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
wil promise it I say upon a condition that he might have life again upon condition that the day might be prolonged unto him though if God should grant him his request as many times he doth he would perform no one point therof but be as careles as he were before When such shal crie with sighs and grones as pearsing as a sword and yet shal not be heard what comfort then wil they hope for to find For whither wil they turn themselves in this distresse Vnto their worldly wealth power or riches Alas they are gone and the scripture saith Riches shal not profit in the day of revenge Wil they turn unto their carnal frinds But what comfort can they give besides onlie weeping and comfortles moorning Wil they ask help of the saints to praie for them in this instant Then must they remember what is written The saints shal reioice in glorie and exultation shal be in their mouthes and two edged swords in their hands to take revenge upon nations and increpations upon people to bind kings in fetters and noble men in manacles of iron to execute upon them the prescript iudgement of God and this is the glorie of al his saints Their onlie refuge then must be unto God who indeed is the only refuge of al but yet in this case the prophet saith heer that He shal not hear them but rather contemn and laugh at their miserie Not that he is contrarie to his promise of receiving a sinner At what time soever he repenteth and turneth from his sin But for that this turning at the last day is not commonly tru repentance and conversion for the causes before rehearsed 28 To conclude then this matter of delay what wise men is there in the world who reading this wil not fear the deferring of his conversion though it were but for one day Who doth know whether this shal be the last day or no that ever God wil cal him in God saith I called and you refused to come I held out my hand and you would not looke towards me and therfore wil I forsake you in your extremitie He doth not say how manie times or how long he did cal and hold out his hand God saith I stand at the doore and knok but he saith not how often he doth that or how manie knoks he giveth Again he said of wicked Iezabel the feined prophetesse in the Apocalyps I have given hir time to repent and she would not and therfore shal she perish but he saith not how long this time of repentance endureth We read of woonderful examples heerin Herod the father had a cal given him and that a lowd one when Iohn Baptist was sent unto him and when his hart was so far touched as he willingly heard him and so followed his counsel in manie things as one Evangelist noteth but yet bicause he deferred the matter and tooke not time when it was offered he was cast off again and his last dooings made woorse than his former Herod Tetrak the son had a cal also when he felt that desire to see Christ and some miracle done by him but for that he answered not unto the cal it did him no good but rather much hurt What a great knok had Pilate given him at his hart if he had been so gratious as to have opened the doore presently when he was made to understand the innocencie of Christ as appeereth by washing his hands in testimonie therof and his wife also sent him an admonition about the same No lesse knok had king Agrippa at his doore when he cried out at the hearing of Saint Paul O Paul thou persuadest me a little to be a Christian. But bicause he deferred the matter this motion passed away again 29 Twise happie had Pharao been if he had resolved himselfe presently upon that motion that he felt when he cried to Moises I have sinned and God is iust But by delay he became woorse than ever he was before Saint Luke reporteth how Felix the governor of Iewrie for the Romanes conferred secretly oftentimes with Saint Paul that was prisoner and heard of him the faith in Christ wherwith hee was greatly mooved especially at on time when Paul disputed of Gods justice and the day of judgement wherat Felix trembled but yet he deferred this resolution willing Paul to depart and to come again another time and so the matter by delation came to no effect How many men do perish daily some cut off by death some left by God and given over to a reprobate sense which might have found grace if they had not deferred their conversion from day to day but had made their resolution presently when they felt God to cal within their harts 30 God is most bountiful to knok and cal but yet he bindeth himselfe to no time or space but commeth and goeth at his pleasure and they which take not their times when they are offered are excuselesse before his justice and do not know whether ever it shal be offered them again or no for that this thing is only in the wil and knowlege of God alone who taketh mercie where it pleaseth him best and is bound to none And when the prefixed time of calling is once past wo be unto that partie for a thousand worlds wil not purchase it again Christ sheweth woonderfully the importance of this matter when entering into Ierusalem amidst al his mirth and glorie of receiving he could not chuse but weep upon that citie crieng out with tears O Ierusalem if thou knewest also these things which appertain to thy peace even in this thy day but now these things are hidden from thee As if he had said if thou knewest Ierusalem as wel as I do what mercie is offered thee even this day thou wouldest not do as thou doest but wouldest presently accept therof but now this secret judgement of my father is hidden from thee and therfore thou makest little account therof until thy destruction shal come suddenly upon thee as soone after it did 31 By this now may be considered the great reason of the wise mans exhortation For-slow not to turn to God nor do not defer it from day to day for his wrath wil come upon thee at the sudden and in time of revenge it wil destroy thee It may be seene also upon what great cause the Apostle exhorteth the Hebrews so vehementlie Dum cognominantur bodie To accept of grace even whiles that very day endured and not to let passe the occasion offered Which every man applieng to himselfe should follow in obeing the motions of Gods spirit within him and accepting of Gods vocation without delay considering what a greevous sin it is to resist the holie Ghost Every man ought I say when he feeleth a good motion in his hart to think with himselfe now God knocketh at my
do specially commend this unto thee the rather for that it proceedeth from those that otherwise are for divers points the greatest adversaries that we have in the cause of religion And wheras inordinate contention is not only unseemly for the church of God but also hurtful to the cause of religion a special point of wisdome it is when God hath bestowed any good gift on any of us al that others should so aesteem therof as that they make the same a mean to moderate the bitternes of their affections towards al those that gladly would live peaceably with al so much as they might as also on the other side it is very cleer that those that wil not so far as the cause of religion it selfe doth permit them may have just occasion to be ashamed and therby to finde out what kind of spirit it is that doth lead them So the substance of the booke is such as that a minde that is wel disposed may with one and the selfesame labor gather out of it both lessons of godlines unto it selfe and that which may somwhat occasion some better agreement among certain of us with such of them I mean as stand more indifferent and are content to dissent no further from us than of conscience they think that they ought The former of which wil yeeld us this fruit that we shal addresse our selves to do in som good measure our service to God the other that we shal do it with a quieter conscience our selves desirous to be at peace withal so far as conveniently may be obteined On the other side likewise bicause I found the maner and form so far foorth out of order as I have declared therfore did I indevor my selfe to help it a little as need required But as touching the transsation that they use I have altogither let them alone therwith partly to condescend so far unto them as to suffer themselves in such case to use what translation they wil and with good wil to hear them therin and partly for that divers points of the matter were so grounded therupon that the translation might not be amended unlesse the matter were altered likewise So far foorth therfore as there was no manifest error taken in withal I have left it wholy unto them though otherwise it might oft times be amended For which cause also I did the rather omit to meddle with the quotations to alledge the verse of the chapter withal bicause that in distinguishing of the verses we disagree somtimes and forbearing to obtrude ours to them unlesse I thought they would take it in good part have forborn likewise to use theirs for that we finde it not so agreeable to the truth it selfe As for those special words of theirs that the Author so praecisely useth I have used my libertie therin somtimes letting them stand as they are and somtimes altering them when they were abused or otherwise the case did so require Those other points of their proper opinions wherin we dissent from them and they no dowt from the truth it selfe I have clean left out and some of those venturous points besides togither with certain of those places likewise which he hath alledged out of others that did not so much appertain to the matter that he had in hand or not so effectually touched the same as himselfe otherwise hath done The former of which I therfore left out for that neither my selfe could allow to leave any such as to my knowledge might be any hurt or else but occasion of stumbling to others neither could I so have gotten it foorth to the use of al carrieng stil such corruption with it And this have I done so much the rather for that most of those things seem rather to be added by some that had the perusing of the booke before it might be allowed among them to come to the print than by the proper Author therof they do so little oft times agree with the argument that there he hath in hand nor with the maner of handling of it As for example in the first part of the booke and third chapter setting down the end of mans life which he saith is the service of God eight or nine times in that chapter is joined withal the gaining of heaven which notwithstanding is not agreeable to the maner of the Authors handling of that point as it may appeer in the whole discourse there and namely by his place of Zacharie in the beginning of the third and by his division in the beginning of the fourth chapter where notwithstanding the gaining of heaven is very odly put in again The other sort likewise I thought good to leave foorth for that being impertinent they might discredit some part of the rest or else but weaker than the rest might so let down the affections again which were stirred up before by the other And truly the spirit in these dais doth proceed a great deal more effectually both in doctrine and exhortation than it did in the dais of divers of those that were heer alledged Wherin if there shal be any that shal think either on the one side that I have put out too much or on the other that I have put out too little neither am I desirous to overrule their judgements nor very careful to maintain mine own if any shal come with better matter contenting my selfe only with this that I have done what seemed to me to be most expedient to the glorie of God and to the benefit of his people heer And so without any further defence of my doings therin now gentle Reader I send thee over to the booke it selfe where if thou shalt bestow a little pains though it be no more but once with advisement to read it over I dowt not but that thou wilt confesse thy labor to be wel bestowed Which when thou shalt finde then descending to the Author of it seeing himselfe desireth to be holpen by thy praiers thou shalt do wel both to thank God for him for this which is done and to solicite him with thy praiers on behalfe of him and the rest that it would please him to give them a further knowledge of the truth in Christ so far as his wisdome hath thought expedient to the setting foorth of his own glorie and to the salvation of those that are his And God give us al so many as do appertain to his kingdome his grace in that measure that both we may agree togither in the truth of religion and altogither imploy our selves in his service heer in peace and quietnes one with another And so I bid thee hartily farewel At Bolton-Percy in the ancientie or liberties of York the 9. of Iulie 1584. Thy hartie wel-willer in Christ EDMVND BVNNY The booke of Christian exercise appertaining to Resolution The contents of the first part of this booke touching the helps of resolution to serve God The first Chapter Of the end and parts of this booke with a necessarie
wil not come out of the danger wherin they be but wil headlong cast themselves into everlasting perdition rather than by consideration of their estate recover to themselves eternal life and glorie from which deadlie obstinacie the Lord of his mercie deliver us all that belong unto him CHAP. III. Of the end for which man was created and placed in this world NOw then in the name of almightie God and with the assistance of his holie spirit let the Christian man or woman desirous of salvation first of al consider attentivelie as a good marchant-factour is wont to do when he is arrived in a strange countrie or as a captain sent by his prince to some great exploit is accustomed when he commeth to the place appointed that is to think for what cause he came thither why he was sent to what end what to attempt what to prosecute what to perform what shal be expected and required at his hands vpon his return by him that sent him thither For these cogitations no doubt shal stir him vp to attend to that which he came for and not to emploie himself in impertinent affaires The like I saie would I have a Christian to consider and to aske of himself why and to what end was he created of God and sent hither into this world what to do wherein to bestow his daies he shal finde for no other cause or end but onlie to serve God in this life This was the condition of our creation and this was the onlie consideration of our redemption prophesied by Zacharie before That we being delivered from the hands of our enimies might serve him in holines and righteousnes al the daies of our life 2 Of this it followeth first that seing the end and final cause of our being in this world is to serve God in this life that whatsoever we do or endevour or bestow our time in either contrarie or impertinent to this end which is only to the service of God though it were to gain al the kingdoms of the earth yet is it meere vanitie follie and lost labour and wil turn vs one day to greefe repentance and confusion for that it is not the matter for which we came into this life or of which we shal be asked account at the last day except it be to receave judgement for the same 3 Secondlie it foloweth of the premisses that seing our only end and busines in this world is to serve God and that al other earthly creatures are put here to serve vs to that end we should for our parts be indifferent to al these creatures as to riches or povertie to health or sicknes to honour or contempt and we should desire only so much or litle of the same as were best for vs to our said end that we intend that is to the service of God for whosoever desireth or seeketh the creatures more than this runneth from his end for the which he came hither 4 By this now may a careful Christian take some scantling of his own estate with God make a conjecture whether he be in the right way or no. For if he attend only or principally to this end for which he was sent hither that is so serve God if his cares cogitations studies endevours labours talk and other his actions run upon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honor riches learning and the like then they are necessarie vnto him for this end which he pretendeth if his daies and life I say be spent in this studie of the service of God then is he dowtles a most happy and blessed man and shal at length attain to the kingdom of God 5 But if he find himself in a contrarie case that is not to attend to this matter for which only he was sent hither nor to haue in his hart and studie this service of God but rather some other vanitie of the world as promotion wealth pleasure sumptuous apparel gorgious buildings bewtie or any other thing els that pertaineth not to this end if he spend his time I say about these trifles having his cares and cogitations his talk and delight more in them than about the other great busines for which he was sent then is he in a perilous course â—eading directly to perdition except he alter â—nd change the same For most certain it is that whosoever shal not attend vnto the service he came for shal never attain to thereward promised to that service 6 And bicause the most part of the world not only of infidels but also of Christians do amisse in this point and do not attend to this thing for which they were only created and sent hither thence it is that Christ and his holy saints have alwais spoken so hardly of the smal number that are in state of salvation even among Christians and have uttered some speeches which seeme very rigorous to flesh and blood and scarce trew albeit they must be fulfilled as that It is easier for a camel to go thorough a nedels eie than for a rich man to enter into heaven The reason of which saieng and many mo standeth in this that a rich man or worldling attending to heap riches can not attend to do that which he came for into this world and consequently never attain heaven except God work a miracle and so cause him to contemn his riches and to vse them only to the service of God as som times he doth and we haue a rare example in the Gospel of Zacheus who being a very rich man presently vpon the entering of Christ into his house and much more into his hart by faith gave half his goods vnto the poore and offered withal that whom soever he had injuried to him he would make four-times so much restitution 7 But hereby now may be seene the lamentable state of manie thousand Christians in the world which are so far of from bestowing their whole time and travel in the service of God as they never almost think of the same or if they do it is with very little care or attention Good Lord how many men and women be there in the world which bearing the name of Christians scarce spend one hour of fower and twentie in the service of God! How many do beat their brains about worldlie matters and how few are troubled with this care How manie find time to eate drink sleepe disport deck and paint themselues out to the world and yet have no time to bestow in this greatest busines of all other How many spend over whole daies weeks months and yeers in hauking hunting other pastimes without making account of this matter What shall be come of these people What wil they say at the day of judgement What excuse wil they have 8 If the marchant factor which I spake of before after many yeers spent beyond the seas returning home to geeve accounts to his maister
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
wherof he maketh mention in his writings As also al godly men by his example have used the like helps since for the better resisting of sinful temptations when need required and the like Wherof I could here recite great store of examples out of the holy fathers which would make a man to woonder and afeard also if he were not past fear to see what extream pain and diligence those first Christians tooke in watching every little sleight of the devil and in resisting every little temptation or cogitation of sin wheras we never think of the matter nor make account either of cogitation consent of hart word or work but do yeeld to al whatsoever our concupiscence moveth us unto do swalow down every hook laid vs by the devil and most greedily do devour every poisoned pleasant bait which is offered by the enimy for the destruction of our souls and thus much about resisting of sin 9 But now touching the second point which is continual exercising our selves in good works it is evident in itselfe that we utterly fail for the most part of us in the same I have shewed before how we are in scripture cōmanded to do them without ceasing and most diligently whiles we have time of day to do them in for as Christ saith The night wil come when no man can work any more I might also shew how certein of our forefathers the saints of God were most diligent and careful in doing good works in their dais even as the husbandman is careful to cast seed into the ground whiles fair weather lasteth and the merchant to lay out his mony whiles the good market endureth They knew the time would not last long which they had to work in and therfore they bestirred themselves whiles opportunitie served they never ceased but came from one good work to another wel knowing what they did and how good and acceptable service it was unto God 10 If there were nothing els to proove their wonderful care and diligence herein yet the infinite monuments of their almes-deeds yet extant to the world are sufficient testimonies of the same to wit the infinite churches builded and indued with great abundant maintenance for the ministers of the same so manie schooles colledges vniversities so many bridges highwais and publik commodities Which charitable deeds and a thousand mo both private and publik secret and open which I cannot report came out of the purses of our good ancesters who oftentimes not only gave of their abundance but also saved from their own mouths and bestowed it upon deeds of charitie to the glorie of God and benefit of others Wheras we are so far of from giving awaie our necessaries as we wil not bestow our very superfluities but wil imploy them rather upon hawks and dogs and other brute beasts and somtimes also upon much viler uses than to the releefe of our poore brethren 11 Alas deer brother to what a carelesse and senseles estate are we come touching our own salvation and damnation S. Paul crieth out unto us Work your own salvation with fear and trembling and yet no man for that maketh account therof S. Peter warneth us gravely and earnestly Brethren take you great care to make your vocation and election sure by good works and yet who almost wil think upon them Christ himselfe thundereth in these words I tel you make your selves frinds in this world of uniust mammon that when you faint they may receive you into eternal tabernacles And yet for al that we are not moved herewithal so dead we are and lumpish to al goodnes 12 If God did exhort us to good deeds for his own commoditie or for any gain that he is to take therby yet in reason we ought to pleasure him therin seing we have receaved al from his only liberalitie before But seing he asketh it at our hands for no need of his own but only for our gain to pay us home again with advantage it is more reason we should harken unto him If a common honest man upon earth should invite us to do a thing promising us of his honestie a sufficient reward we would beleve him but God making infinit promises unto us in scripture of eternal reward to our wel doing as that we shal eat with him drink with him raigne with him possesse heaven with him and the like can not move us notwithstanding to works of charitie But bicause those forefathers of ours were moved herewithal as having harts of softer metal than ours are of therfore they brought foorth such abundant fruit as I have shewed 13 Of al this then that I have said the godly Christian may gather first the lamentable estate of the world at this day when amongst the smal number of those which bear the name of Christians so many are like to perish for not performing of these two principal points of their uocation Secondly he may gather the cause of the infinit difference of reward for good and evil in the life to come which some men wil seeme to marvel at but in deed is most just and reasonable considering the great diversitie of life in good and evil men whiles they are in this world For the good man doth not only endevor to avoid sin but also by resisting the same daily and hourly encreaseth in the fauor of God The loose man by yeelding consent to his concupiscence doth not only lose the favor of God but also doubleth sin upon sin without number The good man besides avoiding sin doth infinit good works at the least wise in desire and hart wher greter abilitie serveth not But the wicked man neither in hart nor deed doth any good at al but rather seeketh in place therof to do hurt The good man imploieth al his mind hart words and hands to the service of God and of his servants for his sake But the wicked man bendeth al his force and powers both of body and mind to the service of vanities the world his flesh Insomuch that as the good man increaseth hourly in the favor of God to which is du increase of grace and glory in heaven so the evil from time to time in thought word or deed or in al at once heapeth up sin and damnation upon himself to which is du vengeance and increase of torments in hel and in this contrarie course they passe over their lives for twentie thirtie or fortie yeeres and so come to die And is it not reason now that seeing there is so great diversitie in their estates there should be as great or more diversitie also in their reward Especially seeing God is a great God and rewardeth smal things with great wages either of everlasting glorie or everlasting pain Thirdly and lastly the diligent and careful Christian may gather of this what great cause he hath to put in practise the godly counsel of Saint Paul which is That every man should prove
and were not readie jump at the very hour to go in with him and would not know them when they came after and finally he promiseth to damn al those without exception which shal work iniquitie as S. Mathew testifieth 7 Moreover being asked by a certain ruler on a time how he might be saved he would geeve him no other hope so long as he sought salvation by his works though he were a prince but only this If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements of God And talking with his disciples at another time of the same matter he geeveth them no other rule of their life but this If ye love me keepe my commandements As who should say if you were never so much my disciples if ye break my commandements there is no more love nor frindship betwixt us And S. Iohn which best of al others knew his meaning herein expoundeth it in this sense when he saith If a man saith he knoweth God and yet keepeth not his commandements he is a liar and the truth is not in him And more yet to take away al hope or expectation from his disciples of any other way pleasing him than by keeping his commandements he saith in another place that He came not to take away the law but to fulfill it and streight way he inferreth upon the same Whosoever therfore shal break one of the least of these commandements shal be called the least in the kingdom of heaven For which cause at his departure out of the world the verie last words that he spake to his Apostles were these that They should teach men to observe al his commandements whatsoever 8 By which appeereth the severe meaning that Christ had touching our account for the keeping of his commandements in this life The which also may be gathered by that being asked whether the number were smal of them that should be saved he counseleth men to strive to go into the strait gate for that many should be shut out yea even of them which had eaten and drunken with him and had enjoied the corporal presence of his blessed bodie but had not regarded to live as he commanded them In which case he signifieth that no respect or frindship must take place with him at the last day for which cause he said to the man whom he had healed at the fish pools side in Ierusalem Behold now thou art hole see thou sin no more least worse come to thee than before And generally he warneth vs in Saint Mathews gospel that we agree with our adversaries and make our accounts streight in this life otherwise we shal pay the uttermost farthing in the life to come And yet more severely he saith in another place That we shal render account at the day of iudgment for every idle word which we have spoken 9 Which day of judgement he warneth us of before and foretelleth the rigor and danger in sundrie places of holie scripture to the end we should prevent the same and so direct our lives while we have time in this world as we may present our selves at that day without fear and danger or rather with great joy and comfort when so manie thousands of wicked people shal appeer there to their eternal confusion 10 And bicause there is nothing which so fitly sheweth the severitie of Christ in taking our account at the last day as the order and maner of this judgement described most diligently by the holy scripture it selfe it shal make much for our purpose to consider the same And first of al it is to be noted that there be two judgements appointed after death wherof the one is called particular wherby ech man presently upon his departure from this world receaveth particular sentence either of punishment or of glorie according to his deeds in this life as Christs own words are wherof we have examples in Lazarus and the rich glutton who were presently caried the one to pain the other to rest as Saint Luke testifieth And to dowt of this were obstinacie as Saint Austen affirmeth The other judgment is called general for that it shal be of al men togither in the end of the world where shal a final sentence be pronounced either of reward or punishment upon al men that ever lived according to the works which they have done good or bad in this life and afterward never more question be made of altering their estate that is of easing the pain of the one or ending the glorie of the other 11 Now as touching the first of these two judgements albeit the holy ancient fathers especiallie Saint Austen do gather and consider divers particulars of great severitie and feare as the passage of our soul from the body to the tribunal seat of God under the custody both of good and evil angels the fear she hath of them the sodain strangenes of the place where she is the terror of Gods presence the strait examination she must abide and the like yet for that the most of these things are to be considered also in the second judgement which is general I wil passe over to the same noting only certain reasons yeelded by the holy fathers why God after the first judgement wherin he had assigned to ech man according to his deserts in particular would appoint moreover this second general judgment Wherof the first is for that the body of man rising from his sepulchre might be partaker of the eternal punishment or glorie of the soul even as it hath beene partaker with the same either in vertue or vice in this life The second is that as Christ was dishonored and put to confusion here in the world publikly so much more he might shew his majestie and power at that day in the sight of al creatures and especially of his enimies The third is that both the wicked and good might receave their reward openly to more confusion hart greefe of the one and to the greater joy and triumph of the other who commonly in this world have been overborn by the wicked The fourth is for that evil men when they die do not commonly carie with them al their demerit and evil for that they leave behind them either their evil example or their children and familiars corrupted by them or els books and means which may in time corrupt others Al which being not yet done but comming to passe after their death they cannot so conveniently receave their judgement for the same presently but as the evil falleth out so their pains are to be increased The like may be said of the good So that for examples sake Saint Pauls glorie is increased daily and shal be unto the worlds end by reason of them that daily profit by his writings and example and the pains of the wicked are for the like reason daily augmented But at the last day of judgment shal be an end
them Whose help wil they crave They shal see al things crie vengeance about them al things yeeld them cause of feare and terror but nothing to yeeld them any hope or comfort Above them shal be their judge offended with them for their wickednes beneath them hel open and the cruel fornace readie boiling to receave them on the right hand shal be their sins accusing them on the left hand the devils ready to execute Gods eternal sentence upon them within them their conscience gnawing without them al damned soules bewailing on everie side the world burning Good Lord what wil the wretched sinner do invironed with al these miseries How wil his hart sustain these anguishes What way wil he take To go back is impossible to go forward is intollerable What then shal he do but as Christ foretelleth he shal drie up for very fear seeke death and death shal fly from him cry to the hils to fal upon him and they refusing to do him so much pleasure he shal stand there as a most desperate forlorne and miserable caitife wretch until he receave that dreadful and irrevocable sentence Go you accursed into everlasting fire 18 Which sentence once pronounced consider what a doleful cry and shout wil streight follow The good rejoising and singing praises in the glorie of their saviour the wicked bewailing blaspheming and cursing the day of their nativitie Consider the intollerable upbraieng of the wicked infernal spirits against these miserable condemned souls now delivered to them in pray for ever With how bitter scofs and taunts wil they hale them on to torments Consider the eternal seperation that then must be made of fathers children mothers daughters frinds and companions the one to glorie the other to confusion with out ever seeing one the other again and that which shal be as great a greefe as any other if it be tru that some conceave that our knowledge one of another here on earth shal so far remain the son going to heaven shal not pitie his own father or mother going to hel but shal rejoice at the same for that it turneth to Gods glorie for the execution of his justice What a separation I say shal this be What a farewel Whose hart would not break at that day to make this separation if a hart could break at that time so end his pains But that wil not be Where are al our delites now Where are al our pleasant pastimes become Our bravery in apparel our glistering in gold our honor done to us with cap and knee al our delicate fare al our musik al our wanton daliances and recreations we were wont to have al our good frinds and merie companions accustomed to laugh and to disport the time with us Where are they become Oh deere brother how sower wil al the pleasures past of this world seeme at that hour How doleful wil their memorie be unto us How vain a thing wil al our dignities our riches our possessions appeere And on the contrarie side how joiful wil that man be that hath attended in this life to live vertuouslie albeit with pain and contempt of the world Happy creature shal he be that ever he was born no toong but Gods can expresse his happines 19 And now to make no other conclusion of al this but even that which Christ himselfe maketh let us consider how easie a matter it is now for us with a little pain to avoid the danger of this day for that cause it is foretold us by our most merciful judge and Saviour to the end we should by our diligence avoid it For thus he concludeth after al his former threatnings Videte vigilate c. Looke about you watch and praie ye for you know not when the time shal be But as I say to you so I say to al be watchful And in another place having reckoned up al the particulars before recited least any man should dowt that al should not be fulfilled he saith Heaven and earth shal passe but my words shal not passe And then he addeth this exhortation Attend therfore unto your selves that your harts be not overcome with banquetting and dronkenes with the cares of this life and so that day come upon you sodenly For he shal come as a snare upon them which inhabite the earth be you therfore watchful and alwais pray that you may be woorthy to escape al these things which are to com to stand confidently before the Son of man at this day What a frindly and fatherly exhortation is this of Christ Who could desire a more kind gentle or effectual forewarning Is there any man that can plead ignorance hereafter The verie like conclusion gathered Saint Peter out of the premises when he saith The day of the Lord shal come as a theefe in which the elements shal be dissolved c. Seeing then al these things must be dissolved what maner of men ought we to be in holy conversation and pietie expecting and going on to meete the comming of that day of the Lord c. This meeting of the day of judgement which Saint Peter speaketh of is an earnest longing after it which never is had until first there go before a du examination of our estate and speedy amendment of our life past Therfore saith most notably the wise man Provide thee of a medicine before the sore come and examine thy selfe before iudgement and so shalt thou find propitiation in the sight of God To which Saint Paul agreeth when he saith If we would iudge our selves we should not be iudged But bicause no man entreth into du judgement of himselfe and of his own life therof it commeth that so few do prevent this latter judgement so few are watchful and so many fal a sleepe in ignorance of their own danger Our Lord give us grace to looke better about us CHAP. VI. A consideration of the nature of sin and of a sinner for the iustifieng of Gods severitie shewed in the Chapter before TO the end that no man may justly complain of the severe account which God is to take of us at the last day or of the severitie of his judgement set down in the chapter before it shal not be amisse to consider in this chapter the cause why God doth shew such severitie against sin and sinners as both by that which hath been said doth appeer and also by the whole course of holie scripture where he in every place almost denounceth his extreme hatred wrath indignatiō against the same as where it is said of him That he hateth al those that work iniquitie And that both the wicked man and his wickednes are in hatred with him And finaly that the whole life of sinners their thoughts words works yea and their good actions also are abhominations in his sight whiles they live in sin And that which yet is more
dul harted Why do you love vanitie and seek after a lie He calleth the world not a lier but a lie it selfe for the exceeding great fraud and deceit which it useth 38 The third name or propertie that Christ ascribeth unto the pleasures and riches of the world is that they are thorns of which Saint Gregorie writeth thus Who ever would have beleeved me if I had called riches thorns as Christ heer doth seeing thorns do prik and riches are so pleasant And yet surely they are thorns for that with the priks of their careful cogitations they tear and make bloody the minds of worldly men By which words this holie father signifieth that even as a mans naked bodie tossed and tombled among manie thorns cannot be but much rent and torn and made bloodie with the pricks therof so a worldly mans soul beaten with the cares and cogitations of this life cannot but be vexed with restles pricking of the same and wounded also with manie temptations of sin which do occur This doth Salomon in the places before alledged signifie when he doth not only cal the riches and pleasures of this world Vanitie of vanities that is the greatest vanitie of al other vanities but also Affliction of spirit giving us to understand that where these vanities are and the love of them once entered there is no more the peace of God which passeth al understanding there is no longer rest or quiet of mind but war of desires vexation of thoughts tribulation of fears pricking of cares unquietnes of soul which is indeed a most miserable and pittiful affliction of spirit 39 And the reason heerof is that as a clok can never stand stil from running so long as the peazes do hang therat so a worldly man having infinite cares cogitations and anxieties hanging upon his mind as peazes upon the clok can never have rest or repose day or night but is inforced to beat his brains when other men sleep for the compassing of those trifles wherwith he is incombred Oh how manie rich men in the world do feel to be tru that I now say How many ambitious men do proove it daily and yet wil not deliver themselves out of the same 40 Of al the plaegs sent unto Egypt that of the flies was one of the most troublesome and fastidious For they never suffered men to rest but the more they were beaten off the more they came upon them So of al the miseries and vexations that God laieth upon worldlings this is not the lest to be tormented with the cares of that which they esteem their greatest felicitie and cannot beat them off by any means they can devise They rush upon them in the morning as soone as they awake they accompanie them in the day they forsake them not at night they follow them to bed they let them from their sleep they afflict them in their dreams and finally they are like to those importune and unmerciful tyrans which God threateneth to wicked men by Ieremie the prophet Qui nocte ac die non dabunt requiem Which shal give them no rest either by day or night and the cause heerof which God alledgeth in the same chapter is Quia abstuli pacem meam à populo isto dicit Dominus misericordiam miserationes for that I have taken away my peace from this kind of people saith God I have taken away my mercie and commiserations a very heavy sentence to al them that lie under the yoke and bondage of these miserable vanities 41 But yet the prophet Esay hath a much more terrible description of these mens estate They put their trust in things of nothing and do talk vanities they conceive labor and bring foorth iniquitie they break the egs of serpents and weave the webs of spiders he that shal eat their egs shal die and that which is hatched thence shal be a cocatrice their webs shal not make cloth to cover them for that their works are unprofitable and the work of iniquitie is in their hands These are the words of Esay declaring unto us by most significant similitudes how dangerous thorns the riches and pleasures of this world are And first he saith They put their hope in things of nothing and do talk vanities to signifie that he meaneth of the vanities and vain men of this world who commonly do talk of the things which they love best wherin they place their gretest affiance Secondly he saith They conceive labor and bring foorth iniquitie Alluding heerin to the child-birth of women who first do conceive in their womb and after a great deal of travel do bring foorth their infant so worldly men after a great time of travel and labor in vanities do bring foorth no other fruit than sin and iniquitie For that is the effect of those vanities as he speaketh in the same chapter crieng out to such kind of men Wo be unto you which do draw iniquitie in the ropes of vanitie 42 But yet to expresse this matter more forcibly he useth two other similitudes saieng They break the egs of serpents and do weave the webs of spiders Signifieng by the one the vanitie of these worldly cares and by the other the danger therof The spider we see taketh great pains and labor many dais togither to weave hir selfe a web and in the end when al is done commeth a puff of wind or some other little matter and breaketh al in peeces Even as he in the Gospel which had taken great travel and care in heaping riches togither in plucking down his old barns building up of new and when he was come to say to his soul Now be merry That night his soul was taken from him and al his labor lost Therfore Esay saith in this place that The webs of these weavers shal not make them cloth to cover them withal for that their works are unprofitable 43 The other comparison containeth matter of great danger and fear For as the bird that sitteth upon the egs of serpents by breaking and hatching them bringeth foorth a perilous broode to hir own destruction so those that sit abroode upon these vanities of the world saith Esay do hatch at last their own destruction The reason wherof is as he saith For that the work of iniquitie is in their hand Stil harping upon this string that a man cannot love and follow these vanities or intangle himselfe with their ropes as his phrase is but that he must indeed draw on much iniquitie therwith that is he most mingle much sin and offence of God with the same which effect of sin bicause it killeth the soul that consenteth unto it therfore Esay compareth it unto the broode of serpents that killeth the bird which bringeth them foorth to the world And finally Moises useth the like similitudes when he saith of vain and wicked men Their vineyard is the vineyard of Sodomites their grape is the grape of
deceits which keepe bak from the same he runneth to this only refuge that is to persuade men that they defer a little and that in time to come they shal have better occasion and opportunitie to do it than presently they have 3 This Saint Austen prooved in his conversion as himselfe writeth For that after he was persuaded that no salvation could be unto him but by change amendement of his life yet the enimie held him for a time in delay saieng unto him Yet a little stay yet defer for a time therby as he saith to bind him more fast in the custome of sin until by the omnipotent power of Gods grace and his own most earnest endevor he brake violently from him crieng to God Why shal I longer say to-morrow to-morrow Why shal I not do it even at this instant And so he did even in his verie youth living afterward a most holie and severe Christian life 4 But if we wil discover yet further the greatnes and peril of this deceit let us consider the causes that may let our resolution and conversion at this present and we shal see them al increased and strengthened by delay and consequently the matter made more hard and difficult for the time to come than now it is For first as I have said the continuance of sin bringeth custome which once having gotten prescription upon us is so hard to remoove as by experience we proove daily in al habits that have taken roote within us Who can remoove for examples sake without great difficultie a long custome of droonkennes Of swearing Or of any other evil habit once setled upon us Secondly the longer we persist in our sinful life the more God plucketh his grace and assistance from us which is the only mean that maketh the way of vertu easie unto men Thirdly the power and kingdome of the divel is more established and confirmed in us by continuance and so the more harder to be remooved Fourthly the good inclination of our wil is more and more weakened and daunted by frequentation of sin though not extinguished Fiftly the faculties of our mind are more corrupted as the understanding is more darkened the wil more perverted the appetite more disordered Sixtly and lastly our inferior parts and passions are more stirred up and strengthened against the rule of reason and harder to be repressed by continuance of time than they were before 5 Wel then put al this togither my frind and consider indifferently within thy self whether it be more likely that thou shalt rather make this resolution heerafter than now Heerafter I say when by longer custome of sin the habit shal be more fastened in thee the divel more in possession upon thee Gods help further off from thee thy mind more infected thy judgment more weakened thy good desires extinguished thy passions confirmed thy bodie corrupted thy strength diminished and al thy whole Common-wealth more perverted 6 We see by experience that a ship which leaketh is more easily empited at the beginning than afterward We see that a ruinous pallace the longer it is let run the more charge and labor it wil require in the repairing We see that if a man drive in a nail with a hammer the mo blowes he giveth to it the more hard it is to pluk it out again How then thinkest thou to commit sin upon sin and by perseverance therin to find the redresse more easie hereafter than now That were much like as if a good fellow that having made to himselfe a great burden to carry should assay it on his bak and for that it sat uneasie and pressed him much should cast it down again and put a great deal more unto it and then begin to lift it again but when he felt it more heavie than before he should fal into a great rage and ad twise as much more to it therby to make it lighter For so do the children of the world who finding it somwhat unpleasant to resist one or two vices in the beginning do defer their conversion and do ad twentie or fortie mo unto them thinking to find the matter more easie afterward 7 Saint Austen expounding the miracle of our savior in raising Lazarus from death to life which had been dead now four dais as the evangelist saith examineth the cause why Christ wept and cried and troubled himselfe in spirit before the doing of his act wheras he raised others with greater facilitie and out of it giveth this lesson to us that as Lazarus was dead four dais and also buried so are there four degrees of a sinner the first in voluntary delectation of sin the second in consent the third in fulfilling it by work the fourth in continuance or custome therof wherin whosoever is once buried saith this holie father he is hardly raised to life again without a great miracle of God and many tears of his own part 8 The reason heerof is that which the wise man saith Languor prolixior gravat medicum An old siknes doth trouble the physition Brevem autem languorem praecidit medicus But the physition cutteth off quikly a new or fresh disease which hath indured but a litle time The very bones of an old wicked man shal be replenished with the vices of his youth saith Iob and they shal sleep with him in the dust when he goeth to the grave We read that Moises in part of punishment to the people that had sinned in adoring the golden calfe broke the same in peeces made them drink it So the vices wherin we delited during our youth are so dispersed by custom in our bodies bones that when old age doth come on we can not rid them at our pleasure without great difficultie and pain What folly then is it to defer our amendement unto our old age when we shal have more impediments and difficulties by a great deal then we have now 9 If it seem hard to thee to amend thy life now painfully to be occupied in thy calling and withal for thy better help to fast to pray and to take upon thee other exercises which the word of God prescribeth to sinners to their conversion how wilt thou do it in thine old age When thy bodie shal have more need of cherishing than of painful exercise If thou find it unpleasant to resist thy sins now and to root them out after the continuance of two three or four yeers what wil it be after twentie yeers more adjoined unto them How mad a man wouldest thou esteem him that traveling on the way and having great choise of lustie strong horses should let them al go emptie and lay al his carriage upon some one poore and lean beast that could scarse beare it selfe or much lesse stand under so many bags cast up on it And surely no lesse unreasonable is that man who passing over idlely the lusty dais and times of his life reserveth al the
that to persuade our selves the contrarie therof were to mok and abuse God which hath laied down this law unto us 20 Notwithstanding as I have said this barreth not the mercie of God from using a priuilege to some at the very last cast But yet miserable is that man which placeth the ankor of his eternal wealth or wo upon so ticklesome a point as this is I cal it ticklesome for that al divines which have written of this matter do speak very dowtfully of the conversion of a man at the last end And although they do not absolutely condemn it in al but do leave it as uncertain unto Gods secret judgement yet do they incline to the negative part and do alledge four reasons for which that conversion is to be dowted as insufficient for a mans salvation 21 The first reason is for that the extreme fear and pains of death being as the philosopher saith the most terrible of al terrible things do not permit a man so to gather his spirits and senses at that time as is required for the treating of so weightie a matter with God as is our conversion and salvation And if we see often that a very good man cannot fix his mind earnestly upon heavenly cogitations at such time as he is troubled with the passions of cholik or other sharp diseases how much lesse in the anguishes of death can a worldly man do the same being unacquainted with that exercise and loden with the guilt of many and great sins and cloied with the love both of his bodie and things belonging therunto 22 The second reason is for that the conversion which a man maketh at the last day is not for the most part voluntarie but upon necessitie and for fear such as was the repentance of Simei who having greevously offended king David in time of his affliction afterward when he saw him in prosperitie again himselfe in danger of punishment he came and fel down before him and asked him forgivenes with tears But yet David wel perceived the matter how it stood and therfore though he spared him for that day wherin he would not trouble the mirth with execution of justice yet after he gave order that he should be used according to his deserts 23 The third reason is for that the custome of sin which hath continued al the life long is seldome remooved upon the instant being grown into nature it selfe as it were for which cause God saith to evil men by the prophet Ieremie If an Ethiopian can change his blak skin or a leopard his spots that are on his bak then can you also do wel having learned al dais of your life to do evil 24 The fourth cause for that the acts of vertu themselves cannot be of so great valu with God in that instant as if they had been done in time of health before For what great matter is it for example sake to pardon thine enimies at that time when thou canst hurt them no more To give thy goods away when thou canst use them no more To abandon thy concubine when thou canst keepe hir no longer To leave off to sin when sin must leave thee Al these things are good and holie and to be done by him which is in that last state but yet they are of no such valu as otherwise they would be by reason of this circumstance of time which I have shewed B. * A fift reason might be taken of experience for that we see oft times that such as repent after that maner if they recover again they are afterward as bad as they were before and somtimes much woorse which without quaestion was not tru repentance in them 25 These are reasons why there is such dowt made of this last conversion not for any want on Gods part but on theirs which are to do that great act Mark wel saith one again what I say and it may be it shal be needful to expound my meaning more plainly least any man mistake me What say I then That a man which repenteth not but at the end shal be damned I do not say so What then Do I say he shal be saved No. What then do I say I say I know not I say I presume not I promise not I know not Wilt thou deliver thy selfe foorth of this dowt Wilt thou escape this dangerous and uncertain point Repent then whiles thou art whole For if thou repent while thou art in health whensoever the last day shal come upon thee thou art safe And why art thou safe For that thou didst repent in that time wherin thou mightest have sinned But if thou wilt repent then when thou canst sin no longer thou leavest not sin but sin leaveth thee 26 And heer now would I have the careful Christian to consider with me but this one comparison that I wil make If those which do shew a kind of repentance at the last day do passe hence notwithstanding in such dangerous dowtfulnes what shal we think of al those which lak either time or ability or wil or grace to repent at al at that hour What shal we say of al those which are cut off before Which dy suddenly Which are striken senseles or frentik as we see manie are What shal we say of those which are abandoned by God and left unto vice even unto the last breath in their bodie I have shewed before out of Saint Paul that ordinarily sinners die according as they live So it is as it were a privilege for a wicked man to have his repentance to be begun when he is to die And then if his repentance when it doth come be so dowtful what a pittiful case are al others in I mean the more part which repent not at al but die as they lived and are forsaken of God in that extremitie according as he promiseth when he saith For that I have called you and you have refused to come for that I held out my hand and none of you would vouchsafe to looke towards I wil laugh also at your destruction when anguish and calamitie commeth on you You shal cal upon me and I wil not hear you shal rise betimes in the morning to see me but you shal not find me 27 When a worldling doth see that the brightnes of his honor vainglorie and worldly pomp is consumed when the heat of concupiscence of carnal love of delicate pleasures is quenched when the beautiful summer day of this life is ended and the boisterous winter night of death draweth on then wil he turn unto God then wil he repent then wil he resolve himselfe and make his conversion When he can live no longer he wil promise any pains what hearing or studieng of the word of God you wil what toil or labor in his vocation you wil what praier you wil what fasting you wil what alms deeds you can desire what austeritie you can imagin he
omit to labor 11 The second impediment is called by me in the title of this chapter negligence But I do understand therby a further matter than commonly this word importeth For I do comprehend under the name of negligence al careles and dissolute people which take to hart nothing that pertaineth to God or godlines but only attend to worldly affairs making their salvation the least part of their cogitations And under this kind of negligence is contained both Epicurism as Saint Paul noted in some Christians of his dais who began only to attend to eat and drink and to make their bellies their God as many of our Christians now do and also a secret kind of Atheism or denieng of God that is of denieng him in life and behavior as Saint Paul expoundeth it For albeit these men in words do confesse God and professe themselves to be as good Christians as the rest yet secretly indeed they do not beleeve God as their life and doings do declare Which thing Ecclesiasticus discovereth plainly when he saith Vae dissolutis corde qui non credunt Deo Wo be unto the dissolute and careles in hart which do not beleeve God That is though they professe that they beleeve and trust in him yet by their dissolute and careles doings they testifie that in their harts they beleeve him not for that they have neither care nor cogitation of matters pertaining to him 12 These kind of men are those which the scripture noteth and detesteth for plowing with an ox and an asse togither for sowing their ground with mingled seed for wearing apparel of linsie woolsey that is made of flaxe and wool togither These are they of whom Christ saith in the Revelations I would thou were either cold or hot But for that thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot therfore wil I begin to vomit thee out of my mouth These are they which can accord al religions togither and take up al controversies by only saieng that either they are differences of smal importance or else that they appertain only to learned men to think upon and not unto them These are they which can apply themselves to any companie to any time to any princes pleasure for matters of life to come These men forbid al talk of spirit religion or devotion in their presence only they wil have men eat drink and be merry with them tel news of the court and affairs abroad sing dance laugh and play at cards and so passe over this life in lesse consideration of God than the very heathens did And hath not the scripture reason then in saieng that these men in their harts works are Atheists Yes surely And it may be prooved by many rules of Christ. As for example this is one rule set down by himself By their fruits ye shal know them For such as the tree is within such is the fruit which that tree sendeth footh Again The mouth speaketh from the abundance of the hart and consequently seeing their talk is nothing but of worldly vanities it is a sign there is nothing in their hart but that And then it followeth also by a third rule Where the treasure is there is the hart And so seing their harts are only set upon the world the world is their only treasure not God And consequently they prefer that before God as indeed Atheists do 13 This impediment reacheth far and wide at this day and infinite are the men which are intangled therwith and the cause therof esspecally is inordinate love of the world which bringeth men to hate God and to conceive enmitie against him as the apostle saith and therfore no marvel though indeed they neither beleeve nor delite in him And of al other men these are the hardest to be reclaimed and brought to any resolution of amendement for that they are insensible and beside that do also flie al means wherby they be cured For as there were smal hope to be conceived of that patient which being greeuously sik should neither feele his disease nor beleeve that he were distempered nor abide to hear of physik or physitions nor accept of any counsel that should be offered nor admit any talk or consultation about his curing so these men are in more dangerous estate than any other for that they know not their own danger but persuading themselves to be more wise than their neighbors do remoove from their cogitations al things wherby their health might be procured 14 The only way to do these men good if there be any way at al is to make them know that they are sik and in great danger which in our case may be done best as it seemeth to me by giving them to understand how far they are off from any one peece of tru Christianitie consequently from al hope of salvation that may be had therby God requireth at our hands that We should love him and serve him With al our hart with al our soul and with al our strength These are the prescript words of God set down both in the old and new law And how far I pray thee are these men off from this which imploy not the halfe of their hart nor the halfe of their soul nor the halfe of their strength in Gods service nay nor the least part therof God requireth at our hands that we should make his laws and precepts our studie and cogitations that we should think on them continually and meditate upon them both day and night at home and abroad early and late when we go to bed and when we rise in the morning this is his commandement and there is no dispensation therin But how far are those men from this which bestow not the third part of their thoughts upon this matter no not the hundred part nor scarce once in a yeer do talk therof Can these men say they are Christians or that they beleeve in God 15 Christ making the estimate of things in this life pronounced this sentence Vnum est necessarium one onely thing is necessarie Or of necessitie in this world meaning the diligent and careful service of God These men find many things necessarie beside this one thing and this nothing necessarie at al. How far do they differ then in judgement from Christ Christs apostle saith that a Christian Must neither love the world nor any thing in the world These men love nothing else but that which is of the world He saith that Whosoever is a frind to the world is an enimie to Christ. These men are enimies to whosoever is not a frind to the world How then can these men hold of Christ Christ saith We should pray stil. These men pray never Christs apostle saith that Covetousnes uncleannes or securitie should not be so much as once named among Christians These men have no other talk but such Finally the
woonted errors unto the truth in both these respects I thought your G. would so much the rather accept of them For having had so long experience of the world as you have very likelihood teacheth that needs you must grow more and more from the love therof and it is sufficiently known unto al that having found this mercie your selfe to be delivered from the former ignorance to be brought to the knowledge of the truth you have in like sort in this long course that God hath given you much called on others to do the like These bookes therfore that treat of the same I thought should be the rather welcome And I beseech almightie God the fountain and giver of al good things to give you grace so to consider of the one and to go on forward in the other as that more and more departing from the love of the world and more and more performing the work of the ministerie you bring the former at length to nothing and make the other a pollished work for the day of the Lord. Your Graces most humble in the Lord EDM. BVNNY The Praeface to the Reader COncerning the former of these two Bookes gentle Reader I have to admonish thee of certain things therunto belonging and first as touching the Author of it then as touching the booke it selfe Who it is that was the Author of it I do not know for that the Author hath not put to his name but only two letters in the end of his praeface which two letters I have set down under the title of the booke it selfe But whosoever it is that was the Author of it himselfe doth set down both the occasion wherupon he wrote it and what was his intent and purpose therin The occasion of it was that one Gasper Loart Doctor of Divinitie and a Iesuit frier had before written a booke of much like argument in the Italian toong which a countrie-man of ours at Paris in France had about four yeers since translated into English and had done as he thought much good therby Wherupon the Author heerof minding to have imprinted that again and to have inriched it both with matter and method he found the course that he determined to have this issu in the end that he thought not good to imprint again that booke of Doctor Loarts but rather to make another of his own and to gather in therunto whatsoever is in that booke or others such like to this effect Which course when he had taken he thought good to follow this order therin first to shew how to resolve our selves to serve God indeed then how to begin to do it and lastly how to continu unto the end And so setting in hand with the work and having finished the first part that hath he sent over in the mean season until he shal be able to finish the rest His intent and purpose was as himselfe doth witnes that his countrie-men might have some one sufficient direction for matters of life among so many bookes of controversies for that those though otherwise he account them needful do help but little he saith oft times to good life but rather fil the heads of men with a spirit of contradiction contention that for the most part hindereth devotion Insomuch that he much misliketh that men commonly spend so much of their time so unprofitably talking of faith but not seeking to build theron as they ought to do and so do but wearie themselves in vain making much ado but getting but little profit therby much disquieting our selves and others and yet obtaining but smal reward Which complaint of his is just indeed as the matter is handled by many And so having protested his good meaning therin desireth al though they dissent from him in religion yet laieng aside hatred malice and wrathful contention to join togither in amendement of life and in praieng one for another Which we might have heard in his own words but that he interlaceth other things withal that I dare not in conscience and dutie to God commend unto thee Concerning the booke it selfe it seemeth to be most of al gathered out of certain of the Schoole-men as they are termed that living in the corrupter time of the church did most of al by that occasion treat of reformation of life when as others were rather occupied about the controversies that were most in quaestion among them And although my selfe have bestowed no great time in them yet by the little that I have bestowed I see it to resemble them so much especially for the invention of it that as we finde somtimes a readie help in the face of the childe to gesse at the father so in this likewise me think that we have in the booke it selfe that which may lead us to this conjecture But my meaning at this time is no more but this first to shew thee what it was as it is set foorth by the Author himselfe and then what is done therunto by me that so I might get it published to al. As it is set foorth by the Author himselfe if we consider the substance of it surely it was wel woorth the labor a few points only excepted and much of it of good persuasion to godlines of life But if we consider the form or maner of it therin maiest thou finde that it was needful for me before hand to admonish thee of these few things First that throughout the whole booke the Author hath used in those scriptures that he alledgeth the vulgar translation that was before in common use with them and some special words praecisely such as before they have taken upon them to observe and therin stil to discent from us The vulgar translation is known wel inough so that I need to say nothing of it Those special words that praecisely he useth are Our Lord when it is more agreeable to the text to say The Lord iustice for righteousnes poenance for repentance merit for good works or the service of God and a few others Then also in divers parts of the booke there were mingled in withal certain opinions and doctrines of their own profession most of them such as are manifest corruptions and some of them no more but over-venturous and certain places alledged out of others little appertaining to the matter or else more coldly handling the matters propounded than that wel they could match with the residu that are in the Treatise to that purpose alledged In this maner came it into my hands and so it is yet extant among them Now concerning my doings therin first for the substance of it bicause it is much of it good I have so far not only conceived liking of it my selfe but also have done my best indevor thus to publish it unto al that so many as wil may take to themselves the benefit of it In which kind of argument though many others in these our dais have done very commendably likewise Yet I
the strength of continencie there the good almers which have liberally fed the poore and keeping Gods commandements have transferred their earthly riches to the store-house of heaven shal receive their du and peculiar reward O how shal vertu shew hir selfe at this day How shal good deeds content their doers And among al other joies and contentations this shal not be the least to see the poore souls that come thither on the sudden from the miseries of this life how they I say shal remain astonished and as it were beside themselves at the sudden mutation and excessive honor done unto them If a poore man that were out of his way wandering alone upon the mountains in the midst of a dark and tempestuous night far from companie destitute of money beaten with rain terrified with thunder stif with cold wearied out with labor almost famished with hunger and thirst and near brought to despair with multitude of miseries should upon the sudden in the twinkling of an eie be placed in a goodly large and rich pallace furnished with al kind of cleer lights warme fire sweet smels daintie meats soft beds pleasant musik fine apparel and honorable companie al prepared for him and attending his comming to serve him to honor him and to annoint and crown him a king for ever what would this poore man do How would he look What could he say Surely I think he could say nothing but rather would weepe in silence for joy his hart being not able to contain the sudden and exceeding greatnes therof 18 Wel then so shal it be and much more with these twise happie souls that come to heaven For never was there cold shadow so pleasant in a hot burning sunnie day nor the welspring to the poore traveller in his greatest thirst of the sommer nor the repose of an easie bed to the wearied servant after his labor at night as shal be this rest of heaven to an afflicted soul which commeth thither O that we could conceave this that we could imprint this in our harts deer brother would we follow vanities as we do Would we neglect this matter as we do Surely our coldnes in seeking after these joies doth proceed of the smal opinion we do conceive of them For if we made such account and estimate of this jewel as other merchants before us more skilful and wiser than our selves have done we would bid for it as they did or at leastwise would not let it passe so negligently which they sought after so carefully The Apostle saith of Christ himselfe Proposito sibi gaudio sustinuit crucem He laieng before his eies the ioies of heaven susteined the crosse A great estimation of the matter which he would buy at so deer a rate But what counsel giveth he to other men about the same Surely none other but to Go and sel al that ever they have to purchase this treasure Saint Paul of himselfe what saith he Verelie that He esteemed al the world as dung in respect of the purchasing of this jewel Saint Pauls scholer Ignatius what biddeth he Hear his own words Fire galows beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my body al the torments of the devil togither let them come upon me so I may enjoy this treasure of heaven Saint Austen that learned bishop what offereth he You have now heard before that he would be content to suffer torments every day yea the verie torments of hel it selfe to gain this joy Good Lord how far did these holie saints differ from us How contrary were their judgements to ours in these matters Who wil now marvel of the wisdome of the world judged follie by God and of the wisdome of God judged foly by the world Oh children of men saith the prophet why do ye love vanitie and seeke after a lie Why do you imbrace straw contemn gold Straw I say and most vile chaf and such as finally wil set your own house on fire and be your ruin and eternal perdition 19 But now to draw towards an end in this matter though there be no end in the thing it selfe let the Christian consider wherto he is born and wherof he is in possibilitie if he wil. He is born heir apparant to the kingdome of heaven a kingdome without end a kingdome without measure a kingdome of blisse the kingdome of God himselfe he is born to be joint heir with Iesus Christ the Son of God to raign with him to triumph with him to sit in judgement of majestie with him to judge the verie Angels of heaven with him What more glorie can be thought upon except it were to become God himselfe Al the joies al the riches al the glorie that heaven conteineth shal be powred out upon him And to make this honor yet more the glorious lamb that sitteth on the throne of majestie with his eies like fire his feet like burning copper and al his face more shining than precious stone from whose seat there proceedeth thunder and lightning without end and at whose feet the four twentie elders lay down their crowns this lamb I say shal rise and honor him with his own service Who wil not esteme of this roial inheritance Especially seeing that now we have so good opportunity to the obteining therof by the benefite of our redemption and grace purchased to us therin 20 Tel me now gentle reader why wilt thou not accept of this his offer Why wilt thou not account of this his kingdome Why wilt thou not buy this glorie of him for so little a labor as he requireth Suadeo tibi emere a me aurum ignitum probatum vt locuples fias saith Christ I counsel thee to buy pure tried gold of me to the end thou maist be rich Why wilt thou not follow this counsel deer brother especially of a merchant that meaneth not to deceive thee Nothing greeveth this our Savior more than that men wil seek with such pains to buy straw in Egypt wheras he would sel them fine gold at a lower price and that they wil purchase puddle water with more labor than he would require for ten times as much price liquor out of the verie fountain it selfe There is not the wickedst man in the world but taketh more travel in gaining of hel as after shal be shewed than the most painful servant of God in obteining of heaven 21 Follow thou not their follie then deer brother for thou shalt see them suffer greevously for it one day when thy hart shal be ful glad thou hast no part among them Let them go now and bestow their time in vanitie in pleasures in delites of the world Let them build pallaces purchase dignities ad peeces and patches of ground togither let them hunt after honors and build castels in the aire the day wil come if thou beleeve Christ himselfe wherin thou shalt have
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