wil. Is this that fleshe for the which I haue committed so many fornications so many wickednesses For the which I haue so many times giuen my selfe to gluttonie and carnal pleasures Is this that face which with so great care I haue kept from sunburning O vnhappy pallace for thy sake I haue wearied my selfe by land and by seas O vnfortunate belly how became I such a foole that I would worship thée for God Haue I lost the kingdome of heauen for this most abiect body for this most foule stinke of al filthinesse and haue purchased to my selfe euerlasting torments O ye furies O ye spirits of hel why doe ye stay why teare ye me not in péeces why doe ye not bring me to nothing These such like words shal the soule vtter against the flesh with excéeding rage and hatred the which notwithstanding it liued so wel when it was here vppon earth that it worshipped the same for a Lady and God and to fulfil the lustes thereof if feared not to violate and breake the lawe and commandements of God 23 And when all are risen againe and are gathered together into the place which God hath appointed for this iudgement then shal hée appeare in the clowdes of heauen with power and great maiestie whom God hath appointed to be the iudge of the quicke and dead And he shal not come alone but accompanied with an innumerable multitude of heauenly Princes 24 The feare which shal come by reason of that maiestie shal be so great that the prophet Isaias saith Isay 2. They shall goe into the holes of rockes into the caues of the earth from before the face of the Lord and from the glory of his maiestie when he shal arise to destroy the earth Apoc. 20. And the Apostle Saint Iohn addeth I sawe a great white throne and one that sat on it fron whose face fledde away both the earth and heauen For as when the flood of the Ocean swelleth they are wont to tremble which dwel vpon the shore and yet can take no harme euen so when the Lord beginneth to poure foorth his wrath and indignation vpon wicked men the Saints also and the Angels and men which are in no peril shal after a sort tremble and feare If therefore the iust shal feare and the pillers of heauen shal shake what shal the wicked and vngodly doe 25 And in very déed so soone as the Lord shal appeare there shal be heard immediatly a great cry and howling among the Nations Mat. 24. Apoc. 1. Zach. 12. for then as the Lord himselfe saith shal al the kinreds of the earth mourne and they shal sée him whom they pearced and they shal lament for him as one mourneth for his onely son and he sorie for him as one is sorry for his first borne O how many causes of wéeping howling shal miserable and vnhappy men then haue They shal wéepe because they shal sée that their euils and miseries are past all remedy They shal wéepe because they shal sée that their repentance is too late and vnprofitable They shal weepe because they cannot appeale from Gods sentence neither can flée the iudgement at hand and it shal séeme a thing intollerable to bée at the iudgement and to heare the sentence of euerlasting condemnation They shal wéepe because when they liued here on earth they despised those which forewarned them They shal wéepe because the pleasures which are gone as a shadow haue brought vpon them endlesse sorrowes and torments To be briefe as men beset on euery side and brought into ineuitable straights destitute of al counsaile and hope they shal wéepe because they shal sée that they cannot preuaile any thing at all neither with wéeping nor yet with scratching and tearing of themselues 26 Neither wil the Iudge bée moued by any meanes with these cries and sorrowes but wil rather seperate the wéepers from those that reioyce that is to say the wicked from the godly euen as a Shepheard diuideth the Sheepe from the Goates and shal set the godly on his right hand and the wicked on his left 27 And then hée wil beginne to discusse the cause of euery one and hee wil not forget any one offence For wée shal sée all things registred in perfect bookes by which bookes all men shal be iudged I sawe saith Saint Iohn the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes So that al our workes are written in those euerlasting bookes Thou hast scarcely committed an adulterous thought but the same wickednesse is written in Gods booke 28 And not onely Church-robbings and sacrileges parricides periuries and such like faults but also impure thoughtes and idle wordes the neglecting of good workes or the same done to no good ende shal bée brought into iudgement For so great is the excellencie estimation of Christian integritie purity that no one or the very least vice that may be is not permitted to Christian men 29 The cafe standing thus whereof I beséech you commeth it that there is in vs so great loosenesse so great carelesnesse so great sloothfulnesse and such securitie Do we not flatter our selues when so great iudgement hangeth ouer our heades Holy was the prophet Dauid a man after Gods own hart and yet he so feared this iudgement that hée saide Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no man liuing shal bée iustified in thy sight Holy was the Apostle Paul and yet he saith I knowe nought by my selfe and yet hereby I am not iustified it is the Lord that iudgeth me as if he should say therefore I dare not pronounce my selfe iust because he that iudgeth me is the Lord. For such are the eyes of the Lord that the starres are not cleane in his sight and many times his eyes doe beholde wickednesse where we sée nothing but holines Holy also was the friende of God Iob. 31. Iob and yet he said What shall I doe when God ariseth to iudgement and when he maketh inquisition what answere shal I giue him Why doeth this man of God so commended of Gods owne mouth who was so iust and simple that hee could say without lying I was an eye to the blinde and a foote to the lame Iob. 29.27 and againe My heart doeth not reproue mee in all my life why I say is a man of such singular innocencie so afearde of Gods iudgement namely because he knoweth that God hath no eyes of flesh and that he iudgeth far otherwhise then men doe 30 Moreouer when all mens causes are diligently discussed and examined the Iudge wil pronounce against the wicked the irreuocable sentence of eternall damnation Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels O bitter word which wil
A SILVER Watch-bell The sound wherof is able by the grace of God to win the most profane worldling and carelesse liuer if there be but the least spark of grace remaining in him to become a true Christian indeed that in the end he may obtaine euerlasting saluation Whereunto is annexed a Treatise of the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11. Be ye followers of me euen as I am of Christ 1. Cor. 13. Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am as sounding braâ—â—e or a tinckling Cimball Imprinted at London by T.C. for William Cotton and are to be sold at his shop adioyning to Ludgate 1605. TO ALL WEAKE Christians that haue a desire to be saued IT is a necessary rule in pollicie dearely beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that those cities shuld be garded round which are besieged round and it was Cambices counsell too that Citizens which would keepe their Cities in safety flourishing estaâ—â— should euer bee watchfull as if the enemies were approching As this is good pollicie for Cities or Garrison townes so also Christ Iesus in the Gospell knowing that his Church should haue manie enemies and foreseeing the danger that might come vnto it by securitie coÌ„mendeth coÌ„maundeth watchfulnes to his Disciples seruants for security hath euer greatly endaÌ„maged Gods church Security made Bethel Bethauen the sweet valley a valley of salt Syon a den for Foxes Hierusalem Hieruschica that is a most homely vnpleasant place And who seeth not that the greater number of men at this day are so lulled a sleepe in the chaire of securitie by the loue of the world by the sinfull delights of the flesh and by the subtile suggestions of Sathan which they suspect not that they can as hardly be awaked as Endymion from his endlesse sleepe In the one eare Security sounding It is not yet time In the other eare presumption singing It will be time still And thus with the Dolphin they swim in delights when destruction is nearest till at the last Desperation the handmaide of Securitie plaieth her part sheweth them the houre-glasse and wofully telleth them the time is past The consideration hereof moued me Christian reader according to my simple art and skill to frame this booke as a Watch-bell to sounde in the eares of all men not one stroke alone but twelue in twelue seuerall Chapters which may serue as the wheeles of a Watch-bell to inforce it to yeeld forth the more shrill sound thereby to awake the most drowsie harted sinners from their security carelesse liuing to enter into a consideratioÌ„ how their case standeth with God finding themselues by their forepassed wicked life not worthy of the least of Gods mercies they may reforme their liues and seeke speedily to be reconciled vnto Christ And I doe hartily wish that this labour of mine may be vnto all those which desire to be heires of the euerlasting kingdome of Christ so sweet a creation in soule as were the 12. fountaines of water in Elim to the people of Israel Num. 3.3 and that it may yeelde a healing plaster to euery wounded soule no lesse effectuall then the leaues of the tree of life which bare 12. seueral fruites to heale the nations Apoc. 22. Reade it therefote diligently and with a single hart and I doubt not but in the ende thou wilt praise God both for the booke and the Author as some wel disposed haue done who haue confessed that it was the first meanes vnder God that wrought their conuersion and haue bene importunate suters for reprinting of the same wherein I haue done my endeuour and commend the successe vnto God and to him I will euermore pray that it may worke the like effect in many that the number of his Church may be daily encreased Amen Errata Page 9. lin 8. For neither are gouerned with a certaine violent motion read neither are gouerned with reason and counsell but are carried with c. page 44. lin 11. for imbraced read numbred page 63. lin 3 for fron read from pa. 62. lin 11. for if read it pa. 106. lin 24. for the read he page 100. lin 6. for houre read Chapter page 173. lin 12. for likewise read like wise men A SILVER Watch-bell CHAP. I. Of the shortnesse frailtie and miseries of mans life THis present transitorie life in the Scriptures is called a Pilgrimage Gen. 47. Sirac 40. Psal 1. a Trauaile and a Waye bicause it coÌ„tinually plieth to an ende For as they which are carried in Coaches or sayle in shippes do finish their voyage though they sit stil and sléepe euen so euery one of vs albeit we be busied about other matters and perceiue not how the course of our life passeth away being sometime at rest sometime idle and sometime in sport and dalliance yet our life alway wasteth and we in poasting spéede hasten toward our ende 2 The wayfaring man trauelleth apace and leaueth many things behind him In his way he seeth stately Bowers and buildings he beholdeth them awhile he admireth them and so passeth from them Afterwards he séeeth fields medowe flourishing pastures and goodly vineyards Vpon these also he looketh a while he wondreth at the sight and so passeth by Then he méeteth with fruitfull Orchards gréene Forrests sweete Riuers with siluer streames and behaueth himselfe as before At the length he méeteth with desarts hard waies rough and vnpleasant foule and ouergrowne with briers and thornes héere also he is enforced for a time to stay He laboureth sweateth and is gréeued but when he hath gone a while he ouercommeth these difficulties and remembreth no more the former griefes 3 Euen so it fareth with vs One while we méet with pleasant delightfull things another while with sorrowfull and gréeuous crosses But they all in a moment passe away 4 In like manner some one is cast into prison the same is tormented vexed and afflicted he is now in the brambles and troublesome place but he shal quickly come forth againe and then hée will forget all his misery 5 Furthermore in highwaies and foote-paths this commonly we see that where one hath set his foote there soone after another taketh his steppe a third defaceth the print of his predecessors foot and then another doth the like neither is there any which long time holdeth his place And is not mans life such Aske saith Basil thy fieldes and possessions how many names they haue now changed In former age they were saide to be such a mans then his afterward anothers Now they are saide to be this mans and in short time to come they shall be called I cannot tell whose possessions And why so Because mans life is a certaine way wherin one succéedeth and expelleth another 6 Beholde the seates of States and Potentates of Emperors Kings how many in euery age haue aspired to these dignities and when they haue attained them after long labors
his first Creation a bright shining Lucifer beautified as a precious stone and more excellent than al the Angels of Heauen in resplendant brightnesse through his pride against God lost his light glory and beautie and as he was worthy became a foule féend deiected from heauen into this Elementall world lower than al the Spheares into the Fire Ayre Earth and Water 5 I saw saith S. Iohn a starre fall from Heauen to the earth Apoc. 1. and to him was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pit Further he saith There was a battel in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon Chap. 12. the Dragon fought and his angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in Heauen And the great dragon that olde Serpent called the Deuill and Sathan was cast out which deceiueth all the world He was cast euen into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him And being thus deiected hée now neuer ceaseth compassing the whole earth Iob. 1. but in his circuite séeketh like a roaring Lyon whom hee may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. Luk. 22. Apoc. 12. For the which cause S. Iohn pronounceth this woo saying Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea for the diuel is come down vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time 6 For albeit the world séemeth to be the parent the bringer foorth and nourisher of bodies yet is it the prison of Spirits the exiling of soules and a place of all wretchednesse and paines For as the worlde is a place of sinne and transgression a Station of Pilgrimage and of woe a habitation of wailing of teares of trauaile of wearines of fearefulnesse and of shame of mouing of changing of passing and of corruption of insolence and of perturbation of violence and opprssion of deceit and of guile and finally the laystall of all wickednesse and abhomination so also by GODS Iustice it is appointed the place and pitte of punishment and euerlasting torment wherin the euill Angels that rebelled with Lucifer and the damned spirites of wicked men departed this life haue endlesse paine without rest 7 And albeit the Apostle calleth Sathan a Prince that ruleth in the Ayre Ephe. 2. yet is that Rule so slane-like and his power so weakened by the Almightie that when the Lorde intending to punish the sonnes of Adam and to strike the earth with tempestes of lightning and thunder Hée thereby also beateth Sathan and the whole rable of his hellish féendes that in their fury and rage therewith they terrifie men by ougly shapes and aparitions and by GODS permission to murther man and beast sometimes do ouer-throwe buildings Iob. 1. and doe fire and consumne houses leauing a most noysome and horrible stinke behinde them of the hellish place from whence they come For it is not the diuell but the glorious God that maketh the thunder and as testifieth Syrach Psal 29. Eccle. 43. It is the sound of the Lords thunder that beateth the earth 8 Thus by Gods iust iudgement hée raungeth like a runagate in the sphere of his Hell vntill the day of doome for which season he is let loose and yet with such prohibition and restraint that in his mallice hée can procéed no further than shal séeme fit to the mightie Iehouah his Creator and then hée shall receiue that punishment whereof S. Iude speaketh in these words The Angels which kept not their first estate 2. Pet. 3. Apoc. 21. but left thier owne habitation hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgment of the great day at which time there shall be a new heauen and a newe earth wherein shall dwell nothing but righteousnes when the are refined with the fire of Gods iustice and then al the creatures of those new heauens and new earth shall be made perfit for which perfection and restauration euery creature waiteth being now subiect to vanitie Rom. 8. for the which they groane that they may be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For albeit the fashion and forme of this world goeth away as saith the Apostle yet they subtance shall reamine 1. Cor. 7. whether of the heauens themselues or of the Elements or of men al which shall abide for euer 9 At this time of restauration when al things shall become new and when the dead are raised vp againe to life in their corporall bodyes then shal be prepared an out-set habitation which shal be a Chaos ful of confusion deuoyd of the first most excellent thing that God made Light and in steed thereof replenished with darknesse a thousand times worse theÌ„ the palpable darknes of Aegypts plague Exod. 10. wherein the burning and intollerable tormenting fire giueth no light where the freezing colde which causeth gnashing of téeth Iob. 10. mittigateth nothing at al the burning heate 10 The holy Scripture to inable the weake capacitie of man to comprehend and vnderstand the excéeding horror and most feareful torment of this place calles it a Bottomles pit â—ophet á Dùnge on déepe large Apoc. 1. Esai 30. Apoc. 21 the burning whereof is fyer brimstone the lake of the second death which burneth with fyer and brimstone And in regard of the weeping howling roaring secréetching in that place it is compared to the valley of Hynnom neere Hierusalem where the idolatrous people at the sacrificing of their children so the Idole Moloch Iere. 32. made a confused noyse of crying howling together with singing and sounding of Instrumments that the pitifull screetching of the children tormented in that diuellesh sacrifice might not be heard And for this cause Christ calleth Hell Gehennon which the Prophet Dauid calleth the neithermost Hell 11 And albeit to men that measure all things by Philosophy and humane reason it may seeme absurde that Fyer should aflict the soules of the reprobate departed and the damned spirites in Hell forsomuch as the Agent is euer reputed more noble than the patient but no corporal body is more noble than the Spirit and according to the minde of the Philosopher in his booke of Generation Those things are only agent and patient in themselues which communicate in the same matter yet in this poynt as also in many other things which leane onely on Faith and not on humane reason we must beléeue it because the word of God so deliuereth it For the soule of Diues in Hell cryeth and shall crye for euer Luke 16. I am tormented in this flame Which is no Parable but really acted This then is no immaginarie fyer but a true corporal fyer working really vpon body soule on the soule before the day of Iudgement and on both together in a higher degrée of torment after the day of doome not by a proper vertue and naturall action which the fyer hath but as the
comparison of the glorie that shall be shewed vpon vs. 19 If the sicke man for the loue of his health is very willing to drinke most bitter potions If the husband-man in hope of the haruest to come setteth light by the scorching heate of Sommer and the pinching colde of Winter If the Marchaunt feareth not the danger of ship-wracke nor the lying in wait of Pirats when he aduentureth for gold If the souldier for vaine glory and a shadowe of honour thinketh the burthen of his armour light and is contented to vndergoe hunger thirst watchings labours wounds perils and death it selfe how can it be but that those things which God commandeth must bée easie and light to a Christian man especially if he consider that great and sempiternal glory which God promiseth to his souldiers 20 The holy Apostle writing to the Ephesians doth not without cause say that hée prayeth with so great carefulnesse Eph. 1.18 that the God of glory would vouchsafe to giue them the spirit of wisedom and illumined eyes of the heart that they might know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of his glory of his inheritance in the Saints For hée knew that the greatnes of the heauenly reward was such that the onely consideration thereof was able to make all grieuous and bitter things swéet and light These cogitations saith S. Cyprian what persecution Cyprian de exhor Martirij what torments can ouercome The minde which is setled vpon religious Meditations standeth firme stable and the same minde standeth immoueable against all the terrors of the diuel and the threatnings of the world being confirmed by a stedfast faith of the things to come 21 The punishments also and torments which are to come are so continual and greiuous that to escape them all the labours that we suffer here in earth are not to be accounted labours 22 But yet let vs see another answere to the former question The way of the Lord in the beginning is very straight but by little and little it is enlarged In the beginning it seemeth hard and bitter but by vse it groweth easie by little and little and by custome it is made light and swéete 23 Hereupon Saint Bernard saith The commaundements of God at the first seeme importable afterward not so heauie Then not heauy at at all And in the ende they delight To this agréeth the saying of Saint Hierom. Vertues are hard to him that first taketh them in hand easie to him that profiteth in them and sweete to him that exerciseth them And Saint Augustine saith The paths of equitie when a man first entreth to them are straight and narrowe but when hee hath gone foreward in them a time they seeme spacious and broade Pro. 4.11 Also Salomon in his Prouerbes saith I haue taught thee in the waye of Wisedome and leade thee in the pathes of righteousnesse wherein when thou goest thy gate shall not be straight and when thou runnest thou shalt not fall That is to say before thou entrest thou shalt be discouraged but when thou art entred thou shalt féele little difficultie or none at all 24 Homer the Prince of Gréeke Poets a Heathen man but yet wise writteth that when Vlisses should passe by those places where Circe a famous woman in inchauntments wherby she turned men into beasts dwelt caryed with him a certaine hearbe by the force whereof he fortified himself against her power the rootes of the which are most foule and stinking but the flowers most faire and white as milke The purpose of Homer is hereby to shew that wise men whom he describeth in the person of Vlisses are wont to guard and fortifie themselues with vertue which is stronger then any armour of proofe least being vanquished with diuers desires lustes they be transformed and made like vnto brute beastes and that vertue is like to the said hearbe which hath blacke rootes and white flowers for that the beginnings of vertue are hard and vnpleasant but the fruit thereof most swéete and good 25 Moreouer experience and daily vse proueth this For there are many to whom if we should say thus This must be your life hereafter ye shall abstaine frō pastimes and pleasures ye shal seldome walke abroad out of your houses ye shall not hunt after feasts and banquets ye shal not vse wanton daliaunce with women but yée shall followe your vocation at home wherein ye shall be conuersant hereunto ye shal ioyne prayer reading and godly Meditation To this they would answere we can in no wise performe this without God should worke a great myracle in vs this is no humane life but a life for Angels 26 But if these men would begin to enter the kingdome of heauen as it were with strong hand to resist their euill customes to exercise themselues in good workes and willingly to vse those remedies which helpe to roote out sin and wickednes as often prayer and fasting the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ the diligent reading of the Scriptures and other good bookes the companie and fellowship of good men who doubteth but that vpon these religious exercises there will follow such good successe that the way of the Lord shal be opened vnto them more and more and that in a short time they shall sée themselues in that place with excéeding ioy of minde wherunto afore they thought they should neuer come And thus they shal not only without labour and paine but also with delight and pleasure abstaine from sin and wickednesse and liue a holy and blessed life 27 For the Philosopher though an Ethnicke saw this plainely and so taught that it is a pleasure to a vertuous man to liue vertuously and Salomon expresseth the same thing in others words The righteous man reioyceth to deale righteously 28 Moreouer this question may be answered another way If wée say with Theophilact that Christ is a straight gate and narrow way so called not so much because he is so but because hee séemeth so to the louers of the worlde to wealthie and riche men For in very déede if men were humble if they would lay aside many vnprofitable burthens and put off the garment of the flesh they should peraduenture finde no straites in the way and gate of the Lord Whereas now they think vpon nothing but how they may rise continually howe they may waxe fat in body swell in minde howe they may extend inlarge their possessions how they may abound and flow in wealth neither doe they cease at any time to lade themselues with the heauie burthens of the cares of this life And what maruel then if to such men the gate of the heauenly kingdome seeme to be straite and narrowe 29 It séemed not a hard and straite way to the Apostles of our Lord It séemed not so to them which succéeded them in profession who forsooke all that they possessed would néedes follow