warie then he was before Doubtlesse his very fall is happy that is taken vp by humilitie This is the vnsearchable wisedome and inestimable goodnesse of God to cure sinne by sinne and to turne poyson it selfe into a medicine CHAP. 9 Consolations against certaine circumstances of sinne namely long continuance therein before our conversion and relapse into it after our conversion 1 Thus we haue heard what remedies Christian religion affordeth against sin in respect of the substance thereof But now there are certaine circumstances of sin which doe not a little aggravate the same and wherwith the conscience many times is much terrified Which are principally two late repentance for sin and relapse into sin after repentance 2 Touching the former to weete late repeÌ„tance there is no cause why we should be dismaide therewith For first we are to consider that although we liue an hundred yeares yea many hundred yeares if it could bee which without extraordinary priviledge never to be hoped for cannot possibly be yet the distance of time betweene the day of our birth the day of our death is nothing vnto God a Psal 90. v. 4. 2. Pet. 3. v. 8. For as the Prophet saies the Apostle froÌ„ him repeates it a thousand yeares with the Lord are but as one day Howsoever then to vs things are said to bee done early or late yet in respect of God nothing is sooner or later no time is long or shorte nay no time is either past or to come but al time is present vnto him Let our care be that our repentance be vnfaigned it shall never be too late Againe for our farther comfort herein let vs obserue b Mat. 20. v. 1.3 c. that most divine parable of our Saviour Christ touching the laborours hyred by an owner of a vineyarde to worke therein some of them early in the morning some at the third howre of the day some at the ninth some at the eleventh yet wheÌ„ they came to receiue their wages they that were taken vp last had as much as they that were intertained first which insinuats that so wee be brought to serue God truly faithfully our late coÌ„ming to his service shal no way preiudice our coÌ„fort but that we shall be as well accepted as they that begaÌ„ long hefore vs. c Epieur apud Laert The very heatheÌ„ could say that no maÌ„ was too old to learne those things which concerned the health of the minde much more should we resolue that no maÌ„ is too olde to learne and practise those things which pertaine to his eternall happines welfare d Ioh. 11. vers 32. Christ raised Lazirus our of his graue eveÌ„ after he had laine so long there that hee stunke therefore can raise vs out of the graue of sin although we haue laine so long therein that we seeme past recoverie as the sisters of Lazarus imagined of their brother Let vs therefore assure our selues o that while wee bee yet in this world e Cyp. cont DemetrianuÌ„ our repentance can never be too late but that there is a passage from our mortal stroake to immortality f Hier. ep 7. And that we should not despaire in this regard God hath left vs a notable example g Luc. 23. v. 40.41 4â— 43 in holy Scripture where we read that the peniteÌ„t theefe fouÌ„d present passage from the gibbet to heaven Nay where God vouchsafeth the grace to repent truely there may be a benefit in repenting lately yea a double benefit namely fervencie and constancie in the worship and service of God Fervency because having lost so much time we should labour to fetch it vp and recover it by diligence and industrie thinke wee can never serue God enough because it was so long before we begaÌ„ to serue him whom wee should haue served ever h Seneca Nat quaest l. 3. in praef And herein we are to imitate travailers which by reason of some impediments and lets haue staide behinde their fellows the later they set out the faster they travaile and by haste speed make amendes for their slownesse and slacknes So late conversion shoulde not discourage vs froÌ„ serving of God but encourage vs to serue him more fervently The secoÌ„d advantage that may bee made of late repentance is constancie And indeed this benefit doth ordinarily follow it Many seeme to repent for sinne be fore they know what sin is or at least effectually apprehende the daunger thereof and therefore commonly are soone drawne into sinne againe so drawne againe into it as they wil never after be dravvne out of it therefore never attaining to sound repentance because their repentaunce was too young not repenting when they should because they repented before they truely could But coÌ„trarily they most loath sin that see their folly and madnes in serving it so long i Luc. 7.47 and the more greater the woundes of a sinfull soule are the more greater will her loue bee to Christ her heavenly Physitian In a word k Sen. ibid. as the very heathen hath well observed The surest passage from vice to vertue is by the bridge of repentance and we then most constantly cleaue to that which is good when we haue beene oftenest and deep liest stung by evill Thus vvhen God giveth spirituall wisdome to the sinner his late repentaunce shall rather be advaÌ„tageous than daÌ„nable to him 3 The second circumstance which maketh sin to terrible in our appreheÌ„sion indeed so dangerous in it selfe is relapse into the same sinnes after repentance How great an evill this is * Chapt. 2. Sect. 9. hath already in part been declared But we may further consider that this is a step degree to the feareful state of those of whom l 2. Pet. â— â—2 S. Peter speaketh the same is happened vnto them which is vsed to bee spoken in the true proverbe The dogge is turned to his own vomit againe the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire We should with feare and trembling thinke vpon that m Mat 13 43. c. which our Saviour Christ delivereth in the Gospell that when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man if he returne enter into him againe he bringeth seaven other spirits with him worse thaÌ„ himselfe taketh stroÌ„ger possessioÌ„ in him thaÌ„ he had before so that the last state of that maÌ„ is worse thaÌ„ the first 4 But yet if through frailty we be overtaken even thus far also as to relapse into the same offenses yet must we not despaire by by but there are some comforts remedies left vs against this so dangerous a temptatioÌ„ 5 And first let vs consider that the worthiest servaÌ„ts of God were not all togither free froÌ„ this relapse into the selfe same sinnes n Gen. 1â— 8 c. 20.2 â— Abraham twice denied disclaimed his own wife there by greatly engaging
for my owne particular it hath ever beene far beyond not only my desert but also my desire But to come to the more ordinary endes of such dedications they are principally three comfort honor duty or rather discharge of duty all which I confesse haue prevailed with me in the dedication of these my slender discourses vnto your Lady ship Many haue not only dedicated their writings but directed their whole Treatises to such as they desired to comfort as i Plutarch consolat ad Apollonium Plutarch k Senee consolat ad Polyb Abin Martiam Seneca and others Now this Treatise of mine tēding only to comfort vs in generall against all misery wherevnto our life in this fraile and transitory world is subiect I haue dedicated the same to your Ladyship that if it afford any vse of that nature your Ladiship might principally haue the benefitte thereof whose almost insupportable crosses yea without great measure of grace meerely insupportable stand not a little in need thereof I must in discreation omit particulars which are to well knowne to them that know you your state Secōdly whereas many in their dedications as much as in them lie seek to honor their vertues to whom they intitle their works I professe that I haue here in much respected the same in behalfe of your Ladiship For having beene a long time an eye witnesse of your vertuous and religious conversation occasionally as it were enforced to take notice of the manifold and excellent graces of God shining in you I could not but most willingly imbrace any opportunitie to giue some publike testimonie therevnto and a fitter could not occur then the publishing of this Treatise And yet here I must doe you wrong by omitting particulars who of your excessiue modestie would hold your selfe wronged if I should in particular giue you but your due praises and specifie your most eminent vertues I therefore rather chuse to wrong you indeed then you should conceiue and complaine that you are wronged Lastly as for obligation and duty mine towardes your Ladishippe is so greate that this consideration alone without any other motiue would haue beene sufficient to make mee straine my best indeavours to the highest to strike out some part of my scoare if paper payment may bee currant and verball acknowledgement may satisfie for reall benefittes which indeed cannot bee but by the favourable acceptance of generous and noble mindes who deeme that mercenarie beneficence is no beneficence Of which temper knowing your Ladiships spirit to be I haue beene encouraged to shift out by this kinde of beggerly recompence I heare therefore deare Madame present vnto you the Anatomie of my best thoughts entreating your favorable acceptation thereof To you are they due aboue al others such as they are being the fruits of that tree to wit my vnworthie selfe that hath continually bin watered and cherished by your manifold Christian favors But here againe I must forbeare particulars least I should be offensiue and therefore I end mosi affectionately commending your good Ladyship to the grace of God in Christ Barstable in Devonshire 1609. Ianuarie 1. alias Newyeares day Your Ladiships most obliged RICHARD SMYTH THE CONTENTS of the severall Chapters Chap. 1. The vanity of all knowledge without the right knowledg of our selues Chap. 2. Agenerall consideration of mans miserie Chap. 3. The Gentils miserable ignorance of the true cause of mans miserie Chap. 4. That as the Gentils knew not the true cause of mans misery so neither did they know the vtmost and height of it Chap. 5. That the Gentils being ignorant both of the cause and the greatnes of mans misery haue grosly erred in the true remedies against the same Chap. 6. That true religion reveiled vnto vs by Gods word only discovereth vnto vs the cause of our miserie Chap. 7. The true remedies which Christiā religion affordeth against the first kinde of mans miserie that is the evils of paine Chap. 8. That the Christian religion onlie affordeth vs true remedie against the second kinde of evils that is the evils which we do or our sinnes Chap. 9. Consolations against certaine circumstances of sinne namely long cōtinuance therein before our conversion and relapse into it after our cōversion Chap. 10. Of the greatnesse of Gods mercie wherewith the greatnes of sinne hath no proportion Chap. 11. The Christians peculiar comforts against death and the terror thereof Chap. 12. Consolations against the terrours of the generall iudgement Chap. 13. The ioies of heaven and glorious state of the faithfull after death The sinners counsell to his soule A Sonnet of the Authors A wake ô Soule and looke abroad Shake off this drowsie sleepe of sin Shake off the clogs that thee so load And to be wise at length begin Thou commest of a race divine Derived from the Deitie And therefore shouldst with vertue shine Such parentage to testifie But thou through Satans guile and spite Didst shamefully degenerate And now to sense and appetite Thy selfe dost basely captivate And so with vice art thou defilde Which fowler is than leprousie That now thou seem'st no more Gods childe But one of Satans progenie Appointed heyre of heavenly ioies With God himselfe aboue to reigne Thou doatest here on earthly toyes On ciphers shaddowes meerely vaine And here thou foolishly dost thinke In pleasures vaine content to finde While thou dost but thy poison drinke Such deadly dregs they leaue behinde For pleasure which in sin men take Is in a moment gone and past Whereas the wounds which it doth make Remaine behinde and ever last And of such wounds thou bearst the print And with them fowly gashed art Although that thou more hard than flint Felst not at first their deadly smart But now that God in mercie great Good thoughts into thee daignes to send And everlasting death doth threat Except with speede thou dost amend O flie thou from that monster vile From subtill and inchanting sinne That hath so wrongd thee all this while And cause of such annoyance bin The birds and beasts that scape the snare Backe to the same no baite can traine So wary afterwards they are As never to come there againe Then blush ô soule that creatures mute The dangers past should after shunne And thou shouldst be so mad and brute As into them againe to runne Thinke how thou dost thy selfe expose To danger deepe by every sinne Even heaven and heavenly ioies to lose And bell and bellish woes to winne For who so ventures to rebell Against the Lord and followes vice His soule he to the divell doth sell And takes vaine pleasure for her price Then loath this world sofull of snares A maze of errours shop of lies A stage of shaddowes cage of cares An Eccho of complaints and cries Thou seest all worldly ioyes deceiue They promise to content the minde And yet still emptie doe it leaue Which shewes they feed it but with winde Then cleaue to God thine only stay Who for himselfe
benefite to be delivered from a loathsome disease of the body by an vnlawfull and wicked death we haue reason to think it a benefite yea a singular benefite to be ridde of a loathsome and incurable disease of the soule namely sinne by a lawful death which it pleaseth God to send vnto vs. 8 But death doth more for vs than all this For it doth not only free vs from all evils and from that evil of evils sinne but puts vs into actual possession of all good things yea of such good thinges as our eies haue not seene our eares haue not heard neither are our harts able to conceiue brings vs to that place where if there were place for any passion we should be angry with death for not bringing vs thither sooner But I reserue a more particular declaration of that point vnto the thirteenth and last chapter CHAP. 12. Consolations against the terrours of the generall iudgement 1 THERE is yet an other thing which considered in it selfe is a greater branch and part of mans misery in regard of passiue evils than all the rest namely the last and generall iudgement where all flesh shal be arraigned before Gods Tribunall bar to giue an account of all they haue done to receiue their recompense accordingly The terror wherof I had rather expresse in a Anselm in libro medita tionum Anselmes wordes than in mine own O hard distresse saith he on one side wil be our sinnes accusing vs on the other side iustice terrifying vs vnder vs the gulfe of hell gaping aboue vs the iudg frowning within vs a conscience stinging without vs the world burning Which way then shall the sianer thus surprised turne himselfe To hide our selues will be impossible to appeare will be intolerable Wherewithal then shal miserable man arme himselfe against this so great terrour danger Surely our Christian profession affordeth munitioÌ„ against this assault also 2 And first that which hath beene spoken against the feare of death in the former chapter serveth also here against the feare of the last iudgmeÌ„t For that which made the first death so terrible and dangerous the same maketh the second death also so to bee namely sinne and as deliverance froÌ„ sinne doth as we there heard free vs from al annoyance by the first death so doth it also from all annoyance by the second death that is eternal condeÌ„nation at the last iudgement They that in Christ are coÌ„querers over the first death shall not nor cannot bee conquered by the second death and b Rev. 2c 6. on those that haue their part in the first resurrection the second death shall haue no power saith the spirit That is condemnation caÌ„not take hold on those whom God hath gratiously called to the knowledge and love of his saving truth reveiled by the Gospell 3 But to come to more peculiar comforts against this matter of terrour and amazement let vs farther consider that Christ had mercy on vs wheÌ„ we were meere strangers to him nay even when we were his enemies as c Rom. 5. v. 8.9.10 S. Paul well vrgeth God herein saith he commended his loue towards vs that when we were sinners Christ dyed for vs being theÌ„ now iustified by his bloud much more shall we be saved by him from that wrath Note that he saith from that wrath that is froÌ„ the wrath of the last iudgemeÌ„t For if saith he when we were enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life Wee may easilie perceiue the force of the Apostles comfortable reasoning to wit that sith Christ died for vs when wee were sinners that is nothing but sin surely hee will saue vs being now righteous in him if wee were pardoned through his death when we were enimies wee shall much more bee saved by his life now that we are friendes For how incredible is it nay rather how impossible that he which pardoneth an enemy should condemne a friend He loved vs when wee bare the image of the devill and will hee not much more loue vs now since he hath in parte repaired his fathers image in vs and confirmed vs to himselfe We were deare to him when there was no iot of goodnesse in vs can hee reiect vs nowe that wee haue some good things in vs although but weake specially hee himselfe being the author and former of them by the grace of his holy spirit And so d Bernard epist 190. Bernard reasons For having spoken of our calling vnto the grace of the Gospell he inferres this beeing thus puld out of the power of darknesse I will not now feare to be reiected by the father of light being iustified freely in the bloude of his sonne Why it is he that iustifieth who is it that shall condemne Surely hee will not condemne the iust that had mercie on a sinner c. Thus wee see he reasoneth from that which GOD hath done for vs already to that which he will doe yea in a sort must doe for vs here after And we must all reason after the same manner and saie everie one to his owne soule with e Augustin in Psal 96. Saint Augustine Thou wast wicked and hee dyed for thee thou art now iustified and will hee forsake thâ—e 4 Moreover to take away the terrour of the last iudgement consider who shall be the Iudge even Christ himself that was thy redeemer And hovve canne wee feare such a iudge How happy in our case that hee must be our iudge that was himself iudged for vs He is our husband and wee his wife by whoÌ„ would the wife chuse to be iudged but by the husband specially by so kinde a husbande as wee haue * Chapt. 10. Sect. 2. marginal letter d. before heard him to be who sheweth that favour that no husband doth yea he is our head we are his meÌ„bers wil the head giue sentence of condeÌ„natioÌ„ against his own meÌ„bers This in effect were to giue senteÌ„ce against himself He is our advocat and Proctor how happy would we think our selues if in causes touching this life our own atturney might be our iudg He is now thine advocate f August in Psal 51. saith Augustine that hereafter shall be thy iudge Let vs then assure our selues he vvill not coÌ„demne vs that hath already been coÌ„demned for vs. 5 Yea so farre of is it that the last and generall iudgement shoulde be terrible vnto vs that it should rather minister matter of great ioy and comfort vnto vs. And therefore our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ having set downe the chiefe signes and tokens that should go before the day of iudgment saith to the faithful g Luc. 21.28 When yee see these things begin to come to passe looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere So that by Christes owne exhortation in this place when wee thinke vpon the
last iudgement we haue cause to reioice not to fear to lift vp our heads not to hang them downe And that for sundry reasons but I will specifie one or two that are most materiall fittest to cleare this truth 6 And first for as much as the dissolving of the world is for our ful deliveraunce from the bondage of the world the maÌ„ner of dissolving it must needes bee comfortable vnto vs although in it selfe otherwise terrible Wee see that in particular humane iudgements the things that are terrible to malefact ours are comfortable to good subiects and that which amaseth the theefe reviveth the true maÌ„ The maiestie of the iudges their scarlet robes whose very colour threateÌ„s death their guard that environ them with holdbards yea the gibbet the hangman are pleasing sightes to the good who knowe that all this is for their maintenance and sauegard although they miserably terrify the wicked for vvhose destruction they are prepared Even so the comming of Christ in maiestie and glorie the troupe and traine of Angels that attend on him the shrill sounde of the trumpet summoning all flesh to appeare are before his iudgement seate at this great and generall assises and all other solemnities belonging to the pompe and magnificence thereof wil cheere vp the faithfull knowing that all this is to doe them iustice touching all the wrongs and oppressions which they haue sustained at the haÌ„ds of the wicked and terrifie and daunt the wicked only that now must come to an account for all their enormities and outrages And as it fareth with them that are narrowly besieged in a strong castle when a puissant armie is raised to rescue them draweth neere to the place and is come within sight the neighing and trampling of the horses the glitring of the armour the clashing together of the weapons the noise of drum trumpet are most pleasing vnto them yea the very roaring of the canon is the sweetest musicke that ever they heard because they knowe that all this is to raise the siege and set them free even so the faithfull being straightly besieged in this world as in an impregnable fort by the flesh sinne and the devill when Christ shall come in the clowds with power and maiesty when the glorious army of Angels shall march onward with him as their generall when the last trumpet shall be sounded yea when the earth shal treÌ„ble the sea roare the sunne shall be darkned the moon turned into bloud the stars fal from heaven in a vvorde the elements dissolved and the heavens shall melt and bee shriveled vp like a scroale of parchment the faithfull shall reiolce at the sight as knowing that al this is but to raise the long and grievous siege vvhich they endured in this world to set them at liberty for ever yea to put them in possession of a heavenly kingdome where they shal raigne for ever in vnspeakable blisse 7 Finally that we may see vvhat folly it is to be afraide of this iudgement we must remember that we our selues shall be iudges there So Christ telleth Peter Mat. 19.39 that he and the rest that had followed him in the regeneratioÌ„ that is at the last iudgement when the worlde should be refined should sit vpon twelue throans iudge the twelue tribes of Israel which being somewhat obscurely vttered Christ there alluding to the present state of things the number of the twelue tribes of Israell and of his twelue Apostles i 1. Cotinâ—â— c. v. 2.3 S. Paul expresseth more cleerely applying it in generall to all the faithfull vnder the new Testament affirming that the Saints shall iudge the world yea the Angels that is to say wicked men and wicked spirits And hence k Tertul. exhortat ad Martyres cap. 2. Tertullian notably comforteth and encourageth the Martyrs that were in durance daily expecting the Iudges comming and to receiue sentence of death Perhaps saith hee the Iudge is looke for yea but you shall iudge your iudges themselues Were it not then great folly to feare that iudgement wherein wee our selues shall sit as iudges iudges as I haue said of all wicked both men and spirits that is of all our enimies that haue oppressed vs For although Christ our head principally and properly shall be the iudge yet we that are his members shall haue a braunch of his authority and shall be as it were ioined in commission with him Let vs not theÌ„ feare this last and generall iudgement the bench not the barre is our place there CHAP. 13. The ioies of heaven and glorious state of the faithfull after death 1 BVT that which most of all should comfort vs against our misery mortality here and the terror either of particular iudgement by death or vniversall iudgement at the last day is this that not only all these cannot hurt vs nay are made many waies profitable vnto vs in this world but that through them we passe to a most happy state in the world to come the excellency whereof requires the tongue and penne rather of Angels then of men to describe it or rather cannot be perfectly expressed by Angels theÌ„selues I must be content then darkly to shadow it out sith liuely representation of it is meerely impossible 2 And first the benefits and comforts of this life although miserable as we haue heard doe argue that a far better state is reserved for vs in heaven We see that God even here on earth notwithstanding our sinnes whereby we daily offend him vouchsafeth vs many pleasures and furnisheth vs not only with matters of necessity but also of delight There is a Pasâ— 10â—â— a whole Psalme spent only on this matter a Psalme worthy to be writteÌ„ in letters of gold in papers walles windowes but specially to be imprinted in every godly heart for the admirable excellency thereof God canseth b Cyprian de patientiâ— saith S. Cyprian the sunne to rise set in order the seasons to obey vs the elements to serue vs the windes to blow the springs to flow corne to growe fruits to ripen gardens and orchards to fructifie and aboud woods to rustle with leaues meaddowes to shine with flowers c. And c Chryâ—oÌ„st de compuÌ„ct cordis lib. 2. Chrysostome excellently handling the same point further shewes that God hath in a sorte made the night more beutifull then the day by infinit variety of bright and glittering starres that hee hath beene more mercyfull to man then man would haue been to himselfe who of greedinesse woulde haue overtoiled himselfe but that God made the night of purpose for his rest in a word he saies and truely saies even of these earthly benefits commodities that although we were never so vertuous nay if wee should die a thousand deaths wee should not be worthy of them And d Silv. Italic lib. 15. the very heathen Poet considering this could not chule but breake out into admiration saying *