of children and how seruile feare is profitable for sinners The fiueth chapiter Of the fyueth impediment vvhiche is delay of resolution vpon hope to doe it better or vvith more ease aftervvarde VVherein a declaration is made pag. 271. OF seuen speciall reasons whye the deuill moueth vs to delaye And of six principall causes whiche make our conuersion harder by delaye How hard it is to doe pennance in olde age for him that is not accustomed to yt what obligation and charge a man draweth to hym selfe by delaye That the example of the theese saued on the crosse is no warrant to suche as deferre theyr conuersion Of diuers reasons whie conuersion made at the last howre is insufficent The sixt chapiter Of thre other impedimēts that is slothe negligence hardnes of hart vvherein is declared pa. 403. THe fower effectes of slothe the meanes how to remoue them Of two causes of Atheisme at this daye And of the waye to cure careles men Of two degrees of hardnes of hart How hardnes of hart is in all persecutors The discription of a hard hart and the daunger therof The conclusion of the whole booke TO THE CRISTIAN READER TOVVCHINGE two editions of this booke ABowt three yeres past good reader a certaine learned and deuout gentilman consideringe the greate want of spirituall bookes in Englande for the direction of men to pietie deuotic̄ whiche ought to be the cheefest point of our exercise in this lyfe tooke the paines to translate a godlye treatise to that effect named the exercise of a Christian life writen in the Italian toung by a reuerende man of the socretic of Iesus named Gasper Loartes Doctor in diuinitie and of greate experience in the handlinge and managinge of sowles to that purpose VVhiche booke because I vnderstande of certaintie to haue done greate good to haue wrought forcebly in the hartes of manye persons towards the foresayed effect of pietie and deuotion I was moued to cause the same to be printed againe and that in muche more ample manner than before hauinge added vnto it two partes of three which were not in the former booke The reason of this so large an additiō shall appeare in the Induction followinge where snalbe shewed the partes of this booke with the causes and cōtentes therof But the principall cause and reason was to the ende our countrye men might haue some one sufficiēt directiō for matters of life and spirit among so manye bookes of controuersies as haue ben writen and are in writinge dailye The whiche bookes albeit in thes our troublesome quarrelous times be necessarie for defence of our faithe againste so manye seditious innouations as now are attempted yet helpe they litle oftentymes to good lyfe but rather do fill the heades of men with a spirite of contradiction and contention that for the most parte hindereth deuotiō which deuotion is nothinge els but a quiet and peaceble state of the sowle endewed with a ioyful promptnes to the diligent execution of all thinges that appartayne to the honour of God In respect wherof S. Paule geeueth this counsayle to his scholer Timothie contende not in vvordes for it is profitable to nothinge but to subuert the hearers The lyke counsayle he geuethe in diuers other places in respect of this quiet deuotion whiche is trowbled by contention But yet as I haue saide these bookes of controuersies are necessarie for other considerations especialie in thes our tymes when euerye man almost is made of a fancie and apte to esteeme the same greate wisdome except it be refuted Suche are our dayes most vnhappie truelye in respect of our forefathers whoe receauinge the grownde of faithe peaceably without quarelinge from their mother the Chuche did attend onlye to builde vppon the same good woorkes and Christian life as their vocation required But we spendinge all the tyme in ianglinge abowte the foundation haue no leysure to think vpon the building and so we wearye out our spirites without cōmoditie we dye with muche adoe and litle profit greate disquiet small rewarde For whoe knoweth not that what faithe so euer a man hathe yet without good lyfe it helpeth hym litle I am therfore of opinion gentle reader that albeit trew faithe be the grownde of Christianitie without which nothinge of it selfe can be meritorious before God yet that one principall meane to come to this trew faithe and right knowledge and to ende all thes our infinite cōtentions in religion were for eche man to betake him selfe to a good vertuous life for that God could not of his vnspeakeable mercie suffer suche a man to erre lōge in religion VVe haue a cleare exāple of Cornelius a Gentile to whome God in respect of his religious lyfe prayer and almes deedes as the scripture affirmeth sent his Apostle S. Peter to instruct him in the right faithe So mercifull is God to those whiche applye thē selues to vertue and pietie albeit they erre as yet in pointes of faithe And on the contrarie side as loose lyfe and worldlye ambition was the first cause of all heresye in Christian religion from the beginninge so is it the cōtinuance of the same and it is verie harde for him that is so affected to be recalled from his error For that as the scripture saithe the vvisdome of God vvill not entre into a malitious minde nor dvvell in a bodye subiect to sinne And our Saueoure in the gospell askethe a question of certaine ambitious worldlynges whiche geeuethe greate light to the thinge we talke of hovv sayeth he can you beleeue vvhich seeke glorye one of an other as whoe woulde saie that this worldly ambition and euill life of theirs did make it impossible for them to come to the trewe faithe VVherfore gentle reader if thow be of an other religiō than I am I beseche the most hartelye that layenge a side all hatred malice and wrathfull contention let vs ioyne together in amendmēt of our lyues and prayeng one for an other and God no doubt will not suffer vs to perishe finallye for want of right faithe And to Catholiques I must saye further withe S. Paule and S. Iames that all their faith will profitt them nothinge except they haue charitie allso bothe towardes God and man and therby doe directe their lyues accordinglye VVhiche God of his holye mercye geeue them 〈◊〉 to doe to his honour and their eternall saluation And I most humblye request the good Christian reader to praie for me allso if thow take any commoditie by this booke that I be not like the Conduit pipe whiche bringeth water to the citie without drinkinge anye it selfe or as S. Paule withe muche lesse cause than I haue feared of hym selfe to witt lesse that after preachinge to other I become perchaunce a reprobate my selfe Remēbre allso I beseeche the that most vertuous good gentilman whoe by his first translation was the cause of
woldest thrust him into fyre or flynge hym into a ditche he woold auoide it as muche as he coulde for that he loueth lyfe and 〈◊〉 death Feare thow then and be not more insensible than a beast Feare death feare iudgement feare hell this feare is called the begynninge of wisdome and not shame or sorow for that the spirite of feare is more potent to resist sinne than the spirite of shame or sorow wherfore it is saide remēber the ende and thovv shalt neuer sinne that is remember the finall punishmentes appointed for sinne after this lyfe Thus far S. Bernarde First therfore to speake in generall of the punishmentes reserued for the lyfe to come yf the scriptures did not declare in perticular theire greatnes vnto vs yet are there manie reasons to persuade vs that they are most feuere dolorous intollerable For first as God is a God in all his woorkes that is to saye greate wounderfull terrible so especialie he sheweth the same in his punishmentes beinge called for that cause in scripture deus iustitiae God of iustice as also deus vltionum God of reuenge VVherfore seinge all his other woorkes are maiestical exceedinge our capacities we maye lykewise gather that his hande in punishmēt must be wounderfull also God hym selfe teacheth vs to reason in this maner when he sayethe And vvill ye not then feare me and vvill ye not tremble before my face vvhiche haue putt the sande as a stopp vnto the sea and haue geeuen the vvater a commandement neuer to passe it no not vvhen it is most trovvbled the flooddes most outragious as who would saye yf I am wounderfull doe passe your imaginatiō in these woorkes of the sea and other which you see daylie you haue cause to feare me cōsideringe that my punishmentes are lyke to be correspondent to the same An other coniecture of the great and seuere iustice of God maye be the cōsideration of his infinite and vnspekeable mercie the whiche as it is the verie nature of God without ende or measure as his godhead is so is also his iustice And these two are the two 〈◊〉 as it were of God embracinge kyssnge one the other as the scripture saieth Therfore as in a man of this world yf we had the measure of one arme we might easely cōiecture of the other so seinge the wounderfull exāples dailie of godes infinite mercie towardes them that doe repent we maye imagyne by the same his seuere iustice towardes them whoe he reserueth to punishment in the next lyfe and whome for that cause he calleth in the scriptures Vasa furoris Vessels of his furye or vessels to shew his furye vppon A third reason to perswade vs of the greatnes of these punishmentes maye be the maruailous patiēce and longe sufferinge of God in this lyfe as for example in that he sufferethe diuers men from one sinne to an other from one daye to an other from one yere to an other frō one age to an other to spend all I saye in dishonoure and dispite of his maiestie addinge offence to offence and refusinge all perswasions allurementes good inspirations or other meanes of frindshipp that his mercie can deuise to offer for theire amendment And what man in the world could suffer this or what mortall hart can shew suche patience but now yf all this should not be requited with seueritie of punishmēt in the worlde to come vppon the obstinate it might seeme against the lawe of iustice and equitie and one arme in God might seeme longer than the other S. Paule toucheth this reason in his epistle to the Romans where he saithe doest thovv not knovv that the benignitie of God is used to bringe thee to repentance and thovv by thy harde and impenitent hart doest hoord vpp vengeance vnto thy selfe in the daye of vvrath and appearance of Gods iust iudgementes vvhich shall restore to euerie man accordinge to his vvorkes he vseth heere the wordes of hoordinge vpp of vengeance to signifie that euen as the couetous man doth hoorde vp monie to monie dailie to make his heape greate so the vnrepentant synner dothe hoorde vp sinne to sinne and God on the contrary side hoordeth vpp vengeance to vengeance vntill his measure be full to restore in the end measure against measure as the prophet saith and to paye vs home accordinge to the multitude of our ovvne obhominations This God meant when he sayde to Abraham that the iniquities of the Amorrheans vvere not yet full vpp Also in the reuelations vnto S. Iohn Euangelist when he vsed this cōclusion of that booke He that doth euill let hym doe yet more euill and he that lyeth in filth let hym yet become more filthie for beholde I come quicklye and my revvarde is vvith me to render to euerye man accordinge to his deedes By which wordes God signifieth that his bearinge tolleratinge with sinners in this lyfe is an argument of his greater serueritie in the lyfe to come which the prophet Dauid also declareth when talkinge of a careles sinner he saieth Dominus irridebit eum quoniam 〈◊〉 quòd veniet dies eius Our God shall scoff at hym foreseinge that his daye shall come This daye no dout is to be vnderstoode the daye of accounte and punishement after this lyfe for soo dothe God more at large declare hym selfe in an other place in these wordes And thow sonne of man this saieth thy lord God the end is come now I saye the end is come vppon the. And I will shew in the my furye and will iudge the acoordinge to thy waies I will laye against the all thy abominations and my eye shall not spare the nor will I take anye mercie vppon the but I will put thyne owne wayes vppon the and thow shalt know that I am the lord Behold affliction commeth on the end is come the end I saye is come it hath watched against the and beholde it is come crusshinge is now come vppon the the tyme is come the daye of slaughter is at hand Shortlie will I poure owt my wrathe vppon the and I will fill my furye in the and I will iudge the accordinge to thy waies and I will laye all thy vvickednes vppon the my eye shall not pitie the nor vvil I take any compassion vppon the but I will laye thy vvaies vppon the and thy abhominations in the 〈◊〉 of the and thovv shalt knovv that I am the lorde that striketh Hytherto is the speeche of God hym selfe Seinge then now we vnderstāde in generall that the punishmentes of Cod in the lyfe to come are moste certaine to be greate seuere to all suche as fall into them for whiche cause S. Paule saithe Horrendum est incidere in manus dei viuentis it is is a 〈◊〉 thinge to fall into the handes of our lyuinge God Let vs consider some what in particular
the expectation of wicked men is furie And yet further spes impiorum abhominatio animae The hope of wicked men is abhomination and not a comfort vnto their foule And the reason herof is double First for that in verie deede thoughe they saye the contrarie in woordes wicked men doe not put their hope and confidence in God but in the world in their riches in their strengthe freendes and authoritie and finallie in the deceauing arme of man euen as the prophet expresseth in their persone whē he sayeth VVe haue put a lye for our hope That is we haue put our hope in thiges trāsitorie which haue deceaued vs And this is yet more expressed by the scripture sayeing the hope of vvicked men is as chaffe vvhiche the vvynde blovveth avvaye and as a buble of vvater vvhiche a storme disperseth and as the smoke vvhich the vvynde blovveth abrode and as the remembrance of a gest that stayeth but one daye in his Inne By all which metaphores the holie ghoste expresseth vnto vs bothe the vanitie of the thinges wherein in deede the wicked doe put their trust and howe the same fayleth them after a litle time vppon euery small occasion of aduersitie that falleth owte This is that also whiche God meaneth when he so stormeth and thundreth against those which goe into Egypt for helpe dce put their confidence in the strengthe of Pharao accursing them for the same and promising that it shall turne to their owne confusion which is properlie to be vnderstoode of all those which put their cheefe confidence in wordlie helpes as all wicked men doe what soeuer they dissemble in woordes to the contrarie For which cause also of dissimulation they are called hypocrites by Iob for where as the wyseman sayeth the hope of vvicked men shall perishe Iob sayeth the hope of hypocrites shall parishe calling wicked men hypocrites for that they say they put their hope in God where as in deede they doe put it in the world VVhich thing beside scripture is euident also by experience For with whome doeth the wicked man consult in his affayres and doubtes with God principallie or with the worlde whome doeth he seeke too in his afflictiens whome doeth he call vpon in his syckenes from whome hopeth he comfort in his aduersities to whome yeeldeth he thankes in his prosperities whē a worldlye man taketh in hande any worke of importance doeth he first consult with God about the euent thereof doeth he fall downe on his knees and aske his ayde doeth he referre it wholie or principallie vnto his honour yf he doe not ho we can he hope for ayde therein at his handes how can he repayre to hym for assistance in the daungers and lettes that fall out about the same how can he haue any confidence in hym whiche hathe no parte at all in that woorke It is hypocrisie then as ' Iob truelye sayeth for this man to affirme that his confidence is in God whereas in deede it is in the worlde it is in Pharao yt is in Egypt yt is in the arme of man it is in a lye He buyldeth not his house with the wyse man vpon a rocke but with the foole vpon the sandes and therfore as Christ well assureth him vvhen the rayne shall come and fluddes descend vvyndes blovve al together shall rushe vpon that house which shal be at the hower of his deathe then shall this house fall the fall of yt shal be great Great for the great chaūge which he shall see great for the great horroure which he shall cōceaue great for the great miserie which he shall suffer greate for the vnspekable ioyes of heauen lost great for the eternall paynes of hell fallen into great euery waye assure thy selfe deare brother or els the mouthe of God wolde neuer haue vsed this woorde great And this is sufficiēt for the first reason whye the hope of wicked men is vayne for that in deede they putt it not in God but in the worlde The second reason is for that albeit they should put their hope in God yet lyuing wickedlie it is vayne and rather to be called presumption than hope For vnderstanding wherof it is to be noted that as there are two kynde of fayethes recounted in scripture the one a deade fayeth without good woorkes that is whiche beleeueth all you saye of Christ but yet obserueth not his cōmaundemētes the other a lyuelie a iustifieing fayeth which beleeueth not onelie but also woorketh by charitie as S. Paules woordes are So are there two hopes foloweing these two fayethes the one of the good proceding of a good conscience whereof I haue spoken before the other of the wicked resting in a guyltie conscience which is in deede no true hope but rather presumption This S. Iohn proueth playnlie whē he sayeth Brethren yf our harte reprehende vs not then haue we confidence with God That is yf our harte be not guyltie of wicked lyfe And the vvoordes immediatlie folovveing doe more expresse the same vvhich are these VVhat so euer vve aske vve 〈◊〉 of hym for that vve keepe his commaundementes and doe those thinges vvhiche are pleasing in his sight The same confirmeth S. Paule when he sayeth that the end of Gods commaundementes is charitie from a pure harte and a good conscience VVhich woordes S. Auston expoundinge in diuers places of his woorkes proueth at large that without a good conscience there is no true hope can be conceaued S. Paul sayeth he addeth from a good conscience because of hope for he vvhich hathe the scruple of an euill conscience dispareth to attaine that vvhich he beleeueth And agayne Euery mans hope is in his ovvne consciēce according as he feeleth hym selfe to loue God And agayne in an other booke the Apostle putteth a good cōscience for hope for he onelie hopeth peth uvhich hathe a good 〈◊〉 he vvhome the guylt of an euill conscience doeth prycke retyreth backe from hope and hopeth nothing but his ovvne dānation I might heere repeate a greate many more priuileges and prerogatiues of a vertuouse lyse which make the same easie pleasant and cōfortable but that this chapiter groweth to be long and therfore I will onelie touche as it were in passing bye two or three other pointes of the moste principall which notwithstanding wold requyre large discourses to declare the same according to their dignities And the first is the inestimable priuilege of libertie freedome which the vertuouse doe enioye aboue the wicked according as Christ promiseth Ī these woordes If you abyde in my commaundementes you shal be my scholares in deede you shall knouve the trueth and the trueth shall set you free VVhich woordes S. Paul as it were expounding sayeth vvhere the spirit of our lord is there is freedome And this freedome is meant from the tyrannye and thraldome of our corrupt sensualitie and
thow woldest haue a lyuelie example of all this that I haue sayed before I could alleage thee many but for breuities sake one onelie of S. Austens conuersion shall suffice testified by hym selfe in his bookes of cōfessio It is a maruailouse exāple and contayneth many most notable cōfortable poyntes And surelie whosoeuer shall but reade the whole at large especialie in his sixthe seuenth and eigth bookes of his cōfessiōs shall greatlie be moued and instructed therby And I beseeche the reader that vnderstandeth the latine tongue to vewe ouer at leaste but certaine chapiters of the eigthe booke where this Saints finall conuersion after infinit combates is recounted It were too lōge to repeate all heere thoughe I deede it be suche matter as no man could euer be wearie to heare yt There he sheweth how he was tossed and tombled in this conflict betweene the fleshe and the spirite betwene God draweing on one side and the worlde the flesh and the deuill holding backe on the other parte He went to Simplicianus a learned olde man deuoute Christian he went 〈◊〉 Ambrose by shope of Millane And after his cōferēce with thē he was more troubled than before He consulted with his companions Nebridius and Alipius but all wolde not ease hym One daye after dynner there came into his house a Christian courtier and captaine named Potinian and finding by chaunce S. Paules epistles vpon the boorde where Austen his felowes were at playe by occasion thereof fell into talke of spirituall matters among other thinges to recite vnto thē the lyfe of S. Anthonie the mōke of Egypt and the infinite vertues and miracles of the same whiche he had founde in a booke among Christianes a litle before and therby was hym selfe conuerted to Christianitie VVhiche storie after Austen had heard as also that there was a monasterie of those monkes without the walles of Millan in which Citie this happened nourished by S. Ambrose the byshope wherof Austen before this knew nothing he was muche more afflicted thā before and after Potinian was departed withdraweing him selfe a side had a moste terrible combate with hym selfe wherof he writeth thus VVhat dyd I not say against my selfe in this conflict how dyd I beate and whyppe my owne soule to make her folow thee o lord But she helde backe she refused and excused her selfe and when all her argumentes were conuicted she remained trembling and fearing as deathe to be restrayned from her loose custome of sinne wherby she consumed her selfe euē vnto death After this he went into a garden with Alipius his companion and there cryed out vnto hym Quid hoc est quid patimur surgunt indocti caelum rapiunt nos cum doctrinis nostris sine 〈◊〉 ecce vbi volutamur in carne sanguine VVhat is this Alipius what suffer we vnder the tyrannie of synne vnlearned men suche as Anthonie and other doe take heauen by violence and we with all our learninge without hartes beholde how we lye groueling in fleshe and bloode And he goeth forwarde in that place sheweing the wounderfull and almoste incredible tribulatiōs that he had in this fight that daie After this he went further into an orcharde and there he had yet a greater conflict For there all his pleasures past represented them selues before his eyes saieing Demities ne nos a momento isto non eximus tecum vltra in aeternum c. VVhat wilt thou departe from vs and shall not we be with thee no more for euer after this moment shall it not be lawfull for the to-doe this that no more hereafter And then sayeth S. Austen O Lorde turne from the mynde of thy seruant to think of that whiche they obiected to my soule VVhat filthe what shamefull pleasures dyd they lay before myne eyes At lēgthe he sayethe that after long and tedyous cōbates maruailous tempest of weeping came vpon him and being not able to resist he ranne awaye from Alipius cast hym selfe on the groūde vnder a figg tree and gaue full scoope vnto his eyes whiche broght forthe presentlye whole fluddes of teares VVhiche after they were a litle past ouer he began to speake to God in this sort Et tis domine vsquequo quam diu quam diu cras cras quare non modo quare non hac hora finis est turpitudinis meae O Lorde how long wilt thou suffer me thus how long how long shall I saye to morow to morow why shoulde I not doe it now whie should there not be an end of my filthie lyfe euen at this hower And after this foloweth his finall and miraculous cōuersion together with the conuersion of Alipius his companion which because it is sett downe breeflie by hym selfe I will recite his owne woordes which are as foloweth immediatlie vpon those that went before I dyd talke this to God and dyd weepe moste bitterlie with a deepe cōtrition of my harte beholde I heard a voyce as yf it had bene of a boye or mayde singing fro some house by and often repeating take vpp and reade take vp and reae And streight wayes I chaunging my countenāce beganne to think moste earnestlye withe my selfe whether childrē were wont to sing any such thing in any kinde of game that they vsed but I could neuer remember that I had heard any such thing before VVherfore repressing the force of my teares I rose vp interpreting no other thing but that this voyce came from heauen to bydde me open the booke that I had with me which was S. Paules epistles to reade the first chapiter that I shoulde finde For I had heard before of S. Anthonye how he was admonished to his cōuersion by hearing a sentence of the gospell whiche wasredde when he by chaunce came into the churche and the sentence was Goe and sell all thou hast and geue to the poore and thou shalt haue a treasure in heauen and come and folovve me VVhich sayeing S. Anthonie taking as spoken to hym in particular was presentlie cōuerted to thee o Lord. VVherfore I went in haste to the place where Alipius satt for that I lad left my booke there when I departed I snatched it vp and opened it redde in silēce the first chapiter that offered it selfe vnto my eyes therein were these woordes Not in banquettinges or in dronkēnes not in vvātonnes and chāber vvorkes not in contention and emulation but doe you put on our Lorde Iesus Christ. and doe you not performe the prouidence of fleshe in concupiscences Further than this sentence I wolde not reade nether was it needfull For presentlie with the end of this sentēce as yf the light of securitie had bene poured into my hart all the darkenes of my doutfullnes fledd away VVhere vpon putting in my finger or some other signe which now I remember not vpon the place I closed the booke and with a quiet countenance
in the Apocalyps and vseth maruailous speeches to entyse vs to this fortitude For these are his woordes he that hathe an eare to heare let hym heare what the spirit sayth vnto the churches To hym that shall conquere I will geue to eate of the tree of lyfe whiche is in the paradise of my God This sayeth the first and the last he that was deade and now is a lyue I know thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thow art riche in deede and art blasphemed by those that saye they are true Israelites are 〈◊〉 But are rather the Sinagoge of Satā Feare nothing of that whiche you are to suffer beholde the deuill wil cause some of you to be thrust into prison to the end you may be tempted and you shall haue tribulation for tēne dayes But be faythefull vnto deathe and I will geue the a crowne of lyfe He that hathe an eare to heare lett hym heare what the spirit sayeth vnto the churches he that shall ouercome shall not be hurt by the second deathe And he that shall ouercome and keepe my woorkes vnto the end I will geue vnto hym authoritie ouer nations euen as I haue receaued it from my father and I will geue him besides the morning starre He that shall ouercome shal be appareled in whyte garmentes and I will not blott his name owt of the booke of lyfe but will confesse his name before my father and before his Angels Beholde I come quickelie holde fast that thow hast lest an other man receaue thy crowne He that shall conquere I will make him a pillar in the tēple of my God he shall neuer goe foorthe more and I will wryte vpō hym the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Ierusalem He that shall conquer I will geue vnto him to sitt withe me in my throne euen as I haue conquered and doe sitt with my father in his throne Hitherto are the woordes of Christ to S. Ioh. And in the end of the same book after he had described the ioyes and glorie of heauen at large he concludeth thus And he that satte on the throne sayde to me VVryte these woordes for that they are moste faythfull and true Qui vicerit possidebit haec ero illi deus ille erit mihi filius timidis autem incredulis c. pars illorum erit in stagno ardenti igne sulphure quod est mors secunda He that shall conquer shall possesse all the ioyes that I haue heere spokē of and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne But they whiche shal be fearfull to fight or incredulous of these thinges that I haue sayed theyr portiō shall be in the lake burning withe fire and brymstone which is the second deathe Heere now we see bothe allurement threates good and euill lyfe and deathe the Ioyes of heauen and the burning lake proposed vnto vs. VVe maye streache owte our handes vnto whiche we will Yf we fight and conquer as by gods grace we maye thē are we to enioye the promises layd downe before Yf we shew our selues ether vnbeleeuing in these promises or fearefull to take the fyght in hande being offered vnto vs then fall we into the daunger of the contrarie threates euen as S. Iohn affirmeth in an other place that certayne noble men dyd among the Iewes whoe beleeued in Christ but yet durst not confesse hym for feare of persecution Heere thē must ensewe an other vertue in vs moste necessarie to all tribulation and affliction and that is a strong and firme resolution to stand and go throughe what opposition or contradiction soeuer we fynde in the world ether of fawning flatterie or persecuting crueltie This the scripture teacheth cryeing vnto vs esto firmus in via domini Be firme and immouable in the waye of our lord And agayne State in fide viriliter agite Stand to your faythe and play you the men And yet further confide in deo mane in loco tuo Trust in God and abyde firme in thy place And finalie confortamini nō dissoluantur manus vestrae Take courage vnto you and let not your handes be dissolued from the worke you haue begonne This resolution had the three children 〈◊〉 Misach Abdenago when hauing heard the flattering speeche infinite threates of cruell Nabuchodonasar they answered with a quiet spirit O kyng wee may not answere you to this long speeche of youres For beholde our God is able yf he will to delyuer vs from this furnace of fyre whiche you threaten and from all that you can doe otherwyse against vs. But yet yf it should not please hym so to doe yet you muste know Syr king that we doe not woorshippe your goddes nor yet adore your golden ydole whiche you haue sett vp This resolution had peter Iohn who being so often 〈◊〉 before the councell bothe commaunded threatened and beaten to talke no more of Christ answered styll Obedire oportet deo magis quam hominibus vve muste obey God rather than men The same had S. Paul also when being requested with teares of the Christianes in Cesarea that he wolde forbeare to goe to Ierusalem for that the holie ghoste had reuealed to manye the troubles whiche expected hym there he answered what mean you to weepe thus and to afflict my hart I am not onelie readie to be in bondes for Christ name in Ierusalem but also to suffer deathe for the same And in his epistle to the Romanes he yet further expresseth this resolution of his when he sayeth what then shall we saye to these thinges yf God be with vs whoe will be against vs who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation shall distresse shall hungar shall nakednes shall perill shall persecution shall the swoore I am certaine that nether deathe nor lyfe nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor strengthe nor hyghthe nor depthe nor any creature els shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God whiche is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Finallye this was the resolution of all the holye martyres and confessors and other seruantes of God wherby they haue withstoode the temptations of the deuill the allurementes of fleshe and bloode and all the persecutions of tyrantes exacting things vnlaufull at their handes I will alleage one exāple more owte of the scripture and that before the cōming of Christ but yet nighe vnto the same and therfore no maruaylle as the fathers doe note thoghe it tooke some heate of Christian feruour and constancie towardes martyrdome The example is wounderfull for that in mannes sight it was but for a small matter required at their handes by the tyrantes commaundement that is onelie to eate a peece of swynes fleshe for thus it is recorded in the scripture It happened seuen brethren to be apprehended
as S. Paul teacheth and hym selfe protesteth when he sayeth I vvill not the deathe of a sinner but rather that he turne from hys uvickednes and lyue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he coÌ„playneth greeuouslie that men vvill not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your uvicked vvayes saythe he vvhye uvill ye dye you hovvse of Isreal By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to all but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were constrained therunto hy our obstinate behauioure This Christ signifieth more plainlie when he sayth to Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem whiche kyllest the prophetes and stonest them to deathe that are sent vnto thee how often wolde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickyns vndernethe her wynges but thou woldest not beholde thy howse for this cause shal be made desert and left withoute children Heere you see thee mercie of God ofteÌ„ offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction desolatioÌ„ vpon them which he fullsilled within fortie or fiftie yeeres after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie discomfaited the citie of IerusaleÌ„ whole nation of Iewes whome we see dispersed ouer the world at this daye in bondage bothe of bodie soule VVhiche worke of gods Iustice thoghe it be moste terrible yet was his mercie greater to them as appeareth by Christs woordes yf they had not reiected the sonne Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his Iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this lyfe by geuing them freewill and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing them inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluringe them owtwardlie with exhortatioÌ„s promisses exaÌ„ples of other as also by sickenes aduersities other gentle corrections by geuinge them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same by threatning them eternall deathe yf they repented not All whiche thinges beinge effectes of mercie and goodnes towarde them they must needes confesse amyddest theyr greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no wayes to be compared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet sayeth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue mett together Iustice and peace haâ—…e kyssed them selues VVe see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of hym selfe I vvill sing vnto thee mercie iudgemeÌ„t o Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I will not so presume of thy mercie as I will not feare thy iudgement nor will I so feare of thy iudgement as I will euer despayre of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwayes to be ioyned with our confidence in gods mercie yea in verye saintes them selues as Dauid sayeth But what feare that feare trulie whiche the scripture describeth when it sayeth the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth all euill he that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God will turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God will doe good woorkes They whiche feare God will not be incredulous to that whiche he saye 〈◊〉 but will keepe his wayes and seeke owt the things that are pleasant vnto hym They will prepare theyr 〈◊〉 and sanctifie their sowles in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God sett downe by the scripture This is the descriptioÌ„ of that feare which is so much commended and coÌ„maunded in euerye part and parcell of gods woorde Of that feare I saye which is called 〈◊〉 vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientia gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of lyfe the roote of prudeÌ„ce the crowne fulnes of wisedome the glorie gloriation of a Christian man a happie gyft Of hym that hathe this feare the scripture saythe happie is the man vuhiche feareth our Lorde for he vvill place his mynde vpon his coÌ„maundementes And againe the man that feareth god shal be happie at the last ende and shal be blessed at the daye of hys deathe Finallie of suche as haue this feare the scripture saythe that God is theyr foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hathe purchased them an inheritance God is as mercyfull to them as the father is mercifull vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timeÌ„tium se faciet God will doe the will of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob wheÌ„ he sayd to god I feared all my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that thovv sparest not hym that offendeth thee This feare backed the other of whome the prophet sayeth The sinner hathe exaspered God by sayeing that god will not take accoÌ„pte of his doeings in the multitude of wrathe Thy iudgementes o Lord are remoued from his sight And againe wherfore hathe the wicked man styrred vp god against hym selfe by sayeing god will not take account of my doeyngs yt is a great wickednes no dowt and a greate exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of gods nature from hym whiche is to make hym mercifull without iustice and to lyue so as though God wolde take no accouÌ„t of our lyfe wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie sayeing that he is a hard and eouetous man whiche will not be coÌ„teÌ„t to receyue his owne againe but also will haue vsurie that he will haue a reckening of all hys goodes lent vs that he will haue fruite for all his labours bestowed vppon vs finallie that he will haue account for euery woorde that we haue spoken Christ in the three score eight psalme which in sundrye places of the gospell he interpreteth to be writen of him selfe amonge other dreadfull curses whiche he setteth downe against the reprobate he hath these lett theyr eyes be daseled in suche sorte as they may not see powre owte thy wrathe my father vpon them lett the furie of thy vengeaÌ„ce take hand fast on them add inquitie vpon their iniquitie and lett hym not enter into thy iustice Lett them be blotted owt of the booke of lyfe and lett them not be inrolled together with the iust Heer loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting owt of the booke of lyfe is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into consideration of hys iustice For whiche cause also this coÌ„fident kynde of sinning vpon hope of gods
in this place for that they lett and hinder greatlie this resolution whiche we talke of For he that lyueth in a slumber and will not heare or attend to any thing that is sayed of the lyfe to come beside this imagineth fearefull matters in the same and thirdlie is throwen downe by euerie litle blocke that he findeth in the waye lastlie is so lazye as he can beare no laboure at all this man I saye is past hope to be gayned to any suche purpose as we speake for To remoue therfore this impediment this sorte of men ought to laye before their eyes the laboures of Christ and of his saintes the exhortations they vsed to other men to take lyke paines the threates made in scripture against them whiche laboure not the condition of our present warfare that requireth trauaile the crowne prepared for it and the miserie enseweing vpon idle and lazye people And finallie yf they can not beare the labour of vertuous lyfe whiche in deede is accompanyed with so many confolations as it may not rightfullie be called a labour how will they abyde the labour and tormentes of the lyfe to come whiche must be bothe intollerable and euerlasting Saint Paul sayeth of him selfe and others to the Thessalonians we dyd not eate our breade of free cost when we were with you but dyd woorke in labour and wearynesse bothe daye and night therby to geue you an example of imitation denouncing further vnto you that yf any man wolde not woorke he should not eate Christ went foorthe into the streetes twyse in one day and still repreheÌ„ded greuouslie those that stoode ydle there Quid hic statis tota die otiosi VVhye doe ye stand heere all the daye ydle and doeyng nothing I am a vyne sayeth Christ and my father is a husband man euery braunche that beareth not fruit in me my father will cut of and cast into the fire And in an other place Cutt downe the vnprofitable tree whie doeth it stand here and occupie vp the grounde for nothing And againe the kindome of heauen is subiect to force and men do gayne it by violence labour For which cause the wyse man also sayeth what soeuer thy haÌ„d can doe in this lyfe doe it instanlie for there is nether tyme nor reason nor wisdome or knowlege that we can emplove And agayne the same wyse man sayeth The lazie hande worketh beggarie to it selfe but the laboursome and valyant hande heapeth vp greate riches And yet further to the same effect The slothefull man will not sowe in the wynter for that it is colde and therfore he shall begge in the somer and no man shall take pitie of hym All this pertayneth to shew how that this lyfe is a time of labour and not of ydlenes appointed vnto vs for the gayning of heaueÌ„ it is the Marquet wherein we must buye the battaille wherein we must fight gayne our crowne the winter wherin we must sowe the daye of labour wherin we must sweate gaine our pennie And he that passeth ouer lazilie this daye as the most parte of men doe must suffer eternall pouertie and neede in the â—…fe to come as in the first parte of this booke more at large hathe bene declared VVherfore the wise maÌ„ or rather the holie ghost by his mouthe geueth eche one of vs a moste vehement admonition and exhortatio in theese wordes Runne aboute make haste styrre vp thy freend geue no sleepe vnto thy eyes lett not thine eye lyddes slumber skyppe owt as a doe from the handes of hym that held her and as a byrd owt of the hand of the fowler goe vnto the Emmet thow slothefull man and consider her doeinges and learne to be wise she hauing no guyde teacher or captaine prouideth meate for her selfe in the sommer and gathereth together in the haruest that whiche maye serue her to feed vpon in the wynter By whiche woordes we are admonished in vvhat order we ought to behaue our selues in this lyfe and how diligent and carefull vve should be in doeinge of all good woorkes as S. Paul also teacheth considermge that as the Emmet laboureth most earnestlie in the haruest time to lay vpp for the vvynter to come so we should for the next world And that slothefullnes to this effect is the greatest and most daungerous lett at may be For as the Emmet should dye in the wynter most certainlie for hunger yf she should lyue ydelie in the fomer so without all dowte they are to suffer extreme neede and miserie in the world to come whoe novv for slouthe doe omitt to laboure The seconde impediment ys called by me in the title of this chapiter negligence But I doe vnderstand therby a further matter than commonlie this woorde importeth For I doe comprehend vnder the name of negligent all careles and dissolute people whiche take to hart nothinge that pertayneth to God or godlynes but onelie attend to woorldlie affaires making their saluation the least parte of their cogitations And vnder this kynde of negligence is contained bothe Epicurisme as S. Paul noted in some Christianes of hys dayes whoe beganne onelie to attend to eate and drinke and to make their bellies their God as our Christians now doe and also a secret kinde of Atheisme or denieing of God that is of denieing him in life and behauiour as S. Paul expoundeth it For albeit these men in wordes doe confesse God and professe the selues to be as good Christians as the rest yet secretlie in deed they doe not beleeue God as theyr lyfe and doeings doe declare VVhiche thing the scripture discouereth plainlie when it sayeth 〈◊〉 dissolutis corde qui non oredunt deo woe be vnto the dissolute careles in hart whiche doe not beleeue God That is thoughe they professe that they beleeue trust in hym yet by theyr dissolute and careles doeings they testifie that in theyr hartes they beleeue hym not for that they haue nether care nor cogitatioÌ„ of matters pertayning to hym These kynde of men are those which the scripture noteth and detesteth for ploweyng with an oxe and an Asse together for soweing their grounde with myngled seede for wearing appatell of linsie woolsie that is made of flaxe and wooll together Theese are they of whome Christ sayeth in the reuelatioÌ„s I vvold thou vvere ether colde or hoate But for that thou art luke vvarme and nether cold nor hoate therfore will I beginne to vomite thee owt of my mouth Theese are they whiche can accorde all religions together take vp all controuersies by onely sayeing that ether they are differeÌ„ces of small importance or els that they appertaine onelie to learned men to thinke vpoÌ„ and not vnto them These are they which can applie them selues to anye companie to any time to any princes pleasure for matters of 〈◊〉 to come These men forbyd all talke of
especiallie the third and fowerth entreating of the causes for which we were sent into this woorld as also the siueth of the account which we must yeeld to God of our time here speÌ„t and he shall there by vnderstand I dowt not the errour and daunger he standeth in by this damnable negligeÌ„ce wherein he sleepeth attending onelye to those thinges which are meere vanities and for whiche he came not into this world and passing ouer other matters without care or cogitation whiche onelye are of importance and to haue bene studyed and thought vpon by hym The third and last impediment that I purpose to handle in this booke is a certainâ—… 〈◊〉 or euill disposition in some men called by the scriptures hardnesse of harte or in other woordes 〈◊〉 of minde VVher by a man is setled in 〈◊〉 neuer to yeeld from the state of sinne wherein he lyueth what so euer shall or may be sayd agaynst the same And I haue reserued this impediment for the last place in this booke for that it is the last and worst of all other impedimentes discouered before contayning all the euillin it selfe that any of the other before rehearsed haue and adding besides a most willfull and malitious resolution of sinne quyte contrarie to that resolution whiche we so muche endeuour to induce men vnto This hardnes of harte hathe diuerse degrees in diuers men and in some muche more greeuous than in other For some are arriued to that hyghe and cheefe obduration which I named before in such sort as albeit they well know that they are amysse yet for some worldlye respect or other they will not yeeld nor chaunge their course Such was the obduratioÌ„ of Pilate though he knew that he condeÌ„ned Christ wroÌ„gfullie yet not to leese the fauour of the Iewes or incurre displeasure with his prince he proceeded gaue sentence against hym This also was the obduration of Pharao whoe thoghe he sawe the miracles of Moyses Aaron felt the strong hand of God vpon his kyngdome yet not to seeme to be ouercome by suche simple people as they were nor that men should thynk he wold be enforced by any meanes to relent he perseuered still in his willfull wickednes vntill his last and vtter destruction came vppon hym This hardnes of hart was also in kyng Agrippa and foelix gouuernour of Iewrie whoe thoghe in their owne coÌ„science they thoght that S. Paul spake trueth vnto them yet not to hazard their credit in the world they continued still and perished in their owne vanities And commonlie this obduration is in all persecutors of vertus and vertuouse men whome thoghe they see euidentlie to be innocent and to haue equitie on their side yet to maintayne their estate credite fauoure in the world they persist without ether mercie or release vntill God cutt them of in the middest of their malice and furious cogitations Others there are whoe haue not this obduration in so hygh a degree as to persist in wickednes directly against their owne knowleige but yet they haue it in an other sorte for that they are setled in firme purpose to folow the trade which all redie they haue begunne and will not vnderstand the daungers therof but doe seeke rather meanes to persuade them selues and quiet their consciences therein and nothing is so offensiue vnto theÌ„ as to heare any thing against the same Of these men holye Iob sayeth Dixerunt deo recede a nobis scientiaÌ„ viarum tuarum nolumus They say to God departe from vs we will not haue the knovvlege of thy wayes And the prophet Dauid yet more expresselye Their furie is lyke the furie of serpentes lyke vnto cocatrices that stoppe their eares will not heare the voyce of the inchaunter By this inchaunter he meaneth the holy ghoste whiche seeketh by all meanes possible to charme theÌ„ from the bewitching wherein they staÌ„d called by the wyse maÌ„ fascinatio nugacitatis The bewitching of vanitie but as the prophet sayeth they vvill not heare they turne their backes they stoppe their eares to the ende they may not vnderstand they put their hartes as an AdamaÌ„s stone leste perhappes they should heare gods lavve beconuerted The nation of lewes is peculiarlie noted to haue bene alwayes geuen to this great sinne as S. Stephen 〈◊〉 when he sayed vnto their owne faces You styffe necked Ievves you haue allvvayes resisted the holye ghoste meaning therby as Christ declareth more at large that they resisted the propheres Saintes of god in whome the holie ghoste spake vnto them from tyme to tyme for amendement of their lyfe and for that through the lyght of knowlege which they had by hearing of gods lawe they could not in truthe or shew condemne the things which were sayd or auoyde the iust reprehensions vsed towarde them yet resolued with them selues not to obey or chaunge custome of theiÌ„r proceedings therfore fell they in fine to persecute sharplye their reprehendors wherof the onelie cause was hardnes of harte Indurauerunt facies suas supra petram noluerunt reuerti sayeth God by the mouthe of Ieremie they haue hardened their faces aboue the hardnes of a rocke they will not turne to me And in an other place of the same prophet he complayneth greeuouslie of this peruersenes Quare ergo auersus est populus iste in Ierusalem auerstone contentiosa And why then is this people in Ierusalem reuolted from me by so contentious and peruerse an alienation as they will not heare me any more c And yet againe in an other place Quare moriemini domus Israel why will you dye you house of Israel why will you damne your selues why are you so obstinate as not to heare so peruerse as not to learne so cruell to your selues as you will not know the daungers wherin you lyue nor vnderstand the miserie that hangeth ouer you Doe'st thou not ymagine deare brother that God vseth this kynde of speeche not onelye to the Iewes but also to many thousand Christians and perhappes also vnto thy selfe many tymes euerie daye for that thou refusest his good motions and other meanes sent from hym to draw thee to his seruice thou being resolued not to yeeld ther vnto but to folow thy pursuite what soeuer persuasions shall come to the contrarie Alas how many Christians be there whoe saye to God daylie as they dyd whome I haue named before deparie from vs vve vvill not haue the knovvlege of thy uuayes How many be there which abhorre to heare good counsayle feare and tremble to reade good bookes flye and detest the frequentation of godlie coÌ„panie lest perhappes by suche occasions they might be touched in conscience conuerted saued how many be there whiche saye with those most vnfortunate hard harted men wherof the prophet speaketh Percustimus foedus cum morte cum inferno fecimus pactum VVe haue stricken