smal cause to envie their felicitie If they talk basely of the glorie and riches of saints in heaven not esteeming them indeed in respect of their own or contemning them for that carnal plesures are not rekoned therin make little account of their words for that The sensual man understandeth not the things which are of God If horses were promised by their maisters a good banket they could imagin nothing else but provender and water to be their best cheer for that they have no knowledge of daintier dishes so these men accustomed to the puddle of their fleshly pleasures can mount with their mind no higher than the same But I have shewed thee before gentle reader some wais and considerations to conceive greater matters albeit as I have advertised thee often we must confesse stil with Saint Paul that no humane hart can conceive the least part therof for which cause also it is not unlike that Saint Paul himselfe was forbidden to utter the things which he had seen and heard in his miraculous assumption unto the third heaven 22 To conclude then this game gole is set up for them that wil run as Saint Paul noteth and no man is crowned in this glorie but such onlie as wil fight as the same Apostle teacheth It is not every one that saith to Christ Lord Lord that shal enter into the kingdome of heaven but they onlie which do the wil of Christ his father in heaven Though this kingdome of Christ be set out to al yet every man shal not come to raign with Christ but such onlie as shal be content to suffer with Christ. Thou art therfore to sit down and consider according to thy Saviors counsel what thou wilt do whether thou have so much spiritual money as is sufficient to build this tower and make this war or no that is whether thou have so much good wil and holie manhood in thee as to bestow the pains of suffering with Christ if it be rather to be called pains than pleasure that so thou maist raign with him in his kingdome This is the question this is the verie whole issue of the matter hitherto hath appertained whatsoever hath been spoken in this book before either of thy particular end or of the majestie bountie and justice of God and of the account he wil demand of thee also of the punishment or reward laid up for thee Al this I say was meant by me to this only end that thou measuring the one part and the other shouldest finaly resolve what thou wouldest do and not to passe over thy time in careles negligence as many do never spieng their own error until it be too late to amend it 23 For the love of God then deer brother and for the love thou bearest to thine own soul shake off this dangerous securitie which flesh and blood is woont to lul men in and make som earnest resolution for looking to thy soul for the life to come Remember often that woorthy sentence Hoc momentum unde pendet aeternitas This life is a moment of time wherof al eternitie of life or death to come dependeth If it be a moment and a moment of so great importance how is it passed over by wordly men with so little care as it is 24 I might have alledged heer infinite other reasons and considerations to move men unto this resolution wherof I have talked and surely no measure of volume were sufficient to contein so much as might be said in this matter For that al the creatures under heaven yea and in heaven it selfe as also in hel al I say from the first to the last are arguments and persuasions unto this point al are books and sermons al do preach and crie som by their punishment som by their glorie som by their beutie and al by their creation that we ought without delay to make this resolution and that al is vanitie al is folly al is iniquitie al is miserie beside the only service of our maker and redeemer But yet notwithstanding as I have said I thought good only to choose out these few considerations before laid down as cheefe and principal among the rest to work in any tru Christian hart And if these cannot enter with thee good reader little hope is there that any other would doo thee good Wherfore heer I end this first part reserving a few things to be said in the second for remooving of som impediments which our spiritual adversarie is woont to cast against this good work as against the first step to our salvation Our Lord God and Savior Iesus Christ which was content to pay his own bloud for the purchasing of this notable inheritance unto us give us his holy grace to esteeme of it as the great weight of the matter requireth and not by negligence to leese our portions therin The end of the first part THE SECOND PART OF THIS BOOKE CHAP. I. Of impediments that let men from this resolution and first of the difficultie or hardnes which seemeth to manie to be in vertuous life NOtwithstanding al the reasons and considerations before set down for inducing men to this necessarie resolution of serving God there want not manie Christians abroad in the world whose harts either intangled with the pleasures of this life or given over by God to a reprobate sense do yeeld no whit at al to this batterie that hath been made but shewing themselves more hard than adamant do not only resist contemn but also do seeke excuses for their sloth and wickednes and do alledge reasons to their own perdition Reasons I cal them according to the common phrase though indeed there be no one thing more against reason than that a man should becom enimie to his own soul as the scripture affirmeth obstinate sinners to be But yet as I say they have their excuses and the first and principal of al is that vertuous life is painful and hard and therfore they cannot indure to follow the same especially such as have been brought up delicately never were acquainted with such asperitie as they say we require at their hands And this is a great large and universal impediment which staieth infinite men from imbrasing the means of their conversion for which cause it is fully to be answered in this place 2 First then supposing that the way of vertu were so hard indeed as the enimie maketh it seem yet might I wel say with Saint Iohn Chrysostom that seeing the reward is so great and infinite as now we have declared no labor should seem great for obteining of the same Again I might say with holie S. Austen That seeing we take daily so great pain in this world for avoiding of smal inconveniences as of siknes imprisonments losse of goods and the like what pains should we refuse for avoiding the eternitie of hel fire set down before The first of these
hither the things required at thy hands in particular the account that wil be demanded of thee his goodnes towards thee his watchfulnes over thee his desire to win thee his reward if thou do wel his infinite punishment if thou do evil his callings his baits his allurements to save thee And on the contrarie part heer are discovered unto thee the vanities deceits of those impedimēts hinderances or excuses which any way might let stay or discourage thy resolution the feigned difficulties of vertuous life are remooved the conceited fears of Gods service are taken away the allureing flatteries of worldly vanitie are opened the foolish presumption upon Gods mercie the danger of delay the dissimulation of sloth the desperate peril of careles stonie harts are declared What then wilt thou desire more to moove thee What further argument wilt thou expect to draw thee from vice and wickednes that al this is 30 If al this stir thee not what wil stir thee gentle reader if when thou hast read this thou lay down thy book again and walk on thy carelesse life as quietly as before what hope I beseech thee may there be conceived of thy salvation Wilt thou go to heaven living as thou dost It is impossible As soone thou maist drive God out of heaven as get thither thy selfe in this kind of life What then Wilt thou forgo heaven yet escape hel too This is lesse possible whatsoever the Atheists of this world do persuade thee Wilt thou defer the matter and think of it heerafter I have told thee my opinion heerof before Thou shalt never have more abilitie to do it than now and it may be never halfe so much again If thou refuse it now I may greatly fear that thou wilt be refused heerafter thy selfe There is no way then so good deer brother as to do it presently whiles it is offered Break from that tyrant which deteineth thee in servitude shake off his chains cut a sunder his bonds run violently to Christ which standeth readie to imbrace thee with his arms open on the crosse Make joiful al the angels and court of heaven with thy conversion strike once the stroke with God again make a manly resolution say with the old couragious soldier of Iesus Christ Saint Ierom If my father stood weeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my nek behind me and al my brethren sisters children kinsfolks howling on every side to retain me in sinful life with them I would sling off my mother to the ground despise al my kinred run over my father and tread him under my feet therby to run to Christ when he calleth me 31 Oh that we had such harts as this servant of God had such courage such manhood such fervent love to our maister Who would lie one day in such slaverie as we do Who would eat husks with the prodigal son among swine seeing he may return home and be so honorably received and intertained by his old father have so good cheer and banketting and hear so great melodie joy and triumph for his return I say no more heerin deer brother than thou art assured of by the word and promise of Gods own mouth from which can proceed neither falshood nor deceit Return then I beseech thee lay hand fast on his promise who wil not fail thee run to him now he calleth whiles thou hast time and esteem not al this world worth a straw in respect of this one act for so shalt thou be a most happie and thrise happie man and shalt blesse heerafter the hour and moment that ever thou madest this blessed resolution And I for my part I trust shal not be void of some portion of thy felicitie At leastwise I dowt not but thy holie conversion shal treat for me with our common father who is the God of mercies for remission of my many sins and that I may serve and honor him togither with thee al the dais of my life which ought to be both our petitions and therfore in both our names I beseech his divine majestie to grant it to us for ever and ever Amen The end of this booke of Resolution A TREATISE TENDING TO PACIFICATION BY LABOring those that are our adversaries in the cause of RELIGION to receive the GOSPEL and to join with us in profession therof By Edm. Bunny Hosea 3 4 5. The children of Israel shal sit a great while without king without prince without sacrifice without image without Ephod and without Teraphim But afterward the children of Israel shal be converted and seeke the Lord their God and David their king in the latter dais they shal worship the Lord and his loving kindnes A Table declaring the effect and method of the Treatise following This Treatise following consisth of two principal parts In the former of which there is set down matter to move them that is First on our parts it is declared that if we should turn unto them The benefit that we should get therby would be very little Section 1. The inconvenience very great First in matters concerning religion Sect. 2. Then concerning our civile estate Sect. 3. Then on their parts it is declared likewise that if they should ioin in profession with us The benefit that they should get therby were gret First in matters of religion Sect. 4. Then as touching their civile estate Sect. 5. The inconveniences very smal cōcerning which First it is declared what they are Sect. 6. Then of how smal importance they are which is declared First in them al generally Sect. 7. Then more specially in the doctrine of iustification Sect. 8. In the latter such lets are remooved as are woont to hinder of which there be two special sorts Some that are of lesse importance Of which likewise there are Som that cheefly respect their person which also are two One that proceedeth from regard of their credit which so they think should be overthrown Sect. 9. The other ariseth from their bodily punishment wherin they think we deal hardly with them Sect. 10. One that doth somwhat respect their cause likewise which is that our translations of the holy scriptures are now in their iudgement found to be so far from the truth of the text that it seemeth to them that we have not the word of God among us to direct us in this our profession as heertofore it was thought that we had Concerning which First there is a breefe recital of those points of doctrine for which we are charged to have translated so corruptly Sect. 11. Then is declared how it may very easily appeer that the matter is not so great as they pretend First by consideration of certain general points to them al belonging Sec. 12 Then by a more special treatise of everie one apart by it selfe Sect. 13. One that is of special force with manie and most of al hindereth those that stay upon conscience in deede which is that
A Booke of Christian exercise appertaining to RESOLVTION that is shewing how that we should resolve our selves to become Christians in deed by R. P. Perused and accompanied now with a Treatise tending to Pacification by Edm. BVNNY Heb. 13 8. Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Imprinted at London by N. Newton and A. Hatfield for Iohn Wight 1584. Hoc insigne priùs proavis musÃsque decorum Postremò Petri concelebravit honos TO THE MOST REverend Father in God his very good Lord and Patron EDWIN by the providence of God Archbishop of York Primate of England and Metropolitan c. MAY it please your Grace to understand that wheras at the first by a frind of mine and after by mine own experience I perceived that the booke insuing was willingly read by divers for the persuasion that it hath to godlines of life which notwithstanding in manie points was corruptly set down I thought good in the end to get the same published againe in some better manner than now it is come foorth among them that so the good that the reading therof might otherwise do might carrie no hurt or danger withal so far as by me might be praevented For this cause I have taken the pains both to purge it of certain points that carried either some manifest error or else some other inconvenience with them and to join another short Treatise withal to â—â—â—ort those that are not yet persuaded to join with us likewise in the truth of Religion For so to accept of our adversaries labors so much as is good may I trust bring to passe with some few of them that themselves wil better perceive that wherin they shal do wel they may looke to be as readily incouraged by us as when they do il to be admonished or reprehended either as the case doth require and others likewise of their welwillers yet notwithstanding in this varie from them that they stand more indifferent in the cause of religion and mean not otherwise to persist in their opinions but so far as they think they have reason for them may so be the rather induced to assure them selves as the truth indeed is that wherin they have sufficient warrant for the points that they stand on they are not in any wise misliked by us but onlie for those wherin they have no sufficient groundwork to bear them out I was also very glad both that some of them had taken pains in that kind of labor and that others of their profession were somtimes occupied in reading of such For wheras by their bookes that are of the Controversies the readers of them that are before smitted with that kind of infestion are oft times therby the more intangled in their errors and more kindled likewise with inordinate heat against al those that more sincerely hold the Christian faith by this kind of labor it may fal out that comming therby to the fear of God though but after a corrupter maner yet therin may they possibly finde a readie way first to draw them somwhat on to a better advisement of their wais and then after that to espie their wonted errors likewise and to join with us in the truth of religion In which course the better to help them I have added this other Treatise withal so to bring before their eies how the case for that matter doth stand betwixt us and how little cause there is for them so much to be afraid of our profession as some have born them in hand that they ought trusting withal that as they do already agree with us in many points of great importance so they can be content to condescend unto us in the rest likewise if it may appeer unto them that in so doing they shal do none otherwise than as of conscience and dutie they ought Both which bookes when I thought to have praesented unto your Grace I was for a time staied by this for that I thought them not a praesent woorthie inough in respect of my labors therin But when I did more deeply consider that I might very wel hope of better acceptance than the strict woorthines of the thing should deserve I was then fully resolved to be so bold as to praesent your G. with them such as they be and for whatsoever wanteth either in them or me to rest in the good assurance that I have that your G. wil notwithstanding of your own inclination in good part take them As also I take it that I am by good reason induced so to do both for that the dignitie of your place in the church of God among us and mine own special dutie besides doth of right require it and much more than it if mine abilitie might accordingly serve and the nature of the matter in one principal point is such as that by a certain kind of necessitie it leadeth me therunto For wheras it may be the persuasion of some that no such work as is at the first so corrupt in it selfe should be brought foorth to light by any of us though never so warily we purged it before wherin notwithstanding there be many good reasons to ground upon for those that are otherwise minded hence is it that your Graces censure especially heer in these parts is of me and others of the same jurisdiction especially to be regarded for the place that God hath given you among us In which kind of labor as Castalion first then also Maister Rogers have done very wel in that little booke of Kempicius that is called The Imitation of Christ leaving out the corruption of it and taking onlie that which was sound so hath Iohn Baptist Fikler been very bold in wresting that which another had written so wel of the power of the magistrate over his subjects and the dutie of subjects to him again altogither to the establishing of the Popes supremacie and to animate their own confoederates against their godlie and lawful princes changing nothing else to speak of but those very titles and otherwise using the others matter method and stile Nevertheles as the former of these examples shew us how such things may rightly be used so the other likewise may admonish those that would mislike to have their oversights so holpen that they had need as much to go about to excuse their own fellows as to impugn any others therfore that use their freedom more moderately As for my selfe having used my libertie so easily as I have done altering no more than need required and doing the same in quiet maner without any greefe against the Author whosoever it were or disgrace to his doings so much as might be not betraieng the truth I am the lesse careful under the protection of your Graces censure either of the censure or assalts of others that are more led by affection than reason To be short wheras the former of these two bookes calleth men from the love of the world and the latter likewise doth cal men from their
godlines no more than a bird can fly lacking one of hir wings I say that neither innocencie is sufficient without good works nor good works any thing available where innocencie from sin is not The later is evident by the people of Israel whose sacrifices oblations praiers and other good works commended and commanded by God himself were oftentimes abhominable to God for that the dooers thereof lived in sin and wickednes as at large the prophet Esay declareth The former also is made apparant by the parable of the foolish virgins who albeit they were innocent from sin yet bicause they gave not attendance they were shut out of the doores And at the last day of judgment Christ shal say to the damned bicause you clothed me not fed me not and did not other deedes of charitie appointed to your vocation therfore go you to everlasting fire c. Both these points then are necessarie to a Christian to the service of God and so necessarie as one without the other availeth not as I have said And touching the first which is resisting of sin we are willed to do it even unto death and with the last of our blood if it were need and in divers places of scripture the holy ghost willeth vs most diligently to prepare our selves to resist the divel manfully which tempteth vs to sin and this resistance ought to be made in such perfect maner as we yeeld not wittingly and willingly to any sin whatsoever either in work word or consent of hart insomuch that whosoever should give secret consent of mind to the performance of a sin if he had time place and abilitie therunto is condemned by the holy scripture in that sin even as if he had cōmitted the same now in act And touching the second which is good works we are willed to do them abundantly diligently joifully and incessantly for so saith the scripture Whatsoever thy hand can do do it instantly And again Walk worthy of God fructifieng in every good work And again Saint Paul saith Let us do good works unto al men And again in the very same place Let us never leave of to do good for the time wil come when we shal reap without end And in another place he willeth vs To be stable immoveable and abundant in good works knowing that our labor shal not be unprofitable 6 By this it may be seen deer brother what a perfect creature is a good Christian that is as Saint Paul describeth him The hand work of GOD and creature of Christ to good works wherin he hath prepared that he should walk It appeareth I say what an exact life the tru life of a Christian is which is a continual resistance of al sin both in thought word and deed and a performance or exercise of al good works that possibly he can devise to do What an Angelical life is this Nay more than Angelical for that angels being now placed in their glory have neither temptation of sin to resist nor can do any work as we may for to encrease their further glorie 7 If Christians did live according to this their duty that is in doing al good that they might never consenting to evil what needed there almost any temporal laws What a goodly common wealth were Christianitie Who wil not marvel at the rare examples of many good forefathers of ours wherin such simplicitie such truth such conscience such almsdeeds such sinceritie such vertu such religion and devotion is reported to have been The cause was for that they studied upon these two points of a Christian mans duty and labored for the performance therof every man as God gaue him grace And we bicause we look not into these matters are become as loose and wicked in life as ever the Gentils or infidels were And yet is God the same God stil and wil accept at our hands no other account than he did of those forefathers of ours for the performance of these two parts of our duty towards him What then shal become of us which do not live in any part as they did And to enter yet somwhat more into the particular consideration of these things who is there now a daies amongst common Christians for no doubt there be in secret many servants of God which do it but of those which beare the name of Christians and most stur abroad in the world who is there I say that taketh any pain about the first point that is touching the resisting of the concupiscence of sin Which concupiscence or natural motion of sin remaining in us as a remnant of our natural maladie in punishment of the sin of our first father Adam is left in us now after baptisme ad agonem that is to strive withal to resist But alas how many be there which do resist as they should these evil motions of concupiscence Who doth ever examine his conscience of the same Who doth not yeeld cōmonly consent of hart to every motion that commeth with pleasure of covetousnes of anger of revenge of pride of ambition and above al of lecherie and other filthie sins of the flesh knowing notwithstanding by the protestation of our Saviour Christ himselfe that every such consent of hart is as much in substance of sin as the act and maketh the soul guiltie of eternal damnation 8 It is a woonderful matter to consider and able to make a man astonied to think what great care fear diligence and labor good men in old times did take about this matter of resisting sin and how litle we take now Iob the just having lesse cause to fear than we saith of himselfe I did fear al my doings ô Lord considering that thou doost not pardon such as offend thee But the good king David which had now tasted Gods heavy hand for consenting to sin before sheweth himselfe yet more careful and fearful in the matter when he saith I did meditate in the night time together with my hart and it was my whole exercise and I did brush or sweep mine own spirit within me What a diligent examination of his conscience thoughts and cogitations was this in a king And al this was for the avoiding and resisting of sin as also it was in Saint Paul who examined his conscience so narrowly resisted al temptations with such diligence attention as he could pronounce of himselfe that to his knowledge he was in his ministerie guiltie of nothing albeit he doth confesse in another place that he had most vile and strong temptations of the flesh laied upon him of the devil by Gods appointment Yet by the grace of Christ he resisted and overcame al. For the better performance wherof it is likely that he used also these external helps and remedies of tru fasting earnest praieng diligent watching and severe chastising of his body by continual and most painful labour in his vocation
But now saith this good man this word Never breaketh his hart when he thinketh on it and that after a hundred thousand millions of worlds there suffered he hath as far to his end as he had at the first day of his entrance to these torments Consider good Christian what a length one hour would seem unto thee if thou hadst but to hold thy hand in fire and brimstone onlie during the space therof We see if a man be greevouslie sik though he be laid upon a verie soft bed yet one night seemeth a long time unto him He turneth and tosseth himselfe from side to side telling the clok and counting everie hour as it passeth which seemeth to him a whole day And if a man should say unto him that he were to abide that pain but seven yeeres togither he would go nigh to dispair for greefe Now if one night seem so long and tedious to him that lieth on a good soft bed afflicted onlie with a litle agu what wil the lieng in fire and brimstone do when he shal know evidentlie that he shal never have end therof Oh deer brother the sacietie of cōtinuance is lothsom even in things that are not evil of themselves If thou shouldest be bound alwais to eat one onlie meat it would be displeasant to thee in the end If thou shouldest be bound to sit stil al thy life in one place without moving it would be greevous unto thee albeit no man did torment thee in that place What then wil it be to lie eternally that is world without end in most exquisite torments Is it any way tollerable What judgement then what wit what discretion is there left in men which make no more account of this matter than they do 20 I might here ad another circumstance which the scripture addeth to wit that al these torments shal be in darknes a thing dreadful of it self unto mans nature For there is not the stoutest man in the world if he found himselfe alone naked in extreme darknes should hear a noise of spirits comming towards him but he would fear albeit he felt never a lash from them on his bodie I might also ad another circumstance that the prophet addeth which is that God good men shal laugh at them that day which wil be no smal affliction For as to be mooved by a mans frind in time of adversitie is some comfort so to be laughed at especiallie by him who onlie may help him is a great and intollerable increase of his miserie 21 And now al this that I have spoken of hitherto is but one part of a damned mans punishment onlie called by Divines Poena sensus The pain of sense or feeling that is the pain or punishment sensibly inflicted upon the soul and bodie But yet besides this there is another part of his punishment called Poena damni The pain of losse or dammage which by al lerned mens opinion is either greater or no lesse than the former And this is the infinite losse which a damned man hath in being excluded for ever and ever from the sight of his creator and his glorie Which sight only being sufficient to make happie and blessed al them that are admitted unto it must needs be an infinite miserie to the damned man to lak that eternallie And therfore this is put as one of the first and cheefest plaegs to be laid upon him Tollatur impius ne videat gloriam dei Let the wicked man be taken away to hel to the end he may not see the glorie of God And this losse conteineth al other losses and damages in it as the losse of eternal blisse and joy as I have said of eternal glorie of eternal societie with the Angels and the like which losses when a damned man considereth as he can not but consider them stil he taketh more greef therof as Divines do hold than by al the other sensible torments that he abideth besides 22 Wherunto apperteineth the worm of conscience in scripture so called for that as a worm lieth eating and gnawing the wood wherin she abideth so shal the remorse of our own conscience lie within us griping and tormenting us for ever And this worm or remorse shal principallie consist in bringing to our minds al the means and causes of our present extreme calamities as our negligences wherby we lost the felicitie which other men have gotten And at everie one of these considerations this worm shal give vs a deadly bit even unto the hart As when it shal lay before us al the occasions that we had offered to avoid this miserie wherin now we are fallen to have gotten the glorie which we have lost how easie it had been to have done it how nigh we were oftentimes to resolve our selves to do it and yet how ungratiously we left of that cogitation again how manie times we were foretold of this danger and yet how little care and fear we took of the same how vain the worldlie trifles were wherin we spent our time and for which we lost heaven fel into this intollerable miserie how they are exalted whom we thought fooles in the world and how we are now prooved fooles and laughed at which thought our selves wise These things I saie and a thousand mo being laid before us by our own conscience shal yeeld us infinite greef for that it is now too late to amend thē And this greef is called the worm or remorse of our own conscience which worm shal more inforce men to weep and houl than any torment else considering how negligentlie foolishlie and vainlie they are come into those so insupportable torments and that now there is no more time to redresse their errors 23 Now only is the time of weeping and lamenting for these men but al in vain Now shal they begin to fret and fume and marvel at themselves saieng Where was our wit Where was our understanding Where was our judgement when we followed vanities and contemned these matters This is the talk of sinners in hel saith the scripture What hath our pride or what hath the glorie of our riches profited us They are al now vanished like a shadow we have wearied out our selves in the way of iniquitie and perdition but the way of the Lord we have not known This I say must be the everlasting song of the damned worm-eaten conscience in hel eternal repentance without profit Wherby he shal be brought to such desperation as the scripture noteth as he shal turn into furie against himselfe tear his own flesh rent his own soul if it were possible and invite the feends to torment him seeing he hath so beastlie behaved himselfe in this world as not to provide in time for this principal matter onlie indeed to have been thought upon Oh if he could have but another life to live in the world again how would he passe it over With what diligence With
world cannot be partaker of this benefit neither the hart replenished with carnal cares and cogitations For as Gods Ark and the idol Dagon could not stand togither upon one altar so cannot Christ and the world stand togither in one hart God sent not the pleasant Manna unto the people of Israel as long as their flower chibals of Egypt lasted so neither wil he send this heavenly consolation unto thee until thou have rid thy selfe of the cogitations of vanitie He is a wise merchant though a liberal he wil not give a tast of his treasure where he knoweth there is no wil to buy Resolve thy selfe once indeed to serve God and thou shalt then feele this joy that I talk of as many thousands before thee have done and never yet any man was herein deceived Moises first ran out of Egypt to the hils of Madian before God appeered unto him and so must thy soul go out of worldly vanitie before she can look for these consolations But thou shalt no sooner offer thy selfe thoroughly to Gods service than thou shalt find intertainment above thy expectation For that his love is more tender indeed upon them that come newly to this service than upon those which have served him of old as he sheweth plainly by the parable of the prodigal son whom he cherished with much more daliance and good cheere than he did the elder brother which had served him of long time And the causes hereof are two the one for the joy of the new gotten servant as is expressed by Saint Luke in the text the other lest he finding no consolation at the beginning should turn bak to Egypt again as God by a figure in the children of Israel declareth manifestly in these words When Pharao had let go the people of Israel out of Egypt God brought them not by the country of the Philistines which was the neerest way thinking with himselfe that it might repent them if they should see wars streightway rise against them and so should return into Egypt again Vpon which two causes thou maist assure thy selfe of singular consolations and comforts in the service of God if thou wouldest resolve thy selfe therunto as al other men have found before thee and by reason therof have prooved the way not hard as worldly men imagin it but most easie pleasant and comfortable as Christ hath promised 17 After this privilege of internal consolation insueth another making the service of God pleasant which is the testimonie of a good conscience wherof Saint Paul made so great account as he called it His glorie And the holy Ghost saith of it further by the mouth of the wise man Secura mens quasi iuge convivium A secure mind or a good conscience is a perpetual feast Of which we may infer that the vertuous man having alwais this secure mind and peace of conscience liveth alwais in festival glory and glorious feasting And how then is this life hard or unpleasant as you imagin In the contrarie side the wicked man having his conscience vexed with the privitie of sin is alwaies tormented within it selfe as we read that Cain was having killed his brother Abel and Antiochus for his wickednes done to Ierusalem and Iudas for his treason against his maister and Christ signifieth it generally of al naughtie men when he saith that They have a worm which gnaweth their conscience within The reason wherof the scripture openeth in another place when it saith Al wickednes is ful of fear giving testimony of damnation against it self therfore a troubled conscience alway suspecteth cruel maters That is suspecteth cruel things to be imminent over it selfe as it maketh account to have deserved But yet further above al other holie Iob most lively setteth foorth this miserable state of wicked men in these words A wicked man is prooved al the dais of his life though the time be uncertain how long he shal play the tyrant the sound of terror is alwais in his eares and although it be in time of peace yet he alway suspecteth some treason against him he beleeveth not that he can rise again from darknes to light expecting on everie side the sword to come upon him When he sitteth down to eat he remembreth that the day of darknes is readie at hand for him tribulation terrifieth him and anguish environeth him even as a king is environed with soldiers when he goeth to war 18 Is not this a marvelous description of a wicked conscience uttered by the holie Ghost himselfe What can be imagined more miserable than this man which hath such a boucherie and slaughter house within his own hart What feares what anguishes are heer touched S. Chrysostom discourseth notably upon this point Such is the custom of sinners saith he that they suspect al things dowt their own shadowes they are afeard at every little noise they think every man that commeth towards them to come against them If men talk togither they think they speak of their sins Such a thing sin is as it bewraieth it self though no man accuse it it condemneth it selfe though no man bear witnes against it it maketh alwais the sinner fearful as justice doth the contrarie Heare how the scripture doth describe the sinners fear the just mans libertie The wicked man flieth though no man pursu him saith the scripture Why doth he flie if no man do pursu him For that he hath within his conscience an accuser pursuing him whom alwais he carrieth about him And as he cannot flie from himself so can he not fly from his accuser within his conscience but whersoever he goeth he is pursued whipped by the same and his wound incurable But the just man is nothing so The iust man saith Salomon is as confident as a lion Hitherto are the words of Saint Chrysostom 19 Wherby as also by the scriptures alledged we take notice yet of another prerogative of vertuous life which is hope or confidence the greatest treasure the richest jewel that Christian men have left thē in this life For by this we passe through al afflictions al tribulations adversities most joifully as S. Iames signifieth By this we say with Saint Paul We do glorie in our tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience proofe and proofe hope which confoundeth us not This is our most strong and mightie comfort this is our sure ankor in al tempestuous times as Saint Paul saith We have a most strong solace saith he which do flie unto the hope proposed to lay hands on the same which hope we hold as a sure and firm armor of our soul. This is that noble Galea salutis the head-peece of salvation as the same apostle calleth it which beareth off al the blowes that this world can lay upon us And finally this is the only rest set up in the hart of a vertuous
is understood of his sinful acts he addeth a little after the maner of this purgation saieng His flesh being consumed by punishments let him return again to the dais of his youth That is al his fleshly humors and passions being now consumed by punishments and tribulations let him begin to live again in such puritie of soul as he did at the beginning of his youth before he had contracted these evil humors and diseases 11 Neither only is tribulation a strong medicin to heal sin and to purge away the reffuse metals in us of brasse tin iron lead and drosse as God by Ezechiel saith but also a most excellent preservative against sin for the time to come according as good king David said Thy discipline O Lord hath corrected me for evermore That is it hath made me warie and watchful not to commit sin again according as the scripture saith in another place Agreevous infirmitie or affliction maketh the fool sober For which cause the prophet Ieremie calleth tribulation Virgam vigilantem A watchful rod. That is as Saint Ierom expoundeth it a rod that maketh a man watchful The same signified God when he said by Ose the prophet I wil hedge in thy way with thorns That is I wil so close thy life on every side with the remembrance and fear of affliction that thou shalt not dare to tread awry lest thou tread upon a thorn Al which good David expresseth of himselfe in these words Before I was humbled and brought low by affliction I did sin and offend thee O Lord but after that time I have kept thy commandements 12 Of this also appeereth another cause why God afflicteth his elect in this life and that is to prevent his justice upon them in the world to come Touching which Saint Barnard saith thus Oh would to God some man would now beforehand provide for my head abundance of waters and to mine eies a fountain of teares for so happily the burning fire should take no hold where running teares had clensed before And the reason of this is as that holie man himselfe noteth after for that God hath said by Naum the prophet I have afflicted thee once I wil not afflict thee again there shal not come from me a double tribulation 13 Sixtlie God sendeth tribulation upon his servants to proove them therby whether they be faithful and constant or no That is to make themselves and other men see and confesse how faithful or unfaithful they are This after a sort was figured when Isaac would grope touch his son Iacob before he would blesse him And this the scripture expresseth plainly when talking of the tribulations laid upon Abraham It addeth Tentavit Deus Abraham God tempted Abraham By these means to proove him And Moises said to the people of Israel Thou shalt remember how thy God led thee fortie yeers about the desert to afflict thee and tempt thee to the end it might appeer what was in thy hart whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. And again a few chapters after Your God and Lord doth tempt you to the end it may be manifest whether you love him or no with al your hart and with al your soul. In which sense also the scripture saith of Ezechias after many praises given unto him That God left him for a time to be tempted that the thoughts of his hart might therby be made manifest And that this is Gods fashion towards al good men king David sheweth in the person of al when he saith Thou hast prooved us O Lord thou hast examined us by fire thou hast laid tribulation upon our baks and hast brought men upon our heads And yet how wel he liked of this matter he signifieth when he calleth for more therof in another place saieng Try me O Lord and tempt me burn my reins and hart within me That is try me by the way of tribulation and persecution search out the secrets of my hart and reins let the world see whether I wil stick to thee in adversitie or no. Thus said that holie prophet wel knowing that which in another place the holie Ghost uttereth that As the fornace trieth the potters vessels so tribulation trieth men For as the sound vessels only do hold when they come to the fornace and those which are crased do break in peeces so in time of tribulation and persecution the vertuous only stand to it and the counterfet bewray themselves according to the saieng of Christ In tempore tentationis recedunt They depart from me in time of temptation 14 The seventh reason why God laieth tribulation upon the vertuous is therby to make them run unto him for aid and help even as the mother to make hir child more to love hir and to run unto hir procureth the same to be made afraid and terrified by others This God expresseth plainly by the prophet Ose saieng of those that he loved I wil draw them unto me in the ropes of Adam in the chains of love and wil seem unto them as though I raised a yoke upon their iaw bones By the ropes of Adam he meaneth affliction wherby he drew Adam to know himselfe as also appeereth by that he addeth of the heavie yoke of tribulation which he wil lay upon the heads and faces of his servants as chains of love therby to draw them unto him This chain had drawn David unto him when he said O Lord thou art my refuge from the tribulation of sinners As also those wherof Esay saith They sought thee out O Lord in their affliction Also those of whom David said Infirmities were multiplied upon them and after that they made haste to come And God saith generally of al good men They wil rise betimes in the morning and come to me in their tribulation Wherfore holy king David desiring to do certain men good and to win them to God saith in one of his psalms Fil their faces O Lord with shame and confusion and then wil they seek unto thy name And this is tru as I said in the elect and chosen servants of God but in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not neither doth this chain of love win them unto God Wherof God himselfe complaineth saieng In vain have I stricken your children for they have not received my discipline And again the prophet Ieremie saith of them to God Thou hast crushed them and they have refused to receive thy discipline they have hardened their faces even as a rok and wil not return to thee Behold they have rent the yoke and broken the chains 15 Of this now ensueth an eight reason why God bringeth his servants into affliction to wit therby to shew his power and love in delivering them For as in this world a princely mind desireth nothing more than to have occasion
wherby to shew his abilitie and good wil unto his deer frind so God which hath al occasions in his own hands and passeth al his creatures togither in greatnes of love and nobilitie of mind worketh purposely divers occasions and opportunities wherby to shew and exercise the same So he brought the three children into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and love in delivering them So he brought Daniel into the lions den Susanna unto the point of death Iob into extreme miserie Ioseph into prison Toby unto blindnes therby to shew his power and love in their deliverance For this cause also did Christ suffer the ship to be almost drowned before he would awake and Saint Peter to be almost under water before he would take him by the hand 16 And of this one reason many other reasons and most comfortable causes do appeer of Gods dealing heerin As first that we being delivered from our afflictions might take more joy and delite therof than if we had never suffered the same For as water is more grateful to the waifaring man after a long drith and a calm more pleasant unto passengers after a troublesom tempest so is our deliverie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture saith Speciosa misericordia Dei in tempore tribulationis The mercie of God is beautiful and pleasant in time of tribulation This signified also Christ when he said Your sorrow shal be turned into ioy that is you shal rejoice that ever you were sorrowful This had David prooved when he said Thy rod O Lord and thy staff have comforted me that is I take great comfort that ever I was chastised with them And again According to the multitude of my sorrows thy consolations have made ioiful my mind that is for every sorrow that I received in time of affliction I receive now a consolation after my deliverance And again in another place I wil exult and reioice in thy mercie O Lord. And wherfore good king wilt thou so rejoice It followeth immediately For that thou hast respected mine abasement and hast delivered my soul from the necessitie wherin she was and hast not left me in the hands of mine enimie This then is one most gracious meaning of our loving and merciful father in afflicting us for a time to the end our joy may be the greater after our deliverance as no dowt but it was in al those whom I have named before delivered by Gods mercy I mean Abraham Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Tobias Peter and the rest who took more joy after their deliverance than if they had never been in affliction at al. When Iudith had delivered Bethulia and returned thither with Holofernes head there was more hartie joy in that citie than ever there would have been if it had not been in distresse When S. Peter was delivered out of prison by the angel there was more joy for his deliverance in the church than could have been if he had never been in prison at al. 17 Out of this great joy resulteth another effect of our tribulation much pleasant to God and comfortable to our selves and that is a most hartie and earnest thanksgiving to God for our deliverance such as the prophet used when he said after his deliverance I for my part wil sing of thy strength and wil exalt thy mercy betimes in the morning for that thou hast been my aider and refuge in the day of my tribulation Such hartie thanks and praise did the children of Israel yeeld to God for their deliverance when they were passed over the red sea in that notable song of theirs which beginneth Cantemus Domino And is registred by Moises in Exodus From like hartie affect came also those songs of Anna Debora and Iudith mooved therunto by the remembrance of their affliction past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth and desireth at our hands as he testifieth by the prophet saieng Cal upon me in the day of tribulation I wil deliver thee and thou shalt honor me 18 Besides al these God hath yet further reasons of laieng persecution upon us as for example for that by suffering and perceiving indeed Gods assistance consolation therin we come to be so hardie bold and constant in his service as nothing afterward can dismay us even as Moises though he were first afeard of the serpent made of his rod and fled away from it yet after by Gods commandement he had once taken it by the tail he feared it no more This the prophet David expresseth notablie when he saith God hath been our refuge and strength and helper in our great tribulations and therfore we wil not fear if the whol earth should be trouble the mountains cast into the midst of the sea What greater confidence can be imagined than this 19 Again by persecution and affliction God bringeth his children to the exercise of many of those vertues that do belong to a Christian man and to enter into some reasonable possession of them As for example Faith is exercised in time of tribulation in considering the causes of Gods exercising of us and beleeving most assuredly the promises he hath made for our deliverance Hope is exercised in conceiving and assuring hirselfe of the reward promised to them that suffer patience Charitie is exercised in considering the love of Christ suffering for us and therby provoketh the afflicted to suffer again with him Obedience is exercised in conforming our wils to the wil of Christ. Patience in bearing quietly Humilitie in abasing our selves in the sight of God And so likewise al other vertues belonging to a good Christian are stirred up and established in man by tribulation according to the saieng of S. Peter God shal make perfect confirm and establish those which have suffered a little for his name 20 Finally Gods meaning is by laieng persecution and affliction upon us to make us perfect Christians that is like unto Christ our captain whom the prophet calleth Virum dolorum scientem infirmitatem A man of sorrows and one that had tasted of al maner of infirmities Therby to receive the more glorie at his return to heaven and to make more glorious al those that wil take his part therin To speak in one word God would make us by tribulation crucified Christians which is the most honorable title that can be given unto a creature crucified I say and mortified to the vanities of this world to the flesh to our own concupiscence and carnal desires but quik and ful of al lively spirit to vertu godlines devotion This is the heavenly meaning of our soveraign Lord God in sending us persecution tribulation affliction in respect wherof holy Iob dowteth not to say Blessed is the man that is
the discipline of the Lord and be not wearie when thou art chastened of him For whom God loveth he chasteneth he whippeth every son whom he receiveth Persevere therfore in the correction laid upon you God offereth himselfe to you as to his children For what child is there whom the father correcteth not If you be out of correction wherof al his children are made partakers then are you bastards and not children Al correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth unpleasant and sorrowful but yet after it bringeth foorth most quiet fruit of justice unto them that are exercised by it Wherfore strengthen up your wearie hands and loosed knees make way to your feet c. That is take courage unto you and go forward valiantly under the crosse laid upon you This was the exhortation of this holie captain unto his countrie men soldiers of Iesus Christ the Iewes 47 Saint Iames the brother of our Lord useth another exhortation to al tru Catholiks not much different from this in that his epistle which he writeth generally to al. Be you therfore patient my brethren saith he until the comming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruit of the earth so pretious unto him bearing patiently until he may receive the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your harts for that the comming of the Lord wil shortly draw neere Be not sad and complain not one of another Behold the judge is even at the gate Take the prophets for an example of labor and patience which spake unto us in the name of God Behold we account them blessed which have suffered You have heard of the sufferance of Iob and you have seen the end of the Lord with him you have seen I say that the Lord is merciful and ful of compassion 48 I might heer alledge many things more out of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is most copious heerin and in verie deed if it should al be melted and powred out it would yeeld us nothing else almost but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulation in this life But I must end for that this chapter riseth to be long as the other before did and therfore I wil only for my conclusion set down the confession and most excellent exhortation of old Mathathias unto his children in the time of the cruel persecution of Antiochus against the Iews Now saith he is the time that pride is in hir strength now is the time of chastisement towards us of eversion and indignation come Now therfore O children be you zealous in the law of God yeeld up your lives for the testament of your fathers remember the works of your ancestors what they have done in their generations and so shal you receive great glorie and eternal name Was not Abraham found faithful in time of temptation and it was reputed unto him for justice Ioseph in time of his distresse kept Gods commandements and was made Lord over al Egypt Phinees our father for his zeal towards the law of God received the testament of an everlasting preesthood Iosue for that he fulfilled Gods word was made a captain over al Israel Caleb for that he testified in the church received an inheritance David for his mercie obtained the seat of an eternal kingdom Elias for that he was zealous in zeal of the law was taken up to heaven Ananias Azarias and Misael through their beleef were delivered from the flame of the fire Daniel for his simplicitie was delivered from the mouth of lions And so do you run over by cogitation al generations and you shal see that al those that hope in God shal not be vanquished And do you not fear the words of a sinful man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and worms to day he is great and exalted and to morrow he shal not be found for he shal return unto his earth again and al his fond cogitations shal perish Wherfore take courage unto you my children and play the men in the law of God For therin shal be your honor and glorie Hitherto are the words of Mathathias which shal suffice for the end of this chapter CHAP. III. Of the third impediment that letteth men from resolution which is the love of the world AS the two impediments remooved before be indeed great staies to many men from the resolution we talk of so this that now I take in hand is not only of it selfe a strong impediment but also a great cause and common ground as it were to al the other impediments that be For if a man could touch the very pulse of al those who refuse or neglect or defer this resolution he should find the foundation therof to be the love of this world whatsoever other excuse they pretend besides The noble men of Iewrie pretended fear to be the cause why they could not resolve to confesse Christ openly but Saint Iohn that felt their pulse uttereth the tru cause to have been For that they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God Demas that forsook Saint Paul in his bands even a little before his death pretended another cause of his departure to Thessalonica but Saint Paul saith it was Quia diligebat hoc seculum For that he loved this world So that this is a general and universal impediment and more indeed dispersed than outwardly appeereth for that it bringeth foorth divers other excuses therby to cover hir selfe in many men 2 This may be confirmed by that most excellent parable of Christ recorded by three Evangelists of the three sorts of men which are to be damned the three causes of their damnation wherof the third and last and most general including as it were both the rest is the love of this world For the first sort of men are compared to a high way where al seed of life that is sown either withereth presently or else is eaten up by the birds of the aire that is as Christ expoundeth it by the devil in carelesse men that contemn whatsoever is said unto them as infidels and al other obstinate and contemptuous people The second sort are compared to rocky grounds in which for lak of deep roote the seed continueth not wherby are signified light and unconstant men that now chop in and now run out now are fervent and by and by key-cold again and so in time of temptation they are gon The third sort are compared to a field where the seed groweth up but yet there are so many thorns on the same which Christ expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries deceveable vanities of this life as the good corn is choked up and bringeth foorth no fruit By which last words our savior signifieth that whersoever the doctrine of Christ groweth up yet bringeth not foorth du fruit that is whersoever it is
received and imbraced as it is among al Christians and yet bringeth not foorth good life there the cause is for that it is choked with the vanities of this world 3 This is a parable of marvelous great importance as may appeer both for that Christ after the recital therof cried out with a lowd voice He that hath ears to hear let him hear as also for that he expounded it himselfe in secret only to his disciples and principally for that before the exposition therof he useth such a solemn preface saieng To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven but to others not for that they seeing do not see and hearing do not hear nor understand Wherby Christ signifieth that the understanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceiving the tru mysteries of the kingdome of heaven that many are blind which seem to see and many deaf and ignorant that seem to hear and know for that they understand not wel the mysteries of this parable For which cause also Christ maketh this conclusion before he beginneth to expound the parable Happy are your eies that see and blessed are your ears that hear After which words he beginneth his exposition with this admonition Vos ergo audite parabolam Do you therfore hear and understand this parable 4 And for that this parable doth contain and touch so much indeed as may or needeth be said for remooving of this great and dangerous impediment of worldly love I mean to stay my selfe only upon the explication therof in this place and wil declare the force truth of certain words heer uttered by Christ of the world and worldly pleasures and for some order and methods sake I wil draw al to these six points following First how and in what sense al the world and commodities therof are vanities of no valu as Christ heer signifieth and consequently ought not to be an impediment to let us from so great a matter as the kingdome of heaven and the serving of God is Secondly how they are not only vanities and trifles in themselves but also deceptions as Christ saith that is deceits not performing to us indeed those little trifles which they do promise Thirdly how they are Spinae that is pricking thorns as Christ saith though they seem to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant Fourthly how they are aerumnae that is miseries and afflictions as also Christs words are Fiftly Quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke us as Christ affirmeth Sixtly how we may use them notwithstanding without these dangers and evils and to our great comfort gain and preferment 5 And touching the first I do not see how it may be better prooved that al the pleasures and goodly shewes of this world are vanities as Christ heer saith than to alledge the testimonie of one which hath prooved them al that is of one which speaketh not of speculation but of his own proofe and practise and this is king Salomon of whom the scripture reporteth woonderful matters touching his peace prosperitie riches and glorie in this world as that al the kings of the earth desired to see his face for his wisdome and renowmed felicitie that al the princes living besides were not like him in wealth that he had six hundred sixtie and six talents of gold which is an infinite sum brought him in yeerly besides al other that he had from the kings of Arabia and other princes that silver was as plentiful with him as heaps of stones and not esteemed for the great store and abundance he had therof that his plate and jewels had no end that his seat of majestie with stooles lions to bear it up and other furniture was of gold passing al other kingly seats in the world that his pretious apparel and armor was infinite that he had al the kings from the river of the Philistians unto Egypt to serve him that he had fortie thousand horses in his stables to ride and twelve thousand chariots with horses and other furniture readie to them for his use that he had two hundred spears of gold born before him and six hundred crowns of gold bestowed in everie spear as also three hundred buklers three hundred crowns of gold bestowed in the gilding of everie bukler that he spent everie day in his house a thousand nine hundred thirtie and seven quarters of meal flower thirtie oxen with an hundred wethers beside al other flesh that he had seaven hundred wives as queenes and three hundred others as concubines Al this and much more doth scripture report of Salomons worldly wealth wisdome riches and prosperitie which he having tasted and used to his fil pronounced yet at the last this sentence of it al Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas Vanitie of vanities and al is vanitie By vanitie of vanities meaning as Saint Ierom interpreteth the greatnes of this vanitie above al other vanities that may be devised 6 Neither only doth Salomon affirm this thing but doth prove it also by examples of himself I have been king of Israel in Ierusalem saith he and I purposed with my selfe to seek out by wisdome al things I have seen that al under the sun are meer vanities affliction of spirit I said in my hart I wil go and abound in delites and in every pleasure that may be had And I saw that this was also vanitie I tooke great works in hand builded houses to my selfe planted vineyards made orchards and gardens and beset them with al kind of trees I made me fish ponds to water my trees I possessed servants and hand-maids and had a great familie great herds of cattel above any that ever were before me in Ierusalem I gathered togither gold and silver the riches of kings and provinces I appointed to my selfe singers both men and women which are the delites of the children of men fine cups also to drink wine withal and whatsoever my eies did desire I denied it not unto them neither did I let my hart from using any pleasure to delite it selfe in these things which I prepared And when I turned my selfe to al that my hands had made and to al the labors wherin I had taken such pains and sweat I saw in them al vanitie and affliction of the mind 7 This is the testimonie of Salomon upon his own proof in these matters and if he had spoken it upon his wisdome only being such as it was we ought to beleeve him but much more seeing he affirmeth it of his own experience But yet if any man be not mooved with this let us bring yet another witnes out of the new testament and such a one as was privie to the opinion of Christ heerin that is Saint Iohn the evangelist whose words are these Do not love the world nor those things that are in the world if any man love the
dore if I open presently he wil enter and dwel within me But if I defer it until to morrow I know not whether he wil knok again or no. Every man ought to remember stil that saieng of the prophet touching Gods spirit Hodie si vocem eius audieritis nolite obdurare corda vestra If you hear his voice calling on you to day do not harden your harts but presently yeeld unto him 32 Alas deer brother what hope of gain hast thou by this perilous dilation which thou makest Thine account is increased therby as I have shewed thy debt of amendement is made more greevous thine enimie more strong thy selfe more feeble thy difficulties of conversion multiplied what hast thou then to withhold thee one day frō resolution the gaining of a litle time in vanitie But I have prooved to thee before how this time is not gained but lost being spent without fruit of godlines which is indeed the only tru gain of time If it seem pleasant to thee for the present yet remember what the prophet saith Iuxta est dies perditionis adesse festinant tempora The day of perdition is at hand and the times of destruction make hast to come on Which day being once come I marvel what hope thou wilt conceive Dost thou think to crie Peccavi It shal be wel truly if thou canst do it but yet thou knowest that Pharao did so and gat nothing by it Dost thou intend to make a good testament and to be liberal in alms deeds at that time This as the case may be is very commendable but yet thou must remember also that the virgins which filled their lamps at the very instant were shut out and utterly rejected by Christ. Dost thou think to weep and moorn and to moove thy judge with tears at that instant First this is not in thy hands to do at thy pleasures and yet thou must consider also that Esau failed though he sought it with tears as the apostle wel noteth Dost thou mean to have many good purposes to make great promises and vowes in that distresse Cal to mind the case of Antiochus in his extremities what promises of good deeds what vowes of vertuous life made he to God upon condition he might escape and yet prevailed he nothing therby Al this is spoken not to put them in despair which are now in those last calamities but to dissuade others from falling into the same assuring thee gentle reader that the prophet said not without a cause Seek unto God while he may be found cal upon him while he is neer at hand Now is the time acceptable now is the day of salvation saith Saint Paul Now is God to be found and neeer at hand to imbrace al them that truly turn unto him and make firm resolution of vertuous life heerafter If we defer this time we have no warrant that he wil either cal us or receive us heerafter but rather many threats to the contrarie as hath been shewed Wherfore I wil end with this one sentence of S. Austen that He is both a careles and a most graceles man which knowing al this wil venture notwithstanding the eternitie of his salvation and damnation upon the dowtful event of his final repentance CHAP. VI. Of three other impediments that hinder men from resolution which are sloth negligence and hardnes of hart BEsides al impediments which hitherto have bin named there are yet divers others to be found if any man could examin the particular consciences of al such as do not resolve But these three heer mentioned and to be handeled in this chapter are so publik and known as I may not passe them over without discovering the same for that manie times men are evil affected and know not their own diseases the only declaration wherof to such as are desirous of their own health is sufficient to avoid the danger of the siknes 2 First then the impediment of sloth is a great and ordinarie let of resolution to manie men but especially in idle and delicate people whose life hath been in al ease and rest and therfore do persuade themselves that they can take no pains nor abide any hardnes though never so fain they would Of which Saint Paul saith that Nise people shal not inherit the kingdome of heaven These men wil confesse to be tru as much more than is said to before and that they would also gladly put the same in execution but that they cannot Their bodies may not bear it they can take no pains in their several callings and in the general they cannot fast they cannot watch they cannot praie They cannot leave their disports recreations and merry companions they should die presently as they say with melancholy if they did it yet in their harts they desire forsooth that they could do the same which seeing they cannot no dowt say they God wil accept our good desires But let them harken a little what the scripture saith heerof Desires do kil the slothful man saith Salomon his hands wil not fal to any work al the day long he coveteth and desireth but he that is iust wil do and wil not cease Take the slothful and unprofitable servant saith Christ and fling him into utter darknes where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And when he passed by the way and found a fig tree with leaves without fruit he gave it presently an everlasting curse 3 Of this fountain of sloth do proceed many effects that hinder the slothful from resolution And the first is a certain heavines and sleepie drowsines towards al goodnes according as the scripture saith Pigredo mittit soporem Sloth doth bring drowsines For which cause S. Paul saith Surge qui dormis Arise thou that art asleep And Christ crieth out so often Videte vigilate Looke about you and watch You shal see many men in the world with whom if you talk of a cow or a calfe or a fat ox of a peece of ground or the like they can both hear and talk willingly and freshly but if you reason with them of their salvation and their inheritance in the kingdome of heaven they answer not at al but wil hear as if they were in a dream Of these men then saith the wise man How long wilt thou sleep O slothful fellow When wilt thou rise out of thy dream A little yet wilt thou sleep a little longer wilt thou slumber a little wilt thou close thy hands togither and take rest and so povertie shal hasten upon thee as a running post and beggerie as an armed man shal take and possesse thee 4 The second effect of sloth is fond fear of pains and labor and casting of dowts where none be according as the scripture saith Pigrum deijcit timor Fear discourageth the slothful man And the prophet saith of the like They shake for fear