thou shalt die after which death because thou art a Christiā be sure thou shalt giue vp a reckoning of thy life forepassed Of this the faith which we professe wil not permit vs to doubt that other dayly experience doth confirme assuredly so that none can shunne or escape the one nor the other Be he Pope Prince or Emperour there shall come a time wherein eyther hee shall sée bright day continually or vgly night incessantly That time shall come without al doubt yet thou knowest not when whether it will be to day or to morrow In what time thou now readest this writing whole and sounde in all thy sences and members measuring the vayes of thy life according to thy businesse and delights shalt sée thy selfe in a bedde with a candle in thy hand attending the dint of death and sentence pronounced against humaine kinde which by no manner suite may bee released There shall be presented vnto thée the depriuation of all earthly delights the insupportable payne and passion of death the ende and last Pageant of thy life the horrour of thy graue the cursed condition of thy body allotted to be deuoured of woormes But the wretched estate of the soule will bee much more gréeuous vnto thée which béeing yet in the body knoweth not after an houre or two where his habitation shall be assigned Then in a moment thou shalt sée thy selfe sette before the tribunall seate of God almightie blaming and accusing vnto him thine owne naughtie life There thou shalt clearely discerne she foule enormious crimes whereof thou art guiltie and shall curse ten thousand times the day in which thou diddest transgresse the commaundements of God and the delight which stirred thée thereunto Then shalt thou meruaile at thy selfe how for so brickle pleasures as are those which thou imbrasedst diddest hazard thy selfe to endure perpetuall torments whereof thou now beginnest to haue a taste and smack for that the ioyes béeing now quite vanished away and the doome due vnto thée approaching neare that slender substance which was in them loosing his essence and beeing seemeth that it was nothing at all But the remorse and sting wherwith they presently prick and presse thy conscience appeareth to bée of inestimable force and efficacie Perceiuing therefore how for such transitorie trifles thou art at poynt to be bereaued of so incomparable felicitie béeing abashed thereat considerest thine owne distresse for that thou hauing runne out thy race there resteth no longer continuance of life nor leysure of repentance neither thy worldly fréendes neither the Idols to whom thou hast auowed the whole trauaile and terme of thy life can assist or succour thée at all yea those things which earst thou louedst most tenderly will be héere vnto thee the cause of grétest gréefe Tell me I pray thée when thou shalt sée thy selfe plunged in this perplexitie whither wilt thou turne what wilt thou doo to whom wilt thou crye To go backe it is impossible so goe forwarde intollerable to remaine as thou art thou mayest not what then wilt thou doo Then sayth God by the mouth of the Prophet the Sun shall not bee séene of the vngodly in the midday and I will bring darknesse vppon them in the bright day and I will conuert their pleasaunt sports to bitter plaints their dauncing and dallying to dolour and deadly dread Oh what wordes bee these Ezech. 32 The Sunne shall go downe in the midday because she huge heape of sinne then ouerwhelming the wicked which séeing by the iust iudgement of God the course of their life and time of repentance to b◠abridged many of them are so appalled with feare that they fall to flat dispayre of the mildenesse and mercy of GOD. And abyding yet in the middest of the day for so much as is remaynent of their mortall life which is the very time to merit or not to merit it séemeth vnto them that they haue no longer respect to doo good or euill but are vtterly excluded of both verily the passion of feare is of great force and vehemencie which maketh things that bee farre from vs séeme to bee present and of a trifle rayseth a tragedie If the consideration of this causeth them sometime to quake a little what then shall the feare of their vndoubted and iust ieopardie cause them to doo They béeing yet in this life beginne to suffer sensibly the gréefe and reproach of the Reprobate and in one very moment are both quick and dead For bewayling the present pleasures which they must forsake beginne to séele the future miserie which so much they feare They holde them most happie which tarry here behinde whereby they are prouoked to enuie which greatly augmenteth their griese To those the Sunne goeth downe at noone dayes for so much as which way soeuer they caste theyr eyes they sée themselues debarred on euery side from accesse to Heauen and that no beame or sparke of comfort appeareth vnto them for if they regarde the bountie of God they sée how sore they haue offended him if they behold his iustice they see him in a manner rigorously to rush vppon them for that hitherto the time and tide hath béene at their becke but now Gods turne is at hande If they looke backe to their life forepassed they sée what accusations groweth therof If to the time present they sée themselues to pecke ouer the pearch by péecemeale If they looke forwarde a little further they beholde the Iudge attending for their accounts Alasse what shall the séely wretches doo béeing atteinted with so many trespasses and affrighted with such furious feares at once For this cause the Prophet said that the bright day shall be turned into darkenesse thereby to giue vs notice that those things whereof the wicked are wont to take their greatest consolation should then be vnto them the cheefest cause of their discomfort It is a good thing I graunt for a man to sée his sonnes his friendes his house his worldly workes and all that he loueth besides but then this chearefull light shall bee altogither conuerted to profound darknesse for that all these things shall heape more heauinesse and shall become most bitter persecuters of their affectioned louers For as by nature and common custome we take no small delight in the present possession of those thinges which we loue and like well So likewise the losse thereof bringeth excessiue gréefe Therefore let the swéete children depart out of their fathers sight when hée lyeth at poynt of death and lette the mother also absent her selfe that shee may not giue and receiue by her presence so many sharpe assaults of sorrowe And his departure béeing into so far countries his iourney through so straunge and vnknowne waies the pinching smart which hee abideth will not permit him to haue confidence in any thing neyther will graunt him to take his leaue of his fréends If thou standest now vppon the same termes I spake of thou shalt well perceiue I haue not swarued from the truth
which yéeldeth his fruite in due and conuenient time whiche neuer léeseth his verdure and all that hée doeth shall succéed prosperously My brother these are the voyces the drums and trumpets wherewith Gods eternall wisedome calleth sinners vnto him if thou wilt harken to this harmenie and not lysten to the Syren songes of the subtil Serpent turne thy selfe vnto to God and amende thy life spéedily to the which ende this Treatise is addressed But how this is to be performed shal be shewed in the next volume The ende of the Conuersion of a Sinner Sundrie profitable Contemplations gathered by the saide Author The Argument A Christian man which couetteth to come vnto God must make his enterance through the gate of compunction generally confessing all his offences Wherevnto it shall auaile him much to exercise himselfe euery day in certaine Prayers and godlie Meditations and in the considerations of death and of Gods seuere iudgement CHAP. I. HE therefore that is departed out of Egypt and beginneth to march towards the land of promise hee that like vnto the loste sonne reremembreth himselfe and openeth his eyes to behold the beames of glittering vertue and knoweth the perplexitie wherein hée is plunged and the fraude of this fraile life and desireth to returne to the plenteous repastes of his fathers house his first passage must be through the straights of penance where it behoueth him ruthfully to record in his minde the former ryots and excesses and firmely to purpose the amendment of them And for that this discussion and examination ought to bee as the Prophet sayth with affliction and remorce of conscience it is the part of the penitent at that time to vse al such praiers ronsiderations as by any meanes may stir him to teares and dolour To the which auaileth much the consideration of death of Gods finall iudgement of the paines of hell and of the passion of Christ suffered for the satisfaction of our sinnes Sith it is apparant that if there had bin no defects on our side there had héene no cause of his gréeuous annoy These and such like considerations may mooue vs to sorrow and to the detestation of sin which is the chéefest part of repentance In the which we should exercise our selues not onely the space of fiue or sixe dayes but the greatest part of our life Wherein many penitents are deceiued who béeing most diligent in scouring their conscience and scanning their faultes are quite carelesse in bewayling of them whereas both the one and the other are most necessarie but chéefly the last And I thinke verily that the cause why so many faynte in the following of vertue and in long time cannot attaine to perfection and sometime to surcease their iourney begunne is because they haue not layde a sure foundation nor haue not planted the rootes déepe inough in this exercise For this béeing the piller of all the building when the foundation it selfe is féeble the worke cannot bee firme which is erected vppon it To the which ende it is very necessarie to assigne certaine dayes many or sewe as the holy ghost shall direct vs wherein as I haue sayde before we may exercise our selues in all such prayers and meditations as maye induce vs to this sorrowe For the plainer declaration of this doctrine I minde to impart vnto you a fewe of the foresaid considerations which may serue not onely to stirre vs to be sory for our sinnes and to the hatred thereof but also to allure vs to the loue of vertue and to the feare of God and to the contempt of the world for al this is néedfull to nouices and beginners The Argument He that list to encline his heart to the hatred of sinne and to the dread of God must conuey himselfe into some couert corner and must bend and imploy his minde to the contemplation of the heauenly blisse and the iniquities which abound here in earth CHAP. II. VVHosoeuer then will haue his heart setled hereupon and wil fasten this firmly in his mind must euery day once or twise take a time most quiet conuenient for that purpose and sequestring himselfe into a secret place al other earthly thoughts and vain imaginations being laid apart arming himselfe first with the shield of faith humbly crauing the grace of the holy spirit to assist him in this behalfe assuming to himselfe the minde of that deuout Publican which durst not to lift vp his eyes towards Heauen for the confusion and horrour of his offences Let him repeate some generall confession or else the Psalme Miserere mei deus with so great deuotion as he can deuise and suddenly let him apply his minde to the considerations following that by this meanes he may attain the feare of God through the sorrow the dread and detestation of sinne The Argument In the first cōsideration a christian ought to runne ouer the multitude of the mortal offences that he hath committed CHAP. III. THe first sting that may stirre vs to the woe and hatred of our iniquities is to consider the infinit number of them and to fixe them before our eyes as a terrible troupe of armed Souldiers that the soule may be appalled with so hidcous a spectacle Runne ouer therefore bréefely all the commaundements of God through all the capitall sinnes through all the sences the powers and parts as well of thy body as of thy soule and thou shalt perceiue that there is scarce any commandement which thou hast not transgressed nor any sinne wherein thou haste not sunke nor any sence externall or internall which thou haste not abused nor any benefite which thou haste imployed to that ende for which it was giuen thée But as the Prophet sayth God hath giuen thée his golde and siluer and therewith thou haste serued Baal Looke therefore into thy selfe throughly and viewe the race of thy life passed and thou shalt sée a huge webbe fraught full of deceit of trecherie of pride of lyes of slouth of enuie of couetousnesse of hatred of entisements of blasphemie of malice and of a thousand other manners of mischiefes and thou shalt finde that like a brutish beast in all and euery of these thou haste followed and fulfilled thy sensuall delights without regarde of the lawe of iustice or reason and thou shalt perceiue that thou hast liued as a Gentile or Pagan altogither which neuer knewe God or as though thou so beleeuest that there were no God no death no iudgement no paine no blisse nor any thing else to be thought but euen to be borne and to dye He then that hath liued this many yeares so disorderly shall it not be reason that he imploy the fewe dayes that are remayning of his life in bewayling his former yeares fondly consumed and to féele sensibly the ruine and decay of the powers of his soule and the time that hee might hane gayned in this while which hee shall not get hereafter For time lost can neuer be recouered Throw therefore thy selfe
thée that this burthen should be pleasaunt séeing God dooth helpe to sustaine it But wilt thou sée both these contrarieties to concurre in one person Heart what Saint Paule saieth Rom. 5. We suffer aduersitie in sundrie sortes yet are we not impatient wée liue in extreme penurie nor for this are we ouercommed wée abide persecutions yet are we not destitute we are humbled yet not confounded oppressed euen to the earth yet not reiected vtterly Now regarde on the one side the loathsome loade of labours and on the other side the delight that is therin by the benefite of grace Esay 40. which yet the Prophet Esay sheweth more manifestly saying They which trust in the Lorde shall chaunge their strength shall ruime swiftly without sweating shall goe still and neuer be weary Sée héere the yoke made easie by the vertue of grace Beholde the fury of the fleshe abated and conuerted to the force of the spirite or to tearme it more rightly the might of men turned into strength of God Heare how the Prophet did not restraine himselfe neither from labour nor from rest nor from the commoditie he gat of the one and other where he saide They ranne and it gréeueth them not they went forth still and were neuer weary Wherefore welbeloued brother thou oughtest not to diuert from this way though it séeme somewhat harde and sowre sith God and his grace are thy guides therein For it is no reason that nature should more preuaile then grace nor Adam to bee of more power then Christ nor the diuell to be greater then God nor yet the custome and long vse of euill then the habit of vertue and well dooings The Argument A man should not prognosticate his conuersion to God nor his repentance and auersion from those offences whereby hee hath displeased the diuine maiestie of God and his neighbour for the more he is spotted and infected with the filth of vice and the slower hee is in cleansing and curing thereof so much the more hee doth aggrauate the burthen of his penance CHAP. XIII WHerefore if the causes bee so many and so great which of the one part dooth moue thée to change the course of thy life to a better race and on the other side haue no sufficient excuse to withhold thée from so dooing Tell me I pray thée when wilt thou be ready to reuolt from sin Turne back thy eye brother a litle towards the life that is passed and consider of what yéeres thou art now for now is the time for the houre of enterance is passed and the beginning to vnloade thy selfe from thy former faultes Beholde that thou being a Christian regenerate with the water of holy baptisme hauing God for thy father and the Church for thy mother which God formed and framed with the lawe of his Gospell and with the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelists and that more importeth with the foode of Angels and yet thou liuest so loosely as thou were an Infidell altogither and neuer knewest God But tell me what sort of sinne what follie can bee founde wherein thou art not culpable what forbidden trée is there wherein thou hast not fixed thy eyes what gréene medowe where at least in thought thou hast not glutted thy lasciuious lust what pleasaunt accident hath béene obiected to thy sight wherevnto thy desire hath not bene extended What appetite of thine haste thou not assayed to accomplish Calling God to thy minde and how thou art a Christian what more couldest thou doo then to haue a fayth without expectation of the other life and feare of future iudgement What hath thy life bene else then a webbe of wickednesse a sinke of sinne a pathe of pleasure a perpetuall disobedience to God How hast thou ledde thy life hitherto but as thy appetites hath guided thée as best fancied thy fleshe in exalting thy selfe and in the glorie of the worlde These haue béene thy Goddes these the Idols wherevnto thou haste kneeled and crowched whose hestes thou haste fully performed But in thē meane time what account haste thou kept with the diuine lawe of God and thy allegeaunce due vnto him Perchaunce thou hast estéemed him no more then if hée had bene a God made of wood for many Christians there bee which will as easily beléeue that there is no God as they thinke to offende him scotfrée For they doo no lesse beléeuing the one then they woulde if they beléeued the other What greater wrong what greater despite may there bee to so greate a Prince then thou beléeuing all that the Christian religion instructeth thée liuest no otherwise then if it were a fable But art thou not appalled at the multitude of thy former offences done without gruge of conscience Dooth not his omnipotencie cause thee to quake against whome thou haste committed such enormous crimes Lift vp thy eyes and regard the immeasurable greatnesse of that supernall Lorde adored of all the Potentates of Heauen before whome the whole circuite of the world lyeth prostrate in whose presence all that is created is as light chaffe tossed with euery puffe of winde And consider what a thing it is that such a silly worme as thou art hast so oft pronoked the wrath of that eternall God Looke vppon the excéeding greatnesse of his iustice and the sharpe punishments which hitherto he hath vsed in the world against sinne not onely in particular persons but in Citties Nations Kingdomes Prouinces and in the vniuersall world and not only in the earth but in heauen and there not in sinners only but in his owne innocent sonne Then if this were executed vpon gréene wood and for the faultes of others what shall be done in withered wood ouercharged with the weight of proper offences Wherfore what can be more vndecent and intollerable then that suche a vile vermine should delude a Lorde so puissaunt that with a becke or a word can detrude thée into the deapth of hell and damnation Looke in like sort vpon the patience of this Lorde who nowe so long hath looked for thy returne as thou hast béene an offendour If after so long sufferance thou wilt still abuse this merde in incensing him to anger hee will vnloade his bowe will emptie his quiuer and powre vppon thée the dartes of damnation View the profoundnesse of his déepe iudgements whereof wee reade and sée daylie things worthie to be wondred at We may see a Salomon after all his wisedome his parables and profounde mysteries of the Cantickles to forget God and to fall downe in renerence of Idols We may sée one of the first seuen Deacons of the Church which were enspired with the holy ghost not onely became an heretick but also a teacher and a father of heresie Wee may sée day by day many starres to fall from Heauen into the earth with a miserable fall to tumble in durt and to bee fedde with the draffe of swine which earst at the table of our Lorde were susteined with the bread
whom is the foundation of wisedome and beginning of true blisse Endeuour therefore so to arme and addresse thy selfe at all poynts that thou be not vanquished by sinne Farther shalt viewe thine owne wretchednesse and infirmities whiche will serue as a corzie to quallifie the swelling rancor of pride and to establish humilitie the very quéene and guide of all other vertues And shalt easily reiect hatefull auarice and gréedie gaping for earthly vanities For the memorie of death causeth thée to knowe that none of these thinges can be called thine which thou canst not carry with thee out of this world And thou coÌ„tinuing in this exercise vnwares thy dread shall be turned into desire and death shall not séem so terrible vnto thée for that it depriueth thée of thy temporall life as delightful and acceptable because it giueth ende to so many gréefes and miseries and giueth enterance to life and light eternall And thou shalt perceiue howe little cause thou haddest to complaine or to be sorie weighing that whilest thy bodie doth perishe and consume in the graue thy soule liueth blisfully in heauen with a firme beléefe to rise againe at the last day to life euerlasting The Argument In the seuenth consideration ought to be premeditated how seuere and rigorous Christ will be at the day of iudgement for that his countenance will then declare to the wickid beholders nothing else but furious wrath and reuenge which none can escape for there must be giuen vp an exact account of all thinges done and thought of in this world CHAP. IX EAch man proueth and perceiueth in himselfe by often experience that his vnderstanding by the apprehension of some fearfull obiect or weightie consideration retireth and coucheth closely within it selfe and for that instant repelleth easily all other idle imaginations For which cause it is most prositable counsayle that a sinner at his first conuersion exercise himselfe seriously in such cogitations for that by this meanes péeuish fansies sometime through dread sometime through wonder will be either brideled or banished quite If the memorie of death as is aforesaide hath such force to cut off and to restraine our vaine and bagraum thoughts howe much more may this be done by the remembraunce of that which insueth after death immediately whiche is Gods iudgement and the paines of hell By which meditations if thou often thinke vpon them shall be brought to passe that which Ecclesiastick affirmeth Remember thy daies whereby hee meaneth that which then shall happen vnto thee and thou shalt neuer doo amisse S. Hierome not without iust cause said Whether I eate or drinke mee thinkes still I heare the sounde of the Trumpet buzzing in my eares Arise from death and come to your iudgement Which howe terrible it shall be cannot be imagined sith all other terrours or tragedies whatsoeuer in comparison of this is nothing at all Many times God hath manifested his iudgements in this worlde as when hee drowned the worlde with the great floud when hee burned Sodome and the Cities adioyning when he strooke Egypt with diuers dreadfull plagues when he made the earth to open in the desert to swallow vp sinners all which iudgements beeing compared to that generall iudgement which shall be exercised in the last day are but shadowes but shewes and figures of the veritie If then thou desire to come to thy selfe and to gather thy wits togither with the remembraunce of this represent to thy imagination the terriblenesse of Christ thy iudge whose countenance shall declare nothing else but rigour and reuenge as at the first comming he shewed mildenesse altogither From whom thou canst not appeale to any other because he is supreme Iudge neither canst thou auoide his furie because he is most puissant and for that hee is the very fountaine and God of knowledge nothing can be concealed from him And because he hateth iniquitie out of measure hee will not suffer any sinne to be vnreuenged There thou must bee accountable of all thy transgressions debts and trespasses whereof if the least be inough to put thée in extreame danger and perplexitie who can make satisfaction for so many debtes and arrerages as shall bee exacted at thy handes Then thou shalt bee examined how thou hast vestowed thy time howe thou haste ordered thy body howe thou hast gonerned thy sences and how thou hast guided thy heart howe thou hast answered to the diuine inspirations how thou haste acknowledged so many curtesies In the which accusation thou shalt bee conuinced with so many witnesses as are the creatures which thou hast abused by sinne which then will be so stirred to reuenge the wrong done vnto their creator that if it were possible those which are immortall would dye with feare For it shall be a horror inestimable to sée the worlde all on fire the buildings and princely Pallaces ouerthrowne and torne in péeces the earth to tremble to viewe the elements to chaunge theyr course the Sunne to bee darkened the Moone and Starres to léese theyr light to beholde the death and destruction of all creatures the open gaping of graues to heare the voyce of the terrible trumpe and wofull waylings of nations to marke the discouering of consciences to regarde the monstrous deformed diuels and she inâ—â—â—nall furnace sparkling with furious flakes But of all other things shall be most terrible to looke vppon the victorious flagge of the Crosse clittering in the ayre with all the ensignes of the glorious passion of our Sauiour To sée the Iudge to charge his enemies for the making frustrate yea the reitteration of so many torments as hee hath suffered for their redemption Who might more easily endure the smart of hell paines then to sée themselues so accused and accursed of the Lord of bountie and courtesie and to be expelled from his presence to perpetuall punishment The Argument In the eight consideration we ought to premeditate vpon the intollerable terrour of hell paines which shall be perpetuall But of al those torments the most greeuous is the losse and lacke of Gods chearefull countenance without any hope for euer to gaine it againe CHAP. X. BUt it may so chance that mauger thy might for all these considerations ydle thoughts will not forsake thee though it must néedes bee a sounde fléepe and a very drowzie dreame that will not bee awaked with such incitations Yet thou must not be discomforted but howe much more difficults doo arise so much the more stoutly thou shouldest striue to atchieue thy enterprise Assay then whither the search of hell paines will bee more behouefull vnto thée concerning which two things are chiefly to be noted that is the vehemencie of their smart and the time of their continuance The least of these is able to mollifie the most stubborne and stony heart of the worlde but the which is not mooued neither with the one nor with the other is eyther dead in his soule or else beléeueth not that which the Christian faith sheweth For though the greatnesse of hell torments cannot bee imagined nor expressed filled with most iust feare If thou accustome thy selfe to such exercises aâ—â— doest perseuer therin in short space thou thalt become a newe man for by these meditations thy minde shall be brought to despise the world to shun sinne to fear these paines and to loue vertue And though at the beginning thou bee appaled and affrighted vehemently yet hand patience a while for thy colde feare shall be qualified and tempered with the heat of loue as the black night is turned by little and little into the bright shining day EINIS
day be depriued before the darke night of death steale vppon you and ere your féete be entrapped or ye stumble at that foule blacke hillocke Therefore take the time and day whilest ye haue it for it shall be turned into darknesse And our Lord himselfe who better then any other knoweth the deapth of this daunger aduertiseth vs hereof in his Euangelist saying Luke 11. Take héed that your hearts be not opprest with too much meate drinke and with ouermuch care and turmoyle of this world least that dreadfull day catch you at vnwares which will steale vpon you like a théefe and vpon all those which inhabit vpon the face of the earth Therefore watch and pray continually that you may be deliuered from these huge heapes of calamities which hereafter will happen that you being cleane and vndefiled may be presented before the sonne of the pure Virgin the promoter of all our auaile and profit The Argument Those which haue loued God and liued according to his will shall be rewarded in Paradise which is the glory and merit that good men do respect Which notwithstanding any difference that is among the elect bringeth a common comfort and pleasure to them all because there is perfect charitie and God is all in euery thing Wherfore no other exercise is vsed there or no other paine or trauaile then to loue God to laude and glorifie him incessantly for euer CHAP. IIII. NOw that we haue declared the coÌ„demnation and sharpe sentence to be pronounced vpon the wretched sinner it followeth consequently that we treat likewise of the glorious recompence wherewith the righteous shall be endued which is nought else but that happie life and kingdome which God hath ordeined for his chosen people euen from the creation of all things which is such and so excellent that neither with the tongue of men nor Angels it can be expressed But that ye may haue some taste of this heare what S. Augustine briefly saith in commendation hereof in a certaine meditation of his in this sort O life alotted by God to them that loue him a liuing life a life voide of care a blessed life a quiet life a pleasaunt life a pure life a chaste life a life enemie to death a life that knoweth no gréefe voyd of molestation of smart of anxietie voyd of all corruption voyd of perturbatioÌ„s not subiect to varietie change or mutabilitie A life full of beautie and perfection where no enemie shall molest thée nor no trespasse offend thée when is perfect vnitie vnfeigned and holie loue where all feare is far away where is one eternall day without alteration where God is séene face to face which is the foode of all that there abive Swéet GOD with an vnsatiable heart and greedie minde I couet thy hidden treasures and the more I long after them the more I luste and burne in desire considering thée my delight my life and Sauiour in contemplation whereof I féele my selfe excéedingly refreshed and reuiued O moste happie life O very blessed kingdome altogither with out death and without ende which doest not yéelde to any succession or alteration of times where is bright day continually without interruption of night there it is not knowne what mutation meaneth where the tryumphant Souldiour accompanied with a glittering crewe of Angelles singeth vnto GOD without ceasing the passing praise of Sion hauing gotten the crowne of euerlasting felicitie I would to God that my sin my gréeuous guilt were forgiuen me Thrise blessed were my soule if after this painefull pylgrimage I might be worthy to sée and beholde thy glory the beatitude the beautie the walles and the gates of thy Citie thy stréetes thy pallaces thy noble Citizens thy worthie King setled in his throne of magnificence Thy walles are made of precious stones thy gates are beautified with shining Pearles thy stréetes are paued with pure gold which resounde and ring aloude with the peales of perpetuall praises Thy houses are buylded with quadrant stones adorned with Saphyrs thy beames and rafters are of golde where no corruption can abide nothing may enter that is defiled O Hierusalem our mother thou art braue and pleasaunt in thy deuises the force of no aduersitie is felte in thée neither any of those discommodities are susteyned whiche here we find Thy ioyes are farre aboue any which this wretched life can yéelde vs. In thee is neuer founde night darkenesse nor chaunge of times Thy light issueth neither from lampe nor from the Moone nor yet from the stars but God the light of all lightes is ho which lightneth thée The supernall Emperour kéepeth continuall residence in the middest of thée enuironed and assisted with many millions of his ministers There the angelicall quires answere each to other melodiously there the frutes of true nobilitie doo yéelde a pleasaunt sent and spectacle to the beholders there is celebrated the feast of those who being safely arriued from the bottomlesse sea of these miseries and mishappes are incorporate in one societie with those which possesse eternall life There is the company of the Prophets the royall ranke of the Apostles the inuincible hoast of innumerable Martyrs there is the sacred conuent of graue Confessors there are the true religious the deuout women who despising all delights and dalliance haue conquered their fraile inclination There are the virgins and younglings which with their vertuous indnstry haue shunned she allurements of this vile deceitfull world There are the innocent lambs who robbing themselues of all earthly pleasures doo now skip and leape for ioy in theyr propper and peculiar houses And whatsoeuer difference there be in glory amoÌ„g them notwithstanding the solace and contentation is common to all There charitie ruleth béeing entire and perfect for that god is all in all whom they alwaies sée and séeing him continually are euer enflamed with his loue therefore they louing praise him and praysing loue him all their exercise all their endeuour is to magnifie him without ceassing or intermission O how happie were I and most happie if after the dissolution of this corporall prison I might heare the swéete musicall songs of that celestiall harmony and sing Psalmes of coÌ„mendation to the eternall king of al the woorthy company of the most happie Cittie Now happie shoulde I be yea twise blessed if I might attaine to this felicitie to sing stand before my King my God my guide and to behold him in his glorie as himselfe hath promised to be séene Ioh. 7. wheÌ„ he said O father my desire is that all those may be with me which thou hast giuen me that they may see the cleare brightnesse which I had with thée before the foundation of the world And all this is vouched out of S. Augustine Now tell me then what a chearefull day shall that be which shall so illuminate and clarisie thy courage if at the full consummation of this pilgrimage thou passe from mortalitie to immortalitie and in the same time that otherâ—
begin to droope to doubt and dread thou shalt beginne to lifte vp thy head be cause the wished day of thy redemption approacheth neare Lifte vp th◠minde a little said S. Hierome vnto th◠virgin Eustochia out of the dungeon o◠this corrupt bodie and setling thy self before the gate of the heauenly tabernacle scan and consider well the mer◠of this thy present distresse and whatglorious day that day shall be vnto thée wherin the virgin Mary garded with a troope of pure virgins shall be prest to receiue welcome thee and wherin thy Lord spouse himselfe with all his holy Saints shall méete thée saying Can. 2. Come away and follow me quickly my loue my delight my doue for now the wofull winter is passed the sharp showres are ceased the tempests whirlwindes are appeased and here spring vp swéete fragrant flowers in this lande of behest This shall be then the delight consolation that thy soule shall receiue before the high throne of that most blessed trinitie before the angels but specially by him to whose custodie thou were earst committed whē these all the rest shall declare the sundry tribulations the trauels persecutions that thou hast suffered for the loue of Christ S. Luke sheweth Act. 9. that when the charitable Tabita deceased all the widowes poore people besought the apostle Peter in her behalf shewing him their garmēts which she had made the Apostle being moued thereat praied vnto God instantly for so mercifull a woman whereby shee was restored againe to life What a singular comfort shalt thou then perceiue in thy soule when those blessed spirits shall take thée and set thée before the diuine consistorie of God publishing thy deserts and reciting orderly thy almes thy prayers thy fasting the integrity of thy life thy susteining of wrong thy patience in affliction and temperance in delights with all thy other vertues and good déeds whatsoeuer O what delectation shalt thou then reape of euery good action here atchieued howe shall the force and valure of vertue bee manifested vnto thée There humble obedience shall triumph with victorie There vertue shal be rewarded and the wel disposed shall be regarded according to theyr desert Besides this what inward and secret solace shal that be vnto thée when thou séeing thy selfe arriued in so assured an harbour shalt haue regard towards the course of thy dangerous nauigation passed and shalt sée the troubles and torments wherein thou liuedst earst she wyles the ambushes of the enemy the cruell incurtions of théeues which new thou hast escaped There it is where resoundeth this song of the Prophet Psal 93. Were it not that the Lord was mindfull of mée my soule should haue hardly auoyded the infernall habitation But specially when thou shalt perceiue how in this worlde offences are multiplied how daily so many soules descend to hell and damnation how among such a multitude of castawayes God would associate thée into the fellowship of his chosen people which shall be the inheritours of such a renowmed kingdome But that which passeth al this is to sée the solemne feasts and tryumphes which there are helde day by day for the welcome of their newe brothers who hauing ouercome the world finished and performed the race of their pilgrimage come to receiue the crowne of eternitie O what ioy shall it be to behold the accomplishment of that which doo appertaine to the setting vp and new erection of the walles of the noble Hierusalem with what swéete embracing's and cullings shall they be welcomed by all the celestiall court séeing them come laden and lugged with the spoiles of the vanquished foe There they shall enter with the victorious barons with those worthy women which haue conquered the world togither with theyr brickle nature There likewise the vncorrupt virgins murthered and martyred for their spouse sake Christ Iesu shall enter with double triumph that is with conquest of the flesh and of the worlds adorned and crowned with Garlandes fraught with roses and freshe gréene flowers all about their heads In like maner there litle boyes and gyrles mastering their tender yeares with discretion and vertue shall come in to receiue the hyre and guerdon of their integritie Where they shall finde theyr fréendes knowe their ministers recognise theyr parents and culling and kissing them affectionately shall heare the glad tydings to bee made possessors of eternall felicitie O how then shall the fruite of bertue taste deliciously although in times past the roote thereof séemed sowre and vnsauery Swéete is the shadowe after noone the fountaine is pleasaunt to the thirsty wearied waifaring man sléepe and rest yéelde great comfort to him that hath trudged and toiled all day but farre greater contentatiō peace bringeth to the saints after their weary war securitie after perils and perpetuall repose after infinit trauailes The broyle of battaile is now appeased to be armed it néedeth not neither on the right fide nor on the lest The children of Israel were armed when they went to the land of promise but after they had conquered the countrey they laide aside their weapons and euery of them forgetting quite the feare and trouble of warre they all were lodged in the harbor of rest and quietnesse and enioyed the fruition of long desired peace There may the eyes wearied with lōg watching receiue their quiet sléepes Now may the subtil serpent attending to entrap vs come out of his ambush now may the happy Hierom betake him to rest who made the night and day one in lamenting his defaultes and trespasses encountering couragiously the cruell conflicts of our auncient enemie there the horrible armours doo neuer sound of that bloudie beast there is no place forth crooked craftie Serpent there the venomous Basiliske dooth not effende the sight nor his hissing is not heard but the breath and sweete sounde that distils loth from the loue of the holy Ghost here raungeth rounde about Where is clearely discerned the royall magnificence of God himselfe This is the region of rest and securitie scaled aboue all the elements where the dark cloudes and filthie vapours doo not ouerlappe the bright and pure aire What happie things are said of thée O Citie of God happie are they saith Tobias which loue thée Psal 147. and enioy thy peace O my soule extol and magnifie God who hath deliuered Hierusalem his holy city from troubles and vexation Nowe blessed should I be if hereafter in the remnant of my time I might sée the beautie and brightnesse of Hierusalem whose gates shall be of Saphyrs and of pollished Smaredges the circuite of whose wall shall be of pearle and precious stone the stréetes shall be of white marble interlaced with pure Alabaster and euery place resoundeth with Alleluia and voices of gratulation O mery swéete velectable counsaile O high renowmed glory O blessed societie who shal be those happie Christians picked or sorted out to dwell in thée It seemeth a hard thing to desire