Of Faith. Chap. 1.

FOr as much as there is ingrafted in the minds of al mē, a na­tural disposition and inelimation, greedily to desire such things as seeme either most faire and beautifull, or else most sweete and acceptable vnto our outward sences, as Eua desired the for­bidden fruite, because it was faire to the Gen. 3.6. & 3.6 eye, and Adam affected the saine, by too much harkening vnto the perswasions of his wife: And the carnall Israelites prefer­red [Page 2] their grosse feeding in Egypt before Numb. 11.4.5 heauenly Manna, for that it did better re­lish their fleshly tast: and the wicked So­domites would grope with their hands (af­ter they were striken with blindnesse) to find out Lots doore: and Rahel would for­go Gen. 19.11. for a time the company of her husband, for the great desire shee had vnto Leahs Mandraks, which as wee may gather out of the Canticles, haue a verie fragrant and & 30.15. Canti. 7.13. and odoriferous sauour. For as much ther­fore (I say) as it is our wanton eyes, our it­ching eares, our daintie tast, our fine smel­ing, or our grosse handling, that must aduise vs with their deceitfull counsell, to make choyse of things that seeme most pleasant to the contentation of our seuerall senses, and disordered desires; what maruaill is it Mans senses deceiueable. that this rich Gem, and precious Iewel of faith lyeth hidden among vs, regarded of so few, yea despised & troden vnder feete of many? Is it because there is no excellent or vertuous operation in it? Not so, but be­cause the vertue thereof is so diuine and precious, that it cannot be comprehended by our earthly senses: Our eyes are dimme they cannot see it: our eares are dull, they cannot heare it: our tast is glutted, and cannot relish it, our fingers are benummed they cannot feele it: our noses are stop­ped, they can not smell it.

[Page 3] Obiection. But some happily will say, that faith is a spirituall thing that cannot be seene, there­fore the senses of our earthly bodies cannot perceiue it, but the soule which is the chie­fest parte of man being also spirituall, hath not she power to looke into such secresies? I graunt that faith is a spirituall thing, which cannot be seene with our bodily eyes, for it is the ground of things hoped for, and the euidence of things which are not seene. I graunt also, that the soule of man is a spiritu­all Heb. 11.1 and inuisible substaunce, but yet it doth not follow that she is able of her selfe to vn­derstand the secresies of faith, for one inuisi­ble thing doth not alwaies know the secre­sies of another: as for example, the deuill The deuil knows not our thoghts Heb. 4.12.13. who is inuisible, doth not know the secrete thoughts of man which are also inuisible, but only God knowes them: nothing more doth the soule vnderstand the vertue and secrete operation of faith, except it bee first reuea­led by the spirite of God.

This is proued most plainely by that say­ing of Saint Paul, The naturall man cannot 1. Cor. 2.14. perceiue the things that are of God. Nowe when the Apostle speaketh of the naturall man, we must needs confesse, that vnder the word man, he comprehendeth both partes of man, soule, and body, for the body with­out soule is not a man, but a lumpe of flesh, or a carkesse: so thē it is plaine by the words [Page 4] of Saint Paul that the soule of a man vnre­generate No man vnregene­rate doth know the secresies of faith. doeth no more know the secresies of faith, and the things that are of God, then the body doth.

Moreouer, if wee consider the principall parts and powers of the soule, (since the fall of Adam) shall we perceiue any thing ther­in but meere darknes and ignorance? What is our reason & vnderstanding, euen of them that haue the finest wits, is it not meere foo­lishnes? Is not our knowledge blinded? Is not our freewil vtterly lost & decayed? Can we make choyce of any thing that is good? Surely no: for if the verie regenerate do but knowe in part, (as the Apostle saith) then doubtlesse the naturall man knoweth no­thing 1. Cor. 13.12. in respect of true knowledge: for which cause the same Apostle speaking vn­to such natural men (how wittie soeuer they be in their owne conceite) sayth plainely, if they thinke they know any thing, (meaning 1. Cor. 8.2. in the misteries of God, they know nothing (sayth he) as they ought to know.

Wherefore we may affirme for certaintie, without any further proofe, that no man by his owne naturall reach of wit and vnder­standing, can iudge of the vertues and quali­ties of faith, but onely such as are renewed and borne againe by the spirite of God.

Now then (as I said) is it any marueil that this precious Iewel of faith, is so smally esti­mated [Page 5] & slenderly accōpted of in the world, of meere worldly & carnal men? Seing they haue no skil at al to iudge of the rare vertues and operation therof, neither by meanes of the outward senses of their bodies, nor yet by the force & powers of their souls, but are altogether like vnto the Cocke, wherof the fable speaketh, that seeing a precious Gem or Iewell lying on the donghill, wished hee had had one graine of Barley for that pre­cious Iewell, because hee knewe not the price and vertue of the same, and there­fore did wish for that, which serued best, to the satisfying of his owne appetite and desire.

Seeing then the case thus standeth, that most people are so miserably deceiued, chu­sing with greedie earnestnes and desire, and as it were with both hands apprehending the vaine & transitory things of this life, & make small or none accompt, but euen like filthie swine trample vnder their feete, Gods Trea­sures con­temned of worldly men. those precious pearles of the worde of God, of faith and free saluation purchased by the bloud of Christ, to the high dishonouring of Almightie God, to the endaungering of their owne soules, to the great scandale or offence of other, & to the extreme griefe of hearte of each true faithfull and godlye Christian; seeing the case thus standeth (I say) and these premises duely considered, I [Page 6] haue thought it meete, and verily agreeing with my calling, to spend a litle time in con­triuing these plaine and simple treatises of faith, and the fruites thereof hereafter fol­lowing, to this end that partly by the helpe hereof, if God giue a blessing thereunto, but chiefely by prayer, reading, and hearing of Gods word preached, the ignorant sort may attaine vnto the knowledge of faith and o­ther misteries of God by grace, which wee by our owne natural knowledge and vnder­standing, are not able to attaine vnto: and that also these rich gifts of God, as faith, & the rest, may be the better accompted of, to Gods glorie, and our eternall comfort and saluation..

And because it is the minde of the holy 2. Pet. 1, 5. Ghost, (as Saint Peter noteth) that all ver­tues whatsoeuer shold be linked vnto faith, as the verye fountaine from whence they must spring, therefore I haue made this my first Chapter, wherein I will (God assisting me) in as briefe manner as I can, declare and make plaine to those, whose eyes it shall please the Lord to open, what an excellent and precious Iewell fayth is, as also what great profit & commodity we receiue by it.

But here first of all, intreating of fayth in generall, it shall not bee amisse to make knowne what faith it is whereof I will in­treate; for there is a certaine Morall fayth [Page 7] or trust, which we call fidelitie, that ought to be betweene man and man, and euen this is a vertue worthy of commendation: ther is also an Historicall faith, when we onely be­leeue the bare Historie, whether it bee hu­mane, or diuine, without any further ap­plication of it vnto our selues, and this faith is also in some sort worthy of due praise: and there is a Temporary faith, when some doe beleeue for a time (as our Sauiour saith) no­thing Mat. 13.21. worthie to be commended, but is like vnto that faith whereof Saint Iames spea­keth, that is dead in it selfe (to speake no­thing Iam. 2.17. of that fayth which is called miracu­lous, because it hath ceased for the most part, since the time of the Apostles).

Now it is not my purpose to entreate of any of these, seeing they are gifts common What faith it is where­unto Saint Peter wold haue ver­tue ioyned. to the good and to the bad: neither doeth Sainte Peter meane to linke his Golden Chaine with any one of them, for that wold disgrace his whole worke: but that fayth which I mind to speake of, is supernaturall, diuine and heauenly, far more glorious and excellent, then can be comprehended (as I haue already saide) by the wit and naturall vnderstanding of man.

But what is it (wil some say) that you doe so commend? Wilt thou know? Surely it is that, which thy tongue hath vttered a thou­sand times, when thou hast said I beleeue in [Page 8] God. And is this such a great matter (will worldlings saye) to beleeue in God? Doth this onely thing deserue so great praise and commendation? Yea verily. But here be­ware, A Caueat. least thou deceiue thy selfe in the vn­derstanding of the words; for there be three things almost like in words, but farre differ­ing in true sence & meaning: namely to be­leeue God, to beleeue there is a God, and to beleeue in God. The deuils beleeue the first and the second, that God is true of his pro­mise, which is to beleeue God, and they al­so beleeue there is one God, and no more, and tremble (as Saint Iames saith) but they Iam. 2.19. beleue not the third, that is in God, which is as much as to embrace him for our good God, and to rest & repose our selues on him and his worde onely, which is that true iustifying faith, wherof I speake. So then we must take heed (as I said) that we do not de­ceiue True faith beleeueth in God. our selues, thinking we beleeue verie well, if we beleeue God, and beleeue there is a God, which thing indeede we ought also to do, but we must goe further, to beleeue in God, that is to acknowledge him for our good God & Sauior, & this is ment by say­ing, I beleeue in God, I beleeue (I say) & not another for me, for euery one shall be saued by his owne faith, and not by anothers, as the Prophet Habacuk saith: The iust shall Haba. 2.4. liue, by his owne faith.

[Page 9] Furthermore to beleeue in [...] to beleeue in God the Father, in Go [...] [...]he son, & in God the holy Ghost, three persons in trinity? & one God in vnity of essēce: And is it then so easie a matter to beleeue the trinity in vnity, & the vnity in trinity? No verily; flesh & bloud doth not reueal these things vnto vs (as Christ said vnto S. Peter) Mat. 16.17 but onely God himselfe, both by the out­ward preaching of his worde, & by the in­ward working of his holy spirit. Wherfore Galat. 5.6 a true liuely and iustifying faith (which e­uermore worketh by loue) may bee thus A definiti­on of a true liuely faith. defined, namely that it is a most certain & sound perswasion of Gods great good will & fauour towardes vs, grounded vpon the truth of his free promises, made vnto man­kinde in his sonne Christ Iesus, reuealed vnto vs by the preaching of his word, and sealed in our harts by his holy spirite.

Thus then hauing briefly and plainely shewed, what faith it is wherof I minde to entreat, as also how it is defined & know­en: I will now (God willing) proceede in my purpose, to shew (as much as in me ly­eth) out of the treasury of Gods word, the excellency & goodnes of this faith, what rare vertues are to be found in it, and the The prea­ching of Gods word the meanes to bring vs vnto faith. mightie working and operation thereof, to this end, that neither so precious a iew­ell as faith is, nor the meanes whereby we [Page 10] may attaine it, I meane the preaching of Gods word, may be so much despised and What titles are giuen vnto faith: Mat, 7, 6 conte [...]d of wicked worldlings as it is.

First it maketh not a little to the com­mendation of this faith, that the holy ghost by the mouth of Sainte Peter doth call it precious: for writing to the dispersed Iewes, which were conuerted to the faith, 2. Pet. 1.1. he beginneth his second epistle thus: Simō Peter a seruant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ, to you, (saith he) that haue obtay­ned like precious faith with vs, by the righ teousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Iude 20 Christ. And Saint I [...]de in his epistle doth call it most holy, saying: And ye brethren edifie your selues in your most holy faith. Now wee know the holy Ghost doth not delude or deceaue vs, as men vse to do ma­ny times, in giuing glorious names and ti­tles to thinges that are of no great value, but calling faith precious, and most holy, it is to signifie vnto vs, that it is a most rare and singular iewel, of great price & estima­tion, Faith a iew­el of great price. & that so we shold esteem & account of it: for no sooner can we heare of Gems, pearles and precious stones, but presently wee are rauished with the desire of them.

Therefore the Scripture oftentimes vnder the names and titles of precious things, that we most account of in this life, doth comprehend heauenly & euerlasting [Page 11] treasures, as in the 7. of Mathew our Sauiour Christ saith: Giue not that which is holy vn­to dogs, meaning his holy & blessed worde: neither, saith he, cast ye your pearles before Mat, 6, 20 swine.

And a little before in the sixt Chapt. see­ing howe greedily wee desire worldly trea­sure, & 13.14 biddeth vs to lay vp treasure in heauē. And in the thirteenth of Mathew, hee first compareth the kingdom of heauē to a trea­sure hid in the fielde, which being found we should sel all that we haue, to buy that field: & 45 and againe in the same place, considering how marchants do venture their goods and We ventur much for worldly, but very lit­tle for hea­uenly trea­sure, liues, and vndertake all dangers by sea and by land, to seek for gold, pearls, & the like; hee draweth this seconde similitude, saying: The kingdō of heauē is like vnto a marchāt man, that seeketh good pearles, who hauing found a pearle of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. And not one­ly is the word of God, and faith, and other such meanes to bring vs vnto heauen, com­prehended vnder these terrene and earthly similitudes: but euen heauen it self, with all the beauty & glory thereof, as in the 21. of Reuelat: 2 [...] the reuelation, doth plainely appeare. 9, 10

Come saith the Angel vnto S. Iohn, I wil shew thee the bride the Lambes wife: then the Angell shewed vnto him in the spirite from an high mountaine, the great cittie 11 holy Ierusalem, descending out of heauen [Page 12] from God, hauing the glory of God: and her 11. shining was like vnto a stone most precious, and so forth. Then he speaketh of the wals, 12. & of the twelue gates: thē of the situation & proportion of the cittie, howe it was foure square, that the length and the bredth, and the height of it were equall: then hee com­meth 16 to the building, saying that the wall 18, was of Iasper, and the cittie of pure gold, that the foundations of the walles of the ci­tie were garnished with all maner of preci­ous stones, and nameth twelue of them, the first 19, was of Iasper the second of Saphir: the third of a Chalcedony: the fourth an Eme­raude: and so forth. After hee saith, that the twelue gates were of twelue pearles, and e­uery 21. gate of one pearle, that the street of the cittie was of pure gold, as shining glasse. The scrip­ture com­prehendeth heauenly things vn­der earthly similitudes.

Now who seeth not, how that the holy Ghost vnder the semblances and similitudes of gold, precious stones and pearles, which wee account our cheefest treasure here on earth, doth signifie thereby farre more glori­ous & excellent thinges, such as saint Paule 1 Cor. 2.9 saith, no eye hath seene, no eare hath heard, nor can be conceiued by the hart of man, the ioyes, which God hath prepared for vs in heauen. Well then, to returne to our pur­pose, hath God himself fattributed such wor­thy titles to our faith, as holy, & most pre­cious? surely then it is so, let vs not doubt of [Page 13] it: the vse that we shoulde make thereof is this, that hauing it in some great measure, we must account of it as a most precious ie­well, and not forgo it for any golde: if wee haue but a little, let vs pray the Lord to in­crease it: if wee haue none at all, let vs ear­nestly seeke it: and to that end let vs make more account of Gods word, and the prea­ching thereof, then heretofore wee haue done: for that with praier vnto God, is the Without Faith we are most miserable. onely meane to come by it; otherwise if wee euer want it, let vs assuredly knowe, our state to be most miserable & accursed, not­withstanding wee haue all other riches and treasure in the worlde. This doctrine wee learne in that our faith is called most holy, & precious.

Now let vs see, how the thing it selfe, that is faith, doth agree with those excellent ty­tles which are giuen thereunto, for it is not without great cause, doubtlesse, that S. Peter doth cal the faith of Gods elect preci­ous, and S. Iude most holy, seeing they toge­ther with the rest of the Apostles, had not onely heard the same so much praysed and commended by our sauiour Christ, but also had seene by experience the rare vertues & operation thereof.

And if euery herbe that groweth in the whole garden of this world, & euery gem & precious stone that lieth hidden in the bo­wels [Page 14] of the earth, be worthy of praise & cō ­mendations, for the seueral & particular o­perations & vertues in euery of them: how much more praise & commendation is there to bee giuen vnto this rich Gem & preci­ous Faith hath all vertues in itselfe. iewell of faith? seeing a thousand folde more excellent vertues then are to be found in all kinde of hearbes and precious stones, though they be innumerable, are aboundāt­ly to be found in this one and onely iewell of faith.

But here I must needes confesse mine owne great insufficiency, and want of skill; first, that I cannot looke into the secrecie of so deep a mistery as faith is: next, that I can­not think sufficiently of the vertues thereof, much lesse can I with pen or toung, disclose & make knowen the same, for the benefite of others. To the end therfore, that I may promise no more then (by Gods grace) I may be able to perform, of this matter I wil speak very little of my selfe, seeing I know little, or nothing: onely I will collect into a short summe, the substance of that which the holy Ghost himself hath vouchsafed to set down, in the praise and commendation of faith, & of those that haue beene endowed with so rich a Iewel.

Plinie, Galen, Hypocrates & others, that write of the nature, vertue, & operation of trees, plantes, & hearbes: & of the nature of [Page 15] beasts, birdes, fishes, mettals, and precious stones, do labour by all meanes possible, to make knowen to the worlde, the secrecy of natural thinges, for the preseruation of the health of mans body, being otherwise vn­knowen to the most part of people: & their labours are worthy of great praise, yea surely it serueth greatly to the setting forth of Gods glory, who hath made nothing in vaine: for All thinges serue to set forth Gods glory, who hath made nothing in vaine. what tree is there, whose roote, barke, leaues or fruit, either some or all of thē are not me­dicinable? what hearbe, or weede is there, which hath not his proper vertue & operati­on? howe many medicines are there taken from birds, beasts, & fishes: and from euery part of thē within and without? all kinds of mettals may be vsed in drinks and potions; as gold, siluer, tinne, lead, steel & iron: What shoulde I speake of the shelles of fishes, of pearles, corrales and precious stones? are not some of them cordiall for the heart, o­thers most soueraigne for the eyes, for the heade and stomacke, and for euery parte of mans body? All these thinges are knowen & All earthly medicines serue onely for our mortal bodies in this life, but faith is a medicine for soule & body, here & for euer. I neede not stande vpon them, sauing that it maketh thus much for my purpose, that all these forenamed things, and whatsoeuer els that may be named in the world, do all serue but for the preseruation of mans mortall body, and that in this life: But this precious iewel of faith, whereof we speake, serueth, [Page 16] both for the preseruation of mans soule, & body, in this life, and for their eternal salua­tion, in the life to come. Who then hearing of such a precious iewel, woulde not sell all that euer he hath to buy it?

Nowe the rare vertues and operation of Faith, were not so commonly knowen, be­fore our sauiour Christ came in the flesh, on­ly a few did account of it, as Abraham and others, both before and in the time of the Faith more plainely re­uealed since the Gospell then before. Lawe: but now since the Gospel hath been preached, faith hath been openly reuealed, now it hath beene highly commended, and extolled. What meant our Sauiour Christ, when he would shew the vertue and power of his Godhead, in working of his cheefest miracles and healing all kind of diseases, e­uermore to say, thy faith hath made thee whole, thy faith hath saued thee? surely it was Christ himselfe that healed them, yet Mat. 9. 22. Marke 10. 52. he attributeth the same to the faith of them that were healed, therby to shew the excel­lency of Faith, and that except they did be­leeue & had faith, they could not be healed.

There be three thinges to be considered Three things espe­cially in the Gospel, serue to the extolling of Faith. in the Gospell, which make very much to the extolling of Faith. The one is, that Christ did helpe a great many for their own faith. Another that he healed some of their bodily diseases, for the faithes sake of o­thers. The third is, that want of Faith in [Page 17] some, was a great hinderance vnto Christ, that oftentimes he could not doe that good which otherwise hee woulde. These three points may be shewed briefely by examples. for the first sorte wee haue these examples: The foule leaper that came vnto Christ, in Mat. 8.2. the eight of Mathew, shewed his faith plain­ly in this, saying vnto him, if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane: to whome Iesus an­swered, I will, be thou cleane: and imme­diately his leprosie was cleansed.

Another example we haue in the ninth of Mathew, of that woman which had been diseased with an issue of bloud twelue years, & 9. 22. who thrusting in among the presse of people to touch but the hem of Christ his garment, was presently healed, to whome Christ said, thy faith hath made thee whole. And in the fourteenth of Mathewe, it is said, that & 14.36. many were healed by touching of Christs garments, because they beleeued that he was a­ble to heale them. Another example wee haue of two blind men, in the ninth of Ma­thew, which cried after Iesus to be healed, & 9.22. but hee first asked them, whether they did beleeue, that hee was able to heale them, (not that Christ was ignorant whether they did beleeue or not, but to shewe vnto them, and others, that he woulde not helpe them, except they did beleeue): and they saide, yea Lord: then saide Iesus, according [Page 18] to your faith be it vnto you: and presently their eyes were opened. The like exam­ple wee haue of blinde Bartimeus in the tenth of Marke, which cried after Iesus, Mark. 10, 52 (whome hee called the sonne of Dauid) to haue mercy on him, & neuer ceased crying, till Iesus called him, and opened his eyes, saying vnto him, thy faith hath made thee whole: Many such examples there are in the Gospell, but for breuities sake I passe them ouer.

Likewise there want no examples of them that our sauiour hath healed for the faithes sake of others: I will also produce a fewe of them. The Centurions seruant, in the eight of Mathew, that lay sicke at home of a pal­sie, Mat, 8, 5, and was greeuously payned, because his mayster beleeued that Christ was well able to heale him, if he did but speake the worde onely: was cured of his disease the selfe same houre, & the faith of his maister greatly commended.

Another example we haue in the ninth of Mathew, of a man that was sicke of the palsie also, and being not able to goe, was borne of foure men, and let downe in his & 9.2 bed by coardes, through the roofe of the house wherein Iesus was, and Iesus seeing their faith, sayde to the sicke of the palsie, take vp thy bed, & goe home to thine owne house.

[Page 19] Another example wee haue of Iairus a ruler of the sinagogue, which came vnto Mark. 5.22, Christ (as Marke saith) for his daughter, when she was at poynt of death: and as Ma­thew Mat, 9, 18 saith, she was deade before hee spake with Iesus, who saide vnto Christ, come & lay thy hand on her, and she shall liue: and according to his faith, shee was raysed vnto life againe.

Another worthy example wee haue of the woman of Canaan, in the fifteenth of & 15, 21, Mathew, whose daughter was piteously vex­ed of a Deuill, howe she came vnto Christ for helpe, and woulde not bee aunswered, till she had her petition graunted, and her daughter healed. Thus we haue seene ex­amples, of such as haue beene healed for their owne faith, as also for the faithes sake of others.

Now let vs note the thirde thing, namely that for want of faith, our sauiour was great­ly hindered, from doing that good which hee woulde: as it is plainely to bee seene Mark, 6, 1, 2 in the sixth of Marke: when comming into his owne country, among his owne kinse­men and acquaintaunce, and preaching vn­to them on the Saboath, as his manner was, many that hearde him were asto­nyed, Christ lea [...] accounted of in his owne cun­try. and saide, from whence hath he these things? Is not this the carpenter, Maries son, and brother of Iames and Ioses, and are not [Page 20] his sisters (meaning by brothers and sisters, his nere kinsefolke) here with vs? and they were offended in him. Then said Iesus vnto them, a prophet is not without honour, but in his owne country, among his owne kin­dred, and in his owne house. And he could doe no great workes there (saith the texte) saue that he laid his hand vpon a fewe sicke Vnbeleese hindereth vs of many good things folkes, and healed them: but he marueiled at their vnbeliefe: so that we see vnbeleefe was the onely cause, which hindered Christ from doing them that good which other­wise he would.

The like or worse thing we read of the hoggish Gergesites, which by reason of their Mat. 8.34. want of faith, esteemed more of their swine then of Christ: & therefore prayed him that he wold depart from them. But what should I heape vp examples of such as were neuer effectually called? seeing it is certaine, that many of Gods children, by reason of the lit­tlenes of their faith, or for want of faith in some particular things, haue almost hinde­red themselues of many good things, yea & brought themselues into great danger. The weakenes of Marthaes faith, had almost let­ted Ioh. 11.39 40. that her brother Lazarus shoulde haue beene raised againe, when hee had layne in in the graue foure daies, for she saide vnto Christ he stinketh: to whome Christ answe­red, [Page 21] Said I not vnto thee, that if thou didst beleeue thou shouldst see the glory of God? as if hee shoulde say, thy weakenes of faith doth hinder this miracle.

For want & weakenesse of faith, the dis­ciples of Christ were almost drowned, while Mat. 8.25. Christ slept in the ship, for when they had awoke him saying, wee perish, hee rebuking them said, why do ye feare, O ye of little faith. And Saint Peter himselfe when hee woulde come alone vnto Christ vpon the & 14.31 sea, was not farre from drowning, and all for want of faith. For want of faith, godly Za­charias, the father of Iohn Baptist, was Luk. 1.2. dumbe for a time, because hee did not be­leeue the tidinges which the Angel brought him of the birth of his sonne. Thus haue we briefly noted these three things: First how many haue beene healed by their own faith: next, that not a few haue beene healed by the faith of others: lastly, that weakenes & want of faith, hath hindered Christ from do­ing good, & brought euen the deare childrē of God in daunger. Whereupon wee may conclude, that faith is a most rare and singu­lar vertue, worthy of all praise & commen­dation.

Nowe if faith were alwaies required for the health of their bodies, how much more Faith good for the health of soule and body. for the health of their soules? And was not this the cheefest purpose of Christ (thinke [Page 22] wee) to lead them by these outward meanes to consider of the weakenes and sicknesses of their soules? yes surely: and the doctrine thereof is most necessary for vs to consider of: For wee are all full of the foule leprosie of sinne, from top to toe, but faith in Christ doth make vs cleane: for it is written, the blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all 1. Ioh. 1.7. sinne. We are all benummed with the dead palsie of sinne: But faith in Christ doth quicken vs againe: as Christ saith, He that beleeueth in me, though hee were dead, yet shall he liue. We are all blinde, and cannot Ioh. 11. 25 see the way that leadeth vnto life, but faith in Christ must be our guide: We are all deaf and cannot heare as we should, the word of God: till faith haue opened our inwarde sences. In one worde, there is no di­sease of the soule or body, which is not ey­ther holpen, or eased by the benefite of faith.

Is thy heart and soule wounded within thee, by reason of thy sinne? Faith is a so­ueraigne and cordiall medicine: it will sure­ly heale thee. Hast thou had a longe time scales vpon thine eyes, that thou canst not see the brightnesse of Gods worde shine vpon thee? Oh, apply the salue of faith mixt with the powder of true repentance, and thou shalt see howe soone they will [Page 23] fall from thee, as they did from the eyes Act, 9, 18 of Saule. Art thou oppressed with heauie sadnes? why, faith in Christ will bring thee ioy. If thou bee sicke, it will restore thee to health. Art thou poore? it will make thee riche, Art thou deade? it will rayse By faith all things are possible. Mark. 9.23. thee to life againe: all thinges are possible, vnto him that beleeueth.

Wilt thou yet heare more what bene­fite thou receauest by faith: hearken then: By faith wee are made the sonnes of God: By faith wee shall obtayne euerlasting life: Ioh. 1, 22 & 3:6 & 11.25 & 3.36 & 6, 47 By faith hee that is deade may liue: Hee that beleeueth, shall neuer die. Hee that beleeueth hath euerlasting life.

Contrariwise, whatsoeuer is not of faith, Rom. 14, 23 Heb, 11, 6: Ioh. 3, 36 Mark: 16, 16 is sinne. Without faith, it is impossible to to please God: Without faith, wee shall bee condemned. Hee that beleeueth not, the wrath of God abideth on him: He that beleeueth and is baptised, shall bee sa­ued: but hee that beleeueth not, shalbe dam­ned.

This true, liuely and iustifying Faith, Mat, 22, 12: whereof wee speake, is that riche wedding garment, which euery christian ought to weare: and whosoeuer is founde without it shall bee bounde hande and foote, and cast into vtter darkenesse, there shall bee weepinge and gnashing of teeth. [Page 24] This faith is that strong shielde of defence, Ephes. 6.16. wherwith we must quench all the fiery darts of the Deuill: if we want this armour, wee shal surely be slaine of Sathan. This faith is the light of the body, which who so hath Mat: 6.22. not, walketh still in darkenes not knowing whither he goeth. This faith is vsually com­pared vnto a hand, wherwith we receiue (as one saith) the rich almes of God: if we lack this hand, wee shal die for want. This holy Faith the mother of repentance. faith is called the mother of true repen­tance, and repentance the daughter of faith, for assoone as wee haue a true iustifying Faith, presently repentaunce followeth with the fruites thereof, as Saint Iohn Bap­tist saith, Bring fourth fruit worthy of repen­tance.

This liuely iustifying faith is neuer idle, Mat. 3.8. A true iusti­ying faith neuer idle, but stil wor­ [...]eth by [...]oue. but still worketh by loue, and is the roote from whence all good works do spring. As the sunne cannot be without light, nor the fire without heat, nor water without moyst­nes: No more can any one which hath this true iustifying faith, be without good works, which are the fruites thereof. Therefore it is very true which Saint Iames saith, that as the body without the soule is deade, so faith without workes is deade in it [...]am. 2.17. selfe: Neyther is there any disagreement betweene the doctrine of Saint Paul, and [Page 25] Saint Iames, though the one saye wee are Rom. 3.28. iustified by faith, and the other by workes: for Saint Paul speaketh of our iustifying be­fore Iam. 2.24. God by faith only thorough the bloud of Christ, and Saint Iames of our iustifying S. Paul and S. Iames re­conciled concerning iustificatiō. before men, when wee make knowen to the worlde, by our good workes, which are the fruites of faith, that wee are iustifi­ed.

Therefore let vs beleeue the Scripture which saith, that Abraham beleeued God, Rom. 4.36. and it was imputed vnto him for righteous­nesse, That wee are not iustified by the workes of the law, but by the faith of Iesus Christ. For by grace wee are saued, saith Gala. 2.16. Saint Paul, through faith, not of our selues: it is the gift of God, not of workes, least any Eph. 2.8.9. shuld boast: which place doth cut the throte of that grosse opinion of those proud Pha­risayicall Papists, that ignorantly bragge Popish su­pererogati­on, super­abundant arrogancie. and boast of their workes and merites, as though they coulde merite heauen with them; both for them selues and others, for­sooth, by their works of supererogation, but more rightly called superabundant-arro­gancie. Let vs beleeue the Apostle saying, if righteousnesse came by the law, then Christ Gala, 2.21. dyed in vaine. Let vs beleeue the truth it selfe saying, when ye haue done all that yee can, yet say ye are but vnprofitable seruāts, ye haue done but what was your duty to do. Luk. 17.10

[Page 26] It is our dutie and required of vs vppon Mat. 25.41 paine of damnation, to doe good workes, which (as Saint Paul saith) God hath ordai­ned Ephe. 2.10. that we should walke in them: but not that we should trust in them to be saued, for faith herein must haue the preheminence. Therefore Saint Paul counteth all thinges Phil, 3, 8.9. losse and doung, that he might win Christ, and might bee found in him not hauing his owne righteousnes, but the righteousnesse which is through the faith of Christ.Obiection. But heere some may say, why doe ye alleadge so many testimonies of Saint Paul, to this pur­pose, for heseemeth to be contrarie to him­selfe, and though in many places hee extol­leth faith, yet in one place hee preferreth 1. Cor. 13. loue & charitie before it, for he saith; now abideth these three, faith, hope and loue, but the chiefest of these is loue?

True, it is chiefe, in respect that it doth What S. Paul mea­neth by saying, that faith is chiefer then loue, extend it selfe farre and neare to the bene­fit and profit of our neighbours, (for faith profiteth our selues, & loue our neighbours) and, because it doth continue longer then faith and hope doth, for the vse of thē both doth cease, when wee haue the fruition and possession of that which wee hoped for, and when we haue the end of our faith, which is the saluation of our soules: but loue is one­ly begun in this life, & perfected in the life to come: in these respects Saint Paul saith, it 1. Pet. 1, 9. [Page 27] is cheefe. Notwithstanding, though wee graunt this, and say further with the same Apostle, that as there is no true loue, with­out faith, so there is no true faith, without loue, because faith worketh by loue: yet it Gala. 5.6. is certaine, that faith in respect of our salua­tion, and in this matter of iustification, is more excellent then loue: yea, loue must come after faith, as an obedient daughter Loue the daughter of faith. after her mother; which faith doeth bring forth both hope and loue. Faith then is the ground of things hoped for. Hope is an vn­doubted expectation of those things, which are promised vnto vs of God by the meanes of Christ. Loue is linked vnto them both, & may not be seperated from them.

By faith, saith the Author to the He­brus, our forefathers obtained a good report: Heb. 11.1.2 therefore I conclude, that faith ought still to haue the preheminence in iustification: for thereby are we receiued & made the sonnes Faith must haue the prehemi­nence in iustificatiō. of God, euen by our faith in Christ, by whome wee obtaine euerlasting life. This doctrine, as it doth stirre vs vp to beleeue, so should it stir vs vnto loue & charitie, which are the liuely fruites of faith, and without it faith is dead in it selfe.

But here wee must also take heede, that we doe not imagine, that faith (though it be a rare and singular vertue) doth thereby of it selfe deserue euerlasting life, for so wee [Page 28] should fal into error, but faith is called most Christ only hath pur­chased hea­uen for vs. faith the instrument to appre­hend it. holy, excellent or precious, in this respect, that it is the meane appointed by God him­selfe, wherby we should apprehend and re­ceiue most holy, excellent & precious gifts, whereof the chiefest is eternall and euer­lasting life, purchased vnto vs, by the death, passion, and resurrection of Christ, euen by his righteousnes, and obedience. Of this eternal and euerlasting life, our faith groun­ded vppon the promises of God doth most certenly assure vs; and then by hope (which is also the childe of faith) we doe with pati­ence waite for the accomplishment, and performance thereof. For those ioyes, which one day we shall haue in perfect possession, How faith and hope are distin­guished. wee doe now enioye by faith, and hope: the which may thus bee distinguished, the one from the other: Faith doth apprehend things present; and hope things to come: by things present, I meane also eternall life; which may be said to be present, in respect that we haue some feeling and tast of it in this life, & in respect of the certainty of Gods coun­sell and will, touching the saluation of his elect, that cannot be altered. Therefore the Scripture vseth often times the present tense, for the future, the time present, for the time to come, as Christ saith, Hee that beleeueth, hath euerlasting life. And Saint Paul saith, by grace ye are saued. Ioh. [...].36. Ephe. 2.8.

[Page 29] By things to come, I meane the accom­plishment and performance of our saluati­on, which in this life we doe patiently waite for, and expect by hope; therefore hope is sometimes vsed in the same sence that faith is, as in the eight to the Romaines, Saint Paul saith we are saued by hope, that is by Rom. 8.24 hope, our faith is supported, and wee are comforted, til we haue the end of our faith, euen the saluation of our soules.

Againe, this difference is betweene faith, and hope, that faith doth imbrace and ap­prehend Wherein faith and hope agree. the promises of things, and hope the things whereof the promises are made, onely in this, faith and hope agree, that they haue alwaies respect vnto one and the selfe same benefits. As for example, when Abra­ham Gen. 17.19. was promised to haue a sonne in his olde age, he did verily beleeue it, but with hope did expect the performance thereof many yeares. He was promised also the land of Canaan, to him and his seede: he did ve­rily Gen. 17.8. beleeue it should be accomplished, but yet hee did onely enioy the same by hope. Thus we haue seene briefely the difference betweene faith, hope, and loue, as also how they agree in one: but of loue we shalspeake more (God willing) in the last Chapter.

Now let vs proceede a little further in our purpose, to shew the excellencie and worthines of faith, whereby we are assured [Page 30] of things inuisible, as though wee saw them Things in­uisible are plainely seene, with the eyes of faith-Heb. 11.3. with our bodily eyes; if not more assured. Through faith, wee vnderstand the world was made by the word of God; so that the things which we see, are not made of things which did appeare.

Through faith we are assured of our elec­tion, before the foundations of the world were laide: God hath chosen vs (saith Saint Paul) in Christ before the foundation of the Ephes. 1.4. world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in loue.

Through faith wee are assured of our re­conciliation with God: for God was in Christ, (saith the Apostle) and reconciled 2. Cor. 5.19 the world vnto himselfe, not imputing their sinnes vnto them.

Through faith wee are assured of our re­demption, iustification and sanctification: Ye are of him (saith Saint Paul) in Christ Ie­sus, 1, Cor. 1.30 who is made vnto vs wisedome, righte­ousnesse, sanctification and redemption. Through faith we are assured of our adopti­on, that wee are the sonnes of God: The spi­rite Rom. 8, 16 beareth witnesse vnto our spirites (saith the Apostle) that wee are the children of God.

Through faith wee are assured that wee haue the spirit of God: Know ye not that the 2. Cor. 13.5 spirite of Christ dwelleth in you, except ye be reprobates?

[Page 31] Through faith wee haue the true know­ledge of God and of Christ, and in the ende euerlasting life. This is life eternall, to know God the father, and whome hee hath Ioh. 17.3. sent Iesus Christ.

Lastly, through faith we are assured, that nothing shall separate vs from the loue of God: for those whome God once loueth, to Ioh. 13.1. the ende he loueth them. I am perswaded, (saith Saint Paule,) that neither death, nor Rom. 8.38. life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor thinges to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our If we haue faith, no­thing can separate vs from God. Lord. See thē, the excellency of faith, which may yet againe be considered, fower maner of waies: In respect of God, in respect of our neighbours, in respect of our selues, in re­spect of the deuill and of the world.

In respect of God, we feele peace of conscience: Being iustified by faith wee Rom. 5.1. haue peace towardes God, through Iesus Christ our Lorde. Wee haue hope of the glorie to come. Wee haue accesse vnto the & 8.21. Heb. 4.16. throne of grace. In respecte of our neigh­bours, we haue mutuall concord, godly loue and charitie. In respect of our selues wee haue patience in afflictions, reioycing in Rom. 5.3. tribulations, ioye in the holye Ghost, dy­ing vnto sinne, liuing vnto righteousnesse. [Page 32] In respect of Sathan, our faith fighteth for Ephe. 6.16. vs against his temptations, and in respect of the world, wee doe by little and little ouer­come it. This is the victorie which ouer­commeth the world, euen your faith. 1. Ioh. 5.9.

What should we say more? If thou haue faith, all things in heauen and earth make for thee: if thou want faith, al things in heauē earth & hel make against thee: if thou haue All thinges make for the faithful as al things make a­gainst the infidels. faith, thou art rich without any other thing: if thou want faith, thou art poore possessing al other things: if thou haue faith, thou mai­est bee bolde as a Lyon: if thou want faith, thou wilt tremble at the shaking of a leafe: if thou haue faith, thou needes not feare the Faith a strong fort, against our enemies. force of thine enemies: but for want of faith the heartes of people faint within them.

The wicked flie saith Salomon, and no man pursueth them: contrariwise, the faith­full will say with Dauid, God is our hope, Pro. 28.1. and strength, a helpe in troubles ready to bee founde. Therefore will wee not feare, Psal. 46, 1.2 3. though the earth remoue, and though the mountaines fall into the depth of the Sea, & the hils shake at the surges of the same. A­gaine Dauid saith, though thousands had Psal. 3.6 hemd me in on euery side, yet would I not feare. And againe, I will say vnto the Lord, O my hope and my fortresse; he is my God Psal. 92.1.2 in him will I trust: surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter, and from 3. [Page 33] the noysome pestilence: he will couer thee vnder his wings, and thou shalt bee safe vn­der 4. his feathers: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler: thou needst not bee affraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrowe that flyeth by day, nor of the pestilence that 5. walketh in the darkenesse, nor of the plague One faith­full man better in fight, then a thousand infidels. that destroyeth at the noone day, a thou­sand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hande; but it shall not come neere thee. Behold then (I beseech you) the 6. force of faith, blessed is the man that hath 7. the Lord for his God. Psa. 144.15

Now hauing hitherto heard the excellen­cie of faith, and what profit we receiue ther­by, it shall not be amisse to note for our fur­ther comfort and consolation, what worthy praise & commendation, the Scripture hath alwaies giuen vnto faithfull men and wo­men, & what great actes and wonders haue beene wrought by them, through the force of faith. First, concerning these faithful ones which liued before the comming of Christ, it hath pleased the holye Ghost to make a long Catalogue of the chiefest of them, in the eleauenth Chapter of the Epistle to the The faith of our aun­cestors commen­ded. Hebrues, to this end, that we shuld haue their examples euer before our eyes: nay to teach vs, that if they were so faithful in the time of the law, much more should we be in the time [Page 34] of the Gospel. I wil only note the examples. By faith, Abel his offering was accepted Heb. 11.4. before God. By faith, Enoch was translated from earth into heauen. By faith, Noe & his 5. family were saued in the Arke. By faith, A­braham 7. came out of his own countrie, & be­ing 8. tried, offered vp his only begotten sonne. By faith, Sara cōceiued, when she was fower­score 11. & ten yeeres old. By faith, Isaack bles­sed 20. Iacob and Esau, concerning things to come. By faith, Iacob when he was a dying, 21. blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph. By faith, Ioseph when hee dyed, gaue commaunde­ment 22. of his bones.

By faith, the parentes of Moyses, hid 23. him three months, because they saw he was a proper childe, not fearing the Kings com­mandement. By faith, Moyses himselfe, whē he came to age, refused to be called the son 5. of Pharaos daughter, chusing rather to suffer aduersitie with the children of God, then to enioye the pleasures of sin for a season. By faith, he forsooke Egypt, and feared not the 27. fiercenes of the King, for he endured as hee which saw him that is inuisible. By faith, he ordained the Passeouer, and the effusion of 28. bloud, least he that destroyed the first borne should touch them. By faith, Moyses and the children of Israel passed through the 29. red sea, as by the dry land, which the Egyp­tians [Page 35] assaying to doe, were drowned. By faith, the walles of Iericho fell downe, after 30. the Israelites had compassed them about seuen daies. By faith the harlot Rahab, was 31. not destroyed with the rest in Iericho, be­cause she receiued the spies peaceably. To 32. be short, by faith Gedeon, Barack, Sam­son, By faith our forefa­thers in bat tell haue had the victorie. Iephte and Dauid, fought valiantly the Lords battels, and had the victorie.

By faith, Samuel, Elyas, Elisha and other of the Prophets, together with them before named, haue subdued kingdomes, wrought 33. righteousnesse, obtained the promises, stop­ped the mouthes of Lyons, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, of weake were made strong, waxed 34. valiant in battell, turned to flight the ar­mies of the strangers.

By faith, women (as the woman of Sarep­tha 1. Kin. 17.22. & the Shunammite) receiued their dead children, restored vnto life by Elias, and E­lisha. 2. Kin. 4.32 Through faith other also were racked 35. and would not be deliuered, that they might receiue a better resurrection.

Some other were stoned, hewen a sunder 36. (O the crueltie of tyrants) were tempted, were slaine with the sword: others wander­ed vp and downe in sheepes skins, and in Goates skins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented, whom the world was not worthy [Page 36] of, they wandered in wildernesses, & moun­taines, 37. and Dens, and Caues of the earth, and these all through faith obtained good 38. report. Thus the holy Ghost doth beginne, and thus hee doth conclude this his Cata­logue, in commending the fayth of our aun­cestors, 39. that liued before the comming of Christ.

Now then let vs note also a fewe exam­ples out of the new Testament, and so draw to an ende (for I must needes confesse, that the aboundant Doctrine which the Scrip­ture affordeth concerning faith, hath caried me much further, then I purposed at the be­ginning:) Notwithstanding, seeing fayth is Faith the principall Iewel of S. Peters Chaine. the principall Iewell of our whole worke, pardon me if I bee somewhat long in this Chapter, I will endeuour to bee the briefer in all the rest. By faith in the olde Testa­ment, wee heare how Sara conceaued and brought foorth Isaack, according to the na­turall generation of mankinde: but by faith in the new Testament the Virgine Marie conceaued the Sonne of GOD, by the o­uershadowing of the holy Ghost, without the naturall helpe of man. Mat. 1.18

By faith her cousen Elizabeth, acknow­ledged the Virgine Mary, to be the mother of our Lord, when also the babe Iohn Bap­tist sprang in her wombe. By faith Ioseph Luke. 1.45 [Page 37] the supposed father of Christ, did take Ma­rie vnto his wife, when before hee had thought to put her awaye priuily. By faith he and his wife fled into Egypt, to preserue Mat. 1.19. the babe Iesus, from the tyrannie of Herod. By faith the Shepheards leaue their flockes & 2. 21. in the fielde, to see poore Iesus lying in a Luke. 2.16. Manger, who returning backe againe, glori­fie GOD for that they had sene and heard, and publish the same to others. By faith the wise men came from the East Countries to Ierusalem, and from thence to Beth­lem, where they worshipped the childe Iesus, notwithstanding his pouertie, and Mat. 2.1. offer vnto him, gifts, golde, frankencense and Myrrhe.

By faith holy Simeon tooke Iesus in his armes, when Marie came vnto Ierusalem to be purified according to the lawe: and hee Luk. 2.27. said: Lorde, now lettest thou thy seruant to 28.29. depart in peace: and so foorth. Then Simeon Verse. 34. also blessed them and saide vnto Mary, This childe is appointed for the fall and rysing againe of manye in Israell, and for a signe which shall bee spoken against, yea and a 35. sworde shall pearce thy soule, that the the thoughtes of many hearts may bee ope­ned. By faith likewise at the same instant, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe & 2.36.37.38. of Aser, which was of a great age, and had [Page 38] liued seuen yeeres with a husband from her virginitie, but was a widdow fower-score and fower yeeres, seruing God in the tem­ple, with fasting and prayer, night and day: she (I say) comming vp then at the same time, confessed likewise the Lorde, and spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Ie­rusalem.

By faith, Iohn Baptist, when hee came to age, went out into the wildernesse to pre­pare Mat, 3.1. the way of the Lord before him. By faith, he Baptiseth the people in the floude Mat. 3.5. Iordan, as many as did repent and beleeue in Christ, who was then at hand. By faith, Ioh. 1.29. hee pointed out with his finger the Sonne of God, saying, Beholde the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world. & 41. By faith, Andrew the Disciple of Iohn Bap­tist, brought his brother Simon Peter vnto Christ, saying, We haue found the Messias, which by interpretation is Christ. By faith, Philip perswadeth Nathanael to come vnto Christ, saying vnto him, Beholde wee haue & 45. found him of whome Moyses did write in the lawe and in the Prophetes. By faith, Nathanael sayth vnto Iesus, thou art the Sonne of God, thou art the Kinge of Isra­ell, & 49. because Christ said, hee saw him vnder a fig-tree. By faith, Simon Peter, and the Sonnes of Zebedee leaue their fishing and Mat. 4.18. 21. [Page 39] nettes, to follow Iesus, after that hee had tolde them, that he would make them fish­ers of men.

By faith, Mathew the customer left all his Mat. 9.9 gaine to follow Iesus. By faith, Sainte Paul, Saint Steuen and all the Apostles of Christ, 2. Cor. 11. endured all labours and daungers, imprison­ment, 23 mockings, scourgings, & death it selfe Acts. 7.59. for the name of Christ, and for the worke of the ministerie. By faith, infinite Martyrs, and the Saints of God since the time of the Apostles, haue done likewise. By faith, Za­cheus made this protestation from his heart, Luk. 19.8. saying, Behold Lord, the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore, and if I haue done anye man wrong, I restore him fowerfolde; to whom Christ answered. This day saluation is come into thine house. By faith, the good Mat. 8.10 Centurion said, that Christ was able to heale his seruant with his onely worde, of whose faith Christ himselfe gaue this commendati­on, that he had not found so great a faith no not in Israel.

By faith, the poore woman of Canaan, saide vnto Christ, that it was lawfull for Mat. 15.28. dogges to eate vp the crummes which fall from their Masters table: whose fayth also Christ highly cōmended, saying vnto her, Woman, great is thy faith, bee it vnto thee euen as thou wilt.

[Page 40] But what stand I to reckon vp more exam­ples to this purpose, let vs looke vp into the starres of heauen, and if we be able to num­ber them, then may wee also bring into a The starres of heauen, and the faithfull children of Abraham innumera­ble. reckoning all the true sonnes of Abraham, registred in the booke of Gods remēbrance, for their strong and stedfast faith in the pro­mises of God, made vnto Adam, Abraham, and the rest of Gods elect, since the begin­ning of the worlde. These examples which I haue noted, and manye other which of purpose I omit, are surelye written for our learning, that wee through patience Rom. 15.4. and comforte of the Scripture might haue hope.

Last of all, the great and glorious titles wherby the faithfull are called in the Scrip­ture, How the faithful are named in the Scrip­ture. make not a little to the commendati­on of this faith, whereof wee speake. The faithfull are called the sonnes of God, the sonnes of light, liuing stones, the temple of the holye Ghost, the bodye of Christ, the housholde of God; the fellow Cittizens of 2. Cor. 6. 18 Luk. 16.8.1. Pet. 2.5.1. Cor. 6.19 Eph. 1.23. & 2.6. 1. Pet. 2.9. the Saints, a royall Priesthoode, a holy na­tion, a peculiar people. Wherfore, seeing we haue heard so great commendation of faith and faithfull people, what maruaile is it, that the Scripture euerye where doeth ex­horte vs vnto faith, and that Christ him­selfe, and all his Apostles did take so great [Page 41] paines, to bring the world vnto the obedi­ence of faith, by the preaching of the Gos­pell, and reioce in nothing more, then to heare & see how that the Churches of God, where the Gospell hath beene preached, did continue in their faith?

Therefore Saint Paule in the first to the Romanes did thanke God, that their faith Rom. 18. was published throughout the world. And Coloss. 1.2 in the first to the Collossians hee beginneth thus: To the saintes and faithfull brethren in Christ: and by and by he saith: We giue thankes to God, since we heard of your faith 3. in Christ Iesus: And againe in the seconde Chapter hee saith: I reioyce to behold your Chap. 2. 5. order, and stedfast faith in Christ: And in the first to the Thessalonians and first he saith, 1 Thess: 1.2 We giue God thankes for you, without cea­sing, remembring your effectuall faith. And in the second to Timothie & first, he calleth 3 to remembrance the vnfayned faith, which 2 Tim: 1.5. dwelt first in his grandmother Lois, and in his mother Eunice. And to Philemon hee writeth thus: I giue thanks when I heare of Phile. 1.4 5. thy loue, and faith. What doth all this signi­fie vnto vs, but that this saith whereof wee speake, is most excellent in the sight of God and man?

Hence commeth it to passe, that the same Apostle doth so earnestly exhort vs vnto this 1 Cor, 16 13. faith, & to abide in it. Stand fast in the faith, [Page 42] (saith he) quite you like men, and be strong. Againe, hee saith, Proue your selues whe­ther 2.13.5 ye are in the faith. Againe, We walk by faith, and not by sight. Againe, Aboue all, Ephes, 6, 16 1 Tim. 1, 5 & 6.11, 12 take the shielde of faith, wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. A­gaine, The ende of the commandement, is loue, out of a pure harte, and of a good con­science, & of faith vnfained. And vnto Ti­mothy he saith, But thou O man of God, fol­low after righteousnes, godlinesse, faith, loue, patience, meekenes, and so forth: Faith must fight for vs. 2. Tim. 1.13 By and by hee saith, Fight the good fight of faith.

Againe, keepe the true patterne of the wholesome wordes which thou hast hearde of mee, in faith and loue in Christ Iesus. A­gaine, hee bids vs to doe good vnto all, but especially to them that are of the housholde Tit. 2, 2 of faith. And to Titus he saith, let the el­der men be sound in the faith. And in the E­pistle Heb, 4, 2. Gods word profiteth not with­out faith. & 11.6. to the Hebrewes, it is saide, that Gods worde profiteth vs not, except it bee mixt with faith. And without faith it it is impos­sible to please God. For a conclusion there­fore, Christ himselfe saith, Bee faithfull vnto the death, & I wil giue thee the crown of life. What tounge then can expresse the Reuel. 2.10 excellencie of faith, and the profite wee receiue by it! Contrariwise, all woe and [Page 43] miserie is theirs that haue not this faith: for All woe is theirs that haue not faith. Rom. 14.23 without faith, whatsoeuer wee doe is sinne: whether we pray, reade, sing, eate, drinke, labour: or whatsoeuer wee doe without this faith, I say it is sinne. Iannes & Iambres are compared with the reprobates that want 1 Tim. 3.8, 2 Tim. 1.20 faith. Hymeneus and Alexander are no­ted with eternall infamie, because they made shipwracke of their faith.

For want of faith, the man in the Gospel that presumed to come to the wedding, was bounde hande and foote and cast into vtter Mat. 22.12 13. darkenes, there shall be weeping & gnash­ing of teeth. Finally, as vnbeleefe was the cause that so many thousands died in the wildernesse, and so fewe entred into the lande of Canaan: so vnbeleefe, and want of Vnbeleefe the cause that so fewe entred into the promi­sed land. Heb. 3.19 faith, is the cause that so many shal die eter­nally in the worlde to come, and bee con­demned vnto the bottomles pit of hell. For this is the last conclusion (almost) of the whole Bible, spoken by him that shal iudge both quick and dead. The feareful & vnbe­leeuing, (saith he) that is, all such as haue not this true iustifying faith, whereof we haue all this while intreated, shall bee cast in­to Reuelat. 21.8. the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone.

For the auoyding of which endlesse tor­ments, [Page 44] let vs betime bewaile our own block­ishnes, that hitherto haue so little esteemed of this so precious a Iewell of Faith: let vs learne to make more account of Gods word, then heretofore wee haue done: let vs pray the Lorde to forgiue vs that is past, and to increase this holy faith in vs, for time to come: so shall wee bee blessed here & for e­uer. And so much concerning the excellen­cie of faith, and the vtility or profit we re­ceiue by it.

Nowe it shal be necessary for vs, to con­sider, before we conclude this Chapter, from whome this faith commeth, that is, whose gift it is, and to whom it is giuen: to this end, that none may imagine faith to be a naturall gifte, common to all: seeing it is giuen one­ly to them, whose names are written in the booke of life.

First that faith is the gifte of God, I think Faith the gift of God. none will denie, and therefore I shall not neede to stande long about the proofe thereof. When Saint Paul saith, we are saued by grace, through faith: presently he saith Not of our selues, it is the gift of God. Ephes. 2.8 Sainte Iames saith, euery good giuing, & Iam. 1, 17 euerie perfect gifte, is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of light: that is, from God, which is called the light that none can attaine vnto: but faith is a [Page 45] good and perfecte gifte: therefore surely it commeth from God.

Againe, Saint Paule writing vnto the Philippians, saith: Vnto you it is giuen Phillip. 1.29 through Christ to beleeue: therefore to be­leeue is the gift of God. Againe in the twelft to the Hebrewes, the holy Ghost exhorteth vs to runne with patience, the race that is set Heb. 12.1.2 before vs, looking vnto Iesus the authour & finisher of our faith: Therefore faith must needes bee the gift of God.

Moreouer when the Apostles of Christ doe pray the Lorde to increase their fayth, Luk. 17. 5 they doe thereby plainly shew, that faith is the gifte of God. Againe, Paule planteth, Apollos watereth, by preaching of Gods 1 Cor. 3.6 worde; but God giueth the increase, that is, faith to beleeue. Many such places there are, but these may suffice.

Nexte nowe, that this excellent gifte of faith is not common to all, appeareth by this one saying of Saint Paule vnto the Thessa­lonians: 2 Thess. 3, 2 All men haue not faith. There­fore, To whom faith is gi­uen, & in what mea­sure. it is a thing most necessarie to be consi­dered, to whom this faith is giuen, and whe­ther it bee giuen to all in a like measure or not.

Here, first of all wee are to consider of the giftes of God, howe some are temporall, some eternall, some common with the good [Page 46] and bad, some giuen onely to Gods electe. The giftes that are temporall, are all things that pertaine to the vse of this present life: yea and life it selfe is a temporall gifte, because it is decreed that wee must all die. The benefite of the aire, the benefite of the earth, the benefite of the water, the bene­fite of the Sunne and firmament, and all the creatures in eyther of them, are temporall giftes, seruing onely for the vse of man in this life, and common to the good, and to the bad: as Christ saith, that God our Fa­ther causeth the Sunne to shine vpon the e­uill and the good, and the raine to fall vpon Mat. 5, 45 the iust and vniust.

Againe, the giftes of the minde, as wise­dome, reason, knowledge, memory, lear­ning, and the like, are all temporal giftes, to­gither with the giftes of healing, of prophe­sying, Temporall gifts and working of miracles, as Christ saith in the seuenth of Mathewe: Many will say vnto mee at the day of iudgement, Lorde, Lorde, haue wee not by thy name prophesyed, and by thy name cast out De­uils, Mat, 7, 22 & by thy name wrought many great miracles? and then I will professe to them, saith Christ, I neuer knew you, depart from mee all ye that worke iniquitie. 23.

Againe, other accidentall giftes (as we [Page 47] say) of the body, as health, strength, beau­tie, riches, honors, and the like, are all ter­rene and temporall giftes: and no man can certenly iudge thereby, whether the posses­sors Eccles. 9. 1. No man cā certenly iudge by the ha­uing, or not hauing of temporal blessings whether he be belo­ued or ha­ted of God, Spirituall gifts. thereof bee eyther beloued or hated of God. And that is the meaning of Salomon when hee saith: No man can know whether hee bee in the loue, or hatred of God: mea­ning, by the hauing, or not hauing of these earthly and temporall giftes.

Nowe, on the other side, the giftes that are heauenly, are faith, loue, ioy, peace, meekenes, temperance, patience, godlines, Iustification, sanctification, adoption, glori­fication, and finally, eternal and euerlasting saluation: all these giftes are giuen onely to such as God hath elected to bee heyres of saluation, according as Sainte Paule saith: Rom. 8, 29 Those which God knewe before, hee also predestinated, to be made like to the image of his Sonne: those whome hee predesti­nated, them also hee called. Whome he called, them also he iustified: and whome 30 hee iustified, them also hee gloryfi­ed.

So then it is certayne, that Faith and all these other heauenly giftes, are gyuen onely to the chosen and elect peo­ple Tit. 1, 1: of God: for which cause, faith is called [Page 48] by Saint Paule, the faith of Gods electe. A­gaine it is said in the Actes of the Apostles, that so many as were ordained to eternall life, beleeued and so were saued. Againe, all Act. 13. 48. Eph. 2.8. that are saued, are saued by grace, through faith: therefore so many as are saued, haue faith, and none other. No man commeth vnto me (saith Christ) but those the father Iohn 6, 44. Mat, 13. 11. Faith is a mistery▪ draweth. And to his disciples hee saith, To you it is giuen to knowe the misteries of the kingdome of heauen, but to others it is not: Againe, faith is a chiefe part of the misterie whereof Saint Paul speaketh: Therefore to some it is giuen to haue faith, & to some it 1, Tim. 3.16 is not: Againe, Christ saith in the tenth of Iohn: Ye beleeue not, why? because ye are Iohn 10, 26 not of my sheepe: that is, none of those who are elected vnto saluation: therefore none but Gods elect do beleeue.

Here further we learne, that faith is not giuen vs in respect of any righteousnes, me­rite Faith is not giuen for our owne worthines: or desert, that is in vs: but of God his free mercy, as well to the Iewes, as to the gentils: to the Grecian, and to the Barbarian: to the bond, and to the free: to male, and fe­male, wheresouer throughout the whole world, dispersed, as many as be elected vnto saluation.

Now, although man knoweth not the time No time set when wee shalbe cal­led when, yet certaine it is that euery one of the elect shalbe called, one time or other, accor­ding [Page 49] as God in his diuine prouidence hath appointed. For as he chooseth whom he wil, so those whome hee hath chosen hee calleth vnto faith by the ministerie of his word, and effectual working of his holy spirit, when it pleaseth him: vnlesse by his secret worke, ac­cording to his euerlasting counsel and elec­tion, hee call them in their infancie to him­selfe out of this world, before they come to yeeres of discretion. Heereuppon it is that he calleth some in their youth, some in their middle age, and some not before olde age: some at the dauning of the daie, some at the Math. 20. 3 4, 5, 6 third houre, some at the sixt houre, & some at the eleuenth houre: so long as the time of this present life indureth, and this light of grace continueth, so long the time last­eth of the heauenly calling.

Let no man or woman therfore despaire, Let none despaire of their cal­ling, for he that is not called to day may be to morow. or doubt of their saluation, that are not yet effectually called, for they knowe not howe soone they may be, only let euerie one praie that when God doth call, we may bee ready to yeelde our obedience: especially let not the preachers and ministers of Gods word be discouraged, though in a long time they see little fruit or their labors: for faith ma­ny times which is planted by their preach­ing, Faith ma­ny times couered as fire in the ashes, doeth lie close hidde and couered, as the fire in the ashes: one daie, when God [Page 50] will, it shall breake out into flames of cha­ritye and godlynes: at least wise, if the Go­spell which we preach bee hidde, it is hid to 2. Cor. 4. 3 them that perish: as many as are ordained vnto saluation, shall at one time or other yeeld their obedience, and so eternally bee saued.

But because it falleth out often A comfort for weak­lings times, that manye of the deare children of GOD, are verye much grieued, yea, al­most plunged in the pitte of desperation, when they heare that none but such as haue faith shall bee saued, because they themselues doo not feele the heate of faith, so effectuallie as they desire: There­fore I haue thought it verye necessarye, before I conclude, brieflie to shewe, that there are diuerse measures of faith, some He that hath the least mea­sure of true faith shalbe faued. greater, and some lesser, and that the least measure of faith, if it bee true fayth, suffi­ceth vnto saluation: so shall none of Gods children (I hope) bee discouraged, when sathan shall cast into their mindes, the lit­tlenes of their faith.

First, euerie christian must holde for certaine that which Saint Paul teacheth in the fourth to the Ephesians, namely, that there is one Lord, and one fayth: next, Ephe. 4. 6 it is behoofefull for vs to knowe, that this one faith is giuen to the faithful in diuers & [Page 51] sundrye measures, according as Saint Paule saith in the twelfth to the Romanes, That Rom. 12.3 euerie one must vnderstande according to sobrietie, according as God hath dealt to euerie man, the measure of faith, to some a greater measure is giuen, to some a lesser.

Also the fruites of faith are not in all The fruites of faith are not alike in all the faithfull. the faithfull a like: as namely, one fayth, full man and woman hath and may haue more knowledge, more loue, more feare of God, more hope, more patience, more brotherlie kindenes, and so foorth, then another hath, according as hee hath re­ceiued a greater measure of faith: but yet the measure of faith, by the good pro­uidence of God, is so distributed and de­uided, that there are none of Gods elect, to whome is giuen lesse then may suffice vnto saluation, for the measure of faith doth contayne this in it selfe, that there is a sufficient portion to euerie one: hee that hath the lesser measure, shall haue saluation, with him that hath the grea­ter.

And doubtlesse it is done by the speciall counsell and prouidence of God, that one hath a greater measure of fayth then another; for God hath so moderated all those thinges, by his wisedome, that to [Page 52] those whom hee hath appointed to endure many great battels, hee hath giuen a larger portion of faith. As to Ahraham, Isaack, To those whom God wil try most hee giueth most faith. Iacob, Moses, Dauid, and the like, whom when hee would try by many trybulations and temptations, he vouchsafed to bestow vppon them a greater measure of faith, not that therby they should attaine vnto salua­tion, rather then other that haue lesser gifts of faith, but that they should serue to the furthering of Gods glory, and that they might bee examples to those, that are more infirme and weaker.

Now, if any would knowe what the least measure of faith is that any man or woman can haue: surely it is this, when a man of an What the least mea­sure of faith is. humble spirit, by reason of the litlenes of his faith, doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his sinnes, and yet is per­swaded that they are pardonable, and with his heart prayeth God that hee would par­don and forgiue them. Now that such a one hath faith, it is perceiued by the good de­sires Esa. 57.17 and prayers which he maketh, because such prayers and desires, are testimonies of the spirit of God, whose property is, to stirre vp a longing and a lusting after hea­uenly Good praiers a token of true faith. Rom. 8.26 thinges, with sighes and groanes for Gods fauour and mercy in Iesus Christ: and where the spirite of Christe is, there [Page 53] is Christ dwelling, and where Christ dwel­leth 2. Cor 13.5 there is true faith, howe weake so euer it be.

Moreouer, faith though it bee but lyt­tle, is the gifte and working of God, pro­ued by this saying of the Apostle Saint Paule, that it is God that worketh both Phil. 2.13 the will and the deede: therefore, whosoe­uer hath this good will and desire in him, it is certaine that there is the presence and working of Gods holie spirite. Nowe wee must not iudge of the grace of God by the absolute perfection or quantitie of faith, but onely by the foundation whereuppon it resteth, which foundation is the me­rites, the obedience, satisfaction, and righ­teousnesse of the sonne of God imputed vnto vs, for faith is, (as before is noted) the A Simili­tude. hande wherewith wee apprehende and laie sure holde vppon the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus. And euen as a lyttle childe maye as truelye holde a golde ring or pre­cious iewell wyth his litle and weake hand, as a giant with all the force of his hande and fist, beeing one and the selfe same ring, so the merits of the sonne of God, bee one and the same, whether our faith bee weake, or strong to apprehend them.

This then beeing (as wee haue sayde) the least measure of faith, when wee haue an earnest desire to bee saued, and yet haue not the full assurance of our saluation: it [Page 54] is then our dutie daily to praie the Lord to increase our faith, till we come by little and little vnto the greatest measure, which wee shall not haue at the first, but in some con­tinuance of time, when wee haue bene well practised in repentance (for as soone as wee haue the least measure of faith, repentance will also appeare in some measure.) When therfore (I saie) we haue some time bin well practised in repentance, and haue had di­uerse experiences of Gods loue towards vs in Christ, then afterwardes will appeare in our hearts the fulnesse of perswasion, which is the ripenesse and strength of faith. For this is the greatest measure of faith, when a­nie one daylye increasing in faith, comes to be fully perswaded of Gods loue in Christ, The great­est measure of faith. towards himselfe particularly, & of the for­giuenes of his owne sins.

This I suppose is the greatest measure of faith, how be it, I am still perswaded, that there is no mans faith so strong; but it is No mans faith so strong, but it is some­times shakē sometimes shaken with the winde of doub­fulnes. Thus are wee come now at length thorough Gods assistance, to the conclu­ding & shutting vp of this discourse of faith being the foundation of our whole worke, wherein wee haue seene, what true faith is, what excellent vertues and operation it hath, what great profit and commoditie we The summ of the first chapter. receiue by it, that many of our forefathers haue bene renowned for their faith: lastlie, [Page 55] whose gift it is: to whom it is giuen, and in what measure. Now to him that is of power to establishe vs according to the gospell of Rom. 16 Iesus Christ, by the reuelation of the mistery 25. which was kept secrete since the world be­gan, 26. (but nowe is opened and published a­mong all nations, by the scripture of the 27. prophets at the commaundement of thee­uerlasting God, for the obedience of faith.) To God, I say, onely wise, be all praise, and honour, and glorie, thorough Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

OF VERTVE IN GENERALL. CHAP. 2.

THE order and course of na­ture (being duly obserued) doth make this plaine vnto vs, that though there bee manye and innumerable thinges in this worlde, yet that euery thing hath a certaine head, root, fountaine, & beginning, from whence each particular is deriued. For when God, which is the cause of nature, woulde shew forth in the theatre of this world, the surpassing ex­cellencie of his wisedome, not onely in cre­ating all things of nothing, but also in go­uerning and preseruing all things that were created, that they might continue and in­dure out the time which he had appointed: The Scripture saieth, that God did make e­uerie thing according to his kinde, & with­all did put certaine seedes of thinges in the Gen. 1, 12 The course of natural things continued by Gods prouidence ti [...] the ende o [...] the world things themselues, wherby there might be a propagation or continued course of things from generation to generation, so long as the world should indure.

Right so, Gods mightie power and infi­nite [Page 58] wisedome doth no lesse plainelie ap­peare in things supernatural, I meane in the gifts of y^e mind, wherwith he doth beutify & adorne the soule of man: for it is God that giueth both the beginning, & increase of al Faith the roote of vertue. vertue and goodnes. Now the beginning of vertue in vs is faith, which God doth first plant in the hart of man, faith then may be cōpared vnto the roote, frō whence doth a­rise the stemme of vertue. Vertue in generall breaketh out into particular branches, as knowledge, temperance, patience, and the rest: and euery branch bringeth foorth fruit according to his kind. Therfore Saint Peter writing vnto such as were conuerted vnto 2. Pet. 1. 5 the faith, willeth them to ioyne therevnto vertue, saying, Ioine vertue with your faith: whereby doubtlesse he meaneth, that they should endeauour to lead a ciuill & honest life, as euery one had receiued the measure of faith: and to the end they shoulde not thinke it a matter indifferent, he biddeth them to giue al diligence therunto, euen to ioyne vertue with their faith, because by & throgh their faith in Christ, God had giuen them all things that pertaine vnto life and godlines, through the knowledge of him By flying [...]he corrup­ [...]ōs of this [...]orld, wee [...]aw neer­vnto God that had called them vnto glory & vertue: wherby most precious promises were giuē vnto them, that by them, they should bee partakers of the godly nature, in flying the corruption, which is in the world, through [Page 59] lust. So that now wee see, what must bee the chiefe and principall care of all those, that haue receiued this excellent gift of faith, wherof we haue spoken in the former chap­ter, Namely, to giue all diligence to ioyne vnto our faith vertue, that so our faith may appeare by our honest liuing, & godly con­uersation. Wherefore in this chapter wee must speake of vertue in generall, being the second lincke in Saint Peters Chaine, & af­terward come to her particular branches.

Vertue in generall is obedience to Gods commaundements, wrought in Gods chil­dren what vertue is, & from whome we haue it. by the spirit of sanctification, directed or referred to the glorie of God, and accep­ted of him in Christ Iesus. And to speake plainly, whatsoeuer thing is good & honest, that is vertue. Vertue (saith one) is a strong castle, that can neuer be wonne, a riuer that ne edeth no rowing, a sea, that moueth not: a fire that quencheth not: a tresure, that ne­uer hath an end: an army, neuer ouercome: a signe that neuer deceiueth: a plaine waie that neuer faileth: a sirupe that forthwith healeth, & a renowme that neuer perisheth. Againe, vertue in all workes is chiefly to be praised, as the head foūtain & chief iewel of all maner of riches. Vertue aboue all things Vertue offereth her self to all that will receiue her. doth (or shuld) purchase to men good wil, friendship, & loue. Vertue, saith another, is shut vp from no man, that is willing to en­tertaine her: shee receiueth all men glad­ly, she calleth all sorts (and sexes) of men & [Page 60] women, kings, Queenes, seruants and ban­nished men, she requireth neither house nor substance, but is onely contented with the naked man.

Againe, vertue exceedeth all earthly things, for, if liberty, friends, health, wealth, & prosperitie fall from thee, yet vertue will keepe thee company: therfore vertue in ad­uesity is best tried. Trauell therefore, sayth one, and take paines to spend thy life in the trade of vertue: the pain is but short, but thy vertue shall euer indure. The waie of vertue is hard at the beginning, but the path being once troden, it shall seeme verie pleasant. The lesse time that a man hath to liue, the more earnestlie is the studie of vertue to be imbraced. That person is not worthie to liue, that will not studie to liue vertuouslie. Vertue is praised of many but there are few that effectuallie follow it. Men will put thē ­selues to pains for y^e attaining of anie thing saue vertue and honestie. It is a great vertue to flie those things our selues, which we re­proue in others: he that liueth vertuously in this life, his soule shall haue rest with God. These are the sayinges indeede of heathen men, which onely had the light of nature to guide them, whervnto now if we adde but this, that this vertue whereof they speake must bee ioyned vnto faith, then doubtlesse Vertue must be ioyned vnto faith. their sayings are godly and sound, and most worthy to bee imbraced of vs christians. [Page 61] Otherwise without faith vertue will vanishe A simili­tude. away as a smoake. And as it is not possible, to fill that vessell with wine, that is already full with puddle water, except wee first em­tye the vessell, no more is it possible, that a­ny one can haue true vertue abounding in him, that hath not his hart first purged from vice and sinne by faith.

This was the cause that heathen men which wanted faith in Christ, were not able to attaine vnto true vertue; onely they sawe the shadow thereof in the glimmering light of nature, the substance wherof was farre a­boue them. They were like vnto children, which seeing the moon shining in a pool of Another si­militude. water, seem to snatch after it to take her in their hands, but assone as they trouble the water, their endeuours are frustrated: euen so those heathen men seemed stil to see ver­tue shining from heauen, but assone as they troubled the waters of their vnderstanding, to reach after it, presently they were decei­ued of their purposes. Whosoeuer therefore will attaine vnto the schoole of vertue, must haue faith, & the knowledge of Gods word to lead him thervnto.

Furthermore, we must takeheed that we Gods word ioined with faith, wyll bring vs to the schoole of vertue. mixe not vice and vertue together (for they can indeed no more agree then fire and wa­ter) but my meaning is, that we do not hide and couer ouer our vices, with the cloake of vertue, or rather hipocrisie; for like as the [Page 62] eie cannot looke vpward and downeward Similitudes both at one time, no more can the mind of man, applie vice and vertue together. And as in a paire of tables, nothing may be well written, before the blots and blurs be wi­ped out, so Vertue cannot abide with anie, except he first put away his vices; according to the saying of a godlie father, We cannot attaine vnto the kingdome of Vertue ex­cept we first shake of the yoke of vices. This is the onely cause therfore, why so many de­sire vertue, & so few attaine vnto it, because few men will forgo for vertue sake, that vice and sin which he best loueth.

Many perhaps, will leaue for a time some The reason why we do desire ver­tue, but yet not attaine vnto it. certein vices; because they would seeme to bee vertuous, but when vertue commeth to be their guest, one foule sin or other beats her backe againe. One will leaue swearing, drunkennes, and such like: another will for­sake theft or stealing with the hande: an o­ther lying and falswitnes bearing; but yet e­uery one of these will be either an idolater, adulterer, or vsurer; and so still retaine one sin or other to chase vertue from them. Thus leauing of some sinnes, shall be a cloak vnto them, to couer other more fouler vices, to the end they maye seeme vnto the world vertuous and religīous. But euen as iron & A simili­tude. clay cannot be tempered together, no more can vice & vertue agree together in any one man: therfore it is wel said of one, Either be [Page 65] as thou shewest, or els shew thy selfe as thou art. What a goodly shewe of vertue did that Mat. 19.2 [...] young man in the gospell make, when hee told Christ that he had kept the law of God from his youth: yet hee was not free from that foul vice of couetousnes. But, it is to be feared that there be many such, nay tē times worse in our daies, that wil couer couetous­nes, murther, adultery, extortion, bribery, & the like, vnder the pretensed vayle & vizard Papistes vse religion as a vail to co­uer all im­pietie. Exod. 3. 5. of vertue and religion. Wherfore it is most necessary for al christians to know, that true vertue which proceedeth from faith, is a most holy thing: & therefore as Moses must put of his shoos before he might talke with God; so must we cast from vs vice and sinne (I meane the delight and continuance in a­ny grosse sin, be it neuer so pleasant or pro­fitable vnto our fleshly nature) before this heauenly gift of vertue, wil harbour and re­maine within vs. When Elias should ascend 2. King. 2 13.14 vp into heauen, he must first cast downe his mantle: so doubtles no man cā be partaker of this true vertue, before hee cast the gar­ment of vice & sin away from him, specially the cloak of hipocrisie, which is most worne of any garment in this land. How oftē haue Many changes of apparell, onelye hypocrisye neuer changed. we seene new fashions, and changes of ap­parell in this Countrie? yet this garment doth remaine still vnaltered. They that are ashamed to weare one sute of apparell two daies together, are not ashamed to weare this old cloake of hipocrisie many yeeres.

[Page 64] Surely among all other sinnes hypocrisie Hypocrisye the chiefest enemie to vertue. is the most deadlyest enemy vnto vertue. In vertue there may bee nothing counterfait, for therein is the onely image of verity. Therfore it is well sayde of S. Cyprian, that it profiteth not to shew vertue in wordes & to destroy it in deedes. Vertue then doubt­lest is a iewell of great worth, for euen the wicked doo desire to haue it: at leastwise couet to make shew to the world that they haue it; because they would bee the better accounted of. For like as a precious stone in a gold ring, so shineth an heart that is set­led Vertue best tried in ad­uersytie. in vertue. They therfore that will make shewe to the world, that they haue vertue, when it is not so, are like vnto them that gilde gold vppon copper rings, that their brauery may appeere for a little while, but in a shorte time it weareth away. Golde is tried by the touch, and vertue by the conti­nuance of it: if it be counterfait, in time of aduersity it will appeare. That is true vertue in deede, which hath bin tryed in the fire of tribulation, as the gold in the furnace.

Nothing can easily corrupt a mind who­ly dedicated to vertue. As wormes will not eate the wood of cedar; so nothing can hurt the soule possessed with vertue: true vertue ioyned with faith, doeth adorne the soule of man, and causeth it to aspire vnto hea­uenly thinges. Therefore doth Saint Peter say, Ioyne vertue with your faith. And Saint [Page 65] Paule saith, Whatsoeuer thinges are true, Phil. 4. 8. whatsoeuer thinges are honest, what soeuer things are iust, whatsoeuer thinges are pure, whatsoeuer thinges appertayne vnto loue, whatsoeuer things appertaine vnto good re­port: if there be any vertue, if there bee a­ny prayse, thinke on these thinges, and then the God of peace shall bee with you.

But here wee may note by the way, that this vertue in generall hath included in it, many more particular branches, then the A­postle Saint Peter hath linked together in his chaine; which to intreat of at large, would be very tedious: therefore let this one word of S. Paule suffice for all, whatsoeuer thing is of good report, let that bee imbraced for a vertue: onely I think it meet, to speak some­thing here of humilitie, because (as S. Grego­ry humility the keeper of vertue. saith) she is the keeper of vertue.

And God himself, the giuer of faith, & al other vertues, hath most respect vnto them that in humblenes of minde, cast themselues downe before the presence of his maiestie. For thus saith he that is high and excellent, he that inhabiteth the eternity, whose name Esay 57. 15. is the holy one: I dwell in the high and holy places: with him also, that is of a hum­ble and contrite spirite, to reuiue the spirite of the humble, and to giue life to them that are of a contrite hart.

[Page 66] But what is humilitie? surely by the lear­ned it is thus defined, To be a vertue, wher­by wee doe acknowledge our owne weake­nes, A definiti­on of hu­militie. & vncleanes, ioyned with the true feare of God, whereby also we do keep our selues within the bounds and limits of our calling, trusting in the diuine helpe, not despising o­ther instruments, and meanes appointed of God: but acknowledge the giftes of God in others, as well as in our selues, knowing that our indeuours cannot prosper, without the blessing and helpe of God. Moreouer, Hu­militie, is to yeeld obedience vnto God, cor­recting vs for our faultes, and not to fret and fume against his maiesty. Which thing, S. Peter meaneth when he saith, Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God: and 1 Pet. 5:6, he shal exalt you in due time. Humilitie, a­mong many other vertues, is highly commē ­ded in the scripture, euen as the vice contra­rie thereunto (which is pride) is vtterly con­demned. God resisteth the proude (saith S. Iames) & giueth grace to the humble. And Iam. 4, 6 Prou. 29, 23 Salomon saith, The pride of a man shal bring him low, but the humble in spirite shal inhe­rite glorie. Againe, he saith, Pride goeth be­fore destruction, & an high mind before the Prou. 16.18 fall. Hereof we haue many examples, of such as haue beene brought vnto confusion by their pride: and of many other that haue [Page 67] beene exalted by humilitie, acording to this saying of Christ, He that exalteth himselfe, Luk. 14.11 shalbe brought lowe: but he that humbleth himselfe, shalbe exalted.

What got Lucifer and the other Angels by pride? when they were not content with their first estate in heauen? were they not 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iud, 6 cast downe into the bottomlesse pit of hell, where they are reserued in euerlasting chains, vnto the iudgemente of the greate day? Examples how God hath puni­shed pride.

Now, shal wee thinke, that God woulde so seuerely punish pride in heauen, and yet suffer proud men vnpunished here on earth. Surely no, they shall not goe altogether vn­punished in this world, though their eternal punishmente bee also reserued till the Ester 7.10. iudgement of that great day. Proude Ha­man, when his pride was at the highest, was hanged vpon a hie paire of gallowes, of fiftie cubites hie. Dan, 4.30

Nabuchadnezar for his exceeding pride of hearte, was fayne to eate grasse with beastes, till his hayres were growen as Ea­gles feathers, and his nailes like vnto birdes clawes. Herode in all his pompe and pride, Act. 12, 23 when hee thought to bee honoured of the people as a God, was immediately stroken of an Angell, and eaten vp of crawling lice.

[Page 68] The like, or farre greater punishment one day, shall befall that proude beaste of Rome, with seuen heades, and ten hornes: euen that Antychrist and child of perdition, Reuel. 17.7 whom the Lord shall consume with the spi­rite of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming: because in the great pride of his heart, he exalteth himself 2 Thess. 2, 3 4. Antychrist the very picture of pride against all that is called God, or that is wor­shipped: so that he doth sit as God, in the Temple of God, shewing himselfe that hee is God. Thus shall God cut of all the proud ones of the earth, and their end shal be eter­nall confusion.

Salomon considering of the punnishment which the proude shal feele in hell, seemeth Wised. 5. 8. to note the talke that should passe between them there: for then (saith he) they shall say one to another, what hath pride profited vs? or what profite hath the pompe of ri­ches brought vs? Wherefore, seeing pride and arrogancy of hearte, is so odious before God, let vs the rather imbrace true humili­ti, so shall wee be beloued of God and men: as one saith, Humblenesse and lowlinesse of mind, maketh a man highly in fauour with God: & meekenes of wordes maketh him to sinke into the harts of men. Humility there­fore, for her excellency, shoulde be the sister Humility the sister of true nobi­litie. of true nobilitie: Nature giueth vnto age estimation and authoritie: but meekenesse [Page 69] of heart is the glorie of youth and age, and giueth vnto them both dignitie and honour. That may rightly be called genterie, that is begun, continued, and ended in true hu­militie. according to our english prouerbe, A gentleman, hath gentle conditions. It is the saying of a sage man, that the higher a­ny one is in authority, so much the more gen­tle and lowly should he behaue himselfe: and that nothing is more seemly, or commenda­ble for a prince or noble man, thē the vertue of gentlenesse, meekenes, and humilitie. For the gentle and lowly minded man cannot lightly be hated: Vertue, specially learning Humility maketh a man belo­ued. with humility hath aduanced many men vn­to great honor & dignitie: agreeable to that saying of Salomon, Before honour goeth hu­militie: and againe, The reward of humility, is life, riches and glory. Man is in nothing Prou. 15.33 & 22, 4. more like vnto God, then in gentlenesse & humilitie. The vertue of humilitie saith one, encourageth to attayne truely the Law of God, and maketh apte vessels to receiue the spirit of God: according to this saying of Dauid, Them that be meek wil God guide Psal. 25.9. in iudgemente, and teach the humble his way.

Therefore the prophet Dauid, knowing the great vertue of humilitie, maketh this protestation of himself in one of his Psalms: Psal. 131. Lorde saith hee: I am not highe minded, [Page 70] I haue no proude lookes: but on the contra­ry, my soule (saith hee) is euen as a wayned childe, meaning that hee was humble in heart as a child.

And surely, the example of a childe is We must learne hu­militie of children: very forcible to teach vs humilitie: there­fore Christ himselfe vsed the same example vnto his Apostles, when in pride of hart they demanded who shoulde bee greatest in the kindome of heauen. Then Iesus called a little childe, and set him in the middest of his disciples, and saide vnto them: Verely I Mat. 18.1.2 say vnto you, except ye bee conuerted and become as little children, ye shall not en­ter into the kingdome of heauen: but con­trariwise, Whosoeuer shall humble himselfe as this little childe, the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen. See then what a precious vertue humilitie is, and to what great honour it preferreth vs, euen to be the greatest in the kingdome of heauen. Humility preferreth vs to the greatest honour. Galat. 5.22.

True humilitie and gentlenesse of minde, is a cheefe fruit of the spirite of God. The fruite of the spirte (saith Saint Paul, is loue, ioy, peace, long suffering, gentlenes, meek­nesse, and so forth: Therefore is it that the same Apostle doth so earnestly exhort vs Collos,. 3 12 13. vnto humilitie, As the elect of God (sayth hee) holy and beloued, put on tender mer­cy, kindnesse, humblenesse of mind, meeke­nes, [Page 71] long suffering. Thus wee see, how hu­militie is both commanded & commended vnto vs. Now let vs a little consider, howe that as God in his iustice, hath euermore throwne downe the proude, so in his mercy hee hath exalted the humble and Examples how God hath exalted the humble Numb. 12.3 meeke.

Moyses that man of God, among all his vertues, is commended for nothing more, then for his humilitie and meekenes: for he is saide to bee the meekest man vpon earth: and see how hee was exalted of God, When his father and mother had left him, by the Exod. 2.3.4 5. riuers brinke among the bulrushes, God caused him to bee taken vp, aduanced him to the court of Pharao, and after made him a prince and a gouernour ouer his owne peo­ple. Little Dauid the sonne of Ishai, because hee was little in his owne eyes, and as wee haue heard before, humble in heart as a wai­ned Psal. 78, 70, 71 childe, therefore God did exalte him & tooke him from following the Ewes great with yong, and aduanced him to the kingly throne. Neyther haue we onely examples of men, but also of women, as of Esther, that of a poore captiue, hauing nor father, nor Ester 2, 17. mother aliue (onely a good kinseman Mor­decay) was by God aduanced to be the wife of a King.

What inould we speak of the humilitie & low estate of the virgine Mary, who notwithstanding [Page 72] was chosen by God himselfe to bee the mother of Christ. This great working of God in throwing downe the proude, and ex­alting the lowly, doth that holy Virgine well note in her song of reioycing, when she saith, My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirite reioyceth in God my sauiour: by Luk. 1.46. and by she sheweth the reason, For he hath looked on the poore degree of his seruant, & scattered the imaginations of the proude: He hath put downe the mightie from their seates, and exalted them of lowe degree. The verie same thing doth Hanna the mo­ther of Samuel, note in her prayer, saying, 1 Sam. 2.7 8. The Lord maketh poore, and maketh riche, bringeth lowe, and exalteth: hee rayseth the poore out of the dust, & lifteth vp the beg­ger from the dunghill, to set them among Princes, and to make them inherite the seat of glorie.

Hence is it that Saint Paule faith (though 1 Cor. 1, 27 28. to another purpose) that God hath chosen the foolish things of this world, to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weake things of this world, to confound the migh­tie things: & vile things, & things which are despised, hath God chosen: & things that are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence, but ac­cording as it is written, hee that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Ierem, 9.24

[Page 73] Thus we haue seene how God doth euer­more exalt them that are humble and lowly in their owne eyes. Let vs therefore make much of humilitie. But yet, to proceede a little further, if we wil haue examples of hu­militie, then let vs come to the example of The chie­fest exam­ple of hu­militie. all examples, euen to the example of Christ Iesus the Sonne of God. Which example Saint Paule doth propose vnto vs in the se­cond to the Philippians, saying. Let the same Philip. 2.5. mind bee in you which was in Christ Iesus, who being in the forme of God, thought it no robberie to be equall with God, but hee made himselfe of no reputation, and tooke on him the forme of a seruant, & was made like vnto men, and was found in his shape as a man, he humbled himselfe, and became o­bedient vnto the death, euen the death of the Crosse, wherefore God hath highly ex­alted him: and so forth.

Now we must not only learne, by the ex­ample of Christ to be humble and lowly in We must learne by the exam­ple of Christ to be humble both in prosperitie, and aduer­sitie. 1. Pet. 2.21 22.23. prosperitie, but also in aduersitie, when we shall suffer any thing for his sake: for here in saith Saint Peter, hath Christ left vs an ex­ample, that we should follow his steps, who when hee was reuiled, reuiled not againe, when hee suffered hee threatned not, but in great humility, committed his cause to God that iudgeth righteously. Therefore Christ for his great meekenesse and humilitie, is [Page 74] compared in the Scripture vnto a Lambe, Christ for his humility compared to a sheepe and to a lambe. Ioh. 1.36. Esay. 53.7. Christians called the sheepe of Christ. Ioh. 21.16. and a sheepe. Iohn saith, Behold the Lambe of God. And Esay by the spirite of prophe­sie saide, that Christ was oppressed and af­flicted: that hee was brought as a sheepe to the slaughter, yet opened he not his mouth. This great humilitie of Christ ought to bee followed of all Christians, who are therfore called the sheepe of Christ.

Vnto this humilitie Christ himselfe doth exhorte vs saying, Learne of me, that am meeke and lowly of heart, and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules, Learne of Christ: what Mat. 11.29 shall we learne? Learne humilitie, learne pa­tience, if thou bee rich and an heire borne vnto great lands and possessions, yet learne humilitie of Christ, for hee was Lorde and heire of heauen & earth, when he so humb­led himselfe for thy sake. Art thou poore ha­uing nor house nor liuing? Learne of Christ to be contented, for he had them not. The All vertues are to be learned of Christ. Mat. 8.20. Foxes haue holes, and the birds of the ayre haue nestes, but the sonne of man hath not wheron to rest his head. Art thou afflicted, grieued and tormented in this life? O learne of Christ to bee patient, for hee suffered a great deale more for thee. Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall bee comforted. Mat. 5.4.5. Blessed are the meeke, for they shall inhe­rite the earth. In one word: learne humility, patience, and all other vertues, of Christ, [Page 75] God, sayth Saint Austen, was made humble: let man blush to be proud.

And to say the truth, what cause hath man to bee proud, that is nought else but Nothing in man wher­of he shuld be proude, before he was man he was dust before dust was made hee was no­thing. dust and ashes? Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt returne, saith the Scripture, Pul­uises, (saith Isydore) & in puluere sede Cinis es, & in Cincre viue. Dust thou art, in dust therefore sit and abide, Ashes thou art, and therein spend thy life. These things indeede are proper vnto vs, our bodies are earthy, weake, fraile, subiect to hunger, to thirst, to colde, to heate, to wearinesse, to all kind of defect and sicknesses: and last of all, to death and corruption. Our soules, which are the chiefest parts of man, are defiled and pollu­ted with sinne, and filthines; whereof then should man be proud? O esca vermium (saith that sweete father) O massa pulueris, &c. O Wormes meate, O froath, O vanitie, why art thou so proud and insolent? Learne ther­fore betimes of Christ, to bee humble, least Pride will haue a fall. that pride haue a fall. Knowe, that without humilitie, thou shalt neuer bee praised for any vertue. Similitudes

Isydore saith, he that will heape vertues together without humilitie, doth nothing else but carrie dust in the ayre. As a little Colloquintida doth marre a whole pot of pottage, so pride doth make all other ver­tues abhominable. Pride and vaine-glorie [Page 76] hath brought many men, (otherwise indued with very rare gifts) to shame and ignomi­nie. *Quanto doctior es, tante te geras submissi­us, is a good lesson for all that are or haue The better learned, the more hum­ble wee should be. beene Schollers to remember. Saint Grego­rie saith, al our gifts whatsoeuer are nothing worth, except they bee seasoned with the salt of humilitie. For this cause is it, that I haue made mention thereof, in this Chapter Humilitie is as salt, to season al other ver­tues. of vertue. If any take profite thereby, it is that I haue wished: If any other by meanes of their pride scorne at it, their case is to be lamented. Now we will follow the other vertues in order, euen as they are linked together by S. Peter, when he saith, Ioyne vertue with your faith, with ver­tue, knowledge: and so forth.

Of Knovvledge. CHAP. 3.

ASsone as Almightie GOD, by his infinite wisedome had crea­ted heauen & earth of nothing presently he saith, let there be light, shewing thereby (as also Gen. 1.3. we finde by experience) that nothing in the world would either haue beene pleasant or comfortable, if therunto had not beene ad­ded the benefit of light.

And is not the same thing to be noted in the creation of man, who is called by Phy­losophers, a little world? Yes truely, for the life of man without light is most tedious and vncomfortable. Now looke what the Knowledge vnto the soule, is as light vnto the eyes of the body. light of the eyes is vnto the body, the same is knowledge vnto the soule; for a man that hath neuer an eye to see with all, if he haue knowledge in his minde, is much more hap­pie, then hee that hath two eyes without knowledge. They that want the benefite of their eyes and sight, are called blinde, and they that want the benefit of knowledge, are called ignorant: the one is blindnesse of the body, the other of the soule. As therefore it [Page 80] is impossible for a blind man of himselfe to goe into a farre Countrie or Cittie, where We cannot attaine vn­to vertue, without knowledge he was neuer before: so it is impossible for him that hath no knowledge, euer to attaine vnto the kingdome of vertue.

For this cause is it, that Saint Peter ex­horting vs vnto vertue, doth bid vs to take 2. Pet. 1.5. knowledge for our guide, saying, Ioyne with your vertue knowledge: as if he should say, It is in vaine for you to labour for the attai­ning of vertue, except you bee first indued with the light of knowledge. Knowledge then is the keye which openeth the gate, vn­to the schole of vertue. Knowledge in gene­rall, is a vertue or power of the soule, which What knowledge is. is occupied in the finding out of things, and the causes of things, whether they bee good or euill. Of knowledge, some is naturall, some artificiall, and some supernaturall, but each of them the gift of God. Natural know­ledge Knowledg some natu­rall, some artificiall, some su­pernatural. Rom. 1.20. albeit it be verie much darkened since the fall of Adam, yet it is not altogether ex­tinguished, for euen by that knowledge which is naturall, we know so much of God, as maketh vs inexcusable: howbeit, sith in those things which we know naturally, wee Iude. 10. Naturall knowledge cannot bring vs vnto vertue corrupt our selues (as Saint Iude saith) ther­fore this knowledge can not bring vs vnto vertue.

Now this knowledge which wee haue by nature, is very much holpen by Art & lear­ning: [Page 81] & this I call artificiall knowledge, Nature ve­ry much holpen by arte. when by the benefit of learning wee attaine vnto an higher degree of knowledge then the vnlearned doe. This kind of knowledge and learning, whosoeuer doth not account of, is not worthie to be reckoned among the number of men. Notwithstanding, this is not simply that knowledge which Sainte Peter meaneth, when hee saith, ioyne with your vertue knowledge, But that which I said is supernaturall, euen in one worde, the knowledge of God in his Sonne Christ: which knowledge Saint Peter wisheth vnto vs, when he saith, Grace and peace be mul­tiplied by the knowledge of God, and of Ie­sus 2. Pet. 1.2. our Lord.

But yet before I entreate at large of this knowledge, I thinke it meete to speake som­what Learning a good meanes to bring vs to the know­ledge of God. more of that knowledge: which wee haue by the benefit of learning, because it is a notable meanes to bring vs vnto the true knowledge of God. Learning in al ages hath beene verie generally accounted of, and the profit which we receiue by it, is, that there­by we seeme to differ frō vnreasonable cre­atures, for as one saith, a person voide both of learning and vtterance, differeth little from a stone. Learning and knowledge saith another, is the onely good thing and igno­rance the onely euill thing. Learning is the gathering together of many mens sentences [Page 82] and actes, to the augmentation of know­ledge. By learning, Countries and common­weales flourish. Learning is a better patri­monie, then goods or liuings; the one maye learning better then riches. be taken from vs, the other cannot. There­fore this was a fine saying of Bias the Phy­losopher, (when hee saw some in daunger of loosing their goods) Omnia mea mecum porto. I carrie (saith hee) all my goods with mee, meaning, his learning which is indeede the safest riches. Therefore one saith, it is bet­ter to be a begger, then vnlearned.

And indeede, how many haue wee seene and reade of, that of poore mens children haue beene by learning & knowledge high­ly aduanced? As on the contrarie, many for want of learning that haue had greate store of wealth and substance left them, by their friends, yet haue come to great pouertie in the end. Learning therefore must needes be an excellent thing: it maketh the poore men to become rich, and it teacheth rich men wel to dispose their goods, least they fall in­to pouertie. The more high and honourable The grea­ter calling, the more neede of learning. any one is in calling, the more neede a great deale hath hee of knowledge and learning. They are in a wrong opinion, saith one, that suppose learning to be nothing auailable to the gouerment of a cōmon wealth. No small vertue, saith Aristotle, groweth to a commonwealth, by the wisedome of a learned prince [Page 83] ruler or gouernour: agreeable to that saying of wise King Salomon, that by a Prince of vnderstanding & knowledge, a Realme in­dureth long. Prou. 28. [...].

If we haue had and now haue, the expe­rience hereof in this land, let vs giue God Neuer any nation felt a sweeter commodi­tie of a lear­ned prince, then Eng­land. the praise, and pray for the continuance of it: let Scholes & schollers, be accompted of, for they are the ornament of Church and common-weale. Let Schollers apply their minds to all good learning, and knowledge in their youth, for they knowe not to what preferment it may bring them before they be old: Learne such things, saith Plato, when thou art a childe, as may profit thee, when It is better to take paines in youth then to be vnler­ned in olde age. thou art a man; endeuour thy selfe to learne in thy youth, though it be painefull, for it is lesse paine for one to learne in his youth, then in age to be vnlearned.

There be two things much to bee lamen­ted in our time, the one, that a great deale of time is mispent before wee attaine vnto learning, the other, because when wee haue attained thereunto, we make little vse ther­of, Three things to be lamented in our age. to profite Church or common-weale; as though wee must bee learned onely for our selues. An other euil there is as bad or worse then the former, if any by their industrious labour, seeke to doe good to manye, they that neuer meane to doe good to any, will [Page 84] be the first that shall speake euill of their en­deuours. Therefore one saith well, to lacke knowledge, is an euill thing: to disdaine learning is worse, but to speake euill of them that seeke to profit other, is worst of all, and farthest from all grace. If any haue mispent time as too many doe, when they be young, let them bee the more studious in their age, remembring that saying of Socrates, It is no shame for a man to learne that he knoweth not, of what age soeuer he be.

Now as learning and knowledge is high­ly commended, so on the contrarie, igno­rance No shame to learne goodnes be we neuer so olde. is much to be dispraised. They which be ignorant (saith Plato) and of euill dispo­sition, bee verie vnhappie, for where igno­rance and sinne is, there infidelitie and mise­rie most plainely appeareth. Againe, as the light of true knowledge, encreaseth vertue and worketh a godly life, so the darknesse of ignoraunce, hindereth vertue and increa­seth Ignoraunce a deadly e­nemie vnto vertue. a wicked life. The ignoraunce and want of knowledge, that is in brute beastes, ma­keth plainly the difference that is betweene man and them, for so much differeth man from the dull and brutish beast, as he shew­eth himselfe by knowledge, to bee clearely vnspotted of ignoraunce: Ignoraunce is the Ignoraunce can neuer speake well of learning. defamer of learning and knowledge. Ther­fore Saint Iude saith, The wicked speake [Page 85] euill of the things they know not. Idlenesse ingendereth ignoraunce, and ignoraunce in­creaseth error; if therefore wee will auoide the errors of this life, let vs applie our selues vnto learning and knowledge.

Thus much I haue thought good to speake of learning and knowledge in gene­rall (which I call artificiall knowledge) be­cause (as it is before said) it is a good meanes (being not abused) to come vnto the true knowledge of God, whereof now wee must intreate, Howbeit, because GOD some­times (in this pointe) worketh by meanes, and sometimes without meanes, let vs take Two ex­treemes to auoided. heede of these two extremities, that we doe neuer despise these externall helpes of lear­ning, because some haue had the true know­ledge of GOD without them, neither des­paire of obtaining the true knowledge of God, because wee are not learned in other artes and sciences. For true it is, that Moy­ses was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians, and they were no hinderances, but rather furtherances vnto him, to serue Acts. 7.22. Humane sciences a helpe to Moyses in his calling So likewise to Paule & Apollos. GOD in his calling, after he had reuealed his word and knowledge vnto him. Lear­ning, the knowledge of tongues, and other liberall sciences were great helpes vnto Paule and Apollos in the worke of their mi­nisterie, therefore where God giueth these [Page 86] gifts, let them be accounted of, and vsed to his glorie.

But yet let none thinke, the true know­ledge of God to bee tyed to these outward Gods grace, not tied to outward meanes. meanes, for Christ doth giue thanks to God his father, because he reuealed the secresies of his Gospel to babes and sucklings; that is, to such as had no more knowledge in liber­all Mat. 11.25 sciences, then babes and sucklings haue. And S. Paul saith, where is the wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made the wisedome 1. Cor. 1.20 of this world, foolishnes? Meaning, that no man be he neuer so learned and wise, could by his owne natural reach of wit and vnder­standing, attaine vnto the true knowledge of God and of Christ: againe, this saying of the Apostle must stand, The naturall man cannot perceiue the things that are of God. Wherefore when Saint Peter biddeth vs to 1. Cor. 2.14 ioyne knowledge vnto vertue, hee meaneth neither that knowledge which wee haue by nature; neither that which is holpen and a­mended by art and learning, but this other Both natu­rall and ar­tificiall knowledge must at­tend as handmai­dens vpon supernatu­rall know­ledge. kind of knowledge, which is supernaturall, vpon whom both nature & art shuld attend as hand maides, namely the true knowledge of God in his sonne Christ, whereunto wee can neuer atteine of our selues except we be illuminated & inlightned by the holy spirit of God.

[Page 87] This is life eternal, to know God the fa­ther, Ioh. 17.3. and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent to be the Sauior of the world. Vnto this know­ledge doth S. Peter exhort vs when he saith, Ioyne with your vertue knowledge, meaning that we can by no meanes, begin to leade a godly and vertuous life, before we be taught True know ledge onely learned out of Gods word. and instructed in this knowledge, the which is no where to be learned, but in the Schole of Christ, out of the booke of God, which onely teacheth perfect wisedome, and per­fect knowledge.

But some will say, did not the sage & wise Phylosophers, which were onely learned in humane knowledge and sciences, excell in The Phylo­sophers that liued be­fore Christ, knewe more then manye Christians doe now. sundrye vertues, many of vs which liue in this plentiful time of knowledge? True it is, and the greater condemnation hangeth ouer our heads, that cannot see to walke at noone day, as wel as they which walked only by the twylight, or rather at midnight; for they on­ly being lead by the light of nature, came surely very neare vnto vertue, their steps did trace oftentimes the shadow of vertue, & they thoght the same to be true vertu, for why? They had not the light of Gods word wherby they might know the shadow from the substance. Euen as the blind man in the Luk. 8.24.25. Gospell as soone as Christ beganne to open his eyes, saide, hee sawe men walking as if they were trees: but when our Sauiour Christ gaue him perfect sight, then hee confessed [Page 88] that they were men indeede and no trees, so if it had pleased God, to giue these Phylo­sophers the knowledge of his worde, then doubtlesse they would haue left the shad­dow of vertue, and haue runne vnto the sub­stance, then they woulde haue ioyned vnto their knowledge true vertue indeede.

But out alas vpon the dulnesse, & dark­nesse, the ignoraunce and blindnesse of the people of this age: O the dimnes of our sight, which haue not onely the same light of nature which they had, and withall the whole law & the Prophets (vnto the which if wee would giue heede as Saint Peter ex­horteth 2. Pet. 1, 19. vs, it would shine vnto vs as a light out of a darke place) but also wee haue had (and blessed bee God, yet haue) the bright morning starre, and the sunne of righteous­nes it selfe shining vnto vs in the Gospel, ten thousand times more clearer and brighter, Christians cannot see to walke in the path of vertue. then the sunne in all his strength; and yet we can not see to walke in the path of vertue, nay we cannot so much as treade vppon the shadow of vertue, but walke on still in dark­nesse and the shawdow of death, as though we did dwel yet in the darknes of Egypt. Ig­norance or want of knowledge surely in ma­ny, Want of knowledge the cause of sinne. is the cause that they cannot see to walk in the steps of vertue.

But yet I doe not so much lament to see the ignorance of some (though it be lamen­table [Page 98] to see so many cōtinue stil in ignorance & the word of God so plentifully preached The igno­rant that liue in some ciuili­ty a great deal better then they that boast of know­ledge, but are voyd of common honesty. as it is,) as I do bewaile the state and condi­tion of other, that make shew to the world of great knowledge and vnderstanding of the Scriptures, yea, and will seeme to talke reason & dispute of it oftentimes, as though there were nothing in them but religion, & holinesse, but when their wordes are past, & their talke ended: if for their great words we looke for some deedes, and for long tal­king expect honest walking, then we shal see the case very much altered: they which see­med to bee very godly and zealous, will a­boue many other, appeare in their liues and conuersation, to be most dissolute, wicked and vngodly. Some of them will bee beast­ly adulterers, some cruell extortioners, some byting vsurers, some false periurers, some deceitfull coseners, some mercilesse, and without all compassion to the poore and needy: and yet I say, their talke shall bee sometimes, and in some companie, of Gods worde and religion. It is therefore very wel It is better seeme igno­rant, then to boast of knowledge without practise. Psal. 50.16 noted of one, who saith, that it is better to seeme ignorant, then to boast of knowledge without practise.

But what saith the eternal God vnto those talkers? why takest thou my worde in thy mouth, and hatest to be reformed? The king­dome of God saith S. Paule is not in worde, 1 Cor. 4.20 [Page 90] but in vertue and power: they regarde not [...]. Pet. 1, 5. this exhortation of Sainte Peter, who bids them to ioine vnto their knowledge, vertue, temperaunce, godlines, and so forth: they thinke not that the grace of God hath ap­peared to teach them to deny all vngodlines Tit. 2.11. and worldly lusts, and to liue soberly, righ­teously and godly in this present worlde: they beleeue not that this is the will of God, euen our sanctification, that we should abstayne from fornication, That euery 1 Thess. 4.3 one shoulde possesse his vessell in honour and holinesse, and not in the lustes of con­cupiscence, as do the Gentiles which know not God, that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in bargaining because the Lord is an auenger of all these thinges. They feare not that saying of Saint Iames, There shall bee iudgment mercilesse, to him that sheweth no mercie, and that mercy reioy­ceth Iam. 2.13. against iudgement.

In one worde, they wilfully deceaue themselues, and knowing, they will not Ephes. 5.5 knowe, That no whoremonger, nor vncleane person, nor couetouse person, which is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the king­dome of Christ and of God. And is not then the state of those to bee lamented aboue them that are ignorant? for they shall bee beaten with many stripes, because they Ignorance ioyned with obstinacy. knowe their maisters will, and doe it not: [Page 91] whereas they that are ignorant, (if there bee not ioyned with it wilful obstinacie & resi­stance Ignorance shall excuse none, there­fore not the mother of deuotion but of con­fusion. of the truth) shal be beate with fewer stripes: but beaten they shall bee, and not excused: therefore let none pleade igno­rance, for ignorance is now knowen not to be the mother of deuotion, but of errour and confusion.

Let vs aboue all thinges learne to Speculatiue knowledge naught worth with out practa­tiue. knowe, and that wee knowe, let vs inde­uour to put in practise: Let vs no longer content our selues with speculatiue know­ledge, for it is practatiue knowledge that Saint Peter exhorteth vs vnto, when hee saith, Ioyne with your vertue, knowledge, euen the true knowledge of God in his Son Christ.

This is that knowledge which S. Paule Ephes. 1.16.17.18.19. prayeth God to giue vnto the Ephesians, when hee sayth, I make mention of you in in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Ie­sus Christ, the father of glorie, might giue vnto you the spirit of wisedome & reuelati­on; through the knowledge of him, that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee light­ned, that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling, and what the riches of his glo­rious inheritance is with the Saintes, and what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towardes vs which beleeue according to the working of his mighty power. And a little [Page 92] after he saith, That ye may be able to com­prehend & 12.18, 19 with all saints, what is the bredth, and length, and depth, and height: and to know the loue of God, which passeth know­ledge, that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of God. This is that true knowledge where­unto S. Peter exborteth vs. The same thing againe meaneth S. Paule, when he saith, Bre­thren, be not children in vnderstanding, but as concerning malitiousnes, be children: but in vnderstanding & knowledge bee of a ripe 1 Cor. 14, 20. age.

We must therefore vse all meanes possi­ble to increase our knowledge, as reading and hearing of Gods worde, read and prea­ched vnto vs, prayer vnto God for the Reading, preaching, meditating, & confer­rence with the learned, be speciall meanes to increase know­ledge. Prouer. 2, 12. increase therof, with often meditation ther­on, conference with them that haue knowe­ledge and so forth: yea we must know, that this holy knowledge of Gods word, and the misteries thereof, is that treasure which wee must day lie seeke: euen as Salomon exhor­teth vs saying: My son, if thou wilt receiue my wordes, and hide my commandementes within thee, and cause thine eare to hearken vnto wisedome, and incline thine heart vn­to vnderstanding: for if thou callest after 3. knowledge, and criest for vnderstanding: 4. if thou seekest her as siluer, & searchest for her as for treasures, then thou shalt vnder­stande [Page 93] the feare of the Lorde, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lorde giueth wisdome, out of his mouth commeth know­ledge and vnderstanding.

Whereby also wee may note, that this knowledge commeth not naturally, but it is the Lorde that giueth this wisedome and knowledge.

Therefore Salomon bids vs to aske and seeke it at Gods hande: and after he saith, It is God that giueth wisedome and know­ledge. Knowledge must be cra­ued of God by prayer. Mat. 7.7. Trust in the Lord, and leane not vnto thine owne wisedome: as if he should say, thinke not to vnderstand this knowledge by thine owne wisedome, but by prayer from God, and by vsing such meanes as hee hath ap­pointed for the obtayning of the same. Aske and ye shall haue (saith Christ) seeke and ye shall find, knocke, and it shall bee opened vnto you. Againe, Christ saith, Search the Ioh. 5.39. scriptures, for in them ye thinke to haue e­ternall life: and they are they that testifie of mee. The feare of the Lorde saith Salo­mon, is the beginning of this knowledge, The feare of the Lord the begin­ning of knowledge Prov. 1.7 who so findeth it, doubtlesse findeth great treasure.

Therefore hee faith in his thirde chapter Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome, and the man that getteth vnderstanding, for & 3.13. the marchandice thereof is better then the marchandise of Siluer, and the gaine 14. thereof, is better then Golde: It is more [Page 94] precious then pearles, and all thinges that 15 thou canst desire, are not to bee compared vnto her: length of daies is in her right hand, 16. and in her left hande riches and glorie: Her waies are waies of pleasure, and al her pathes 17 prosperitie, she is a tree of life, to them that lay hold on her, and blessed is hee that 18. receiueth her.

See see howe the holy Ghost doth com­pare vnderstanding, wisedome, and know­ledge, to a tree of life, to golde, siluer, pearles or precious stones: Here then are most rare iewels for kinges, Queenes, and Rich Iewels for gentili­tie, to a­dorne themselues with­all. Princes, for Lords, Ladies and gentlemen, to adorne and decke themselues withall, yea and also for the poore and meaner sort to inrich themselues withal. Why take we so much paynes, to trauell by sea and by land, from one ende of the worlde to the other, for Gemmes and Iewelles? and let lie the Iewell of all Iewelles, the true vn­derstanding We trauaile more for gold, then for Gods word. and knowledge of Gods word, which Salomon saith is more precious then pearles: and all Iewels that thou canst de­sire, are not to bee compared to it. No not the Iasper, the Topace, or the Chrisolite, nor any precious stone whatsoeuer.

Beleeue mee, Sainte Peter was a cun­ning workeman, and a perfecte Ieweller, S. Peter a cunning Ieweller. that coulde chuse such a precious stone, or [Page 95] rich pearle, to beautifie, and adorne, his Chayne withall. Surely that must needes The true knowledge of God more worth then a kings ransome. The true practise of Gods word in the court doth giue light to all the cuntry. People liue more by ex­amples, then by lawes. bee a riche Chayne, where one lincke of it is more worth, then a Kinges raun­some.

O howe this rich Iewell, the knowledge of Gods worde, and the true practise there­of, woulde make noble men and gentlemen Ladies and gentlewomen to shine in the court.

Surely, the brightnesse of their ver­tue woulde giue a great light throughout this whole lande, to others that haue a great desire to followe the fashions of the Courte: for the worlde is come to this passe nowe a daies, that wee liue more by examples, then by good Lawes and preceptes: this say­ing was neuer more verified then in our time, Regis ad exemplum, totus componitur Inferiours will followe their superi­ors. orbis. The whole world is giuen to followe the example of those that are aboue them in authoritie.

Let euery one therefore consider of his owne calling, and studie to profite others by his example that depend vpon him: let our lighte shine before men, that o­thers Mat. 5.16 seeing our good workes, may glo­rifie God our heauenly father: Espe­cially, let them that are called lightes, [Page 96] leade other after them by their light of doc­trine, They that are called lightes, ought to giue light vnto others Psal. 1 32 9, and holy conuersation, let the mini­sters of the Lord, be clothed with righteous­nes, that the Saintes may sing with ioyful­nes. Let vs labour by all meanes possible to encrease our knowledge by reading and me­ditating on the word of God, which as Da­uid saith, must be a lanterne to our feet, & a Psal 116. 150. Coloss. 3.16 light vnto our pathes. Let the word of Christ dwel in vs plenteously in all wisedome, tea­ching and admonishing one another, as eue­ry one hath obtayned more knowledge one then another, that yee may bee blame­lesse (saith the Apostle) and pure, and the sonnes of God without rebuke, in the mids of a naughtie and croked nation, Phil. 2.15. among whome see that ye shine as lightes in the world.

Thus let euery one endeauour to make vse of that which hee knoweth, for that No vertue to know much and do nothing. is no vertue to knowe much, and to do nothing, but to practise that good which we haue learned, is a vertue worthy of much prayse.

In vaine (saith one) is that long tra­uell in studie and learning where actuall ex­perience doth not shew forth her fruites, for learning & knowledge is of good mē sought for, and lodged euen in their breastes to this only end, that they may therby know sinne, [Page 97] and eschewe the same, knowe vertue, and at­taine vnto it: for if learning and knowledge be not applied heerevnto of them that haue it, shee leaueth in them her whole dutie vn­done.

Therefore Saint Peter saith. Ioyne with 2. Pet 1. 5. Knowledge teacheth the way to ver­tue. your vertue knowledge, that is, let know­ledge teach you the way to vertue, and by vertue and godlynes of life, let it appeare that you haue knowledge. Let knowledge & vertue bee ioined together, for they may not be separated: as a generall or captaine, is the directour of an whole host, so rea­son lightened with true knowledge is the A simili­tude. guide of mans life. But here we are to note, that euen in this knowledge whereof wee speake, there is a meane to be kept, for the prouerbe is, Omne nimium vertitur in vitium, euery too much is an euil, and S. Paul saith, Scientia inflat. Knowledge puffeth men vp 1. Cor. 8. 1. Knowledge without hu­militie puf­feth men vp with pride. 1. Cor. 2.2. with pride. We must therefore keepe our knowledge within compasse, and neuer de­sire more then is meete for vs to knowe. Saint Paule, though hee were excellent in knowledge, yet he esteemed not to know a­nye thing saue Iesus Christ, and him cru­cified. Heereof might arise this saying, Si Christum discis, satis est, si caetera nescis, Si Christum nescis, nihil est si caetera discis. If To knowe Christ is the chiefest knowledge. thou knowe Christ, it skilleth not though thou bee ignoraunt in manye other thinges: contrarywise, if thou knowe not [Page 98] Christ, all other knowledge in the world is to no purpose. This caueat and admoniti­on, I thinke not to be vnnecessarie in these dayes of ours, when as manie wanton wittes haue wandered abroad in the fields of their owne inuentions, to seeke and search out for hidden and secrete thinges, such as God hath not reuealed vnto vs in his worde: yea, they will not sticke to en­quire what God did before the world was created, forgetting in the meane while, what their duties do require of themselues heere on earth, nothing fearing that say­ing of Salomon, Hee that searcheth out the secretes of Gods maiestye, shall bee o­uerwhelmed Wee must not enquire out of Gods secre­cies more then is re­uealed in his word with his glorye. They remem­ber not that Adam in seeking (by tasting the forbiden fruite, to knowe more then God would haue him to knowe, was depri­ued of that excellent knowledge hee had before. The same thing doubtlesse doth be­fall still vnto his posteritie, that will not bee content with the knowledge of those deepe and heauenly misteryes of mans saluation, reuealed vnto vs in the word of God, but in seeking to know other thinges that per­taine Adam by seeking to know more then was meete, was depriued of that know­ledge he had before. not vnto them, they become verie fooles in those things which they ought to know. Thus haue wee seene what an excel­lent thing learning and the true knowledge of God is, and how we ought to applie the studie thereof, to this end, that wee might [Page 99] liue honestly, godly, and vertuously in this life, where as wee doe knowe but in parte, that so at length (thorough the merits of Christ Iesus) wee maye come to that life 1. Cor: 13: 12: where our knowledge shall bee perfited, and our happines & felicitie for euermore continued.

OF TEMPERANCE. CHAP. 4.

IT is not a thing obserued to no purpose, that phisitions doo feele the pulses of their sicke patients, whether they bee moderate or out of temper, for thereby they giue a great iudgement of the state of them that are diseased.

Now looke howe mans body is distem­pered with sicknes, euen so is the soule of man with sinne▪ there are infinite diseases to disquiet the body, and there are innumera­ble sinnes, to grieue and torment the soule: there is Phisicke appointed for the body, and there is also Phisicke ordained for the soule: the body many times for want of timely Phisicke, is in great danger of death by sicknes, & so is the soule of man by sinne: Much mo­ney giuen for helth of bodye, but phisicke for the soule is little regar­ded the body oftentimes is recouered when Phisicke is applied, and so is the soule of man if shee receiue that Phisicke which is appointed for her: onelie heerein is a dif­ference, when wee are sicke in our bodies by diseases, wee will giue any money to haue health, but will suffer our soules to bee [Page 102] verie extreamlie sicke, and almost at point of death with sinne, and neuer care to seeke for health, nay, wee will scarce receiue Phi­sicke for our soules, though it bee brought home vnto vs freely without money, with­out penny or penny worth. Euen as the pro­phet Esaie complaineth of the Iewes that refused to receiue the grace of God, which Esay. 55.1.2. was offered vnto them freely without mo­nie, but were willing to laie out their siluer for that which was nought worth, & where­with they could not be satisfied. What mar­uell then is it, that the sinfull soule of man is so distempered and out of order, insomuch that the beating of her pulses, may bee per­ceiued with out feeling? Now of all sicknes­ses, the sicknes of intemperācy is the worst, for it greatlie anoyeth, & in time destroyeth Intempe­rancy a dā ­gerous dis­ease of the soule. both the health of soule and bodie: it also maketh the bodie vnapt for any labor, and it hindereth the soule from all vertue, wher­of we haue but too many examples. S. Peter therefore knowing the great hurte which commeth vnto man by intemperancie, ex­horteth vs to make much of the vertue con­trary thervnto, called temperance or sobri­ety: and to the end wee should regard it the better, he linkes the same to his chaine, say­ing: Ioyne with your faith vertue, with ver­tue knowledge, with knowledge temperāce Temperance therefore without al question, 2. Pet. 1.5. is a worthy vertue, otherwise it shoulde not haue bin ioyned with these other Iewels, of [Page 103] faith, knowledge, and the rest.

But what is temperance? Temperance or sobrietie (sayeth one) is a vertue which doth moderate the appetites and desires of meate, drinke, and other thinges, which What tem­perance is. man maye lawefullie vse: so that neither prayer, meditation, studying, or labouring in our vocation, bee hindered with the ex­cesse thereof, neyther our naturall sleepe nor health of our bodyes hurted for want of that which is sufficient: so it seemeth that temperance is a keeper of a meane in euerie thing. And euen as in tunes or A simili­tude. singing, without the meane there can bee no good melodye, so in the gouernment of our life, without sobrietie or tempe­rance, euerie thing will bee disordered. Where Temperance ruleth not, there is gluttonie, surfetting, drunkennes, luxuri­ousnes, and all kind of wickednes. Where Temperance beareth swaye, there the health of the bodie is preserued, there also the soule of man is at libertie, to reade, to praye, to studie, to meditate, to take coun­sell, Tempe­rance a worthy ver­tue. to giue counsell, to gouerne all the affayers of this life. Where temperance is, there is shamefastnes, there is honesty, there is chastitie, there is modestie, there is humi­litie, there is moderation and good order kept, in discerning what ought to bee done, howe it ought to bee done, and what ought to be left vndone.

By temperance wee auoyde many sick­nesses [Page 104] of the body, and many diseases of the soule. Who then would not bee in loue with temperance? Temperance, saith one, is a noble Vertue, and chiefely appertaineth to the honorable state of mankind: where­by the princely gouernour reason (which raigneth as king in man, is known to beare sway in man, wherby all his things are tem­pered and ordered, and thereby differeth from brute beastes.

Temperance is an enimy to luste, and lust is a wayting seruant vnto bodily plea­sure. Temperance calleth a man backe srom all wicked lustes, and carnall appe­tites, and suffereth him not to exceede in foolishe reioycing, nor in vngodlie sor­rowing.

He is to be called a temperate and mo­derate person (saith one) which not onelie Who is a temperate man. doth keepe vnder his wanton and corrupt affects, but so endeuoreth also himfelfe, that in his country he is chargeable to no man, to no man cruell or grieuous, neither to a­nie man dangerous. Temperance therefore is a moderatrixe which causeth vs to keepe 2 decorum in euerie thing. Vntemperate youth, full of carnall affections, quickelie turneth the bodye into age, to bee full of infirmityes, foule and feeble. When the vn­bridled carcasse or foule fleshe of man, is not well tempred, or discreetly ruled, but o­uermuch cherished, set at liberty, and pam­pered, then is the soule the lesse regarded [Page 105] or looked vpon, but abideth in most defor­med Where the body is too much pam­pered, there the soule is the lesse re­garded. A similie. state and miserable: and the more de­licatly the body is handled, the more stub­bornely it wrestleth against the minde, and doth cast it of, euen as a horse too well che­rished, vseth to cast off his rider. If we could therefore consider the excellency of mans nature, and the dignity thereof, wee should wel perceiue how foule & dishonest a thing it is, to be resolued into letcherie, immode­rate eating and drinking, and to liue loosly and wantonly: and on the contrary, howe honest, fayre, and commendable a thing it is, to liue continently, temperatly, sadly and soberly.

But if we could step a degree farther, and consider now, not what excellency man is of by nature, but whereunto wee are cal­led by grace, then doubtlesse wee should be ashamed of those foule vices which wee daylie commit, and giue our selues more to temperance, sobrietie, chastity, & the like, which are the true ornaments of christiani­tie. Vnto this temperance and sobrietie, the scripture doth verie earnestly exhort vs, and diswade vs from the vices contrary there­unto. The grace of God (saith Saint Paule) Tit. 2. 11 Sobrietie a chiefe orna­ment of christianity. Rom. 13.11 hath appeared to this end, to teach vs to denie all vngodlines and worldly lustes, and to liue soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Therefore he saith in another place: The night is past, the day is at hand, let vs therfore cast away the works [Page 106] of darknes, and let vs put on the armour of light, so that wee walke honestly as in the day, not in gluttony and drunkennes, ney­ther in chambering & wantonnes, neither in strife & enuying, but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ, and make no prouision to ful­fill the lusts of the flesh.

Againe, among the manyfold fruits of the spirite, which the Apostle Saint Paule Gal: 5: 23: reckoneth vp, hee nameth temperance for one. The fruites of the spirit are, ioy, peace, meeknes, temperance, against such there is no lawe. And when Saint Peter would ex­horte vs vnto holynes, hee first of all ex­horteth vs vnto temperance, and sober­nes, saying, Bee sober and trust perfectly in 1. Pet. 1.13. the grace of God, and so foorth. And then presentlie addeth, Bee yee holy, as God is holy.

Againe, putting vs in minde of the day of iudgment, and that we should take heed of Sathan, hee saith, Be ye sober and watch, and, Bee ye sober and watchfull vnto pray­er. & 4.7. & 5.8. Meaning, that there can bee neither prayer nor watchfulnes, without sobriety and temperance. And indeede who findeth not by experience, that when the fleshe is pampered vp, then drowsie sleepines and Intēperancy an enimy to study & all good exer­cyses. sluggishnes commeth vppon vs, and make­eth vs vnapt to studie, prayer, or anie good exercise.

For this cause hath it beene the manner of the church of God in all ages, [Page 107] whensoeuer they woulde giue themselues to holy exercyses, presently to commaund a godly and religious fast, not from flesh onely (as the papists do) but from all kinde Godly fast­ing a good helpe vnto praier. of meates; to the end they maye the more deuoutly serue God. So likewise doth our Sauiour Christe commend vnto vs absti­ence, sobrietie, and temperance, when hee Mat. 26.41. commaundeth vs to watch and praye, least wee fall into temptation: And aboue all thinges to take heed, that our heartes bee not ouercome with surfetting, and drun­kennesse, Luk. 21, 34. and cares of this life, and so suf­fer the day of iudgement to come vppon vs vnawares.

Oh that the beastly belly Gods, and drowsie drunckardes of our dayes, which Esay. 28.1. sitte quaffing from morning till night, woulde sometimes call to theyr remem­brance this admonition and forewarning of our Sauiour! who telleth them plaine­ly that the daye of iudgement shall come vppon them as a snare, if they continue Luk: 21.35 in their beastlines. But what reckoning make they of the daye of iudgement? Are not they the very mockers and scof­fers Belly Gods and drun­kerds make a mocke of the day of iudgment. 2. Pet. 3.3 which Saint Peter fore-prophesied should come in this last age of the world? that in derision of God and al godlines say, where is the promise of Christes comming vnto iudgement? because they see the con­tinuance of the world as yet, therefore they imagine, that it shall neuer haue an end, [Page 108] not considering, that one daie is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres, and a thousand yeares as one daye: that it is as easie for the Lord to destroy the world with fire, as it was to make the same of nothing, and to destroy it again with water: that the Lord is not slacke concerning his promise (as some men count slacknes) but is patient toward vs, and would haue no man to perishe, but wold all men come to the knowledge of his truth. Howsoeuer these wicked mockers, according to the hardnes of their heartes, Rom. 2. 5. which cannot repente, heape vnto them­selues wrath against the daye of wrath, and declaration of the iust iudgement of God. O consider this all yee that forget God, least hee teare you in peeces, and there be Psal: 50.22. none to helpe: for surelye (as Saint Peter saith) the daye of the Lord will come (how sone the Lord knoweth, and farre of it can­not 2. Pet. 3.10.11.12. be) as a theefe in the night, in the which the heauens shal passe away in noise, and the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the workes that are therein shall bee burnt vp. Seeing therefore that all these thinges must bee dissolued, what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersati­on and godlynes? Wherefore let vs take heed of surfeting, drunkennes, & the cares of this life (al which now a daies are scarcely Surfetting and drun­kennes scarce coū ­ted for sins. counted for sinnes) least the day of iudge­ment come vpon vs, to our euerlasting de­struction. Aboue al, let vs make much of so­briety [Page 109] & temperance, for if we would keepe our selues, our soules and bodyes in tempe­rance, chastitie, and sobrietie, surely neither the daye of iudgment, nor the daye of our own death should euer ouertake vs sodain­lie. Let vs remember that Saint Peter bid­deth vs to ioyne with our knowledge tem­perance. Temperance doubtlesse is a vertue much to be sought for, & without it we are more like beasts then men.

Shee is both a necessarie and profitable seruant. What saye I, a seruant? nay, shee should bee our mistres, yet truely such is the intemperancy of our time, that shee would Tēperance both a ne­cessarie and profitable seruant. thinke her selfe happie if shee might haue any office in our houses: she would serue for little or no wages, yet would shee saue yere­lie in some houses, inough to paye the wa­ges of all the rest of the seruants. Shee cares not what office she had so she might be cur­teouslie entertained: shee would be cooke, but gluttonie will not suffer her to come into kitchin: she would be panterer, but shee cannot haue the chippinges for her labour: so little is she accounted of: she would be in the Seller to drawe beere & wine, but drun­kennes will not suffer her to be quiet: shee woulde come to bee her misters chamber­maide, to put on her apparrell seemely a­bout Tēperance fit for eue­rie office. her, but pride thrusteth her downe o­uer the staires or greeces: shee can haue al­most no place to rest in, but either in the streets, or in some poore labouring mens [Page 110] houses, yea the verie beggers do scorne her companie: shee runs from the countrie to Shee is suf­fered to run the country for want of entertayne­ment. the court from the court to the country, & can hardly get any seruice: if she be intertai­ned for a while, she is put away againe with­out a quarters warning, nay, sometimes on a suddaine without an houres warning: so rigoriouslie is she dealt withall in many pla­ces, surelie it is maruell that shee tarrieth one yeere in this countrie, sauing that I sup­pose Tempe­rance well vsed in no country. other countries giue her so ill or worse intertainment then we.

Wel, Saint Peter yet counselleth vs to en­tertaine her, and to keep her, when he saith, ioine with your knowledge temperance. Vse temperancy in your diet, temperancy in eating, temperācy in your drinking, tempe­rancie in your sleeping, temperancy in your Wee must vse tempe­rance in all things. gesture & walking, temperancy in your ap­parell, temperancie in your delights and re­creation; temperancie in your wordes, tem­perancie in your deeds, temperancy in all your appetites and desires. In one worde, without this vertue of temperance al things wil be out of order and good temper, if this Without temperance euery thing will bee out of tem­per & good order: lincke of temperance be broken. Saint Pe­ters Chaine will neuer holde. Much more might bee saide, but I study breuitie. God grant this litle which hath bin spoken, maye be aduisedly read, well ruminated, and bet­ter digested, so shall all other vertues bee the rather accounted of, to Gods glory and our saluation.

Of Patience, The fift Chapter.

IT seemeth to some desiring to see farre countries, a matter of no lesse ease then pleasure, to saile ouer the seas from one land to another, so long as the ship is caried with a good wind, and in fayre weather: for then the mariners sing, Sayle wee merie mari­ners: then the marchantes play and sporte, then the souldiers & passengers be sleeping and snorting vnder the hatches: but when the wind begins to turne; when the weather begins to be foule, when blustering blastes arise, when the surges and waues of the sea tumble ouer the shippe, when wee are wet head and eares, then our hartes beginne to saile vs, then our courage asswageth, then What wee purpose in prosperit [...] aduersity we forget. [...] vs, then [...] itselfe threat­neth vs, then euerie man [...] himselfe backe againe, in the place from whence he came, and the desire which before we had to see strange countries is nowe cooled, asswa­ged and abated.

Right so it [...]alleth out in the desire which we haue to see the new Ierusalem, that hea­uenly cuntry; we begin to back our selues in Reue, 21.10 the ship of vertue, wee hope to saile thither vpon the seas of pleasure, wee haue happily at the beginning a good gale of wind, & fair [Page 114] weather, but before wee are come three leagues at sea, before wee haue forgotten our frends and fellowes that we left behind vs, there ariseth a mighty wind, & cruel tem­pest, the wind of aduersity begin to blow, the waues and surges of trials and temptations come vpon vs, yea death and persecution as­saileth vs: then wee wish our selues at home in our owne countrie againe, then our desires to that heauenly cuntry begins to wax cold, & few there be that keep on a straight course till they come to the hauen of rest.

How excellent therefore is that saying of the spirit of God, in the tenth to the Hebr. Heb. 10.36 Ye haue neede of patience, that after yee haue done the will of God, ye might receiue the promises. So we that are sayling ouer the Without patience, we can ne­uer come to the ha­uen of rest. feas of this world haue need of patience, to endure the surging waues of trial, & tempta­tions, lest with the children of Israel wee de­sire to returne backe againe, when we are in the middest of our iourney. Wherefore S. Pet. hauing tried by experiēce these things, 1. Pet. 16. assone as he hath exhorted vs vnto Tempe­rance, presently biddeth vs to ioyne there­unto patience, knowing very well, that no sooner can we begin to treade the path vnto a godly, vertuous, and temperate life, but presently we shalbe subiect to infinite trials and tribulations, according to this scripture that saith, As many as will liue godly in [...] Tim. 1. 12 [Page 115] Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution and af­fliction: therefore in good time addeth ex­hortation vnto patience, saying, Ioyne with your temperance, patience, vse that as a re­medy, what troubles soeuer come vpon you for liuing godly and vertuously.

Patience then is a vertue whereby wee What true patience is & the vse thēreof. obey God in suffering aduersitie, so that we do nothing contrary to the commandement of God, but by faith acknowledge him to be neere vnto vs with his helpe, eyther to mitigate or els to deliuer vs from that pre­sent aduersitie wee are in: yea patience and good beleefe in God maketh man victori­ous. The meanes to retayne patience is to haue a cleare conscience, and a good cause for the which wee suffer, for true patience (as one saith) is when the cause is iust, and the end profitable and necessary. How be­it, wee must also suffer with patience, aswell the corrections for our faultes, as also trou­bles wrongfully inflicted vppon vs of men.

This patience surely is a notable vertue, Patience is best tried when we are wrong­fully afflic­ted by men. pertayning as well to the inwarde, as out­warde gouernance▪ and is the vanquisher of iniuries, the sure defence against the affectes & passions of the soule, retaining alwaies ioy & gladnes in aduersitie and griefe: for pati­ence is best tryed in aduersitie. Be constant and patient in aduersitie, and in prosperitie [Page 116] humble & lowly. Be patient in tribulation, & giue no man cause to speake euill of thee. Receiue patiently the wordes of correction, though they seeme greeuous for a little sea­son. In suffering afflictions, Patience is made strong.

Patience and perseuerance are two pro­per notes whereby Gods children are truely Patience, & perseuerāce in goodnes, true marks of Gods children, knowen from hipocrites, counter feits, & dis­semblers. By patience & sobrietie, we passe ouer the troubles of this world more ioyful­ly. Therefore S. Peter ioyneth them both together, saying, Ioyne with sobrietie or temperance, Patience: the one will teach thee to doe well in prosperitie: the other to suffer well in aduersitie. The feare of God, Patience the nurse of all vertues. faith, prayer, humilitie and other vertues, do growe, & increase in vs through patience, Euen as iron, except it bee often scoured, will soone corrupt and waxe rustie: so ex­cept A simili­tude. the sinfull hart of man, and his flesh, be often scoured with aduersitie, they will soone be corrupted with the rust of filthines, and sinne, which aduersitie, by patience is eyther ouercome or mitigated. This gift of patience, if God had not alwaies graunted vnto the faithfull in their aduersities, they must needes haue fainted, yea & fallen to Patie [...]ce as a pillar doth support Gods chil­dren in a [...] ­uersity. the ground, vnder the burthen of their ma­nifold troubles and calamities.

When our Sauiour Christ had told his disci­ples [Page 117] and Apostles, what great troubles and afflictions they shoulde suffer in this life: Luk. 21. 19. he addeth this presently for their comfort, that they should possesse their soules in pati­ence. And S. Iames willeth vs to let patience to haue her perfect working in vs, so shal we Iam. 1.4. be perfect, lacking nothing. Againe he saith, Blessed is that man which patiētly suffereth temptations, for when he is tryed, hee shall receiue the crowne of life, which God hath promised to them that loue him. S. Paul saith Rom. 5.3. Tribulatiō bringeth forth patience, patience experience, experience hope, & hope ma­keth not ashamed, because the loue of God is shed abroad in our harts, by his holy spirit which is giuen vnto vs. These exhortations vnto patience are very necessary, because all troubles & aduersities are very hard for our flesh & blud to bear, & except we be vsed to passe vnder the rod of correction, we will be All afflicti­ons are greeuous to our flesh­ly nature. like to vntamed heiffers, or wild steeres, that cannot abide their yokes before they haue a while submitted their neckes vnto them.

Therefore the holy Ghost saith, no cha­stisement seemeth pleasante, but is greeuous Heb. 12, 11 for the present season, though afterwarde it bringeth forth the quiet fruite of righteous­nes to thē that are exercised therin. And our sauiour Chirst saith, Take my yoke vpō you, Mat. 11, 29, vse your selue: vnto it, & you shall finde rest vnto your soules: for which cause Salomon [Page 118] saith, My son despise not the chastning of the Lord, neither saint whē thou art rebuked of him, for whō the Lord loueth, he chastiseth, & scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth: So that we see afflictions are not hurtful, but good for vs, and therefore ought to be borne Afflictions necessary for the chil­dren of God Afflictions sure tokens of Gods fa­uour, to­wards his children. patiently. Again, we may note here that whē wee are chastened and corrected of God by sicknesses, by pouertie, by losse of goods, by losse of friendes, or so forth, if we take the same patiently, they are sure testimonies that we are the sons and children of God, be­cause those whom hee loueth he chasteneth oftentimes for their amendment, but the wicked he suffereth to waxe proude in their sinnes, and so fatteth them against the day of slaughter.

Therfore let not this thing greeue vs as it The wicked fatted a­gainst the day of slaughter. Psal. 37.35 Psal. 73.3 18. did Dauid & Ieremy, to see the wicked flo­rish, for a time in this world. I saw the wicked florish, saith Dauid, like a green Bay tree, but I pasied bye, & lo, they were gone at length (saith he) I vnderstood the end of these men how God doth set thē in slippery places, sud­denly Ierem. 12.1. they are destroyed, cast downe, and come to a fearful end: This shalbe the end of the vngodly that florish for a time. But the children of God, which are day lie tried here The chil­dren of God tried by tri­bulation, as gold in the furnace. with the fire of tribulation, as the gold in the fornace, are therby purified & cleansed frō many sins, & are made meet temples for the [Page 119] holy Ghost to dwel in. Let vs not therefore murmure at this working of God, but with patiēce commit our selues vnto him, as vnto a faithful creator. Let vs know that health, wealth, children, friends, prosperitie and the When God giueth wee must be thankeful, when he ta­keth, let vs be patient. like, are but temporall blessings: If God giue them vnto vs, let vs be thankeful: if he take them from vs againe, let vs be patient: know­ing that he hath reserued greater thinges for vs in heauen. If we should alwaies haue rest, ease, and tranquillitie of body, and minde in this life, then would we neuer care to aspire vnto that heauenly life, where there is no­thing els but ioy & felicitie, vnto which ioy we shal neuer attaine, except we suffer pati­ently in this life afflictions, & miseries: for Christ himself went not vp into ioy, before Christ suffe­red paines, before he entred into ioy. he suffered paine, nay he suffered more pains for vs ten thousande times, then all the chil­drē of God can or haue suffred since the be­ginning of the world. Therefore the scrip­ture saith, that the Prince of our saluation (which is Christ) was consecrate through af­flictions because he should bring many chil­dren Heb. 2.10. vnto glory. If therefore we wilbe par­takers with Christ in glorie, we must also suf­fer patiētly here with him in misery. The dis­ciple is not aboue his maister, if Christ our Mat. 10.24. mayster haue drunken deepely of this bitter cup of afflictions, let vs not refuse to pledge him, in that measure which God hath ap­pointed for vs, for by afflictions we are [Page 120] made conformable vnto the Son of God. It: 2. Cor. 4.11. 2. Tim. 2. 11.12 Rom. 8. 17. If we suffer with Christ we shal raigne with him. is a true saying, saith S. Paule, If we die with Christ, we shal liue with Christ: if we suffer with him, wee shal raigne with him. And a­gaine, the same Apostle saith. That wee are heyres of God, & ioynt heyres with Christ, if so be we suffer with him, that we may also bee glorified with him. Let vs therefore suffer aduersitie patiently, and with thanke­fulnes. Remembring euermore these holy sayinges of patient Iob: Shall wee receiue Iob 1.21. & 2. 10. good thinges, at the handes of God, and not euil? meaning by good thinges prosperitie, and by euil thinges aduersitie: Not that ad­uersitie is euill of it selfe to Gods children, but because Iobs wife to whom he spake, Aduersity no euil thing to Gods chil­dren. happely did account it so. Againe, when the Lorde had taken away all Iobs riches, goods and children in one day, hee endured the same most patiently, and praysing God for it saide, The Lord giueth, the Lorde ta­keth away, blessed be the name of the Lord. O example of patience neuer to bee forgot­ten: In Iob wee may see a perfect pat­terne of true patience. Therefore is it that S. Iames saith, Yee haue hearde of the patience of Iob, & what end the Lord made.

True it is, we haue heard, and wee haue read of the patience of Iob, but wee soone Iam. 5.11. forget it, and make little vse there of to our selues, for then we would not be so impati­ent in euery aduersitie as we are.

[Page 121] Iob was patient in most great extreami­ties, We heare and reade but do not imitate Iobs patience. and euery light affliction, doth make vs to breake out into impatiencie. A little sick­nesse, a little sorrow, a small losse of goods, or wife, or husband, or childe, or friend, or such like! O these are crosses that no mā can beare? Nay if wee bee but crossed or ouer­thwarted Small cros­ses make vs breake out, into impa­tiencie. in our ordinarie suites and dea­lings. if they that be aboue vs in authoritie, doe but frowne vpon vs: if we heare that our good name bee called in question, (though percase we haue well deserued it) euen these and a thousand such like matters or of lesse importance, doe easily cause vs to breake the bonds of patience, and we cannot be pa­cified in a small time. See therefore whether it were not necessarie for Saint Peter to ex­hort vs to ioyne with our temperaunce pa­tience.

Moreouer wee must know that it is not inough for vs, to suffer patiently these crosses and aduersities which we haue worthily de­serued, but if we be Christians we must goe Whatsoe­uer is laide vpon vs for Christs sake we must patiently beare it. Reue. 14.12 a degree further, to suffer patiently, whatso­euer is laide vpon vs wrongfully for Christs sake. And this patience is called in the scrip­ture the patience of Saintes, because it is proper only to the childrē & Saints of God, to be persecuted, afflicted and tormented in this life for the testimonie of Iesus. I Iohn, (saith Saint Iohn in the Reuelation) euen Reuel. 1.9. [Page 122] your brother and compagnion in tribulati­on, and in the kingdome and patience of Ie­sus Christ, was in the Ile called Patmos, for the word of God, and the testimonie of Ie­sus. This Iohn was hee whome Iesus loued, Ioh. 21.7. and yet behold hee must suffer banishment, persecution, and tribulation, for the testi­monie of Iesus, though not vnto the death. For it is recorded that he onely of al the A­postles dyed in his bed, the rest were Mar­tyred and put to death, for the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Euen as most part of the Pro­phets were, that went before them.

Therfore Saint Iames saith, take, my bre­thren, the Prophets for an example of suffe­ring Iam. 5.10. aduersitie, and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord. But they were all persecuted and most of them put vnto death for their labour, as Christ himselfe witnesseth when hee saith vnto the Iewes, Yee are witnesses vnto your selues, Mat. 23.31.32.33.34. that ye are the children of them which mur­thered the Prophets, fulfill ye also the mea­sure of your fathers, O ye Serpents, the ge­neration of Vypers! How should ye escape the damnation of hell? A most fearefull de­nunciation The mini­sters of Christ must looke for persecuti­ons in this life. Act. 20.23. to bloudy persecutors. This then is the portion which the Saints, and especi­ally the Ministers of Gods worde, are to looke for in this life. This is that the holy Ghost did certifie Paule in euerye place [Page 123] where hee came, that bonds and imprison­ments should abide for him. Whereof he & the rest of Christs Apostles, and Disciples did often times reioyce, that they were counted worthy to suffer for his sake.

Heere againe is that saying of the holy Acts. 5.41. Ghost to bee remembred, yee haue neede of patience: if wee cannot bee patient in small matters, when these great tryals and temp­tations Heb. 10.36. come vpon vs, how then shall we be patient? True it is, that the Church & chil­dren of God in this land, haue had a good Gods chil­dren haue had a good breathing time in this land. breathing time, (blessed be God for it, and God in his great mercye continue it) these many yeares: but must we therefore thinke, that we shall neuer bee called to the battell, because we haue beene spared a few yeares? Others in other Countries of Gods deare Saints and children, haue beene afflicted & persecuted: when their course is ended, we also may bee brought foorth, for there shall neuer be an ende of persecution in this life, til the day of iudgement, when the bloud of all the Saints which haue beene slaine since the beginning of the world shal be auenged: as it is plainly to be seene in the sixth of the Reuelation, for there Iohn sayth: when the Reue. 6.9.10.11. Angell had opened the fith seale, hee sawe vnder the altar the soules of them that were slaine, for the word of God, & for the testi­monie [Page 124] that they maintained. And they cry­ed with a loud voice saying, How long Lord, holy, and true, doest thou not iudge and a­uenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth? And it was said vnto them, that they shoulde rest for a little season, vntill their fellow seruantes, and their brethren that should be killed euen as they, were fulfilled.

Nowe it is certein, that these soules shall Gods chil­dren euer­more perse­cuted one where or o­ther till the day of iudgement. rest and remaine in their place till the day of iudgement, therefore vntill that day there shall be some or other that shal suffer for the word of God, and for the testimonie of Ie­sus Christ. Let none of God his children therfore in what Countrie or nation so euer No true Christian priuileged from perse­cution. 1. Cor. 10. 13. they be, thinke themselues priuileged from the heate of persecution. Rather let euerie one praie dayly and howerly, when it shall please the Lord to lay his trials vpon vs, that he wil giue vs patience to beare them: which thing doubtlesse he will doe, for he is faith­full, A singular comfort that God will lay no more vpon his children then they shal be able to beare. God al­waies true of his pro­mise. and his promise is past, that he will lay no more vpon his children then they shall be able to beare, but will giue the issue with the temptation. And this promise hath the Lord alwaies fulfilled to his Saints & faith­full children, in all ages. Whereof wee haue innumerable examples in the Scripture, and the Acts and Monumentes of the Church, howsome were stoned, hewen a sunder, slaine [Page 125] with the sword, drawen in peeces of wilde Looke for examples in the scrip­tures, and Acts and Monumēts how God hath strēghned his children in most gne­uous tor­ments. horses, rosted vpon gredirons, some cast vn­to wilde beastes to be deuoured, some their skins fleyed off their shoulders, innumera­ble burned vnto Ashes in flaming fire, or consumed by some other torment deuised by cruel and bloudy tyrants. In this lost age of the worlde, that bloudy beast of Rome hath endeuored to be like other tyrants that were before him in crueltie But in all these torments, the Lord sustained his Saints and children, and gaue them great patience to endure what paines or punishments soeuer that could be inflicted vpon them, so true is that saying of the spirite of God The Lord The beast of Rome, hath endea­uoured to exccede all tyrants be­fore him in crueltie. 2. Pet. 2.9. knoweth how to deliuer them that are his, out of temptation. Wherfore euery Christi­an ought to take boldnesse in all afflictions: euen as Saint Paule did when he was deliue­red (for a time) out of the mouth of that Lyon at Rome: The Lord assisted me (saith he) and strengthned me, and I was deliue­red from the mouth of the Lyon, meaning from cruell Nero, Emperour of Rome, that bloudy tyrane. Whereof also he taketh fur­ther 2 Tim. 4.16 17.18. assuraunce for time to come, saying in the same place, and the Lord wil deliuer me; The faith­full are as­sured that God will either deli­uer them, orgiue thē strength & patience to endure. Acts. 20.25. How Gods children are marty red, and de­liuered, out of the hand of their e­nemies. Mat. 10.28. Rom, 15.4. & will preserue me vnto his heauenly king­dome: here then is that assuraunce which e­uerie one ought to haue in God, Paule was [Page 126] sure he should be deliuered, he was sure hee should be preserued; yet no doubt hee did know that he must bee martyred one time or other, (as not long after he was) how was he then deliuered? His body and soule were preserued vnto Gods euerlasting kingdome. Therefore our Sauiour Christ biddeth vs not to feare death nor tyrants, for they can kill but the body, but rather to feare God, that can cast both body and soule into hell fire. Althese things are written for our lear­ning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might haue hope.

Let these examples euer bee before our eyes, let vs serue God truely in our callings, let our trust be wholly in him, then shall we neuer want patience in afflictions, but ra­ther reioyce in tribulations, which shall Rom. 5.3. bring forth patience. Let vs still remember this saying of Saint Peter, it is better, if the will of God be so, that we suffer for well do­ing 1. Pet. 2.20. then for euill, for hereunto are wee cal­led, as Christ suffered for vs, leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steps: Let vs oftentimes call to remembraunce, that sweete saying of our Sauiour, Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righte­ousnesse Mat. 5.10.11. sake, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen: Blessed are ye when men reuile you, and say all manner of euill sayings against [Page 127] you falsely for my sake, reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen. Let vs ne­uer forget these most comfortable sayings of Saint Paule. That all the afflictions of this life are not worthie of the glorie that wee shall haue in the life to come. That we need Rom, 8.18 31. not feare the force of anye tyrants, for if GOD bee with vs who can be against vse who spared not his owne Son, but gaue him for vs all to death, how shall hee not withhim giue vs al things also? Who shal lay No tribula­tion, nor persecution canseparate the faithfull from God. anything to the charge of Gods chosen? It is GOD that iustifieth, who shall con­demne? It is Christ which is dead, yea ra­ther which is rysen againe, who is also at the right hand of GOD, and maketh interces­sion for vs. Who shall separate vs therefore from the loue of God? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or na­kednesse, or sworde? At it is written, for thy sake are we killed all the day long, wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter, neuer­thelesse in all these thinges, wee are more then conquerours, through him that lo­ued vs.

Last of all, let vs bee assuredly perswa­ded, as Sainte Paule was, that neyther Vers. 38. death, nor lyfe, nor Angels, nor princi­palities, [Page 128] nor powers, nor things present, nor 39. things to come, nor height nor depth, nor a­ny other creature, shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. This assurance of faith wee ought to haue in our God, in all our tryals, temptations, and afflictions whatsoeuer. Let vs therefore bee faithfull and patient vnto the death, then Christ will giue vs a crowne of life, which he hath pur­chased for vs by his death and passion.

OF GODLINES. CHAP. 6.

WHen it pleased the holy Ghost to indite and set foorth in a booke the patience of Iob, for an exam­ple vnto all posteritie, hee put­teth this in the front and beginning thereof, that Iob was a iust and vpright man, one that Iob. 1.1. feared God and eschewed euill. Now wher­to serueth this great commendation of Iobs godlinesse? But to this end that wee shoulde know, that this holy mā Iob, did not of him­selfe, by any vertue or power of his owne na­ture, beare with so great patience these great calamities and afflictions; but because he was an vpright man in all his dealings to­wards the world, and full of Religion and pietie towardes God: For this cause, as it seemeth was hee the patientest man in the Godlinesse the cause of patience. world, because hee was the holiest and god­liest man that then liued in all the world: e­uen God himselfe, who seeth the hearts of all men bearing witnesse, for so God sayth vnto Sathan, hast thou not considered my Vers, 8. seruant Iob, how none is like him in all the [Page 132] earth, an vpright and iust man, one that fea­reth God and escheweth euil? So that we see by how much more God would try his pati­ence, by so much the more he commendeth his godlinesse. Iob therefore was patient, Without godlinesse there can be no perfect patience. because he was godly. Here vppon the con­trarie may be concluded, that without pie­tie or godlinesse, there can bee no good and perfect patience.

This doctrine was well knowne vnto Saint Peter: therefore as soone as hee hath exhorted vs vnto patience, presently hee saith, ioyne vnto your patience godlynesse: as if hee should say: vnlesse ye bee religious 2. Pet. 1, 6. and godly, ye cannot be patient. Godlinesse therfore is the biginner, maintainer and sup­porter of patience.

Now what it is to liue godly, and how a godly man is to be knowne, wee may aboue Who is a godly man. learne from the mouth of God. For if Iob were a godly man, as doubtlesse he was, then to liue godly is to liue vprightly and iustly, to feare GOD, and eschew euill. All this did Iob. This description of a godly man, is the same in effect that Saint Paule sayth, Tit. 2.11. The grace of GOD (which bringeth saluati­on) teacheth, namely to denie all vngodli­nesse, and worldly lusts, and to liue sober­lie, righteouslye, and godly in this present world.

[Page 133] To denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, is with Iob, to eschew euill: to liue so­berly, is with Iob, to liue vprightly in re­spect of our selues: to liue righteously, is with Iob, to liue iustly in respect of our dea­lings with others: to liue godly, is with Iob, to feare GOD, that is to liue religiously in his feare, honouring and worshiping his name, according to his will. So then wee plainely see what it is to liue godly, namely True religi­on must be without su­perstition. to be religious without superstition, to bee sober in our liues and conuersation without hypocrisie, and to deale truely and plainely with all men, in simplicitie: who so doeth this, is surely a godly man.

The which thing that we should with all care endeauour to performe, is the meaning of Saint Peter, when hee sayth, Ioyne vnto your patience godlinesse. Pietie or godlines vpholdeth patience, for the patience which The wicked haue pati­ence per­forced. the wicked seeme to haue, is patience per­forced as we saye, and is not true patience, but rather impatiencie. Therefore Sainte Peter sayth, We must ioyne pietie or godli­nesse to our patience, as if hee should saye: there cannot bee a patient man exceept the seede of true Religion and godlinesse bee first planted in his heart: for what is the cause that wicked worldly men and women, doe so fret and fume, and chafe at euerye [Page 134] storme of aduersitie, but because they are Want of Religion & godlines the cause of all impati­encie. not religious and godly? On the other side, we see that the faithfull and godly haue and doe suffer all troubles and aduersities pati­ently, and with contented mindes.

What made Abraham, Isaack, Iacob, and the Patryarkes, Moyses and the rest of the Prophets, Saint Steuen, Saint Iames and all the rest of the Apostles, together with all the rest of the Martyrs, in the ten first per­secutions and since, to bee so patient in all their tryals and afflictions, and specially at the time of their death, but because they had true Religion, pietie, and godlynesse? Godlinesse therefore surely supporteth and holdeth vs within the bonds of patience, that we breake not out with the wicked into all impatiencie. Therefore is it that Sainte Peter exhorteth vs, to ioyne with patience godlinesse.

Godlinesse then aboue all things, ought to bee desired, for it is a surpassing treasure Godlinesse aboue all things ought to be desired. 1. Tim. 6.9 that neuer perisheth. Godlinesse saith Saint Paule is great gaine, if a man bee content with that he hath, for we brught nothing into this world, and it is certein, wee shall carrye nothing with vs. Againe he saith, godlinesse is profitable to all things: it hath the promise of this life present, and of that that is to come. If therefore wee will lacke nothing in [Page 135] this life, nor in the life to come, let vs learne Godlinesse hath pro­mise of this life present, and the life to come. Psal, 34.10. & 128.1.2, to liue godly.

The Lyons, saith Dauid (though they bee feared of al beasts) doe lacke and suffer hun­ger, but they that feare the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good. Blessed is that man that feareth the Lord, and walketh in his waies. When thou eatest the labours 3. of thy hands thou shalt bee blessed, and it shall goe well with thee. Thy wife shall bee 4. as the fruitefull vine on the sides of thine & 119.1 2. house, & thy children like the Oliue plants round about thy table. Loe surely thus shall the man bee blessed, that feareth the Lord. & 112. Againe, Blessed are those that are vpright in their waye, and walke in the way of the Lord, Blessed are they that keepe his testi­monies, Vers. 1. and seeke him with theyr whole hearte.

Againe, blessed is that man that feareth the Lord and delighteth in his commaunde­ments, his seede shall be blessed vpon earth, 2. the generation of the righteous shall bee blessed. Riches and treasures shall be in his 3. house, and his righteousnesse endureth for euer. Vnto the righteous ariseth light in 4. darknesse, he is mercifull and lendeth, and wil measure his affaires by iudgement: surely 5. he shall neuer be moued, he shall be had in 6. an euerlasting remembrance.

[Page 136] Therefore Salomon sayth, hee that fol­loweth Prou. 21, 21 after righteousnesse, and mercy, shall finde lyfe, righteousnesse and glorie, Infi­nite such places there are, which shew the blessednesse of the righteous and godly, 1. Tim. 4 8. that they haue, as Saint Paule sayth, the pro­mise of this life, and that that is to come.

The eight and twentie Chapter of Deu­teronomic is ful of those blessings, which the godly shall haue, and of the curses that shall Deu. 28.2. fall vppon the wicked. All these blessinges shall fall vppon thee and ouertake thee (if 3. thou be godly,) Blessed shalt thou be in the 4. Cittie, and in the field, Blessed shall bee the 5. fruite of thy bodye, and the fruite of thy ground, the fruite of thy Cattell, the in­crease 6. of thy Kine, and the flockes of thy sheepe. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy dough, Blessed shalt thou bee when thou commest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out, &c.

Then turning to the wicked and vngod­ly hee sayth, Cursed shalt thou bee in the Vers. 16. Cittie and in the fielde, Cursed shall be thy basket and thy dough, Cursed shall bee the 17. fruite of the bodye, and of thy land: the in­crease 18. of thy Kine, and the flockes of thy sheepe, Cursed also when thou commest in, and cursed also when thou goest out, and 19. so forth.

[Page 137] The same thing doth Dauid shewe in the first Psalme, when hee saith, that the Psal. 1. 3. Godly shall bee like a tree planted by the riuers side, that will bring forth her fruite in due season, his leafe shall neuer fade, & looke whatsoeuer he doth it shall prosper: but contrariwise he saith, The wicked shall verse 4. bee nothing so, but they are like the chaffe which the winde scattereth away from the face of the earth, therefore the wicked shall not stand in iudgement, nor the vn­godly 5. in the assemblye of the righteous, for the Lorde knoweth the way of the righ­teous, and the way of the wicked shall pe­rish. So likewise Salomon saith, Blessings 6. are vpon the head of the righteous, but ini­quitie Prou. 10.6. shal couer the heade of the wicked. The memoriall of the righteous shall bee blessed, but the name of the wicked shall 7 rotte. Therefore Dauid saith againe, the Psal. 11. 5 Lord will trie the righteous, but the wic­ked, and him that loueth iniquitie doth his soule abhorre.

Againe, hee saith, vpon the wicked God shall raine snares, fire and brimstone, 6. storme and tempest, this shall bee their Gene. 19.24 portion to drinke: Which thing wee know hee did vppon the beastly and wicked So­domites, and the Cittyes there about. Neyther shall the punishmente of the [Page 138] wicked, and saith Dauid in this life, but the Psal. 9. 17. No end of punish­ment to the wicked, neither in this life, nor in the life to come wicked after this life shall bee turned into hell, and all the people that forget God.

O then beloued, sith the case is so, that the godly are so exceedingly blessed, both here and for euer: and the wicked so mise­rably accursed, in this life, and in the life to come, let vs speedily forsake our sins & wickednes, lest Gods curses come speedily vpon vs: and let vs assuredly knowe, that if we feare God, and loue godlinesse, wee shall bee blessed a thousand fold, whereof wee haue many examples in the scriptures, of such as for their faith and godlinesse haue beene blessed before vs.

Abell for his faith and godlinesse, his Examples of such as God hath blessed for their faith and godli­nes. Gene, 4.4. & 5.24. & 7.1 offering was accepted of God, when cursed Caynes was reiected, God himselfe gi­uing testimony with Abell, that hee was righteous.

Enoch for his faith and holinesse, was ta­ken vp into heauen, for he was reported of, that he had pleased God.

Noah for his faith and godlinesse, was saued in the Arke, when all the world besides, except his familie, perished in the water.

Lot seruing God among wicked and vn­godly & 19.16. [Page 139] people, was saued aliue when Sodom and Gomorra were burned with fire and brimestone.

Abraham for his faith and godlinesse, & 12, 2.3. was blessed of God aboue all them that li­ued before him.

So Isaak, Iacob and the Patriarkes Heb. 11.9 heyres with him of the same blessing.

What should we speake of Elias, Elisha, Samuel, and all the rest of the prophets, which for their faith and godlines are so re­nowned in the scripture? What shoulde I Luk, 1.6. make mention of Zacharias the father, and Iohn Baptist the sonne, the one is saide to Mat. 11.11, Luk 2.25. Act. 10.2. & 6.5 2 Cer. 1, 12. & 4.2. 1 Thess. 2.10. Women al­so commended for their faith & godlines. 2. Pet. 3.5. Gen. 27.46. Exod. 15.20 Iud, 5, 1 Ester 4, 16 Luk. 1, 6 & 1, 30. be iust before God, walking in all the com­mandementes of God without reproofe: the other that hee was the chiefest among womens children.

Adde hereunto, holy Simeon, good Cor­nelius, Saint Stephen, Saint Paule, and all the rest of the Apostles, of whom as Saint Paule saith, The worlde was witnesse and God also, howe holily, howe iustly, and vnblameably they walked before God.

And not onely doth the scripture com­mend men, but womē also for their faith, & godlines, as Saraa, Rebecca, Myriā, Debo­ra, Ester, Elizabeth, y^e virgin Mary, Martha [Page 140] and Mary the sisters of Lazarus, Marye Ioh. 11.5 Luk. 8.3. Mark. 16.1 Act. 9. [...]9 & 14. 14.15. 2 Tim. 2.1.5. Act. 18.2. Rom. 1 6.. Magdalene, and Ioanna the wife Chusa, Herodes stewarde, Susanna and many others which ministred vnto Christ of their substaunce: Mary the mother of Iames, and Salome, and others that be­stowed cost on Iesus being deade, of Dorcas, Lydia, Lois and Eunice the grand­mother & mother of Tymothie: of Pris­cilla, Phebe, and the elect Lady to whom 2 Ioh. 1. Iohn writeth, with infinite other, which to repeate at large, woulde be more te­dious then profitable.

All these both men & women, haue beene wonderfully blessed of God for their faith, for their holines, for their religion, for their zeale and godlinesse, and are most worthy examples for vs to followe, of what calling, sexe or degree soeuer wee God wil blesse them that be godly. bee: If wee be faithfull, holy, zealous, religious and godly, as they were, then surely God will blesse vs as hee did them. For God is one and the same stil. I am God (saith hee) I chaunge not: in euerie nati­on, Mala. 3.6. Act. 10.35. hee that feareth God, and worketh righteousnes, is accepted with him. who will rewarde euery one according, as hee sheweth forth his faith by his good workes. That is, as saith Sainte Paule, to them Rom. 2. 7 which by continuance in well doing, seeke [Page 141] glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, eternall life: but vnto them that are con­tentious, 8 and disobey the truth, and o­bey vnrighteousnesse, shall bee indig­nation, and wrath. Tribulation and anguish shall be vpon euery foule that doth euil, 9. vpon the Iew first, and also the Gentile: but to euery man that doth good, shall bee 10 glorie, and honour, and peace, to the Iewe first, and also to the Gentile: for 11 there is no respecte of persons with God.

Wherefore, let vs hearken vnto Saynt Peter, who biddeth vs to ioyne godlines with patience, and the other vertues: yea God no accepter of persons. Leuit. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 11 let vs hearken vnto God himselfe, who biddeth vs bee holy as hee is holie: let vs eschewe euill, and doe good, let vs seeke peace and follow after it.

Let vs not bee dismaied with the mul­titudes of the vngodly, for there are some Reuelat. 22 11. which are vniust, and wil bee vniust still, some filthy, and will be filthy stil: but let him that is righteous, bee righteous still: and let him that is holye bee holy still: for beholde I come shortly (saith Christ) and my rewarde is with mee, to giue to euerye 12 man as his worke shall be.

Blessed are they that doe his commaun­dements 14. [Page 142] mentes, that their right may bee in the tree of life, and that they may enter in through 15. the gates into the Cittie: for without shall bee dogges, and inchaunters, and whore­mongers and murtherers, and Idola­ters, and whosoeuer lo­ueth or maketh lyes.

Of Brotherly kindnesse. Chap. 7.

THe Apostle Saint Peter, ha­uing furnished sixe linkes of his Chaine, the vertue & vse whereof, doe especially profite, and appertaine to ech particular person, that is indued with them: as euery particular man and woman must be saued by his owne faith, euery one must haue vertue, to ad­dorne and beautifie his faith: euery one must haue true knowledge to leade him the way vnto vertue: euery one must labour, by temperaunce and sobrietie, to keepe his owne bodie in subiection to his spirite, ac­cording as his knowledge out of Gods worde doth teach him, euery one hath need of patience, to endure the sundry trials and temptations, of this life, and of godlinesse which is the maintayner and supporter of christian patience. Thus I say, euery one of these vertues do in a special & peculiar mā ­nerprofite themselues that are endued with them.

But because man is not borne alone for himselfe, (as heathen men also haue taught) and therefore must not onely haue vertues to benefite himselfe, but also [Page 145] such as wherewith hee may doo good to o­thers. Therefore Saint Peter biddeth vs to ioyne with the other forenamed vertues, first brotherly kindnes, which is a most fer­uent 2. Pet: 1. 7. What bro­therly kind­nes is. loue and kinde affection that all the children of God do beare one vnto the o­ther, and therefore rightlye called of the Apostle brotherly kindnes, as wee are bre­thren in Christe by grace of redemption: & then bids vs last of al to ioyne with our bro­therly kindnes loue or charity, which exten­deth it selfe farther then brotherly kindnes doth, not onely to the saints and children of God, but vnto all men in generall, euen vnto our verie mortall and deadly enemies. For this cause then is it, that Saint Peter doth not bring loue and brotherly kindnes together within the compasse of one linke, but speaketh of them seuerally & distinct­ly, yet lincketh them one in the other, be­cause there can bee no brotherlie kindnes where there is no loue, nor any true loue where there is not brotherlie kindnesse. Whereupon it must needs follow, that none but the children of God, can haue either loue or brotherly kindnes.

Obiection. First then, to intreat of brotherly kind­nes (which is not so generall as loue is) see­ing that none but the faithfull are endued with it: a question maye heere bee mooued, what kind of loue & affection that is which is shewed by one man to another, euen of them that are not christians, but heathen [Page 146] people and infidels, yea, and also many of them which beare the names of christians shewe great kindnes one to the other, not because they are christians, & of the house­hold of faith (for that is the least thing they account of) but for some other cause, and in some other respecte.Answere I answere, that this kind of loue and affection may also in a sort bee called brotherly kindnes, to wit, as we are brothers by creation. But to make a di­stinction between the one & the other, see­ing the holy ghost doth call that kindnes of affection which christians beare one to the other, brotherly kindnes, let vs call this other kindnesse and affection naturall kindnesse, for so indeede it is a naturall vertue giuen vnto mankinde in his first cre­ation, but sithens greatlye corrupted and defaced by sinne, as all other giftes of na­ture are.

Now for as much as naturall kindenes was before brotherly kindnes, and because brotherly kindnes wherevnto Saint Peter exhorteth vs, doth not take a way naturall kindnes, but rather seeketh to repaire na­ture thorough grace: therefore I thinke it not amisse, in this chapter to speake first of naturall kindnes, and how wee do degene­rate heerein contrary to our kinde and na­ture, and then to come to this christian brotherlie kindnes that Saint Peter speak­eth of, which doth excell and exceede the other by many degrees: shewing withall [Page 147] the want of this brotherlie kindnes, which doth too much bewray it selfe euen among those countryes and nations which are pro­fessed christians.

First then concerning naturall kinde­nes, wee maye consider the greate and won­derful wisedome of almightie GOD, as in all thinges, so especiallye in this one thing, forming in numerable sortes of cre­atures wherwith the whole world is reple­nished, Gen: 1, 24 Nature hath taught all beasts to loue theyr kind. infused into eache creature this se­crete force of nature, that euerie one shoulde loue and liue together with such as were best like the one vnto the other. The birdes of the aire by themselues, the beastes of the fielde by themselues, the fi­shes of the sea by themselues, and the cree­ping wormes vnder the earth by them­selues. Yea moreouer, of all these generall kindes, he made diuers and sundry particu­lars, that should sorte themselues one with another. Of birdes, some are Eagles, some are Doues, and so foorth. Of beasts, some are Lyons, some are Leopardes. Of fishes some are Whales, some are Dolphines. Of creeping thinges, some are Adders, some are Snakes, and so foorth. And of all these seuerall sortes of birdes, beastes, fi­shes and creeping things, we see euerie one flie, go, swimme, and creepe with his make and like, obseruing yet vnto this daye that wonderfull force of nature which was first giuen vnto them.

[Page 148] Now what doth all this teach and preach vnto vs, but that man which was made Lord Man taught his duty by vnreasona­ble crea­tures. & gouernour ouer all these other creatures, should keepe still that same force of nature which was also giuen him in his kind, to liue mutually together one with y^e other? for whē Adam was formed of the dust of the earth, euen nature no doubt taught him this, that of all the creatures in the world, there were none made like vnto man, I meane in shape and fairenes of bodye (to speake nothing of Gen: 2. 20. the soule which is the chefest parte of man) which Adam could find in his hart to chuse for an equall make and companion with him. Birdes they were feathered, & too swift of flying, Beasts they were hairie & too swift No vnrea­sonable creature fit to beare A­dam com­panye. of running, Fishes they were shellye and to swift of swimming: creeping and crawling wromes, which could scarce moue one foot from the groūd, were the vnequallest of all to be matched with man, who was made to stand vpright vpon his feete, to behold the glorye of God in the firmament and hea­uens. Thus when nothing coulde bee found Gen: 2: 18. fit to keepe Adam companye, God of his great mercy made one of Adams owne flesh and bone like vnto him. onely differing in sex, whereby mankind might bee also in­creased, and the world thereby replenished.

Of these twaine so liking & louing toge­ther, because they were like of body, like of Adam and Eue fit company­ons. speech, and like of mind, hath sprung all the increase of mankind in whatsoeuer country [Page 149] or nation now they are remayning. And e­uerie one hath a secrete force of nature in himselfe, to loue & like one another: which kinde of affection, is called naturall kind­nes, or if you will, brotherly naturall kind­nes, Naturall brotherlie kindnes. as we are brothers by creation, how so­euer man in this pointe, hath degenerated out of kinde, more then all other creatures in the world.

Nature hath taught all beastes to loue their like, & nature hath taught men to loue Many men more vnna­turall than brute beasts one another: Wheresoeuer thou seest man, which is thy fleshe, thou oughtest for that cause to loue him, and to shewe brotherlie kindnes vnto him, Bee hee Turke, Iewe, Bar­barian, Scythyan, Grecian, or of any other nation or country vnder heauen, nature (if thou bee not more vnnaturall then a beast) hath taught thee to shew the kindnes of a man vnto him: and to do him any good thou canst. If thou see him in pouerty, thou oughtest to bestowe thy liberallity vppon Man by na­ture ought to loue one another. him: if he be sicke, thou oughtest to succour him: if hee bee in sorrowe, thou oughtest to comfort him, if hee be out of the waie, thou oughtest to guide him; if hee bee dead thou Esay. 58.7. No man hateth his own flesh, therefore e­uerie one should shew kindnes to ano­ther. oughtest to burie him. These lessons, I saye, nature doth teach thee; and the scripture when it perswades vs to helpe the needie in their distresse, vseth this argument of per­swasion, not to turne awaye thy face from thine owne flesh: it is thine own flesh, and of thine owne kinde, therefore shewe kindnes [Page 150] vnto all men. O would to God this force of nature were not quenched in vs, then should not so many pitifull and distressed creatures lie vnholpen & vnreleeued of such as are well able to releeue them. This onely thing doth plainely declare, that man doth more degenerate and growe out of kinde in this point, then either the beastes of the field, or birds of the aire, which will louing­ly helpe one another, and shew kindnes one to another: the same I saye should one man do for another, of what nation or countrye soeuer hee bee: for nature it selfe doth per­swade vs therevnto, to shewe the kindnes of a man one to the other.

Ob If any man will obiecte, if this rule of nature shoulde bee alwaies obserued, that then one man should not bee killed or put to death by an other, (so all magistracie and authority should bee taken away) Ans I answere, true it is, it is vnnaturall for one man to kill another, so it is vnnaturall for any man to cut, or suffer any of his owne members to be cut off: but yet, if one member bee readie to corrupt the whole bodye; it were better to cut off that member, though it be against Rotten members must be cut off. nature, then the whole bodye shoulde pe­rishe: for of two mischiefes, the lesser is to be chosen, and nature must yeelde vnto ne­cessitie. Euen so it fareth in the body poli­tique of euerie comonweale; for that rotten members, & malefactors are cut off by the sword of the magistrate, it is for the preser­uation [Page 151] of the whole body of that countrye or weale publique. Neither can it bee said, that the magistrate doth any thing against nature, which doubtlesse is greeued in re­spect Magistracie maintained of nature, that any member is cut off, how be it for the health of the whole bodie it must bee done. Euen as a chyrurgion A simili­tude. (though hee shew his boldnes of courage outwardly) is touched by nature in com­passion, when he cutteth off an arme or leg from any body: but it is the office of the chirurgion to do the one, and it is the duty of the magistrate to do the other: & neither of them offend against nature.

This I speake generally of all countries & nations where any gouernment is obser­ued: if wee shoulde speake particularlye of Christian common weales, and of Christian magistrates, that haue the woorde of God, why then wee maye aunswere further, that they haue Gods warrant, who is aboue na­ture, to take awaie rotten members, by the swoorde at home, As Saint Paule sayth, Gods word is euery chri­stian magi­strates war­rant. R [...]. 13.4, Deutro. 20. 1.2. 3.4. Warrs law­full where the cause i [...] good. if thou doo euill, feare; for hee beareth not the swoorde for nought: for hee is the mi­nister of GOD to take vengeance on him that doeth euill. As also to defende theyr Countrie and people by feates of armes both at home and abroade.

None of these thinges, I saie, is against the lawe of nature, which teacheth eue­rie man to shewe brotherlye kindnesse, [Page 152] yea the magistrate as well as any other: not­withstanding to speak all in a word, it is not Not the magistrate but the law that putteth malefactors to death. the magistrate but the law that putteth ma­lefactors to death. Wherefore, this force of nature doeth still remaine vntaken awaye, that brotherly kindnes must be shewed one to another, as wee are all men made by one workmaster, of one mettall though cast in diuers moldes.

Now that one man doth loue his owne degrees of brotherly kindnes. country men better then another, and in that country his kindred before other, and in that kindred his owne familie before an other, and in that family, his wife and chil­dren before other, it commeth also to passe by the secrete force of nature. For as in birds, beastes, and fishes, though birds will company with birds, & beasts with beasts, and so forth, yet euerie of them haue their seuerall fellowships, as before wee haue no­ted. So likewise though in generallitie, man will company with man, and in a sorte shewe kindnes one to another, yet nature hath her working in vs also, euen in this, that by how much more we are lincked to­gether by any bonde of familiaritie and friendship, of countrie, or kindred, by so much more wee will shewe kindnes one to y^e other, for that in deed is right brotherlie True bro­therly kind­nes. kindnes, and most agreeable vnto nature. For as we cannot shewe kindnes to all men at one time, so it were vnnaturall (and such vnnaturall wretches there are many in this [Page 153] land) to be vnkind vnto our owne country Vnkind countrie­men that will helpe other coun­tries rather then their owne. men, kindred, neighbours and friends, and to seeke opportunity to shew kindnes vnto other countries, or to them wee neuer sawe before. This you will saye is kindnes, but it is vnnaturall kindnesse, such as is odious before God and man.

Now, as there are some which turne naturall into vnnaturall kindnesse, so the most part of people that are irreligious and liuing in this declining age of the world, are growen so barbarous, hard harted, in­humane and brutish, insomuch that it see­meth this naturall kindnesse is almost ex­tinguished in them. And if I may speake by waye of comparison, we shall finde that not onely bruite beastes do excell many men in this natural kindnes one toward the other, but also in declaring their naturall affection vnto man, more then one man sometimes doth vnto another. Fewe natural men with­out religion and godlines doe loue theyr wiues as the turtle doth his make: no wo­man can shewe more kindnes vnto her chil­dren, then the Pellicane doth to her young; If vnreasonable creatures can match, nay o­uermatch many of vs in these two pointes of natural kindnes, then what shal we thinke of the rest?

Againe, histories do record what great affection brutishe beastes haue shewed vnto mankinde. Pliny reporteth that in the cittie of Ceston an Eagle being brought vp by a [Page 154] young maide, loued the maide so well, that it woulde flye abroad and kill foules and bring them home to the damsell, and when she died the Eagle died with her. As strange a thing as this wee reade of an Elephant which was in the warres at what time Pir­rhus subdued the citie of Argos, which ele­phant after hee perceiued that his maister was slaine, went vp and downe among the dead soldiers, to seeke his maister, which being founde, the Elephant brought his bodye being dead to a safe place, where the Elephant after much mourning, dyed for sorow. What should I speak of the affection and naturall kindenesse that horses and dogges do shewe vnto their maisters? wee do daylie see something before our eyes, but histories do reporte much more.

Of Horses, that Alexander king of Macedon, that Iulius Caesar Emperour of Rome, that Antiochus king of Siria, had each of them a horse, who bearing vnto their maisters such affection, would suffer no other to ride vppon them but onelye their maisters, vnto whome they would crouch and kneele downe to the ground to receiue them vppon their backes. It would bee too long to rehearse the tenth historie that doth recorde the kindenes which dogges haue shewen vnto their maisters; Lisimachus that noble Grecian, had a dog named Durides, that loued him so well, [Page 155] that euen at Lisimachus death, the dog di­ed also. Hiero had another dogge, that ran willinglie into that flame of fire where his maister did burne, and so dyed with him. Titus Sabinus dogge, as Fulgotius saith, neuer forsooke his maister in prison: when any one gaue the dogge bread or meat, hee brought it vnto his maister in prison, and when his maister was thrown into the riuer Tyber, the dogge was seene to doe what hee coulde to lifte vp his maisters heade out of the water, thinking his maister had bene aliue.

These and many other such do writers reporte of the kind affection that bruite beasts do beare vnto mankinde, which I haue noted onely to this ende, that these monsters in nature, and not men, may bee ashamed to see howe farre they degenerate from that naturall kindnes which was once giuen vnto them; when they shall see euen bruite beastes to excell them therein.

The want of this naturall kindnesse is is not the least cause of so many vnnaturall murthers, villanyes, and conspiracies in the world. And if this naturall kindnes were of force among vs, though some care neither for God nor religion (as a great many doo not) yet they woulde not bee so vnkinde, as in the hardenes of theyr heartes to tourne awaye theyr faces from theyr owne fleshe, which many times they see [Page 154] [...] [Page 155] [...] [Page 156] readie to perish for want of thinges necessa­rie, whome they might well releeue wyth their superfluitie. Insomuch, that though it was once sayde, Homo homini Deus, that man shoulde bee louing as God vnto man. Yet now it is proued contrarie in a great many, that Homo homini, non lupus (as the Prouerbe is) sed daemon, Men rage not like wolues, but more like deuils one against another. And the longer wee liue, the worse: one age is more hatefull than another, and this age seemeth to shew lesse naturall kindnes than former ages.

For who seeth not, or rather what hart la­menteth not, to see how this natural kind­nes which should be between man & man, doth cool & decay daily? Is it not now come to this passe among a great many, that one man is not regarded of another, that coun­trie men disdaine one the other, that kins­men reproch the one the other, that neigh­bours deceiue one the other, that no man will trust one another, no, not his brother? Subiects are disloyall towards their prince, children are vnnaturall towardes theyr pa­rents, people haue no heartie loue towards theyr pastours, many pastours loue more the fleeces than their sheepe, euerie man loues himselfe, fewe of the common sorte care as they shoulde for the common pro­fite of theyr Countrie. Thus hath selfe loue euen bannished naturall loue and kindnes [Page 157] out of our coastes. I speake yet still of natu­rall kindnes, as wee are brothers by nature and creation.

Insomuch, that most certainly we now liue in those last dayes and perillous times which the Apostle S. Paule foreprophesied 2. Tim. 3.1 shoulde come before the end of the world, when men shoulde bee louers of their owne selues, couetous, boasters, proude, cursed speakers, disobedient to parents, vnthank­full, vnholye, without naturall affection, truce breakers, false accusers, intemperate, fierce, despisers of them which are good, traitours, headye, high minded, louers of pleasures more than louers of God, hauing a shew of holynesse, but hauing denyed the power thereof, all which thinges are most certainly fulfilled in our time.

But leauing to discourse farther of na­turall kindnesse, and of such vnkinde natu­rall men as this age yeeldeth, I must come to the chiefest thing that ought to bee spo­ken of in this Chapter, euen vnto christian brotherly kindnes, which the Apostle Saint Peter in anie case woulde haue vs to linke vnto the sixe former vertues, for Christians must not onelye shewe brotherly kindnesse one to another, because wee are brothers by nature and creation, but chiefelye and principally, because wee are also brothers by grace of redemption, by profession and religion, because wee haue one God, one [Page 158] faith, one baptisme, one sauiour and redee­mer. And is this brotherhoode neerer and dearer than the other? O farre dearer: by nature and creation we are brothers accor­ding to the flesh, but by grace wee are knit Brothers by redempti­on nearer and dearer then by cre­ation. together in vnitie of spirite: by nature wee inioye heere in a fraternitie, the temporall thinges of this worlde, (and that neyther but by vsurpation or tolleration) but by grace wee inioy through hope, those du­rable riches which shall neuer fade. By na­ture we are the sonnes of men, but by grace wee are made the sonnes of God, The same spirite bearing witnesse with our spirit, that we are the children of God. If wee bee chil­dren, Rom: 8.16.17. wee are also heires, euen the heires of God, and heirs annexed with Christ, if so be that wee suffer with him, that wee maye also bee gloryfied wyth him. By nature wee are heires heere of temporall inheri­tances, but by grace wee are heires and co­heires wyth Christ Iesus of eternall glorie: in a worde, by nature, or rather by corrup­tion of nature, we are the children of wrath and damnation, but by grace wee are resto­red vnto life and saluation.

If by nature therefore wee ought to shewe kindnesse to our brothers, according vnto the flesh, howe much more vnto them that are brothers both by nature & profes­sion?

This Argument, from the lesser to the [Page 159] greater, doeth the Apostle Saint Paule vse, when hee would perswade his beloued Phi­lemon, Brothers both by na­ture & pro­fession. Phile: 16. to shewe kindnesse vnto Onesimus, an old seruant of Philemons: I beseech thee (sayth the holy Apostle Saint Paule) for my sonne Onesimus, whome I haue begotten in my bondes, that thou wouldest receiue him for euer: not nowe as a seruant, but a­boue a seruant, euen a brother beloued, spe­ciallie to mee, howe much more to thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lorde.

Heere then was brotherly kindnesse to bee shewed, both because Onesimus was once Philemons seruant, and of his familye; in which respect, Saint Paule (as the learned doo note) doeth call Onesimus Philemons brother, according to the fleshe, as also be­cause hee was now a brother, according vn­to grace.

Furthermore, as there are degrees of brotherly kindnesse, according to nature, so also according to grace: for though loue, (whereof wee must speake in the next chap­ter) Degrees of brotherlie kindnes ac­cording to grace. doeth extende it selfe farre and neere to all the children of God alike, that are di­spearsed thoroughout the whole worlde, yet christian brotherly kindnes, doth shewe it selfe by degrees (which sheweth a differ­rence betweene loue and brotherly kinde­nes) according to country, kindered, affini­tie, fellowship, and so foorth. It was godly [Page 160] brotherly kindnes in Moises, so earnestly to pray the Lord to pardon his country peo­ple, Exod. 32.31 the children of Israel, (though therein he had chiefely respect vnto Gods glory) or els to rase his name out of the booke of life. In like maner it was christian brotherly kindnes in Saint Paule, to wishe himselfe Rom. 9. 3. separated from Christ for his brethren that were his kinsemen according to the flesh: And the same brotherly kindnes haue all the faithfull (though not in so great a mea­sure) euen vnto this daye. The faithfull hus­band doth chiefelie desire the saluation The fruites of brother­ly kindnes. of his wife, the wife lykewise of her hus­bande: faithfull parents, the saluation of their children, children ought to beare the same affection vnto their parents; so bro­thers and sisters, so neighbours and friends, so kinstolke & countrey folke, should beare this Christian brotherly kindnes one to the other. For these vertues which wee had first giuen vnto vs by creation, are not taken a­way by grace of redemption, but rather re­stored. Therefore Saint Paule saith, Be ye af­fectioned, Giftes of nature restored by grace of re­demption. to loue one the other with bro­therly kindnes. And the author to the He­brues faith, Let brotherly loue continue. And againe, forsake not the fellowship that ye haue among your selues, as the manner Heb: 12. 1. of some is. And Saint Peter in the second Chapter of his first Epistle saith, Honour 1. Pet. 2.17. all men, loue brotherlie fellowship. [Page 161] Therefore the saintes of God in the primi­tiue Church, are commended in the third of Act. 3.42. the Actes, because they did continue not onely in the Apostles doctrine, but also in Christians should liue together in godly fellowship. fellowship. If these Christians were com­mended, for that they continued in the A­postles doctrine and fellowship: howe are many that beare the names of Christians in this age to be condemned, for that they a­gree neyther in the Apostles doctrine, ney­ther in brotherly kindnes, and Christian fe­lowship: but deuide & separate themselues one from the other?

How are all the nations in Christendome deuided and rent asunder the one from the other? (a token that the latter day draweth The bonds of Christian fellowship broken. neer) Are not almost al the bonds of christiā fellowship, & brotherly kindnesse broken? Doth not one christian nation thirst for the bloude of an other? Nay will all the bloude of all the true Christians in Europe, quench the thirst of that blouddy beast of Rome, that doth nothing els but seeke to make ha­uocke of the church of God, and that vnder the pretence of holines and religion? Surely it is most certaine, that Antechrist that spirituall whore of Babilon, hath not onely made drunken the most part of the Kinges and Princes of the earth, with the cup of her [Page 162] fornication, but also hath beene the very The pope the bellows of discenti­on. bellowes, which out of hell mouth, hath kindled the coals these many yeares of most parte of the warres in christendome. France Germany and many other countries, may be produced for witnesses: yea I am perswa­ded that the King of Spaine himselfe (which at this day is content to be in this respect at the Popes command, to runne, to go, to fight when he bids him) woulde also confesse this The Spa­nish cleargy the drudges of popery. truth, if he were not affraide of his cleargy, the very drudges of Popery.

The Turkes and Sarasens, neede not trouble themselues to make warre against Christendome, for wee haue them that by name and profession are Christians, which doe trauel in paine, (as a woman ready to be deliuered, till they heare or see all christen­dome together by the eares. But let Spaine aboue all take heede, lest while they pre­pare A good ca­ueat for Spaine. their forces to fight against christians, their countrie be ouerthrowen, by Turkes and Barbarians.

And as for that beaste of Rome and the Cittie and country thereof, which a long The iudge­ment of the whore. time haue fed and pampered such a bloud­dy beast and beastly whore. Let her (I say) assuredly knowe, that her sinnes are come Reuel. 18.5. vp into heauen, and God hath remembred [Page 163] her iniquities: and will rewarde her as shee hath rewarded other, and giue her double according to her workes, and in the cuppe which she hath filled to other, shall bee fil­led to her the double.

In as much as she hath glorified her self, & liued in pleasure: so much shal she haue tor­ment and sorrowe: for she saith in her harte I sit as a Queene, and am no widdow, and shall see no mourning. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day, death, and sorrow Ver. 8. When God iudgeth there is no end of tor­ment. and famine, and she shalbe burnt with fire, for strong is the Lorde God that will con­demne her.

Yea God doth dayly destroy her with the breath of his mouth, but shal vtterly abolish her, at the brightnes of his comming, which 2. Thess. 2▪8 shalbe at the day of iudgement.

And that this day is at hande, this is not one of the least signes, that nation shal rise a­gainst nation, & kingdome against kingdom, as now is to be seene in christendome, that Tokens that the day of iudge­ment is at hand. brotherly loue, & kindnes, among christian nations is waxen colde, & iniquitie aboun­ding, euen as our sauiour foretolde shoulde come to passe before the end of the world. Therefore let all the wicked ones of the Mat. 24.7.12. world, specially they that haue receiued the marke of the beaste in their right Reue. 13.16 hand, or in their foreheade, howle, crie and [Page 164] weepe, for the iudgement of the great day is comming. But O heauen reioyce of this, & 18.20. and ye holy Apostles, and prophets, & mar­tirs, for God hath giuen you iudgement vp­on The godly reioyce for the iudge­ment of the whore. Luk. 21.28. the beast: and let all the godly and faith­full people in the worlde, bee glad, and lift vp their heades with ioy, because their re­demption draweth neare.

Thus haue wee seene, howe the bondes of brotherly loue and kindnes, are broken and rent asunder, throughout all the landes of christendom. And I would to God ther were no breach of this brotherly loue and kinde­nes, among those christians, which liue toge­ther in one land, vnder one christian Prince, hauing all one God, one faith, one baptisme, one true religion: that we would walke wor­thy Contenti­ons among Christians lamentable. Ephes. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.6 of the vocation, whereunto wee are cal­led, in all humblenes of mind, and meeknes with long suffering, supporting one the other through loue, endeuouring to keep the vnity of the spirite in the bonde of peace, euen as we are called in one hope of our calling, and that wee woulde all speake one thing, that there were no dissentions among vs, but 1 Cor. 1.10. that wee woulde bee knit together in one mind and in one iudgement.

So should God be glorified, so should all our Princes good and godly lawes be obey­ed, The fruit of Christian concord. [Page 165] so should the mouthes of our aduersaries bee stopped, so shoulde vertue florish, and righteousnes should looke downe from hea­uen vpon vs, so should Sion reioyce, and Is­rael would be glad, to see brotherly kindnes maintayned among vs. God is not the au­thour Galat. 6, 16, of confusion, but of peace, and as many as follow this rule, the God of loue and peace, bee with them: Amen.

Of Loue, or Cheritie. Chap. 8.

IT is the manner of cunning and curious golde-sinithes, that worke onely vpon fine and pure gold, euermore to put vnto their worke, some priuie signe or marke, where­by they will know their owne doinges from others, that vse not so fine gold as they doe. The very same thing (in a sorte) our skilfull and perfect workeman Sainte Peter seemeth to doe, in this excellent peece of worke now in hand, he hath beaten out all his linckes of the purest and finest golde, hee hath so curi­ously lincked one lincke in the other, & ri­uited the same fast with the hammer of Gods worde, that it cannot bee perceiued where the soldering is. Now being about Saint Peters chaine, made all of pure gold. to finish his chaine, he addeth this last linck of loue vnto it, which serueth him as a pri­uie signe or marke to know this chaine made all of purified gold, from all other mens worke, that shall goe about to counterfaite the same with any base golde, or copper that hath not beene tried by the perfecte touchstone of the word of God, nor weigh­edin the ballance of the sanctuary.

And this is done surely to great purpose, [Page 169] for as no golde-smith be he neuer so skilful, can make any worke of his finest golde, but some shifting mates or other, will counter­faite the same in Copper, and double-gilde it ouer with golde, in such sort that (except it betryed two or three times by the touch) it shall not appeare that it is counterfaite. E­uen so Sainte Peter, knowing that there Many counterfaiters of vertue in the world. would arise many such deceauers in the last age of the world, that would counterfait his Chaine, making shew to the world, that they haue faith, vertue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godlines, and brotherly kindnes, when in truth (being tryed by the touch it is nothing so) hee therefore (me thinketh) ad­deth of set purpose, vnto his Chaine this gol­den True loue can hardly be counter­faited. A similitud linke of loue, which cannot well bee coloured or counterfaited. For as the Ca­melion, can chaunge himselfe into any co­lour, except it be white, so the wicked impes of Sathan, can counterfaite euery vertue, ex­cept it be loue and charitie: the which thing when they would also goe about to doe, the heate of their malicious stomaks euer more be wraie them, by this lincke then of loue & charitie, it shall appeare, who are truely ver­tuous, and who are counterfaite hypocrites, and dissemblers.

Furthermore, this loue whereunto Saint Peter here exhorteth vs, is a true note wher­by the children of God are knowne, and a [Page 170] badge which euerye Christian ought to Loue the badge of Christians weare. Therefore loue may bee called the badge of Christians. Noble and gentlemen wee see, (that their retinue, and attendants may be knowne) when they receiue any man into their seruice, giue them a badge or re­cognisance. Euerie souldier in the fielde, Similies. knoweth of what band he is, by y^e ensigne that is borne before him. Christ Iesus therefore that most noble and victorious Captaine, that hath vanquished sinne death and hell, to the end hee might haue his souldiers and Christ will haue his souldiers knowne from Sa­thans. seruants knowne from all other, hath assig­ned vnto them a peculiar badge or recognis­ance, such as cannot bee countersaited, and it is indeede this loue which S. Peter speak­eth of. By this (saith Christ) shall all men Ioh. 13.35 know that yee are my Disciples, if yee loue one an other. This badge of loue must bee plated fast, not in the sleeue, but in the harts of Christians: the Mettal whereof this badge Loue must be in the hearte. of loue is made, doth farre exceede al golde or siluer, for golde will not appeare if it bee couered with any other thing, but loue the closer it is hid in the heart, the brighter wil it shine throughout all the parts of the bo­dy. Like vnto a precious stone called the Topaze, that glittereth or shineth best in the Loue like vnto a pre­cious stone that shineth best in the darke. darke. And indeed how can it be otherwise? Can it bee darke in that house where the Sunne shineth in through the Glasse win­dowes? [Page 171] Nay, can that place of the firmament bee darke where the Sunne abideth? No verily: much lesse can that soule and body of man be dark, where God himselfe which is all light remaineth.

Now God is loue, as saith Saint Iohn, Be­loued 1. Ioh. 4.7. let vs loue one an other, for loue com­meth of God, euery one that loueth is borne of God, and knoweth God: contrariwise, he that loueth not, knoweth not God, for God is loue. Againe, he saith, No man hath seene 8. GOD at any time; if wee loue one another God dwelleth in vs, and his loue is perfect Vers. 12. in vs. Againe, he saith, God is loue, and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God, and 16. and God in him. What diuine and heauen­ly thing then is Christian loue and charitie? How doth this one lincke beautifie this gol­den Chaine? Who would not bee in loue with such a Iewell, where God himselfe is engrauen in the middest? Many thinke they Loue a principall Iewell. are safe, when they haue a Crucifixe of gold, siluer or copper hanging about their neckes, though their harts be ful of hatred, sinne and mallice. But O beloued, here is a rich and precious Iewell worthie the wearing: the Crucifixe, is but a fayned and false picture of the body of Christ, whereby if thou take Crucifixe dangerous. not heede, thou mayest soone commit Ido­latrie: [...]fat least the very wearing of it be not Idolatrie: but if thou haue this Iewel of loue [Page 172] in thine hart, then thou needest not feare the force of thine enemies, for thou hast God a­biding with thee, and if God be with thee, who can preuaile against thee? There bee Rom. 2 31. indeede poore Politicians nowe a daies, which think it good policie (but it is against Diuinitie) though thou bee no Papist, (but percase a Newter, or an Atheist) to haue a Poysonfull pollititians. Crucifixe alwaies hanging about thy neckes for, say they, if the Spaniards, who are poy­soned Papists, should inuade this land, they will vse thee well, for thy Crucifixe sake. But it is sounder Diuinitie, & better agree­ing with Christianity in thy confidence that Hee that hath confi­dence in God wil defie Gods enemies. thou hast in God, to defie both Pope and popish Spaniards, the open and professed e­nemies of God and of Christ his annointed: and to harbour loue in thine heart, whereby thou mayst assure thy selfe, to be the souldi­our of Christ, who is able to defend thee, & will defend thee, trusting in GOD, (if it be for his glorie and thy saluation) from the force of all enemies whatsoeuer.

Surely this fearefulnes that is in the harts of people, as it doth argue great wickednes, and guiltinesse of their consciences, so it is a A guiltie conscience cannot be bold. Iohn. 4. 17. manifest signe, that the loue of God is not in them. For as S. Iohn saith, herein is loue perfect in vs, that we should haue boldnes, (not onely in this life against our enemies but also) in the day of iudgement. Againe he [Page 173] saith, There is no feare in loue, but perfecte 18. loue casteth out feare, and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue: if therefore thou wilt not be afraide of thine enemies in this life, nor of damnation in the life to come, enter­taine Loue cast­eth out fere. true loue and Charitie in thine hearte and mind, Loue God aboue al, & thy neigh­bour as thy selfe: for therein consisteth the Mat. 22.37. whole law and the Prophets, as our Sauiour Christ doth witnesse. And Saint Paul saith, Rom. 13.9. the Law is fulfilled in one word, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. Againe, loue hurteth not his neighbour, therefore is loue the fulfilling of the law. We must therefore Gala. 5.14. loue God aboue all, and our neighbours as our selues.

There be some indeede that wil say, they We cannot loue God if we hate our brethren. loue God, and yet will hate their brethren, but that cannot be: if we loue God, we will surely loue our neighbour: if wee hate our neighbour, we hate God also. This is cleare by the words of Saint Iohn; whose Sermons sauour al of loue: if any man say I loue God, 1. Ioh. 4.20 and yet hate his brother, he is a lyer, for how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene, Loue God whome hee hath not seene. And this commaundement haue wee of Christ, that hee that loueth God, should 21. loue his brother also. Againe hee saith, In this are the children of God knowne, and the children of the Deuil: Whosoeuer doth 1. Ioh. 3.10 [Page 174] not righteousnesse is not of God, neither he that loueth not his brother. O then beloued I am afraide that the deuill hath a greate many more children heere among vs then Christians by name but not in­deede. God hath: for though we be all called Chri­stians, yet there is litle Christian loue among vs, but olde mallice, deadly hatred, bitter enuying, contention, striuing, lawing, quar­relling, fighting, murdering, both with hand heart and tongue. O these are not the fruits of the spirit! But loue, and peace, and meek­nesse and gentlenesse, they are the fruites of Gala. 5. the spirite, the other are the markes of the children of Sathan, who hath euermore borne deadly hatred to Gods children, and and hath beenea lyer and a murderer, from the beginning.

Therefore Saint Iohn saith, Hee that ha­teth his brother is a murderer. And our Sa­uiour Christ saith, whosoeuer is angrie with 1. Ioh. 3.15 his brother vnaduisedlye is culpable of iudgement. As loue therefore is the badge Mat. 5.22. of Christians, so hatred and mallice are the proper notes of Sathans broode, the chil­dren Hatred and mallice Sa­thans recogniscences. of darkenesse. As fire and water can­not agree togeather, no more can loue and hatred remaine in one man: one fountaine cannot bring foorth salt water and sweete: a good tree cannot bring foorth bad fruite: therefore Saint Iames saith, Who so is a wise Iam. 3.11 12. man, and indued with knowledge: Let him [Page 175] shew by good conuersation his workes in 13. meekenes of wisedome: but if yee haue bit­ter enuying, & strife in your harts, this wise­dome descendeth not from aboue, but is earthly, sensual and deuilish, for wher enuy­ing 14. and strife is, there is sedition and al ma­ner of euil workes: but the wisedome that is 15. from aboue, is first pure, then peaceable, gen­tle, easie to be intreated, full of mercie and 16. good fruites; without iudging and with­out hypocrisie: and the fruite of righteous­nesse 17. is sowne in peace, of them that make peace. 18.

Wherefore, as I haue said, these inwarde grudgings and bitter contentions betweene professed Christians, are euident tokens, that there is great want of this loue and charitie among vs. Loue, sayth Salomon, (and it is Prou. 10.12 repeated againe by Sainte Peter) doeth co­uer a multitude of sinnes, if any therfore re­ioyce 1. Pet. 4.8. in blazing abroade the faults of their brethren, howe haue they this loue within Loue coue­reth many faults. Gala. 6.1.2, them? We ought rather to follow the coun­sell of Saint Paul, to support one the other with the spirit of meekenesse, considering that no man is free from temptations. The The nature and office of true loue 1. Cor. 13.1 nature and office of this true loue and cha­ritie, is excellently set forth by Saint Paule in the thirteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinths: for there the Apostle shew­eth, that al other gifts, as the gift of tongues, 2. [Page 176] prophesie, knowledge, and the rest, without loue are nothing worth. Againe, If any would giue his body to bee burned, and all his goods to the poore, without loue it pro­fiteth nothing. If any say, to giue our goods to the poore, is a fruite of loue and charitie, I confesse it, and it is a doctrine needfull to bee vrged in these daies of dearth and pen­nurie (when Lazarus craueth, and Diues hoardeth) to teach and exhorte all Christi­ans 3. vnto liberalitie, to charge them that are rich in this world (vppon paine of damnati­on) that they trust not in vncertaine riches, but in the liuing God, which giueth vs a­boundantly Exhortati­ons vnto charitie most neces­sarie. all things to enioye. That they be good and be rich in good woorkes, ready to giue and to distribute to them that haue neede, Laying vp in store for themselues a 1 Tim. 6.17 good foundation, against the time to come, that they may obtaine eternall life. For hee that giueth to the poore lendeth vnto the Lord, and looke what he layeth out, it shall 18. be paide him againe with aduantage: this is godly Vsurie, this is to hoard vp riches in heauen: Blessed is the man that prouideth for the poore and needie. It is a blessedder 19. thing to giue then to receiue. On the contra­rie, Godlyin­terest. Psal. 41.1. Act. 20.35. 1. Ioh. 3.17. he that hath this worlds goods, and see­eth his brother hath neede, and shutteth vp his compassion from him, surely there is no loue of God in him.

[Page 177] Notwithstanding, though this doctrine, I say, be true and needfull to be vrged conti­nually, yet it is true also, that wee may giue al our goods to the poore, and yet want loue and charitie. For, to giue our goods to some We must giue our Almeswith out partia­litie. poore which wee loue and like, and in our hartes to hate (with a deadly hatred) others, which are also our owne flesh, proceedeth not of loue, but of natural kindnesse; where­with infidels and heathen people are indu­ed. Againe, we may giue our goods vaine gloriously, or in hope of meriting. Therefore is it that Saint Paul saith, Though thou giue 1. Cor. 13.3 al thy goods to the poore, and haue no loue, it profiteth thee nothing. And our Sauiour Christ saith, that we must not only loue and Mat. 5.44. doe good to them that loue vs (for so the wickedst men in the world do,) but we must To loue our ene­mies com­meth not of nature but of grace Rom. 12 loue and doe good to our enemies, which thing commeth not of nature, but of grace. If thine enemie hunger, feede him: if he thirst, giue him drinke. O, this is hard, to hard har­ted people, but God will haue thee to doe this: if thou be his child, loue will bring this to passe, & till thou canst doe this in some measure; thou mayest feare to call God Fa­ther. Therefore Christ sayth, I say vnto you, Loue your enemies, blesse them that curse Mat. 5.44. you, pray for them which hate and persecute you. Why shall we doe all this? Christ aun­swereth, that ye may be the children of your [Page 178] heauenly Father, for hee maketh the Sunne 45. to rise vpon the euill and the good, and his raine to fall vppon the iust and vniust. On the contrarie, saith Christ, if yee loue them that loue you, what reward shall yee haue, doe not the Publicans euen the same? Be ye 46. perfect therefore (in loue) euen as your hea­uenly Father is perfect. To giue our goods 47. only to such poore as we loue and like, such as we know wil blaze the same abroade, and to hate other whome we should loue, is not to be perfect, but partiall in loue, and so for such loue we shal haue no thanke of GOD. We haue spoken before of brotherly-kind­nesse, that doeth keepe it selfe within some limites, but this Loue wherof now we speake hath no bounds but extendeth it selfe ouer Loue hath no bounds. all the world, euen to our verie enemies. He that cannot loue his enemies for Christs sake is not perfect in loue. God loued vs when we were his enemies, wee must follow God in this respect. Be followers of God, saith Rom. 5.6. Saint Paul, and walke in loue, euen as Christ hath loued vs, and so forth. Beloued saith Eph. 5.1. Saint Iohn, If God so loued vs, we ought also to loue one another. The loue that God hath 1. Ioh. 4.11 shewed vnto vs is infinite, and vnmeasura­ble, wee must therefore endeauour to loue God, and our enemies for his sake in some We must loue our e­nemies be­cause God loued vs being his e­nemies. measure. Or else, Woe, Woe be vnto vs. We must loue God, because hee loued vs first, [Page 179] and wee must loue our enemies for Gods sake, because he loued vs when we were his enemies.

This doctrine by how much more it is hard for flesh and bloud to performe, be­cause it is against our fleshly nature, which is euermore desirous of reuenge, by so much If we can­not forgiue we must pray God to change our hearts. Mat. 18. 24. more ought wee to desire God to change or mollifie our hard harts, that we may be rea­die to forgiue others one hundred pence, seeing God is so kind to forgiue vs ten thou­sand talents, alwaies remembring this defi­nitiue sentence of Christ. If yee forgiue not other their trespasses, no more wil your hea­uenly Father forgiue you your trespasses. Mat. 6.15. Therefore Christians are taught daylye to pray the Lord to forgiue them, as they doe Mat. 6.12. forgiue others, that is, if wee doe not forgiue others, then wee desire the Lord not to for­giue vs, which is most fearefull, if wee haue any grace to consider ofit. This then is to be When wee pray & doe not forgiue we sinne grieuously. perfect in loue (as farre as we can attaine to perfection in this life) to loue God with all our harts, with all our soules and with al our strength, & our neighbour, though our ene­my, as our selus. The which thing, because no mā can do in such absolute sort as he ought, therefore we cannot bee perfect in loue, til Wē cannot be perfect in loue in this life. we haue laide down our fleshly nature, & be clothed with immortalitie: but we must doe the best we can: and though we cannot loue [Page 180] God and our neighbors, as we should, yet we must forgiue our enemies freely as wee are commanded: yea, & loue them, euen as our dearest frendes: though they bee our mortal enemies, and haue sworne our death, yet wee must loue them, (not with a fayned We must pray for our enemies. Luk. 23.24. Act. 7.60. but true Christian loue) and praye for them, that God woulde change their harts, and forgiue them, euen as Christ, and Saint Stephen prayed for their persecutors, saying, To forgiue iniuries, is giuen vnto vs of God. Lorde lay not this sinne to their charge. This loue which causeth vs to suffer iniuries patiently, and to forgiue them freely, is the speciall gift of God, and giuen onely to his 1 Cor. 13.4. elect. Therefore Saint Paule saith, Loue suffereth long, and is curteous: Loue enui­eth 5. not, loue doth not boast it selfe, it swel­leth not, it disdayneth not, it seeketh not her 6. owne things, it is not prouoked to anger, it 7. thinketh no euill, it reioyceth not in iniqui­tie, but reioyceth in the truth, it suffereth all thinges, it beleeueth all things, it hopeth all thinges, and indureth all thinges: Why then, he that hath this lincke of loue, hath Loue hath all vertues included in it. all these vertues included in it: O rich chain, where one lincke is bedecked with so ma­ny precious pearles: contrariwise then it must needes follow, that they which can suf­fer no iniuries, they that are of a currish na­ture, and not curteous, they that enuy at o­ther mens good successe, & prosperitie, they [Page 181] that are puffed vp with pride and vaine glo­rie, Vices con­trary vnto the fruits of loue. as a bladder with winde, they that will commende none, but disdaine all, they that are not contented with their owne, but seek other mens, by deceite or oppression, they that not onely thinke euill, but study to de­uise mischiefe: they that are sory to haue truth knowen, & reioyce in iniquitie. These and such like whosoeuer they are, & of what calling or degree soeuer they be of, haue not receiued this badge of loue, whereby they should be knowen to be true christians.

Last of all, S. Paul saith, that loue neuer Verse 8. falleth away, but abideth with vs in this life, & shall continue with vs for euermore in the life to come. O then let vs make much of Loue and charitie, for it is a surpassing Loue a sur­passing trea­sure. treasure. It is no maruell that Sainte Peter would not finishe his Chayne before this lincke of loue were aded vnto it. That must A glorious Chaine that beginneth with faith and endeth in loue. Happy are they that weare this chaine. 2. Pet. 1.8. needes be a golden and glorious chaine, that beginneth with faith, and endeth in loue: hauing lincked vnto them both, all graces and vertues whatsoeuer: happy, yea thrise happy are they that weare this Chaine: sure­ly, they shall neuer be bound in euerlasting chaines. If these things (saith S. Peter) be among you, and abounde, they will make you, that ye shall neuer be idle, nor vnfruit­full in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus 9. Christ. But he that hath not these thinges [Page 182] (as faith, loue, & the rest) is blind & cannot see farre of, and hath forgotten that hee was 10 purged from his old sinnes, wherefore bree­thren giue all diligence, to make your cal­ling & election sure: for if ye do these things ye shal neuer fall, but by these meanes an 11 entring shal bee ministred vnto you aboun­dantly, into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ: to whome with the Father, and the holy Ghost bee all prayse, glory, power and maiestie, from age to age world without end.