilling of all Gods commaundements §. 2. This Loue as the Apostle saith suffereth 1 Cor 13 4. 5 6 7. long It is bountifull It enuieth not It doth not boast it selfe It is not puffed vp It disdaineth not It seeketh not that which is her owne It is not prouoked to anger It thinketh not euill It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth It suffereth all thinges It beleeueth all things It hopeth all things It endureth all things This loue teacheth vs true vvisedome Plato namely to loue the soule more then the body not the body â—etter then the soule This loue beeing both diuine and charitable mooueth a man according to the Deut 6 5 commaundement of God in the Law to loue his Maker aboue all things and his Leuit 19. 18 neighbour as deerely as hee loueth himselfe This loue beeing a good and gracious Plotinus affect of the soule so worketh in the harts of the godly that they haue no fancie to esteeme value or ponder any thing in the wide world beside or before the care and studie how to please God For the greatest argument of godly loue Pacuuius is to loue that which God willeth and to forbeare to doe that which he hath forbidden §. 3. This loue resembleth fire which naturally Erasmus inflameth all things that it toucheth This loue teacheth vs according to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Math 5 44. to loue our enemies to blesse them that curse vs to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them that hurt vs and persecute vs. Yea this loue couereth all trespasses Prou 10 12 It is strong as death Much water cannot Cant 8 6. 7 quench it neither can the floods drown it This loue maketh men to forsake sinne Chrisostome and embrace vertue This loue increaseth fayth begetteth Augustine hope and maketh vs at peace with God This loue in aduersity is patient in prosperitie Bernard temperate in passions strong in good workes quicke in temptations confident in hospitality bountifull This loue is neuer idle but alwayes labouring Ambrose to serue him whom it loueth §. 4. This loue as Pacuuius saith cannot Pacuuius stand with any worldly care or studie for the things of this life neither abideth it the coupling with any other loue It beareth no partiall affection to kindred It knoweth no difference betweene poore rich It knoweth not what meaneth mine and thine Neither can it deuide a foe from a friende For hee that truely and perfectlie loueth GOD loueth him alone nothing besides him nor with him but all thinges indifferently in him and for him By which speech it appeareth that the * right measure where-with vvee ought to Bernard loue God is to loue him entirelie without either end or measure Not in part but in whole as hee himselfe in his holy VVorde hath willed vs Leuit 6. 5. Luke 10 27 namely vvith all our heart vvith all our soule with all our minde with all our strength VVhich speech of GOD beeing by Maister Becon in a certaine Sermon of his Becon expounded hee enterpreteth the same in this manner saying To loue God with all our hart is to preferre the loue of him both aboue before all things else whatsoeuer To loue God with all our soule is to loue him discreetly To loue God with all our minde is continually to meditate vpon his commaundements And to loue him with all our strength is manfullie to suffer all kinds of aduersities with willingnesse patience for the testimonie of his truth §. 5. VVith this sacred and religious loue of man to his Maker was the hart of holie Dauid greatly enflamed as may for example be seen in sundry places of his psalmes where in zealous affection to the Lorde and his Lavv he first of all saith * One Psalm 27. 4 thing haue I desired of the Lorde the which I will still require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to beholde the beauty of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple I haue loued ô Lord saith hee the habitation Psalm 26.
his vertuous patience thorowly prooued Iob 42 12 13 14. c. we find in the latter end of his booke that it pleased God to blesse him not onely with twise so much riches as he lost but also with as many sonnes daughters the length of an hundred and fortie yeeres life So that before hee died hee sawe his sonnes and his sonnes sonnes euen foure generations §. 6. Thus God as Salomon saith prooueth Wisd 3 5 6. the righteous and findeth them meete for himselfe Hee tryeth them as the golde in the fornace and receiueth them as a perfect fruite offering Hee also chasteneth them measurablie Wisd 12 2. that goe wrong and vvarneth them by putting thē in remembrance of the things wherein they haue offended that leauing theyr wickednesse they may beleeue in him Yea whom-soeuer the Lorde loueth Heb 12 6 him he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth verse 7 himselfe vnto you as vnto Sons for what sonne is it whom the Father chasteneth not But if yee be without correction whereof Hebr 12 8 all are partakers then are ye bastards not sonnes §. 7. My sonne saith the wise-man refuse Prou 3 11 12. not the chastening of the Almightie neyther be thou greeued with his correction for the Lord correcteth him whom hee loueth euen as the father doth the childe in whom he delighteth And as a Father nurtureth his sonne so Deut 8 5 the Lord thy God nurtureth thee His rodde or scourge of affliction is no Fulgosius signe of his disfauour to those that beare it with patience but rather a most necessarie meane to put a man in remembrance of his former iniquities and to cause him to liue more godly euer after for feare of some further chastisement It is a heauenly Herrald sent from God Hermes to forewarne men to leaue the loue of transitory pleasures and to seeke after such things as cause comfort in death It is a speciall benefite vnto all the chyldren Iust Mar of GOD in that it reformeth them from vnrighteousnesse and maketh them meete to receiue wisedome and vnderstanding §. 8. Thus much in effect confesseth Dauid in the 119. psalme where hee saith * It is Psal 119 71 good for mee ô Lord that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Before I was afflicted I went astray but Psal 119 67 now ô Lord I keepe thy word Also in the 94. psalme hee plainly pronounceth those men to be blessed whom it pleaseth the Lorde to correct saying Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest ô Psalm 94 12 13. Lord and teachest him in thy Lawe that thou maist giue him rest from the dayes of euill whiles the pitte is digged for the vngodly And blessed likewise doth holy Iob account Iob 5 17 the man whom GOD correcteth therefore refuse not thou the chastising of the Almightie For hee maketh the wound bindeth verse 18 19 it vp hee smiteth and his handes make whole Hee shall deliuer thee in sixe troubles and in the seauenth the euill shall not touch thee He will not forsake for euer But though Lam. 3 31 32 hee send affliction yet will hee haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee will not lay on man so much Iob 34 23 that hee should enter into iudgement with God §. 9. VVee haue had saith the Apostle the Heb 12 9 fathers of our bodies vvhich corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence should vvee not much rather be in subiection vnto the Father of spirits that we might liue For they verily for a few daies chastened verse 10 vs after theyr owne pleasure but hee chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holines If we would iudge our selues we should 1. Cor 11 31 not be iudged But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord to the end we should not 1 Cor 11 32 be condemned with the world §. 10. Let not then the force of anie affliction Ignatius ouer-throw the vertue of thy patience For patience and perseuerance in vveldooing Tertullian are two speciall notes whereby the children of God are truly discerned from hypocrites counterfets dissemblers But rather follow the counsell which S. Iames giueth saying * If any man be afflicted Iames. 5 13 let him pray For the Lorde is neere vnto them that Psal 34 18 are of a contrite hart and will saue such as be afflicted in spirit Yea the Lorde our God is good and Nahum 1 7 as a strong hold in the day of trouble and hee knoweth them that trust in him Hee is neere vnto all that call vpon him Psal 145 18 Yea to all that call vpon him in truth Hee will fulfill the desire of them that verse 19 feare him hee also will heare theyr cry and vvill saue them * Because they trust in Psal 37. 40 him For he knoweth how to deliuer the godly 2 Pet 2 9 out of tentation to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment to be punished §. 11. My brethren saith the Apostle count Iames 1 2 3 it exceeding ioy when yee fall into diuers tentations knowing that the trying of your fayth bringeth forth patience and let patience haue her perfect worke that yee may bee perfect and entire lacking nothing For this know that trouble affliction Eugeniu◠is sent of God vnto good men not vniustly or cruelly but for a good consideration and most louing intent like vnto the dooings of a kinde and discreete Father who greatly desiring to bring his son whō he loueth to perpetuall honour dignity by such manner of exercise most aptly trieth his vertue and proueth his patience It is also very necessary that the chyldren Gueuara of God should be often tryed in thys life by trouble and affliction that thereby they may the better be brought to knowe theyr owne weakenes thorowly taught in all theyr conflicts to lift vp theyr eyes vnto heauen for helpe succour Besides as yron except it bee sundry Pet. Lomb. times scoured will speedily corrupt and wexe rustie so the vncleane hart flesh of man except it be often scoured with the whetstone of aduersitie it will quickly forget God and soone be ouer-growne vvith the rust of all filthines and sinne §. 12. Indeed it cannot be but that the mindes Cicer◠of men are oftentimes through trouble affliction moued with vexations griefes but yet a meane must be kept in all calamities what-soeuer beyond the which no man that is wise ought of right to passe For although no chastising for the present Heb 12 11 time that it lasteth seemeth to be ioyous but greeuous yet afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised And euery man ought for his