her but by calling them reformers Illuminates vnspotted bretheren and such other names that are different from Catholiques He that protesteth with S. Ierom that he doth abhorre all sectes and names of particuler men as Marcionistes Montanistes Valentinians and the like he that doth confesse sincerlie with blessed Cyprian that one priest for the time is to be obeyed by gods ordinance as iudge in Christes roome by the vniuersal brotherhode of al Christianitie he that is modest quiete sober voide of contētion obedient as S. Paul describeth a true and good Catholique he that is humble i his owne cōcept and aggreinge to humble thinges firme in faith not variable nor delighted vvith nevv doctrines he that can captiuate his vnderstandinge to the obedience of Christ which is to beleeue humblie such thinges as Christ by his church proposeth vnto him albeit his reason or sense should stande against the same And finallie he that can be content at Christes commandement to heare the Church in al thinges without doubt or exception and obey the Gouernours therof albeit in life they be Scribes and Pharises and consequentelie can say trulie sincerlie with the whole College of Christes Apostles together Creda sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam I doe belieue the holie Catholique vniue sal Church and what soeuer that Church doth set furth teach holde or beleeue that man no doubt is in a most sure case for matters of his faith and can not possiblie walke awry therin but may thinke hym self a good Christian for this first pointe which is for matters of beliefe THERE FOLLOVVETH the second parte of Christian profession concerning life and manners which is a matter of so much more difficultie then the former by how many more wayes a man may be lead from vertuous life then from sincere faith Wherin ther can be no comparison at all seing the pathe of our beliefe is so manifest as hath beneshewed that no mā cā erre therin but of inexcusable wilfulnes Which wilfulnes in errour the holie fathers of Christes primatiue Church did alwayes referre to two principal and original causes that is to pride or ouerweening in our owne concepts and to malice against our superiours for not giuing vs contentation in things that we desire Of the first doe proceede the deuising of new opinions new glosing expounding and applying of Scriptures the calling of holy writ it self in question the contempt of auncient customes and traditions the preferring of our iudgments before al others either present or past the debasing of holie Fathers priests prelates Councels ordinances constitutions and al other thinges and proofes what so euer that stand not with our owne good liking and approbatiō Of the second fountaine are deriued other qualities conformable to that humour as are the denying of Iurisdictiō and authoritie in our Superiours the contempt of Prelates th' exaggeration of the faults and defectes of our Gouernours th' impugnation of al Bishoplike dignitie or ecclesiastical eminentie and especially of the Sea Aposto lique wherunto appertainet the correction of such like offendours finally for satisfying this deuilishe and most pernicious veine of malice thos wicked reprobates doe incite and arme the people against their spiritual pastours they enkindle factions against Gods annointed substitutes they deuise a new Church a new forme of gouernment a new kingdome and ecclefiastical hierarchie vpon earth wherby to bring men in doubt and staggering what or whom to beleeue or wherunto to haue recourse in such difficulties as doe arise Thes two maladies I save of Pride and Malice haue bene the two causes of obstinate errour in al heretiques from the beginning as ful wel noted that holy and auncient martir S. Cyprian when he said so longe agoe Thes are the beginnings and original causes of heretiques and wicked schismatsques first to please and like wel of them selues and then being puffed vp with the swelling of pride to cōtemne their gouernours superiours Thus doe they abandone and forsake the church thus doe they erect a prophane Altar out of the church agaīst the church Thus doe they breake the peace and vnitie of Christ and doe rebell against Gods holie ordination Now then as thes are the causes either only or principal of erring ī our beleefe most facile and easie as we see to be discerned so of errour in life maners ther are many more occasions causes ofspringes and fountaines to be found That is to saye so many in number as we haue euil passions inordinate appetites wicked desires or vnlauful inclinations within our mynde euery one wherof is the cause oftentimes of disordered life and breach of Gods commandementes For which respect ther is much more set doune ī Scripture for exhortation to good life then to faith for that the errour herein is more ordinary and easie and more prouoked by our owne frailtie as also by the multitude of infinite temptations Wherfore we read that our Saueour Iesus in the verie beginning of his preaching straight after he was baptised had chosen vnto hym S. Peter and S. Andrew Iames and Iohn some other few Disciples wēt vp to the moūtaine ther made his first most excellēt famous and copious sermon recited by S. Mathew in three whole chapters wherin he talketh of nothing els but of vertuous life pouertie meekenes iustice puritie sorowe for sinne patience in suffering contempt of riches forgyuing of iniuries fasting prayer penance entring by the strait gate and finally of perfection holines and integritie of cōuersation and of the exact fulfilling of euery iote of Gods lawe and commaundementes He assured his Disciples with greate asseueration that he came not to breake the law but to fulfil the same and consequentelie whosoeuer should breake the least of his commaundementes and should so teache men to doe that is should perseuer therein without repentance and so by his example drawe other men to doe the like should haue no place in the kingdome of heauen Againe he exhorted thē most earnestlie to be lightes and to shyne by good workes to all the world and that excepte their iustice did exceede the iustice of Scribes and pharises which was but ordinarie and external they could not be saued He told them plainlie they might not serue two masters in this life but either must forsake God or abandon Mammon He cried vnto them Attendite stand attent and consider well your state and condition and then againe seeke to enter by the straite gate And lastlie he concludeth that th' onlie trial of a good tree is the good fruite which it yeeldeth without which fruite let the tree be neuer so faire or pleasant to the eye yet is it to be cut downe burned that not euerie one who shal say or crie vnto hym Lord Lord at the last daye should be saued or enter into the kingdome of heauen but onlie such as did execute in
deedes the wil and commaundementes of his father in this life For want wherof he assureth them that manie at that daye who had not onlie belieued but also donne miracles in his name should be denied reiected and abandonned by hym Which longe lesson of vertuous life being the first that euer our Saueour gaue in publique to his Disciples then newlie gathered together as S. Mathew noteth hauing treated verie litle of pointes of faith before but onlie in general by some miracles and preachinge hauinge shewed hymself to be the true Messias doth sufficientlie teache vs that it is not enoughe to beleeue in Iesus and to make professiō of his name and doctrine except we conforme our lyues and actions accordinge to the prescript of his commaundmentes For albeit in Christian religion faith be the first and principal foundation whervpon all the rest is to be stayed and grounded yet as in other material buildinges after the foundation is layed ther remaineth the greatest labour time cost cunning and diligence to be bestowed vpon the framinge and furnishinge of other partes that must insue euen so in this celestial edifice or buildinge of our soule hauing layed once the foundation and grounde of true beliefe which a Christian oftentimes dispacheth in the space of one weekes learninge the rest of al our life time labour and studies is to be employed in the perfecting of our life and actions and as it were in raising vp the walles other partes of our spiritual buil ding by the exercise of al vertues and diligent obseruation of Gods commaundements Without the which our faith is to no more purpose or profite then is a foundation without a building vpon it or a stocke or tree that beareth no fruite Which thinge S. Iames expresseth most excellentelie in this fit similitude Euen as a bodie vvithout spirite is dead so is saith vvithout vvorkes Which necessary point of vertuous life and obseruing Gods commandements for that certaine carnal and sensual Christiās in the primatiue Church euen yet whiles the Apostles thē selues were aline would in no wise vnderstande aright but for pleasing their owne appetites deuised vpon certaine darke and hard speeches of S. Paul that only faith was sufficient to saue them S. Austine and other auncient fathers were of opinion that not only thes last wordes of S. Iames the whole discourse which he maketh of this matter in that chapter but also both his and all other Apostles writinges set forth and published after S. Pauls epistles were prin cipally to represse this most absurde and pernicious errour For declaratiō wherof I wil allege only thes words of S. Augustine folowing expresly writē in a booke for this purpose intituled of faith good workes Thus then he beginneth For that this wicked opinion of only faith was sprong vp in the Apostles time by ill vnderstāding of S. Paul al the other Apostolical epistles which ensue of S. Peter S. Iohn S. Iames and S. Iude were directed principally to this ende to proue with al vehemencie that faith without good workes is nothing worth Euen as in deed S. Paul him self did not define euery maner of faith wherby we beleeue in God but only meaneth that profitable euangelical faith which hath workes annexed proceeding of charitie And as for that faith which is without workes and yet seemeth to thes men to be sufficient for their saluation he protesteth that it is so vnprofitable as he doubteth not to save of hym self If I should haue all faith in such sort is I vvere able to moue mountaines yet had not charitie I vvere nothing By which charitie no doubt good life is meant for that as in an other place it is said Charitie is the fulfilling of al the lavv Wherfore S. Peter most euidently in his secōd epistle hauing exhorted men to holines of life and maners sheweth that certaine wicked persons tooke occasion by some obscure sentēces of S. Paul to promisse them selues securitie of saluatiō by only faith Which hard sentences S. Peter affirmeth that thes miserable mē peruerted to their owne destruction as they did also other holiescriptures seing that S. Paul was of the verie same opinion that the other Apostles were concerning life euerlasting to be obtained by none but by such onlie as ioined vertuous life with their beliefe But S. Iames of al other is most vehement against al such as thinke that faith can suffice to saluation without good workes in so much as he compareth them to the deuils thē selues saying Doest thou belieue that there is one God thou doestvvel the deuils also doe belieue the same and tremble What could be spokē more truly briefly and vehemently then this seing in the Ghospel we read that the deuils made the same confession of Christes deitie that did S. Peter and yet Christ commended the one and reprehended the other c. Wherfore let not simple mindes be deceyued thincke that they knowe God if they confesse hym with a dead faith that is with a faith voide of good works as deuils doe for that they read perhappes in scripture thes wordes of Christ this is life euerlasting that men knovve thee the true God and Iesus Christ vvhom thou hast sent Lett them not I saye be deceyued with this but lett them remēber how Christes Apostle expoundeth that saying when he writeth By this vve knovve God trulie is vve keepe his Commaundementes and vvho soeuer sayeth that he knovveth hym and yet keepeth not his Commaundementes he is a liar and the truth is not in hym Thus farre S. Augustine declareth this veritie out of the scriptures and he addeth further in an other place the testimonie of S. Paul for comprobation hereof who admonished the people of Corinthus in thes wordes Deceyue not your selues nether fornicatours nor adulterours nor theeues nor couetous persons nor backbiters nor drunckards shal obtaine the kingdome of God Which S. Augustin proueth that S. Paul in truth could neuer haue auouched if the Corinthians by onlie faith might haue escaped damnation The very same discourse maketh S. Gregorie the great out of holie write vpon this pointe For hauinge considered thos most confortable wordes of Christ to S. Thomas blessed are they vvho haue not seene and yet haue beleeued he annexeth as followeth Perhaps here euerie Christian will saye within hym self I doe belieue and therfore I am blessed shal be saued Wherin he saith truth if his life be answerable to his beleefe For that a true faith doth not contradicte in maners the thiges which it professeth in wordes For which cause it was said of certaine false Christians by S. Paul that they confessed God in vvordes but denied hym in deedes and by S. Iohn that vvho soeuer saith he knovveth God and keepeth not his commaundements is a lyar Which being so we must examine the truth of our faith by consideration of our
Peter was sent vnto him for his instruction and establishment in right faith I adioined moreouer that ther being two parts of Christiā diuinitie the one Theorike or speculatiue belonging principally to knowledge discours and beleefe the second called practique or actiue appertaining cheefly to action and execution the first is more easy and common then the second bicause it is more easy to know then to doe to discourse then to worke to beleeue as we ought then to liue as we should and the things that a man hath to beleeue are fewer then the things he hath to doe learned in shorter time and with lesse difficultie thé the other are executed Euen as we see by experience that a breefe Cathechisme instructeth a man sufficiently in his faith but al the bookes and sermons that we can read and heare can not persuade the least part of men to performe so much in life as by their vocation is required For which cause I said that both our Saucour and his Apostles did treate much more in their speaches and writings of things to be done then of things to be known of vertuous liuing then of right beleeuing The like I saied of Holie fathers and Doctours in the Church after them as it may be sene in their homilies sermons exhortations treatises commentaries and expositions For this cause I saied also that I had chosen to say some thing of this second part of Christian diuinitie appertaining to manners and direction of life allotting to my self three principal pointes to be handled therin and to be treated in three seueral bookes The first wherof to conteine the reasons and motiues which may stir vp a Christian man to make a firme and sound resolution The secōd to prescribe the particular meanes how a man without errour may put in vre and practise his resolution made The third to declare certaine helpes and instructions wherby to be able to perseuer vnto the end The first of thes bookes was then set downe and published The secōd and third vpon necessarie causes were deferred for a time And this is the summarie of al that was writen in my former preface and Induction suppressed now by M. Buny for meere conscience sake as he protesteth Wherin notwithstanding I doe not easilie see what may be accompted either so heinous or intollerable as his scrupulous conscience should be a fraide to let the same passe vnto the readers eare except it were for that in a certaine aduertisement I desired eche Catholique to pray for our persecutours or for that perhaps in the lines before repeated I doe affirme faith and beleef to be more common and easy then vertuous life which notwithstanding I thinke many Protestants in England wil confesse to be true and wil easilie proue the same by the liues and actions of their own preachers and ministers So much then for this now let vs behold how M. Buny hath set foorth the same booke with his purgation of M. Bunis edition M. Buny hauing taken this booke into his correction as also into my Lord Archbishop of Yorke his protection geueth it this title A booke of Christian exercise c. Perused and accompanied vvith a treatise tending to pacification by Edm. Buny And vnder the title he writeth this sentence of scripture IESVS Christ yester day and to day and the same for euer The misterie why he set thes wordes ther him self alone as I thinke vnderstandeth and hard it were for other men to coniectare If he had taken the wordes immediatly following in the same sentence of S. Paul they had bene more cleare if not more also to the purpose For they ar thes Be not caried avvay vvith variable and strange doctrines But let vs permit M. Buny to folow his kinde The holie fathers that write against auncient heretiques doe note it for an old tricke of thos companions to delight them selues and deceue others with obscure places of scripture And S. Peter expresly signifieth of the same men that principally they vsed to take the said obscure sentences out of S. Paul whence this by M. Buny is also cited And this for the first page In the next page he placeth my Lord of Yorkes armes accompanied with a paire of goodly crosse keyes and a croune set ouer thé Vnder which he writeth two latin verses that say thus much in English Thes armes haue bene noble in times past by ancient gentry and commendation of learning but novv they are made more noble by the honour of Peter adioined vnto them So that now as ye see it is both good doctrine and very commendable in my Lords grace of Yorke to clame both keyes croune from Peters seat which in the Byshop of Rome is made so hainous and so bitterly inueighed against daily After the armes insueth the dedication of the whole booke treating of mortification and contempt of the world vnto his good Lordship The reason of which dedication M. Buny vttereth in thes wordes For that hauing had saieth he so longe experience of the vvorld as your Lordship haue very liklihood teacheth that needes you must grovve more and more from the loue therof And it is sufficiently knovvn vnto al that hauing found this mercy your self you haue in like sort in this long course that God hath geuen you much called on others to doe the like In which wordes we see that touching the first pointe of my Lords wearines of this world M. Buny proueth it very slenderly by a bare likelihood only Albeit in the second of his Graces calling vpon others to like mortification he alleageth the commō and sufficient knowledge of al wherunto in reason eche man must yeld And in truth I haue heard how ther want not of diuers sortes and sexes also who can witnesse by experience of my Lordes good mortification and how hotely he hath poursued them of late for such affaires and therfore no doubt but that this booke was very fitly dedicated to his Lordships protection After the epistle dedicatorie vnto my Lord ther foloweth a preface to the reader wherin M. Buny saieth That by the litle that he hath bestovvedin the studie of schole men he vvil perceaueth that this booke vvas gathered out of them vvho liuing in the corrupter time of the Church as he speaketh did most of al by that occasion treate of reformation of life vvhen as others vvere rather occupied in controuersies To which I answer that by the litle which M. Buny here vttereth he sheweth him self scarse worthy to be my Lord Archbishops chaplaine albeit to that dignitie much learning be not required for that whosoeuer shal looke vpon the homilies sermons commentaries and other workes of S. Ambrose Augustin Gregorie Maximus Bede Bernard Anselme and other that were not scholemen and shal compare the same touching exhortation and instruction to good life With the questions distinctions speculations and subtilties of Peter Lumbard
the truth of our beleefe it would be ouer tedious to lay doune euery particuler waie that might be assigned for discussion therof for that it would bring in the contention of al times aswel auncient as present about cōtrouersies in Christian faith which hath bene impugned from age to age by the seditious instruments of Christs infernal enemie And therfore as well in respecte of the lēgth wherof this place is not capable as also for that of purpose I doe auoide al dealing with matters of controuersie within the cōpasse of this worke I meane only at this time for the comfort of such as are alredy in the right waie and for some light to others who perhaps of simplicitie may walke awrie to let doune with as great breuitie as possibly may be some few general notes or obseruations for their better helpe in this behalfe In which great affaire of our faith and beleefe wherin consisteth as well the ground and foundatiō of our eternal welfare as also the fruite entire vtilitie of Christs comming into this world it is to be considered that God could not of his infinite wisdome forseeing al thigs and times to come nor euer would of his vnspeakable goodnes desiring our saluatiō as he doth leaue vs in this life without most sure certaine and cleare euidencie in this matter and consequētly we must imagine that all our errours cōmitted herein I meane in matters of faith and beleefe among Christians doe proceede rather of finne negligence wilfulnes or inconsideration in our selues then either of difficultie or doubtfulnes in the meanes left vnto vs for discerning the same or of the want of Gods holie assistance to that effect if we would with humilitie accept therof This Esay made plaine when he prophetied of this perspicuitie that is of this most excellent priuilege in Christian religion so many hundred yeares before Christ was borne For after that in diuers chapters he had declared the glorious cōming of Christ in signes and miracles as also the multitude of Gētiles that should imbrace his doctrine together with the ioye and exultation of their cōuersion he forsheweth presentlie the wōderful prouidence of God also in prouidinge for Christians so manifest a waye of directiō for their faith and religion as the most simple and vnlearned man in the world should not be able but of wilfulnes to goe astraye therin His wordes are thes directed to the Gentiles Take comfort and feare not beholde your God shall come and saue you Then shall the eyes of the blinde be opened and the eares of the deafe shal be restored c. And there shal be a path vvaye and it shal be called THE HOLIE WAYE it shal be vnto you so direct a vvay as fooles shall not be able to erre therin By which wordes we see that among other rare benefites that Christes people were to receaue by his comminge this should be one and not the least that after his holie doctrine once published and receyued it should not be easie for the weakest in capacitie or learning that might be whom Esay here noteth by the name of fooles to runne awrie in matters of their beliefe so plaine cleare euidēt should the waye for trial therof be made Here hence it is that S. Paul pronounceth so peremptorilie of a contētious and heretical man that he is damned by the testimenie of his ovvne iudgement or conscience for that he hath abandoned this common direct and publique waye which all men might see and hath deuised particuler pathes and turninges to hymself Herehēce it is that th' auncient fathers of Christe primatiue Church disputinge against the same kynde of people defended alwayes that their errour was of malice and wilful blindnes and not of ignorance applyinge thos wordes of prophetie vnto thē they that savve me rannc out from me That is saith S. Augustine they which sawe and beheld the Catholique Church of Christ which is the plaine waye denoted byEsay and the most eminēt mountaine described by Daniel as also by Esay hymself in an other place expounded by Christ in S. Mathewes Ghospel this Churche saith he wicked heretiques beholding for that no mā can auoide the sight therof but he that most obstinatelie will shut his eyes yet for hatred and malice doe they runne out of the same and doe raise vp heresies and schismes against th' vnitie therof Thus much saith this holie doctour by whose discourse we maye perceyue that the plaine and direct waye mentioned by Esay wherin no simple or ignorant man can erre is the general bodie of Christes visible Church vpon earth planted by his Apostles throughout al countries Nations and cōtinuinge by succession vnto the worldes ende In which Church whosoeuer remaineth beleeueth al thinges that are taught therin cā not possiblie fall into errour of faith For that this church or vniuersal bodie is guided by Christes spirit who is the heade therof and so no waies subiect or withi cōpasse of errour For which cause S. Paul nameth it the pillar and sirmament of truth And the same Church is so manifest and euident and shal be so to the worldes ende as the same learned Doctour and other his equals doe proue that it is more easie to fynde it out then it is to see the Sunne or Moone when it shy neth brightest or to beholde the greatest hill or mountaine in the world For as S. Augustines wordes are albeit particuler hilles in one countrie may be vnknowen in an other as Olympus in Greece may be vnknowen in Affrica and the mountaine Giddaba of Affrike may be vnknowen in Greece yet saith this holie father a mountaine that passeth throughout all Countries and filleth vp the whole world as Daniel prophetied Christes Church should doe can not be but apparent to the sight of al men and consequentlie must needes be knowē of al men but onlie of such as wilfullie doe shut their eyes from sight therof For declaration of which reason argument and discourse of Holy-Fathers being also the discourse of Christ hym self in the Ghospel when he remitteth mē to the visible Church that is placed on an hill it is to be noted that in the time frō Christes ascension vntil the 14. yeare of Neroes raigne who first of the Romane Emperours beganne open persecution against the proceedinges of Christians put to death S. Peter and S. Paul In this time I saie of tolleration vnder the Romane Empire which cōtained the space of 37. yeares Christes Apostles and Disciples had preached and planted one vniforme Ghospell thoroughout all the worlde as both by their actes and gestes recorded as also by the peculier testimonie of S. Paul to the Romanes may appeare Which thing being done most miraculoussie by the power and vertue of their Maister and Bishops pastours and other gouernours being ordained in euery Church and countrie for guiding and directing the same by
the causes of my large and ample additions in this booke And yet was ther besides al thes one cause more which also I conceaued by information of others An I this was that diuers persons as I was tolde hauing desire in them selues to reade the former booke but yet being weake and feartul to be touched so nere in conscience as they imagined this booke would doe durst neuer intermedle therwith being informed that ther was nothing in the same wherwith to intertaine them selues but only such vehement matter of persuasiō as would troble and afflict thom For remedie of which inconueniencie if it were an inconueniencie I haue inserted diuers chapters and discourses of matters more plausiole and of them selues more indifferent whervvith the reader may solace his minde at such times as he findeth the same not willing to feele the spurre of more earnest motion to perfection And to the end he may the better be able to serue him self at al times and to al purposes of whatsoeuer is contayned within this booke I haue thought good to set downe in the end of al a short draught or methode for the particuler vse of euery part and parcel therof how it may sorue either to prayer or meditation or els to instruction exhortation consolation or other effect according to the time and place or to the neede state condition other qualetie of the person that shal come to reade the booke Now then good reader and my deare Christian brother hauing nothing els at this time to admonishe the of I wil end this preface and remit the to the reading of the booke it self that followeth exhorting the most earnestly for thine owne soules sake in the tender bowels of our sweet Sauiour IESVS that thou reade the same with attention as matter that appertaineth nearest of al other vnto the and with al to yeld most hartie and humble thākes to almightie God that in his Catholique Church fayleth not from time to time to sende diuers strange and stronge meanes whereby to stirre vp men to consideration of their estate and to the gayne of their saluation in the life to come This I say by almightie Gods diuine goodnes and prouidence is ordinarie in his spouse the Catholique Church wher his spirit abideth vntil the worldes end and it is so in her alone as it is her proper and peculier possession and neuer trulie to be founde in them who liue out of her albeit for a time and in some pointes they maye haue a shewe or shadoe therof This we see fulfilled in al heretiques and sectaries both of old and of our daies who albeit some times they wil seeme to writ bookes of institutions to manners and good life yet their doctrine therin being as wilde as their faith is wandering they neuer bring any thing to passe but from worse to worse wherof the whole world at this daye doth giue experience The reason of this in general may be taken from the nature and spirit of heretiques described vnto vs for our admonishment in holie scripture wherof one principal point is that they shal be as S. Paul saith Sine pace without al rest or peace and consequently alvvaies learning and neuer attaining to the knowledge of truth They shal bestow al their time in iangling and quarreling and in the meane space as S. Peter wel noteth they shal vvalke according to their ovvne concupiscences albeit they talke neuer so much of mortification and of their quickning spirite for which cause he calleth them also illusores mockers and deceauers that is as S. Paul seemeth to interprete the same fellovves that vvith seigned vvordes shal make their ovvne gaine and vvhich hauing a shevv of pietie shal in life deny the force or vertue thereof And this why heretiques in general can neither teach true pietie and deuotion not yet giue example therof in their owne liues But now if we looke into the particuler sectes that are of this our most vnhappie time we shal finde a more peculier reason why they in special much lesse may doc the same For that in truth the very groundes of their opinions doc resist altreating of such affaires neither can you vrge almost any one point of true pietie but that 〈◊〉 must impugne some principal article of their doctrine As may appeare by that which hath bene declared before concerning the places both of fathere and scriptures thrust out by M. Buny in my former booke wherof also it were not hard to make diuers most cuident demonstrations in this place For if for example sake you exhort men to labour for their owne saluation as S. Paul did Philip. 2. ver 12. then you teach them to put confidence in their owne workes which with protestantes is abhominable If you encourage men to suffer in respoct of rewarde as Christ did Matth. 5. ver 12. then fal you flatly vpon the doctrine of merite If you tel them that heauen is put in their owne handes to gaine as our Sauiour did Math. 11. ver 12. then allow ye not only of morite but also of free wil. If you wish men to liue in feare and trembling in respect of Gods secret iudgements and of the vncertaintie of our saluation as S. Paul did Phi. 2. ver 12. Hob. 3. ver 14. and S. Peter 2. ep 3. ver 17. then impeach you the certaintie of protestantes predestination If you counsail men to make amendes by good workes forth 〈◊〉 euil life past as S. Iohn Baptist did Luke 3. ver 8. then you reach satisfaction If you terrifie them with the feare of hel and with the declaration of the paines in the world to come as Christ did Math. 8. ver 12. then with them you offer iniurie to Gods infinit mercie If you exhort men to fasting praying loue of virginitie desire of pouertie chastesing their own bodies restitutió penance and the like as al the course of holie scripture doth then runne you into plaine and open papistrie And then deare Christian brother what treating can ther be of pietic in life wher none of thes important matters may be once named Truly good brother wel may a man vainlie talke in the aire of a quick ening spirite and mstrification as they are wonte in pastime to doe but nothing in sinceritie-wil euer be brought to passe where thes weightie pointes be not soundly and seriously handled For take away the mention of thes thinges forth of holie scripture it self together with the large and frequent exhortations that therin are made vnto them and very litle wil remaine about other affaires the cheefe indeuour of Gods holie spirit being bent as is manifest to the setting forthe and inculcating of thes matters aboue al other vnto Christian people Which spirit of almightie God the Catholique Church his holie and deare spouse taking vpon her to imitate after the foundation of true faith once laide calleth vpon her children both daily
sleepe is wonte to possesse mē Feare came vpon me and trēbling and all my bones were extremely terished At lēgth a spirit past by in my presence wherat the heares of my flesh stoode vp in horrour There stoode before me one whose face I knew not His image was before mine eye I hard his voyce as the sound of a soft ayer Hytherto is described in what maner and order this secret was reueiled but now what said this visiō or spirit thinke you at the last trulie he made a shorte discourse to proue by the fall of th' āgels for their synne that much more qui habitant domos luteas terrenum habeut fundamentum cōsumentur velut a tinea de mane vsquè ad vesperam succidentur They who dwell in houses of morter as all mortall men doe whose bodies are of flesh they which haue their foundation of earth as most folke of this world haue that putt their confidence in thinges of this life they must all consume by litle and litle as tho cloth doth by the mothe at lēgth they must vpon the sudden within lesse space perhappes thē is from morning to night be cut downe and dispatched when they thinke least of it And to shew that herein standeth a point of high secresie I meane to consider ponder well this discourse he maketh his conclusiō in thes wordes immediatlie following quia nullus intelligit in aeternum peribunt And for that few or none of those men before mētioned who haue such earthlie foundatiōs doe vnderstand this pointe aright I meane of their suddaine death cutting of frō this world therfore must they perish eternallie and this is a secrete which few men will belyeue Vir insipiens non cognoscet saith Dauid stultus nō intelliget haec an vnaduised man wil not learne thes thinges nor wil a foole vnderstand them but what thinges it inseweth in the same place how wonderful the workes of god and how deepe his cogitations are aboute sinners who sprynge vp as grasse and florish in this world vt intereant in seculum seculi to th' ende they may perish for euer and euer The prophet Daniel had many visions and straunge reuelatiōs of great and high mysteries but one amongest all other this the least of the most dreadful iudgementes of god vppon synners in th' ende of the world The vision was by the great ryuer Tigris wher as diuers angels were attending about the bankes so vpon the water it self stood one in the likenes of a man of exceeding dreadful maiestie his apparrel being onlie lynninge through which his bodie shyned like pretious stone his eyes like burnig lampes his face like flashinge lightening his armes and legges like brase inflamed and his voice as the shoote of a whole multitude of people that should speake together This was Christ by all interpretation at whose terrible presence when Daniel fel downe dead he was erected againe by an Angel and made strong to abyde the vision and so hauing hearde and seene the most wonderful thinges that ī his booke he recompteth he was bold to aske a question or two for better vnderstanding therof and his first question was hovv long it should bee ere thes most vvōderful things tooke their ende VVherunto the man vpon the water answered by stretching out both his brasen armes to heauen and swearing straūgelie by hym that liued for euer and euer that it should be a tyme and tymes and halfe a tyme. Which answer Daniel not vnderstāding began to question further but he was cutt of with this dispatch Goe thy vvay Daniel for thes speeches are shutt vp and sealed vntil the tyme preordained And yet for his futher instruction it was added in the same place Impie agent impij nec intelligent Wicked men will alwayes doe wickedlie and will not vnderstand thes mysteries albeit we should neuer so much expounde them Wherby as by all the rest that hytherto hath ben alleaged is made apparent that inconsideration negligence carelesse ignorance and lack of vnderstanding in our owne estates and in gods iudgementes proceedinges with iniquitie and synne hath bene a bane and a common perditiō of rechelesse men from tyme to tyme. And if we will turne our eyes to this our age much more shall we see the same to be true For what is the cause think you why at this day we haue so manie of those people whom holie Iob doth call abhominable that drinke vp iniquitie as beastes due vvater that committ all synne all iniustice all turpitude without remorse or scruple of consciēce what is the cause of this I say but lack of consideration lacke of vnderstāding lack of knowledge for as Christ said to Hierusalem touching her destruction si cognouisses tu c. if thou also ó sinful soule diddest know what hangeth ouer thy heade for this carelesse life of thine if thou daughter of Babylon wouldest remember and ponder in thy hart what shal be th' ende of thes thy delightes thou wouldest not lyue so pleasantlie as thou doest Nunc autem abscondita sunt haec ab occuiis tuis But now sayeth Christ thes thinges are hydden from thy ne eyes Not but that thou mayst haue knowen them if thou wouldest but for that thou arte one of them who say to god scientiam viarum tuarum nolum ' we will not haue vnderstanding of thy wayes one of them qui sunt rebelles lumini that are rebellious against the light and illuminatió of gods grace one of thé qui nolūt intelligere vt bene egant that will not vnderstand to doe wel And finallie one of them qui declinant aures ne audiat legem that turne away their eares to th' ende they may not heare gods law quorum oratio est execrabiiis whose not onlie life but also prayer is execrable and detestable in the sight of their maker Truelie nothing in reason can be lesse tollerable in the presence of gods Maiestie then wheras he hath published a law vnto vs with so greate charge to beare it in mynde to ponder in harte to studdie meditate vpon it both day and night at home and abrode at our vpry singe and at our downe lyinge to make it our cogitatió our discourse our talke our excercise our rumination and our delight that we should notwithstanding so contemne the same as to make it no part of our thought but rather to flee the knoledge therof as we see most men of the world doe for not troubling their consciences But the holie Ghost hath layed downe the reason hereof long agoe in these wordes cum sit timida nequitia dat testimoniū condemnationis For that wickednesse in it self is alwayes ' fearfull it gyueth witnesse against it self of damnation when so euer it thinketh of the law of god or of honestie So Felix the
gouernour of Iurie when S. Paul began to talke of iustice chastitie and gods iudgmentes before hym he was wonderfullie a feard and said to Paul that he should departe for that tyme and that he vvould call for hym againe aftervvard vvhen occasion should require But he neuer dyd and what was the cause For that as Iosephus testifieth he was a wicked man Drusilla his fayre ladie that was with hym at S. Pauls speeche was not his true wife but taken by allurement and violence from an other and therfore it offended them both to heare preaching of chastitie This then is one principall cause whie men of this world will not enter into consideration of their owne estate and of gods cōmandementes least they should reade and see their owne faultes beare witnesse against thē selues of their owne condemnation Wherunto the scripture annexeth an other cause not far vnlike to this which is that worldlie men doe so dro vne them selues in the cares and cogitations of this life as they leaue in their mindes no place to thinke vpon gods affaires which are the busynes of their owne soules This expresseth Ieremie the prophet most effectuallie when hauing made his complaint that not withstānding his preaching and crying in the temple-gate for long tyme together where all the people passed by hym and heard hym yet no man sayeth he would enter into consideration or say with hym self vvhat haue I donne wherof he addeth presentlie the cause and reason omnes enim conuersi sunt ad cursum suum quasi equus impetu vedens ad praelium All men are sett vpon their owne courses and wayes and doe runne in the same with as great vehemēcie and fearse obstination as a furious armed horse whē he heareth the trompett in the beginning of a battaile By which cōparison the holie ghost expresseth verie lyuelie the irrecouerable state of a setled worldlie man that followeth greedilie his owne designmentes in the negotiation of earth Thes are two of the chyefe causes of inconsideration I meane wilful malice and obstinate occupation in the vanities of this life And yet mētioneth the scripture a third sorte also of inconsiderate men who nether of direct malice nor yet of greate occupatiō in worldlie affaires doe neglect consideration but rather of a certaine lightenesse and idle negligēce for that they will not trouble their heades with any thing but disporte and recreation of whom it is written aestimauerūt lusum esse vitā nostra They esteeme this life of ours to be but a plai-game And in an other place of the same mē ita securi viuunt quasi iustorum facta habeant They lyue as securelie and considentlie without care or cogitation as if they had the good workes of iust men to stand for them But as the holie Ghost pronoūceth in the same place hoc vanissimum this is vanitie and folie in the highest degree For as in thinges of this life he were but a foolish marchant that for quietnes sake would neuer looke into his accōptbookes whether he were behind hand or before and as that ship-master were greatelie to be laughed at that for auoiding of care would sett downe and make good cheere let the shippe goe whether she would so much more in the busines of our soule is it madnesse and follie to flye consideratiō for eschuyng of trouble seing in th ende this negligence must needes turne vppō vs much more trouble and irremediable calamitie For as Ieremie sayeth to all such men in nouissimo dicrum intelligetis ca in the ende of your dayes you shall not chuse but know see and vnderstand thes thinges which now for delicacie you will not take the paines to thinke of But when shall this be trow you he telleth plainlie in the same place vvhen the furie of our lord shall come foorth as a vvhirle vvinde and shall rushe and rest vppon your heades as a tempest then shall you know and vnderstand thes thinges It seemeth that the Babylonians were a people verie faultie in this pointe of cōsideration as all wealthie people are not only by that which before hath bene touched of the daughter of Babylon that would not consider her endinge dayes but also for that not long before the most terrible destruction of that greate Citie by the Medes and Persiās God cried vnto her in thes wordes My deerlie beloued Babylō put aside the table and stand vppon thy watch rise vp you princes from eating and drinking take your targetes in your handes goe and set a watcheman vppon the walles and what so euer he seeth let hym tell you And then was there a watcheman sett vppon the wales and a Lyō to denounce with open mouth what soeuer danger he saw comming towardes them And God taught the people to crie in this sorte to their sentinel or watchman Custos quid de nocte custos quid de nocte Thow watcheman what seest thou coming towardes vs by night what espyest thou ò sentinel drawing on vs in the darkenesse By all which circūstance what els is insinuated but that god would haue vs stād vppon our watch for that his iudgementes are to come vppon the world by night when men least thinke therof they are to come as a theese at mid-night as also in an other place we are admonished and therfore happie is the man that shal be founde watcheful But now the dore and sole entrance into this watch wherof the securitie of our eternal life depēdeth can be nothing els but consideration For that where no cōsideratiō is there can be no watch nor fore-sight nor knowledge of our estate consequentlie no hope of saluation as holie S. Bernard holdeth which thing caused that blessed man to wryte fyne whole bookes of consideration to Eugenius Consideration is the thing which bringeth vs to know both god and our selues And touching god it layeth before vs his Maiestie his mercie his iudgementes his commandemēts his promisses his threatninges his proceeding with other men before vs wherby we may gather what we also in tyme must expect at this hādes And for our selues consideration is the keye that openeth the dore to the closet of our hart where all our bookes of accompt doe lye it is the looking glasse or rather the verie eye of our soule wherby she taketh the vew of her self and looketh into all her whole estate Into her riches her debtes her dueties her negligēces her good guiftes her defectes her saftie her dāger her way she walketh in her course she followeth her pace she holdeth and finallie the place and ende wherto she draweth And without this consideratiō she runneth on hedlong into a thousand brakes and bryars stumbling at euerie steppe into some one inconuenience or other and continuallie in perill of some great and deadlie mischiefe And wonderful trulie it is that in all other busines of this
he was worshipped as a God in that countrie and called by many Mercurius And that the Ethiopians learned circuncisioÌ„ of him which afterward alwayes they retained and so doe vntill this day And as for his miracles donne in Egypt his leading the people thence by the reade sea his liuing with them fortie yeares in the desert the heathen writers agree in al things with the scriptures sauing onely that they recoÌ„pt diuers things to the praise of Moyses which he hath not writen of him self adding also his description to witt that he was a longe taule man with a yeolowe bearde and longe heare Wherwith also accordeth Numenius Pythagoricus touching the actes of Moyses whose life he sayeth that he had reade in the auncientest recordes that were to be had But the fornamed Eupolemus goeth yet forwarde pursueth the storie of Iosue of the Iudges of Saul Dauid of SalomoÌ„ eueÌ„ vnto the building of the temple which he describeth at large with the particuler letters writeÌ„ about thatmatter the king of Tyrus which Iosephus sayeth were in his dayes kepte in the recordes of the TyriÌ„aÌ„s And with Eupolemê° agree Polyhister Hecataeus Abderita that liued serued iÌ„ warre with king AlexaÌ„der the great and they make mention amongest other thiÌ„ges of the inestimable riches of SalomoÌ„ and of the treasures which he did hyde and burie according to the fascion of that tyme in the sepulcher of his father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the scripture Iosephê° well proueth for that Hircanus the highe Priest and kinge of Iurie being besieged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not manie yeares before Christs natiuitie to redeeme hym self and the cittie and to pay for his peace opened the said sepulcher of Dauid and fecht out of one parte therof three thousand Talentes in redy monie which amounte to six hundred thousand powndes Englishe if we accompt the talentes but at the least size of talentum Haebraicum And as for the thinges which ensued after Salomon as the diuision of the tribes among them selues and their diuers warres afflictions and transmigrations into other coÌ„tries manie heathen writers doe mention and recorde them and among other Herodotus and Diodorus Sieulus And the fornamed Alexander Polyhistor talking of the captiuitie of Babylon sayeth that Ieremie a Prophet tolde Ioachim his kinge what would befall hym and that Nabuchodonosor hearinge therof was moued therby to besiege IerusaleÌ„ Of the flight of Senacharib from the siege of Ierusalem how he was killed at his returne home by his owne childreÌ„ in the temple according to the prophetie of Esay and storie of the booke of kinges for that he had blasphemed the Lord God of Israel Herodotus witnesseth and that after his death he had a Statua or image of metal erected in his memorie with this inscription in greeke He that beboldeth me lett hym learne to be godlie Conferre Xenophon also in his seuenth booke de Cyropaedia and you shall see hym agree with Daniel in his narrations of Babylon And finallie I will conclude with Iosephus the learned Iewe that wrote imediatelie after Christs ascension and protesteth that the publique writinges of the Syriaus Chaldaeans Phenicians and innumerable hystories of the Graecians are sufficieÌ„t to testifie the antiquitie truth authoritie and certaintie of holie scriptures if there were no other proofe in the world besides The coÌ„clusion of the chapter vvith th' applicatioÌ„ Sect. 4. THus farre haue I treatede of the wayes and meanes which haue bene left to the world from the beginninge therby to know vnderstande their Maker In treating which point I haue stayed my self the longer for that it is the grouÌ„d foundatioÌ„ of all that is or maye be said hereafter It is the first final chiefest principle of all our eternal saluation or damnatioÌ„ and of the total weale or woe that must befail vs possesse vs for euer Which grounde and veritie if it be so certaine and euident as before hath bene shewed by all reason and proofe both diuine and humane and that the matter be so testified and proclamed vnto vs by all the creatures of heauen and earth and by the mouth and writing of our Creator hymself as no ignorance or blindnes can excuse the same no slouthfulnes dissemble it no wickednes denie it what remaineth then but to consider with our selues what seruice this God requireth at our hádes what gratitude what duetie what honour for our creation to th' eÌ„de that as we haue proued hym a most bountiful Creator so we may fynde hym a propitious iudge munificent rewarder For it is not probable that his diuine maiestie which hath appointed euerie other creature to some action for his owne glorie as hathe bene declared at large before should leaue mankinde onelie whiche is the worthiest of all the rest without obligation to his seruice In which one pointe not withstanding though neuer so cleare such is the fondnesse of our corrupt nature without gods holie grace fayled thos auncient wise men of the world of whom S. Paul speaketh so much in his epistle to the Romans taking compassion of their case and callinge them fooles and all their great learniÌ„ge philosophie meere fondnesse for that vvheras by the meanes before mentioned they came to knovv God they did not seeke to glorifie hym as appertained vnto God not yet did render hym due thankes but vanished avvaye in their cogitations c. That is they tooke no profitt by this knowledge of theirs but applied their cogitations vpon the vanities of this worlde more then vpon the honour and seruice of this their God For whiche cause S. Paul adioyneth presentelie in the same place that forso much as they did thus did not shew foorthe by their lyfe and workes that they had the knowledge of God in deede God deliuered them ouer to a reprobate sense and suffered them to fall into horrible synnes which S. Paul doth name and detest in all that chapter and finallie concludeth that their euerlasting perdition ensued principallie vpon this one pointe that wheras they knevv the iustice of God by all the wayes and argumeÌ„tes that before haue bene declared yet would they not vnderstand saith he that death was due to all such which liued in wickednes as they did And the same Apostle vpon consideration of thes matters wherin he standeth long for th' importance therof pronounceth in sine this general sentence with great asseueration and vehemencie of spirit that the vvrath of God is reucaled from heaueÌ„ vpon al impietie and iniustice of thos men vvho holde the knovvledge of God in vnrighteousnes that is who beig indued with the knowledge of God doe liue notwithstanding vnrighteouslie or as he saidbefore doe consume their dayes in vanitie not makiÌ„g accompt of the seruice which they doe owe to that God for their Creation and
other benefites Which thinge if S. Paul might trulie saye vnto these Gentiles before his tyme who had onelie natural knowledge and vnderstanding of God that is so much as by his creatures was to be gathered what may or shal be said vnto vs who haue not onelie that light of nature which they had but also the wrytinges à nd lawe of God hymself communicated speciallie vnto the Iewes and aboue that also haue hearde the voyce of his onelie sonne vpon earth and haue receiued the doctrine of his most holie ghospel and yet doe liue as negligentelie manie of vs as did the verie heathens touching good life and vertue Surelie in this case I must denounce against my self that if it be true as it can not be false which this blessed Apostle affirmeth here of thes heathen philosophers that by that litle knowledge they had of God they vvere made inexcusable then by the most iust certaine rule of Christ layed downe in S. Luke cui multum datum est multum quaretur ab eo that of euerie man which hath receiued much a greater accompte shal be taken for the same we are forced to inferre that our accompt shal be greater and our selues much more inexcusable before his diuine maiestie thē the verie Gentiles and heathens are if after all our knowledge and manifest vnderstanding of his Godhead and iustice vve vanishe avvay in our cogitatiōs as they did as most parte of the world at this day are sene to doe that is if we applie our cogitatiōs cares aboute the vaine affaires of this tēporal life and trāsitorie cōmodities which we should bestowe vpō the seruice and honour of this our Lord and Creator OF THE FINAL ENDE AND CAVSE WHIE MAN WAS CREATED BY GOD and placed in this world And of th' obligation he hath therby to attende to th' affaire for vvhich he came hyther CHAPT III. BY the Chapter precedent I nothing doubt gétle reader but if thou haue sene and perused the same thou remainest sufficientlie informed of thy Creator Now followeth it by order of good consequence that we cōsider with some attention for that it standeth vs much vpon what intent purpose God had in creating vs and this world for our sakes and in placing vs therin as Lords of the same By the former considerations we haue learned that as among other creatures nothing made it self so nothig was made for it self nor to serue it self The heauens we see doe serue th' ayer th' ayer serueth th' earth th' earth serueth beastes the beastes serue man and then is the questió whom mā was made to serue For in hym also holdeth the former reason that seig he was not made by hym self it is not likelie that he was made to serue hym selfe If we consult with the scripture herein we finde a general sentence layed downe without exception Vniuersa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus our Lorde hath made all thinges for hym self And if all the man likewise no doubte who is not the least of the rest which he hath made And hereby it cometh to passe that man can not be said to be free or at his owne appointement or disposition in this world but obliged to perfourme that thing for which he was sent into this habitation Which pointe holie Iob declareth plainelie in a certaine inuectiue that he maketh against such men as were careles and negligent in consideration of this affaire A vaine man sayeth he is lifted vp in pride and thinketh hym self to be borne as free as the colt of a vvilde asse That is he thinketh hym self bound to nothīg subiect to nothīg accōptable for nothing that he doth in this life but onlie borne free to passe his time ī disporte pleasure as a wilde colte in a desert that hath no Master to tame hym Whiche in other words the wise mā vttereth thus He estremeth this life of ours for aplaigame therfore careth not how he liueth or wherin he spéd passe-ouer the tyme. And this of the man whó the scripture calleth Vaine But now for the sooer wise and discrete of whom it is writen the vvay of life is vpon the learned to th' ende they may decline from the lovvest hell they are farre from so greate follie as to imagine that no accompt shall be demanded of our being in this world for that they haue reade that God shall bring into iudgement vvhat so euer is donne for euerie fault that is commytted And the Christian man knoweth further by the mouth and asseueration of his Saue our and Redeemour that he shall be accomptant for euerie idle worde that he misvttereth and finalie there is no man that is ether of reason or conuersant in the writinges and testament of his Creator but remembreth well that among all other irritations wherby the wicked man is said to prouoke Gods patience to indignation none is more often repeated or more greeuouslie taken then that he said in his harte God vvill as ke no accompt With thes men then alone shall be my speeche in this present chapter who haue a desire to discharge well this accompte For attayning wherof trulie I can gyue them no better counsaile instruction or aduise then to doe in this case as a good marchant-factour is wonte to doe when he arriueth in forraine Countries or as a souldiar or Capitaine sent by his prince to some greate exploite is accustomed when he cometh to the place appointed that is to weigh and consider deepolie for what cause he came thither whie he was sent to what ende what to attempte what to prosecute what to perfourme what shal be expected and required at his handes vpon his returne by hym that sent hym thyther For thes cogitations no doubt shall stirre hym vp to attende to that for which he came not to imploy his tyme in impertinent affaires The lyke would I counsail a Christian to putt in vre concerning the case proposed and to demande of hymself betwene God and his conscience why and wherfore and to what endo he was created sent hythe into this worlde what to doe wherin to bestowe his dayes c. And then shal he fynde that for no other cause matter or ende but onlie to serue God in this life and by that seruice to gaine heauen and saluation in the lyfe to come This was the condition of our creation as Moyses well expresseth and this was the consideration of our redeeming fortolde by Zacharie before we were yet redeemed that vve being deliuered foorth of the handes of our enimies should serue God inholines and righteousnes all the dayes of our liues Of this consideration doe ensue two consequentes to be obserued Whereof the first is that seinge our ende and final cause of being in this worlde is to serue God and therby to worke our owne saluation whatsoeuer thinge we doe or bestowe our tyme
shall he that created them take mercie vpon them It is writen of fooles ventum seminabunt turbinem metent They shall sowe and cast their seede vpon the windes and shall receyue for their haruest nothing els but a storme or tēpest Wherby is signified that they shall not onlie cast away and leese their labours but also be punished and chastened for the same Consider thē I beseeche the my deare brother attētiueiie what thou wilt doe or saye when thie Lord shall come at the last daye and aske the an accompte of all thy labours actiōs and tyme spent in this life when he shall require a recōning of his talentes lent vnto the when he shall say as he said to the Farmour or Steward in the Gospel Redde rationem villicatiouis tuae gyue accompt of thie Stewardshippe and charge committed vnto the what wilt thou saye when he shall examine weigh trie thie doiges as golde is examined and tried in the fornace that is what ende they hade wherto they were applied to what glorie of God to what profite of thie soule what measure and weight and substance they beare Balsasar king of Babylon sitting at his banket merry vpon a tyme espyed suddainlie certaine fingares without a hande that wrote in the wall ouer right against his table thes three Hebrue wordes MANE THEKEL PHARES Which three wordes Daniel interpreted in thre sentences to Balsasar it his maner MANE God hath numbered thee Balsasar and thie kingdome THEKEL he hath weyghed thei the Goldsmiths balāce thou art founde to light PHARES for this cause hath he deuided thee from thie kingdome and hath gyuen the same to the Medes and Persians Oh that thes three golden and most siggnificant wordes ingrauen by th' angel vpon Balsasars wall were regestred vpō euerie dore and poste in Christiādome or rather imprinted in the harte of eche Christian especiallie the two first that importe the numbering and weighing of all our actions and that in the weightes and ballance of the Goldsmithe where euerie graine is espied that wanteth And if Balsasars actions that was a Gentile were to be examined in so nise and delicate a payre of balance for their triall if he had so seuere a sentence pronounced vpon hym that he should be deuided from life and kingdome as he was the same night followinge Quia inuentus est minus habens for that he was founde to haue lesse weight in hym then he should haue what shall we thinke of our selfes that are Christians of whom it is writē aboue all others I vvill search the sinnes of Ierusalem vvith a candle What shall we expect that haue not onlie lesse weight thē we should haue but no weight at all in the most of our actions what may such men I saye expecte but only that most terrible threat of diuision made vnto Balsasar or rather worse if worse may be that is to be deuided from God and his Angels from participation with our Saueour from cōmunion of Sainctes from hope of our inheritance from our portion celestial and life euerlastinge according to th' expresse declaration made hereof by Christ hym self in thes wordes to the negligent seruant The Lord of such a seruant shall com' at a daye vvhen he hopeth not and at an houre that he knovveth not and shal deuide hym ovvt and assigne his parte vvith hypocritos vvher shal be vveeping and gnashing of teeth Wherfore deare brother to conclude this chapter I can saye nothing more in this dangerous case wherin the world so runneth awrie but onlie exhorte thee as th' apostle doth not to conforme thy self to the common errour that leadeth to perdition Fall at length to some reconning and accompt with thy life and see where thou standest and whether thou goest If hytherto thou haue wandred and gone a straye be sory for the tyme lost but passe no further If hytherto thou haue not cōsidered the weightines of this affaire serue thy selfe of this admonition and remember that it is writen that a wise man profiteth by euerie occasion Esteeme thy resolution in this one pointe the chiefest menage that euer shall passe through thy handes in this world albeit thou were 2 Monarche and Ruler of ten worldes together And finallie I will ende with the verie same wordes wherwith the wise man concludeth his whole booke Deum time mandataeius obserua hoc est enim omnis homo Feare God and obserue his commaundements for this is euerie man That is in this doth all and euerie man consist his ende his beginning his life and cause of being that he feare God and directe his actions to th' obseruance of his commaundementes for that without this he is no man in effect seing that he looseth all benefite both of his name nature redemption and creation THAT THE SERVICE WHICH GOD REQVIRETH OF MAN IN this present life is religion VVith the particuler confirmations of Christian religion aboue all other in the vvorld CHAPT IIII. HAVINGE prouedī the former chapiters that there is a God which created man and that man in respecte hereof of other benefites receyued is bounde to honour and serue the same God the question may be made in this place what seruice this is that God requireth and wherin it doth consist Whereunto th' answere is brief and easie that it is Religiō which is a vertue that cōteyneth properlie the worshippe and seruice that we owe vnto God euen as Pietie is a vertue conteyning the dutie that children doe owe vnto their parentes and Obseruance an other vertue that comprehēdeth the regarde that schollers and seruantes beare vnto their masters In respect of which comparison and likenes betwene thes vertues God faith by a certaine Prophet The fonne honoureth his father the seruát his master if thē I be a father vvher is my honour if I be a Master vvher is my feare The actes of Religiō are diuers and different some internal as deuotion and prayer some other external as adoration worshippe sacrifice oblations vowes such like that are declarations and protestations of th' internal It extendeth it self also to stirre vp and putt in vre the actes and operations of other vertues for the seruice of God in which sense S. Iames nameth it Pare and unspotted religion to visite Orphanes VVidovves in their tribulation and to keepe our selues vndefiled from the vvickednes of this vvorld Finallie how so euer some heathens did vse this worde Religion to some other significations yet as S. Augustine well noteth th' vse therof among the faytheful hath alwayes bene to signifie therby the worshippe honour and seruice that is due vnto God so that if in one worde you will haue it declared what God requireth of man in this life it may be rightelie said that all standeth in this that he be Religious Hereof it proceeded that what so
euer sorte or sect of people in the world professed reuerence honour or worshippe to God or to Gods or to any diuine power essence or Nature what soeuer were they Iewes heathens Gentiles ChristiaÌ„s Turkes Moores Heretiques or other they did alwayes call their said professioÌ„ by the name of their Religion In which sense also and signification of the worde I am to treate at this tyme of Christian religion that is of the substance forme maner and waye reueiled by Christ and his Apostles vnto vs of persourning our duetie and true seruice towardes God Which seruice is the first pointe necessarie to be resolued vpon by hym that seeketh his saluatioÌ„ as in the Chapter that goeth before hath bene declared And for obteyning this seruice true knowledge therof no meane vpoÌ„ earth is left vnto man but onlie by the light and instruction of Christian religion according to the protestation of S. Peter to the gouernours of the Iewes wheÌ„ he sayed Ther is no other name vnder beauen gyuen vnto men vvherby to be saued but only this of Christ and of his religion If you obiecte against me that in former tymes before Christes natiuitie as vnder the law of Moyses for two thousand years together there were many Sainctes that without Christian religion serued God vprightelie as the Prophetes and other holie people and before them againe in the law of Nature wheÌ„ nether ChristiaÌ„ nor Iuishe religion was yet heard of for more then other two thousand years there wanted not diuers that pleased God and serued hym trulie as Enoche Noe Iob Abraham Iacob and others I answer that albeit thes men expeciallie the former that liued vnder the law of nature had not so particuler expresse knowledge of Christe and his mysteries as we haue now for this was reserued to the tyme of grace as sainct Paule in diuers places at large declareth that is albeit they knew not expresselie how and in what maner Christ should be borne whether of a virgine or no or in what particuler sorte he should liue and die what sacramentes he should leaue what waye of publishing his ghospel he should appointe the like wherof not withstanding verie manie particulers were reueiled to the Iewes from tyme to tyme and the nearer they drew to the tyme of Christes appearance the more plaine reuelation was made of thes mysteries yet I say all and euerie one of thes holie Sainctes that liued from Adam vntill the comming of Christ had knowledge in general of Christian religion and did be lieue the same that is they belieued expresselie that there should come a Saueour and Redeemer of man-kinde to deliuer them from the bondage contracted by the sinne of Adam This was reueiled straight after their fall to our first parentes progenitours in Paradise to witt that by the vvomans seede our redemption should be made In respecte wherof it is said in the reuelations that Christ is the Lambe that hath bene slaine from the beginning of the worlde And S. Peter in the first general Councel holdeÌ„ by th' Apostles affirmeth that th' old auncieÌ„t fathers before Christes Natiuitie were saued by the grace of Christ as we are now which S. Paul confirmeth in diuers places And finallie the matter is so cleare in this behalfe that the whole schoole of diuines accordeth that the faith and religion of th' old fathers before Christes appearance was the verie same in substance that ours is now sauing onlie that it was more general obscure and confuse then ours is for that it was of thinges to come as ours is now of thinges past and present For example they beleeued a Redeemer to come and we beleeue that he is alredie come They said virgo concipiet a Virgine shall conceyue and we say virgo concepit a virgine hath conceyued They had sacrifices and caeremonies that presigured his coÌ„ming for the tyme ensuinge we haue sacrifice and sacramentes that represent his beinge for the tyme present They called their Redeemer th' expetatioÌ„ of Nations and we calle hym now the saluatioÌ„ of Nations And finallie there was no other difference betwene the old faith of good men from the begining ours but onlie in the circumstances of tyme. clearnes particularitie and of the maner of protesting the same by owtwarde signes and ceremonies For that in substance they beleeued the same Redeemer that we doe were saued by the same beliefe in his merites as we are For which cause Eusebiê° well noteth that as we are called now ChristiaÌ„s so they were called then Christi Psal. 104. that is annointed iÌ„ prefiguratioÌ„ of the true Christ in whom they belieued as the first head of all other anoynted and who was the cause and authour of their annoynting By this then it is most manifest that not onlie now to vs that be Christians but at all other tymes from the begining of the world to all other persons and people what so euer that desired to saue their soules it was necessarie to beleeue and loue Christ and to professe in harte his religion For which consideration I thought it not amisse in this place after the former groundes layed that their is a God and that man was created and placed here for his seruice to demonstrate and proue also this other principle that the onlie seruice of this God is by Christian religion Wherin albeit I doe not doubt but that I shall seeme to manie to take vpon me a superfluous labour in prouing a veritie which all men in Christendom doe confesse yet for the causes before alleaged in the second chapter which moued me in that place to proue there is a God that is to saye first for the comfort strengthe 2nd confirmation of suche as either froÌ„ th' enimie may receiue temptations or of them selues may desire to see a reason of their beleefe and secondlie for awakening stirring or stingig of others who ether of malice carelesnes or sensualitie are fallen in a slamber and haue lost the feeling and sense of their beleefe for manie such wante not in thes our miserable dayes it shall not be perhappes but to verie good purpose to laye together in this place with the greatest breuity that possiblie may be the most sure groundes and inuincible euidences which we haue for declaration and confirmation of this matter For albeit as th' Apostle S. Paul declareth the thinges which we belieue be not such in them selues as may be made appareÌ„t by reason or humane argumeÌ„tes for that our faith that is th' assent of our iudgemeÌ„t to the thinges propounded by God vnto vs must be voluntarie to th' ende it waye be meritorious yet such is the goodnes and most sweet proceeding of our merciful God towardes vs as he will not leaue hym self without suficient testimonie both inwarde and owtward as the same Apostle in another place doth testifie For that inwardlie he testifieth the truth of such
finallie we may consider that Constantine was the first publique Christian Emperour and liued within 300. years after Christ whē the recordes of the Romās were yet whole to be seene He was a religious wise and graue Emperour and therfore would neuer haue bestowed so muche labour to confirme suche a thing at such a tyme to such an audiēce had not the matter bene of singuler importance And thus much of the second pointe touchinge prophetes among Gentiles There remaineth onlie a worde or two to be spokē of the thirde which is of the confession of deuils and Oracles concerning Christs comminge especiallie whē the tyme of his appearance drew neare and that they begā to forefeele his power and vertue Wherin as I might alleage diuers examples recorded by the Gentiles them selues so for that I haue bene somewhat longe in the former pointes and shall haue occasion to saye more of this matter in an other place hereafter I will touche onlie here two oracles of Apollo concerninge this matter Th' one wherof was to a priest of his owne that demaunded hym of true religion and of God to whom he answered thus in greeke ô thou unhappie priest vvhy doest thou aske me of God that is the father of all thinges and of this most renoumed kynges deare and onlie sonne and of the spirit that conteineth all c. Alas that spirit vvill inforce me shortelie to leaue this habitation and place of oracles Th' other oracle was to Augustus Gaesar euen about the verie tyme that Christ was redy to appeare in flesh For where as the said Emperour now drawinge into age would needes goe to Delphos and there learne of Apollo who should reigne after hym what should become of thinges whē he was dead Apollo would not answere for a greate space notwithstanding Augustus had bene verie liberal in making the greate sacrifice called Hecatombe But in th' ende when th' Emperour began to iterate his sacrifice againe and to be instant for an answer Apollo as it were inforced vttered thes straunge wordes vnto hym An Hebrue childe that ruleth ouer the blessed Gods commaundeth me to leaue this habitation and oute of hand to gett me to hel But yet doe you'departe in silence from our Aulters Thus much was Apollo inforced to vtter of his owne miserie and of the cōming of th' Ebrue boye that should putt hym to banishment But yet the deceptful spirit to holde still his credire would not haue the matter reueiled to many Wherupon Augustus falling into a greate musinge with hym self what this answer might importe returned to Rome and builded there an Aulter in the Capitole with this latine inscription as Nicephorus affirmeth Ara primogeniti Dei Th' Aulter of Godes first begotten sonne Thus then haue I declared how that the cōming of Gods sōne into the world was for tolde both to Iewe and Gentile by all meanes that possiblie in reason might be deuised that is by propheties signes figures ceremonies tradition and by the confession of deuils them selues Nor onlie that his comming was fortold but also why and for what cause he was to come that is to be a Saueour of the world to die for sinne to ordeine a new law and more perfect common wealth How also he was to come to witt in mans fleshe in likenes of sinne in pouertie humilitie The tyme likewise of his appearance was foresignified together with the maner of his birth life actions death resurrection and ascensiō And finallie nothing can be more desired for the fore knowledge of anie one thing to come then was deliuered vttered cōcernīg the Messias before Christ or Christians were talked of in the world Now thē remaineth it to consider examine whether thes particularities fortolde so lōg agoe of the Messias to come doe agree in Iesus whom we acknowledge for the true Messias And this shall be the subiect argument of all the rest of our speeche in this chapter Hovv the former predictions vvere fulfilled in Iesus at his being vpon earth Sect. 2. ALbeit in the pointes before recited which are to be fulfilled in the Messias at his comming we haue some controuersie and disagreemēt with the Iewe as hath bene shewed yet our principal contention in them all is with the Gentile and heathen that beleeueth no scriptures For that in diuers of the fornamed articles the Iewe standeth with vs and for vs offereth his life in defence therof as farre foorth as if he were a Christiā In so much that the Gētile oftē times is inforced to maruaile when he seeth a people so extremelie bent against an other as the Iewes are against Christiās and yet to stand so peremptorilie in defence of thos verie principles which are the proper causes of their disagreement But hereunto the Iew maketh answer that his disagreement from vs is in th' application of thos principles For that in no wise he will allowe that they were or may bee verified in Iesus And herein he standeth against vs much more obstinatelie then doth the Gentile For that the Gentile as soone as he commeth once to vnderstande and beleeue the propheties of scripture he maketh no doubt or difficultie in th' application thereof for that he seeth the same most euidentelie fulfilled in our Saueour Which is the cause that fewe or no Gentiles since Christs appearance haue come to be Iewes but that presentelie also they passed ouer to be Christians But the Iewe by no meanes wil be moued to yeeld albeit he haue neither scripture nor reason nor probabilitie for his defence Which among other thinges is a verie great argument to proue that Iesus was the true Messias in deed seing that among the markes of the true Messias set downe by Gods Prophetes this was one that he should be refused by the Iuishe Nation Herehence are those wordes of the Holie Ghost so longe before vttered The stone vvhich the builders refused is made the head stone of the corner this is donne by God and is maruailous in our eyes Hence is that great complainte of Esay touching th' incredulitie obstinacie of this people against their Messias at his comming which Moyses also longe before Esay expressed most effectuallie It maketh then not a litle for our cause gentle reader that the Iuishe Nation is so wilfullie bent against vs and that they refused Christ so peremptorilie at his being among them For whom so euer that Nation should receyue and acknowledge it were a great argument by scripture that he were not in deede the true Messias But yet to demonstrate 〈◊〉 worlde how litle shew of reason they haue in standing thus against their owne saluation and in refusing Iesus as they doe I will in as great breuitie as I may runne ouer the chief pointes that passed at his being vpon earth and therby examine by the testimonies of his greatest enimies whether the forsaid propheties and all other
Cessant Oracula Delphis Al Oracles at Delphos doe nowcease etc. That also of an other Poete Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. That is the Goddes by whom this empire stood are al departed from their temples and haue abandoned their Altars places of habitatiō Strabo also hath thes expresse wordes The Oracle of Delphos at this daye is to be sene in extreme beggarie and mēdicitie And finally Plutarche that liued within one hundreth yeares after Christ made a special booke to search out the causes why the Oracles of the Goddes were ceased in his time And after much turning winding many waies resolued vpon two principal pointes as causes therof The first for that in his time ther was more store of wise men then before whos answers might stād in stead of Oracles and the other that peraduenture the spirits which were accustomed to yeeld Oracles were by length of time growen olde and dead Both which reasons in the verie common sense of al men must needs be false and by Plutarch him self can not stand with probabilitie For first in his bookes which he wrote of the liues of auncient famous men he confesseth that in such kinde of wisdom as he most esteemed they had not their equals amōg their posteritie Secondlie in his treatises of Philosophie he passeth it for a ground that spirits not depēding of material bodies can not die or waxe olde and therfore of necessitie we must conclude that some other cause is to be yeelded of the ceasing of thes Oracles which can not be but the presence and commaundement of some higher power according to the saying of S. Iohn To this ende appeared the sonne of God that he might dissolue or ouerthrovve the vvorkes of the deuil Neither did Iesus this alone in his owne person but gaue also power and authoritie to his disciples and folowers to doe the like according to their commission in S. Matheus ghospel Super omnia Demonia spiritus immundos c. You shal haue authoritie ouer al deuils and vncleane spirites Which commission how they afterward put in execution the whole world yeeldeth testimonie And for examples 〈◊〉 onlie I wil alleage in this place an offer or chalēge made for proof therof by Tertullian to the heathen magistrates and persecutcurs of his time his wordes are thes Let ther be brought here in presence before your tribunal seats some person who is certainly knowen to be possessed with a wicked spirite and let that spirite be commaunded by a Christian to speake and he shal as trulie confesse him self to be a deuil as at other times to you he wil falselie say that he is a God Againe at the same time let there be brought forth one of thes your priests or Prophets that wil seeme to be possessed by a diuine spirite I meane of thos that speake gasping c. in whom you imagine your Gods to talke and except that spirit also commaunded by vs doe confesse him self to be a deuil being indeed afraid to lye vnto a Christian doe you shedde the blood of the Christiās in that very place c. None wil lye to their owne shame but rather for honour or aduantage yet thos spirits wil not saye to vs that Christ was a Magician as you doe nor that he was of the common condition of men They wil not saie he was stolne out of his sepulcher but they wil confesse that he was the vertue wisdome and worde of God that he is in heauen and that he shal come againe to be our iudge c. Neither wil thes deuils in our presence denie them selues to be vncleane spirits and damned for their wickednes and that they expect his most horrible iudgment professing also that they doe feare Christ in God and God in Christ and that they are made subiect vnto his seruantes Hytherto are the wordes of Tertullian conteining as I haue said a most confident chalenge and that vpō the liues and blood of al Christians to make trial of their power in controlling thos spirites which the Romanes and other Gentiles adored as their Godes Which offer seing it was made exhibited to the persecutors them selues then liuing in Rome wel may we be assured that the enemie would neuer haue omitted so notorious an aduauntage if by former experience he had not bene persuaded that the ioining herein would haue turned and redounded to his owne confusion And this Puissant authoritie of Iesus imparted to Christians extended it self so farre forth that not only their wordes and commandemētes but euen their very presence did shut the mouthes and driue into feare thes miserable spirites So Lactantius sheweth that in his daies among many other exāples of this thing a seely seruing-man that was a Christiā folowing his maister into a certaine temple of Idoles the Godes cried out that nothing could be weldone as long as that Christian was in presence The like recordeth Eusebius of Diocletian th' Emperour who going to Apollo for an Oracle receyued answere that the iust mē vvere the cause that be could saye nothing Which iust men Apollos priest interpreted to be meant ironically of Christians therevpon Diocletian beganne his most cruel and fearce persecution in Eusebius daies Sozomenus also writeth that luliā th' Apostata endeuoring with many sacrifices and coniurations to drawe an answere from Apollo Daphnaeus in a famous place called daphne in the suburbes of Antioche vnderstood at last by the Oracle that the bones of S. Babylas the Martyr that laie nere to the place were the impedimēt why that God could not speake And therupō Iulian presently caused the same bodie to be remoued And finally here of it proceeded that in all sacrifices coniurations and other mysteries of the Gentils ther was brought in that phrase recorded by scoffing Lucian Exeant Christiani let Christians depart for that while they were present nothing could be wel accomplished To conclude the Pagane Porphyrie that of al other most earnestly endeuored to impugne and disgrace vs Christiās and to holde vp the honour of his enfeebled idoles yet discoursing of the great plague that raigned most furiously in the Citie of Messina i Cicilie wher he dwelt yeeldeth this reason why Aesculapius the God of Physike much adored in that place was not able to helpe them It is no maruailes sayeth 〈◊〉 this Citie so many yeares be vexed vvith the plague seing that both Aesculapius and al other Godes be novv departed from it by the comming of Christians For since that men haue bigunne to vvorship this Iesus vve could neuer obtaine any profite by our Godes Thus much confessed this Patrone of paganisme concerning the mayme that his Godes had receyued by Iesus honour Which albeit he spake with a malitious minde to bring Christians in hatred and persecution therby yet is the confession notable and confirmeth that storie
lyfe for then and not otherwise are we true Christians if we fulfill in workes that wherof we haue made promisse in wordes that is in the daye of our baptisme we promissed to renounce the pompe of this world togyther with all the workes of iniquitie which promisse if we perfourme now after baptisme thē are we true Christiās and maye be ioyful And in an other place the same holie father addeth this For that diuers men are Christians in profession and faith onlie and not in life herehence it is said by the voice of truth it self Not euerie one that shall say to me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen And againe vvhie doe you call me Lord Lord and doe not perfourme the thinges that I tell you Herehence it is that God cōplained of his olde people the Iewes saying this people ho noureth we vvith their lippes but their hart is sarre of from me And the Prophet Dauid of the same people they loued hym vvith their mouth and vvith their tongues they lyèd 〈◊〉 hym Wherfore lett no man trust that his faith may saue hym without good deedes seing that we know it is writen expresselie that faith vvithout vvorkes is dead and consequentelie can not be profitable or saue vs from damnation Hytherto S. Gregorie Which verie conclusion S. Chrysostome maketh with great vehemencie vpon consideration of that woesull chaunce and heauie iudgemet that happned vnto him who in the Ghospel was admitted to the feast of Christian faith and knowledge but for lacke of the ornament or garment of good life was most cōtumeliouslie depriued of his expectatiō of whō S. Chrysostoms wordes are thes He was īuited to the feast brought into the table but for that by his fowle garment he dishonored our Lord that had īuited hym heare how miserable and lamentable a punishemēt he suffered He was not onlie thrust from the table banquet but also bounde hand foote and cast into vtter darkenes wher ther is eternal weepinge and gnashing of teeth Wherfore lett vs not deare bretheren lett vs not I saye deceyue our selues and immagine that our faith will saue vs without good worckes For except we ioyne pure lyfe to our beleefe and in this heauenlie vocation of ours doe apparrel our selues with worthie garmentes of vertuous deedes wherby we may be admitted at the mariage daye in heauen nothing shall be able to deliuer vs from the damnation of this miserable man that wanted his weddinge weede Which thingt S. Paul well noteth when hauinge said vve haue an euerlasting hovvse in heauen not made by mans handes he addeth presentelie this exception sitamen vestiti non nudi inueniamur that is if we be founde at that daye well apparreled not naked Would God euerie Chistian desyrous of his saluation would ponder well this discourse and exhortation of S. Chrysostom And so with this alone to conclude our speech in this chapter without allegation of further matter or authorities which are infinite to this effect it may appeare by that which hath already bene set doune wherin the true profession of a Christian consisteth and therby eche man that is not partial or blinded in his owne affection as many are may take a vewe of his estate and condition and frame vnto him self a verie probable coniecture how he is like to speed at the last accompting daie that is what profite or dōmage he may expect by his knowledge and profession of Christian religion For as to him that walketh vprightly in that vocation and perfourmeth effectually euerie waye his professed dutie there remaine both infinite and inestimable rewardes prepared so to him that strayeth a syde and swarueth from the right path of lyfe or faith prescribed vnto him there are no lesse paines and punishmēts referued For which cause euery Christian that is careful of his saluation ought to fixe his eye verie seriouslie vpon them both and as in beleefe to shew him self constant firme humble obedient and in one worde Catholique so in life and conuersation to be honest iust pure innocent and holie And for that this second point concerning life and maners is of more difficultie as hath bene shewed then the other of beleefe wherof notwithstanding we haue also treated sufficiently in the former chapters the rest of this whole worke shal tende to the declaration of this later part I meane of good life therby to stirre vp and awake if so it may please the merciful goodnes of our blessed Saueour the slouthful hartes of Christians to the cogitatiō of their owne estate and make them more vigilant in this greate affaire wheron dependeth their endles woe or welfare ANNOTATION THE PRINT BEING come to this place M. Bunneys edition of this booke vvas deliuered to me out of vvhose infinite corruptions maymes and māglinges diuers thinges shal be noted hereafter in the margent OF THE TWO PRINCIPAL POINTES THAT DOE APPERTAINE TO A Christian life that is to saye To resist all synne and to excercise all kynde of vertue vvith the meanes and methode hovv to perfourme them both CHAPT VI. SVPPOSINGE that in the partes of this booke which ensue we are to deale only with suche as are instructed and settled in true Christian faith wherunto we haue proued before that vertuous life and good deeds are necessarily to be adioined it semeth conuenient in this place to treate of the pointes or prīcipal partes belonging therunto Which partes are briefly prescribed by God hym self in the writinges of Dauid Esaie and other prophetes of the olde testament exhorting men to decline from vice and to embrace vertue But much more plainly by S. Peter S. Paul and other Apostles of the Euangelical law the first affirming that the fruite and effect of Christes death and passion was that vve being dead to sinne should liue to Iustice and the other adioining that the grace of God our saueour appeared to al men instructing vs to this ende that vve renouncing al vvickeanes should liue iustly and godly in this vvorld By which testimonies of holy write is made cleare and euidēt that the whole dutie of a good Christian is reduced to thes two heades or principles to wit to the resistance of al euil and to th' exercise of al pretie and vertue In respect of the first wherof our life is called in holie scripture a warfare vpon earth and vertuous mē are termed souldiours for that as good souldiours doe lye in continual wayte to resist their ennemies so vigilant Christians doe carefully stand vpon their watche for resisting the suggestions and temptatiōs of sinne In regarde of the second pointe we are named labourers husbandmen sowers marchātes bankers stewards fermers and the like and our whole life is termed a marte and trafique for that as thes kinde of people doe attēd with diligēce to their gaine and encrease of tēporal riches in this life so ought we to applie
cōming the Prophete Malachies wordes are Beholde our Lord shal come and vvho shal be able to abide the daie of his comming And the Prophete Esaie addeth further touching the same cōming that the verie mountaines shalmelt at that daie before his face And yet further he describeth the same in an other place thus Beholde our Lord shal come in strength and sortitude as a storme of haile and as avvhyrle vvinde breaking and throvving doune vvhat soeuer standeth in his vvaie as a rage of many vvaters that ouer-stovve and rushe together c. Wherunto the Prophet Dauid annexeth that burning fire shal runne before his face and on euery side of him a violent tempest This terrible Iudge then being set and al creatures of the world conuented before him the Scripture laieth doune vnto vs the order of that iudgment described by Daniel in thes wordes I stoode saieth he vvith attention and I savve certaine seates placed and the Auncient of yeares sate doune in iudgment Thousand thousands vvere attendant to serue him and ten hundreth thousand thousands stood vvaiting before him The iudgment vvas settled and the bookes vvere opened Thus much was reueyled to Daniel without declaration what bookes thos were But to S. Iohn the same were made manifest who expoundeth the matter thus I savve saieth he a great bright throne and one that sate vpon the same before vvhos face both heauē and earth did tremble c. And I savve al thos that vvere dead both great and smal standing before the throne And the bookes vvere ther opened and al thos that vvere dead had their iudgemēt according to the thinges vvhich vvere vvriten in thos bookes euery one according to his vvorkes By which wordes we are gyué to vnderstand that the books which at that daie shal be opened and wherby our cause must be discerned shal be the euidences of our deedes and actions in this life recorded in the testimonie of our owne consciences and in the infallible memorie of Gods inscrutable wisdome Wherūto shal gyue witnes in that place against the reprobate both heauen and earth which were created for them the Sunne and Moone with all the starres and planetes which from the beginning of the world haue serued them the elements and other creatures inordinately loued and abused by them their compagnions ther present with whom they sinned their brethern whom they afflicted the preachers and other Saints of God whom they contemned and aboue al other thinges the ensigne and standard of their redemption I meane the triumphant Crosse of Christ which shal at that daie be erected in the sight of all the world Al thes I saye with infinite other thinges shal thē beare witnes against the wicked and condemne them of intollerable ingratitude in that they offended so gratious and bountiful a Lord as by so manifold benefites allured them to loue and serue him At this daie saieth the Scripture shal the iust stand in great constancie against thos by whom they were afflicted and oppressed in this life And the wicked seeing this shal be surprised with a horrible feare and shal saie vnto the hilles fal vpō vs and hide vs from the face of him that fitteth vpon the throne and from the indignatiō of the Lambe for that the great daie of wrath is now come O merciful Lord how great a daie of wrath shal this be how truly said thy Prophete in his meditation of this daie vvho can conceyue the povver of thy vvrath or vvho is able for very scare to recount the greatnes of thine indignatiō This is that daie of thine wherof thy seruant said so long before that thy zeale and surie should spare none in this daie of reuenge nether should yeeld or be moued vvith any mans supplication nor should admit revvards for the deliuery of any man This is that most dreadful daie of thine wherof thy holy Prophete admonished vs when he said Behold the daie of our Lord shal come a cruel daie ful of indignation vvrath and surie to bring the earth into a vvildernes and to crushe in peeces the sinners therof And an other Prophete of the self same daie behold the daie of our Lord dot bcome a daie of darknes and dimnes a daie of cloudes and stormes a most terrible daie and such an one as vvas neuer from the beginning of the vvorld nor shal be after in al eternitic This is thy daie ô Lord and so properly thou wilt haue it called like as it pleaseth thy goodnes to terme the course of this present life the daie of man For that as in the time of this present world thou art content to holde thy peace and be patient and suffer sinners to doe their wil euen so at this last daie thou wilt rise vp pleade for thine owne glorie and wilt make thy self knowen to the terrour of thine enimies according as thy seruant Dauid foretold of the when he said Cognescetur Dominus iudicia faciens God wil be knowé when he shal come to doe iudgment Good God what a maruailous daie shal this be when we shal see al the children of Adam gathered together from al corners and quarters of the earth when as S. Iohn saieth the sea and land shal yeeld their dead bodies and both hel and heauenshal restore the soules which they possesse to be vnited to thos bodies What a wonderful meeting wil this be deare Christian how ioyful to the good and how lamentable doleful and terrible to the wicked The godlie and righteous being to receyue the bodies wherin they liued into the league felowship of their eternal blisse shal embrase them with al possible swetnes and delight singing with the prophet Behold hovv good pleasant a thing it is for brethern or parteners to dvvel together in unitie But the miserable damned spirites beholding the carcaies which were the instruments and occasiós of their sinne wel knowing that their inspeakable tormentes shal be encreated by their mutual coniunction and association shal abhorre and vtterly derest the same curse the daic that euer they were acquainted together inueighing most bitterly against all the partes and semes therof as against the eies for whos curious delighte so many vanities were seught the eares for whos pleasure and daliance so great varietie of sweet sounds and melodie was procured the mouth and taste for whos contentemēt and fond satisfaction so innumerable delicacies were deuised And to be short the backe and belly with other sensual partes for contentatió of whos riotous volupteoulnes both sea and land were sifted and turmoiled This shal be the most sorowful condition of thes infortunate soules at that daie but this sorowe shal not auaile them For the iudgment must passe on And then saieth the Scripture shal christ separate the sheepe frō the goates shal place his sheepe on the right hand and the goates on the lest
noli altum sapere sed time Be not high minded but feare Againe he reasoneth thus vpon the olde and the new lawe He that brake the lawe of Moyses being conuicted by two or three witnesses died for the same without commiseration or mercye how much more greeuous punishment then doth he deserue who breaking the law of Christ by wilfull sinne treadeth the Sonne of God vnder his feete polluteth the bloode of the new testament and reprocheth the holie Ghost In like maner reasoneth S. Peter and S. Iude towching the sinne of Angels and ours If God spared not the Angels when they sinned but did thrust them downe to hell there to be tormented and to be reserued vnto iudgement with eternall chaines vnder darckenes how much lesse will he spare vs And agayne if the Angels which passe vs in power and strength be not able to beare gods horrible iudgement against them what shall we doe And yet further in an other place the same Apostle reasoneth thus if the iust man shal hardlie be saued where shal the wickedman and sinner appeare By al which examples we are instructed how to reason maturely sincerely in our owne cause As for example eche man may truly saie thus vnto hym self if God haue punished so seuerelie one sinne in the Angels in Adam and in others before recited what shall I looke for which haue committed so manie sinnes against hym If God haue damned so manie soules for lesser sinnes then mine are what will he do to me for mine that are farre greater If God haue borne longer with me then he hath done with many other whom he hath cut of without geuing them of repentance what reason is there that he should beare longer with me If Dauill and others after their synnes forgyuen tooke such paines in afflicting them selues for satisfaction of the temporal punishement in this life what punishemēt remaineth for me either here or in the wold to come for satisfaction of so manie sinnes cōmitted If it be true that our Sauvour saith that the waye is harde and the gate narrow wherby men goe into heauen and that they shal aunswere for euerie ydle worde before they enter therein what shal become of me that doe liue so easie a life and doe keepe no accounte at al of my deedes and much lesse of my wordes If good men in olde time did take such paines for their saluation and yet as S. Peter saieth the verie iust were scarcely saued what a state am I in which take no paine at al but doe liue in all kinde of pleasure and worldly contentations Thes argumētes consequentes and conclusions are more true good Christian and would proue more profitable vnto vs if we would excercise our selues therin and therby enter into some cogitation of our owne daungers and into iust feare of Gods seuere iudgementes without flatteringe or deceyuinge our selues For wāt wherof either onlie or principallie the most parte of enormous sinnes from time to time are committed according as holy Dauid most euidentlie declareth when hauing shewed and detested the multitude of sinnes which the world committeth he reduceth al as it were vnto two prin cipal causes Wherof the first is that men deceyue them selues and others by vaine flatterie in deminishing their sinnes of whom he saith they are taken in their ovvne deuises for that they praise the vvicked man in the lustes desires of his ovvne minde The second is for that this deceipt and flatterie is referred commōlie by the vitious man to the driuing of Gods iudgementes out of his memorie to the end he may sinne with lesse feare and scruple For so saith the prophet expresselie The sinner hath exasperated God against him in that he hath said god in the multitude of his vvrath vvil not require an accounte of my doinges But what effect ensueth of this heare the wordes immediatelie folowing he hath not God before his eyes his vvayes are filthie from time to time And what is the cause of al this for that thy iudgementes o Lord are remoued from his sight that is for that he wil not see he wil not behold he wil not heare he wil not consider or beare in mind thy iudgementes ô Lord but wil needes flatter delude and deceyue hym self Herof it commeth that he neuer maketh an end of his filthie life wicked wayes but exasperateth thie iustice o Lord against him vntil it be ouer late to repent or amende Thus said this holie Sainte of wicked sinners but what of him self heare his wordes deare brother and imprint them in thie memorie I haue kept the vvayes of my Lord saith he haue not donne vvickedlie in the sight of my God for that al his iudgements are before my eyes and I haue not tast his iustices from me Beholde the vertuous life of king Dauid beholde the cause therof For that Gods iudgemētes were continuallie before his eyes therfore was his life pure and voide of wickednes or as in other wordes at an other time he expresseth I vvil cōfesse vnto the o Lord in the direction or puritie of my hart for that I haue learned the iudgementes of thie iustice And againe in the same place I haue chosen to vvalke the vvay of truth for that I doe not forget o Lord thy iudgementes that is as a litle after he expoundeth the same for that I doe feare and trēble at thy iudgementes O most excellent effecte of the feare of Gods iudgementes No maruaile though it be called the beginning of al wisdom and the verie dore and entrance to eternal saluation no maruaile if the same holie prophet in the verie same psalme doe pray so hartilie strike through my flesh vvith thy feare ò Lord. S. Paule after he had shewed to the Corinthians that we must al be presented before the tribunal of Christ euerie man to receyue according to his merites he maketh this conclusiō VVe knovving therfore thes thinges deare bretheren doe persuade the feare of our Lord vnto al men And S. Peter hauing made a longe declaration of the Maiestie of God and of Christ now raining in heauen concludeth thus yf then you cal him father vvhich doth iudge euerie man according to his vvorkes vvithout exceptiō of persons doe you liue in feare during the time of this your habitation vpon earth A necessarie lesson no doubt for al men but especiallie for such who by reason of their sinful life doe remaine in displeasure and hatred of almightie God and hourelie doe stand obnoxious as I haue shewed to the seueritie of his most dreadful iudgementes wherinto if once they fal especiallie by departure from this life the matter remaineth remediles for all eternitie insuinge as God him self hath forwarned vs. Which thing being so what man of wisdome would not feare what Christiā that is careful of his owne estate would eate or drinke or take his repose with quiet vntil by
length to crie out my soule doth thirst after God that is the liuelie vvel-spring vvhen shal I come and appeare before the face of God So that from the feare of death which is the first effect that springeth of the remembrance meditation therof he was come now to the loue and most earnest desire of the same which is the highest degree of comfort and the most supreme felicitie that saintes doe arriue vnto in this life Endeuour then my deare Christiā brother by frequent and diligent premeditation of this passage to attaine to this felicitie or at least wise to some parte or degree therof Feare death now that thou maist not feare it then For as God by his holie spirite assureth the he that feareth novv shal be in securitie at the last in the day of his departure Nay as holie Iob further describeth the matter he shal laugh at that day whē other mē are in spoile famine he shal not feare the beastes of the earth his legue shal be with the stones of Nations that is he shal be no more moued or terrified with comming of death then stones are he shal see that his tabernacle shal be that day in peace he shal enter into his sepulcher in al aboundance as a mow of corne in the haruest time that is he shal departe hence in aboundance of al grace and merit at the houre of his death which to a vertuous man is the day of haruest wherin he shal reape the rewardes of his good deedes which he hath sowen in this life Thus describeth Iob the blessed departure of a godlie man cōcluding his whole discourse with this admonition and exhortatiue clause Ecce hoc ita est quod auditum mente pertracta Behold this thing is as I haue said which thou hauing vnderstoode passe it not ouer sleightlie but reuolue and discusse the same diligentlie in thie minde OF THE GREATE AND SEVERE PAINES AND PVNISHMENTES APPOINted by God for sinners after this life As also of tvvo kindes and sortes herof the one temporal for them that shal be saued th' other eternal for the damned CHAPT XI AMONGST all the meanes which God vseth towardes the children of men in this life to moue them to the resolution wherof I entreate the strōgest most forcible is the consideratiō of punishmentes prepared by him for rebellious sinners and transgressours of his cōmaundemēts Wherfore he vseth this motiue often as may appeare by al the prophetes who doe almost nothing els but threaten plagues and destruction to offendours And this meane hath oftentimes preuailed more then anie other that could be vsed by reason of the natural loue which we beare towardes our selues and consequentlie the natural feare which we haue of our owne danger So we reade that nothing could moue the Niniuites so much as the fortelling them of their imminent destruction And S. Iohn Baptist albeit he came in a simple and contemptible maner yet preaching vnto the people the terrour of vengeance to come and that the axe vvas novv put vnto the tree to cut dovvne for the fire al such as repented not he moued the verie publicanes souldiers to feare being otherwise people of verie harde metal in such sort as they came vnto him vpon this terrible embassage and asked what they should doe to auoide these punishmentes For which cause hauing now cōsidered in the former chapters of death and of godes seuere iudgment ensuing thervpon wherin euerie man hath to receyue according to his workes in this life it followeth that we consider also of the punishmentes which are appointed for thē that shal be founde faultie ī that accounte hereby at leastwise if no other consideration wil serue to induce Christians to this resolution of seruinge God For as I haue noted before if euerie man haue naturallie a loue of him self and desire to cōserue his owne ease then should he also haue feare of peril wherby he is to fal into miserie calamitie This expresseth S. Bernard verie excellently according to his wonte O man saieth he if thou haue left al shame which appertaineth to so noble a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorow as carnal men doe not yet loose not feare also which is founde eué in brute and sauage beastes We vse to loade an asse and to werie him out with laboure and he careth not because he is an asse but if thou wouldest thrust him into fire or flinge him into a ditch he would auoide it as much as he coulde for that he loueth life and feared death Feare thou then and be not more insensible thā a beast Feare death feare iudgment feare hel This feare is called the beginning of wisdome and not shame or sorow for that the spirite of feare is more potent to resist sinne then the spirite of shame or sorow Wherfore it is saide remember the ende and thou shalt neuer sinne that is remember the final punishmentes appointed for sinne after this life Thus far S. Bernarde First therfore to speake in general of the punishmentes reserued for the life to come if the scriptures did not declare in particular their greatnes vnto vs yet are there manie reasons to persuade vs that they are most seuere grieuous and intollerable For first as God is a God in al his workes that is to saye greate wounderful and terrible so especiallie he sheweth the same in his punishmentes being called for that cause in holy scripture Deus iustitiae God of iustice as also Deus vltionum God of reuenge Wherfore seing al his other workes are maiestical and exceeding our capacities we may likewise gather that his hande in punishment must be also most wonderful God himself teacheth vs to reason in this maner when he sayeth And vvil ye not then feare me and vvil ye not tremble before my face vvho haue set the sande for limites to the sea and haue giuen the vvaters a commaundemēt neuer to passe the same no not then vvhen they are most troubled and the vvaues therof most outragious As who would say if I be wonderful and doe passe your imagination in these woorkes of the sea and other of this world which you behould dailie then haue yee iust cause to feare me considering that my punishmētes are like to be correspondent to the greatnes of my other actions An other coniecture of the great and seuere iustice of God in punishing may be the consideration of his infinite and vnspeakable mercie which as it is the verie nature it self of God and consequently without ende or measure as his godhead is so is also his iustice And these two are the two armes as it were of his diuine Maiestie embracing kyssing one th' other as the scripture saieth And therfore as in a man of this world if we had the measure of one arme we might easely cōiecture the length of the
that he shal escape al paine or punishment For he that differred the fruites of repentance vntil the next life must be perfited in purgatorie fire this fire I tel you though it be not euerlasting yet is it passing greuous for it doth far exceede al paines that mā can suffer in this life Neuer was there founde out yet so greate a paine in flesh as that is though martyrs haue abidden straunge tormentes and many wicked mē haue suffered exceeding greate punishmentes To like effect doth S. Gregorie write of the seueritie of this punishment expounding those wordes of Dauid O Lord rebuke me not in thy surie nor correct me in thy vvrath This is as if he said saith S. Gregorie I know that after this life some must be clensed by purging fire And other must receyue sentēce of eternal damnation But because I esteeme that purgīg fire though it be transitorie to be more intolerable then al the tribulation which in this life may be suffered therfore I doe not onlie desire not to be rebuked in the furie of eternal damnatiō but also I greatlie feare to be purged in the wrath of transitorie correction Thus far S. Gregorie And I might adde a hundred like other sayinges out of the auncient holie fathers touching the extreame seueritie of this purging fire after death and of the greate feare which they had therof But that this alredy spoken may be sufficient to gyue admonishment to Catholique men that agree with thes Saints in beleef of this doctrine more carefully to looke vnto them selues for auoiding the rigour of this fier especially by thes two principal meanes of Almes-deedes and teares wherunto S. Augustine most earnestly exhorteth them in the place before alleaged wher also he frameth this notable collection We see sayeth he what men doe or may suffer in this life what racking what tearing what burning and the like and yet al this is nothing in respect of that fire Thes thinges therfore which we suffer heere are much more easie then that fire and yet you see that men wil doe any thing rather then suffer the same how much more then ought we to doe that litle which God commaundeth vs to auoide that fire which is by many degrees more grieuous This was the feeling which learned S. Augustine had in thes affaires And truly it is verie straunge and wonderful to consider how great feare and terrour holie men of auncient time conceyued at the verie cogitation of this fire and how slenderly we passe the same ouer now a daies hauing infinite more cause to feare then they had Among other that blessed deuout mā S. Bernard who lead so examplar and strict a life as the world doth know entering into contemplation of this matter brake forth into thes words ensuing O would God some man would now before hand prouide for my head abundance of water to mine eyes a fountaine of teares for so perhaps the burning fire should take no hold where running teares had clensed before And againe I tremble and shake for feare of falling into Gods hands I wolde gladlie present my self before his face alredie iudged of my self and not to be iudged thē of him Therfore I wil make a reckoning whiles I am here both of my good deedes and of my badde My euil shal be corrected with better woorkes they shal be watered with teares they shal be punished by fasting they shal be amended by sharp discipline I wil rip vp the verie bottome of my wayes workes to the ende he may finde nothing vntried at that day or not fullie discussed to his handes And then I hope in his mercie that he wil not iudge the same faults againe as he hath promised Hitherto are the wordes of S. Bernard The like great feare vttered holy S. Ambrose in thes wordes O Lord if thou reserue any thing in me to be reuenged in the next life yet I humblie beseech the that thou gyue me not vp to the power of wicked spirits whiles thou wipest away my sinnes by the paines of Purgatorie And againe in an other place I shal be searched examined as lead in this fire and I must burne vntil al the lead be melted away And if then there be found no siluer metal in me woe be vnto me for I must be thrust doune to the profoundest partes of hel or els wholie waste away as straw in the fire But if anie gold or siluer be found in me not through my workes but by grace and Christes mercie and through the ministerie of my prestoode I shal also once say surelie they that trust in the shal neuer be confounded And thus much of this temporal punishment reserued euen for the purging of Gods seruants in the life to come BVT NOVV TOVCHING the reprobate such as for their wickednesse are dessigned to eternal death we must Imagine that with them the case standeth much more hardlie for therunto may be applied that saying of our Sauiour to the good women of Hierusalem who lamented his case when he was going to his passion If they doe these things in grene vvord vvhat shal become of the drie which wordes S. Peter seemeth in some parte to expounde when he saieth If the Iudgement of God begin vvith vs vvhich are his seruants vvhat shal the end of vvickedmen be As who wold say that in al reason their ende must be intollerable For more particuler conceyuing whereof because the matter is of great importāce for al Christiās to know it shal not be perhaps amisse to consider brieflie what the holie scriptures auncient fathers of the Catholique Church directed no doubt by the holie Ghost haue reueiled vnto vs touching this punishment And first of al concerning the place it self of punishment appointed for the damned commonlie called hel the scripture in diuerse languages vsed diuerse names but al tending to expresse the grieuousnesse of torments therin to be endured As for example in the latin tongue it is called INFERNVS that is a place beneath or vnder ground as most of the olde fathers doe interprete But whether it be vnder ground or no most certaine it is that it is a place most opposit to heauen which is said to be aboue and from which lucifer was throune doune And this name is vsed to signifie the miserable deiection and hurling doune of the damned to be troden vnder the feet not onlie of almightie God but also of al good men for euer For so sayeth the scripture Beholde the day of the Lord commeth burning like a fornace and al proud and vvicked men shal be stravv to that fornace and you that feare my name shal tread them dovvne and they shal be as burnt ashes vnder the soles of your feet in that day And this shal be one of the greatest miseries that can happen to the proude and stoute potentates of the worlde to be thrown doune with
This thing ò man that is the kingdome of heauen requireth no other price but thy selfe it is so much vvoorth as thou art vvoorth geue thy self and thou shalt haue it By which he signifieth that euery man how poore or needie soeuer he be in this world may gaine this inheritance to him self may make himself a prince a king a Monarch if he wil euen the meanest and miserabl est man I say vpon earth O most wonderful bountie and liberalitie of our Saueour ô princelie hart and vnspeakable mercie ô incredible prodigalitie in a certaine maner so to say of treasures so inestimable as are the most infinite and endlesse riches of heauen Tel me now gentle reader and most louing and deare brother why wilt thou not accept of this offer of thie Saueour why wilt thou not account of this his kingdome why wilt thou not buye this endles glorie of him for so litle a labour as he requireth for it Hear how earnestly he persuadeth thee to bargaine with him Suadco tibi emere a me saith Christ aurū ignitum probatum vt locuples sias I doe giue thee counsaile to buye of me pure and tried gold to th' end thou maiest be riche Why wilt thou not folow this counsaile deare brother especiallie of a marchant that meaneth not to deceaue thee Nothing can greeue this thie Saue our more then that men wil seek with such paines to buy straw and chaffe in Egipt wheras he wold sel vnto thē fine gold at a lower price and that they wil needes purchase pudle water with more labour and cost thē he wold require for ten times so much pure liquour out of the verie fontaine of life it self There is not the wickedst man that liueth in the world but taketh more trauaile in gaining hel as after more largelie shal be declared then doth the most painful seruant of God in purchasing of heauen and eternal blisse O folie ô madnes Follow not then ô thou careful Christian this fanatical frensie of earthelie wisdome make not thie self partaker of their errour For the day wil come when thou shalt see them doe heauie penance for their sollie at what time thie hart shal be right ioiful that thou hadst neuer any part or portion amōg them Let them goe now and bestow their time in transitorie vanities in finful pleasures and delites of this world let them build now their pleasant palaces let them purchase dignities scrape peeces paches of earth and ground together let them hunt after honours and frame castels in the aier the time wil come ere long if thou belieue Christ him self wherin thou shalt haue sinal cause to enuie their felicitie If they doe imagin and talke baselie now of the glorie and riches of God and of his Saintes in heauen not esteeming them in deed in respect of their owne or contemning them rather for that carnal pleasures are not reconed therin doe thou make litle account of their wordes for that the sensual man vnderstandeth not the things vvhich are of God If horses were promised by their maisters a good feast and banquet most euident it is that they could imagin nothing els but prouander and water to be their best cheere for that they haue no knowledge of daintier dishes so fareth it with thes men who being accustomed only to the pudle of fleshlie pleasures can mount with their mindes to no higher thig thē brutish sensualitie But I haue shewed to thee before gentle reader some waies and considerations to conceaue greater matters albeit as I haue aduertised the often we must confesse stil with S. Paul that no humane hart can conceaue the least parte therof For which cause alse it is not vnlike that S. Paul him self was forbidden to vtter the things which he had seene and heard in his most wonderful miraculous assumption vnto the third heauen Wherfore to conclude at length this whole chapter thou hast to consider my deare and louing brother that this greate Game and Goale of heauēlie blisse which hitherto I haue endeuoured to describe vnto thee is set vp onlie for them that wil runne vnto it as S. Paul wel noteth and no man is crouned in this glorie but such onelie as wil fight for it according as the same Apostle doth teach and forwarne vs. It is not euerie one that saieth to Christ Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but they onelie which shal doe the wil of Christs eternal father that is in heauen Albeit this kingdome of Christ be set out to al men yet euerie man shal not arriue to raigne with Christ but such onelie as shal be content to suffer with Christ. Though the kingdome of heauen be subject to violence as hath bene said yet no man can enter there by force but he onelie whose good deedes shal follow him to make open the gates that is except he enter as the prophet saith vvithout spot and haue vvroght iustice My meaning thē is that as I haue shewed the exceeding greatnes and worthines of this treasure gentle reader so thou being a Christian shouldest also conceaue the right way of gaining the same which is no other by the testimonie of Christ him self but onelie by holie and vertuous life in keping his commandemētes Thou art therfore to sit doune consider according to thy Saueours counsaile what thou wilt doe and determine herin whether thou haue so much spiritual money as is sufficient to build this tower and to make this heauenlie warre or no that is whether thou haue so much good wil and holie manhood in thee as to bestow the paines of a vertuous life if it be rather to be called paines then pleasure required for the gaining of this eternal kingdome This is the question this is the principal pointe this is the verie whole issue of al the matter and hitherto hath appertained whatsoeuer hath bene spoken in this booke before either of thy Creatour and creation of thie particular end or of the Maiestie bountie and iustice of thie God and Saueour as also of the account he wil demand of thee and of the punishment or rewardes laid vp for the life to come Al this I say hath bene meant by me to this onelie end and purpose that thou measuring the one part and the other shouldest finallie resolue thie self what thou wouldest doe and not to passe ouer thy time in careles negligence as manie are accustomed to doe neuer espiing their own errours vntil it be to late to amend them For the loue of God then deare Christian brother and for the loue thou bearest to thy own soule eternal welfare shake of this most dangerous securitie wherin flesh and blood is wont to lulle the careles people of this world make some earnest resolution for looking to thy state in the life to come Recalle to mind oftentimes that worthie sentence Hoc momentum
him to laie doune a price for vs which he so infinitely esteemed what shal we thincke that he wil doe vnto vs now we being made his owne by our redemption if we returne willingly vnto him whē onr receauing shal cost him nothing els but only a merciful looke vpon vs which is not so much from the infinite bowels of his botomeles mercie as is one droppe of water from the most huge gulfe of the maine Ocean sea And this shal suffice for this first point of Gods loue declared vnro vs by the three most sweete and comfortable names respectes of Creator Father and Redeemer NEXT AFTER VVHICH we are to consider in what maner God is accustomed to expresse and declare this loue of his in his dealings proceedīgs towards sinners And first of al the wise man hauing had long experience of this matter beginneth to describe and set it forth in this sort saing vnto God himself Thou O Lord doest dissemble the sinnes of men to geue vnto thē time of repentance And thē when they wil not vse this benefite of his forbearing but wil needs enforce him to punish and correct them he saieth further of this correction Such as vvilfully doe runne astraie O Lord and vvil not turne vnto the thou doest correct thē svveetly by litle litle admonishing and exhorting them to leaue their sinnes and to beleeue in thee Thes two pointes then of exceeding clemencie by the testimonie of the wise man are found in almightie God first to winke at the wicked life of men and to expect their conuersion with inspeakable patience and longanimitie according as also the Prophet Esay beareth witnes adioining the cause therof in thes wordes Your Lord doth attēd your conuersion to the end he may take mercie on you and therby be exalted And secondlie for the same respect when he is enforced by reason of his Iustice to chastice them yet doth he the same with such moderation and mildnes as alwaies in this life he reserueth place of pardon And to thes two we may adioine yet a third propertie of his mercie more admirable perhaps then the former which is as Tertulian excellently noteth that he being the partie offended yet first and principally desireth reconsiliation he hauing receaued the wrong and iniurie yet doth he most busely entreate for amitie attonment And wheras in al right and equitie he might denie vs pardon and for his power take reuenge of vs at his pleasure yet doth he not only offer vs peace of his owne accord but also sueth vnto vs by al means possible to accept therof humbling in a certaine maner his deuine Maiestie to our basenes and vilitie and behauing him self in this respect as a prince that were inamoured of his bondslaue and abiect seruant This might be declared by many of his owne speeches and doinges in holy Scripture but one place out of the Prophete Esaie shal serue for al wher almightie God so earnestly wooeth the conuersion of Ierusalem as no louer in the world could vtter more signes and testimonies of a hart inflamed and set on fire with loue then he doth towards that citie which so highly had offended him For first after many threats poured out against her if she did not returne lest she might perhapps fal into despaire he maketh this protestatiō in the beginning of his speech Indignatio non est mihi c. Angrie I ame not ò Hierusalem but what soeuer I haue spoken I haue spoken of good wil and loue Secondlie he entreth into this dispute and doubt with him self about punishing her for her sinnes what shal I doe Shal I tread her vnder my feete and put her to the fiar or els vvil she staie my puissant hand and make peace vvith me vvil she I saie make attonment vvith me After which doubt and cunctation he resolueth him self to chāge his maner of stile and to fal a litle to chide with her and then saith harken O yee deafe inhabitants of Ierusalem looke aboute you ye blind folke that vvil not see vvho is blind and deafe but my seruant that vvil not regard or listen to the messingers vvhich I send O thou vvhich hast opē eares vvilt thou not heare And then a litle after he beginneth to smooth and speake faire againe saing Euer since thou hast bene gratious glorious in mine eyes I haue loued the and for thy soule vvil I yeue vvhole natiōs Feare not for that I ame vvith the. Wherwith she being litle or nothing mooued he returneth to a sweet maner of complaint saing Thou hast enthralled me by thy sinnes and vvith thine iniquities thou hast greatly afflicted me Which being said and she somewhat wonne therby to loue him as it seemeth he turneth vnto her with this most comfortable and kind speech I ame he I ame he vvhich cancelleth thine iniquities for mine ovvne sake and vvil neuer thincke any more vpon thy sinnes Al which being done and they now reconciled and made fast frends together his diuine Maiestie beginneth a verie louing conference as it were and sweet expostulation with her saing in thes wordes Cai thou to memorie the things that are past and let vs iudge our selues here together Tel me if thou haue any thing vvherby thou maiest be iustefied Thy first parent vvas a sinner c. Wherat she being ashamed and hauing nothing in the world to answere for her self almightie God comforteth her and knitteth vp the whole matter in this most kind and amiable sort Feare not for I wil power out my spirite vpon the and vpon thy seed and my benediction shal be vpō thine ofspring thy children shal budde vp and florish as willoes planted by the water side Thus saieth the Lord and king of Israel the Lord of hostes that is thy redeemer I ame the first and the last and besides me ther is no other God Be mindful of this thou house of Iacob I haue dissolued and dissipated thy sinnes as a cloud is dissolued in the aire be mindful of this and haue an assured confidence Thus farre continueth the treatie betwene God and his citie of Ierusalem And now tel me deare Christian brother whether it be possible for any hart or tongue in the world to conceaue or expresse more waies or significations of most vehement good wil and burning affection then of Gods part in this treatie hath bene declared What louer or enamoured person vpon earth what passionate hart could wooe more earnestly sue more diligently sollicite more artificially complaine more pitifully expostulate more amiablie conferre more intrinsically remit offences more redely offer benefites more aboundantly conclude more sweetly and giue more pregnant testimonies of vnfeined loue or more assured certaintie of eternal league amitie thē doth almightie God vnto this natiō that so grieuouslie had offended him who wil not confesse now with the prophet Dauid that
geuē vnto vs against the same they crie with S. Paul that they finde a lavv in their members repugning to the lavv of their minde which is the rebellion of concupiscence left in our flesh by original sinne but they confesse not or cōsider not with the same apostle that the grace of God by Iesus Christ shall deliuer them from the same They remember not the comfortable saying of our Saueour vnto S. Paul in the middest of his greatest temptations Sufficie tibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient to strengthen thee against them al. Thes men I say doe as Helizeus his disciple did who casting his eyes onelie vpō the number of his enemies that is vpon the huge armie of Syrians redie to assault him thought hīself lost vtterly vnable to stand in their sight vntil by the prayers of his master the holie Prophet he was permitted by God to see the Angels that stoode there present to fight on his side and then he wel perceaued that his parte was the stronger So fareth it with the weake and distrustful people who feeling and considering onlie the miseries and infirmities of their own nature wherby day lie strong tentations do rise against them doe account the batail painful and the victorie vnpossible hauing not tasted in deed nor euer proued through their own default and negligence the manifold helpes of heauenlie and spiritual succours which almightie God neuer faileth to send vnto such as are content for his sake to take this cōflict in hand S. Paul had wel tasted that ayde who hauing reckned vp al the hardest incounters and impedimentes that might be he adioineth notwithstanding Sed in his omnibus superamus propter cum qui dilexit nos But we ouercome in al these combates by his assistance that loueth vs. And then falleth he to that most wonderful protestation wherof both heauen earth and hel may stand in admiration that nether death nor life nor Angels nor other thing should be able to seperat him from Christ or to make him abandon his seruice and al this vpon the confidence of spiritual ayd frō his said Saueour wherby he sticked not to auouch that he could doe al things The Prophet Dauid also had proued the force of this assistance when he saide I did runne the vvay of thy commaundementes ô Lord vvhen thoudiddest enlarge my hart This enlargement of hart was by spiritual consolation of internal vnction wherby a mans hart drawen together by anguishe and sorow is opened and enlarged at what time Gods holie grace is powred ito it no otherwise then a drie purse is softened and enlarged by annointing it with oyle Of which diuine oyle and heauenlie comfort when this blessed seruant of God had receaued his part he confessed presentlie that he did not onlie walke the wayes of Gods commandementes with ease but also did runne them ouer with exceeding pleasure Euē as a carte wheele which creketh and complaineth vnder a smal burden when it is drie doth runne on merilie and without al noise when a litle oyle is put vnto it Which thing aptlie expresseth our state and condition who without Gods assistance are able to doe nothing but with the ayde thereof are able to conquere and ouercome al things And surelie I would gladlie aske these men that imagine the way of Gods holy law to be so hard and ful of difficultie how the prophet could say who was a man as we are I haue taken pleasure ô Lord in the vvay of thy commaundementes euen as in al the riches of the vvorld And in an other place That the same commandementes vvere more pleasant and more to be desired then any gold or pretious stone and more svveter thē hony or the hony combe By which wordes he yeeldeth to vertuous life not onely due estimation of honour and value aboue al treasures in the world but also of pleasure delite and sweetnes therby to confound al those that abandone forsake the same vpon idle pretensed and feined difficulties And if king Dauid could say thus much in the old testament and of the old law which notwithstanding was infinitlie more hard thē is the new with how much more reason may we speake it now in the time of grace when not onlie the seruice of God in it self is without al comparison more sweet and easie but also the peculier helpes and assistances of almightie God much more effectual and abundant For further declaratiō wherof I would demand of thee thou poore infortunat Christian that deceauest thie self with thes bugges and fancies of imagined difficulties whie Christ our Saueour came into this world whie tooke he our flesh vpon him whie laboured he and tooke so much paines among vs whie shed he his blood whie praied he to his father so often for vs whie appointed he the Sacramentes as conduites to deriue his most holie grace vnto vs whie sent he the Holie Ghost into the world what signifieth Ghospel or good tidings what meaneth the words Grace Mercie brought with him what importeth the comfortable name of IESVS Is not al this to deliuer vs from sinne from sinne past I say by his only death from sinne present and to come by the same death and by the assistance of his holy grace bestowed on vs more abundantlie then before Was not this one of the prīcipal effectes of Christ his comming as the prophet noted that craggie pathes should be made streight and hard vvayes plaine was not this the cause whie he indued his church with the seuen blessed giftes of the Holie Ghost and with the vertues infused to make the yoke of his seruice sweet the exercise of good life easie the walking in his commandemētes pleasant in such sort as men might now sing in tribulations haue confidence in perils securitie in afflictions and assurance of victorie in al temptations is not this the beginning midle and ende of the Ghospel were not thes the promises of the Prophetes the tydinges of the Euangelistes the preachinges of the Apostles the doctrine beleef and practise of al saincts and finallie is not this verbum abbreuiatum The word of God abbreuiated and made short wherin doe consist al the riches and treasures of our Christian profession But for that this matter is of exceeding great weight to the strēgthening of Christians in their vocation against the temptations of pusilanimitie and deiectiō which are verie ordinarie dāgerous to most mē in the world it shal not be amisse perhappes to treate discusse the same more at large in this place laying doune the particuler meanes and helpes which euerie man hath or may haue in this busines if he want not wil to vse and applie the same to his assistance and commoditie And for that the feeld is large the matters are many which doe appertaine vnto this point I haue thought conuenient for more plainesse and perspicuitie
If God be vvith vs vvho vvill be against vs sayeth the Apostle God is my helper and defender saieth holie Dauid for vvhom shal I quake or treÌ„ble If whole armies should rise against me yet wil I alwaies hope to haue the victoric And what is the reason for that thou art vvith me ô Lords thou fightest on my side thou assistest me with thy grace by helpe and assistance whereof I shal haue the victorie though al the squadrons of my enemies that is of the flesh the world and the deuil should at once rise against me Nay I shal not onelie haue the victorie but I shal haue it also most easilie and with al pleasure coÌ„fort delite For thus much signifieth S. Iohn in that hauing saied that the commaundemeÌ„tes of Christ are not greeuous he inferreth presently as the cause there of Quoniam omne quod natum est ex Deo vincit mundum For that al which is borne of God ouercommeth conquereth the world that is the grace and heauenlie assistance which is deriued and sent vs from God aboue doth both conquer the world with al the difficulties and temptations therof as also make the commaundements of almightie God most easie vnto vs and al vertuous life veric sweet and pleasant But here perhappes you wil saye vnto me Christ him self confesseth it to be a yoke and burden and how then can it be so pleasant easie as you make it wherto I answer that Christ addeth also that it is a sweete yoke a light burden wherby your obiection is taken away Againe it is further signified that there is a burden which greeueth not the bearer but rather helpeth and refresheth the same like as the burden of fethers vpon a birdes back beareth vp the bird and is nothing at al greeuoê° vnto her So in like maner though it be a yoke yet is it a sweete yoke a comfortable yoke a yoke more pleasant than hony or hony combe as sayeth the Prophet And whie so because we drawe therin with a sweete yokefelow we drawe with Christ him self that is to say Christes holie grace draweth at the one end of the yoke and our endeuour at the other And because when a great oxe and a litle doe drawe together in one yoke the weight lieth al vpon the greater oxe his neeke for that he beareth vp the yoke from the other therof it cometh that we drawing in this yoke together with Christ which is infinitly stronger and greater then we are he lighteneth vnto vs the whole burden and onelie requireth that we should goe on comfortablie with him and not refuse to ioyne and perseuer vnder this sweet yoke in his companie for that the paines shal be his and the pleasure and profit ours And this him self signifieth verie expreslie in the Ghospel when he inuiteth al men that are heuelie loden to come vnto his yoke and he wil refreshe theÌ„ Wherby he declareth plainly that his calling vs to the bearing of his sweet yoke is onlie therby to disburden and ease vs and not any waye to loden or agreeue vs to disburden vs I say of the heauie loadinges packes and yokes of this world as from the burden for example of a guiltie conscience the burden of melancholie the burden of enuie hatred and malice the burden of pride the burdeÌ„ of ambition the burden of couetousnes the burden of wrath the burden of feare the burden of al wickednesse and of hel fire it self From al these burdens lodinges and miserable yokes our most louing Saucour desireth to deliuer vs by couering our neckes onelie with his yoke and burden so lightned and sweetned by his holy grace as the bearing therof is not trauailsome but most easie pleasant iocunde and comfortable And thus much of the first and principal helpe that maketh the path of vertuous life easie I meane of Gods holie grace inhereÌ„t in mans soule which is the ofspring and fountaine of al other helpes that doe insue THE SECOND thing that maketh this yoke so sweet this burden so light this waie of Gods commaundementes so pleasant to resolued men is vehemencie of loue loue I meane towards God whose commaundementes they are which we take in hand For that euery maÌ„ can easelie tel hath experienced in him self what an irresistable force the passion of loue conteineth and how it maketh most facil the verie greatest paines that are in this world What maketh for examples sake the mother to take such incessant paine in the bringing vp of her child to indure with comfort so many trauailes as she doth but onelie loue what causeth the wife to fit so attentiue at the beds side of her husbande when he is sicke but onelie loue what moueth the beastes and birdes of the ayer to spare from their owne foode and to endaunger their own liues for the feeding and defending of their litle ones but onelie the great force and puissance of loue S. Austen doth prosecute this pointe at large by many other examples as of Marchantes that refuse no aduenture of sea for loue of gaine of huntars that refuse no season of euill weather for loue of game of soldiers that refuse no danger of spoyle And he addeth in the end that if the loue of man can be so great towardes creatures here as to make great labours easie and in deede to seeme no labours but rather pleasures how much more shal the loue of good men towardes God make al their paines and trauailes comfortable which they take in his seruice This extreme loue was the cause and reason whie al the intollerable paines afflictions which our Saue our Christ suffered for our sake did seeme nothing vnto him And this loue also was the reciprocal cause why so infinit trauailes and tribulations as zelous Christians from the beginning haue suffered for their Lord and Maister seemed nothing vnto them Imprisonmentes tormentes losse of honour goodes and life haue seemed verie trifles to innumerable seruantes of God in respect of this feruent and burning loue This loue droue infinite virgines and tender children to offer them selues in time of persecution for zelous affection toward him which in the cause was persecuted This loue caused holie Apollonia of Alexandria being broght to the fire to slip out of the handes of such as ledde her and ioyfullie to runne into the same of her self This loue inforced blessed Ignatius the auncient Martir to saye being condemned to beastes and fearing least they would refuse his bodie as they had done the bodies of diuers Martirs before him that he would not permit that but would rather prouoke them to pulle and teare his bodie in peeces Thes are the effectes deare brother of feruent loue which doe make euen the thinges that in this world are most difficult and dreadful of theÌ„ selues to appeare verie facile sweete and pleasant and much more the lawes and commaundementes of almightie
the temptations of the world and deuil the resisting wherof is much more difficult in time of peace and wealth then in time of external affliction and persecution for that thes enemies are stronger in flatterie then in force which a godly father expresseth by this parable The sunne and wind saieth he agreed one day to proue their seueral strengthes in taking a cloke from a waiefaring man And in the forenoone the wind vsed al violence that he could to blow of the said clok But the more he blew the more fast held the trauailer his clock and gathered it more closely about him At after noone the sunne sent forth her pleasant beames by litle and litle so entered into this man as he caused him to yeeld to put of not onely his cloke but also his cote Whereby is proued saieth this father that the allurementes of pleasure are more strong and harder to be resisted then the violence of persecution The like is shewed by the example of king Dauid who resisted easily many assaults of aduersitie but yet fel dangerously in time of prosperitie Wherby appeareth that vertuous men haue no lesse warre in time of peace then in time of persecution Nor euer wanteth there occasion of bearing the crosse and suffering affliction to him that wil accept of the same And this may susfice for this first point to proue that euery man must enter into heauen by tribulation as S. Paul saieth The second part TOVCHING THE second why God wold haue this matter so it were sufficiēt to aunswer that it pleased him best so without seeking any further reason of his meaning herein euen as it pleased his diuine Maiestie without al reason in our sight to abase his sonne so much as to send him hither into this world to suffer and die for vs. Or if we wil needes haue a reason hereof this one might be sufficiēt for al that seing we looke for so great a glory as we doe we should labour a litle first for the same and so shew our selues worthie of Gods fauour and exaltation But yet for that it hath pleased his diuine Maiestie not onely to open vnto vs his wil and determination for our suffering in this life but also diuers reasons of his most holy purpose and pleasure therin for our further encouragement and consolation that doe suffer I wil in this place repeate some of the same for declaration of his exceeding great loue and fatherlie care towardes vs. THE FIRST cause then and the most principal is to encrease therby our merit and glorie in the life to come For hauing appointed by his eternal wisdome and iustice that none shal be crouned there but according to the measure of his fight in this world the more and greater cōbates that he geueth together with sufficient grace to ouercome them the greater crowne of glorie prepareth he for vs at our resurrection This cause toucheth S. Paul in the wordes before alleaged of the saintes of the olde testament to wit that they receaued no redemption from their miseries in this world to the end they might find a better resurrection in the world to come This also meant Christ expresselie when he saied Happie are they vvhich suffe persecutiō for theirs is the kingdom of heauen happie are you vvhen men speake euil and persecute you c. reioyse be glad I saye for that your revvard is great in heauē Hereunto also appertaine al those promises of gaining life by leesing life of receauing a hundred for one and the like Herehence do procede al those large promises to virginitie and chastitie and to such as geld them selues for the kingdom of heauen to voluntarie pouertie and to the renouncing of our owne wil by obedience Al which are greate conflictes against the fleshe world and our owne sensualitie and can not be performed but by sufferings and affliction Finally S. Paul declareth this matter fullie when he sayeth that a litle and short tribulation in this life vvorketh a beape of glorie aboue al measure in the hight of heauen THE SECOND cause why God appointed this is to draw vs therby from the loue of the world his professed enemie as in the next chapter shal be shewed at large This cause S. Paul vttereth in these wordes VVe are punished of God in this life to the end vve should not be damned vvith this vvorld In like maner as a Nurse that to weane her child from the loue and liking of her milke dothe anointe her teat with Aloes or some other such bitter thing so our merciful Father that wolde retire vs. from the loue of wordlie delites wherby infinite men doe perish daily vseth to send tribulation which of al other thinges hath most force to woorke that effect as we see in the example of the prodigal sonne who could by no meanes be stayed from his pleasures and retired home to his olde Father but onelie by affliction THIRDLIE God vseth tribulation as a most present and soueraine medicine to heale vs of many diseases otherwise almost incurable As first of a certaine blindenes and careles negligence in our estate contracted by wealth and prosperitie In which sense holy scripture saieth that affliction geueth vnderstanding And the wise man affirmeth that the rodde bringeth vvisdom This was shewed in figure when the sight of Tobie was restored by the bitter gaule of a fish And we haue cleare examples in Nabuchodonasor Saul Antiochus and Manasses al wich came to see their owne faultes by tribulation which they wolde neuer haue done in time of prosperitie The like we read of the brethren of Ioseph who falling into some affliction in Egypt presentlie entred into their owne conscience and sayd VVe suffer those thinges vvorthely for that vve sinned against our brother And as tribulation bringeth this light wherby we see our owne defectes so helpeth it greatlie to remoue and cure the same wherin it may be wel likened vnto the rodde of Moyses For as that rodde striking the hard rockes brought foorth water as the scripture saieth so this rodde of affliction falling vpon stonie harted sinners mollifieth them to contrition and often times bringeth forth the fluddes of teares to repentance In respect wherof holy Tobie saieth to almightie God In time of tribulation thou forgeuest sinnes And for like 〈◊〉 it is compared also to a file of yron which taketh away the rust of the soule In like maner to a purgation that driueth out corrupt humours And finallie to a goldsmithes forge which cōsumeth away the refuse metals and fineth the gold to his perfection I vvil trie thee by fire to the quick saieth God to a sinner by Esay the prophet and I vvil take avvaie al thy tinne and refuse metal And againe by Ieremie I vvil melt them and trye them by fire This he meant of the fire of tribulation whose propertie is according
as the scripture saith to purge and fine the soule as fire purgeth fineth gold in the fornace For besides the purging and remouing of greater sinnes by consideration and contrition which tribulation woorketh as hath bene shewed it purgeth also the ruste of infinite euil passions appetites and humours in man as the humour of pride of vaine glorie of slouth of choler of delicate nisenes and a thousand more which prosperitie ingendreth in vs. This God declareth by the prophet Ezechiel saying of a rustie soule put her naked vpon the hote coles and let her heate there vntil her brasse be melted from her and vntil her corruption be burned owt and her ruste cōsumed There hath bene much labour and sweate taken about her and yet her ouer much ruste is not gone out of her This also signifieth holy Iob when hauing sayed that God instructeth a man by discipline or correction to the end he may turne him from the thinges that he hath done and deliuer him from pride which is vnderstoode of his sinful actes he addeth a litle after the maner of this purgation saying his flesh being consumed by punismentes let him returne againe to the daies of his youth That is al his fleshlie humours palsions being now consumed by punishmentes and tribulations let him beginne to liue againe in such puritie of soule as he did at the beginning of his youth before he had contracted these euil humours and diseases by prosperitie NETHER ONELIE is tribulation a strong medicine to heale sinne and to purge awaye the refuse metalles in vs of brasse tinne yron lead and drosse as almightie God by Ezechiel sayeth but also a most excellent preseruatiue against sinne for the time to come According as good king Dauid saied thy discipline o Lord hath corrected me for euermore That is to say it it hath made me wary and watchful not to commit sinne againe according as the scripture sayeth in an other place Agrenous infirmitie or afflictiō maketh the soule sober For which cause the prophet Ieremie calleth tribulation virgam vigilantem A watcheful rodde that is as S. Ierome expoundeth it a rodde that maketh a man watchful The same signified God when he saied by Ose the prophet I vvil hedge in thy vvaye vvith thornes That is I wil so close thy life on euerie side with the remembrance and feare of affliction that thou shalt not dare to treade awrie lest thou treade vpō a thorne Al which good Dauid expresseth of him self in these wordes before I was humbled broght lowe by affliction I did sinne and offend the ô Lord but after that time I haue kept thy commandementes OF THIS ALSO appeareth yet an other cause why God afflicteth his elect in this life and that is to preuent his iustice vpon them in the world to come I mean that Iustice which otherwise remaineth to be executed vpon euery one after their departure hence in that most greuous purging fire wherof I spake before Touching which S. Barnard sayeth thus Oh vvold to God some man vvolde novv before hand prouide for my head abundance of vvaters and to mine eyes a fountaine of teares for so happely the burning fire should take no hold vvhere running teares had clensed before And the reason of this is as that holy man him self noteth after for that God hath said by Naum the prophet I haue afflicted the once and I vvil not afflict thee againe there shal not come from me a double tribulation SIXTHLIE God sendeth tribulation vpō his seruants to examine proue them therby whether they be fatheful constant or no that is to make thē selues and other men see and confesse how faithful or vnfaithful they are This in figure was signified when Isaac wold grope and touche his sonne Iacob before he wold blesse him And this the scripture expresseth plainlie when talking of the tribulations layed vpon Abraham it addeth tentauit Deus Abraham God tempted Abraham by these meanes to proue him And Moyses saied to the people of Israel Thou shalt remember hovv thy God ledde thee fortie yeres about the desert to afflict thee and tempt thee to the end it might appeare vviat vvas in thy hart vvhether thou vvoldest keept bis commandemētes or na And againe a fewe chapters after Your God and Lord doth tempt you to the end it may be manifest vvhether you loue him or no vvith al your hart and vvith al your soule In which sense also the scripture sayeth of Ezechras after many praises geuen vnto him that God left him sor a time to be tempted that the thoughtes of his hart might therby be made manifest And that this is Gods fashion towards al good men king Dauid sheweth in the persone of al when he sayeth Thou hast proued vs ò Lord thou hast examined vs by fire thou hast layed tribulation vpon our backes and hast brought men vpon our heades And yet how wel he liked of this matter he signifieth when he calleth for more therof in an other place saying Trie me ò Lord and tempt me burne my reines and hart vvithin me That is trie me by the way of tribulation and persecution search out the secretes of my hart and reines let the world see whether I wil sticke to the in aduersitie or no. Thus sayed that holie prophet wel knowing that which in an other place the holy Ghost vttereth that as the fornace trieth the potters vessels so tribulation trieth men For as the sounde vessels onelic do hold when they come to the fornace and thos which are crased doe breake in peeces so in time of tribulation and persecution the vertuous onely stand to it and the counterfeit bewraye them selues according to the saying of Christ In tempore tentationis recedunt They depart from me in time of temptation THE SEVENTH reason whie God layeth tribulation vpon the vertuous is therby to make them runne vnto him for aide helpe euen as the mother to make her child to loue her more and to runne vnto her procureth the same to be made afearde and terrified by others This God expresseth plainlie by the prophet Ole saying of them that he loued I vvil dravv thē vnto me in the ropes of Adam in the chaines of loue and vvil seeme vnto them as though I raysed a yoke vpon their iavv bones By the ropes of Adam he meaneth affliction wherby he drew Adam to know him self as also appeareth by that he addeth of the heauy yoke of tribulation which he wil lay vpon the heades and faces of his seruantes as chaines of loue therby to draw them vnto him This chaine had drawen Dauid vnto him when he saied O Lord thou art my refuge from the tribulation of sinners As also thos wherof Elay saieth they saught the out ò Lord in their affliction Also thos of whom Dauid saied Infirmities vvere
Humilitie in abasing our selues in the sight of God And so likewise al other vertues belōging to a good Christian are stirred vp exercised confirmed strengthened and established in man by tribulation according to the saying of S. Peter God shal make perfect confirme and establish them vvhich haue suffered a little for his name FINALLY Gods meaning is by laying persecution and affliction vpon vs to make vs perfect Christians that is to say like vnto Christ our captaine whom the prophet calleth Virum dolorum scientem infirmitatem a man of sorowes and one that had tasted of al maner of infirmities therby to receaue the more glory at his returne to heauen and to make more glorious al thos that wil take his parte therin To speake in one word God wold make vs by tribulation to become crucified Christians which is the most honorable title that can be geuen vnto a creature in heauen or earthe Crucified I say and mortified to the vanities of this world to the flesh and to our owne concupiscence and carnal desires but quicke and ful of al liue lie spirit to vertue godlines and deuotion This is the heauenly meaning of our Soueraine Lord and God in sending vs persecution tribulation and affliction in respect whereof holy Iob douteth not to say Blessed is the man that is afflicted by God And Christ him self yet more expresselie Happie are they vvhich suffer persecution If they be happie and blessed therby then is the world no doubt greatlie a vvrie which so much abhorreth the sufficiance therof thē is almightie God but vnthankfully dealt with al by many of his childrē who repine at this happines bestowed vpon them where as indeed they should accept it with ioye and thankes-geuing For proofe and better declaratiō wherof I wil enter now into the third point of this chapter to examine what reasons and causes there be to induce vs to this ioifulnes contentation in tribulation The third part AND FIRST of al for proofe and declaration of this third part the reasons and causes before alleaged of almightie Gods merciful and fatherly meaning in sending vs affliction might be sufficient to comfort and content any Christian mā or woman who taketh delite in Godes holy prouidence towardes them For if God doe send affliction vnto vs for the encrease of our glorie in the life to come for drawing vs frō infectiō of the world for opening our eyes and curing our diseases and for preseruing our soules from sinne hereafter as hath bene shewed in the former part who can be iustly displeased therwith but such as are enemies vnto their owne eternal welfare We see that for the obtaining of bodilie health we are content not onely to admit many bitter and vnpleasant medicines but also if neede require to yeeld willingly some parte of our blood to be taken from vs. And how much more should we do this for the eternal health and saluation of our soules But now further if this medicine haue so many more commodities besides as haue bene declared if it serue here for the punishment of our sinnes due otherwise in an other place in farre greater quantitie and rigour of iustice if it make a trial of our estate and doe draw vs to God if it procure Godes loue towardes vs yeeld matter of ioy by our deliuerāce prouoke vs to thankfulnes embolden and strengthen vs in his seruice and finally if it furnish vs with al vertues and doe make vs like to Christ him self crucified then is there singular great cause why we should take comfort and consolatiō therein for that to come neare and to be like vnto our maister and Sauiour is the greatest dignitie and preeminēce that can be imagined Lastly if Gods eternal wisdom haue so ordained and appointed that this shal be the meares of his seruātes saluatiō the badge and liuerie of his sonne the high way to heauen vnder the standard of his Crosse then ought we not to abhorre thes meanes not to refuse this liuerie not to flie this way but rather with good S. Peter and Iohn to esteeme it a great dignitie to be made worthie of the most blessed participation therof We see that to weare the colours of the prince is thoght aprerogatiue among courtiers in this world but to weare the robe or crowne it self were to great a dignitie for any inferiour subiect to receaue Yet Christ our Lord and king is content to imparte both the one th' other of his vnto vs. And how then ought we I pray you to accept therof And now as I haue said these reasons might be sufficient to comfort and make ioyful al those that are so happie as to be called to suffer affliction and tribulation for Christes cause But yet there want not some more particular considerations besides Wherof the first and most principal is that this matter of persecutiō and affliction commeth not by chance or casualtie or by any certaine general direction of starres and planetes vnto Christians but by the special prouidence and peculiar dispositiō of God as our Sauiour Christ sheweth at large in S. Matthews gospel that is to say this heauenlie medecine or potiō is made for vs by the very hand of almighty God Which Christ signifieth expresly when he saied to his disciples at it were in anger shal I not drinke the cuppe vvhich my Father hath geuen to me That is for as much as mine ownfather hath tempered a potion for me shal I not drinke it as who would saye it were too much ingratitude Secōdlie is to be noted that the verie same hand of God which tempered the cuppe for Christ who was his owne natural sonne hath done the same also for vs according to Christs saying You shal drink of my cuppe to wit of the same cuppe which my Father hath tempered for me Herof it foloweth that with what hart and loue almightie God tempered this cuppe vnto his owne most dearlie beloued sonne with the same he hath tempered it also to vs that is altogether for our good for his glorie Thirdlie is to be considered that this cuppe is tēpered with such special care as Christ sayeth that what trouble or danger soeuer it may seeme to woorke as al purgations for a time doe yet shal not one heare of our head perish by the same Nay further is to be noted that which the prophet sayeth O Lord thou shalt geue vs to drinke in teares in measure That is the cuppe of teares and tribulation shal be so tempered in measure by our heauenlie phisition as no man shal haue aboue his strength The dose of Aloes and other bitter ingredients shal be qualified with manna and sufficient sweetnes of heauēlie consolation God is faithful saieth S. Paul and vvil not suffer you to be tempted aboue your abilitie This is a singular point of comfort and ought alwaies to be in our
his simplicitie was deliuered frō the mouth of lions And so doe you runne ouer by cogitation al generations and you shal see that al those that hope in God shal not be vanquished And doe you not seare the vvordes of a sinful man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and vvormes to daie he is great and exalted and to morovv he shal not be found for he shal returne vnto his earth againe and al his fond cogitations shal perishe Wherfore take courage vnto you my children and plaie the men in the lawe of God For ther in shal be your honour glorie Hitherto are the wordes of scripture which shal suffice for the end of this chapter THE FOVRTH AND GREATEST IMPEDIMENT THAT HINdereth resolution to witte The loue and respect vvhich men beare to the pleasures and vanities of this vvorld CHAPT IIII. AS the former impedimentes which now by Gods grace we haue remoued be in verie deed great staies to many mē from the resolutiō we talke of so this that presently we take in hand is not onely of it self a strong impediment and let but also a general cause as it were a commō ground to al other impedimentes that be or may be For if a man could touch the hidden pulse of al such as refuse or neglect or doe differre to make this resolution he should find the true cause origine therof to be the loue and respect which they beare vnto this world what soeuer other excuses they pretend besides The noble men of Iewrie pretended feare to be the cause why they could not resolue to coniesse Christ openly but S. Iohn that felt their-pulses and knew their disease vttereth the true cause to haue bene for that they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God Demas that for sooke S. Paul in his bandes euen a litle before his death pretended an other cause of his departure to Thellalonica but S. Paul saieth it was quia diligebat hoc seculū for that he loued this world So that this world is a general and vniuersal impediment and more largely dispersed in mens hartes thē outwardly appeareth for that it bringeth forth diuers other excuses therby to couer it self in the people wher it abideth This may be confirmed by that most excellent parable of our Sauiour Christ recorded by three Euangelistes concerning the three sortes of men which are to be damned and the three causes of their damnation wher of the third and last most general including as it were both the two former is the loue of this world For the first sorte of men ther mentioned are compared to a high waie wherin al seed of life that is sowen ether withereth presentlie or els is eaten vp by the birdes of the ayer which is as Christ expoundeth it by the deuils in such careles men as contemne what-soeuer is said vnto thē such are insidels heretikes and other like obstinate and contemptuous people The second sorte of damnable people are compared to rockie groundes in which for lacke of depe roote the seed that falleth continueth not and by this are signified light and vnconstant persons that now choppe in and now runne owt now are seruent and by and by keie-colde againe so in time of tēptation they are gone saith Christ. The third sorte are compared to a feild wherin the seed of life groweth vp but yet there are so many thornes about the same which one father expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries and deceinable vanities of this life as the good corne is choked vp and bringeth soorth no fruite By which last wordes lie signifieth that whersoeuer the doctrine of Christ groweth vp yet bringeth not forth due fruite that is to saie whersoeuer his faith is planted receaued and professed as among Christians it is and yet bringeth not forth vertuous life holie conuersation good workes and due seruice of God corespōdent to this seed ther the principal cause is for that it is choked with the loue and care of this present world This is a parable of maruailous greate importance as may appeare both for that Christ after the recital therof cried out with a lowde voice He that hath eares to heare let him heare As also for that he expounded it him self in secrete onelie to his Disciples And principallie for that before the exposition therof he vsed such a solemne preface saying to you it is geuen to knovv the misteries if the kingdome of heauen but to others not for that they seing doe not see and hearing doe not heare nor vnder stand Wherby Christ signifieth that the vnderstanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceauing the true misteries of the kingdome of heauen and that many are blinde which seeme to see and many deafe and ignorant that seeme to heare and know for that they vnderstand not wel the misteries of this parable For which cause also his diuine wisdome maketh this conclusion before he beginne to expound the parable Happie are your eies that see and biessed are your eares that heare After which wordes he beginneth his exposition with this admonitiō Vos ergo audite parabolam Doe you therfore heare and vnderstand this parable And for that this parable doth containe and touch so much in deede as may or is needful to be saied for remouing of this greate and dangerous impediment of worldly loue I meane to staie my self onelie vpon the explication the ros in this place and wil declare the force and truth of certaine wordes here vttered by Christ of the world and worldlie pleasures And forsome order and methodes sake I wil drawal to these six pointes folowing First how and in what sense al this whole world and commodities therof are meere vanities in them selues and of no value as Christ here signifieth and consequentlie ought not to be an impedimēt to let vs from so great a matter as the kingdome of heauen and seruing of God is Secondlie how they are not onelie vanities and trifles but also Deceptions as the wordes of Christ are that is to say deceyte and fallaces not performing to vs in deede those litle trifles which they doe promise Thirdlie how they are spinae that is pricking thornes as our Saueour affirmeth albeit they seeme to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant thinges Fourthlie how they are arumnae that is to saie miseries and afflictions Fiftlie quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke their possessours according as the sonne of God in this parable auoucheth Sixthlie how we may vse them notwithstanding without these daungers euils and to our great comfort gaine and preferment The first point of the parable AND NOVV for the first albeit I might stande vpon many reasons and demonstrations yet doe I not see how breefly pithelie it may be better declared that al the pleasures and goodlie shewes of this world are mere vanities
I haue or receaue seing I sit here in darknes speaking litterallie of his corporal blindnes but yet leauing it also to be vnderstood of spiritual and internal darknes Thes are then the causes beside external affliction which God often sendeth why the godly doe liue more graue sadde and feareful in this life then wicked men doe according to the counsaile of S. Paul and why also they sigh often and weepe as Iob and Christ doe affirme to wit for that they remember oftentimes the seuere Iustice of almightie God their owne frailtie in sinning the secret iudgement of his predestination vncertaine to vs the vale of misery and desolation wherein they liue here which made euen the very Apostles them selues to grone as S. Paul affirmeth albeit they had much lesse cause then we haue In respect wherof we are willed to passe ouer this life in carefulnes watchfulnes feare and trembling In regard wherof also the wiseman saith It is better to goe to the house of sorovv then to the house of feasting And againe VVhere sadnes is there is the hart of vvisomē but vvhere mirth is there is the hart of fooles Finally inconsideration of thes things the scripture saiths Beatus homo qui semper est pauidus Happie is the man which alwaies is feareful Which is nothing els but that which the holy Ghost commaundeth euery man by Micheas the Prophet solicitum ambulare cū Deo To walke carefully and diligently with God thinking vpō his commaundementes how we keepe and obserue the same how we resist mortifie our members vpon earth how we bestowe our time talents and riches lent vnto vs how we labour in good workes for the gaining of heauen what accompt we could yeeld if presently we were to die c. which cogitations if they might haue place with vs would cut of a great many of thos worldly pastimes wherwith the careles sort of sinners are ouerwhelmed I meane of thos good feloushippes in eating drinking laughing singing disputing and other such vanities that distract vs most Hereof Christ gaue vs a most notable aduertisemēt in that he wept often times as for example at his natiuitie at the resuscitation of Lazarus vpon Ierusalem vpon the Crosse. But he is neuer redde to haue laught in al his life Her of also is cch mans own natiuitie and death a signification and figure which two extremities I meane our beginning ending being reserued by God in his own handes to dispose are appointed vnto vs in sorow greef and weeping as we see and feele But the midle parte therof which is our life being left by God in our own hādes we passe it ouer with vaine delites neuer thinking whence we came nor whether we goe A wise trauailer passing by his Inne albeit he see pleasāt meates set before him to banquet at his pleasure yet he for beareth and restraineth his appetite vpon cōsideration of the price and of the iourney he hath to make and taketh nothing but so much as he knoweth wel how to discharge the next mornig at his departure But a foole layeth handes on euerie delicate bayt that is presented to his sight and playeth the prince for a night or two But the next morning when it cometh to the reckning he wisheth that he had liued onelie with bread drinke rather then to be so troubled as he is for the paiment The custome of Gods Church is to fast the euen of euerie feast and then to make merie the next daye following which is the festiual it self And this representeth the abstinent life of goodmen in this world therby to be merie in the world to come But the fashion of the world is contrarie that is to eate and drincke merilie first at the tauerne and after to let the host bring in his reckning They eate drinke and laugh and the host he skoreth vp al in the meane space And when the time cometh that they must paye many a hart is sadde that was pleasant before This very self thing holy scripture affirmeth also of the pleasures of this world Risus dolore miscebitur extrema gaudij luctus occupat Laughter shal be mingled with sorow mourning shal ensue at the hinder end of mirthe The deuil that plaieth the hoste in this world and wil serue you at an inche with what delite or pleasure you desire writeth vp al in his booke and at the daie of your departure which is at your death he wil bring in the whole reckoning charge you with it al and then shal folow that which God promiseth to worldlinges by the prophet Amos Your mirth shal be turned into morning and lamentation Yea and more then this if you be not able to discharge the rekoning you may chaunce to heare that other dreadful sentence of Christ in the Apocalips quantum in delitiis fuit tantum date illi tormentum Looke how much he hath taken of his delites so much torment doe you lay vpon him Wherfore to conclude this point and therwithal this first parte of the parable touching vanities truelie may we saie with the prophet Dauid of a worldlie minded man Vniuersa vanitas omnis homo viuens The life of such men conteineth al kind of vanitie That is to saie both vanitie in ambition vanitie in riches vanitie in pleasures vanitie in al things which they most esteeme And therfore I may wel end with the wordes of almightie God by the prophet Esay vaevobis qui trahitis iniquitatem in funiculis vanitatis Wo be vnto you which doe draw wickednes in the ropes of vanitie These ropes are those vanities of vainglorie promotion dignitie nobilitie beautie riches delites and other such like before touched which alwaies draw with them some iniquitie sinne For which cause holie Dauid saith vnto his Lord Thovvhatest ô Lord obseruers of super fluous vanities And the scripture reporting the cause why God destroied vtterlie the familie and linage of Baasa king of Israel saith it was For that they had prouoked God in their vanities And lastlie for this cause the holy Ghostpronounceth generallie of al men Beatus vir qui non respexit in vanitates insanias falsas Blessed is that man which hath not respected vanities and the false madnes of this world The second point of the parable NOVV COME I to the second part proposed in this chapter which was also the second point contained in Christes parable to shew how this world with the commodities therof are not onelie vanities but also deceites for that in deed they performe not vnto their folowers thos idle vanities trifles which they doe promise Wherin the world may be compared to that wretched and vngrateful deceiuer Labā who made poore Iacob to serue him seauen yeeres for faire Rachel and in the end deceiued him with foule Lia. What false promises doth the world make daily To one it pmiseth
baptised for the gaining of heauen But it shal not be amisse perhappes to alleage S. Austens very wordes vpon this matter For thus he writeth It is a remediles peril when a man giueth him self ouer so much to vices as he forgeteth that he must geue accōpt therof to God And the reason why I am of this opinion is for that it is a great punishment of sinne to haue lost the feare and memorie of the iudgement to come c. But dearlie beloued least perhappes the newe felicitie of the beleeuing theefe on the Crosse doe make any of you too secure and remisse least peraduenture some of you saye in his hart my guiltie cōscience shal not trouble nor torment me my naughtie life shal not make me verie sadde for that I see euen in a momēt al sinnes forgeuen vnto the theefe we must consider first in that theefe not onelie the shortnes of his beleefe and confession but his deuotion and the occasion of that time euen when the perfection of the sust did staggar Secondlie shew me the faith of that theefe in thy self and then promise to thy self his felicitie The deuil doth put into thy head this securitie to the end he may bring thee to perdition And it is vnpossible to number al them which haue perished by the shadowe of this deceitful hope He deceiueth him self and maketh but a ieste of his owne damnatiō which thinketh that Gods mercie at the last daie shal help or releeue him It is hateful before God when a man vpon confidence of penance in his old age doth sinne the more freelie The happie theefe wherof we haue spoken happie I saie not for that he laied snares in the waie but for that he tooke hold of the waie it self in Christ laying handes on the praie of life and after a strange maner making a bootie of his owne death he I saie nether did deferre the time of his saluatiō wittinglie nether did he deceitfullte put the remedie of his estate in the last momēt of his life nether did he desperatlie reserue the hope of his redemotion vnto the houre of his death nether had he any knowlege ether of religion or of Christ before that time For if he had had perhappes he would not haue bene the last in number among the Apostles which was first in the king some of heauen By thes wordes of S. Augustin we are admonished as you see that this particular facte of Christ maketh no general rule of remission to al men not for that Christ is not alwaies redie to receaue the penitent as he promiseth and was to receaue this theef but for that euerie man hath not the time or grace to repent as he should at the last houre according as hath bene declared before The general waie that God proposeth to al is that which S. Paul saith Finis secundum opera ipsorum The end of euil men is according to their workes Looke how they liue and so they die To that effect saieth the prophet Once God speke and I heard thes tvvo things from his mouth Povver belongeth to God and mercie vnta thee ô. Lord for that thou vvilt render to euery man according to his vvorkes The wise man maketh this plaine saying the vvay of simers is paued vvith stones and their ende is hel darkenes and punishmentes Finally S. Paul maketh this general and peremptorie cōclusion Be not deceiued God is not mocked looke vvhat a man sovveth and that shal be reape He that sovveth in flesh shal reape corruption he that sovveth in spirit shal reape life euerlasting In which wordes he doeth not onely lay downe vnto vs the general rule wherto we must trust but also saieth further that to persuade our selues the cōtrary therof were to mocke abuse God which hath laied doune this general law vnto vs. Notwith standing as I haue said this general law barreth not the mercie of almightie God from vsing a priuilege to some particular man euen at the verie last cast But yet miserable is that soule which placeth the ancker of his eternal wealth or woe vpon so tyclesome a point as this is I cal it ticlesome for that al diuines who haue writen of this matter doe speake verie dowtfullie of the penance or conuersiō of a man at the last end And albeit they doe not absolutely condemne it in al but doe leaue it as vncertaine vnto Gods secret iudgement yet doe they incline to the negatiue part and doe alleage fower reasons for which that conuersion is to be doubted as insufficient for a mans saluation The first reason is for that the extreme feare paines of death being as the philosopher saith the most terrible of al terrible thinges doe not permit a man cōmonlie so to gather his spirites senses at that time as is required for the treating of so weightie a matter with almightie God as is our conuersion and saluation And if we see often times that a vetie good mā can not fixe his minde earnestlie vpon heauenlie cogitations at such time as he is troubled with the passions of cholicue or other sharpe diseases how much lesse in the anguishes of death can a worldlie man doe the same being vnacquainted with that exercise and lodened with the guilt of many and great sinnes and cloyed with the loue both of his bodie and things belonging therunto The second reason is for that the conuersion which a man maketh at the last day is not for the most part voluntarie but vpon necessitie and for feare such as was the repentance of Semei who hauing greeuously offended king Dauid in time of his affliction afterward when he saw him in prosperitie againe and him self in daunger of punishment he came and fel doune before him and asked him forgiuenes with teares But yet Dauid wel perceiued the matter how it stood and therfore albeit he spared him for that day wherein he would not trouble the myrth with execution of iustice yet afterwards he gaue order that he should be vsed according to his deserts The third reason is for that the custome of sinne which hath continued al the life long can not easely be remoued vpon the instant being growen now as it were into nature it self For which cause God saieth to euil men by the prophet Ieremie If an Ethiopian can change his black shinne or a leoparde his spottes that are on his backe then can you also doe vvel hauing learned al dayes of your Life to doe euil The fowerth cause is for that the actes of vertue them selues can not be of so great value with God in that instant as if they had bene done in time of health before For what great matter is it for exāple sake to pardō thy enemies at that time when thou canst hurt thē no more to geue thy goodes awaie when thou canst vse them no more to abandon thy concubine when thou canst keepe her
impediment this forte of men ought to lay before their eies the labours of our Sauiour Christ and of his Saintes the exhortatiōs they vsed to other men to take like paines the threates made in scripture against them which labour not the condition of our present warfare that requireth trauaile the crowne prepared for it and the misery ensewing vpon idle and lazie people And finally if they can not beare the labour of vertuous life which in deed is accompanied with so many consolations as it may not rightfullie be called a labour how wil they abide the labour and tormentes of the damned life to come which must be both intollerable euerlasting vnto them Saint Paul saieth of him self others to the Thessalonians we did not eate our bread of free cost when we were with you but did worke in labour and wearinesse both day and night therby to geue you an example of imitation denouncing further vnto you that if any man would not worke he should not eate Christ in his parable went forth into the streetes twise in one day til reprehended greeuouslie thos that stoode idle saing 〈◊〉 hic statis tota die otio ī Why doe ye stād here al the day idle and doing nothing I am a vine saieth Christ my father is a husband man euery branche that beareth not fruit in me my father wil cut of and cast into the fire And in an other place Cut doune the vnprofitable tree vvhy doth it stand here and occupie the ground for nothing And againe the king dome of heauen is subiect to force and men doe gaine it by violence and labour For which cause the wise man also saieth what soeuer thy hand can doe in this life doe it instantlie for after this there is neither time nor reasō nor wisdome nor knowledge that we can employe to any profite And againe the same wise man saieth The lazie hande vvorketh beggarie to it self but the industrious and ualiant hande heapeth vp great riches And yet further to the same effect The slouthful man vvil not sovv in the vvinter for that it is cold and therfore he shal beggein the sommer and no man shal take pitie of him Al this pertaineth to shew how that this life is a time of labour and not of idlenes and is appointed vnto vs for the gaining of heauē It is the Market wherin we must buye the batail wherin we must fight and gaine our crowne the winter wherin we must sowe the day of labour wherin we must sweate and gaine our pennie And he that passeth ouer lazilie this day as the most part of mē doe must suffer eternal pouertie and neede in the long night to come as in the first part of this booke more at large hath bene declared Wherfore the wise man or rather the Holie Ghost by his mouth geueth ech one of vs a most vehement admonition and exhortation in thes wordes Runne about make haste stirre vp thy frind geue no sleepe vnto thy eies let not thine eye liddes slumber skippe out as a doe from the handes of him that holdeth her and as a bird out of the hād of the fouler Goe vnto the Emmet thou slothful man and consider ber doinges and learne to be vvise She hauing no guide teacher or captaine prouideth meate for her self in the sommer gathereth together in the haruest that vvhich maye serue her to feed vpon in the vvinter By which wordes we are admonished in what order we ought to behaue our selues in this life and how diligēt careful we should be in doing of al good workes as S. Paul also teatheth considering that as the Emmet laboureth most carnestlie in haruest time to lay vp for the winter to come so should we do for the next world and that sloth falnes to this effect is the greatest and most dangerous-let that ' may be For as the Emmet should die in the winter most certainlie for hunger if she should liue idlelie in the sommer so without al doute they are to suffer extreme neede and miserie in the world to come who now for sloth doe omit to labour Of Negligence THE SECOND impediment is called by me in the title of this chapter Negligence But I doe vnderstand therby a further matter then commonly this word importeth For I doe comprehend vnder the name of negligent al careles and dissolute people which take to hart nothing that pertaineth vnto God or godlines but onelie attend to worldly affaires making their saluation the least parte of their cogitations And vnder this kinde of negligence is contained both Epicurisme as S. Paul noted in some Christians of his daies who beganne onelie to attend to eate and drinke and to make their bellies their God as our Christians now doe and also a secret kinde of Atheisme or denying God which is to denie him not in wordes but in life and behauiour as S. Paul expoundeth it For albeit thes men of whom I speake doe in wordes confesse God and professe them selues to be as good Christians as the rest yet secretlie in deed they doe not beleeue God as their life and doings doe declare Which thing holy scripture discouereth plainlie when it saith vae dissolutis corde qui non credunt Deo woe be vnto the dissolute and careles in hart who doe not beleeue God That is albeit they professe that they beleeue and trust in him yet by their dissolute and careles doings they testifie that in their hartes they beleeue him not for that they haue nether care nor cogitation of matters pertaining to him This kinde of men are thos which the scripture noteth detesteth for plowing with an oxe and an Asse together for sowing their ground with mingled seede for wearing apparel of linsie wolsie that is made of flaxe and wool together Thes are they of whom Christ saith in the reuelations I vvould thou vvere ether colde or hoate But for that thou art luke vvarme and netber cold nor hoate therfore vvil I beginne to vomite thee out of my mouth Thes are they who can accorde al religions together and take vp al controuersies by onely saying that ether they are differences of smal importance or els that they appertaine onelie to learned men to thinke vpon and not vnto them Thes are they who can applie them selues to anie companie to any time to any princes pleasure for matters of life to come Thes men forbid al talke of spirite religion or deuotion in their presence onelie they wil haue men eate drinke and be merie with them tel newes of the courte and affaires abrode sing daunce laugh and plaie at cardes and so passe ouer this life in lesse consideration of God then doe the very heathens And hath not holie writ great reason then deare brother in saying that thes men in their hartes and workes are in deede verie Atheistes yes surelie And it