a newe bond behold a new chayne by which no lesse then by the precedent thy hart is tyed and bound to desire vertue serue â—â—y Lord God The Argument Notwithstanding the most grieuous diuers commination of the diuine iustice the great rewards which are promised to those that are studious of vertue the greater part of men followeth wickednesse The cause of this mischiefe is the generall error of men which perswadeth theÌ„ that all the rewards of vertue doe appertaine to the world to come That vertue heere iâ—â—â—dious difficult and poorâ— without hauing in this world â—yther reward or sollace whereas it hath many worthy priuiledges which the godly enioy iâ— this world but very many miseries contrary calamities where-with the wicked are exagitated CHAP. 13. NOt without cause might a man ask this question why amongst christians that belieue all these thinges and confesse yâ— which hetherto hath beene spoken there are found so many who neglecting vertues follow vices that euill hath not one only roote but many diuers But amongst others and they not the least is this A certaine generall error in which the men of this world liue beleeuing that all that which God promiseth to the louers of vertue is reserued for the future life and that in this present world none of these are to bee exspected For which cause whereas man dooth highly affect reward and is chiefely drawne by profit and is not moued but by things present yea and such things as are obiect to the exteriour sences when he seeth nothing present hee setteth light by that which is to come So seemeth it that the Iewes did in the time of the Prophets For when Ezechiell by the commaundement of God proposed vnto them great promises or denounced vnto them dire comminaâ—ions they hist and after a contemptible sort disdained all things saying The vision that this man seeth is of a long date and he prophecieth of times far hence So likewise mock-king the Prophet Esay they contemned his words and said Commaund and recommaund send and send againe exspect and reexspect exspect and reexspect a little there a little there This is one of the chiefest reasons which calleth peruerse men from the obseruance of the commaundements of God perswading theÌ„selues that in this world there is no reward prefixed for vertue but that all things are reserued for the world to come This considered that great wise man when he said Truly because the sentence is not speedily pronounced against the wicked without any feare the â—onns of men perpetrate wickednes And another wise man addeth That amongst all things that are done vnder the sunne the worst is and that which giueth greatest occasion to the wicked of committing sin that euils fall vpon the iust as if â—hey had done the works of the wicked and the wicked somtimes liue so â—ecâ—â—ely as if they had done the deedes of the iust or because all things are equall to the iust the impious the good and the euill the cleane and the vncleane to him that offereth sacrifice and him that conâ—emneth it As the good man so also the sinner as the perluâ—ed so likewise heâ— that speaketh truth Where 〈◊〉 he sayth And the harts of the sonâ—â— of men are filled with malice and contempt in theyr lyfe and hereafter they shall lead vnto hell But that which Salomon heere speaketh the euill wicked themselues confesse in the Prophecie of Malachy saying Vaine is hee that serueth God and what hath it profited that we haue kept his precepts and that wee haue walked circumspectly before the Lord of hostes We therfore call the arrogant blessed because they are builded vp doing impiety tempting God yet are saued These things say the wicked and these are they that â—hieâ—â—ly deâ—ayne them in their impietie For as S. Ambrose sayth they thinke it to be a hard matter to buy theyâ— hope by their perrill that is to obtayne the future blessings by the hazarde of the present and to giue that which is in theyr possession for such thinges as seeme as yet to bee very farre from them To roote out that pestilent error I knowe not truly from wheâ—ce â— beginning may be more commodiously taken then froÌ„ those woâ—â—â— and teares of our Sauior with which â—e in times past bewept that miserable Citty of Ierusalem saying For if thou also hadst knowne and that â—ruly in thys thy day those thinges that belong to thy peace but nowe are they hidden from thine eyes Christ knewe on the one side that with himselfe all the graces and celestiall treasures descended vppon â—hose of Ierusalem and on the other side he saw the blind and miserable people ignorant thereof vnwilâ—ing to know it and therefore that â—n vtter ouerthrow attended them For thys cause deploreth hee them The like cause haue wee to bewaile the louers of thys world whilst here wee see the pulchritude of vertue â—nd the wonderfull graces great â—iches that attend thereon There â—owe farre these thinges are remooâ—ed and hidden from the eyes of men drowned in earthly thoughts â—s also in what sort vertue changeth â—er place and dispersed thorow the â—hole world findeth no place seâ—â—rely to dwell in O if God would open the eyes of â—hese men that they might see the â—reasures ritches peace liberty light tranquillity delights fauours and goods which follow vertue euen as slaues euen in this life howe much would they esteeme her with how great desire would they aspire thervnto with howe great study with how many labouâ—s would they seek her But nowe all these thinges are hidden from their eyes and they behold nothing but the externall semblance of vertue not tasting the interiour sweetnes thereof and therefore think they that there is nothing in the same that is not hard difficult ane vnsauorie deeming this monâ— currant not in this present but the future life yet if there be any good therein thy suppose the same to appertaine to another world not vnâ—o this But thou whatsoeuer thou art thâ—â— so thinkest why considerest thâ—â— not the assistance that GOD haâ—â— prepared for vs to ouercome thâ—â— difficulty of which sort are the vertues infused the giftes of the 〈◊〉 Ghost the Sacraments of the neâ—â— law with many other graces and â—â—uine helps which are vnto vs as 〈◊〉 Oares and sailes to the shippe and wings to the birds Thou oughtst to haue remembred that God not onely promised his the goods of glory but also of grace those for the future life this for the present according to that of the Prophet Our Lord will giue grace and glorie which are like two cofers furnished with all blessings the one for this life the other for the future If the woâ—ld and the deuill for the seruices which their followers doe vnto them bestow so many kindes of fauours pleasures and delights at leastwise in appearance Howe is it possible that God should be so niggard to his friends and
〈◊〉 were the actions of the liuing members of his Sonne who worketh 〈◊〉 them all goodnes From the 〈◊〉 dignitie it proceedeth that when as these iustified require fauor at God handes they demaund it with grâ—â—t confidence for they knowe thâ—â— they aske the same not for themselues onely but also for the 〈◊〉 of GOD himselfe who in them and with them is continually honoured Neyther doe the diuine benefites heere take theyr end for to all the fore-sayd graces thys is annexed at the last to which all the other are disposed namely the right and possession of eternall lyfe which is giuen to the iustified For euen as that our most mightie Lorde in whom at once infinite iustice and mercies doe shine 〈◊〉 adiudgeth all sinners which doe not repent them to eternall punishments so assumeth hee all truly penitent to eternall life These theÌ„ are the benefitâ— which that onely benefite of Iustification comprehendeth in it selfe which Iustification Saint Augustine esteemeth more then Creation for God created heauen earth by his onelie word but that hee might truly sanctifie man he 〈◊〉 his blood and suffered so many and so diuers tortures for him If therefore wee are indebted to this God such and so many wayes for our creation howe much more owe wee him for our sanctification which benefite by how much more greater labors and afflictions it is attained by so much the more it obligeth vs. But although a man doe not yet euidently know whether he be truly iustified yet euery one may haue great coÌ„iectures of his iustification amongst the which this is not the least namely the ameÌ„dment of life when as hee that was wont to perpetrate a thousand sinns in one day now committeth not one Hee that is such a one let him remember with what iust cause he is bound to serue such a sanctifier who redeemed him deliuered him from so many euils stored him with so many blessings as are hetherto reheaâ—sed And if any man yet be entangled in the vngracious race of his life I knowe not by what meanes God may more mooue him to forsake that condition then if he set before his eyes all the â—â—â—lls incommodities and perrils which sinnes bring with them which a little before haue beene numbred vp by vs aâ— also in shewing him the treasure of great benefites which spring from this incomparable blessing The Argument The graces gifts of the holy-Ghost and those wonderfull effects which they worke in vs are such and so many that whether a man will or no except hee will be altogether ingratefull hee ought in leauing his loose behauiour to intend the seruice of God No lesse are the benefites of Baptisme and most great bounties of the Sacrament of the Eucharist all which inuite vs to the amendment of our liues CHAP. 12. THose things which we haue hetherto spoken comprehende not as yet all those kinds of benefits which the holy ghost worketh in the soule of a man that is iustified neyther is Gods liberalitie concluded in those termes For it suffiseth not the diuine Spirit to haue led man in by the gate of iustice but after that man hath entred hee is likewise assisted by the same Spirit and is led by the hand into all his wayes till the waues of this stormy sea beeing ouer-ceased hee attaine safe and secure to the hauen of saluation For after that by the means of the foresaid benefite the holy ghost hath entred into the iustified soule hee sitteth not there idle it suâ—ficeth him not to grace the soule with his presence but with his vertue also hee sanctifieth the same working in her and with her whatsoeuer is conuenient for her saluation Hee sitteth there like the Father of a familie in his house gouerning the same hee sitteth there like a Maister in a schoole administring it like a gardner in his garden trimming it like a king in his kingdom ruling it like the Sun in the world illuminating it Finally like the soule in the body giuing him lyfe sence motion not as the forme in his matter but as the Father of his familie in his houshold What therefore is more blessed and more to bee desired then for a man to haue in him-selfe such a guest such a guyde such a companion such a gouernour finallie such a tutor and helper who beeing all in all worketh also all things in the soule in which it abideth But especially like fire hee illuminateth our vnderstanding inflameth our will and exalteth vs from the earth vnto the heauens Hee like a Doue maketh vs simple milde peaceable and friendes to all men Hee like a clowd cooleth vs and defendeth vâ— from the burning lust of the flesh and tempereth the madnes and fury of our passions Finally hee like a â—â—hement winde mooueth and inclineth our will to all goodnes seâ—ering the same and drawing it away from all euill inclinations vntill 〈◊〉 last the iustified attaine that perfection that all the vices are hatefull vnto them whicâ— they first loued and the vertues beloued which they 〈◊〉 hated As Dauid manifestly coÌ„fesseth the same to haue chaunced vnto himselfe For hee sayth in a certaine place That hee hated and abhorred iniquitie And in another place That heâ— delighted in the way of â—he â—estimonies of our Lord euen as in all â—iches The reason was because the holie Ghost had â—â—illed into 〈◊〉 soule the woâ—â—wood of earthly things and the honey of the diuine Commaundements in which thou seest manifestly that all our blessings are to be ascribed to this holy Spirit so that if wee decline from euill he is the cause if we doe good wee doe it by his meanes if we perseuer in goodnes by him wee peâ—seuer and if reward be giuen for good by him it is giuen Heere also no small oâ—casion and matter iâ— offred vs to discouâ—se of the benefites of the Sacraments which are but as it were the instruments of our iustification but especially of Baptisme and the Eâ—câ—â—rist For 〈◊〉 Baptisme we are clensed from originall sinne deliuered from the power of the deuil made the 〈◊〉 of God and 〈◊〉 of his kingdom In Baptisme my brother Christ espoused thy soule vnto himselfe and decâ—ed it with iâ—wels iemâ— woâ—thy so high an order of which 〈◊〉 are grace vertue the gift of the â—â—ly Ghost and others 〈…〉 ornaments such as Isaac 〈…〉 Rebecca when hee tooke her to wife What therfore hast thou doâ—â—e that thou shouldst deserue to receiue the least of these things How many thousand I say not of men but of nations are excluded from these blessings by the iust iudgement of God What had become of thee if thou hadst beene borne amongst these nations yf thou hadst not attayned the true knowledge of god but hadst adored blocks stones Howe much art thou indebted to thy Lord God that amidst so great infinite a number of reprobates he would that thou shouldst be reckoned among the
against themselues eating their owne flesh renting theyr bowels with furious grones â—â—aring one anothers flesh with their nailes and incessantly blaspheming the Iudge that condemned them vnto the punishments There each of theÌ„ shall curse his vnfortunate chaunce vnhappy natiuity repeating without intermission that doleful plaint and those desolate and lamentable songs of Iob Curst bee the day in which I was borne and the night in which it is said Hee is conceiued a man Let that day bee turned into darknes let not god require vpon it neither let it be illustrate with light Let darknes obscure it the shadow of death let a mist ouercloude it let it be wrapped in bitternes Let a dark storme possesse that night let it not be accounted amongst the dayes of the yeere nor numbred in the months Let that night be sâ—litary and vnworthy praise let them curse the same who curse the day who are ready to waken the Leuiathan Let the starres bee daâ—kned with the mist thereof let theÌ„ expect light and not see it neither the beginning of the rising morne Because it shut not vp the doore of the wombe that bare me neither tooke away the euils from mine eyes Why died I not in the wombe or isâ—uing from the same why perrished I not presently why was I receiued into the lap why sucked I at the teates This shal be the musick these the songs such the mattins which those vnhappy soules shall sing without end O vnlucky tongues which speake nothing but blasphemies ó vnfortunate eyes that see nâ—ught but calamities and miseries O miserable eares that heare nothing but plaints and gnashing of teeth ô vnlucky bodies which haue no other refreshings but burning flames Of what minde shall they be there who whilst they liued here deluded the howres in trifles and spent all their time in pleasures and delights ô how long a chaine of misery haue these so short delights forged O foolish and incensate what will the allurements of the flesh profit you nowe which then you cherrished whereas now you are deuoted to eternall plaints What is become of your ritches vvhere are your treasuâ—es where your delights where are your reioycings The 7. yeeres of plentie are past and the 7. yeeres of dearth are come which haue deuoured all their aboundance There is no memory left of them nor appearance Your glory is foredone your felicities drowned in the sea of sorrow your thirst is grown to that drith that there is not one â—rop of water granted by which the immesurable heate of thy throate which infinitlie tormenteth thee may bee asslâ—ked Your felicities which you inioyed in this world will not onelie not profit you but euen they will bee the causes to you of greater tormeÌ„t For theÌ„ shall be fulfilled that which is written in the booke of Iob. Let mercy forget him wormes are his sweetnesse Let him not bee in remembrance but cut downe like an vnfruitfull blocke But then the sweetnesse of the delight of euils is turned into the worme of greefe when as the remembrance of fore-passed pleasures according to the exposition of Saint Gregory shall beget a greater bitternes of presâ—nt greefes bethinking themselues theÌ„ what they haue some-times beene and in what place they nowe be that for that which is so soone vanished they nowe suffer that which shall endure for euer Then at length but too late shall they acknowledge the fallacies of the deuill placed in the midst of errours shal begin but in vaine to speake the wordes of the Wiseman saying VVe haue wandered from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not shined vpon vs the sunne of vnderstanding is not risen vnto vs wee are wearied in the way of iniquity perdition haue walked difficult wayes but the way of our Lord haue we not knowne What hath our pride profited vs or the boast of our riches what hath â—t furthered vs All those things are past away as a shadow or as it were a messenger running before or like a shippe that hath passed a troublesome water whereof when it is past â—here is no tract to be found neither the way of the keele thereof in the floods Such like wordes haue the sinners spoken in hell because the vngodly mans hope is like the light feather which is lifted vppe by the wind and like the light froth of the Sea which is dispersed by the sunne and as it were smoake scattered by the wind and like the memory of a one dayes guest passing by These shall be the complaints these the lamentations this the perpetuall penance which the damned shal there performe world without end where it shall profit them nothing because the time was ouer-past wherein they should shew fruites worthy of repentance Come therfore whilst then is time of repent come you that haue eares to heare and receaue that wholsom counsaile of our Lorde which he in time past gaue by the mouth of hâ—â— Prophet saying Giue glory tâ— your Lorde God before it waxeâ— darke and before your feete stumble against the darksome hills Yoâ— shall exspect the lâ—ght and he shaâ—â— put the same in the shadow of death and in darknes Watch I say the time let vs followe his counsaile who before he was our Iudge woulâ— be our aduocate No one knoweâ—â— more exactly what will hinder oâ— profit in that day then he who shâ—ll himselfe be Iudge of all causes He briefly teacheth vs what is needfull for vs to doe that in that day wee may be secure Take heed to your selues saith he by Saint Luke thâ—â— your harts be not loaden with gluttony and drunkennes and the caâ—e of this life and that this day doe not sodainly come vpon you For like a net or snare shal it surprize all those that sit vppon the face of the earth Watch therefore at all times praying that you may be â—ounted worthy to flie all these things which are to come and stand before the sonne of man Deerely beloued let vs consider all these things and at length let vs waken from our heauy sleepe before thâ—t darke night of death shall oâ—er whelme vs before that horriâ—lâ— day shall enfold vs of which the Prophet speaketh Behold the day is at hand and who may thinke the day of his comming and who shal stand to behold him He he may exspect the day of our Lorde who hath heere bound the hands of the Iudge and hath iudged himselfe in this world ¶ The Author purposely entreateth of the latter iudgement in his sirst booke of Prayer and Meditation and in his exercises in Thursday nights meditation Likewise in the guide of sinners cap. 8. lib. 1. The Argument ¶ They who haue loued God with all their harts shall receaue their remuneration in heauen namely the glory of eternall beatitude which in respect of the accidents in some it shall be greater in some other lesser yet is the essentiall
memory by the remembrance of pleasuâ—es past the vnderstanding by the consideration of goods lost and mischiefes by which wretched as they are they are now ceazed This multitude and diuersity of paine the holy Scripture expresseth where it is said That in hell shal be hunger thirst complaint gnashings of teeth doleful swords spyrits created to do vengance worms serpents scorpions wormwood water mixt with gall spirits of tempests such like by which is signified the multitude of the terrible horrible punishments which are ordained for the damned in this Lake Furthermore in this place there shal be darknes as well interior as exterior aswel â—n the soule as in the body vvhich shall be thicker and darker theÌ„ those of Egypt of which the Scripture â—aith that they might be felt with â—he handes There shall be fire not such as ours is which burneth but for a time after a little while wanting fuelâ— is suddainly extinguished but it shal be such a fire as is agreeable with the place which shall infinitely afflict neuer cease burning If therefore all these things be true howe can it be that all they that belieue confesse no lesse can liue in such vnspeakable carelesnesse and slothfulnes What may the trouble be what labor so infinite that a man would not willingly sustaine that he might at least-wise escape the least of these forenamed torments why therefore to auoyd this great and eternall euill doe we refuse a little that pleasant labor such as is the following of vertue Truly this one thing were sufficient to him that seriously coÌ„sidered fixed his whole mind thought hereof to driue him into a swound and drawe him into melancholie And if in so great torments there were at the least some hope of releefe or decreement the damned might haue some consolation buâ— none of these thinges are granted theÌ„ For thâ—re the gates shal be perpetuâ—lly shut by which either consolatioÌ„ or the weakest hope may happily enter In all the calamities of this world there is alwayes some refuge found out whereby those thaâ— suffer at least-wise sometimes receiue some consolation nowe reason now time now friends now others that haue suffered the like mishaps nowe at least-wiâ—e some hope of end yeeldeth the patient some abbridgment of his dolor But only in this kinde of torments the gates are wholy shut all the entrances of consolation are intercepted so that there is no meanes whereby those wretches may expect any refreshment or help neither froÌ„ heauen nor from earth nor from things present neither thinges to come neither froÌ„ any other thing But whether soeuer they turne theyr eyes they shall see the arrowes shot â—gainst them and shalâ— suppose that all creatures haue conspired against them Yea they â—hall be cruell hangmen tormenâ—ors to themselues This is the calaâ—itie this is the greefe perplexity â—hich maketh those reprobate and â—nhappy men to lament and say by â—he Prophet The paynes of death â—aue compassed mee round about â—nd the pâ—rrils of hell haue founde me out For on what side soeuer they tuâ—ne theyr eyes they shal find new causes oâ— greefe but no consoâ—ation The Euangelist Mathewe sayth that those Virgins which were in a readâ—nesâ—e entered into the Bridegroomes house and that suddainlie the doore was shut O perpetuall loâ—king vp ô sempiternall pryson ô gâ—te which shall neuer bee opened As if it were saide the gate of pardon is shutte vp the gate of indulgence the gate of mercy the gate of consolation the gate of intercession the gate of hope the gate of grace and to conclude the gate of all goodnesse is shutte Sixe dayes and no more in times past did the chyldren of Israell gather Manna but in the seuenth that is in the Saboth there was none to be found for which cause he ought to fast thâ—â— day who before had not taken caâ—â— for the prouision thereof For the cold saith the wise-man the sluggard would not plowe hee shall therefore beg in Sommer and it shall not be giuen vnto him And in another place He that gathereth in the haruest is a wise sonne but he that snorteth in the Sommer is the sonne of confusion But what more greater confusion may there bee founde then was that of the rich glutton who might haue obtained the aboundance of heauen by the crommes that fell from his table who vnwilling to giue a thing of so vile price came at last to such pouerty that in his extreame necessity he besought and shall alwaies seek and begging aske a drop of water and it shall neuer be giuen him Alwayes howling shal he cry out Father Abraham haue mercy vppon mee and send Lazarus that he may dippe the typ of his finger in water to coole my tongue because I am tormented in this flame What lesse or more abiect thing might he aske hee durst not aske a â—â—ssell or potte of water and that â—hich is more to be admired at hee â—ayed not that hee shoulde dip his â—â—ole hand in water but onely the 〈◊〉 of his finger that with it alone 〈◊〉 might touch his tongue beâ—â—we the same but hee coulde not â—â—treat euen that little thing Heere-vpon it appeareth howe â—oselie the gate of all consolation is â—â—utte and howe vniuersall this inâ—â—â—diction and excommunication is â—here so slight a petition could not 〈◊〉 admitted For that cause wheâ—â—er so euer they turne theyr eyes 〈◊〉 what part soeuer they extende â—â—eyr hands they shall find comfort 〈◊〉 no place no not a little For euen as hee that falling into 〈◊〉 sea incompassed by the waues â—â—â—ding no place where he may fixe 〈◊〉 foote doth often but in vaine â—â—etch his hands on eyther side beâ—â—use he apprehendeth nothing but 〈◊〉 licquid and floating element â—hich dâ—ceaueth deludeth him 〈◊〉 also these vnhappy wretches in â—â—at place when as they shall lye â—â—owned in these seas of infinite miâ—â—ries agonizing and fighting alwaies with death shall neither finâ—â— remedy nor refreshment whereuppon they may ground themselues This shall bee the greatest of all other paynes wherewith the damned shall be tormented in this accuâ—seâ— place For if this paine had a determinate time wherein it should take end although it were a thousand or rather a thousand thousand yeres euen by this it would breede some consolation for nothing is greâ—â— that hath an end but it shall hauâ— no end And therefore their punishment shall coequall the diuturnitâ—â— of almightie Gods eternitie and so long shall theyr miseries punishments continue as Gods glory shal last and as long as GOD liueth so long shall they die And vvheâ— as God shall cease to be that whicâ— hee is then they also shall no moâ—â— suffer that which they suffer O deadlie lyfe ô immortâ—l death I knowe not by what namâ— to call thee whether life or whetheâ— death If thou bee life why dooâ—â— thou kill If death how doost thoâ— alwayes endure I