woonted errors unto the truth in both these respects I thought your G. would so much the rather accept of them For having had so long experience of the world as you have very likelihood teacheth that needs you must grow more and more from the love therof and it is sufficiently known unto al that having found this mercie your selfe to be delivered from the former ignorance to be brought to the knowledge of the truth you have in like sort in this long course that God hath given you much called on others to do the like These bookes therfore that treat of the same I thought should be the rather welcome And I beseech almightie God the fountain and giver of al good things to give you grace so to consider of the one and to go on forward in the other as that more and more departing from the love of the world and more and more performing the work of the ministerie you bring the former at length to nothing and make the other a pollished work for the day of the Lord. Your Graces most humble in the Lord EDM. BVNNY The Praeface to the Reader COncerning the former of these two Bookes gentle Reader I have to admonish thee of certain things therunto belonging and first as touching the Author of it then as touching the booke it selfe Who it is that was the Author of it I do not know for that the Author hath not put to his name but only two letters in the end of his praeface which two letters I have set down under the title of the booke it selfe But whosoever it is that was the Author of it himselfe doth set down both the occasion wherupon he wrote it and what was his intent and purpose therin The occasion of it was that one Gasper Loart Doctor of Divinitie and a Iesuit frier had before written a booke of much like argument in the Italian toong which a countrie-man of ours at Paris in France had about four yeers since translated into English and had done as he thought much good therby Wherupon the Author heerof minding to have imprinted that again and to have inriched it both with matter and method he found the course that he determined to have this issu in the end that he thought not good to imprint again that booke of Doctor Loarts but rather to make another of his own and to gather in therunto whatsoever is in that booke or others such like to this effect Which course when he had taken he thought good to follow this order therin first to shew how to resolve our selves to serve God indeed then how to begin to do it and lastly how to continu unto the end And so setting in hand with the work and having finished the first part that hath he sent over in the mean season until he shal be able to finish the rest His intent and purpose was as himselfe doth witnes that his countrie-men might have some one sufficient direction for matters of life among so many bookes of controversies for that those though otherwise he account them needful do help but little he saith oft times to good life but rather fil the heads of men with a spirit of contradiction contention that for the most part hindereth devotion Insomuch that he much misliketh that men commonly spend so much of their time so unprofitably talking of faith but not seeking to build theron as they ought to do and so do but wearie themselves in vain making much ado but getting but little profit therby much disquieting our selves and others and yet obtaining but smal reward Which complaint of his is just indeed as the matter is handled by many And so having protested his good meaning therin desireth al though they dissent from him in religion yet laieng aside hatred malice and wrathful contention to join togither in amendement of life and in praieng one for another Which we might have heard in his own words but that he interlaceth other things withal that I dare not in conscience and dutie to God commend unto thee Concerning the booke it selfe it seemeth to be most of al gathered out of certain of the Schoole-men as they are termed that living in the corrupter time of the church did most of al by that occasion treat of reformation of life when as others were rather occupied about the controversies that were most in quaestion among them And although my selfe have bestowed no great time in them yet by the little that I have bestowed I see it to resemble them so much especially for the invention of it that as we finde somtimes a readie help in the face of the childe to gesse at the father so in this likewise me think that we have in the booke it selfe that which may lead us to this conjecture But my meaning at this time is no more but this first to shew thee what it was as it is set foorth by the Author himselfe and then what is done therunto by me that so I might get it published to al. As it is set foorth by the Author himselfe if we consider the substance of it surely it was wel woorth the labor a few points only excepted and much of it of good persuasion to godlines of life But if we consider the form or maner of it therin maiest thou finde that it was needful for me before hand to admonish thee of these few things First that throughout the whole booke the Author hath used in those scriptures that he alledgeth the vulgar translation that was before in common use with them and some special words praecisely such as before they have taken upon them to observe and therin stil to discent from us The vulgar translation is known wel inough so that I need to say nothing of it Those special words that praecisely he useth are Our Lord when it is more agreeable to the text to say The Lord iustice for righteousnes poenance for repentance merit for good works or the service of God and a few others Then also in divers parts of the booke there were mingled in withal certain opinions and doctrines of their own profession most of them such as are manifest corruptions and some of them no more but over-venturous and certain places alledged out of others little appertaining to the matter or else more coldly handling the matters propounded than that wel they could match with the residu that are in the Treatise to that purpose alledged In this maner came it into my hands and so it is yet extant among them Now concerning my doings therin first for the substance of it bicause it is much of it good I have so far not only conceived liking of it my selfe but also have done my best indevor thus to publish it unto al that so many as wil may take to themselves the benefit of it In which kind of argument though many others in these our dais have done very commendably likewise Yet I
loveth us and tendereth our case most mercifully 31 But yet heer is one thing to be noted in this matter and that is that Christ suffered the ship almost to be covered with waves as the Evangelist saith before he would awake therby to signifie that the measure of temptations is to be left only unto himselfe it is sufficient for us to rest upon the apostles words He is faithful and therfore he wil not suffer us to be tempted above our strength We may not examin or mistrust his doings we may not inquire why doth he this Or why suffereth he that Or how long wil he permit these evils to reign God is a great God in al his doings and when he sendeth tribulation he sendeth a great deal togither to the end he may shew his great power in delivering us and recompenseth it after with as great measure of comfort His temptations oftentimes do go very deep therby to try the very harts and reins of men He went far with Elias when he caused him to fly into a mountain and there most desirous of death to say They have killed al thy prophets O Lord and I am left alone and now they seeke to kil me also He went far with David when he made him cry out Why dost thou turn thy face away from me O Lord Why dost thou forget my povertie and tribulation And in another place again I said with my selfe in the excesse of my mind I am cast out from the face of thine eies O Lord. God went far with the apostles when he inforced one of them to write We wil not have you ignorant brethren of our tribulation in Asia wherin we were oppressed above al measure above al strength insomuch as it lothed us to live any longer But yet above al others he went furthest with his own deer Son when he constrained him to utter those pittiful most lamentable words upon the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Who can now complain of any proofe or temptation whatsoever laid upon him seeing GOD would go so far with his own deer only Son 32 Heerof then insueth the third thing necessarie unto us in tribulation which is magnanimitie grounded upon a strong and invincible faith of Gods assistance and of our final deliverance how long soever he delay the matter and how terrible soever the storm do seem for the time This God requireth at our hands as may be seen by the example of the disciples who cried not We perish before the waves had covered the ship as Saint Mathew writeth and yet Christ said unto them Vbi est fides vestra Where is your faith Saint Peter also was not afeard until he was almost under water as the same Evangelist recordeth and yet Christ reprehended him saieng Thou man of little faith why diddest thou dowt What then must we do in this case deer brother Surely we must put on that mightie faith of valiant king David who upon the most assured trust he had of Gods assistance said In Deo meo transgrediar murū In the help of my God I wil go through the wal Of which invincible faith Saint Paul was also when he said Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat I can do al things in him that comforteth and strengtheneth me Nothing is unpossible nothing is too hard for me by his assistance We must be as the scripture saith Quasi Leo confidens absque terrore Like a bold and confident Lion which is without terror That is we must not be astonied at any tempest any tribulation any adversitie We must say with the prophet David experienced in these matters I wil not fear many thousands of people that should inviron or besiege me togither If I should walk amidst the shadow of death I wil not fear If whole armies should stand against me yet my hart should not tremble My hope is in God and therfore I wil not fear what man can do unto me God is my aider and I wil not fear what flesh can do unto me God is my helper and protector and therfore I wil despise and contemn mine enimies And another prophet in like sense Behold God is my savior and therfore wil I deal confidently and wil not fear These were the speeches of holie prophets of men that knew wel what they said and had often tasted of affliction themselves and therfore could say of their own experience how infallible Gods assistance is therin 33 To this supreme courage magnanimitie and Christian fortitude the scripture exhorteth us when it saith If the spirit of one that is in authoritie do rise against thee see thou yeeld not from thy place unto him And again another scripture saith Strive for iustice even to the losse of thy life and stand for equitie unto death it selfe and God shal overthrow thine enimies for thee And Christ himselfe yet more effectually recommendeth this matter in these words I say unto you my frinds be not afraid of them which kil the body and afterward have nothing else to do against you And S. Peter addeth further Neque conturbemini that is Do not only not fear them but which is lesse do not so much as be troubled for al that flesh and blood can do against you 34 Christ goeth further in the Apocalips and useth marvelous speeches to intise us to this fortitude For these are his words He that hath an eare to hear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches To him that shal conquer I wil give to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of my God This saith the first and the last he that was dead and now is alive I know thy tribulatition and thy povertie but thou art rich indeed and art blasphemed by those that say they are tru Israelites and are not but are rather the synagog of satan Fear nothing of that which you are to suffer behold the devil wil cause some of you to be thrust into prison to the end you may be tempted and you shal have tribulation for ten daies But be faithful unto death and I wil give thee a crown of life He that hath an eare to hear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches he that shal overcome shal not be hurt by the second death And he that shal overcome and keep my works unto the end I wil give unto him authoritie over nations even as I have received it from my father and I wil give him besides the morning star He that shal overcome shal be appareled in white garments and I wil not blot his name out of the booke of life but wil confesse his name before my father and before his angels Behold I come quikly hold fast that thou hast lest another man receive thy crown He that shal conquer I
hither the things required at thy hands in particular the account that wil be demanded of thee his goodnes towards thee his watchfulnes over thee his desire to win thee his reward if thou do wel his infinite punishment if thou do evil his callings his baits his allurements to save thee And on the contrarie part heer are discovered unto thee the vanities deceits of those impedimēts hinderances or excuses which any way might let stay or discourage thy resolution the feigned difficulties of vertuous life are remooved the conceited fears of Gods service are taken away the allureing flatteries of worldly vanitie are opened the foolish presumption upon Gods mercie the danger of delay the dissimulation of sloth the desperate peril of careles stonie harts are declared What then wilt thou desire more to moove thee What further argument wilt thou expect to draw thee from vice and wickednes that al this is 30 If al this stir thee not what wil stir thee gentle reader if when thou hast read this thou lay down thy book again and walk on thy carelesse life as quietly as before what hope I beseech thee may there be conceived of thy salvation Wilt thou go to heaven living as thou dost It is impossible As soone thou maist drive God out of heaven as get thither thy selfe in this kind of life What then Wilt thou forgo heaven yet escape hel too This is lesse possible whatsoever the Atheists of this world do persuade thee Wilt thou defer the matter and think of it heerafter I have told thee my opinion heerof before Thou shalt never have more abilitie to do it than now and it may be never halfe so much again If thou refuse it now I may greatly fear that thou wilt be refused heerafter thy selfe There is no way then so good deer brother as to do it presently whiles it is offered Break from that tyrant which deteineth thee in servitude shake off his chains cut a sunder his bonds run violently to Christ which standeth readie to imbrace thee with his arms open on the crosse Make joiful al the angels and court of heaven with thy conversion strike once the stroke with God again make a manly resolution say with the old couragious soldier of Iesus Christ Saint Ierom If my father stood weeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my nek behind me and al my brethren sisters children kinsfolks howling on every side to retain me in sinful life with them I would sling off my mother to the ground despise al my kinred run over my father and tread him under my feet therby to run to Christ when he calleth me 31 Oh that we had such harts as this servant of God had such courage such manhood such fervent love to our maister Who would lie one day in such slaverie as we do Who would eat husks with the prodigal son among swine seeing he may return home and be so honorably received and intertained by his old father have so good cheer and banketting and hear so great melodie joy and triumph for his return I say no more heerin deer brother than thou art assured of by the word and promise of Gods own mouth from which can proceed neither falshood nor deceit Return then I beseech thee lay hand fast on his promise who wil not fail thee run to him now he calleth whiles thou hast time and esteem not al this world worth a straw in respect of this one act for so shalt thou be a most happie and thrise happie man and shalt blesse heerafter the hour and moment that ever thou madest this blessed resolution And I for my part I trust shal not be void of some portion of thy felicitie At leastwise I dowt not but thy holie conversion shal treat for me with our common father who is the God of mercies for remission of my many sins and that I may serve and honor him togither with thee al the dais of my life which ought to be both our petitions and therfore in both our names I beseech his divine majestie to grant it to us for ever and ever Amen The end of this booke of Resolution A TREATISE TENDING TO PACIFICATION BY LABOring those that are our adversaries in the cause of RELIGION to receive the GOSPEL and to join with us in profession therof By Edm. Bunny Hosea 3 4 5. The children of Israel shal sit a great while without king without prince without sacrifice without image without Ephod and without Teraphim But afterward the children of Israel shal be converted and seeke the Lord their God and David their king in the latter dais they shal worship the Lord and his loving kindnes A Table declaring the effect and method of the Treatise following This Treatise following consisth of two principal parts In the former of which there is set down matter to move them that is First on our parts it is declared that if we should turn unto them The benefit that we should get therby would be very little Section 1. The inconvenience very great First in matters concerning religion Sect. 2. Then concerning our civile estate Sect. 3. Then on their parts it is declared likewise that if they should ioin in profession with us The benefit that they should get therby were gret First in matters of religion Sect. 4. Then as touching their civile estate Sect. 5. The inconveniences very smal cōcerning which First it is declared what they are Sect. 6. Then of how smal importance they are which is declared First in them al generally Sect. 7. Then more specially in the doctrine of iustification Sect. 8. In the latter such lets are remooved as are woont to hinder of which there be two special sorts Some that are of lesse importance Of which likewise there are Som that cheefly respect their person which also are two One that proceedeth from regard of their credit which so they think should be overthrown Sect. 9. The other ariseth from their bodily punishment wherin they think we deal hardly with them Sect. 10. One that doth somwhat respect their cause likewise which is that our translations of the holy scriptures are now in their iudgement found to be so far from the truth of the text that it seemeth to them that we have not the word of God among us to direct us in this our profession as heertofore it was thought that we had Concerning which First there is a breefe recital of those points of doctrine for which we are charged to have translated so corruptly Sect. 11. Then is declared how it may very easily appeer that the matter is not so great as they pretend First by consideration of certain general points to them al belonging Sec. 12 Then by a more special treatise of everie one apart by it selfe Sect. 13. One that is of special force with manie and most of al hindereth those that stay upon conscience in deede which is that
A Booke of Christian exercise appertaining to RESOLVTION that is shewing how that we should resolve our selves to become Christians in deed by R. P. Perused and accompanied now with a Treatise tending to Pacification by Edm. BVNNY Heb. 13 8. Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Imprinted at London by N. Newton and A. Hatfield for Iohn Wight 1584. Hoc insigne priùs proavis musÃsque decorum Postremò Petri concelebravit honos TO THE MOST REverend Father in God his very good Lord and Patron EDWIN by the providence of God Archbishop of York Primate of England and Metropolitan c. MAY it please your Grace to understand that wheras at the first by a frind of mine and after by mine own experience I perceived that the booke insuing was willingly read by divers for the persuasion that it hath to godlines of life which notwithstanding in manie points was corruptly set down I thought good in the end to get the same published againe in some better manner than now it is come foorth among them that so the good that the reading therof might otherwise do might carrie no hurt or danger withal so far as by me might be praevented For this cause I have taken the pains both to purge it of certain points that carried either some manifest error or else some other inconvenience with them and to join another short Treatise withal to â—â—â—ort those that are not yet persuaded to join with us likewise in the truth of Religion For so to accept of our adversaries labors so much as is good may I trust bring to passe with some few of them that themselves wil better perceive that wherin they shal do wel they may looke to be as readily incouraged by us as when they do il to be admonished or reprehended either as the case doth require and others likewise of their welwillers yet notwithstanding in this varie from them that they stand more indifferent in the cause of religion and mean not otherwise to persist in their opinions but so far as they think they have reason for them may so be the rather induced to assure them selves as the truth indeed is that wherin they have sufficient warrant for the points that they stand on they are not in any wise misliked by us but onlie for those wherin they have no sufficient groundwork to bear them out I was also very glad both that some of them had taken pains in that kind of labor and that others of their profession were somtimes occupied in reading of such For wheras by their bookes that are of the Controversies the readers of them that are before smitted with that kind of infestion are oft times therby the more intangled in their errors and more kindled likewise with inordinate heat against al those that more sincerely hold the Christian faith by this kind of labor it may fal out that comming therby to the fear of God though but after a corrupter maner yet therin may they possibly finde a readie way first to draw them somwhat on to a better advisement of their wais and then after that to espie their wonted errors likewise and to join with us in the truth of religion In which course the better to help them I have added this other Treatise withal so to bring before their eies how the case for that matter doth stand betwixt us and how little cause there is for them so much to be afraid of our profession as some have born them in hand that they ought trusting withal that as they do already agree with us in many points of great importance so they can be content to condescend unto us in the rest likewise if it may appeer unto them that in so doing they shal do none otherwise than as of conscience and dutie they ought Both which bookes when I thought to have praesented unto your Grace I was for a time staied by this for that I thought them not a praesent woorthie inough in respect of my labors therin But when I did more deeply consider that I might very wel hope of better acceptance than the strict woorthines of the thing should deserve I was then fully resolved to be so bold as to praesent your G. with them such as they be and for whatsoever wanteth either in them or me to rest in the good assurance that I have that your G. wil notwithstanding of your own inclination in good part take them As also I take it that I am by good reason induced so to do both for that the dignitie of your place in the church of God among us and mine own special dutie besides doth of right require it and much more than it if mine abilitie might accordingly serve and the nature of the matter in one principal point is such as that by a certain kind of necessitie it leadeth me therunto For wheras it may be the persuasion of some that no such work as is at the first so corrupt in it selfe should be brought foorth to light by any of us though never so warily we purged it before wherin notwithstanding there be many good reasons to ground upon for those that are otherwise minded hence is it that your Graces censure especially heer in these parts is of me and others of the same jurisdiction especially to be regarded for the place that God hath given you among us In which kind of labor as Castalion first then also Maister Rogers have done very wel in that little booke of Kempicius that is called The Imitation of Christ leaving out the corruption of it and taking onlie that which was sound so hath Iohn Baptist Fikler been very bold in wresting that which another had written so wel of the power of the magistrate over his subjects and the dutie of subjects to him again altogither to the establishing of the Popes supremacie and to animate their own confoederates against their godlie and lawful princes changing nothing else to speak of but those very titles and otherwise using the others matter method and stile Nevertheles as the former of these examples shew us how such things may rightly be used so the other likewise may admonish those that would mislike to have their oversights so holpen that they had need as much to go about to excuse their own fellows as to impugn any others therfore that use their freedom more moderately As for my selfe having used my libertie so easily as I have done altering no more than need required and doing the same in quiet maner without any greefe against the Author whosoever it were or disgrace to his doings so much as might be not betraieng the truth I am the lesse careful under the protection of your Graces censure either of the censure or assalts of others that are more led by affection than reason To be short wheras the former of these two bookes calleth men from the love of the world and the latter likewise doth cal men from their
advertisement to the Reader How necessarie a thing it is for a man to resolve to leave vanities and to serve God What argument the devil useth to draw men from this resolution How wilful ignorance doth-increase and not excuse sin What mind a man should have that would read this Treatise The second Chapter How necessarie it is to enter into earnest consideration and meditation of our estate wherin is declared That inconsideration heerin is a great enimie to resolution What inconveniences grow therby The nature and commoditie of consideration Of the exact maner of meditating the particulars of religion in the fathers of old and the fashion of beleeving in grosse at this day The third Chapter Of the end in general why man was created and placed in this world wherin is handled How du consideration of this end helpeth a man to iudge of himselfe What mind a man should have to creatures The lamentable condition of the world by want of this du consideration And the mischeefe therof at the last day The fourth Chapter Of the end of man more in particular and of two special parts of the same required at his hands in this life wherin is discussed How exactly both these parts are to be exercised The description of a Christian life The lamentable condition of our negligence heerin The care and diligence of many of the fathers touching the same The remedies that they used for the one part what monuments of pietie they left behind touching the other The indifferent estates of good and evil men as wel praesently and at the day of death as in the life to come The fift Chapter Of the severe account that we must yeeld to God wherin is declared A principal point of wisdome in an accountant for viewing of the state of his account before hand The maiestie of ceremonies and circumstances used by God at the first publication of his law in writing and his severe punishment of offenders The sharp speeches of our savior against sinners Why two iudgements are appointed after death The sudden comming of them both The demands in our account at the general iudgement The circumstances of horror and dread before at and after the same What a treasure a good conscience wil then be The pittiful case of the damned How easily the dangers of those matters may be praevented in du time The sixt Chapter A consideration of the nature of sin and of a sinner to shew the cause why God justly useth the rigor before mentioned wherin is described Gods infinite hatred to sinners The reasons why God hateth them That they are enimies to God to themselves How God punisheth sinners as wel the penitent as the obstinate and of the bitter speeches in scripture against sinners Of the seven miseries and losses which come by sin The obstinacie of sinners in this age Two principal causes of sin Of the danger to live in sin How necessarie it is to fear The seventh Chapter Another consideration for the further justifieng of Gods judgements and declaration of our demerit taken from the majestie of God and his benefits towards us wherin is shewed A contemplation of the maiestie of God and of his benefits Of the several uses of sacraments Divers complaints against sinners in the person of God Our intollerable contempt and ingratitude against so great a maiestie and benefactor Of great causes we have to love God beside his benefits How he requireth nothing of us but gratitude That it resteth in du resolution to serve him An exhortation to this gratitude with a short praier for a penitent sinner in this case The eight Chapter Of what opinion and feeling we shal be touching these matters at the time of our death wherin is expressed The induration of some harts kept from resolution by worldly respects Of the matters of terror pain and miserie that principally molest a man at his death A contemplation of the terrors speech or cogitation of a sinner at the hour of death Of divers apparitions and visions to the iust and to the wicked lieng a dieng How al these miseries may be praevented The ninth Chapter Of the pains appointed for him after this life and of two sorts of them wherin is declared How God useth the motive of threats to induce men to resolution Of the everlasting pain in hel reserved for the damned and common to al that are there Of the two parts therof that is pain sensible and pain of losse Vehement coniectures touching the severitie of those pains Of the several names of hel in divers toongs Of the particular pains for particular offenders peculiar in qualitie quantitie to the sins of ech offender Of the woorm of conscience The tenth Chapter Of the rewards benefits and commodities provided for Gods servants wherin is declared How God is the best pay-master Of his infinite magnificence The nature greatnes and valu of his rewards A description of paradise Of two parts of felicitie in heaven A contemplation of the commodities of the said two felicities ioined togither The honor wherunto a Christian man is born by baptism An admonition against securitie in this life The contents of the second part of this booke touching impediments of resolution The first Chapter Of the first impediment which is the difficultie that manie think to be in vertuous life wherin is declared Nine special privileges and helps wherwith the vertuous are aided above the wicked 1 The force of Gods grace for easing of vertuous life against al temptations 2 Of what force love is heerin And how a man may know whether he have love towards God or no. 3 Of a peculiar light of understanding pertaining to the iust 4 Of internal consolation of mind 5 Of the quiet of a good conscience in the iust 6 Of hope in God which the vertuous have And that the hope of the wicked is indeed no hope but meer presumption 7 Of freedom of soul and bodie which the vertuous have 8 Of the peace of mind in the vertuous towards God their neighbor and themselves 9 Of the expectation of the reward that the vertuous have Of the comfort that holie men have after their conversion And how the best men have had greatest conflicts therin Of Saint Austens conversion and four annotations therupon The second Chapter Of the second impediment which is tribulation wherin are handled four special points 1 First that it is an ordinarie means of salvation to suffer some tribulation 2 Secondly that there be thirteen special considerations of Gods purpose in sending afflictions to his servants which are laid down and declared in particular 3 Thirdly what special considerations of comfort a man may have in tribulation The third Chapter Of the third impediment which is love of the world which is drawn to six points 1 First how and in what sense the world and commodities therof are vanities and of three general points of worldly vanities 2 Secondly how worldly commodities
are meer deceits 3 Thirdly how the same are pricking thorns 4 Fourthly how the same are miserie affliction 5 Fiftly how they strangle a man With a description of the world 6 Sixtly how a man may avoid the danger therof and use the commodities therof to his own benefit The fourth Chapter Of the fourth impediment which is too much praesuming of Gods mercie wherin is declared That prolonging of our iniquities in hope of Gods mercie is to build our sins on Gods bak Of the two feete of our Lord that is mercie and truth Of two dangers of sinners and how Gods goodnes helpeth not them that persevere in sin Whether Gods mercy be greter than his iustice The description of tru fear Of servile fear and of the fear of children and how servile fear is profitable for sinners The fift Chapter Of the fift impediment which is delay of resolution upon hope to do it better or with more ease afterward wherin a declaration is made Of seven special reasons why the devil mooveth us to delay and of six principal causes which make our conversion harder by delay How hard it is to repent in old age for him that is not accustomed to some hardnes before what charge a man draweth to himselfe by delay That the example of the theefe saved on the crosse is no warrant to such as defer their conversion Of divers reasons why conversion made at the last hour is insufficient The sixt Chapter Of three other impediments that is sloth negligence and hardnes of hart wherin is declared The four effects of sloth and the means how to remoove them The cause of Atheism at this day And the way to cure careles men Of two degrees of hardnes of hart How hardnes of hart is in al persecutors The description of an hard hart and the danger therof The conclusion of the whole booke FINIS THE FIRST PART OF THIS BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the end and parts of this Booke with a necessarie advertisement to the Reader THIS first booke hath for his proper end to persuade a Christian by name to become a tru Christian in deede at the least in resolution of mind And for that there be two principal things necessary to this effect therfore this first booke shal be divided into two parts In the first shal be declared important reasons and strong persuasions to provoke a man to this resolution In the second shal be refuted al the impediments which our spiritual enimies the flesh the world and the diuell are wont to lay for the stopping of the same knowing very wel that of this resolution dependeth all our whole seruice of GOD. For he that never resolveth himselfe to doo wel and to leave the dangerous state of sin wherin he liveth is far of from ever doing the same But he that somtimes resolveth to do it although by frailty he performeth it not at that time yet is that resolution much acceptable before God and his mind the redier to return after to the like resolution again and by the grace of God to put it manfully in execution But he that wilfully resisteth the good motions of the holie Ghost and vncurteously contemneth his Lord knocking at the doore of his conscience greatly prouoketh the indignation of GOD against him and commonly groweth harder and harder daily vntil he be given over into a reprobate sense which is the next doore to damnation it selfe 2 One thing therefore I must advertise the Reader before I go any further that he take great heed of a certaine principal deceit of our ghostly adversarie whereby he draweth many millions of soules into hel daily which is to fear terrifie them from hearing or reading any thing contrarie to their present humor or resolution As for example an usurer from reading books of restitution a lecherer from reading discourses against that sin a worldling from reading spiritual books or treatises of deuotion And he useth commonly this argument to them for his purpose Thou seest how thou art not yet resolved to leave this trade of life wherin thou art and therfore the reading of these books wil but trouble and afflict thy conscience and cast thee into sorrow and melancholie and therefore read them not at al This I saie is a cunning sleight of Satan wherby he leadeth many blindfolded to perdition euen as a faulkener carieth manie hawks quietly being hooded which otherwise he could not do if they had the vse of their sight 3 If ignorance did excuse sin then this might be some refuge for them that would live wickedly But this kind of ignorance being voluntarie and wilful increaseth greatly both the sin and the sinners euil state For of this man the holie Ghost speaketh in great disdain Noluit intelligere vt bene ageret He would not vnderstand to do well And again Quia tu scientiam repulisti repellam te For that thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee And of the same men in another place the same holy Ghost saith They do lead their lives in pleasure and in a moment go down vnto hell which say to God Go from vs we will not have the knowledge of thy wais Let euery man therfore beware of this deceit and be content at the least to read good bookes to frequent devout company and other like good means of his amendment albeit he were not yet resolved to follow the same yea although he should find some greefe and repugnance in himselfe to do it For these things can never do him hurt but may do him very much good and it may be that the very contrarictie and repugnance which he beareth in frequenting these things against his inclination may move the merciful Lord which seeth his hard case to give him the victorie over himselfe in the end and to send him much more comfort in the same than before he had dislike For he can easily do it only by altering our tast with a litle drop of his holie grace and so make those things most sweet and pleasant which before tasted both bitter and vnsaverie 4 Wherfore as I would hartily wish everie Christian soule that cometh to read these considerations following should come with an indifferent mind laid down wholy into Gods hands to resolve and do as it should please his holy spirit to move him unto although it were to the losse of all worldlie pleasures whatsoever which resignation is absolutely necessarie to everie one that desireth to be saved so if some can not presently win that indifferencie of themselves yet would I counsel them in any case to conquer their minds to so much patience as to go through to the end of this booke and to see what may be said at least to the matter although it be without resolution to follow the same For I doubt not but God may so pearse these mens harts before they come to the end as
wil make him a piller in the temple of my God he shal never go foorth more and I wil write upon him the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Ierusalem He that shal conquer I wil give unto him to sit with me in my throne even as I have conquered and do sit with my father in his throne 35 Hitherto are the words of Christ to Saint Iohn And in the end of the same book after he had described the joies and glorie of heaven at large he concludeth thus And he that sat on the throne said to me Write these words for that they are most faithful and tru 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 shal conquer shal possese al the ioies that I have heer spoken of and I wil be his God and he shal be my son But they which shal be fearful to fight or incredulous of these things that I have said their portion shal be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death 36 Heer now we see both allurements and threats good and evil life and death the joies of heaven and the burning lake proposed unto us We may stretch out our hands unto which we wil. If we fight and conquer as by Gods grace we may then are we to enjoy the promises laid down before If we shew our selves either unbeleeving in these promises or fearful to take the fight in hand being offered unto us then fal we into the danger of the contrarie threats even as Saint Iohn affirmeth in another place that certain noble men did among the Iewes who beleeved in Christ but yet durst not confesse him for fear of persecution 37 Heer then must insu another vertu in us most necessarie to al those that are to suffer tribulation and affliction and that is a strong and firm resolution to stand and go through what opposition or contradiction soever we find in the world either of fawning flatterie or persecuting crueltie This the scripture teacheth crieng unto us Esto firmus in via Domini Be firm and immooveable in the way of the Lord. And again State in fide viriliter agite Stand to your faith and play you the men And yet further Confide in Deo mane in loco tuo Trust in God and abide firm in thy place And finally Confortamini non dissolvantur manus vestrae Take courage unto you and let not your hands be dissolved from the work you have begun 38 This resolution had the three children Sidrach Misach and Abdenago when having heard the flattering speech and infinit threats of cruel Nabuchodonosor they answered with a quiet spirit O king we may not be careful to answer you to this long speech of yours For behold our God is able if he wil to deliver us from this fornace of fire which you threaten and from al that you can do otherwise against us But yet if it should not please him so to do yet you must know Sir king that we do not worship your gods nor yet adore your golden idol which you have set up 39 This resolution had Peter and Iohn who being so often brought before the councel and both commanded threatened and beaten to talk no more of Christ answered stil Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus We must obey God rather than men The same had Saint Paul also when being requested with teares of the Christians in Caesarea that he would forbear to go to Ierusalem for that the holie Ghost had revealed to many the trobles which expected him there he answered What mean you to weep thus and to afflict my hart I am not only ready to be in bonds for Christs name in Ierusalem but also to suffer death for the same And in his Epistle to the Romans he yet further expresseth this resolution of his when he saith What then shal we say to these things If God be with us who wil be against us Who shal separate us from the love of Christ Shal tribulation Shal distresse Shal hunger Shal nakednes Shal peril Shal persecution Shal the sword I am certain that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor strength nor height nor depth nor any creature else shal be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. 40 Finally this was the resolution of al the holie martyrs and confessors and other servants of God wherby they have withstood the temptations of the devil the allurements of flesh and blood and al the persecutions of tyrants exacting things unlawful at their hands I wil alledge one example out of the second book of Maccabes and that before the comming of Christ but yet nigh unto the same and therfore no marvel as the fathers do note though it took some heat of Christian fervor and constancie towards martyrdome The example is woonderful for that in mans sight it was but for a smal matter required at their hands by the tyrants commandement that is only to eate a peece of swines flesh which then was forbidden For thus it is recorded in the book aforesaid 41 It came to passe that seven brethren were apprehended togither in those dais brought with their mother to the king Antiochus and there compelled with torments of whipping and other instruments to the eating of swines flesh against the law At what time one of them which was the eldest said What dost thou seeke Or what wilt thou learn out of us O king We are readie heer rather to die than to break the ancient laws of our God Wherat the king being greatly offended commanded the frieng pans and pots of brasse to be made burning hot which being readie he caused the first mans toong to be cut of with the tops of his fingers and toes as also with the skin of his head the mother and other brothers looking on and after that to be fried until he was dead Which being done the second brother was brought to torment and after his hair plukt off from his head togither with the skin they asked him whether he would yet eat swines flesh or no before he was put to the rest of his torments Wherto he answered No and therupon was after many torments slain with the other Who being dead the third was taken in hand and being willed to put foorth his toong he held it foorth quikly togither with both his hands to be cut off saieng confidently I received both toong and hands from heaven and now I despise them both for the law of God for that I hope to receive them al of him again And after they
the wise men of this world were the fittest to be chosen to do Christ service in his church Yet Saint Paul saith Non multi sapientes secundum carnem God hath not chosen many wise men according to the flesh Who would not think but that a worldly wise man might easily also make a wise Christian Yet Saint Paul saith no except first he become a fool Stultus fiat vt sit sapiens If any man seem wise among you let him become a fool to the end he may be made wise Vain then and of no account is the wisdom of this world except it be subject to the wisdom of God 18 The first vanitie belonging to pride of life is corporal beautie wherof the wise man saith Vain is beautie and deceivable is the grace of countenance Wherof also king David understood properly when he said Turn away my eies O Lord that they behold not vanitie This is a singular great vanitie dangerous and deceitful but yet greatly esteemed of the children of men whose propertie is To love vanitie as the prophet saith Beautie is compared by holie men to a painted snake which is fair without and ful of deadly poison within If a man did consider what infinite ruins and destructions have come by our light giving credite therunto he would beware of it And if he remembred what foul drosse lieth under a fair skin he would little be in love therwith saith one father God hath imparted certain sparks of beautie unto his creatures therby to draw us to the consideration and love of his own beautie wherof the other is but a shadow even as a man finding a little issu of water may seek out the fountain therby or happening upon a smal vain of gold may therby come to the whole mine it selfe But we like babes delite ourselves only with the fair cover of the book and never do consider what is written therin In al fair creatures that man doth behold he ought to read this saith one father that If GOD could make a peece of earth so fair and lovely with imparting unto it some little spark of his beautie how infinite fair is he himselfe and how woorthy of al love and admiration And how happie shal we be when we shal come to enjoy his beautiful presence wherof now al creatures do take their beautie 19 If we would exercise our selves in these maner of cogitations we might easily keep our harts pure and unspotted before God in beholding the beautie of his creatures But for that we use not this passage from the creature to the creator but rest only in the eternal appeerance of a deceitful face letting go the bridle to foul cogitations and setting wilfully on fire our own cōcupiscences hence it is that infinite men do perish daily by occasion of this fond vanitie I cal it fond for that every child may descrie the deceit and vanitie therof For take the fairest face in the world wherwith infinite foolish men fal in love upon the sight and rase it over but with a little scrach and al the matter of love is gone let there come but an agu and al this goodly beautie is destroied let the soul depart but one halfe hour from the bodie and this loving face is uglie to look on let it lie but two dais in the grave and those which were so hot in love with it before wil scarse abide to behold it or come neer it And if none of those things happen unto it yet quikly commeth on old age which riveleth the skin draweth in the eies setteth out the teeth and so disfigureth the whole visage as it becommeth more contemptible now than it was beautiful and alluring before And what then can be more vanitie than this What more madnes than either to take pride of it if I see it my selfe or to indanger my soul for it if I see it in others 20 The sixt vanitie belonging to pride of life is the glorie of fine apparel against which the wise man saith In vestitu ne glorieris vnquam See thou never take glorie in apparel Of al vanities this is the greatest which we see so common among men of this world If Adam had never fallen we had never used apparel for that apparel was devised to cover our shame of nakednes and other infirmities contracted by that fal Wherfore we that take pride and glorie in apparel do as much as if a begger should glorie and take pride of the old clouts that do cover his sores Saint Paul said unto a bishop If we have wherwithal to cover our selves let us be content And Christ touched deeply the danger of nice apparel when he commended so much S. Iohn Baptist for his austere attire adding for the contradictorie Qui mollibus vestiuntur in domibus regum sunt They which are apparelled in soft and delicate apparel are in kings courts In kings courts of this world but not in the kings court of heaven For which cause in the description of the rich man damned this is not omitted by Christ That he was apparelled in purple and silk 21 It is a woonderful thing to consider the different proceeding of God and the world heerin God was the first that ever made apparel in the world and he made it for the most noble of al our ancestors in paradise and yet he made it but of beasts skins And Saint Paul testifieth of the noblest saints of the old testament that they were covered only with goats skins and with hairs of camels What vanitie is it then for us to be so curious in apparel and to take such pride therin as we do We rob and spoil al creatures almost in the world to cover our baks and to adorn our bodies withal From one we take his wool from another his skin from another his fur and from som other their very excrements as the silk which is nothing els but the excrements of woorms Nor content with this we come to fishes and do beg of them certain pearls to hang about us We go down into the ground for gold and silver and turn up the sands of the sea for pretious stones and having borrowed al this of other creatures we jet up and down provoking men to look upon us as if al this now were our own When the stone shineth upon our finger we wil seem forsooth therby to shine When the silver and silks do glister on our baks we look big as if al that beauty came from us And so as the prophet saith we passe over our dais in vanitie and do not perceive our own extreme folly 22 The second general branch which Saint Iohn appointeth unto the vanitie of this life is concupiscence of the eies wherunto the ancient fathers have referred al vanities of riches and wealth of this world Of this Saint Paul writeth to Timothie Give commandement to the
feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God wil turn and looke into his own hart he that feareth God wil do good works They which fear God wil not be incredulous to that which he saith but wil keep his wais and seek out the things that are pleasant unto him they wil prepare their harts and sanctifie their souls in his sight 21 This is the description of tru fear of God set down by the scripture This is the description of that fear which is so much commended and commanded in every part and parcel of Gods word of that fear I say which is called Fons vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientiae gloria gloriatio beatum donum that is The fountain of life the roote of prudence the crown and fulnes of wisdome the glorie and gloriation of a Christian man a happie gift Of him that hath this fear the scripture saith Happy is the man which feareth the Lord for he wil place his mind upon his commandements And again The man that feareth God shal be happy at the last end and shal be blessed at the day of his death Finally of such as have this fear the scripture saith that God is their foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hath purchased them an inheritance God is as merciful to them as the father is merciful unto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timentium se faciet God wil do the wil of those that fear him with this fear 22 This holy fear had good Iob when he said to God I feared al my works And he yeeldeth the reason therof For I know that thou sparest not him that offendeth thee This fear lacked the other of whom the prophet saith The sinner hath exaspered God by saieng that God wil not take account of his dooings in the multitude of wrath Thy judgements O Lord are remooved from his sight And again Wherfore hath the man stirred up God against himself by saieng God wil not take account of my dooings It is a great wickednes no dowt a great exasperation of God against us to take the one halfe of Gods nature from him which is to make him merciful without justice to live so as though God would not take account of our life wheras he hath protested most earnestly the contrarie saieng that he is an hard and a sore man which wil not be content to receive his own again but also wil have usurie that he wil have a rekoning of al his goods lent us that he wil have fruit for al his labors bestowed upon us and finally that he wil have account for every word that we have spoken 23 Christ in the three score and eight psalm which in sundry places of the Gospel he interpreteth to be written of himselfe among other dreadful curses which he setteth down against the reprobate he hath these Let their eies be dazeled in such sort as they may not see powre out thy wrath my father upon them let the furie of thy vengeance take hand fast on them ad iniquitie upon their iniquitie and let him not enter into thy righteousnes let them be blotted out of the book of life and let them not be inrolled togither with the iust Heer lo we see that the greatest curse which God can lay upon us next before our blotting out of the booke of life it is to suffer us to be so blinded as to ad iniquitie upon iniquitie and not to enter into consideration of his justice For which cause also this cōfident kind of sinning upon hope of Gods mercie is accounted by divines for the first of the six greevous sins against the holie Ghost which our Savior in the gospel signifieth to be so hardly pardoned unto men by his father and the reason why they cal this a sin against the holie Ghost is for that it rejecteth wilfully one of the principal means left by the holie Ghost to retire us from sin which is the fear and respect of Gods justice upon sinners 24 Wherfore to conclude this matter of presumption me think we may use the same kind of argument touching the fear of Gods justice as Saint Paul useth to the Romans of the fear of Gods ministers which are temporal princes wouldest thou nor fear the power of a temporal prince saith he Do wel then and thou shalt not only not fear but also receive laud and praise therfore But if thou do evil then fear For he beareth not the sword without a cause In like sort may we say to those good felows which make God so merciful as no man ought to fear his justice Would ye not fear my brethren the justice of God in punishment Live vertuously then and you shal be as void of fear as lions are saith the wise man For that perfect charitie expelleth fear But if you live wickedly then have you cause to fear For God called not himselfe a just judge for nothing 25 If the matter had been so secure as many men by flatterie do persuade themselves it is Saint Peter would never have said unto Christians now baptised Walk you in fear during the time of this your earthly habitation Nor S. Paul to the same men Woork your own salvation in fear and trembling But heer some men wil ask how then doth the same apostle in another place say That God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of vertu love and sobrietie To which I answer That our spirit is not a spirit of servile fear that is to live in fear only for dread of punishment without love but a spirit of love joined with fear of children wherby they fear to offend their father not only in respect of his punishment but principally for his goodnes towards them benefits bestowed upon them This Saint Paul declareth plainly to the Romans putting the difference between servile fear and the fear of children You have not received again the spirit of servitude saith he in fear but the spirit of adoption of children wherby we cry to God Abba father He saith heer to the Romans you have not received again the spirit of servitude in fear for that their former spirit being gentils was only in servile fear for that they honored and adored their idols not for any love they bare unto them being so infinite as they were and such notable lewdnes reported of them I mean of Iupiter Mars Venus and the like but only for fear of hurt from them if they did not serve and adore the same 26 Saint Peter also in one sentence expoundeth al this matter For having said Timorem eorum ne timueritis Fear not their fear Meaning of the servile fear of wicked men he addeth presently Dominum autem Christum sanctificate in cordibus vestris cum modestia timore conscientiam
where there is no fear These men do frame unto themselves strange imaginations of the service of God dangerous events if they should follow the same One saith If I should give much it would without dowt make me a begger Another saith If I should stil imploy my selfe to painful labor it would kil me ere long A third saith If I should humble my selfe as is required every bodie would tread me under their feete And yet al this is nothing else but sloth as the scripture testifieth in these words Dicit piger leo est foris in medio platearum occidendus sum The slothful man saith sitting stil in his house There is a lion without if I should go out of doores to labor I should certainly be slain in the midst of the streets 5 A third effect of sloth is pusillanimitie and faintnes of hart wherby the slothful man is overthrown and discouraged by every little contrarietie or difficultie which he findeth in vertu or which he imagineth to find therin Which the wise man signifieth when he saith In lapide luteo lapidatus est piger The slothful man is stoned to death with a stone of dirt that is he is overthrown with a difficultie of no importance Again De stercore boum lapidatus est piger The slothful man is stoned dead with the doong of oxen which commonly is of matter so soft as it can hurt no man 6 A fourth effect of sloth is idle lazines which we see in many men that wil talk and consult of this and that about their amendement but wil execute nothing Which is most fitly expressed by the holie Ghost in these words Sicut ostium vertitur in cardine suo it a piger in lectulo suo As a doore is tossed in and out upon his hindges so is a slothful man lieng lazily upon his bed And again Vult non vult piger A slothful man wil and wil not That is he turneth himselfe to fro in his bed and between willing and nilling he doth nothing And yet further in another place the scripture describeth this lazines saieng The slothful man putteth his hands under his girdle and wil not vouchsafe to lift them up to his mouth for that it is painful 7 Al these and many mo are the effects of sloth but these four especially have I thought good to touch in this place for that they let hinder greatly this resolutiō which we talk of for he that liveth in a slumber wil not hear or attend to any thing that is said of the life to come and beside this imagineth fearful matters in the same and thirdly is thrown down by every little blok that he findeth in the way and lastly is so lazy as he can bear no labor at al this man I say is past hope to be gained to any such purpose as we speak for 8 To remoove therfore this impediment this sort of men ought to lay before their eies the labors of Christ and of his saints the exhortations they used to other men to take like pains the threats made in scripture against them which labor not the condition of our present warfare that requireth travel the crown prepared for it and the miserie ensuing upon idle and lazie people And finally if they cannot bear the labor of vertuous life which indeed is accompanied with so manie consolations as it may not rightfully be called a labor how wil they abide the labor and torments of the life to come which must be both intollerable and everlasting 9 Saint Paul saith of himselfe and others to the Thessalonians We did not eat our bread of free cost when we were with you but did work in labor and wearines both day and night therby to give you an example of imitation denouncing further unto you that If any man would not work he should not eat Christ in his parable stil reprehended greevously those that stood idle saieng Quid hîc statis tota die otiosi Why do you stand heer al the day idle and doing nothing I am a vine saith Christ and my father is an husbandman every branch that beareth not fruit in me my father wil cut off and cast into the fire And in another place Cut down the unprofitable tree why doth it stand heer and occupie up the ground for nothing And again The kingdome of heaven is subiect to force and men do gain it by violence and labor For which cause the wise man also saith Whatsoever thy hand can do in this life do it instantly for after it there is neither time nor reason nor wisdom or knowledge that we can imploy And again the same wise man saith The lazie hand worketh beggerie to it selfe but the laborsom and valiant hand heapeth up great riches And yet further to the same effect The slothful man wil not sow in the winter for that it is cold and therfore he shal beg in the summer and no man shal take pittie of him 10 Al this pertaineth to shew how that this life is a time of labor and not of idlenes and appointed unto us for the attaining of heaven it is the market wherin we must bie the battel wherin we must fight and obtain our crown the winter wherin we must sowe the day of labor wherin we must sweat and get our pennie And he that passeth over lazily this day as the most part of men do must suffer eternal povertie and need in the life to come as in the first part of this booke more at large hath been declared Wherfore the wise man or rather the holie Ghost by his mouth giveth ech one of us a most vehement admonition and exhortation in these words Run about make haste stir up thy frind give no sleepe unto thine eies let not thine eie lids slumber they skip out as a doe from the hands of him that held hir as a bird out of the hands of the fowler Go unto the emmet thou slothful man and consider hir doings and learn to be wise she having no guide teacher or captain provideth meat for hir selfe in the summer and gathereth togither in the harvest that which may serve hir to feed upon in the winter By which words we are admonished in what order we ought to behave our selves in this life and how diligent careful we should be in doing of al good works as S. Paul also teacheth considering that as the emmet laboreth most earnestly in the harvest time to lay up for the winter to come so we should for the next world and that slothfulnes to this effect is the greatest and most dangerous let that may be For as the emmet should die in the winter most certainly for hunger if she should live idlely in the summer so without al dowt they are to suffer extreme need and miserie in the world to come who now for sloth do
howsoever nor much stik to misse of that which before we have wrongfully had As for mariage we know that the children of the world do so uncleanly behave themselves both in their whooredoms and in marriage also that it is no marvel if they cannot think that the use of marriage and the administration of holie things may go togither so long as having some reverence of the one they measure the other by their own most shamful abuse But the ordinance of God is sufficient to stop the mouthes of al such when they have said the woorst that they can And as for house-keeping if being married and having children for whom to provide they be not able to bestow upon others so much as otherwise they might that need to be no greefe unto them Let every man do as he is able and before God he shal be discharged The stream that issueth by many branches must needs be lesse in every one than if al joined togither So that we walk as we are called it is inough there can be no more required of any As for outward worshippings and voluntarie streightnes in needles matters it is no sound credit that they get unto any God is worshipped in spirit and truth and such only they are in whom he delighteth Wherunto if outward ceremonies be added such as are needful then are they for the other welcome withal if otherwise they come they are abhominable unto him and never can his soul conceive any delight at al in them Streightnes is good a profitable labor so long as it is imploied in those things that are commanded but if it be but our own devise it is of no account with God For in such sort it is that many do strive and yet are not able to enter in And then what gain we to be in glorie among men and to be abandoned of God Their gain comming in so as it doth they need not think any losse at al to be without it Iudas loved the monie wel that he had gotten but when he perceived how he came by it by betraieng his maister consenting to shed innocent blood he then could have no joy to keep it and made no account of any losse to throw it away Their poore estate would yeeld unto them a richer joy and peace of minde than al the treasures that by such means they were ever able to gather togither Better a great deal to feed on the coursest bread that we use than on the finest manchet that is after that once we finde it to be very ful of gravel Last of al though it were a shame for them to turn yet were it none at al but only with those that are gracelesse people and very dangerous in so weightie a matter as this to hold on our way after that once we finde we are wrong And why should the mire that lieth in the streets be so careful to be gilded over with gold Why should wretched and sinful man be so desirous never to let down his own aestimation So God be glorified let us not care what becōmeth of us When as al glorie belongeth to him there is none at al belonging to us As an ornament that is for a noble personage wil not become a meaner person so glorie likewise that is only for God can never become the children of men But if needs they wil be in some aestimation can they have greater than by acknowledging their former wanderings so much as needeth to the glorie of God to the helping up of others again who by them were occasioned to stūble before So notwithstanding these inconveniences which it seemeth they should fal into yet the matter being better examined it would soon appeer that there is no such inconvenience in the matter as at the first might be feared to be Neverthelesse whether they be inconveniences or not that do I leave unto them to think of Those they are whatsoever they are be they of what valu they can Such as they are let them be for me I wish them no greater neither do I labor to make them lesse than in truth they are And so consequently if our profession be compared togither this is the varietie that they do yeeld and in these points resteth whatsoever it is al the ods that is betwixt us Which being so then it is no hard matter to judge whether of them it is wherin we may better settle our selves 8 As for that one point of having good works concurring in our justification of which I thought good for certain causes more specially to treat by it selfe it shal be good a little more specially to consider both what is the effect of the doctrine it selfe and what is to be thought of that same place of Saint Iames that seemeth to go so much against our opinion therin Vnto the effect of the doctrine it selfe it doth appertain first to consider what kind of works they must be that may have any thing to do towards the justifieng of any and then as touching the obteining of tru righteousnes to us both where we may find it by what means it may be ours The works therfore that may be available to justifie any in the sight of God must needs be such as are in themselves a ful perfect and absolute righteousnes for that otherwise they cannot stand in the justice of God And absolute righteousnes can never be but where every deed word and thought is very good and that in so high degree as is required nor so neither unles there be a continual tract of works words and thoughts al our whole life without intermission Other righteousnes though we have never so good yet if it lak any one jot of this it wil not serve us to this purpose For the law requireth both that such things should be done with al the hart with al the soul with al our strength and that they never depart out of our harts al the dais of our life And that solemn diffinitive sentence of the law compriseth both verie breefly when it saith that Everie one is accused that continueth not in al things that are written in the booke of the law to do them If now we would know where to find this absolute righteousnes the truth is that somtimes it seemeth that it might be found among men and yet is no where to be found indeed to our use but onlie in Christ. It may seem to be found among men both for that the law requireth such things at our hands and bicause that some there have been of special commendation for these matters Howbeit the law doth not require such things at our hands as though that now we were able to do them but to shew that once we were able and therwithal how far we are fallen from our first integritie and that God that once made us able may justly require at our hands the performance therof And as for the best men that ever were there