AN EXCELLENT AND LEARNED TREATISE OF APOSTASIE MADE BY the most reuerend and godly learned man M. Iohn de l'Espine Minister of the word of God in the Churche of Anger 's in the Dukedome of Anjou DIRECTED AGAINST THE Apostates in the Churches of France Written first in the French tongue by the author him selfe and now faithfully translated into English The contentes of the booke appeare in the page following ANCHORA SPEI * Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier dwelling in the Black-friers neare Ludgate Anno. 1587. THE CONTENTES OF THE CHAPters following in this Treatise The Preface Chap. 1. That there is want of iudgement in the Apostates Chap. 2. What the wretchednes of the Apostates is Chap. 3. That God departeth from the Apostates Chap. 4. That the Apostates are euer pursued by the Iustice of God whiche suffereth them not to haue any rest in their consciences Chap. 5. That the Apostates are without God though they thinke and defend the contrary Chap. 6. That as the Apostates are without God so they are without Christ Chap. 7. That the Apostates being departed from Iesus Christ are miserable Chap. 8. That the Apostates being separated from Iesus Christ are also depriued of his spirite Chap. 9. That as the Apostates haue giueÌ„ ouer God which in the authour of life so also they do coÌ„teÌ„ne those meanes which they may vse to come vnto him Chap. 10. That the Apostates are depriued of the Sacraments as well as of the word Chap. 11. That the Apostates haue no faith Chap. 12. That the Apostates are without the Church Chap. 13. That it is a most dangerous thing for the delayers of time who knowe the true Churche not to adioyne themselues presently vnto it Chap. 14. What the causes are whiche hinder the delayers from comming to the Churche and how light and friuolous they are Chap. 15. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL MAISTER THOMAS RANDOLPH Esquire Maister and Comptrouller of her Maiesties Posts and one of the Chamberlaines of her Highnesse Exchequer THOMAS VAVTROLLIER Printer wisheth prosperitie in this life and the ioyes of the life to come OVR Sauiour Christe Right Worshipful and most Christian Gentleman setting forth the state of the kingdome of heauen by the parable of the seede Matth 13. teacheth that some felvpâ—n stony ground where it had not much earth and â—one it sprange vp because it had not depth of earth and when the Sunne rose vp it was parched and for lacke of rooting withered away which our Sauiour himselfe in the 20. verse of the same chapter expoundeth to be he who heareth the word and incontinently with ioy receiueth it yet hath he no roote in himselfe and dureth but a season for assoone as tribulation or persecution commeth because of the word by and by he is offended The trueth of which doctrine hath bene most euident in the Churche of God in all ages Gen. 18. Lot his wife will needes looke backe to filthy Sodome because it is a rich and a pleasant place and the olde sonnes of Israel rather then they will suffer a litle aduersitie as the people of God will returne into Egypt an accursed land so they may haue their Leekes their Garlike and Onions and many will rather returne to Caiphas and to the pallace of thâ— High Priest Heb. 13.13 then they will goe forth with Iesuâ— Christ out of the Campe bearing his reprocheâ— refusing vtterly to drinke of the cuppe of thâ— Sonne of God to weare his cognisance and arâ— ashamed of the choller of his order and wilâ— at no hand suffer any thing with Iesus Chrisâ— who hath suffered all thinges for them tâ— raigne and to be glorified for euer with himâ— And surely very miserable experience hereoâ— in these laste times may dailye be seene in thâ— Churches about vs as those of France and other places so many for the heate of persecution and least they shoulde beare the crosse of Christ haue and daily do returne to that spirituall Egypt and mystical Babylon the mother of all abhominations Among many reuolts and defections there hath bene none more fearefull and horrible then that most dreadful Apostasie which befell not long since on Saint Bartholomewes day in the Churches of Anjou so many falling away which neuer since returned to the sheepefolde of Christ which moued this excellent and godly learned man Maister I. de l'Espine Minister of the word of God in the Church of Anger 's to write this most excellent Treatise vnto them that they might remember from whence they be fallen that they may see howe they haue defiled the Temple of God and made sad his holy spirite and the holy Angels to be in sorowe and heauines beholding their fall in betraying the son of God and in sclandering the sufferings of his glorious Martyrs banished driuen from â—heir countries and houses depriued and forsaken of their fathers mothers wiues children parents friends cast into dungeons amonge Toades and Serpents bound and fettered with â—ll crueltie and outrage by hangmen and executioners mangled afflicted and tormented But alas these haue refused this so great an honour 1. Pet. 4. Rom. 8. as to communicate with the passions of Iesus Christ and to be made conformable vnto his image in suffering with him and for the profession of his moste glorious Gospell This godly and learned Treatise written by the Author in the Frenche tongue for the vse and benefite especially of his owne Church being deliuered and commended vnto me by a reuerend and learned man faithfully translated into English I thought it a meditation very necessary in these times for the Church of England also who although nowe God be praised she neede notto shrinke for any fiery triall yet she knoweth not how neare the Lord his visitation is Mat. 25. and our Sauiour teacheth his seruants continually to watche That I haue presumed to dedicate it vnto your Worshippe 〈◊〉 thinke fewe men will aske and no man ought to maruaile who knoweth your zealous and most Christian profession and the great duties wherein I stand bound to your Worship for your great fauour and assistance in my distresses and afflictions Onely I beseech you tâ— receiue it as a signification of my thankefulâ— mind in dutie towards your Worshippe The Lord giue you grace still to continue euen tâ— the ende to blesse you here with all increase of Worship and with all spirituall ioyes in heauenly things in his most blessed Sonne Christ Iesus London From my poore house in the Blacke-Friers this present 9. of May. 1587. Your Worships in all dutie THOMAS VAVTROLLIER Heb. 6.4 It is impossible that they whiche were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good worde of God and of the powers of the world to come If they fall away should be renewed agayne by repentance seyng they crucifie agayne to them selues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him
Heb. 10.26 If we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes But a fearefull lookyng for of Iudgement and violent fire whiche shall deuoure the aduersaries To the Reader THere is some space of time expired since that I purposed to write some litle treatise of Apostasie and especially since the slaughter committed on Saint Bartholomewe his day in the which there chaunced a most horrible fearfull reuolting in all our Churches so that of three partes two of them at the least slipped backe of those which in the beginning entered into it with so great readinesse and courage that it seemed they would continually abide in it without a mind euer to departe whatsoeuer temptation shoulde offer it selfe vnto them Neuerthelesse I had hitherto deferred the same hoping that the feare being ouerpassed which as a storme and vehement wind had carried them away from the sheepefold and hauing had leisure to settle themselues and gather their wits together they might either of themselues returne or else be easily called backe againe by the voice of their pastors But perceiuiÌ„g that the most part of the Apostates do not only slumber harden themselues in their sins but also become contemners of God and blaspeme without shame his word and the true religion and not content with this striue by all meanes to withdrawe those from the house of God which continued stedfast in his seruice and to hinder those that desire to enter into it againe I deemed it not meete to dissemble any longer but to be necessary to put in execution the charge which God hath giuen his seruants whom he hath placed in the Church not onely to pronounce remission of sinnes to all those who by a liuely faith vvill lay hold of it through the preaching of the Ghospell but also the vvithholding of the same from all those vvho vvith an hard and obstinate heart do stillreâ—ect the vvordes and promises of saluation Which must not seeme strange seeing the Ministers of the Ghospell be not onely ordained to vnloose absolue those that beleeue but also to binde and condemne those that remaine obstinate in their infidelitie For vvhich cause God seeing the stubbornnes and hardnes of the Ievves doth send vnto them his Prophet Esay to blind and harden them yet more Esay 6.9 Go saith he and say vnto this people ye shall heare in deede but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainely see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauy and shut their eyes least they see with eyes and heare with eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale them Which afterward was oftentimes alledged against the Iewes by Iesus Christ Matth. 13. Mark 14. Luk. 8. Acts. 28. Rom. 11. his Apostles to condemne their obstinacy And as Moses publishing the law said to the people that in it he set before their eies life death according to their obedience or disobedience towardes the same so S. Paule writeth that the one the other are represented in the Gospell according as the men to whom it is preached are faithfull or vnfaithful We are 2. Cor. 2.15 saith he vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish that is to say to the one the sauour of death vnto death to the other the sauour of life vnto life And Iesus Christ also as Simeon said to the Virgin is not he as well appointed for the fall as for the rising againe of many in Israell Luk. 2.34 And as he is to some sanctification and saluation is he not likewise to others a blocke of stumbling and of offence a snare and a net vnto all those which abide in vnbeleefe If then it chance that any Apostates or delayers of time vvill spare so much leisure as to reade this treatise I desire them that it may be with great attention and that vvithout any passionate or preiudicate minde they vveigh all the reasons and argumentes of the same setting alvvayes that before their eyes vvhich Iesus Christ spake to his Apostles that vvhatsoeuer they shoulde binde on earth by his vvorde shoulde be ratified firmly bound in heaueÌ„ To the end they may not deceiue themselues in their discourses vaine imaginations esteeming the thoughtes of God to be as their thoughts his waies as their wayes coÌ„trarie vnto that which the Prophet sayth Let all of vs therefore giue place vnto the worde of God and let vs beleeue that it shall be sure for euer endure eternally And considering that by the decree and irreuocable ordinance of God it is necessary that all knees should bende to do homage vnto Iesus Christ let vs rather choose to acknowledge and embrace him nowe for a Sauiour and welspring of life then in the ende be constrained to auouche him and finde him as the Deuils a iudge that will not be intreated and a consuming fire A TREATISE OF APOSTASIE MADE BY M. I. DE L'ESPINE MInister of the word of God in the Churche of Anger 's The Preface Chap. 1. THE inconstaÌ„cie of men is a thing which cannot be but most wonderfull vnto those who will coÌ„sider it well which may be perceâ—ued diuers wayes but especially in the varietie and alteration of their purposes affections and in that they can not find any state of life in this world whiche may either wholly satisfie their humor or in which they an abide and rest any long time for being by â—and by glutted with the thing whiche they â—resently enioye they do either with grief deâ—re that which is not any more in their power â—r els long for those thinges which they could â—ot as yet obtaine and when they haue obtaiâ—ed them they will loath them aswell as those which earst they had enioyed And are like vnto those who hauing a queasie stomake finde nothing wel seasoned for their tooth or as sick bodies whiche are not able to finde any good resting place in bed wheresoeuer they be layd And although God by an especiall fauor doth call some of them into his house Heb. 6.4 and bringing them into his church doth adopte theÌ„ into his familie to lighten theÌ„ and to make them taste of the heauenly gift and of the good word of God to make theÌ„ partakers of the holy ghost of the powers of the world to come which is a coÌ„dicion the best that can be chosen or desired in the world and the which alone is able to bring contentement and a perfect felicitie to all those that can obtaine it Neuerthelesse there are some so crooked froward that hauing tasted of it do in the ende loath and disdaine it aswell as the other Though in deed the dwelling in the house of God be so happy a thing Psal 84. that the silly doorekeepers of the same ought to account themselues more happy for hauing a
receiue any thing from him And to speake the truth in one word he is all in all and without him we are nothing but vanitie Let vs conclude then that sithence he is our blisse whosoeuer is seperated from him doth abide in perpetuall curse That the Apostates being separated from Iesus Christ are also depriued of his spirite Chap. 9. THe miserie of the Apostates may easily be knowen by the former reasons hauing first of all forsaken God the Father and then the sonne to wit our Sauiour and Mediatour Iesus Christ It remaineth nowe to shew how for the confirmation of their miseries they are also destitute of the holy Ghost and by consequent depriued of the CoÌ„munication societie of the most blessed and holy Trinitie that is to say in a word of the whole Deitie so that to rule and gouerne them there remaineth onely vnto them the deuill the worlde their flesh and concupiscences But when we say that they are destitute of the holy Ghost we vnderstand that of the spirite of sanctification and regeneration which is giuen vnto the children of God to seale in their harts their adoption and as a pawne and pledge to assure them of the inheritance of the life which is promised and prepared in heauen for them for as concerning the spirit of prophesy gift of working miracles Numb 23. ver 7. 24 Num. 24.5 1. Sam. 19.23 Ioh. 11.51 Mat. 24.24 2. Thes 2.9 Ezech. 36.26 we knowe it hath bene giuen vnto Balaam and vnto Saule to Caiphas and to Iudas and also that it may be granted vnto false prophets and vnto Antichrist and to the reprobate to whom it pleased God to communicat the same But that spirit which is giuen vnto the children of God to change their stony harts into harts of flesh to sanctifie them to kindle in them a fire which stirreth them vp to all good workes not to seeke in them any other glorye then that which is of God no doubt the Apostates are destitute of such a spirite yea they neuer had it For as S. Ihon saith 1. Ioh. 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwel in him he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirite Seing then they haue not remained stedfast in Iesus Christ but voluntarily are departed from him may it not be therof inferred that the spirit of God was neuer coÌ„municated vnto them considering it is giueÌ„ only to streÌ„gthen a man against temptatioÌ„s to make him so firme resolute in his wil that he may perseuere in the faith vnto the end For it is called for this cause the spirit of strength and power from an high Esay 11.2 Luk. 24.49 Because that meÌ„ which otherwise by their nature are so weake feeble that the shaking of a leaf or the voice of a damosell will astonish them be by him made not only inuincible against al assaults but also victorious against the Deuill and all other their enemies which hath bene seene by experience in the Apostles and Martyrs who indued with this spirite haue by his force vanquished and made subiect the world vnto Iesus Christ haue ouercome not onely the threatnings the fury violence of tyrants but also the feare and horror of the fire of wild and sauage beastes and other cruell torments which were prepared for them by the enemies of the truth Moreouer to whome doth it appertaine to bestow the spirite of Iesus Christ Mat. 3.11 Ioh. 7.38 Who is he that doth baptize with the holy ghost and with fire Who promised it vnto all those who should beleeue in his name saying He that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture out of his belly shall flowe riuers of water of life Nowe he spake this as the EuaÌ„gelist doth adde of the spirit which they that beleeue in him should receaue Now then if he giue it to those only which beleue in him how caÌ„ he impart it to those which blaspheme him who crucify him again Luk. 11. stap him vnder their feet Furthermore this spirit is coÌ„municated to those who are of the children Rom. 8. Gal. 4. of the houshold The Apostates then being no more of the house or family of God which they haue giuen ouer altogether how can they any more receaue this spirit which is the signe and gage of the adoption of his children seing that whosoeuer is filled with this spirite is the child of the light and walketh in the light not communicating in anye wise with the workes of darckenes but rather reproueth them according to the occasion offred vnto him and seeketh the assemblies of the faithfull whereunto he bringeth according to the measure of grace which he hath receaued either a Psalme a hymne or some spiritual song there in the midst of all the companye of the Saints to sing publikely with them the praises of God Considering then that the Apostates this day fly our assemblies that they desire in their harts that they were dispersed and seeing vnto this ende the vehementest of them all do employ their goods frieÌ„ds which they haue as in this country of Aniow the church of Anger 's Saumeur haue tried and finally that they haue no greater care at this day then to go the first to Masse to beare the taper in procession of their Idol to do penance vnto it because they had for a time forsaken it some amonge them haue with great charges reedified set vp againe the altars in their Temples Idols images which they theÌ„selues before in detestation of idolatry had broken downe and all to fitters And to be short seing I say that there is no superstition no impietie no worke of the deuil darknes in al papistry to which they feigne not themselues to cleaue is it possible that the spirit of God which calleth it self is a spirit of truth that is to say Ioh. 14.17 ful of singlenes of sinceritie of simplicitie and integritie should dwel with such hypocrites which with vs for a while haue frequented our sermons feigned themselues to haue loued and liked them now the Papists Infidels go to the Masse other idolatries which they approue by their presence couÌ„tenance Wisd 1. For it is written that the spirit of God abhorreth euery one that plaieth the masker and is disguised And who as we do the fashion of garments change yeare by yeare their faith their religion their customes And although they haue assaied the true religion that which God hath prescribed vnto vs by his worde neuertheles they could not buckle themselues vnto it nor hold it fast imitating in that the nature of the ChamelioÌ„ who as they say can represent change himself into al colors except white Now if the Scribes Pharises be so often accursed by Iesus Christ Mat. 23.13 for hauing bene hipocrits in one reâ—igion onely by how much more stronge reason are the Apostats
Idol which is as much as to say of an all to a nothing and of a happines to a miserie for so the false gods are called in the Scripture May we not nowe â—ay of thee and of those that are like vnto thee â—hat which the Prophet Ieremye once spake with great exclamation O ye heauens Ier. 2.12 be aâ—tonied at this be afraide and vtterly confounded sayth the Lord for my people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the â—ontaine of liuing waters to digge them pittes â—uen broken pittes that can hold no water If a â—usband were cruell rigorous and altogether â—ntollerable in his manners and in his conuerâ—ation the wife which should leaue him and â—epart from his house not being able to beare â—is euill intreaty which he should vse toward â—er might in some respect be excused but if â—e should loue her as he ought to doe and in â—ll things be gentle and bountifull vnto her supporting her in all her infirmities and intreating her with all meekenes and bening nity should she not be blamed and condemned of all the world if she woulde forsake him What then can these Apostates obiecte against God wherewithall to couer their Apostasie Psal 145. Matth 9. Matth. 5. Psal 145.8 verse 15. Psal 146.7 God I say who is so meeke and gentle whose mercy as the Prophet sayth endureth for euer who alone is good and causeth his sunne to shine vpon the good and bad and who doth send the raine both to the iust and vniust Who is gratious and mercifull slow to anger and of great mercy who is good to all and his mercy is ouer all his workes The eyes of all sayth he a litle after waite vpon thee and thou giuest them their meate in due season Thou openest thy hand and fillest all things lusing of thy good pleasure And in the Psalme following He executeth iustice for the oppressed he giueth bread to the hungry the Lorde looseth the prisoners the Lorde giueth sight to the blind the Lorde raiseth vp the crooked the Lorde loueth the righteous The Lord keepeth the strangers he relieueth the fatherles and widowe Mich. 6.3 The Lord complaineth by his Prophet Micha of his people that had treacherously forsaken him hauing neuer giuen them any such occasion O my people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieued thee testifie against me Surely I brought thee â—ut of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of seruants All this complaint doth it not belong vnto the Apostates who haue so villanously giuen ouer this mighty God of whome they haue receiued the life and all the mouing and feeling which they haue who are onely of him and by him who haue neither and house nor goods which they hold not of him and of his meere fauour who without him are nothing els but nothing and altogeâ—her vanitie who hath so often spared them â—lthough through their hypocrisie and other â—housand and thousand damnable sinnes they â—aue deserued many times vtterly to be cast â—waye and who yet at this present houre would stretch forth his armes to receiue and unbrace them if by a true repentance they â—ould in some sort returne vnto him And notwithstanding after he had so many wayes testified this so great liberalitie towards them their children familie and all that belong vnto them they haue all at once forgotten the â—enefites which they haue receiued together with the author which hath bestowed them and they themselues who by the inioying of them doe make themselues at this present guiltie of a most villanous ingratitude is it possible I pray you sufficiently to detest this most odious and execrable crime to haue left such a Lord and with great contempt to haue turned the backe vnto him after so many honors and fauors such bountifull and good intreaties to go a whoring after those two ruffians and whore-mongers namely the Deuill and the world who are altogether infected most filthye to the ende to committe againe whoredome and adultery with them Is it possible also worthely to lament the pitifull and miserable estate to the which the poore wretches are brought at this day For as they haue forsaken God so he for his part hath forsaken them and departing from them hath also bereaued them of his spirite and of his grace whereof he threatened the Iewes who obstinately reiected him and the worde of the Gospel which he preached vnto them your house sayth he to them Matth. 23. shall be left desolate for when we regard not to know God Rom. 1.28 he giueth vs ouer into a reprobate minde void of vnderstanding and then we are cast away vtterly and destroyed without all hope of any recouerie As the Prophet sayde Lo they that withdraws themselues from thee Psal 73 shall perish thou destroyest all them that go a whoring from thee as for me it is good for me to drawe neere vnto God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy workes That God departeth from the Apostatates Chap. 4. THere haue bene some which haue gone astray sometimes from God whome neuertheles God forsooke not as our first parents who being created of God after his image that is to say in state of innoceÌ„cie good perfect whole of body and soule free wise and â—f they themselues had would immortall and â—appy neuertheles not being contented with â—heir first estate which he had graunted vnto â—hem in his house forgetting themselues and â—he great benefites which they had receiued at â—is hands by a pride and damnable ouersight â—hey forgate straight way their dutie and the â—bligation by the which they stoode bound â—nto him and withdrawing themselues from â—is obeisance they did forthwith cast themelues and all their posteritie headlong into â—he great miseries which we see and feele yet 〈◊〉 these dayes in the world Dauid likewise â—ho had bene so loued cherished and fauored â—f God who had exalted him euen to the sceâ—ter and the royall throne and had giuen him the leading and gouerning of his people of Israell yea and had honored him with his couenants and promises as he had done our father Abraham neuertheles all these graces and fauours did not hinder him from forgetting and offending him Which was the cause afterward of great broiles and tumults which arose and spronge vp in his house as it had benâ— out of a springe The prodigall sonne also left his father and in steede of humbling him selfe before him and staying in his house to performe that seruice toward him which was due came vnto him in great pride of minde to askâ— him the portion of the goods that fell vnto him and since that time did nothing but goâ— astray more and more frequenting euill company Luk. 15.12 and spending in a short space all that hâ— had gathered together with dissolute and riotous persons vntill such time as being driueâ— to extreame necessitie he
peace by god the father by our Sauiour Iesus Christ to teach vs that all prosperity commeth from God who doth giue send it by his sonne Iesus Christ which the Prophet Malachy would also haue signified vnto vs when calling him The sonne of righteousnes Mal. 4.2 He doeth adde that it is he that doeth beare health vnder his winges that is to say who by his light and heat which he sendeth to all the world by his beames doth reioice and blesse all his creatures Ioh. 8. 9. For by the selfe same reason he is called the light of the world not onely because he doth lighten our vnderstanding in the knowledge of God and of all things which are profitable vnto vs but also because in that respect he doeth resemble that corporall light that as it is the meanes of the bringing foorth growth and ripenesse of all the fruites plantes trees and sensible creatures of the earth so is Iesus Christ the cause and meane of the saluation of the good and of all the happinesse and felicity of the world And what other thing would the Prophet Esay teach Esay 11.6 when as prophesying of him he sayd that at his comming The wolfe shoulde dwel with the lambe the leopard shouldly with the kid the calfe the lyon and the fat beasts together and a litle childe should lead them and that the cowe and the beare should seede and their yong ones should lye together and the lyon shoulde eate straw like the bullocke and the sucking child should play vpon the hole of the aspe and the weaned child should put his hand on the cockatrice his hole Then should none hurt nor destroy in all the mountaine of his holines for the earth shoulde be full of the knowledge of the Lorde as the waters that couer the sea The Prophet by all this discourse by all these allegories which he hath vsed and wherewith he hath beautified his speeche woulde signifie vnto vs nothing else but that the felicity which had bene banished out of the worlde by the sinne of our first parentes shoulde be brought in againe at the comming of Iesus Christ by his righteousnes Whereof the Apostle in his epistle to the Romanes speaketh more plainely after this sorte Likewise then as by the offense of one Rom. 5.18 the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefite abounded toward all men by the iustification of life And in the first to the Corinthians For as by man came death 1. Cor. 15.21 so by man came the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all dye euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue In death which is extreame miserie he doeth comprehende all other calamities and curses which by sinne haue ouerflowed as a flood and violencie of waters and haue drowned the whole worlde and on the other parte by life which is the chiefest felicitie he doeth vnderstande the good the happinesse and all the blessinges that Iesus Christ comming into the worlde and taking in it our nature hath by his obedience brought vnto the elect as well in this worlde as in the worlde to come The case then standing so that he is the onely meanes whereby men may be blessed considering the Apostates haue separated themselues from him may it not thereof be inferred that they are wretched and miserable not onely in their persons but also in the vse and fruition of all other thinges which are in their power to attaine vnto though they doe not perceiue or feele it at this present because they are blockish and like vnto children who at the age of two or three yeares lose their fathers mothers with the rest of their friends who in the absence of their parentes might helpe and succour them in their necessities this losse is a great misery vnto them which neuerthelesse they doe not conceiue No more likewise doe fooles consider the losse of their vnderstanding and vse of reason though it be the greatest euill that can befall them So these poore soules being in the extremitie of all miseries as well for hauing forsaken as for hauing beene forsaken of God and of Iesus Christ thinke to be at safâ—tie because they haue abandoned the Church and hope in time to come to liue at their ease and in the meane season doe not perceiue a thousand thousand miseries which they dragge after them in euery place wheresoeuer they goe An old Father had wont to say he was content if it were possible neuer to be sicke but if he were he desired to haue a feeling of his sicknes and surely not without a cause for the sore which is not felt is a double sore so that the miserie of the Apostates is so much the more dangerous by howe much the lesse they feele and knowe it Nowe that we may conclude these thinges namely that as those who are and doe abide in Iesus Christ are by his meanes happye in all things so contrariwise those that are separated from him in whome alone consist all the blessings which are in the worlde can not be but most miserable As it doth appeare by the sentence which shall be pronounced at that last iudgement wherein those that shall haue abode constantly with Iesus Christ shall be called the blessed of God and the other Mat. 25.34 who haue forsaken him cursed eternally with the Deuils O good God! how should we be happie without Iesus Christ who is our righteousnes 1. Cor. 1.30 without him then we are in sinne Secondly he is our life without him then we are in death He is our sanctification without him then we are polluted and profane He is our light and wisedome what are we then without him but darkenes and silly blind men groping and going at all aduentures vntill we haue found the pit euen to cast our selues headlong into the same He is our redemption and without him we are seruantes vnto the Deuill who is the cruellest and most barbarous tyrant that can be imagined Psal 17.8 He is our King our Protector and Defender and we are at safetye vnder the shadow of his wings but if we be once from vnder them we are a pray to all our enemies He is our suerty and if by him we be not acquited considering it is impossible for vs to paye the debt otherwise 1. Ioh. 2.1 we must remaine in perpetuall prison He is our Aduocate and he onely can make our attonement with God without him then we are in perpetuall ennemitie and discord with God Neither can we call vpon him or demand any thing at his hands without him S. Ambr. for he is our mouth and spokesman neither if he speake vnto vs can we vnderstand him for he is our eare To conclude he is our eye without which we can neither see nor beholde him He is our hand without which we can neither offer vnto him any thing nor
and with small force and others which seemed to be very weake and feeble haue by the grace of God resisted the greatest princes of Europe which could not ouercome them with all theyr forces and haue receaued therby great disgrace Let vs then conclude that there is nothing so strong as the house of God that is to say the Church which by his fauour is inuincible and inexpugnable for any power as Dauid sayeth Psal 46.5 God is in the middest of it therfore shall it not be mooued God shall helpe it very earlye when the nations raged and the kingdomes were moued God thundered and the earth melted the Lorde of hoastes is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge How are the Apostates then so vnwise as euen in the time of warre to geue ouer such a houlde where they may sleepe and watche at ease hauing such a watchman as the god of Israell who for the great care he hathe to keepe all those that be his doeth neither slumber nor sleepe daye nor night as saieth the Prophet I will not suffer my foote to slippe Psal 121.3 for he that keepeth the will not flumber beholde he that keepeth Israell will neither slumber nor sleepe Considering that God doth neuer forsake them that truste in him and repose themselues and all their affaires on his prouidence though he saw himself in extreame daunger becaufe of the conspiracye of his sone and of all the people that were risen against him neuerthelesse he was neuer daunted at it Psal 3.4 as he doth shewe I did call vnto the Lord with my voice he heard me out of his holye mountaine I laide me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustayned me I will not be affrayed for ten thousands of the people which should beset me rounde aboute O Lorde arise helpe me my God for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheeke bone thou haste broken the teethe of the wicked Saluation belongethe vnto the Lorde and thy blessinge is vppon thy people Imitatinge then this his example whatsoeuer stormes or tempestes we shall see let vs diligentlye take heede that we goe not out of the house of the Lorde to shunne them as the Apostates doe But contrarily let vs beseeche God to warrant vs and saue vs that he woulde shewe vs so much fauoure as to take aside and place vs in some corner thereof when we shal be yet more in safetye then in all the castelles of the worlde And takinge this reasolution Let vs say with him Psal 27.4 One thinge haue I desyred of the Lorde and that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of my life For what can we looke for out of the pauillion of God but as Esaye sayeth Feare and the pitte Esay 24.17 and the snarres which are vpon the inhabitauntes of the earth and he that flieth from the noise of the feare shall fall into the pit and he that commeth out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windowes from an high are open and the foundations of the earth doe shake By these kindes of speech Psal 5. Gal. 6. the Prophet would signifie nothing els but the cursing and wrath of God which is spread euery where where sinne is which is the seede thereof and of all miseries that are in the world beside if then we wil find the blessing of God and the felicity which doth depend theron we must search where his grace is and his grace is where his righteousnes is 1. Cor. 1.4 Matth. 25. and his righteousnes is in Iesus Christ and Iesus Christ is in his house and in his Temple that is to saye in his Church where he doeth abide vnto the ende of the world as he also hath bene there since the beginning thereof and not any where els where a mā may be happy For there lieth the blessing and the blessed seed which was promised vnto Abraham from whom as from a spring it was deriued to all his family posterity whosoeuer would be participant thereof must first be adopted by faith ingrafted into the body of lesus Christ for there is none but he alone in whom the father taketh pleasure Mat. 3.17 now those which are vnited vnto him by faith are knowē to be his members so that the rest of the whole world this litle flocke onely excepted which the sheepheard hath gathered vp is within the compasse of this wrath and curse of God Are not then the Apostates wonderfull miserable that hauing the meanes to be as happye as Angels haue voluntarily abandoned it to become for euer as miserable as deuils If a man should aske them whether they do not thinke a man accursed that is iustly banished and cut of from the body of the Church where is only saluation and life I doe not doubt but they would answer by and by it were so what can they then thinke of themselues who voluntarily haue excommunicated themselues Ioh. 1. leauing Iesus Christ who is the fountaine of all good and all liberty to yeeld and put themselues vnder the power of the Deuill who is the cruellest tyrant both of soules and bodies that they could haue chosen declaring thereby that they loue darknes more then light death more then life bondage more then liberty and to liue vnder the dominion of a most barbarous murtherer as Satan is then in the kingdome of Iesus Christ who is the support shelter and refuge of al poore afflicted persons Where were ye a while agoe ô ye poore soules in the Church Mat. 13. that is to say in the kingdome of heauen and now ye are gone downe to the bottom of hell to be banished perpetually with Antichrist and the prince of darkenes Ioh. 8. who for not hauing perseuered in the truth no more then you haue hath ben cast down from the highest degree of glory that it was possible for him to haue to the bottom of the pit of all misery and confusion without al hope of recouery Gen. 3.23 When our first parents saw themselues so shamefully banished and thrust out of the garden of paradise where they did abound in all dainties end brought by their ingratitude and rebellion to the miserable estate wherunto they came afterwards had they not great cause to lament all their life so great and horrible a change which happened vnto them by their owne fault would they not haue bene desperate at that time if God had not sodenly preuented them by his mercye and lifted vp their hope which was altogether beaten downe by the promise which he made vnto them of the seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 which should bruise the serpents head If the Apostates either could or would consider the miserie whereinto they haue cast themselues headlong by their reuolting they haue no lesse cause to be grieued then our first parents had for