it enlightneth the vnderstanding it inflameth our will it strengtheneth our memorie it tempereth and moderateth our part concupiscible least it runne into all euil it cōfirmeth the part irascible least it be slow too sluggish to work well Moreouer because all our natural passions which are found in these two inferiour powers of our appetite are as it were step-dames vnto vertue dores wherby deuils oftentimes enter into our soules it hath appointed as it were Sentinels in each of these parts which watch and keepe it that is a certaine infused vertue comming from aboue vvhich doth helpe man and maketh him secure in danger which ariseth by meanes of those passions So to defend the soule frō the appetite of gluttonie it sendeth Temperance to defend it frō the lust of the flesh it sendeth Chastitie and to defend it from ambition it sendeth Humilitie and so in the rest But there is one thing which exceedeth all the fore-sayde that is that grace maketh God to dwell in our soule that dwelling in it he may gouerne it defend it direct it in the heauenly way God therefore sitteth in our soule as a King in his kingdome as a Captayne among his armie as a Maister in his schoole and as a Pastour among his flocke that there he may exercise and vndergoe spiritually all these offices and administer all prouidence Goe to therefore if this precious pearle out of which so many good things come be a perpetuall companion vnto Vertue who will not willingly imitate that wise Merchant in the Gospell who sold all that he had that he might buy this alone ¶ Of the third priuiledge of Vertue which is a light and a certaine supernaturall knowledge which our Lord giueth to them who seeke after Vertue CHAP. XV. THE third priuiledge which is graunted vnto Vertue is a certaine speciall light and a certaine wisedome which our Lord doth bestow vpon them that are righteous which also proceedeth from that grace of which we haue hetherto spoken The reason is because it is a function and duty of grace to heale and recure nature beeing weake feeble and decayed Euen as therefore it healeth the appetite and will weakened through sinne so also it recureth the vnderstanding being exceedingly obscured and darkned by the same sinne that by this benefit the vnderstanding may know what it ought to doe and by the will there may be ability power to doe that which now it vnderstandeth is needefull for to be done Not vnlike to this is that Saint Gregory hath in his Morals Not to be able to fulfill that which man vnderstoode was a punishment of sinne as also that was a punishment of the same not to vnderstand that Therefore sayd the Prophet The Lord is my light against ignorance and my saluation against impotencie In one is signified what is to be desired in the other strength is giuen by which we may attaine vnto it And so as well this as that pertayneth to the same grace Hence it is that besides fayth and prudence infused which enlighten our vnderstanding that it may vnderstand what it ought to beleeue what also to doe the gifts of the holy Ghost doe increase also in vs foure of which pertaine to the vnderstanding that is the gift of wisedome which is giuen for the knowledge of high and lofty matters the gift of Science which is giuen that wee may vnderstand lower matters the gift of vnderstanding by which we come to the knowledge of the misteries of God and to the congruencie and beauty of them and the gift of counsaile and aduice by whose helpe we know the actions of this life and how to gouerne and rule whatsoeuer happeneth to vs in it All these beames come from the splendour of grace onely which therefore is called in the holy Scriptures an Annointing or Vnction For it teacheth all things as Saint Iohn speaketh Wherefore euen as oyle among all liquid substances is the fittest to preserue light and to cure wounds so this diuine Vnction doth cure the wounds of our will and doth illuminate the darknes of our vnderstanding This is that most precious oyle better then all oyle of which the kingly Prophet speaketh Thou hast annoynted mine head with oyle It is certaine that he speaketh heere not of a materiall head nor of materiall oyle but of a spirituall head that is of the superiour part of our soule in which our vnderstanding is as very well sheweth a learned man wryting vpon this place and of spirituall oyle which is the light of the holy Ghost by which our lampe is preserued that it is not put out Of the light of this holy oyle this good King had much who thus speaketh of himselfe Thou hast taught me wisedome in the secret of mine hart An other reason may be also giuen of this For seeing that it is the office of grace to make a man endued with Vertue it cannot execute this vnlesse first it moue a man to sorrow and repentance of his former life and stirre vp the feare of God in him Vnlesse before it worketh that man doth deadly hate sinne and desire heauenly blessings with great feruency and altogether contemne these worldly vanities But the will cannot obtayne these and the like vnlesse before it hath the light of vnderstanding and a knowledge proportionable by which the will may be stirred vp For the will is a blind faculty which is not mooued except the vnderstanding goe before carrying a light and shewing good and euill in all things that the affection towards them may encrease or decrease Hence it is that Thomas Aquinas sayth euen as the loue of God doth encrease in the soule of a righteous man so also encreaseth the knowledge of the goodnes fauour and beauty of the same God and that by an equall proportion that if one of them encrease an hundreth degrees so many also encreaseth the other For hee that loueth much he vnderstandeth many causes of loue in the thing beloued but he that loueth little vnderstandeth but few And that which is cleerely vnderstoode of the loue of God this also is vnderstoode of feare hope and of the hatred of sinne From which men would no more abhorre then from other things vnlesse they vnderstood that it was an euill then which nothing in this world is more worthy of horror and execration Seeing therefore that the holy Ghost willeth that these effects should be in the soule of a righteous man he willeth also that there should be causes in it from whence they may come As hee willeth that there should be diuersity of effects in the earth so also he willeth that diuers causes and celestiall influences should be wrought in it Furthermore seeing that it is true as we before haue proued that God doth dwell by grace in the soules of the righteous and that God is light Enlightning euery man that commeth into the world as Saint
is to be feared that they haue no care of inward defects which are not seene although they are most diligent in outward which are publique and openly discerned Furthermore the exteriour vertues as they are more manifest vnto men so also they are better known and had in greater esteeme as are Abstinence Watching Discipline corporall austeritie But the interiour vertues Hope Charity Humility Discretion the Feare of God and the Contempt of the world are more occult and hid and therefore albeit they be in greater honour with God yet they are not so valued in mans iudgement And therefore our Sauiour sayth Yee are they that iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your harts Not dissonant to this is that of Paule Hee is not a Iewe which is a Iew outward Neyther is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one inwardly and the circumcision of the hart which consisteth in the spirit and not in the letter is circumcision whose praise is not of men but of God Seeing therefore that those externall are in so great estimation among men and are so admired of all and the appetite of selfe honour and excellencie is so subtill and the most powerfull of all the appetites it is to be feared least that affection draw a man rather to loue and seeke after those vertues by which greater honour is expected then those by which lesser yea perhaps among men none For to the loue of these the spirit inuiteth but to the loue of the other the spirit and the flesh inuite together which is exceeding vehement and most vnpatient in her desires Which seeing that it is so not without cause it is to be feared least these two affections should ouer-come that one and should carry the victory from it To thys mischiefe the light of this doctrine opposeth it selfe which defendeth and patronizeth a iuster cause and notwithstanding these commaundeth place to be giuen to this which deserueth more admonishing vs that we loue that and embrace it with greater feruency which is more profitable and more necessary ¶ The third instruction BY that also wee gather that as often as it happeneth that these vertues doe so concurre at one and the selfe same time that we cannot entertaine and content them altogether then according to the rule of Gods precepts the lesser must giue place to the greater Otherwise order will be inuerted and disturbed This Saint Bernard teacheth in his booke of the precept and the dispensation Furthermore sayth he many things are inuented and ordayned not because we may not liue otherwise but because so to liue is more expedient neyther are they deuised for any other end then for the preseruing and good of charity So long therfore as they respect and ayme at charity they stand firme and vnmoueable and may not be changed without offence no not of the inuenters and ordayners But if contrarily at any time they seeme contrary vnto charity they are to be changed and altered but onely of those to whom it is giuen to see this and to whom this busines is committed to be ouer-seene and not of euery ouer-weening Disciplinarian and giddy-braind humorist seemeth it not most meete and requisite that those things that were inuented for Charity should also for charity when it seemeth conuenient be eyther omitted or intermitted or be changed into some other thing more commodious For otherwise without doubt it is most vniust if ordinances and constitutions onely deuised for charity should be held and maintayned against charity Therefore let them be held assuredly and firmely immutable yea amongst Prelates which are grounded vpon necessary considerations but so farre forth as they serue vnto charity Hetherto are the words of Saint Bernard ¶ The fourth instruction TWo kinds of iustice and righteousnes are gathered out of this same Doctrine one is true the other false True righteousnes and iustice comprehendeth together both things internall and externall which are required to the preseruing of them That which is false and counterfeit obserueth some externall without internall without the loue and feare of God without humility without deuotion and without other internall vertues Like to this was the righteousnes of the Phariseis of whom the Lord speaketh in Mathew Woe sayth hee vnto you Scribes and Phariseis hipocrits for ye tythe Mint and Annise and Cummin and haue left the waightier matters of the law iudgement mercy and fayth these ought ye to haue done and not to leaue the other vndone Ye blind guides which straine out a gnat and swallow a Camell Woe vnto you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrits for ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of bribery and excesse And a little after Woe vnto you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrits for ye are like vnto paynted Sepulchers which indeede appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthines Of the same kind is that righteousnes which so often is reprehended of God in the Scriptures by the Prophets for whom the mouth of one speaketh This people honoureth me with their mouth and glorifieth me with their lips but their hart is farre from me and the feare which they haue vnto me proceedeth of a commaundement that is taught of men but they haue despised my law And in another place Why offer ye so many sacrifices vnto me sayth the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of vveathers and of the fatnes of fed beasts I haue no pleasure in the blood of bullocks lambs and goates Offer me no moe oblations for it is but lost labour Incense is an abhominable thing vnto me I may not away with your new moones your Sabaoths and solemne meetings your solemne assemblies are wicked I hate your new moones and appointed feasts euen from my very hart they make me weary I cannot abide them What meaneth this vvhat doth God condemne that he appoynted and expresly commaunded especially seeing that they be the acts of the noblest vertue which we call Religion whose proper function and duty is to worship God with the seruice of adoration and Religion No certainly but he condemneth the men that contenting themselues with those externall ceremonies had no regard nor care of true righteousnes and the feare of the Lord as forth-with he declareth saying Wash you make you cleane put away your euill thoughts out of my sight cease from doing of euill learne to doe well apply your selues to equity deliuer the oppressed helpe the fatherles to his right let the widdowes complaine come before you And then goe to sayth the Lord let vs talke together though your sinnes be as red as scarlet they shall be as white as snow and though they were like purple they shall be as white as wooll In another place he repeateth the same thing and that with greater vehemency He that slayeth sayth he an Oxe for me
before of vs the power and force of the cause is knowne by the effects and work and by the power force the Essence is knowne What maner of power shall it be from whence so great a worke proceeded and if this power be such and so great what an one and howe incomprehensible is that Essence which is knowne by that power This contemplation without all doubt doth farre exceed all humane reach In this we must further consider that all these excellent and great workes not onely as they are but as they might haue beene are as though they were not in the viewe of that diuine power yea after an infinite manner they are lesser for that is infinitely greater to which this power doth extend it selfe Who then will not be astonished considering of the greatnes of such an Essence and of such a power which although a man cannot see with his externall eyes yet he may make a most certaine coniecture and gather of the foresaid reason how great it is how incomprehensible This wonderfull immensitie of God that great Schooleman Thomas Aquinas doth show in his Breuiarie of Diuinitie by this example We see sayth he in things corporall that by how much any thing is more excellent by so much also it is greater in quantitie for we see that the element of the water is greater then the earth and the ayre greater then the water and the fire then the ayre furthermore the first or lowest heauen is greater then the element of fire the second heauen greater thē the first and the third then the second and after the same manner by ascending euen to the tenth Spheare yea euen to that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares whose greatnes is incomparable That any one may plainly see if he haue any consideration how little the Globe and roundnes of the earth and water be if they be compared with the heauens The Astrologers also say that the whole circumference of the earth and water are but as a pricke or a poynt in comparison of heauen which they proue manifestly by their demonstrations For although the circle of the heauen be deuided into the twelue signes of the Zodiacke through which once in a yeere the Sun doth runne yet in eyther Horizon onely sixe are seene for the bignes and standing of the earth dooth take vp and possesse no more place of heauen then a leafe of paper or a tablet will being placed and sette in the Center of the world from whence the compasse of the heauen may be seene without let or impediment Seeing therefore that that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares which is the chiefest and the noblest body of the world is of such an inestimable magnitude aboue all bodies we may easily vnderstand sayth Thomas how God who is without any circumscription the chiefest greatest and best of all things as well of things corporall as spirituall who also is the maker of them ought must exceed all things with a certaine infinite magnitude not in quantitie for he is no body but in excellencie and noblenesse of his most perfect Essence But that we may returne from whence we are digressed after the same manner we may search in all other things how great and of what condition be the magnitudes perfections of this Lord. For it is necessary that they be such as his Essence is Ecclesiasticus confesseth that where he speaketh of Gods mercy According to his greatnes saith he so is his mercy of such sort are all the rest of his perfections Such is his goodnes such is his benignitie maiestie gentlenes wisedome sweetnes noblenes beautie omnipotencie and to be briefe such is his iustice He therefore is infinitely good infinitely sweet infinitely amiable and woorthy whom all creatures should obey feare and reuerence insomuch that if mans hart could containe infinite loue and feare and infinite obedience and reuerence all that should be obliged by the bond and rule of iustice to the dignitie and excellencie of this Lord. For if as euery one is more worthy more excellent so greater reuerence is due vnto him it followeth that seeing the excellencie of God is so infinite that also infinite reuerence is due vnto him Heereupon is inferred that all that which is wanting to our loue and reuerence whereby we doe not come to that measure is therefore wanting because it is indebted to a dignitie of such greatnesse Which thing seeing it is so how great I pray thee is that debt which this onelie title although there were no other doth request of vs in the loue obedience of this Lord What I pray thee will he loue who doth not loue so great a goodnesse What will hee feare who doth not feare so great a Maiestie Whom will hee serue who will not attend vpon such a Lord For what is thy will made if not to loue and embrace that which is good If then he be the chiefest good what is the cause that our will doth not loue embrace him aboue all that is called God And if it bee so heynous an euill not to loue or feare his Lord aboue all things what wil it be not to esteeme or regard him Who would haue euer supposed that the malice of man would haue come to so great impietie Neuerthelesse to that height of peruersitie they are come that for a little beastly pleasure or for a little honour or for a small gaine and filthy lucre doe offend and contemne so great a goodnesse O blindnes to be deplored ô insensiblenes more then bestiall ô deuillish rashnes and presumption What doth not he deserue who dareth such things with what punishment with what kind of torture shall the contempt of so great a maiestie be worthily satisfied It is certaine that it shall be punished with no lesser torment then that which is prepared for such an offence that is that whosoeuer hee be that contemneth God shall be tormented in hell fire euerlastingly and yet neither shall he worthily be punished This then is the first Title which bindeth vs to the loue and seruice of this Lord which bond is so great that all bonds by which by any manner of meanes in thys world we are bound to any person eyther for his excellency or for his perfection are vnworthy the name of bonds if they be compared with this For euen as the perfections of all other things being compared with the diuine are no perfections so neither the bonds which by reason of their perfections and excellencies are named such are bonds beeing compared with this as neyther all the offences made onely to the creatures cannot be called offences if they be compared to them by which the Creator himselfe is offended For which cause Dauid also in that paenitentiall Psalme sayth that he had offended the Lord onely and onely sinned against him albeit he had offended most grieuously against Vrias whō he had commaunded to be slaine being innocent and against
of the same fleece and colour yet hee knoweth his owne Damme goeth alwaies with her as though he should say Hence I haue receaued that I haue hence I will require that which I want This almost in all naturall things hath place and also it would come in vse amongst artificiall things if either they had sence or motion If a Painter in delineating pourtraying a picture should leaue the eyes imperfect if that picture could perceiue it or could be admonished of that it wanteth what doost thou thinke that it would doe whether would it goe it is certaine that it would not goe to the pallace of a King or of a Prince because they could not satisfie the desire of it nor supply his want but it would returne to the house of his Maister and there would desire him that he would make it perfect and that he would finish that he began Tell mee ô reasonable man what is the cause that thou doost not that which vnreasonable creatures doe Thou art not yet perfect many thinges are lacking in thee many things are as yet wanting to thee before thou art finished or perfected The first example and patterne as yet is not scarce delineated and drawne as we say after a rough and rude manner the comlines decking trimming of the worke are yet wanting which most plainly conuinceth the continuall appetite of that nature which alwayes as it were feeling her owne necessitie desireth alwayes seruentlie and seeketh carefully that which is wanting to her God will afflict thee with hunger that being compelled by this necessity he might make thee enter in by the right gate and that thou shouldest haue respect vnto him For this cause hee that made thee would not presently finish and make thee perfect and for this cause he would not presently make thee rich Hee dyd this not because hee is couetous but because hee is louing and fauourable to thee knowing that it is good that thou shouldest be such an one not that thou shouldest be poore but that thou shouldest be humble not that thou shouldest alwayes be in neede but that thou shouldest alwaies haue respect vnto him If therefore thou be blinde poore and standing neede of many things why doost thou not runne to thy Father that created thee and to the Painter that shadowed thee that hee may perfect those things which are missing and vvanting See how ready in this busines was King Dauid Thine hands saith he haue made and fashioned me giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commaundements As if he should say thy hands ô Lord haue made all that is good in me but thy worke thy frame is not yet perfect absolute in euery part The eyes of my soule among other things are not yet perfect I haue not yet that light by whose benefit I may know and discerne what is wanting in me what is necessary for me But of whom may I request that which remaineth is behind except of him who gaue that I haue that to whom the beginnings are due to him also the end might be due Giue mee therefore ô Lord that light illuminate the eyes of this borne blinde that I may acknowledge thee with them and so that may be perfected which thou hast begune in me If therefore it appertaineth to this Lord to giue the last perfection to thy vnderstanding it shall also pertaine to him to giue the same perfection to thy will and to the other faculties and powers of thy soule that by this maner this frame may bee finished of the same workman that begunne it This therefore shall be done without defect it shall encrease without discommoditie it shall bee enriched without great preparation and quiet rest shall be giuen vnto it without the possession of many things Through him a poore and myserable creature is content with his estate in him rest contented the clothed and the naked the destitute and he that is regarded he that wants all things and he that is happy in possession of all things Wherefore worthily said the wise man He is as rich hauing nothing and is as poore hauing great riches For the poore who hath GOD is rich and on the contrary part he is most beggerly and poore who is without God although hee be the mightiest Monarch in the world For what doe riches power profit a wealthy man beeing distracted with a thousand maner of cogitations beeing wearie of all things and lothing all things which vices proceede of the appetite which can be satisfied with no riches What doe costly garments delicate fare full store-houses and such like profit him to ease the griefes and bitternesses boyling and seething in his soule A rich man with all his riches lying in his bed in one night a hundred times doth tosse and turne himselfe neyther can hee sleepe because he hath not that he desireth hee fearest least that he hath should be taken away Of all those things which hetherto haue beene spoken that is conuinced and prooued that thou maist know how greatly thou art bound to serue GOD not onely for the debt of this benefit but also for the complement finishing of our felicitie and happinesse THE THIRD TITLE How we are bound to the Lord GOD by reason of the benefite of preseruation and gouerning CHAP. III. NOT onely man is bound to the Lord his GOD for the benefit of Creation but also for the benefite of preseruation for it is he that made thee after he made thee hee also preserueth thee so that thou doost depend of his hands and thou canst no more lyue without him then bee without him before thou wast created This is no lesse a benefit thē that former For that was but onely once done for thee but this is alwaie done and renued and the Lord daily by one meanes or other dooth estsoones create thee for him he continually preserueth whom he once created Not lesse power nor lesse loue is required in the one then in the other If thou therefore owest so much vnto him who created thee in a moment how much more shalt thou be indebted to him for that he preserueth thee continuallie thou doost not mooue a foote which hee doth not mooue neither doost thou open or shutte thine eyes without his helpe And if thou doost not beleeue that God doth moue thy members when thou doost mooue thou art not worthy that thou shouldest be called a Christian but if thou doost beleeue that he doth yeeld and bestow vpon thee this fauour and yet darest offend him I doe not know by what name I shoulde call thee Tell me if a man should stand in an high tower and should hold an other man in his hand hanging by a small thred durst he thinkest thou that seeth himselfe in such a case slaunder and rayle at him that holdeth him If thou therefore that art sustained of the Diuine goodnesse as hanging by a very small thred that
those things of which he should haue taken and receaued greater causes of louing his Creator of those he receaued and tooke greater occasion of treason and disloyalty Therefore he was thrust out of Paradice and cast into banishment yea and was adiudged to hell fire that as hee was made a companion with the deuill in sinne so hee might be his companion in punishment The Prophet Elizeus sayd to his seruant Gehezi Thou hast receaued siluer and garments of Naaman therefore the leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and to thy seede for euer Like was the iudgement of God against man who seeing that he had affected the riches and treasure of Lucifer that is his pride and ambition it was meete that he should be infected with the leaprosie of the same Lucifer which was the punishment of his pride Behold then man made lyke vnto the deuill being a follower of his fault Therfore when man was so abhominable in Gods eyes and had incurred so great displeasure our most gracious and most mercifull Lord did not disdaine to respect vs he did not looke to the iniurie done to his supreame Maiesty but to the misfortune of our owne misery more lamenting our errour then desirous of reuenge for the contumely offered vnto him he determined to repaire man and to reconcile him vnto him his onlie begotten sonne being our Mediatour But how hath he reconciled man vnto him What humane tongue shall declare this vnto vs Christ hath procured so great friendship between vs and God that not onely God hath pardoned to man all his fault hath receaued him into his fauour hath made him one and that same with himselfe through a certaine vnion of loue but that which passeth all greatnes hath made such a likenes and similitude betweene himselfe mans nature that amongst all things created there can be found no greater conformity thē are the Deity and humanity for they are not one and the same through loue and fauour but also in person Who euer durst haue hoped that a wound so largely gaping should after this manner haue beene drawne together Who euer could haue thought that these two natures betweene which there was so great difference both of nature and of offence that euer they could haue beene so neerely ioyned together not in one house not at one table not in one loue but in one and the selfe same person What two greater contraries may be giuen then God and a sinner And what two things are now more straightly and narrowly combined together what more commixt then God and man There is nothing higher or nobler then God saith Bernard and there is nothing lower or baser then that clay of which man is formed Neuerthelesse with so great humility GOD descended vpon the earth to man and with so great sublimitie earth ascended to God that whatsoeuer God hath done earth may be said to haue done it and whatsoeuer earth hath suffered God may be sayd to haue suffered it Who would haue said to man when he was naked knew that he had incurred the wrath of God when he sought lurking holes and corners in Paradice wherein he might hide himselfe vvho I say would haue then said that the tyme should come when this vild substance should be vnited to God in one and the selfe same person Thys vnion is so neere straight and faithfull that when it was to be dissolued which was in the tyme of the Passion it would rather rent and breake then faint and forsake Death might seperate the soule from the body which was the vnion of nature but it could not pluck GOD from the soule nor frō the body for that vvas the vnion of the Diuine person For what it once apprehendeth with so strong a loue it neuer forsaketh This is that peace this is that health and saluation which wee receaue by the benefit of our Mediatour and Sauiour Although we are such and so great debtors for thys benefit that no mans tongue can vtter it yet we are not lesse bound to God for the manner of our Redemption then for the redemption it selfe O my Lord I am bound to thee in a high degree of dutie that thou hast deliuered me from hell and hast reconciled me vnto thee but much more owe I vnto thee for the manner it selfe by which thou hast deliuered me then for the liberty it selfe which thou hast giuen me All thy works are admirable in all things and although a man doth thinke when he hath considered one thing that not any thing remaineth which may be added to further admiratio◠foorth-with all that wonderment vanisheth when he turneth his eyes to contemplate an other thing O lord the glory of thy greatnes is not diminished if one wonder dooth seeme to expell and put out another but these are tokens of thy greater glory But what was the meane ô my Lord by which thou wouldest take away my euils and wickednesses There were infinite meanes by which thou couldest haue helped me and giuen me perfect saluation without labour and without any price Notwithstanding so great and so admirable is thy liberalitie that to show me more manifestly the greatnes of thy loue goodnes thou wouldest helpe me with so great dolours that the onely cogitation of them was sufficient to extract bloody sweat from all thy members thy passion a little after through dolor to cleaue a sunder the hardest Rocks O my Lord the heauens doe praise thee and the Angels sette forth thy wonders What didst thou neede our good or were our euils any preiudice vnto thee If thou sinnest sayth Iob what doost thou against him yea when thy sinnes be many what doost thou vnto him If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him or what receiueth he at thy hand Thys GOD so rich so voyde of all euill he whose riches whose power whose wisedome cannot increase or be greater then it is he that was neither before nor after the creation of the world greater or lesser then he is now he that is neither more illustrious or lesse glorious because Angels sing his prayse and men doe glorifie him nay if all the creatures should curse and blaspheme him thys great Lord not of necessity but of meere charitie it not hindering him that we were his enemies he dyd not disdaine to incline and bend the heauens of his maiestie and to descend into this valley of misery to be clothed with the flesh of our mortalitie and to take all our debts vpon him to cancell them to suffer and vnder-goe greater torments then euer any suffered heeretofore or shall suffer heereafter Ah my Lord for the loue of me thou wast borne in a stable and layd in a Cratch for me thou wast circumcized the eyght day for me thou flying into Egipt liuedst there in banishment seauen whole yeeres and for mee thou diddest sustaine diuers persecutions and wast molested and vexed with infinite iniuries For the loue of
thy glory and of thy greatnesse euery day Vpon which wordes Saint Augustine dooth thus comment What is this euery day Without intermission in prosperitie because thou doost comfort mee in aduersity because thou doost correct mee Before I was because thou madest mee when I was because thou gauest mee health when I dyd offend because thou pardonest me when I was conuerted because thou helpest me when I perseuered because thou crownest me So fully let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory euery day and all the day long If the sonne of God himselfe dyd gyue thankes to hys Father for a fewe Barley loafes as it is in the Gospell what great thanks ought we to giue for thys great benefit that wee are so sanctified by his holy Spirit that we are made his Temple and the dwelling and seate of the most sacred Trinitie If wee are bound to giue thanks for our nourishment whereby our Being is vpholden how great thanks are wee bound to giue him for this our well Being For we doe not prayse a horse because he is a horse but because he is a good horse nor wine because it is wine but because it is good wine nor a man because hee is a man but because he is a good man If therefore so many wayes we be bound to him who hath created vs how much more are wee bounde to him that hath made vs good If wee owe so much vnto him for the gyfts of our bodies how much more doe wee owe for the gyfts of our mindes if so much for the gyfts of nature how much more for the gyfts of grace To conclude if so great things be due vnto him because he hath made vs the sonnes of Adam how much more that he hath made vs of the vnhappy sonnes of Adam the sonnes of God For much better is the day in which wee are borne to eternitie as sayth Eusebius Emissenus then in which we are borne to the dangers of thys world Behold brother another chayne and linck which with the former benefits may binde tye thy hart to desire vertue to serue the Lord thy God THE SIXT TITLE That the inestimable benefit of the diuine Predestination doth binde vs vnto Vertue CHAP. VI. AMongst all the benefits before remembred that also of Election is numbred which pertaineth onely to them whom GOD from euerlasting hath elected to eternall life for the which benefite the Apostle as well for himselfe as for all the Elect doth giue thankes to him in these words Blessed be GOD euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will The same benefit the kinglie Prophet commendeth when he sayth Blessed is he whō thou chusest and causest to come to thee he shal dwell in thy courts Therefore woorthily thys benefit may be called a benefit of benefits and a grace of graces A grace of graces because it is gyuen before all desert of the onely infinit goodnes and liberalitie of God who dooing iniurie to none yea giuing a sufficient helpe to euery one to saluation but to some hee extendeth more largely and bountifully the greatnes of his mercy as an absolute and bountifull Lord of his riches It is also a benefit of benefits not onely because it is greater then the rest but because it is also the cause and foundation of all the rest For vvhen as man is elected vnto glory by the meanes of thys benefit by by the Lord doth bestow vpon him all other benefits which are required to the attaynement of thys glory as hee testifieth by his Prophet saying I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therfore with mercy I haue drawen thee Thou oughtest not to be ignorant that I haue called thee to my glory that by it thou maiest obtaine my glory The Apostle more plainly doth tell this when he sayth For those which he knewe before hee also predestinate to be made like to the image of his sonne that hee might be the first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom hee predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also hee iustified and whom he iustified them also hee glorified The reason of this is that the Lord disposing of all things sweetly and orderly after that hee hath vouchsafed to elect any man to his glory for that fauour he bestoweth many other vpon him for he giueth all things which pertaine to the obtaining of thāt first fauour For euen as a father who bringeth vp his sōnne that hee may bee a Minister of Gods holy word or a Doctour of hys Church doth accustome him from his young yeeres to ecclesiasticall matters and causeth him to apply his studie directeth the whole course of his life to the proposed end so our heauenly Father after that he hath elected any man to the participation of his glory hee directeth him by his fatherly care to the way of righteousnes which leadeth to that glory and hee fatherly leadeth him in it vntill he come to his wished end For this so auncient and so excellent a benefit they ought to gyue thanks to this Lord who feele in themselues some euidence of this benefite For let vs grant that thys secret is hid from mans eyes yet seeing that certaine marks and tokens of iustification are alwaies knowne certaine signes also of the diuine predestination and election may be had For as amongst the signes of iustification the amendment of life is not the least so amongst the signes of election this is the greatest a perseuerance continuing in a good life Because he that hath lyued many yeeres in the feare of the Lord and with all care and diligence escheweth sinne he may godly and religiously perswade himselfe that as the Apostle sayth the Lord will strengthen him euen to the end that hee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lorde Iesu◠Christ and that as he hath begunne so hee shall make an end Surely it is true that no man ought to be carelesse of his estate and that no man ought to be secure of his perseuerance seeing that the most wise Salomon after that he had liued many yeres godly and religiously in the end of his life failed and playd the back-slider and fell very filthily But thys is but a particuler exception from that generall vse and custome which we brought out of Paule and which Salomon himselfe teacheth in his Prouerbs saying It is a prouerbe teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it So that if hee be a dilligent follower of vertue in his youth he
by her owne nature is a most noble habite Which if it be true it followeth by a common manner of speaking that she will worke and labour with vs with ease and delight for this is proper vnto all habits Thou must remember that God hath not onely promised to his the blessings of glory but also the blessings of grace partly for this life and partly for the other according to that of the Prophet The Lord will giue grace and glory Which two are two store-houses filled with all good things one for this life the other for the other That thereby at the least may be vnderstood that there is somewhat more in Vertue then outwardly is seene To be briefe thou must consider that seeing that the Author of Nature doth not faile in any necessary thing because hee giueth to all his creatures those things that are necessary and seeing that in the world there is nothing more necessary nor any thing of greater moment then Vertue that he would not leaue her in the hands of a will so weake and crased of an vnderstanding so blind of an appetite so ready to all euill and of a nature so disordered and so corrupt through sinne but that he would prouide her of helpe and hability by ayde of which she might saile through this Sea For it was not meete nor conuenient that seeing the Diuine prouidence was so carefull in giuing to flies spiders and pismires hability and all instruments necessary to preserue their life that he should be vnmindfull of man and that he should not giue him those things which are necessary for the attainement of Vertue I will say more if the world and the deuill do bestow vpon their seruants for the seruice that they yeeld them so manie kinde of tasts pleasures and delights at the least so in appearance how is it possible that God should be so barren vnfruitfull to his friends and faithfull ministers that he should leaue them in the midst of their labours tribulations fasting and with hungry and dry mouthes Howe doost thou thinke then that the condition of Vertue hath so much gall and that there is so much honny in the flowers of vices Doost thou thinke that God will permit and suffer that one should enioy delights and another be exercised with troubles and many tribulations Thou art deceiued Heare what God aunswereth to the lamentations of the wicked by the mouth of his Prophet Returne and see what difference is betweene a righteous man and an vnrighteous and betweene one that serueth God and him that serueth him not In so much that God is not content with the preheminence which the iust shall haue ouer the vniust in the lyfe to come but in this present he saith Returne and see as though he should say I would not that you should onely looke to the world to come that you may know the glory of the blessed and the greatnes of their felicitie but returne now and see the difference in this life which is betweene a good man and an ill man consider of the riches of the one and the pouertie of the other the ioy of the one and the sorrow of the other the peace of the one and the vvarre of the other the light in which the one lyueth and the darknesse in which the other walketh and then ye shall know indeede how much more blessed and happy the estate of the righteous is then your opinion of them The like answere God gaue to certaine others who beeing deceiued with the same perswasion error mocked the good saying as it is in Esay Let the Lord bee glorified but hee shall appeare to your ioy and they shall be ashamed As if they should say Let the Lord declare the greatnes of his power and glory and let him show vnto you his fauor that by this way we may know the prosperitie felicitie that they haue which serue the Lord aboue them which serue him not To which words the Lord doth presently annexe the ioy and prosperitie of the righteous saying Reioyce yee with Ierusalem and be glad with her all yee that loue her reioyce for ioy with her all yee that mourne for her that yee may sucke and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation that ye may milke out and be delighted with the brightnes of her glory For thus saith the Lord Behold I will extend peace ouer her like a flood the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame then shall ye sucke ye shal be borne vpon her sides and be ioyfull vpon her knees As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you and yee shall bee comforted in Ierusalem And when yee see this your hart shall reioyce and your bones shall florish like an hearbe and the hand of the Lord shall be knowne among his seruants As if hee shoulde say as men by the greatnes of heauen of the earth and of the sea and by the beauty of the Sunne of the Moone and of the starres doe come to the knowledge of the omnipotencie and excellencie of God by the meanes of such excellent and famous works so also the righteous doe come to the knowledge of the greatnesse of the power riches and goodnesse of GOD by the ineffable graces and gifts which they receiue of him and which they feele and perceiue in themselues For euen as God by the punishments and scourges which hee inflicted vpon Pharao declared to the whole world the greatnes of his seueritie against the wicked so by the gifts of his graces and vnmeasurable benefits which daily he bestoweth vpon the good he showeth the greatnes of his goodnes and his singuler loue with which hee embraceth them Blessed and happy without all doubt is that soule which by gifts and benefits receiued of God doth shew the greatnesse of his goodnesse but vnhappy and miserable is that soule which by punishments and torments dooth make manifest the greatnesse of the Diuine iustice Wherefore seeing that the greatnes of all these which we haue spoken of is so inestimable what shall the riuers be which flow frō these most fluent fountaines Adde moreouer that to these sayings If that the way of Vertue seeme to thee barren fruitles what is it that diuine Wisedome speaketh of herselfe Riches and honour are with mee euen durable riches and righteousnesse I cause to walke in the way of righteousnesse in the midst of the paths of iudgement that I may cause them that loue mee to inherite substance I will fill their treasures What be these riches what be these goods if not of the heauenly which exceede all the riches of this world what may bee compared to them who walke in the way of righteousnes which is Vertue herselfe of the which we speake For if heere there be not found riches more excellent and by this name more worthie then those which the world promiseth why doth the Apostle
scarcelie it is knowne or noted in any man All these things doe sufficientlie declare how miserable thys seruitude is and with what a horrible punishment man is condemned for sinne seeing that for it the noblest creature is deliuered into the hands of so barbarous and cruell a Tyrant Ecclesiasticus hath expressed the nature of this beast when he beseeched the Lord that hee would put from him all wicked and vngodly desires that hee would take from him the greedines of the belly that the lust of the flesh should not take hold of him and that he might not be giuen ouer to an impudent minde As if he should say that he desired that he might not be deliuered into the hands of such a Tyrant or executioner For he supposed that such an appetite was worthy of such a name But if thou desirest to know how great the force and power of thys Tyrant is thou maist easily gather of that which he hath done and which hee daily dooth in thys world I will not send thee to the fables of Poets which tell vs how that most famous Hercules after he had conquerd all the Monsters of the world at the length beeing captiuated with the loue of a certaine lasciuious woman cast away his club and sat amongst other vvomen spynning and drawing out threds from his distaffe For so the woman that hee loued commaunded him yea if hee did it not she threatned him and checked him Thys those wise Poets fained more ingeniously then truly that they might shewe the cruell tyrannic and power of that appetite Neyther vvill I bring out of the holy Scriptures that known example of Salomon who beeing most holy and most wise yet hee was so besotted by his Concubines that his true God beeing forsaken he adored Idols and builded for them magnificent and stateliâ— Temples that hee might serue these impure harlots and his owne appetite although this example doth no lesse argue the tiranny of this most pestilent passion then that afore For I had rather bring those which daily are obuious to our eyes Consider I pray thee into what present danger an adulterous woman doth cast her selfe that she may satisfie her inordinate lust for it pleaseth vs to take an example from that perturbation seeing that the knowledge of the rest doe depend of the knowledge of one That woman knowes if she be found of her husband in an act so wicked and detestable that she shall be slaine without any hope of pardon shee knowes that shee shall loose together at one and the selfe same time her soule her life her honour her riches and all other blessings which she might hope for eyther in this world or in the world to come then which losse surely a greater nor a more vniuersall cannot be inuented or thought of She is not ignorant that she shall be a perpetuall reproch and scandale to her desamed children to her father and mother also to her brethren and sisters and to her whole family and that shee shall for euer be a griefe vnto them Neuerthelesse so great is the violence of this appetite or that I may speake better the power of this Tyrant that he forceth the woman to all these and easily bringeth her to so great danger and she doth willingly what so euer he commaundeth her What Barbarian or Tyrant was euer found in the world who could euer force his seruant to vndergoe so great dangers and so farre to obey him What captiuity can be found more hard or sharper In this estate all sinners liue as the Prophet witnesseth when he sayth That they dwell in darknes and in the shadow of death being bound in misery and yron That is in yron chaynes What darknes is this except that blindnes in which the wicked are conuersant as we haue shewed before seeing that they know neither themselues nor God as they ought to knowe neyther for what cause they liue neyther for what end they are created much lesse doe they know the vanity of the things they loue neyther this seruitude wherein they liue What be these bonds with which they are bound vnlesse the violence of their affections which holdeth their harts tyed with the most straight bonds of those things which they to inordinately doe desire And what is that hunger and misery which they suffer but an insatiable appetite and desire by which they are tormented about infinite things which they cannot haue Consider now therefore if any captiuity harder or sorer can be sustayned or borne But that thou mayst know this yet more plainely I will illustrate it by another example Behold Amnon King Dauids eldest sonne when as he laciuiously had beheld his sister Thamar he was so blinded with this darknes and so miserably bound with these chaines and so vehemently tormented with this hunger that he could neyther eate nor drinke nor sleepe yea he was so farre enamoured of her that he was sicke for her loue Tell me I pray thee what ones were the chaines of this perturbation or appetite with which his hart was bound when it so changed his flesh and so infected the humors of his body that a great infirmity followed vpon it But that thou mayst know that the remedy of this infirmity was not to haue obtayned that he desired marke how the same Amnon was further out of square and more greeuously afflicted and more vexed with a contrary affection after hee had satisfied his lust then he was before for the Scripture sayth And hee hated her exceedingly so that the hatred where-with he hated her was greater then the loue where-with he had loued her So that the rauishing of his sister did not free him from the passion but changed the one into another greater Is there any Tyrant to be found in the world who so often doth tosse and turmoyle his Captiues that doth commaund them to doe vndoe that forceth them to goe and returne the same way Certainely beleeue me my brother they are all such who are subiect to the like vices who are scarce Lords ouer themselues For they eate nothing they drinke nothing they thinke vpon nothing they speake nothing they dreame of nothing but of it So that neyther the feare of God nor their conscience nor heauen nor hell nor death nor iudgement nor oftentimes life it selfe and their proper honour which they so ambitiously loue and maintaine can bring them from this way or breake these bonds What shall I speake of their iealousie of their feare of their suspitions and of other externall accidents in which they are plunged night and day casting themselues headlong into most certaine danger of life and honour for this rauening and tormenting pleasure Is there any Tyrant in the world which after such a manner doth dominere and tyrannize ouer his seruant as vice rageth and raigneth ouer this mans hart For a seruant is neuer so bound to his Lord that night and day he doth wayte vpon him
vnder mee and mine heeles haue not slidde By which words the Prophet would declare the difference which is betweene the way of the righteous and the wicked for these by reason of their troubled harts through feare the variable cogitations in which they liue doe goe no otherwise then a traueller who walketh among rocks and declining headlong places fearing as often as he moueth his foote least he should fall but the way of the righteous is large and safe and they goe by a way plaine and euen where there is no feare of falling The righteous vnderstand these thinges better by practise then by theorie for all they doe knowe howe farre theyr hart differeth now when they serue God from that which they carried about when as they as yet sloted in the world For then in all danger of tribulation they foorth-with were afraid quiuered and trembled in hart and body But afterwards they left the way of the world and translated their hart to the loue of eternall things placed all their felicitie and hope in God they passed through all things whatsoeuer came with an hart so merry and peaceable and so subiect to the will of God that they themselues doe often maruell at so great a transformation They seeme not to be the same they were or at the least a newe hart is giuen them for theyr old they feele so great alteration in themselues And that we may confesse the truth they are and they are not the same for they are the same according to nature and not according to grace for this alteration proceedeth from grace This is that which the Lorde promiseth by Esay saying When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee through the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neyther shall the flame kindle vpon thee What be these waters but the lakes of the tribulations of this lyfe and the flood of infinite miseries which streame continually in it And what is that fire but the heate of our flesh which is the furnace of Babilon which the seruants of Nabuchodonozer did heate that is the deuils from the which furnace the flames of our concupiscences arise and ascend Hee therefore that in the midst of these waters and in the midst of this fire in which all the world is hazared and endangered doth walke safely neyther feeleth any hurt by the water or heate can it be that hee by that should not know and acknowledge the presence of the holy Ghost the vertue of the Diuine grace This is that peace which the holy Apostle sayth exceedeth all vnderstanding that is it is so high excellent and such a supernaturall gift that the vnderstanding of man cannot vnderstand it of it selfe how the fleshly hart should be so quiet peaceable and so at rest in the midst of the misfortunes and stormy tempests of this world He that vnderstandeth this acknowledgeth and prayseth the worker of so great miracles and sayth with the Prophet Come and behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth Hee maketh warres to cease vnto the ends of the world he breaketh the bow and cutteth the speare and burneth the chariots with fire Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the Heathen and I will be exalted in the earth Seeing that these things are thus what is richer what is sweeter what is more to be wished then this tranquillity then this enlargement then this greatnes and blessed peace of the hart But if thou wilt proceede further and wilt finde out from what fountaines this heauenly gift doth flow I say that it doth flow from â—ll these priuiledges and prerogatiues of Vertue which haue â—eene hetherto remembred of vs. For as in the chayne of vices one is linked and knit to another so also in the ladder of vertues one dependeth of another after that manner that which is the higher as it bringeth forth moe fruites so it hath moe rootes from whence it springeth Blessed therefore is this peace which being one of the eleuen fruites of the holy Ghost is engendered and begotten of other fruites and priuiledges as we haue spoken yet especially it proceedeth from Vertue herselfe whose vndiuidable companion Peace is Wherefore euen as honour and outward reuerence is naturally due vnto Vertue so also the inward peace is due which in like manner is both a fruite and a reward of her The inward warre proceedeth from pride and the vnquietnes of the passions but when they are tamed and bridled by vertues whose duty and function it is so to worke then all the cause of the sedition and tumult ceaseth This is one of those things in which the felicity of the heauenly kingdome consisteth vpon earth of which the Apostle speaketh The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Where by righteousnes according to the Hebrew phrase Vertue herselfe and holines is vnderstoode of which we speake in this place in which together with these two admirable fruites that is peace and ioy in the holy Ghost consisteth the felicity and happines begun and inchoate which the righteous enioy in this world That this peace is an effect of Vertue herselfe the Lord most plainely telleth in Esay And the worke of iustice sayth he shall be peace euen the worke of iustice and quietnes and assurance for euer And my people shall dwell in the tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Wee must know that in this place by quietnes is vnderstoode the inward peace which is the tranquillity and quietnes of the passions which trouble the quiet and peace of the soule with importunate clamours and disordered and graceles appetites Secondly this peace ariseth from the liberty and rule of the subdued passions of which we haue more largely spoken in the former Chapter For euen as when a Citty is taken and the Cittizens subdued straightwayes there ariseth peace and tranquillity in it so that euery one sitteth vnder his own roofe without feare and without suspition of any hostility so 〈◊〉 after the affections of our soule are subdued and brought vnder which are the causes of all troubles on a sodaine there followeth in it an inward quietnes and a wonderfull peace in which the soule liueth quiet and free altogether from warre and from that importunate altercation and hurley burley of these perturbations And so it comes to passe that as they when they had rule ouer him and exercised their authority turmoyled him tost him hether and thether so when man is free from their tiranny doth hold them captiue there is not any thing left which may breed sorrow and trouble vnto him Thirdly the same peace ariseth of the greatnes of spyrituall consolations of which we haue also spoken before by which
thou beleeuest not that thou shalt finde pardon vvith God what greater foolishnesse can there be then to sinne without hope of forgiuenes But if thou beleeuest that thou shalt finde him good gracious fauourable and mercifull vnto thee who albeit thou offendest him often yet he is ready to forgiue thee thy sinnes tell me I pray thee what greater frowardnesse or peeuishnesse can there be then to take further occasion to offend him where there is greater cause that thou shouldest loue him What can be aunswered to this argument What wilt thou say vnto mee as concerning those reares which hereafter thou must plentifully shed for the sinnes which now thou committest For if God call thee out of this life or visit thee euery morsell that thou now eatest shall then be more bitter vnto thee then gall and remember that then thou shalt alwayes lament and deplore that which but once thou didst commit That day at length will come make no doubt of it when thou shalt wish to haue suffered a thousand kinde of punishments then once to haue offended God The time that Dauid enioyed his pleasures was very short but the time that he lyued in sorrow and dolour for them was exceeding long as he testifieth of himselfe saying I am weary of my grouing euerie night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares So aboundant were his teares that the translation of Ierome hath for I wash my bed I make my bed to swim signifying the great showers and floods of waters flowing out of those eyes which had violated the law of God Why then doest thou vnprofitably consume the time in sowing that of which thou shalt gather no other fruite but teares Besides this thou oughtest also to consider that thou doost not onely sow teares whence thou reapest onely sorrow but also the difficulty and hardnes for euer entring into a better state of life by reason of the long and euill custome For euen as hee that is endangered with a long and a pernitious disease sildome so commeth to his former health that not some reliques of the disease remaine in his body so the greatnes and diuturnity of sinne is sildome healed and cured without some reliques remayning A man alwayes is weaker in that part with which he offended and the tiranny of the deuill rageth more violently in it The children of Israel worshipped a Calfe of the ashes of which being burned Moses made a decoction and caused them to drinke it For this is the punishment with which God is wont to punish certaine sinnes that by his iust iudgmeÌ„t some reliques may remaine in our bones so that may be a punishment and a torment which a little before was our Idoll Wilt thou that I shall tell thee how â—nequall the comparison is to reserue old age for repentance and filthily to spend the flower of youth in iniquities What great madnes I pray thee would it be thought if a man had many and weighty burthens to be carried to some certaine place and he had many Horses sufficient to carry them yet he should lay all the burthens vpon one of the weakest and worst Horses the other being sent away empty like or rather greater is their madnes who doe impose the burthen of repentance to be carried of olde age sparing youth and manly age and letting them goe empty which are much stronger and farre more fit to carry then old age seeing that old age is scarce able to support her owne infirmities It is excellently sayd of Seneca that great Philosopher He that deferreth to old age his goodnes and meaneth onely then to be good he plainly sheweth that he is vnwilling to giue any thing vnto Vertue but that time that is vnfit for all other things And in another place Thou shalt heare many saying when I am fifty yeares old I will take my selfe to mine ease but when I am sixty that will free me from all duties and offices And what surety doost thou take for a longer life Who will suffer these things so to passe as thou hast disposed them Doth it not shame thee to reserue thy selfe to the reliques and dregs of thy life and onely to destinate that time to a good and vertuous minde which is fit for nothing How late is it then to begin to liue when thou must leaue to liue What a foolish forgetfulnes of mortality is it to defer thy peace quiet and thy wholsomest counsels to the fiftith or sixtith yeare of thy life then to purpose to begin a new a better life wheÌ„ as very few reach to those yeares But what wilt thou doe if thou considerest the greatnes of the satisfaction which the infinite maiesty of God will require of thee before thou be disburthened of so great offences For that is so great as a learned man sayth That man is not able to satisfie God for the sinnes of one day and disburthen himselfe of that day Why then doost thou gather the debts of thy whole life as it were into one grosse summe and deserrest the payment and satisfying for them vntill thine old age which not with all the paynes that it can take can satisfie for it selfe This iniquity is so great that S. Gregory calleth it the greatest infidelity as he sheweth it in these words He is farre enough off from sayth who for his repentance expecteth old age For it is to be feared least while he hopeth for mercy he finde iudgement But let vs graunt that all that we haue sayd are of no moment nor any thing worth nor that any of these things shall come to passe Tell me ought not the greatnes and multitude of benefits receaued and the glory promised be onely sufficient to perswade and moue thee so that there be any law reason or iustice remayning in the world that thou shouldest not be so negligent and idle in the time of thy seruice so niggardly towards him who is so liberall in heaping graces and benefits vpon thee O how worthily is it spoken of Ecclesiasticus Be not slow to pay thy vow in good time and tarry not to be iustified vnto thy death because the reward of God endureth for euer Goe to then tell me I pray thee if the reward shall endure so long why wilt thou that thy seruice should be so short and momentany If the reward shall not be ended while God shall raigne in heauen that is it shall neuer perish why wilt thou not that thy seruice at the least should endure so long as thou liuest in this life Furthermore if thou hopest to be saued it followeth of necessity that thou must presuppose that he hath predestinated thee from all eternity to this saluation Tell me then if the Lord was so mindfull of thee that he loued thee from euerlasting after that thou wast made a Christian adopted thee to be his owne sonne made thee an heire of
which is made at the poynt of death and in extreamity is sildome true by reason of the great difficulty that happeneth at this time He prooueth this conclusion by foure reasons or arguments The first is by reason of the great perturbations which arise out of the greatnes of griefes sicknes and the presence of Death through which the hart is lesse able to lift vp it selfe to God and rightly to busie it selfe in the exercises of true repentance For the better vnderstanding of this argument we must know that all the perturbations of our hart haue great force to disturbe and hinder our will and sences and according to the rule of Philosophy in this effect and euent the affections or passions are much more powerfull which cause sorrow and sadnes then those that procure mirth and ioy Hence it is that the perturbations or affections of one dying are exceeding strong and of all other most powerfull For as Aristotle saith death is the most dreadfull of all terrible things there being so many dolours discruciatements in the body so many afflictions and anguishes in the soule so great sorrow and care for children wife the world all which are to be forsaken Amongst so many and so tempestuous winds of the passions where shall the sences be and where the cogitations but where these dolours and perturbations doe carry and whirle them Daily experience teacheth vs that if any one be tormented with the tooth-ach or by any other sharpe payne although he be a very godly and a religious man yet scarcely then can he stedfastly lift vp his hart to God nay all the sences thoughts haue recourse thither where the griefe is If this happeneth to the righteous what will he doe who neuer accustomed himselfe to thinke of God and who so much is readier to endanger his greater friend then his lesser by how much he is apter and proner to loue his body better then his soule Amongst the foure impediments of contemplation which S. Bernard doth reckon vp one is the euill disposition and temperature of the body For then the soule is so vrged and occupied with the dolours of the flesh that scarce it permitteth a man to thinke vpon any other thing besides that which then greeueth and excruciateth him Which if it be true what greater dotage or madnes can there be then to expect tarry and wayte for the worst disposition and temperature of the body in it to handle and deal with the greatest businesses of the soule I knew a certaine man who being at the poynt of death when he was willed and admonished to prepare himselfe for his end for the glasse of his life was now runned out he was so affrighted and ouerwhelmed with the presence of death that he thought vpon nothing els then how he might escape the danger of death as if the date of his life had beene put in his owne hands and he had the ordering and determining of it All his care was how he might remedy and auoyde this danger if possibly it might be But when the Minister saw him so little carefull and troubled with those things which were necessary for that time he admonished him that he should let passe such thoughts and begin earnestly to call vpon God The sicke man hardly taking this aâ—â—onition began to talke a farre off from the purpose and so yeeleded vp the ghost Notwithstanding this man had beene a louer of Vertue wherby thou mayst see how the presence of Death doth disturbe and disquiet them who are in loue with their lifes seeing that it so greatly troubled him who at other times had despised it I knew also another man who when hee had fallen into a most dangerous and greeuous sicknes and saw Death now at hand he earnestly desired to conferre a little with God and to preuent the Iudge by a deuoute prayer before hee should depart out of this life but sorrowes and the continuall accidents of his infirmity would let him haue no rest If therfore onely preparation to repentance bâ—so hard at that time who will be so fond and mad to defer and prorogue the remedy and repentance of his whole life to that moment The second reason of the Shoole-man is that true repentance ought to be voluntary that is it ought to be done willingly and not of constraint or compelled by necessitie Thys is that which Saint Augustine saith Let no man tarry so long as he can sin For God requireth the liberty of the vvill that thy faultes may be wiped away he requireth not necessity but charitie not onely feare because man liueth not onely in feare Therefore it behoueth him that lately repenteth not onely to feare the Iudge but to loue him because without charitie no man can be saued Wherefore that man that neuer truly repenteth himselfe in his life time but prorogeth it to the houre of death he seemeth not to bring forth repentance of will but of compulsion â—â—d if of constraint or necessity then it is not meerely voluntary Such was the repentance of Shimei for that offence which he had committed against Dauid when hee fled from the face of his sonne Absolon Which Shimei when he saw that the victory did incline to Dauid and considering of the mischiefe that hung ouer his head he descended with the men of Iuda to meete King Dauid and with the thousand men of Beniamin and prostrating himselfe before the King he craued pardon for his fault Which when Abishai heard he sayd Shall not Shimei die for this because he cursed the Lords annointed But holy king Dauid not ignorâ—â—â— of what small desert this repentance was for the time wisely dissembled the deede yet he would not that it should vtterly passe vnreuenged but when he was at deaths doore not for any desire of reuenge but in the zeale of iustice he commaunded his sonne that hee should not suffer it to goe vnreuenged who afterwards commanded him to be slaine Of this kinde and nature seemeth the repentance of many wicked Christians to be who when they haue perscuered all theyr lyfe thorow in sinne offending God when the houre of rendering an account shall draw neere when they see death approching and the graue open and the Iudge present when they shall vnderstand that no strength or power can be founde against that infinite power omnipotencie and that that shall be determined in that moment which is for euer irreuocable then they turne themselues vnto the Iudge with prayers and protestations which if they be true certainly they are profitable But the common euent teacheth what manner of prayers and protestations they were and are for we haue learned by experience that many of them hauing escaped this danger forthwith haue forgot all that they promised and as Swine haue returned to theyr wallowing in the myre yea they haue reuersed and recalled that good which then they purposed and haue againe embraced those
hath been already experimented perswade not thy selfe that thou canst find that which he found not For thou hast none other world to search for it then that that he had And if all pleasures could not quench the thyrst of thys King in so plentifull a vintage doe not thinke that thou canst quench it after him in thys leane barren gleaning time of Grapes He bestowed his time to thys onely study and perhaps for thys he fell into Idolary as sayth Saint Ierome wryting to Eustochium Why then wilt thou make such hauock of precious time without expectation of any profit Yea because men rather credit experience then reason peraduenture God permitted that this King should make tryall of all pleasures delights and recreations and of whatsoeuer the world loueth that after he had tryed them all hee might giue that testimonie and verdit of them which euen now thou hast heard and that this one labour should be instead of all other labours and this one mans error should remedy the errour of many that they might bestow theyr tyme and cost more profitably Which things seeing they are so not without cause we may cry out with the Prophet O yee sonnes of men howe long will yee turne my glory into shame louing vanitie and seeking lyes With good reason he nameth vanity and lyes For if in the busines assayres of thys world there were no other thing but vanity it were a small euill but there is another greater euill in it that is lyes and the false counterfeit apparance of things by which they perswade men that they are some-thing vvhen they are nothing Wherefore the same Salomon sayth Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie It were some-what tollerable if it were but vaine but it is also deceitfull For vanity being known cannot much hurt but that which is vaine and appeareth not to be so that is especially euill and dangerous By this it appeareth how great an hypocrite this worlde is for euen as hypocrites are studious to couer and palliate theyr defects so rich men doe labour that they may dissemble and hide theyr myseries by which they are excruciated They would be accounted Saints when they are sinners and these happy when they are wretched Come neerer and if you please open and search the vayne put thine hand into theyr bosome thou shalt see how those things striue and fight which outwardly seeme so wyth those things which in verity lurke within Certaine hearbes plants grow in the fieldes which a farre of seeme very beautifull but when thou commest neerer them and gatherest of them they are eyther altogether leaues or send forth a stinking and pestilent sauour which a man forth-with casting away correcteth the errour of his eyes by the touch of his hands Such certainly are they that seeme to be the rich and great men of this world for if thou beholdest theyr magnificencie pompe the height of theyr dignity the statelines of theyr houses theyr seruant flatterers thou wilt thinke them the onely happy men but if thou shalt come a little neerer vnto them and shalt narrowlie pry into the secrets of theyr houses and into the corners of their soules and consciences thou shalt see that there is great difference between these things and the externall apparance outward show Whereupon many who haue thirstingly desired theyr estate and condition viewing it a farre of but a little after more neerely looking into it haue reiected and refused it as we reade in many histories of the Heathen In the life 's also of the Emperours it is reported that there haue beene some of them who when they were elected to that high estate of dignitie of theyr whole Armie for a time haue resisted that election neyther would accept of that soueraigntie offered vnto them because they very well knew what pricking thornes lay hyd vnder that Rose so faire and beautifull to the sight Therefore ô yee sonnes of men created according to the Image and similitude of GOD redeemed by the blood of Christ adopted that ye may be fellow cittizens with Angels how long will yee loue vanitie and seeke after lyes Doe yee looke for peace and rest in these false and counterfeite apparitions which they neuer gaue nor will giue To what end doe yee forsake the table of Angels and seeke to fill your bellies with the swash of Swine To what end doe we leaue the sweetnesse and odoriferous fragrancie of Paradice for the bitternes and stinch of this world Why are not the calamities and miseries which yoe suffer daily sufficient to warne you to flye the outragiousnesse of this cruell Tyrant Pardon me gentle Reader we seeme in this respect not to be much vnlike a harlot who hath prostituted herselfe vnto an Apple-squire or a Pandar he eateth drinketh and sporteth with her vntill all be consumed that she hath after that he doth floute and beate her neither vouchsafeth he her a faire word the neuertheles doting on this knaue the more he beateth her the more she loueth him Therefore recapitulating all that hath beene spoken if it hath beene prooued manifestly by so many reasons examples and experiences that that peace and felicitie which we seeke for cannot be found but onely in God and not in the world why doe we seeke for it without GOD and not rather in him Thys is that which Saint Augustine puts vs in minde of when he sayth Runne thorow the sea the land and all things search the world throughout euery where thou shalt be miserable vnlesse thou runnest to GOD and he by thy refuge ¶ The Conclusion of all this first Booke THerefore of all those things which haue been handled at large throughout this whole first booke this at length is gathered That all the kindes of goods and blessings which mans hart can obtaine in thys life are found in Vertue whereupon it is further collected that Vertue is a good so vniuersall and so great that neyther in Heauen nor in Earth any thing can be found which may be compared with her but onely God alone For euen as God is a goodnes so vniuersall that in him alone are found all the perfections of all good so after a certaine maner the same are found in Vertue For we see in things created that some are honâ—st some beautifull some profitable some acceptable or hauing some other certaine perfection amongst which that is wont to be so much the more perfecter and worthier of loue by how much it more participateth of these perfections Which thing if it be so how great loue is Vertue worthy of in which alone all these perfections are found For if we speake of honesty what is more honest then Vertue which is the fountaine and roote of all honesty if of honor to what is more honour and reuerence due then to Vertue If we seeke for beauty what is more beautiful theÌ„ the image of Vertue If her beauty might be seene
be obserued is the time that is that we speake in due time for as the Wise man saith A wise sentence loseth grace when it commeth out of a fooles mouth for he speaketh not in due season The last is the end and intent which we ought to haue when we speake For some speak good things that they may be counted Saints others that they may make boast of their eloquence and subtilty of wit the first is an hypocrite the other a vaine-glorious bragart and a foole Therefore he that speaketh ought to mark that not only his words are good but also that the end be good for which hee speaketh thē But then the end is good when the glory of GOD and the profit of our neighbour are onely sought Also we must respect who speaketh whether a young man amongst old men an idiote among wise men or a prophane man among those that be religious To be briefe when the wordes of the Speaker are not heard silence may be laudably kept All these things hee ought to obserue who speaketh least hee offend and because all men are not able to obserue all these therefore it is the safest remedy to take refuge in the Hauen of silence for by silence and sole cogitations a man may satisfie all these precepts Thys is that the Wise man sayth Euen a foole when he holdeth his peace is counted wise ¶ Of the mortification of the affections AFter that we haue thus ordered reformed the body with all the sences yet the greater part of busines stil remaineth that is the moderating of the soule with all her faculties and powers And first of all the sensuall appetite offereth it selfe which comprehendeth and containeth all the lustes and carnall motions as are loue hatred mirth mourning lust feare hope indignation and such like perturbations This appetite is the ignobler part of our soule which maketh vs like vnto beastes which are led in all things by their affections appetites Thys appetite maketh vs waxe brutish and mightily draweth vs to earthly things whilst it with-holdeth vs a farre of from heauenly things This is the vaine this is the fountaine of all euills and mischiefes that are in the world and the chiefest cause of our destruction Therefore Saint Bernard said Let thine owne will cease and giue place and there shall be no hell For against whō should that fire rage but against thine owne will For thyne owne will impugneth God and is lifted vp against him It is it that robbeth Paradice enricheth hell that maketh the blood of Christ of none effect and subdueth the world vnder the iurisdiction of the deuill For in thys part is the shop and Store-house of sinne for out of it sinne draweth strength and armor to wound more cruelly This is in vs another Eue which is the weaker part more inclined to the inferiour matters of our soule by which the old serpent inuadeth our Adam that is the superiour part of our soule in which the vnderstanding and the will is inuiting it to lift vp his eyes to the forbidden tree This is that part in which originall sinne doth especially show his strength and in which it hideth the greater aboundance of his poyson Heere are fights here are fallings here victories and here crownes Heere I say are fallings of the weake victories of the strong crownes of the Conquerers to be briefe here is the whole warfare exercise of vertue For in taming and restraining this cruell and fierce beast a great part of the exercise of morrall vertues consist This is the Vineyard in which we must continually labour and the Garden which we must without intermission till Here are sundry weedes and noysome plants which must be pulled vp that the young tender sprigs of Vertue may be grafted into their place It behooueth therefore the seruant of the Lord alwayes to walke in thys Garden with his weeding-knife in his hande with which he may cutte vp and eradicate the superfluous and pernicious plants which grow and spring vp among the good or that like a wise Leader a good Captaine marching among these affections he may restraine guide and direct them sometimes by enlarging sometimes by brideling and plucking in the raynes that they may not wander as they list but that they may be led and guided according to the prescript and lawe of reason Thys is an especiall exercise of the sonnes of God who are no more gouerned by the affections of flesh and blood but by the spirit of GOD. Thys is the difference between spirituall and carnall men for these are ruled by the lusts of the flesh like brute beastes the other are mooued by the spirit of God and by reason Thys is that mortification and laudable mirth which the Scripture doth often mention This is that mortification sepulture to which the Apostle inuiteth vs so often This is that Crosse and the denyall of our selues which the Gospell preacheth vnto vs. Thys is to doe iudgement and iustice which so often is repeated in the Psalmes and in the Prophets Heere all our strength is to be expressed hether our labours prayers and exercises must be intended It is here also necessary that euery one very well know and discerne his owne disposition and naturall inclination for in what part so euer he feeleth chiefely this inclination let him know that in that part he is most endangered And although we are continually to warre with all affections yet especially vve are to fight with the appetites of honours pleasures and riches For these be the three fountaines and vaines of all euils Let vs beware that we doe not couet or desire alwayes that our owne will may be done and our owne affections satisfied for this is a most dangerous vice most powerfull to cast a man out of his right vvits and to mad his mind Which vice is very common and familier to mighty and great men and to those that are accustomed to raigne and rule ouer others Wherfore it shall be very profitable for them to exercise themselues in matters contrary to their appetites and humours and to depriue their will yea of things lawfull that they may be more prompt and ready to temper and moderate themselues in things vnlawfull For this exercise is no whit lesse required that a man may as well be ready in spirituall armes as in carnall yea so much the more as the victory is greater and more difficult to conquer himselfe and the deuill then all other things We must also be exercised in humble and contemptible duties and offices and not aspire to dignities and honours for the world can giue nothing nor take away any thing from him vvho hath God for his inheritance and his treasure ¶ Of the reforming of the Will TO the attainment of this fore-sayd mortification the moderating and reforming of the superiour vvill which is the reasonable appetite is much auaileable