Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	death_n	good_a	life_n	4,509	5	4.8259	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09062	The first booke of the Christian exercise appertayning to resolution. VVherein are layed downe the causes & reasons that should moue a man to resolue hym selfe to the seruice of God: and all the impedimentes remoued, which may lett the same.	Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610.	1582 (1582)	STC 19353; ESTC S121958	250,257	448

euerie hooke layed vs by the deuill most greedelye doe deuoure euerie poysened pleasant bayte vvhich is offered by the enimye for the destructioÌ„ of our sovvles and thus muche aboute resistinge of synne But novv touchinge the second poynte vvhiche is continuall exercisinge our selues in good vvorkes it is euident in it selfe that vve vtterlie fayle for the most parte of vs in the same I haue shevved before hovv vve are in scripture commaunded to doe them vvithout ceassinge and most diligentlye vvhiles vve haue tyme of daye to doe them in for as Christ sayth the night vvill come vvhen no man can vvorke anye more I might also shevv hovv our forefathers the sainctes of God vvere most diligent and carefull in doinge good vvorkes in their daies euen as the husbandman is carefull to caste seede into the grovvnde vvhyles fayre vveather lasteth and the marchaÌ„te to laye out his monye whiles the good markytt endureth they knew the tyme woulde not last longo which they had to worke heir owne saluation in and therfore they bestirred theÌ„ selues whiles oprortunitie serued they neuer ceased but came from on good worke to an other well knowing what they did and what gayne they hoped for If there were nothinge els to proue their wounderfull care and diligeÌ„ce herein yet the infinite monumentes of their almes deedes yet extant to the worlde are sufficient testimonies of the same to wit the infinite churches builded and indowed with greate and abundant maintenance for the ministers of the same so manye bishopprickes deaneryes archdeaconryes Canonryes prebendes chauntryes and the like So manye hospitalles houses of orphanes and poore people so many scholes Colledges vniuersities so manye bridges high wayes and publique coÌ„modities so manye Abbayes Nunries Priaries hermitages and the like for the seÌ„ruice of God and repose of holye people whiche would leaue the world and betake them selues onlye to the conteÌ„plation of heauenlye thinges VVhich charitable deedes all a thow sand more bothe priuate and publique secrete and open which I can not reporte came owt of the purses of our good auncesters ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ oftentimes not onlye gaue of their abundance but also saued from their owne mouthes plucked from their owne childreÌ„ posteritie and bestowed it vppon deedes of charitis for behoofe of their sovvels VVheras we are so farof from geeuinge awaye our necessaries as we will not bestow our verie superfluities but will imploye theÌ„ rather vpon haukes and dogges and other brute beastes some times also vpon much viler vses then to the reliefe of our poore brethren and to the ease of our sowles in the lyfe to come Alas deare brother to what a carelesse and senseles estate are we come to wchinge our owne saluation and damnation S. Paule cryeth owt vnto vs vvorke your ovvne saluatioÌ„ vvith feare and tremblinge And yet no man for that maketh accounte therof S. Peter warneth vs grauelye and ernestlye brethren take you great care to make your vocation and election suer by good vvorkes yet vvhoe almost vvill thinke vpoÌ„ them Christ him selfe thundereth in thes vvordes And I tell you make your selues frindes in this voorld of vniust maÌ„mon that vvheÌ„ you fainte they maye receaise you into eternall tabernacles That is by your riches of this vvorlde purchase vnto you the prayers of good people that by their intercession you may enioye lyfe euerlastinge And yet for all that vve are not moued herevvithall so deade vve are and lumpyshe to all goodnes If God did exhorte vs to good deedes for his owne commoditie or for any gayne that he is to take therby yet in reason we ought to pleasure him therin seinge we haue receaued all from his onlye liberalitie before But selnge he asketh it at our handes for no neede of his owne but onlye for our gayne and to paye vs home agayne with vsury it is more reason we should harken vnto him If a common honest man vpon earthe shoulde inuite vs to do a thinge promisinge vs of his honestie a sufficient rewarde vve woulde beleeue him but God makinge infinite promises vnto vs in scripture of eternall revvarde for our vvell doinge as that vve shall eate vvith him drincke vvith him raigne vvith him possesse heauen vvith him and the like can not moue vs notvvithstandinge to vvorkes of charitie Marie because our forefathers vvere moued here vvithall as hauinge hartes of softer metall than ours are of therfore they brought forth such abundant fruite as I haue shevved Of all this then that I haue sayde the godlie Christian maie gather first the lamentable estate of the vvorld at this daye vvhen amongest the small number of those vvhiche beare the name of Christians so manye are like to perishe for not perfourminge of thes tvvo principall pointes of theire vocation Secondly he maye gather the cause of the infinite difference of revvarde for good and euill in the lyfe to come vvhiche some men vvill seeme to meruaille at but in deede is most iust and reasonable consideringe the greate diuersitie of lyfe in good and euill men vvhiles they are in this vvorlde For the good man dothe not onlye lyue voide of mortall syn but also by resistinge the same daylie and hovverlye encreaseth his merit The loose man by yeldinge consent to his concupiscence do the not onlye lose all merit but also ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ synne vpoÌ„ synne vvithout number The good man besides auoydinge syn dothe insinite good vvorckes at the least vvise in desyre and harte vvhere greater abilitie serueth not But the vvicked man neyther in hart or deede dothe anye good at all but rather seeketh in place therof to doe hurte the good man imployeth all his mynde harte vvordes and handes to the seruice of God and of his seruauntes for his sake But the vvicked man bendeth all his force and povvers ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ of bodye and mynde to the seruice of vanities the vvorld and his fleshe in so muche that as the good man encreaseth hovverlye in merit to vvhiche is due encrease of grace and glorye in heauen so the euyl from tyme to tyme in thought vvorde or deede or in all at once heapeth vp sinne and damnation vppon him selfe to vvhiche is due vengeance and encrease of tormentes in hell and in this contrarie course they passe ouer their lyues for tvventie thirtie or fortie yeres and so come to dye And is it not reason novv that seinge there is so great diuersitie in their estates there shoulde be as greate or more diuersitie also in their revvarde especiallye seinge God is a great God and revvardeth small thinges vvith greate vvages ether of euerlastinge glorye or euerlastinge payne Thirdlye and lastlye the diligent and carefull Christian may gather of this vvhat greate cause he hath to put in practyse the godlie counsaile of S. Paule vvhich is that euerie man shoulde proue and examine his ovvne vvorke and so be able to iudge of hym selfe in vvhat case he standeth And yf

is the cheefest for that men feele the disease of concupiscence in their bodies but doe not consider the strengthe of the medicine geuen vs against the same they erye with S. Paul that they fynde a law in their members repugning to the lavv of their mynde whiche is the rebellion of concupiscence left in our flesh by originall synne but they confesse not or coÌ„sider not with the same S. Paul that the grace of God by Iesus Christ shall delyuer them from the same They remember not the comfortable sayeing of Christ to S. Paul in his greatest teÌ„ptations Sufficittibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient to strengthen thee against them all These men doe as Helizeus his disciple dyd whoe casting his eyes onelye vpon his enemies that is vpon the huge armie of Syrians redie to assault hym thought hym selfe lost vnpossible to stand in their sight vntill by the prayers of the holye prophet he was permitted from God to see the Angels that stoode there present to fyght on his syde then he well perceaued that his parte was the stronger So these men beholding onelye our miseries infirmities of nature wherby daylie tentations do ryse against vs doe account the battaill paynfull and the victorie vnpossible hauing not tasted in deed nor euer proued through their own negligence the manifold helpes of grace and spirituall succours which God allwayes sendeth to them who are content for his sake to take this conflict in hand S. Paul had well tasted that ayde whiche hauing reckned vp all the hardest matters that coulde be addeth Sed in his omnibus superamus propter eum qui dilexit nos But we ouercome in all these combates by his assistance that loueth vs. And then falleth he to that wounderful protestatioÌ„ that nether death nor lyfe nor Angels nor the lyke should separate him all this vpon the coÌ„fidence of spirituall ayd ftoÌ„ Christ wherby he sticketh not to avouch that he could doe all things Dauid also had proued the force of this assistance whoe sayde I dyd runne the uvay of thy coÌ„maudemeÌ„tes vvhen thou dyddest enlarge my hart This enlargemeÌ„t of hart was by spirituall consolation of internall vnction wherby the hart drawen together by anguishe is opened and enlarged when grace is powred in euen as a drye purse ys softened and enlarged by annoynting it with oyle VVhich grace being present Dauid sayed he dyd not onelye walke the way of gods commaundements easilie but that he ranne them Euen as a carte wheele whiche crieth and coÌ„pleyneth vnder a small burden being drye runneth merilye and without noyse wheÌ„ a litle oyle is put vnto it VVhich thinge aptlye expresseth our state and condition whoe without gods help are able to doe nothing but with the ayde thereof are hable to conquere and ouercome any thing And surelie I wolde aske these men that imagine the waye of Gods law to be so hard and full of difficultie how the prophet could saye I haue taken pleasure o lord in the vvaye of thy commaundementes as in all the riches of the vvorlde And in an other place That they vvere more pleasant and to be desyred than golde or pretious stone and more svveter than hony or the hony combe by which woordes he yeeldeth to vertuouse lyfe not onely due estimation aboue all treasures in the world but also pleasure delyte and sweetnesse therby to confound all those that abandone and forsike the same vpon ydle pretensed and feyned difficulties And yf Dauid could say this muche in the olde law how muche more iustlie may we say so now in the new when grace is geuen more abundantlie as the scripture sayeth And thow poore Christian whiche deceauest thy selfe with this imagination tell me whye came Christ into this worlde whye laboured hee and tooke he so much paines heere whie shed he his bloode whie praied he to his father so ofteÌ„ for thee whie appointed he the sacrameÌ„tes as coÌ„duites of grace whie sent he the holye ghoste into the worlde what signifieth gospell or good tydings what meaneth the woord grace and mercie broght with him what importeth the coÌ„fortable name of Iesus is not all this to delyuer vs froÌ„ sinne froÌ„ sinne past I say by his onlye deathe froÌ„ sinne to come by the same deathe and by the assistance of his holy grace bestowed on vs more abundantlie than before by all these meanes was not this one of the principall effectes of Christ his coming as the prophet noted that craggie vuayes should be made streight and hard vuayes playne was not this the cause whie he indewed his chur che with the seuen blessed gyftes of the holie ghoste and with the vertues infused to make the yookeof his seruice sweete the exercise of good lyfe easye the walking in his commaundementes pleasant in such sort as men might now sing in tribulations haue confidence in periles securitie in afflictions and asseurance of victorie in all teÌ„ptations is not this the begynnyng mydle ende of the gospell were not these the promises of the prophetes the tydinges of the euaÌ„gelistes the preachinges of the Apostles the doctrine beleefe and practise of all saincts and finallie is not this verbum abbreuiatum The woord of God abbreuiated wherein doe consist all the riches and treasures of Christiantie If any man will be contentiouse and aske me how God doeth this maruailous woorke I answere hym as I haue done before that he doeth it by the assistance of his holie grace poured into the soule of man wherby it is beautified and strengthened against all temptations as S. Paul was in particular against temptations of the fleshe And this grace is of suche efficacie and force in the soule where it entereth that it altereth the whole state thereof making those thinges cleare which were obscure before those thinges pleasant which were bytter before those thinges easie which were hard difficult before And for this cause also it is sayed in scripture to make a new spirit and a new hart As where Ezechiel talking of this matter sayeth in the persone of God I vvill geue vnto them a nevv hart and vvill put a nevu spirit in their bovvelles that they may vualke in my preceptes and keepe my commaundementes Can any thing in the worlde bespoken more playnlie Now for mortifyeing and conquering of our passions whiche by robellion doe make the vvay of gods commaundementes vnpleasant S. Paul testifieth clearlie that abundaÌ„t grace is geeueÌ„ to vs also by the deathe of Christ to doe the same for so he sayeth This uve know that our olde man is crucified also to the ende that the bodie of sinne may be destroyed and vve serue no more vnto sinne By the olde man and the bodie of Sinne S. Paul vnderstandeth our rebellious appetite and concupiscence which is so crucified and destroyed by the most noble sacrifice of Christ

that by so many hills and dales and daungerouse places neuer passed by the before and this vvithout any coÌ„sideratioÌ„ at allichou arte deceiued if thou thinckeste so for this iourney hath farr more neede of coÌ„sideratioÌ„ than that beinge much more subiecte to bypathes and daungers euerie pleasure of this vvorld euery lust euerye dissolute thought euery alluringe sight temptynge sovvnde euery deuill vppon the earthe or instrument of his vvhich are infinite beynge a theefe and lyenge in vvayte to spoyle the to distroie the vppon this vvaye tovvardes heauen VVherefore I vvould gyue counsayle to euery vvyse passenger to looke vvell aboute hym and at leaste vvyse once a daye to enter into consideratioÌ„ of his estate of the estate of his treasure vvhiche he carryethe vvith hym in a brickle vessell as Sainct Paule affirmethe I meane his soule vvhiche maye as soone be lost by incoÌ„sideratioÌ„ as the smalleste nysest Ievvell in this vvorld as partlye shall appeare by that vvhich heerafter I haue vvriten for the helpe of this coÌ„sideratioÌ„ vvhereof bothe I my selff and all other Christians doe stande in so great neede in respect of our saluation For suerly if my soule or anye other dyd coÌ„sider attentyuelye but a fevve thinges of many vvhich shee knovvethe to be trevve shee could not but speedilie reforme hir selfe vvith infinite myslyke and detestation of hir former course As for example if she coÌ„sidered thorovvghly that her onely commynge into this lyfe vvas to atteÌ„de to the seruice of God and that shee notvvithstandinge attendethe onely or the moste parte to the vanyties of this vvorld that shee must geeue accompt at the last daye of euery ydle vvorde yet that shee makethe none accoÌ„pt not onely of vvordes but also nor of euyll deedes That nofornicator no adulterer no vsurer no couetouse or vncleane persone shall euer enioye the kingdome of heauen as the scripture saiethe and yet she thincketh to'goe thither lyuinge in the same vices That one onely sinne hathe bene sufficient to damne many thousandes togither and yet shee beinge Looden vvithe manye thinckethe to escape that the vvaye to heauen is harde strayte and paynefull by the affirmation of God hym selfe yet shee thinckethe to goe in lyuinge in pleasures delytes of the vvorlde that all hollye saintes that euer vvere as the Arostles mother of Christ her selff vvithe all good men since chose to them selues to lyue an austere lyfe in fastinge prayenge punishinge there bodyes the lyke and for all this lyued in feare and tremblinge of the iudgmeÌ„tes of God and shee attendinge to none of thes thinges but folovvinge her pastimes makethe no doubt of her ovvne estate If I saye my soule or any other dyd in deede and in earneste consider these thinges or the leaste parte of a thousaÌ„d more that might be considered vvhich our Christian faithe doethe teache vs to be true she vvold not vvander as the moste parte of Christian soules doe in suche desperat perill thorovve vvant of consideration VVhat makethe theiues to seeme madde vnto vvyse men that seinge so manye hanged dayly for theefte before their eyes vvill yet notvvithstundinge steale agayne but onlye lacke of coÌ„sideratioÌ„ and the verie same cause makethe the wisest meÌ„ of the world to seeme very fooles and vvorse than frantickes vnto God and good men that knovvinge the vanities of the vvorld daunger of sinnfull lyfe doe folovve soe muche the one and feare so litle the other If a lawe vvere make by the authoritie of man that vvhoesoeuer should ad veÌ„ture to drincke vvyne should vithout delaye holde his hand but halfe an houre in the fyre or in boylinge leade for a punyshemeÌ„t I thincke manye vvould forbeare vvyne albeit ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ they loued the same and yet a lavve beynge made by the eternall maiestie of God that vvhoe so euer committhe sinne shall boyle euerlastinglye in the fire of hell vvithoute ease or end Many men for lacke of consideration doe committ sinne vvithe as litle feare as they do eate or drincke To conclude therfore consideration is a moste necessarie thinge to be taken in hande especially in these our dayes vvherein vanitie hathe so'muche preuayled vvithe the moste as it semethe to be true vvisdome the contrarie thereof to be more follye and contemptible simplicitie But I doubt not by the assistance of God and helpe of consideration to discouer in that vvhiche followethe the erroure of this matter vnto the discrete reader vvhiche is not vvillfully blynded or obstinatlye geuen ouer vnto the captiuitie of his ghostly ennemye for some suche men therebe of vvhome God sayethe as it vvere pytyeng and lamentinge their case they haue made aleague vvithe deathe a couenant vvithe hell it selfe that is they vvill not come oute of the daunger vvherin they be but vvill headelonglye caste them selues into enerlastinge perdition rather than by consideration of their estate to recouer to theÌ„ selues eternall lyfe and glorie from which deadly obstinacie our Lorde of his mercye deliuer vs all Of the ende for vvhich man vvas created and placed in this vvorld CHAP. III. NOvve then in the name of almightie God and vvith the assistauce of his most holy spirite let the ChristiaÌ„ man or vvoman desirous of saluation first of all consider attentyuely as a good marchand factour is vvonte to doe vvhen he is arriued in a straÌ„ge countrye or as a captaine sent by his prince to some great exployte is accustomed vvhen he comethe to the place appointed that is to thinke for vvhat cause he came thither vvhy he vvas sent to vvhat ende vvhat to attempt vvhat to prosecute vvhat to performe vvhat shal be expected and required at his handes vpon his returne by hym that sent hym thither for these cogitations no donbt shall styrre hym vpp to attende to that vvhich he came for and not to employe hym selff in impertinent affayres The lyke I saye vvould I haue a Christian to consider and to aske of hym selfe vvhye to vvhat ende vvas he created of God and sent hither into this vvorlde vvhat to doe vvherin to bestovve his dayes he shall finde for no other cause or ende but onely to serue God in this life by that seruice to gayne euerlastinge glorye in the life to come This vvas the conditioÌ„ of our creation and this vvas the onelie consideration of our redemptioÌ„ prophesied by zacharie before vve vvere yet redeemed that vve beinge deliuered from the handes of our enymyes might serue hym in holynes and instice all the dayes of our lyfe Of this it foloweth first that seinge the ende and finall cause of our beynge in this worlde is to serue God in this lyfe therby to gayne heauen in the next that what so euer we doe or endeuour or bestowe our tyme in eyther contrarie or impertinent to this ende whyche is onely to the

yf a man could touche the verie pulse of all those whoe refuse or neglect or differre this resolution he should finde the foundation therof to be the loue of this world what soeuer other excuse they pretended besides The noble men of lewrie pretended feare to be the cause whye they could not resolue to confesse Christ openlie but S. Iohn that felt their pulse vttereth the true cause to haue bene for that they loued the glorie of men more than the glorie of God Demas that forsooke S. Paul in his bandes euen a litle before his deathe pretended an other cause of his departure to Thessalonica but S. Paul sayeth it was quia diligebat hoc ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ For that he loued this world So that this is a generall and vniuersall impediment and more in deede dispersed than owtwardlye appeareth for that it bringeth foorthe diuers other excuses therby to couer her selfe in many men This may be confirmed by that moste excellent parable of Christ recorded by threEuaÌ„gelistes of the three sortes of men which are to be damned and the three causes of their damnatioÌ„ wherof the third and last moste generall including as it were bothe the rest is the loue of this worlde For the first sorte of men are compared to a highe waye where all seed of lyfe that is sowen ether withereth presentlye or els is eaten vp by the byrdes of the ayer that is as Christ expoundeth it by the deuill in careles men that contemne what soeuer is sayd vnto theÌ„ as infidels heretikes and other suche obstinate and contemptuous people The second sorte are compared to rockye groundes in which for lacke of depe roote the seed coÌ„tinuethe not wherby are signified light vncoÌ„staÌ„t men that now choppe in now ruÌ„ne owte now are ferueÌ„t by by keye colde againe so IÌ„ time of teÌ„ptatio they are gone The third sorte are coÌ„pared to a feeld where the seed groweth vp but yet there are so many thornes on the same whiche Christ expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries deceyuable vanities of this life as the good corne is choked vp and bringeth foorthe no fruite By whiche last woordes our Sauiour signifieth that whersoeuer the doctrine of Christ groweth vp yet bringeth not foorthe due fruite that is whersoeuer it is receaued and imbraced as it is among all Christians yet bringethe not foorthe good lyfe there the cause is for that it is choked with the vanities of this world This is a parable of maruailous greate importance as may appeare bothe for that Christ after the recitall therof cryed owt withe a lowde voyce He that hathe eares to heare let him heare As also for that he expounded it hym selfe in secrete onelie to his Disciples And principallie for that before the exposition therof he vsed such a solemne preface sayeing to you it is geuen to knovve the mysteries if the kingdome of heauen but to others not for that they seyng doe not see and hearing doe not heare nor vnderstand VVherby Christ signisieth that the vnderstanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceauing the true mysteries of the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ that many are blinde which seeme to see and many deafe ignorant that seeme to heare and knowe for that they vnderstand not well the mysteries of this parable For which cause also Christ maketh this conclusion before he beginnethe to expounde the parable Happie are your eyes that see and blessed are your eares that heare After whiche woordes he beginneth his exposition withe this admonition Vos ergo audite parabolam Doe you therfore heare and vnderstand this parable And for that this parable dothe coÌ„tayne and touche so much in deede as may or needeth be sayed for remouinge of this greate and daungerous impedimeÌ„t of worldly loue I meane to staye my selfe onelye vppon the explication therof in this place and will declare the force and truthe of certaine woordes heere vttered by Christ of the world and worldlie pleasures and for some order and methodes sake I will drawe all to these six pointes foloweing First how in what sense all the world and commodities therof are vanities and of no value as Christ heere signifieth and coÌ„sequentlie ought not to be an impediment to lett vs from so great a matter as the kyngdome of heauen and seruing of God is Sccondlie how they are not onelye vanities and tryfles in them selues but also Deceptions as Christ sayeth that is deceytes not performing to vs in deede those litle tryfles which they doe promis Thyrdlie how they are spinae that is princking thornes as Christ sayeth thoghe they seeme to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant Fowerthlye how they are aerumnae that is my seryes and afflictions as also Christs woordes are Fyuethlie quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke vs as Christ affirmeth Sixthelie how we may vse them notwithstanding without these daungers and euills and to our greate comfort gayne and preferment And touching the first I doe not see how it may be better proued that all the pleasures and goodsie shewes of this world are vanities as Christ heere sayeth than to alleage the testimonie of one whiche hathe proued them all that is of one whiche speakethe not of speculation but of his owne proofe and practise And this is kyng SalomoÌ„ of whome the scripture reportethe wounderfull matters touching his peace prosperitie riches glorie in this world as that all the kynges of the earthe desired to see his face for his wisdome and renowmed felicitie that all the princes lyuing besides were not lyke hym in wealthe that he had six hundred sixtie and six talents of golde which is an infinite summe brought hym in yerelie besides all other that he had from the kynges of Arabia and other princes that siluer was as plentifull withe hym as heapes of stones and not esteemed for the greate store and abundance he had therof that his plate and Iewelles had no ende that his seat of maiestie with stooles lyons to beare it vp and other furniture was of golde passing all other kyngely seates in the world that his pretious apparell and armoure were infinite that he had all the kinges from the riuer of the philistians vnto Egypt to serue hym that he had fortie thowsand horses in his stables to ride and twelue thousand chariottes with horses and other furniture redye to them for his vse that he had two hundred speares of golde borne before hym and six hundred crownes of golde bestowed in euerie speare as also three hundred buckelers and three hundred crownes of golde bestowed in the guylding of euery buckler that he spent euerye daye in his howse a thowsand nyne hundred thirtie seuen quarters of meale and flower thirtie oxen with a hundred wethers beside all other fleshe that he had seuen hundred wiues as queenes and three hundred

of children and how seruile feare is profitable for sinners The fiueth chapiter Of the fyueth impediment vvhiche is delay of resolution vpon hope to doe it better or vvith more ease aftervvarde VVherein a declaration is made pag. 271. OF seuen speciall reasons whye the deuill moueth vs to delaye And of six principall causes whiche make our conuersion harder by delaye How hard it is to doe pennance in olde age for him that is not accustomed to yt what obligation and charge a man draweth to hym selfe by delaye That the example of the theese saued on the crosse is no warrant to suche as deferre theyr conuersion Of diuers reasons whie conuersion made at the last howre is insufficent The sixt chapiter Of thre other impedimeÌ„ts that is slothe negligence hardnes of hart vvherein is declared pa. 403. THe fower effectes of slothe the meanes how to remoue them Of two causes of Atheisme at this daye And of the waye to cure careles men Of two degrees of hardnes of hart How hardnes of hart is in all persecutors The discription of a hard hart and the daunger therof The conclusion of the whole booke TO THE CRISTIAN READER TOVVCHINGE two editions of this booke ABowt three yeres past good reader a certaine learned and deuout gentilman consideringe the greate want of spirituall bookes in Englande for the direction of men to pietie deuoticÌ„ whiche ought to be the cheefest point of our exercise in this lyfe tooke the paines to translate a godlye treatise to that effect named the exercise of a Christian life writen in the Italian toung by a reuerende man of the socretic of Iesus named Gasper Loartes Doctor in diuinitie and of greate experience in the handlinge and managinge of sowles to that purpose VVhiche booke because I vnderstande of certaintie to haue done greate good to haue wrought forcebly in the hartes of manye persons towards the foresayed effect of pietie and deuotion I was moued to cause the same to be printed againe and that in muche more ample manner than before hauinge added vnto it two partes of three which were not in the former booke The reason of this so large an additioÌ„ shall appeare in the Induction followinge where snalbe shewed the partes of this booke with the causes and coÌ„tentes therof But the principall cause and reason was to the ende our countrye men might haue some one sufficieÌ„t directioÌ„ for matters of life and spirit among so manye bookes of controuersies as haue ben writen and are in writinge dailye The whiche bookes albeit in thes our troublesome quarrelous times be necessarie for defence of our faithe againste so manye seditious innouations as now are attempted yet helpe they litle oftentymes to good lyfe but rather do fill the heades of men with a spirite of contradiction and contention that for the most parte hindereth deuotioÌ„ which deuotion is nothinge els but a quiet and peaceble state of the sowle endewed with a ioyful promptnes to the diligent execution of all thinges that appartayne to the honour of God In respect wherof S. Paule geeueth this counsayle to his scholer Timothie contende not in vvordes for it is profitable to nothinge but to subuert the hearers The lyke counsayle he geuethe in diuers other places in respect of this quiet deuotion whiche is trowbled by contention But yet as I haue saide these bookes of controuersies are necessarie for other considerations especialie in thes our tymes when euerye man almost is made of a fancie and apte to esteeme the same greate wisdome except it be refuted Suche are our dayes most vnhappie truelye in respect of our forefathers whoe receauinge the grownde of faithe peaceably without quarelinge from their mother the Chuche did attend onlye to builde vppon the same good woorkes and Christian life as their vocation required But we spendinge all the tyme in ianglinge abowte the foundation haue no leysure to think vpon the building and so we wearye out our spirites without coÌ„moditie we dye with muche adoe and litle profit greate disquiet small rewarde For whoe knoweth not that what faithe so euer a man hathe yet without good lyfe it helpeth hym litle I am therfore of opinion gentle reader that albeit trew faithe be the grownde of Christianitie without which nothinge of it selfe can be meritorious before God yet that one principall meane to come to this trew faithe and right knowledge and to ende all thes our infinite coÌ„tentions in religion were for eche man to betake him selfe to a good vertuous life for that God could not of his vnspeakeable mercie suffer suche a man to erre loÌ„ge in religion VVe haue a cleare exaÌ„ple of Cornelius a Gentile to whome God in respect of his religious lyfe prayer and almes deedes as the scripture affirmeth sent his Apostle S. Peter to instruct him in the right faithe So mercifull is God to those whiche applye theÌ„ selues to vertue and pietie albeit they erre as yet in pointes of faithe And on the contrarie side as loose lyfe and worldlye ambition was the first cause of all heresye in Christian religion from the beginninge so is it the coÌ„tinuance of the same and it is verie harde for him that is so affected to be recalled from his error For that as the scripture saithe the vvisdome of God vvill not entre into a malitious minde nor dvvell in a bodye subiect to sinne And our Saueoure in the gospell askethe a question of certaine ambitious worldlynges whiche geeuethe greate light to the thinge we talke of hovv sayeth he can you beleeue vvhich seeke glorye one of an other as whoe woulde saie that this worldly ambition and euill life of theirs did make it impossible for them to come to the trewe faithe VVherfore gentle reader if thow be of an other religioÌ„ than I am I beseche the most hartelye that layenge a side all hatred malice and wrathfull contention let vs ioyne together in amendmeÌ„t of our lyues and prayeng one for an other and God no doubt will not suffer vs to perishe finallye for want of right faithe And to Catholiques I must saye further withe S. Paule and S. Iames that all their faith will profitt them nothinge except they haue charitie allso bothe towardes God and man and therby doe directe their lyues accordinglye VVhiche God of his holye mercye geeue them ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ to doe to his honour and their eternall saluation And I most humblye request the good Christian reader to praie for me allso if thow take any commoditie by this booke that I be not like the Conduit pipe whiche bringeth water to the citie without drinkinge anye it selfe or as S. Paule withe muche lesse cause than I haue feared of hym selfe to witt lesse that after preachinge to other I become perchaunce a reprobate my selfe RemeÌ„bre allso I beseeche the that most vertuous good gentilman whoe by his first translation was the cause of

are wont to laye for the stoppinge of the same knowinge very well that of this resolution dependethe all our good in the life to come For he that neuer resolueth hym selfe to doe well and to leaue the dangerous state of synne wherin he lyuethe is farof from euer doynge the same But he that sometymes resolueth to doe it althoughe by frayltie he performethe it not at that tyme yet is that resolution much acceptable before God and his mynd the rediar to returne after to the like resolution againe and by the grace of God to putt it manfully in execution But he that willfully resistethe the good motions of the holly ghost and vncurteouslie contemnethe his Lorde knockinge at the doore of his conscience greatly prouokethe the indignation of God agaynst hym and coÌ„monlye growethe harder harder daylye vntill he be giuen ouer into a reprobate sense which is the next doore to damnation it selfe One thinge therfore I must aduertyse the reader before I goe any further that he take greate heede of a certayne principall deceyt of our ghostlye aduersarie whereby he drawethe many millions of soules into hell daylye VVhiche is to feare and terrifie them from hearinge or readinge any thinge contrarye to they re present humor or resolution As for example a vsurer from readinge bookes of restitution a lecherer from readinge discourses against that synne a worldlinge from readinge spirituall bookes or treatyses of deuotion And he vsethe commonlye this argumeÌ„t to theÌ„ for his purpose Thow seest how thow art not yet resolued to leaue this trade of lyfe wherin thow art therfore the readinge of these bookes will but trouble afflict thy conscience and caste the into sorrowe and melancholye and therfore reade them not at all This I saye is a cunninge fleyght of Satan wherby he leade the manye blyndfolded to perdition euen as a faulkener carriethe many hawkes quyetly beinge hooded whiche other wyse he could not doe yf they hadd the vse of their sight If all ignorance dyd excuse synne than this might be some refuge for theÌ„ that would lyue wickedlye But this kinde of ignoraÌ„ce beinge voluntarie and willfull increasethe greatlye bothe the sinne the synners euell state For of this man the holye ghost speakethe in great dysdayne Noluit intelligere vt bene ageret He vvould not vnderstande to doe vvell And agayne quia tis scientiam repulisti repellam te For that thou hast reiected knoledge I will reiect the. And of the same men in an other place the same holye ghost sayethe they doe leade their lyues in pleasure and in a moment goe downe vnto hell vvhiche saye to God goe frome vs vve vvill not haue the knovvledge of thy vvayes Let euery man therfore be ware of this deceyt and be ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ at the least to reade goode bookes to frequent deuoute companye and other lyke goode meanes of his amendment albeit he were not yet resolued to follow the same yea althoughe he should fynde some greeff repugnaunce in hym selfe to doe it For these thinges can neuer doe hym hurte but maye chaunce to doe hym very muche goode and perhappes the very contrarietie and repugnance which he bearethe in frequentinge these thinges against his inclination may moue our mercifull lorde whiche seethe his harde case to gyue hym the victorye ouer hym selfe in the ende and to send hym much more coÌ„forte in the same than before he hadd dislyke For he can easelie doe it onelie by alteringe our taste withe a litle droppe of his holye grace and so make those thinges seeme most sweet and pleasant whiche before tasted bothe bitter and vnsauerye VVherfore as I would hartelye wysne euery Christian soule that comethe to reade these coÌ„siderations folowinge should come with an indefferent mynde layed downe wholly into godes handes to resolue doe as it should please his holy spirite to moue hym vnto althoughe it wereto the losse of all wordlye pleasures what so euer whiche resignation is absolutlie necessarye to euery one that desirethe to be saued so yf some can not presentlye wynne that indifferencie of them selues yet would I counsayle theÌ„ in any case to coÌ„quer theyr myndes to so much patience as to goe throughe to the ende of this booke to see what maye be sayde at leaste to the matter althoughe it be withoute resolution to followe the same For I doubt not but God maye so pearse these mennes hartes before they come to the ende as their myndes maye be altered they yealde them selues vnto the humble sweete seruice of theyr lorde and sauiour and that the Angells in heauen whiche will not ceasse to praye for theym whyle they are readinge maye reioyce and triumphe of theyr regayninge as of sheepe most dangerouslye loste before Hovve necessarie it is to enter into earnest condesiration and meditation of our estate CHAP. II. THe prophet Ieremie after a loÌ„g complaynte of the miseries of his tyme fallen vpoÌ„ the Ievves by reason of their sinnes vtterethe the cause therof in these vvordes All the earthe is fallen into vtter desolation for that there is no man vvhich coÌ„sidereth deepely in his harte Signifieng hereby that yf the Ievves vvould haue entered into deepe and earnest consideration of their lyues and estate before that greate desolation fell vppon them they might haue escaped the same as the Niniuites dyd by the forevvarninge of Ionas albeit the svvorde vvas novve dravven and the hande of God stretched out vvithin fourtye dayes to distroye them So important a thing is this consideration In figure vvherof all beasts in old tyme vvhiche dyd not ruminate or chevve they re cudde vvere accounted vncleane by the lawe of Moyses as no dowt but that soule in the sight of God muste nedes bee vvhiche reuoluethe not in harte nor chevvethe in often meditation of mynde the thinges required at her handes in this lyfe For of vvant of this consideration and due meditation all the foule errors of the vvoorlde are coÌ„mitted and many thovvsand Christians doo fynde them selues vvhithin the very gates of hell before they mystrust anye suche matter tovvardes them beinge carryed thorowghe the vale of this lyfe blyndfolded vvithe the veyle of negligence and inconsideration as beastes to the slavvghter hovvse and neuer suffred to see theyr owne daunger vntill it be to late to remedie the same For this cause the holly scripture dothe recoÌ„mende vnto vs most carefully this exercyse of meditation and diligent coÌ„sideration of our deutyes to delyuer vs therby from the perill which incoÌ„sideratioÌ„ eadethe vs vnto Moyses hauinge delyuered to the people his embassage from God tovvchinge all particulars of the lavve addethe this clause also from God as most necessarye Thes vvordes must remaine in thy harte thou ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ meditate vppon them bothe at home and abroate vvhen thou goest to bedde and vvhen thourysest agayne in the morninge And agayne in an other place teach

manfullye vvhiche tempteth vs to sinne and this resistaÌ„ce ought to be made in suche perfect maner as vve yealde not vvittinglye and vvillinglie to any fyn vvhat soeuer ether in vvorke vvorde or consent of harte in so muche that vvhoe so euer snould geeue secret consent of minde to the performance of a sinne yf he had time place and abilytie therunto is condemned by the holye scripture in that sinne euen as yf he had committed the same novv in acte And touchinge the second vvhiche is good vvoorkes vve are vvilled to doe them abundantlie diligentlie ioyfullye and ineessantlie for so saieth the scripture VVhas soeuer thy hand can doe doe it ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ And againe vvalke vvorthie of God fructyfiynge in euerie good vvoorke And againe S. Paule sayeth Let vs doe good vvorkes vnto all men and agayne in the verie same place let vs neuer leaue of to doe good for the tyme vvill come vvhen vve shall reape ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ end And in an other place he vvilleth vs to be stable immoueable and abundant in good vvorckes knovvinge that our laboure shall not be vnprofitable By this it may be seene deare brother vvhat a perfect creature is a good Christian that is as S. Paule describeth hym the handvvorke of God and creature of Christ to good vvorkes vvherin he hathe prepared that he should vvalcke It appeareth I saye vvhat an exacte lyfe the trevv lyfe of a Christian is vvhich is a continuall resistance of all sinne bothe in thought vvord and deede and a performaÌ„ce or exercise of all good vvoorkes that possiblie he can deuise to doe VVhat an Angelicall lyfe is this nay more than Angelicall for that Angels beinge novv placed in their glorie haue neither temptation of sinne to resist nor can doe any meritorious vvorke as vve maye If Christians did liue accordinge to this their devvtie that is in doinge all good that they might and neuer consentinge to euill vvhat needed there almost any temporall lavves vvhat a goodlye coÌ„mon vvealth vvere Christianitie vvhoe vvill novv maruaile of the happy dayes of our forefathers vvherin such simplicitie such trueth such coÌ„science such almes deedes such sinceritie such vertue such religion and deuotion is reported to haue ben the cause vvas for that they studied vppon thes tvvo pointes of a Christian mans devvtie and laboured for the performance therof euerye man as God gaue hym ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ And vve because vve looke not into thes matters are become as loose and vvicked in lyfe as euer the gentiles or infidels vvere And yet is God the same God still and vvill accept at our handes no other accounte than he did of our forefathers for the perfourmance of thes tvvo partes of ourdevvtie towardes hym VVhat than shall become of vs which doe not lyue in anye parte as they did And to enter yet some what more into the particuler consideration of thes thinges whoe is there now a dayes amongest coÌ„mon Christians for no dout there be in secrette manye seruauntes of God which doe it but of those which beare the name of Christians and most sturr abrode in the world whoe is there I saye that taketh any payne aboute the first pointe that is towchinge the resistinge of the concupiscence of sinne which concupiscence or naturall motion to sinne remayninge in vs as a remnant of our naturall maladie in punishment of the sinne of our first father Adam is left in vs now after baptisme ad agonem that is to stryue withall and to resist and by resistinge to merit increase of glorie in heauen But alas hovv manie there vvhich doe resist as they should thes euill motions of concupiscence whoe dothe euer examine his conscience of the same whoe doth not yelde commonlye consent of harte to euerye motion that commeth with pleasure of couetousnes of anger of reuenge of pryde of Ã¡mbition and aboue all of lecherie and other filthye synnes of the fleshe knowinge notwithstandinge by the protestation of our Saueour Christ him selfe that euerye such consent of harte is as much in substance of synne as the act and maketh the soule guiltie of eternall damnation It is a wounderfull matter to coÌ„sider able to make a man astonnyed to thincke what greate care seare diligence and laboure good men in old tymes did take about this matter of resistinge synne and how lytle we take now Iob the iusl hauinge lesse cause to feare than we saieth of hym selfe I did feare all my doinges o lord consideringe that thovv doest not pardon such as offende the. But the good kynge Dauid whiche had now tasted gods heauie hande for consentinge to sinne before she wethe him selfe yet more carefull and fearefull in the matter when he saieth I did meditate in the night tyme together vvith my harte and it vvas my vvhole exercise I did ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ or svveepe myne ovvne spirite vvithe in me what a diligent examination of his conscience thoughtes and cogitations was this in a kynge and all this was for the auoidinge and resistinge of synne as allso it was in S. Paule woe examined his conscience so narrowly and resisted all temptations with suche diligence and attention as he could pronounce of hym selfe that to his knoledge he was guyltie of nothinge albeit he doth confesse in an other place that he had most vile and strong temptations of the fleshe layed vppon him of the deuill by Gods permission marye yet by the grace of Christ he resisted and ouercame all Forthe better performance wherof it is liklye that he vsed also these externall helpes and remedies of much fastinge loÌ„ge prayinge painefull watchinge and seuere chastisinge of his bodie wherof he maketh mention in his writinges As also all godlye men by his example haue vsed the lyke helpes sence for the better resistinge of synfull temptations when neede requyred I meane tbe helpes of abstinence fastinge watchinge prayer chastisinge of the bodie by heareclothe lyinge on the grownde beatinge and the like VVherof I coulde here recite greate store of exaÌ„ples out of the holye fathers But he which would reade many heaped togyther in euerye one of thes particuler pointes let him reade the worckes of Iohn Cassian the Eremite which wrote almost twelue hundred yeres past of the doinges of mounkes and other the best ChristiaÌ„s in his dayes or let him reade Marcus Marulus exaÌ„ples of the lyues of the auncient fathers gathered owt of this Cassian S. Iherome and others where he shall reade manye thinges that will make hym wounder and afeard also if he be not past feare to see what extreame payne and diligence these first ChristiaÌ„s tooke in watchinge euerye litle fleight of the deuill and in resistinge euerie litle temptation or cogitatioÌ„ of synne wheras we neuer thincke of the matter nor make accounte ether of cogitation coÌ„sent of harte worde or vvorke but doe yelde to all vvhat soeuer our concupisceÌ„ce moueth vs vnto doe svvallovv dovvne

woldest thrust him into fyre or flynge hym into a ditche he woold auoide it as muche as he coulde for that he loueth lyfe and ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ death Feare thow then and be not more insensible than a beast Feare death feare iudgement feare hell this feare is called the begynninge of wisdome and not shame or sorow for that the spirite of feare is more potent to resist sinne than the spirite of shame or sorow wherfore it is saide remeÌ„ber the ende and thovv shalt neuer sinne that is remember the finall punishmentes appointed for sinne after this lyfe Thus far S. Bernarde First therfore to speake in generall of the punishmentes reserued for the lyfe to come yf the scriptures did not declare in perticular theire greatnes vnto vs yet are there manie reasons to persuade vs that they are most feuere dolorous intollerable For first as God is a God in all his woorkes that is to saye greate wounderfull terrible so especialie he sheweth the same in his punishmentes beinge called for that cause in scripture deus iustitiae God of iustice as also deus vltionum God of reuenge VVherfore seinge all his other woorkes are maiestical exceedinge our capacities we maye lykewise gather that his hande in punishmeÌ„t must be wounderfull also God hym selfe teacheth vs to reason in this maner when he sayethe And vvill ye not then feare me and vvill ye not tremble before my face vvhiche haue putt the sande as a stopp vnto the sea and haue geeuen the vvater a commandement neuer to passe it no not vvhen it is most trovvbled the flooddes most outragious as who would saye yf I am wounderfull doe passe your imaginatioÌ„ in these woorkes of the sea and other which you see daylie you haue cause to feare me coÌ„sideringe that my punishmentes are lyke to be correspondent to the same An other coniecture of the great and seuere iustice of God maye be the coÌ„sideration of his infinite and vnspekeable mercie the whiche as it is the verie nature of God without ende or measure as his godhead is so is also his iustice And these two are the two ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ as it were of God embracinge kyssnge one the other as the scripture saieth Therfore as in a man of this world yf we had the measure of one arme we might easely coÌ„iecture of the other so seinge the wounderfull exaÌ„ples dailie of godes infinite mercie towardes them that doe repent we maye imagyne by the same his seuere iustice towardes them whoe he reserueth to punishment in the next lyfe and whome for that cause he calleth in the scriptures Vasa furoris Vessels of his furye or vessels to shew his furye vppon A third reason to perswade vs of the greatnes of these punishmentes maye be the maruailous patieÌ„ce and longe sufferinge of God in this lyfe as for example in that he sufferethe diuers men from one sinne to an other from one daye to an other from one yere to an other froÌ„ one age to an other to spend all I saye in dishonoure and dispite of his maiestie addinge offence to offence and refusinge all perswasions allurementes good inspirations or other meanes of frindshipp that his mercie can deuise to offer for theire amendment And what man in the world could suffer this or what mortall hart can shew suche patience but now yf all this should not be requited with seueritie of punishmeÌ„t in the worlde to come vppon the obstinate it might seeme against the lawe of iustice and equitie and one arme in God might seeme longer than the other S. Paule toucheth this reason in his epistle to the Romans where he saithe doest thovv not knovv that the benignitie of God is used to bringe thee to repentance and thovv by thy harde and impenitent hart doest hoord vpp vengeance vnto thy selfe in the daye of vvrath and appearance of Gods iust iudgementes vvhich shall restore to euerie man accordinge to his vvorkes he vseth heere the wordes of hoordinge vpp of vengeance to signifie that euen as the couetous man doth hoorde vp monie to monie dailie to make his heape greate so the vnrepentant synner dothe hoorde vp sinne to sinne and God on the contrary side hoordeth vpp vengeance to vengeance vntill his measure be full to restore in the end measure against measure as the prophet saith and to paye vs home accordinge to the multitude of our ovvne obhominations This God meant when he sayde to Abraham that the iniquities of the Amorrheans vvere not yet full vpp Also in the reuelations vnto S. Iohn Euangelist when he vsed this coÌ„clusion of that booke He that doth euill let hym doe yet more euill and he that lyeth in filth let hym yet become more filthie for beholde I come quicklye and my revvarde is vvith me to render to euerye man accordinge to his deedes By which wordes God signifieth that his bearinge tolleratinge with sinners in this lyfe is an argument of his greater serueritie in the lyfe to come which the prophet Dauid also declareth when talkinge of a careles sinner he saieth Dominus irridebit eum quoniam ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ quÃ²d veniet dies eius Our God shall scoff at hym foreseinge that his daye shall come This daye no dout is to be vnderstoode the daye of accounte and punishement after this lyfe for soo dothe God more at large declare hym selfe in an other place in these wordes And thow sonne of man this saieth thy lord God the end is come now I saye the end is come vppon the. And I will shew in the my furye and will iudge the acoordinge to thy waies I will laye against the all thy abominations and my eye shall not spare the nor will I take anye mercie vppon the but I will put thyne owne wayes vppon the and thow shalt know that I am the lord Behold affliction commeth on the end is come the end I saye is come it hath watched against the and beholde it is come crusshinge is now come vppon the the tyme is come the daye of slaughter is at hand Shortlie will I poure owt my wrathe vppon the and I will fill my furye in the and I will iudge the accordinge to thy waies and I will laye all thy vvickednes vppon the my eye shall not pitie the nor vvil I take any compassion vppon the but I will laye thy vvaies vppon the and thy abhominations in the ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ of the and thovv shalt knovv that I am the lorde that striketh Hytherto is the speeche of God hym selfe Seinge then now we vnderstaÌ„de in generall that the punishmentes of Cod in the lyfe to come are moste certaine to be greate seuere to all suche as fall into them for whiche cause S. Paule saithe Horrendum est incidere in manus dei viuentis it is is a ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ thinge to fall into the handes of our lyuinge God Let vs consider some what in particular

vs by coueringe our neckes onelie with his yoke and burden so lightned and sweetned by his holy grace as the bearinge therof is not trauailsome but most easie pleasant and confortable as hathe bene shewed An other cause why this yoke is so sweete this burden so light and this vvaie of gods commaundemeÌ„tes so pleasant to good men is loue loue I meane tovvards God whose commaundementes they are for euery man can tell and hathe experienced in hym selfe what a strong passion the passion of loue is and how it maketh easie the verie greatest paynes that are in this world VVhat maketh the mother to take suche paynes in the bringing vpp of her child but onelie loue what causeth the wyfe to sytt so attentyue at the bedde syde of her sycke husbande but onelie loue what moueth the beastes and byrdes of the ayer to spare from their owne foode and to endaunger their own lyues for the feedinge and defendinge of their litle ones but onelie the force of loue S. Austen doeth prosecute this pointe at large by many other examples as of Marchantes that refuse no aduenture of sea for loue of gayne of huntars that refuse no season of euill weather for loue of game of soldiers that refuse no daunger of deathe for loue of spoyle And he addeth in the end that yf the loue of man can be so greate towardes creatures heere as to make labour easie iÌ„ deede to seeme no labour but rather pleasure how muche more shall the loue of good men towardes god make all their labour comfortable whiche they take in his seruice This extreme loue was the cause whie all the paynes afflictioÌ„s which Christ suffered for vs seemed nothing vnto hym And this loue also was the cause why all the trauailes tormentes whiche many Christianes haue suffered for Christ seemed nothing vnto them ImprisonmeÌ„ntes tormentes losse of honour goodes and lyfe seemed tryfles to diuers seruantes of God in respect of this burning loue This loue droue infinite virgines and tender children to offer them selues in tyme of persecutioÌ„ for the loue of him which in the cause was persecuted This loue caused holye Apollonia of Alexandria beinge broght to the fyre to be burned for Christ to slypp out of the handes of suche as ledde her ioyfullie to runne into the fire of her selfe This loue moued Ignatius the auncient Martyre to saye being condemned to beastes ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ leste they wolde refuse his bodie as they had done of diuers Martyres before that he wolde not permitt them so to doe but wolde prouoke and styrre them to come vpoÌ„ hym and to take his lyfe from hym by tearing his body in peeces These are the effectes then of feruent loue which maketh euen the thinges that are most difficult and dreadfull of them selues to appeare sweete and pleasant and much more the lawes and commaundementes of God whiche in them selues are moste iust reasonable holye and easie Da amantem sayeth S. Austen speaking of this ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ sentit quod dico S. autem srigido loquor nescit quid loquar Geue me a man that is in loue with God and he feeleth this to be true whiche I saye but yf I talke to a colde Christian he vnderstandeth not what I saye And this is the cause whie Christ talking of the keeping of his coÌ„maundementes repeateth so often this woorde loue as the onelye sure cause of keeping the same for waÌ„t whereof in the world the world keepeth them not as there he sheweth If you loue me keepe my commaundementes sayeth he and againe He that hathe my commaundementes and keepeth them he is he that loueth me Agayne He which loueth me will keepe my commaundement and he that loueth me not keepeth not my comaundemeÌ„tes In which last woordes is to be noted that to the louer he sayeth his coÌ„maundement in the singular number for that to suche a one all his commaundementes are but one commaundement according to the sayeing of S. Paul That loue is the fullnesse of the lauve For that it comprehendeth all But to hym that loueth not Christ sayeth his commaundementes in the plurall number signifyeing thereby that they are bothe many and heauie to hym for that he wanteth loue whiche should make them easie VVhiche S. Iohn also expresseth when he sayeth this is the loue of God when we keepe his commaundementes and his commaundementes are not heauie That is they are not heauye to hym whiche hathe the loue of God otherwyse no maruaile thoughe they be moste heauie For that euerie thing feemeth heauie whiche we doe against our lyking And so by this also gentle reader thow mayest gesse whether the loue of God be in thee or no. And these are two meanes now wherby the lyfe of good men is made easie in this worlde There folow diuers other to the end that these negligent excusers may see how vniust and vntrue this excuse of theyrs is coÌ„cerninge the pretended hardnes of vertuous lyuing whiche in verie deede is indewed with infinite priuileges of comfort aboue the lyfe of wicked men euen in this world And the next that I will name for example sake after the former is a certaine speciall and peculiar light of vnderstanding pertayning to the iust and called in scripture prudentia sanctorum The wisdome of Saintes which is nothing eles but a certayne sparkle of heauenlie wisdome bestowed by singular priuilege vpon the vertuouse in this lyfe wherby they receyue moste comfortable light and vnderstanding in spirituall matters especiallie towching their owne saluation thinges necessarie therunto Of whiche the prophet Dauid meant when he sayed notas mihi fecisti vias vitae Thow hast made the wayes of lyfe knowen to me Also when he sayde of hym selfe Super senes intellexi I haue vnderstoode more than olde men And agayne in an other place Incerta occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi Thow hast opened to me the vnknowen and hydden secretes of thy wisedome This is that light wherwith S. Iohn sayeth that Christ lighteneth his seruantes as also that vnction of the holye ghoste whiche the same Apostle teacheth to be geuen to the godlie to instructe them in all thinges behoofefull for their saluation In like wyse this is that writing of gods lawe in mennes hartes whiche he promiseth by the prophet Ieremie as also the instruction of men immediatlye from God him selfe promised by the prophet Esaye And finallie this is that soueraigne vnderstanding in the lawe commaundementes and iustificationes of God whiche holy Dauid so muche desired and so often demaunded in that most diuine psalme whiche begynneth Blessed are the unspotted in the uvaye That is in this lyfe By this light of vnderstandinge supernaturall knowlege feeling from the holie ghost in spirituall thinges the vertuouse are greatlie holpen in the waye of rightetousnes for that they are made able to

neuer want the temptations of the world and deuill the resisting wherof is muche more difficult in time of peace and wealthe than in time of externall affliction and persecution for that these enemies are stronger in slatterie than in force whiche a godly father expresseth by this parable The sunne wynde sayeth he agreed one day to proue their seueral strengthes in takinge a cloke from a wayesarynge maÌ„ And in the forenoone the wynd vsed all violence that he could to blowe of the saide cloke But the more he blewe the more fast held the trauailer his clocke and gathered it more closely about hym At after noone the sunne sent foorthe her pleasant beames and by litle and litle so entered into this man as he caused hym to yeeld and put of not onelye his cloke but also his cote VVhereby ys proued sayeth this father that the alluremetes of pleasure are more strong and harder to be resisted than the violence of persecutioÌ„ The lyke is shewed by the example of Dauid whoe resisted easilie manye assaults of aduersitie but yet fell daungerouslie in tyme of prosperitie VVherby appearethe that vertuous men haue no lesse warre in tyme of peace than in time of persecution Nor euer wanteth there occasion of bearing the crosse suffering affliction to hym that will accept of the same And this may suffice for this first poynt to proue that euery man must enter into heauen by tribulation as S. Paul sayeth Touching the second whye God wolde haue this matter so yt were sufficient to answere that yt pleased hym best so without seeking any further reason of his meaninge heerein euen as it pleased him without all reason in oure syght to abase his sonne so much as to send hym hyther into this world to suffer and dye for vs Or yf we will needes haue a reason hereof this one myght be sufficient for all that seynge we looke for so great a glorie as we doe we should laboure a litle first for the same and so shewe our selues woorthie of gods fauoure and exaltation But yet for that yt hath pleased his diuine maiestie not onelye to open vnto vs his will and determination for our suffering in this lyfe but also diuers reasons of his moste holy purpose pleasure therin for our further encouragement and consolation which doe suffer I will in this place repeate some of the same for declaration of his exceeding great loue and fatherlie care towardes vs. The first cause then and the most principall is to encrease therby our merite glorie in the lyfe to come For hauing appointed by his eternall wisdome and iustice that none shall be crowned there but according to the measure of his fight in this world the more and greater coÌ„bates that he geueth together with sufficient grace to ouercome therin the greater crowne of glorie prepareth he for vs at our resurrection This cause toucheth S. Paul in the woordes before alleaged of the saintes of the olde testament to VVitt that they receaued no redemption from their miseries in this world to the end they might find a better resurrection in the world to come This also meant Christ expresselie wheÌ„ he sayed Happie are they vvhich suffer persecution for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen happie are you vvhen men speake euell and persecute you c. reioyse and be glad I saye for that your revvarde is greate in heauen Hither also doe appertaine all those promyses of gayning lyfe by leesing lyfe of receauing a hundred for one and the lyke Heere hence do proceede all those large promyses to virginitie and chastitie to such as geld them selues for the kyndome of heauen to voluntarie pouertie and to the renovvncing of our owne will by obedience All vvhich are greate conflictes agaynst the fleshe woorld and our ovvne sensualitie and can not be performed but by sufferinges and afflictioÌ„ Finally S. Paul declareth this matter fullie when he sayeth that a litle and short tribulation in this lyfe vvorketh a vveight of glorie aboue all measure in the hyght of heauen The second cause vvhy God appoynted this is to draw vs therby from the loue of the world his professed enemye as in the next chapiter shal be shevved at large This cause S. Paul vttereth in these vvordes VVe are punished of God to the end vve should not be damned vvith this vvorld Euen then as a Nurse that to vveane her child from the lykyng of her mylke dothe anoynte her teat with Alloes or some other suche bytter thing so our mercyfull father that vvolde retire vs from the loue of worldlie delytes whereby infinite men doe perish dayly vseth to send tribulation whiche of all other thinges hathe moste force to woorke that effect as we see in the example of the prodigall sonne whoe could by no meanes be stayed from his pleasures but onelyeby affliction Thirdlie God vseth tribulation as a most present and soueraigne medicine to heale vs of many diseases otherwyse almoste incurable As first of a certayne blyndenes and careles negligence in our estate contracted by wealth and prosperitie In whiche sense the scripture sayeth that affliction geueth vnderstanding And the wyse man affirmeth that the rodde bryngeth uvisdome This was shewed in figure vvhen the sight of Tobie was restored by the bytter gaule of a fishe And we haue cleare exaÌ„ples in Nabuchadonasar Saul Antiochus and Manasses all which came to see their owne faultes by tribulation which they wolde neuer haue done in tyme of prosperitie The lyke we read of the brethren of Ioseph whoe falling some affliction in Egypt presentlie entered into their owne conscience and sayd VVe suffer those thinges vvoorthely for that vve synned against our brother And as tribulation bryngeth this light whereby we see our owne defectes so helpeth yt greatlie to remoue and cure the same wherin it may be well lykened vnto the rodde of Moyses For as that rodde strikinge the harde rockes hrought foorth water as the scripture saieth so this rodde of afflictioÌ„ falling vpon stonye harted synners mollyfyeth them to contrition and often times bringeth foorthe the fluddes of teares to repentance In respect wherof holy Tobye sayeth to God In tyme of tribulation thou forgeuest sinnes And for lyke effect it is compared also to a fyle of yron which taketh away the rust of the soule Also to a purgation that driueth out corrupt humours And finallie to a golde smythes fyre which coÌ„sumeth away the refuse metalls and fineth the golde to his perfectioÌ„ I vvill trye thee by fyre to the quick sayeth God to a sinner by Esay the prophet and I vvill take avvaye all thy tynne and refuse metall And againe by Ieremie I vvill melt them and trye them by fire This he meant of the fyre of tribulation whose propertie is according as

the scripture saythe to purge and fyne the soule as fyre purgeth and fineth golde in the fornace For besides the purgyng and remouing of greater sinnes by consideratioÌ„ and contrition which tribulatioÌ„ woorketh as hathe bene shewed it purgeth also the ruste of infinite euill passions appetites and humours in maÌ„ as the humour of pryde of vayne glorie of slouthe of choler of delicate nysenes and a thousand more whiche prosperitie ingendereth in vs. This God declareth by the prophet Ezechiel sayeing of a rustie soule put her naked vppon the hoote cooles and let her heate there vntill her brasse be melted from her and vntill her corruption be burned owt and her ruste consumed There hathe bene muche labour and sweate taken abowt her yet her ouer muche ruste is not gone owt of her This also signifieth holy Iob when hauing sayed that God instructeth a man by discipline or correction to the end he may turne hym froÌ„ the thinges that he hath done and deliuer hym from pryde whiche is vnderstoode of his synfull actes he addeth a litle after the maner of this purgation sayeing his fleshe being consumed by punishementes let hym returne agayne to the dayes of his youthe That is all his fleshlie humours and passions being now consumed by punishementes and tribulations let hym begynne to lyue agayne in suche puritie of soule as he dyd at the begynning of his youthe before he had contracted these euill humours diseases Nether onelie is tribulation a strong medicine to heale sinne and to purge awaye the refuse metalles in vs of brasse tynne yron lead and drosse as God by Ezechiel sayeth but also a most excellent preseruatiue against sinne for the time to come According as good kyng Dauid sayed the discipline o Lorde hathe corrected me for euermore That is it hathe made me wary and wachefull not to coÌ„mitt sinne agayne according as the scripture sayeth in an other place A greuous infirmitie or afflictioÌ„ maketh the foule sober For whiche cause the prophet Ieremie calleth tribulation virgam vigilantem A wachefull rodde that is as S. Ierome expoundeth it a rodde that makith a man wachefull The same signified God whÃ© he saied by Ose the prophet I uvil hedge in thy vvaye vvithe thornes That is I vvill so close thy lyfe on euerie side with the remeÌ„brance and feare of affliction that thou shalt not dare to treade a-vvrie lest thou treade vpon a thorne All whiche good Dauid expresseth of hym selfe in these woordes before I was humbled and broght lowe by affliction I did sinne and offend the o Lord but after that tyme I haue kept thy commaundementes Of this also appeareth an other cause why God afflicteth his elect in this lyfe and that is to preuent his iustice vpoÌ„ them in the worlde to come I mean that Iustice whiche otherwise remayneth to be executed vpon euery one after their departure hence in that moste greuous fire whereof I spake before touching which S. Barnard sayeth thus Oh vvold to God some man vvolde novv beforehand prouide for my head abundance of vvaters and to myne eyes a fountayne of teares for so happely the burning fyre should take no holde vvhere running teares had clensed before And the reason of this is as that holy man hym selfe noteth after for that God hathe sayd by Naum the prophet I haue afflicted the once and I vvill not affiicte thee agayne there shall not come from me a double tribulation Sixthelie God sendeth tribulation vpon his seruantes to proue them therby whether they be fathefull and constant or no That is to make them selues and other men see and confesse how faythefull or vnfaythefull they are This in figure was signified when Isaac wold grope and touche his sonne Iacob before he wolde blesse hym And this the scripture expresseth playnelie when talking of the tribulations layed vpon Abraham It addeth tentauit deus Abraham God tempted Abraham by these meanes to proue hym And Moyses sayed to the people of Israell Thou shaltremeÌ„bre hovv thy God ledde thee fortie yeres about the desert to afflict thee and tempt thee to the end it might appeare vvhat vvas in thy hart vvhether thou vvoldest keepe his cÌ„omaundementes or no. And agayne a fewe chapiters after Your God and Lorde dothe tempt you to the end it may be manifest vvhether you loue him or no vvith all your hart and vvith all your soule In whiche sense also the scripture sayeth of Ezechias after many prayses geuen vnto hym that God left hym for a tyme to be teÌ„pted that the thoughtes of his hart might therby be made manyseftie And that this is gods fashion towardes all good men kyng Dauid sheweth in the persone of all when he sayeth Thon hast proued vs o lord thou hast examined vs by fyre thou hast layed tribulation vppon our backes and hast broght men vpoÌ„ our heades And yet how well he lyked of this matter he signifieth when he calleth for more therof in an other place sayeing Trye me o Lorde and tempt me burne my reynes and hart vvithin me That is trye me by the way of tribulation and persecution searche out the secretes of my hart and reynes let the world see whether I will sticke to thee in aduersitie or no. Thus sayed that holie prophet well knoweing that whiche in an other place the holie ghoste vttereth that as the fornace tryeth the potters vesselles so tribulation tryeth men For as the sounde vesselles onelie do holde when they come to the fornace and those whiche are crased doe breake in peeces so in tyme of tribulation persecution the vertuous onelie stand to yt and the counterfeit bewraye them selues according to the sayeing of Christ In tempere tentationis recedunt They departe from me in tyme of temptation The seuenth reason whye God layeth tribulation vppon the vertuous is therby to make them runne vnto hym for ayde helpe euen as the mother to make her chyld more to loue her and to runne vnto her procureth the same to be made afearde and terrisied by others This God expresseth playnelie by the prophet Ose sayeing of those that he loued I vvill dravv them vnto me in the ropes of Adam in the chaynes ofloue and vvill seeme vnto them as thoughe I raysed a yoke vpon their iavv bones By the ropes of Adam he meaneth affliction wherby he drewe Adam to knowe hym selfe as also appeareth by that he addethe of the heauy yoke of tribulation whiche he will laye vppon the heades and faces of his seruaÌ„tes as chaynes of loue therby to draw them vnto hym This chayne had drawen Dauid vnto hym when he sayed O lorde thouv art my refuge from the tribulation of sinners As also those wherof Esay sayeth they sought the out o lorde in theyr affliction Also those of whome Dauid sayed Infirmities vvere multiplied vpon them and after

that they made haste to come And God sayeth generallie of all good men They vvill ryse betimes in the morninge and come to me in their tribulation VVherfore holy kyng Dauid desiring to doe certayne men good and to wynne them to God sayeth in one of his psalmes Fyll theyr faces o lorde vvith shame and confusion and theÌ„ vvill they seek vnto thy name And this is true as I sayde in the elect and chosen seruantes of God but in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not nor dothe this chayne of loue wynne them vnto God wherof God hym selfe complaineth sayeing In vayne haue I strycken your children for they haue not receaued my discipline And agayne the prophet Ieremie sayethe of them to God thovv hast crushed them and they haue refused to receaue thy discipline they haue hardened theyr faces euen as a rocke and vvill not returne to thee Beholde they haue rent the yoke and broken the chaynes Of this now enseueth an eigthe reason why God bringeth his seruaÌ„tes into ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ to wytt therby to shew his power and loue in delyuering them For as in this worlde a princelye mynde desireth nothing more than to haue occasion wherby to shew his abilitie and good will vnto his deare freend so God which hathe all occasions in his owne haÌ„des passeth all his creatures together in greatnesse of loue and nobilitie of mynde woorketh purposelye diuers occasions oportunities wherby to shew exercise the same So he broght the three children into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them So he broght Daniel into the lyons denne Susanna vnto the point of death Iob into extreeme miserie Ioseph into prison Tobye vnto blyndenes therby to shevv his power loue in their deliue raÌ„ce For this cause also dyd Christ suffer the shyppe to be almoste drowned before he would awake and S. Peter to be almoste vnder water before he wolde take hym by the hande And of this one reason many other reasones and moste comfortable causes doe appeare of gods dealyng heerein As first that we being deliuered from our afflictioÌ„s might take more ioye and delite thereof than yf we had neuer suffered the same For as water is more gratefull to the vvayefayring man after a long drythe and a calme more pleasant vnto passingers after a troublesome tempest so is our delyuerie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture sayeth Speciosa misericordia dei in tempore tribulationis The mercie of God is beautyfull pleasant in tyme of tribulation This signified also Christ when he sayed your sorovve shal be turned into ioye That is you shall reioyse that euer you were sorowfull This had Dauid proued vvhen he sayed thy rodde o Lorde and thy staffe haue comforted me that is I take great coÌ„fort that euer I was chastyned with them And agayne according to the multitude of my sorovves thy consolations haue made ioyfull my mynde That is for euery sorow that I receaued in tyme of affliction I receaue now a coÌ„solation after my delyuerance And agayn in an other plaee I vuill exult and reioyse in thy mercye o Lord. And wherfore good kyng wilt thou so reioyse yt foloweth immediatlie For that thou hast respected my abasement and hast delyuered my foule from the necessitie vuherin soee vvas nor hast not left me in the handes of myne enemye This then is one most graciouse meaning of our louyng and mercifull father in afflicting vs for a tymee to the end our ioye may be the greater after our delyuerance as no doubt but it was in all those whome I haue named before deliuered by gods mercie I mean Abraham Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Thobias peter and the rest whoe tooke more ioye after their deliuerance than yf they had neuer bene in afflictioÌ„ at all VVhen Iudith had delyuered Bethulia and returned thyther with Holofernes heade there was more hartie ioye in that citie than euer there wolde haue bene yf it had not bene in distresse VVhen S. Peter was dolyuered out of prison by the Angel there was more ioye for his deliuerance in the churche then coulde haue bene yf he had neuer bene in prison at all Out of this great ioye resulteth an other effect of our tribulation muche pleasant to God and comfortable to our selues and that is a moste hartie and earnest thankes geuing to God for our deliuerance suche as the prophet vsed when he saied after his deliueraÌ„ce I for my part vvill syng of thy strengthe and vvill exalt thy merice betymes in the morning for that thou hast bene my ayder and refuge in the daye of my tribulation Suche hartie thankes prayse dyd the children of Israel yeelde to God for their delyuerance when they vvere passed ouer the read sea in that notable song of theirs whiche begynneth Cantemus domino And is regestred by Moyses in Exodus From lyke hartie affect came also those songes of Anna Debora and Iudith mowed therunto by the remembrance of their afflictions past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth desireth at our handes as he testifieth by the prophet sayeing call vpon me in the daye of tribulation I vvill deliuer thee and thou shall honoure me Besides all these God hathe yet further reasones of layeing persecution vpon vs as for example for that by suffering and perceyuing in deede gods assistance and consolation therin we come to be so hardie bolde and constant in his seruice as nothing afterwarde can dismaye vs euen as Moyses thoghe he were first a feard of the serpent made of his rodd fledd awaye from it yet after by gods commandemente he had once taken yt by the tayle he feared it no more This the prophet Dauid expresseth notablie when he sayeth God hathe bene our refuge strengthe and helper in our great tribulations and therfore we will not feare yf the whole earthe should be troubled the mountaines cast into the middest of the sea what greater confidence can be imagined than this Agayne by persecution affliction God bringeth his children to the exercise perfect possession of all the vertues belonging to a Christian man As for example faythe is exercised in tyme of tribulation in considering the causes of gods permissioÌ„ beleeuiÌ„g moste assuredlie the promises he hathe made for our deliueraÌ„ce Hope is exercised in conceauing assuring her selfe of the rewarde promised to them that suffer patiently Charitie is exercised in considering the loue of Christ suffering for vs and therby prouoketh the afflicted to suffer againe for hym Obedience is exercised in conforming our willes to the will of Christ. Patience in bearing quietlye Humilitie in abasing our selues in the sight of God And so lykewise all other vertues

together in those dayes and to be broght with their mother to the kyng Antiochus and there to be compelled with tormentes of whipping and other instrumentes to the eating of swynes flesh against the law At what tyme one of them whiche was the eldest sayde what doest thou seke or what wilt thou learne oute of vs o king we are readie heere rather to dye than to breake the auncient lawes of our God VVherat the king being greatlie offended commaunded the fryeing pannes pottes of brasse to be made burning hote whiche being redie he caused this first mannes tongue to be cutt of with the toppes of his fingers toes as also with the skynne of his head the mother and other brothers looking on after that to be fried vntill he was dead VVhiche being done the second brother was brought to torment and after his heare pluckt of from his head together withe the skynne they asked hym whether he wolde yet eate swynes fleshe or no before he was put to the rest of his tormentes wherto he answered Noe and ther vpon was after many tormentes slayne with the other VVho being deade the third was take in hand and being willed to putt forthe his tongue he helde it foorthe quicklye together withe bothe his handes to be cut of sayeing confidentlie I receaued bothe tougne and handes from heauen and novv I despyse them bothe for the lavue of God for that I hope to receaue them all of hym agayne And after they had in this sorte tormented putt to deathe syx of the brethren euerie one moste constantlie protesting his faythe and the ioye he had to dye for gods cause there remayned onelie the yongest whome Antiochus being a shamed that he coulde peruert neuer a one of the former endeuoured by all meanes possible to drawe from his purpose by promising and swearing that he should be a riche and happie man and one of his cheefe freendes yf he wold yeelde But when the youthe was nothing moued therwith Antiochus called to hym the mother and exhorted her to saue her sonnes lyfe by persuading hym to yeeld whiche she faigning to doe therby to haue libertie to speake to her sonne made a most vehement exhortation to hym in the hebrew tongue to stand to yt and to dye for his conscieuce whiche speeche being ended the youthe cryed owt with a lowde voyce and vttered this noble sentence woorthie to be remembred Quem sustinetis non obtempero praecepto regis sed praecepto legis VVhome doe you staye for I doe not obey the commaundement of the kyng but the commaundemente of the lawe of God VVhere vppon both he and his mother were presentlie after many and sundrye tormentes putt to deathe This then is the constant and immouable resolution whiche a Christian man should haue in all aduersitie of this lyfe VVherof S. Ambrose sayeth thus Gratia preparandus est animus exercenda mens stabilienda ad constantiam vt nullis perturbari animus possit terroribus nullis frangi molestiis nullis suppliciis cedere Our mynde is to be prepared with grace to be exercised and to be so established in constantie as it may not be troubled withe anye terrours broken with any aduersiities yeeld to anye punishementes or tormentes what soeuer If you aske me heere how a man may come to this resolution I answere that S. Ambrose in the same place puttethe two wayes the one is to remember the endles and intolerable paynes of hell yf we doe yt not and the other is to think of the vnspeakable glorie of heauen yf we doe yt VVhereto I will adde the thirde whiche vvith a noble hart may perhappes preuayle as much as ether of them bothe and that is to consider what others haue suffered before vs especiallie Christ hym selfe that onelie of meere loue and affectioÌ„ towardes vs. VVe see that in this worlde louyng subiectes doe glorie of nothing more than of their daungers or hurtes taken in battaile for their prince thoghe he neuer tooke blowe for them agayne VVhat then wolde they doe yf their prince had bene afflicted voluntarilie for them as Christ hathe bene for vs But yf this great example of Christ seeme vnto thee to highe for to imitate looke vpon some of thy brethren before thee made of flesh and bloode as thou art see what they haue suffered before they coulde enter into heauen and thinke not thy selfe hardlye dealt withall yf thou be called to suffer a litle also Saint Paul writeth of all the Apostles together euen vnto this hower we suffer hungar and thirst and lacke of apparell we are beaten with mennes fistes we are vagabondes not hauing where to staye we laboure and woorke withe our owne handes we are cursed and we doe blesse we are persecuted and we take it patientlie we are blasphemed and we praye for them that blaspheme vs we are made as it were the verie owte castes purginges of this worlde euen vnto this daye That is thoghe we be Apostles thoghe we haue wroght so manye miracles conuerted so manye milions of people yet euen vnto this daye are we thus vsed And a litle after describing yet further their liues he sayeth we shew our selues as the ministers of God in muche patience in tribulatioÌ„s in necessities in distresses in beatinges in imprisonmentes in seditioÌ„s in laboures in waches in fastinges in chastitie in longanimitie in sweetenes of behauiour And of hym selfe in particular he sayeth In laboribus plurimis c. I am the minister of God in many laboures in imprisonmentes more than the rest in beatinges aboue measure oftentymes in doathe it selfe Fyue tymes haue I bene beaten of the Iewes and at euery tyme had fortye lashes lacking one three tymes haue I bene whipt with roddes once I vvas stoned three times haue I suffered shipwrake A daye and a nyght was I in the bottome of the sea oftentymes in iourneyes in daungers of fluddes in daungers of theeues in daungers of Iewes in daungers of Gentyles in daungers of the citie in daungers of wildernes in daungers of sea in daungers of false bretheren in labour and trauayle in muche waching in hungar and thyrst in muche fasting in colde and lack of clothes and besyde all these externall thinges the matters that daylie doe depend vpon me for my vniuersall care of all churches By this we may see now whether the Apo stles taught vs more by woordes than they shewed by example aboute the necessitie of suffering in this lyfe Christ might haue prouyded for them yf he wolde at least wyse thinges necessarie to their bodies not haue suffered them to come into these extremities of lacking clothes to their backes meate to their mouces the lyke He that gaue the authoritie to doe so manieother miracles might haue suffered them at least to haue wroght sufficient maintenaÌ„ce for theyr bodyes whiche should be the first miracle that wordlie men would woorke yf they had suche

to eate them thoghe otherwyse in taste they appeared sweet and pleasant How then cometh it to passe that so manie earnest admonitions of God him selfe can not staye vs from the loue of this daungerous vanitie ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ cor apponere saythe God by the prophet that is laye not your harte vnto the loue of riches Qui diligit aurum non iustificabitur say the the wyse man he that loueth gold shall neuer be iustifed I am angrie greatelye vppon riche nations sayethe God by Zacharie Christ saythe Amen dico vuhis quia diues difficile intrabit in regnum caelorum Truelie I saye vnto you that a riche man shall hardlie gett into the kyngdome of heauen And agayne vvobe to you riche men for that you haue receaued your consolation in this lyfe Finallie S. Paul saythe generallie of all to all They vvhich vvilbe riche doe faell into temptation and into the snare of the deuill and into many vnprofitable and hurtfull desires vvhiche doe drovvne men in destruction and perdition Can any thing in the world be spoken more effectuallie to dissuade from the loue of riches thaÌ„ this must not heere now the couetous men ether denye God or condeÌ„ne them selues in their owne consciences lett them goe and excuse them selues by the pretence of wyfe childreÌ„ as they are wont sayeing they mean nothinge els but to prouyde for their sufficiencie Dothe Christ or S. Paul admitt this excuse ought we so much to loue wyfe or children or other kynred as to endaunger our soules for the same vvhat comfort may it be to an afflicted father in hell to remember that by his meanes his wyfe and childreÌ„ doe lyue wealthelie in earthe all this is vanitie deare brother meere deceate of our spirituall enemye For within one momeÌ„t after we are dead we shall care no more for wyfe children father mother or brother in this matter than we shall for a meere straunger and one penye geuen in almes while we lyued for gods sake shall comfort vs more at that daye than thowsandes of poundes bestowed vpon our kynne for the naturall loue we beare vnto our owne fleshe and bloode The whiche I wold to Christ worldlye men dyd coÌ„sider And then no dowte they wolde neuer take suche care for kynred as they doe especiallie vpon their deathe beddes wheÌ„ce presentlie they are to departe to that place where fleshe bloode holdeth no more priuilege nor riches haue any power to deliuer but onelie suche as were well bestowed in the seruice of God or geuen to the poore for his names sake And this shal be sufficient for this point of riches The third braunche of worldlie vanities is called by S. Iohn coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce of the fleshe whiche conteyneth all pleasures and carnall recreatioÌ„s as banquetting laughing playeing and the lyke wherewithe our fleshe is much delyted in this world And albeit in this kinde there is a certaine measure to be allowed vnto the godlie for the conuenient maintenance of their healthe as also in riches it is not to be reprehended yet that all these worldlie solaces are not onelie vain but also daungerous in that excesse and abundance as worldlie men seek and vse them appeareth playnelie by these woordes of Christ. VVo be vnto you whiche nowe doe laughe for you shall weepe VVo be vnto you that now lyue in fyll and satietie for the tyme shall come when you shall suffer hunger And agayne in S. Iohns gospell speaking to his Apostles and by them to all other he saythe You shall uveepe and pule but the vvorld shall reioyse making it a signe distinctiue betwene the good and the badde that the one shall mourne in this lyfe and the other reioyse and make them selues merye The verye same dothe Iob coÌ„firme both of the one the other sort for of worldlinges he saythe that they solace them selues with all kynde of Musicke doe passe ouer their dayes in pleasure and in a verie moment doe goe doune into hell But of the god ie he saythe in his owne persone that they sighe before they eate theyr breade And in an other place that they feare all their woorkes ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ that God spareth not hym which offeÌ„deth The reason whereof the wyse man yet further expresseth sayeing That the uvorkes of good men are in the handes of God and no man knovveth vvhether he be vvoorthie of loue or hatred at gods handes but all is kept vncertayne for the tyme to come And olde Tobias insinuateth yet an other cause when he saythe VVhat ioye can I haue or receaue seing I sytt heer in darkenes Speaking literallye of his corporall blyndenes but yet leauinge it also to be vnderstande of spirituall and internall darkenes These are then the causes beside externall affliction whiche God often sendeth whye the godlie doe lyue more sadde and fearefull in this lyfe than wicked men doe according to the counsayle of S. Paul and whie also they sighe often and weepe as Iob and Christ doe affirme for that they remember often the Iustice of God theyr owne frayltie in sinning the secrete iudgement of gods predestination vncertaine to vs the vale of miserie and desolation wherein they lyue here whiche made euen the Apostles to grone as S. Paul saythe thoughe they had lesse cause therof than we In respect wherof we are willed to passe ouer this life in carefullnes wachefullnes feare and trembling and in respect wherof also the wyseman saythe It is better to goe to the house of sorovv thaÌ„ to the house of feasting And agayne VVhere sadnes is there is the hart of vvysemen but vvhere myrthe is there is the harte of ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Finallie in respect of this the scripture saythe Beatus homo qui semper est pauidus Happie is the man whiche alwayes is fearefull VVhiche is nothinge els but that whiche the holie ghoste commaundethe euery man by Micheas the Prophet solicitum ambulare cum deo To walke carefull an diligent withe God thynkynge vppon his commaundementes how we keepe and obserue the same how we resist and mortifie our members vppon earthe and the like whiche cogitations if they might haue place withe vs wolde cutt of a greate deale of those wordlie pastimes wherwithe the careles sorte of synners are ouerwhelmed I meane of those good feloushippes of eatings drynkings laughings syngings disputings other suche vanities that distract vs most Hereof Christ gaue vs a moste notable aduertisement in that he wept often as at his natiuitie at the resuscitation of Lazarus vpoÌ„ Ierusalem vpon the crosse But he is neuer redde to haue laughte in all his lyfe Heerof also is his owne natiuitie deathe a signification which being bothe in godes handes are appointed vnto vs withe sorow greefe as we see But the midle parte therof that is our lyfe being left in our owne handes by gods appointement we passe it

promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from all kynde of wickednes Chastitie in conseruing a pure minde in a cleane and vnspotted bodie Against these men saithe S. Paul there is no lavve And in the verie same chapiter he expresseth the spirite of the world by the contrarie effectes sayeing the worckes of fleshe are manifest whiche are fornicatioÌ„ vncleannes wantoÌ„nes lecherie Idolatrie poysonninges enemities contentions emulatioÌ„s wrathe strife dissention sectes enuie murder dronkennes gluttonie and the like of whiche I foretell you as I haue tolde you before that those men whiche doe suche thinges shall neuer obteyne the kyngdome of heauen Heere now may euery man iudge of the spirit of the world and the spirit of Christ and applieing it to him selfe may coniecture whether he holdeth of the one or of the other S. Paul geeueth two pretie shorte rules in the very same place to trye the same The first ys They vvhiche are of Christ haue crucified their fleshe uvithe the vices and concupisceÌ„ces therof That is they haue so mortified their owne bodies as they committ none of the vices and sinnes repeated before nor yeeld not vnto the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is yfvve lyue in spirite then let vs vvalke in spirit That is our vvalking and behauioure is a signe vvhether vve be alyue or dead For yf our vvalking be spirituall suche as I haue declared before by the tvvelue fruites therof then doe vve lyue and haue life in spirite but yf our vvorkes be carnall suche as S. Paul novv hathe described then are vve carnall and dead in spirite nor haue vve any thing to doe vvith Christ or portion in the kingdome of heauen And for that all the vvorlde is full of those carnull vvorkes and bringeth foorthe no fruites in deede of Christs spirit nor permittethe them to grovv or prosper vvithin her thence is yt that the scripture alvvayes putteth Christ and the vvorld for opposite opeÌ„ enemies Christ hym selfe saveth that the vvorlde can not receaus the spirit of trueth And againe in the same EuaÌ„gelist he sayeth that nether he nor anye of his are of the vvorlde thoughe they liue in the vvorld And yet further in his moste vehement prayer vnto his father pater iuste mundus te non cognouit Iust father the world hathe not knowen thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any maÌ„ loue the vvorld the loue of the father is not in hym And yet further S. Iames that vvho soeuer but desireth to be freend of this vvorld is therby made an enemye to God VVhat will worldly men saye to this S. Paul affirmeth plainlie that this world is to be damned And Christ insinuateth the same in S. Iohns gospell but moste of all in that wonderfull fact of his when prayeing to his father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non pro mundo rogo saithe he I doe not aske mercie and perdone for the world But for those whiche thow hast geuen me owt of the worlde Oh what a dreadfull exception is this made by the Sauioure of the world by the lambe that taketh awaye all sinnes by hym that asked perdone euen for his tourmentoures and crucifiers to except now the world by name from his mercie Oh that worldlie men wold consider but this one point onelie they wolde not I think liue so voyde of feare as they doe Can any man maruayle now why S. Paul cryeth so carefullie to vs nolite conformari huic saeculo coÌ„forme not your selfes to this world agayne that we should renounce vtterlie all secular desires can anye maruayle whye S. Iohn whiche was moste priuie aboue all other to Christs holie meaning here in sayeth to vs in suche earnest sorte Nolite diligere muÌ„dum neque ea quae in mundo sunt Doe not loue the world nor any thing that is in the world If we maye nether loue it nor so muche as conforme our selues vnto it vnder so greate paynes as are before rehearsed of the enemitie of God and eternall damnation what shall become of those men that doe not onelye conforme them selues vnto it and the vanities therof but also doe folowe it seeke after it rest in it and doe bestowe all theyr labours and trauailes vpon it If you aske me the cause whye Christ so hateth and abhorreth this world S Iohn telleth you ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ mundus totus in maligno posius est for that all the whole worlde is set on naughtynes for that it hathe a spirite contrarie to the spirite of Christ as hathe bene shewed for that it teacheth pryde vainglorie ambition enuie reuenge malice with pleasures of the fleshe and all kynde of vanities And Christ on the contrarie side humilitie meekenes perdonyng of enemyes abstin ce chastitie sufferance mortisicatioÌ„ bearing the crosse with contempt of all earthelye pleasures for the kyngdome of heauen for that it persecuteth the good aduanceth the euill for that it rooteth owt vertue and planteth all vice And finalie for that it shutteth the doores against Christ when he knocketh strangleth the harte that once it possessethe VVherfore to conclude this parte seyng this world is suche a thing as it is so vaine so deceytfull so troublesome so daungerâ—â€¦us seyng it is a professed enemye to Christ excoÌ„municated and damned to the pitt of hell seyng it is as one father sayeth an arcke of trauaile a schoole of vanities a feare of deceite a labirin the of errour seing it is nothing els but a barraine wildernes a stonye fyeld a durtye Stye a tempestuous sea seing it is a groue full of thornes a medowe full of scorpions a flourishing garden without fruite a caue full of poysoned and deadlie basiliskes seyng it is finallie as I haue shewed a fountaine of miseries a ryuer of teares a faigned fable a delectable frensie seyng as S. Austen sayeth the ioy of this world hathe nothing els but faise delyte true asperitie certaine sorowe vncertaine pleasure trauailsome labour fearfull rest greeuous miserie vayne hope of selicitie seyng it hathe nothing in it as S. Chrisostome saythe but teares shame repentance reproche sadnes negligences labours terrours sicknes sinne and deathe it selfe seyng the worlds repose is full of anguishe his securitie without foundation his feare without cause his trauailes without fruite his sorowe without profitt his desires without successe his hope without rewarde his myrthe without continuance his miseries without remedies seyng these and a thousande euills more are in it and no one good thing can be had from it who will be deceyued with this visard or allured with this vanitie hereafter who will be stayed from the noble seruice of God by the loue of so fond a trifle as is this world And this to a reasonable man may be sufficient to declare the insufficencie of this third impediment But yet for the satissieing of my promisse in

as S. Paul teacheth and hym selfe protesteth when he sayeth I vvill not the deathe of a sinner but rather that he turne from hys uvickednes and lyue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he coÌ„playneth greeuouslie that men vvill not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your uvicked vvayes saythe he vvhye uvill ye dye you hovvse of Isreal By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to all but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were constrained therunto hy our obstinate behauioure This Christ signifieth more plainlie when he sayth to Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem whiche kyllest the prophetes and stonest them to deathe that are sent vnto thee how often wolde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickyns vndernethe her wynges but thou woldest not beholde thy howse for this cause shal be made desert and left withoute children Heere you see thee mercie of God ofteÌ„ offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction desolatioÌ„ vpon them which he fullsilled within fortie or fiftie yeeres after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie discomfaited the citie of IerusaleÌ„ whole nation of Iewes whome we see dispersed ouer the world at this daye in bondage bothe of bodie soule VVhiche worke of gods Iustice thoghe it be moste terrible yet was his mercie greater to them as appeareth by Christs woordes yf they had not reiected the sonne Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his Iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this lyfe by geuing them freewill and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing them inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluringe them owtwardlie with exhortatioÌ„s promisses exaÌ„ples of other as also by sickenes aduersities other gentle corrections by geuinge them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same by threatning them eternall deathe yf they repented not All whiche thinges beinge effectes of mercie and goodnes towarde them they must needes confesse amyddest theyr greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no wayes to be compared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet sayeth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue mett together Iustice and peace haâ—â€¦e kyssed them selues VVe see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of hym selfe I vvill sing vnto thee mercie iudgemeÌ„t o Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I will not so presume of thy mercie as I will not feare thy iudgement nor will I so feare of thy iudgement as I will euer despayre of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwayes to be ioyned with our confidence in gods mercie yea in verye saintes them selues as Dauid sayeth But what feare that feare trulie whiche the scripture describeth when it sayeth the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth all euill he that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God will turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God will doe good woorkes They whiche feare God will not be incredulous to that whiche he saye ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ but will keepe his wayes and seeke owt the things that are pleasant vnto hym They will prepare theyr ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ and sanctifie their sowles in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God sett downe by the scripture This is the descriptioÌ„ of that feare which is so much commended and coÌ„maunded in euerye part and parcell of gods woorde Of that feare I saye which is called ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientia gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of lyfe the roote of prudeÌ„ce the crowne fulnes of wisedome the glorie gloriation of a Christian man a happie gyft Of hym that hathe this feare the scripture saythe happie is the man vuhiche feareth our Lorde for he vvill place his mynde vpon his coÌ„maundementes And againe the man that feareth god shal be happie at the last ende and shal be blessed at the daye of hys deathe Finallie of suche as haue this feare the scripture saythe that God is theyr foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hathe purchased them an inheritance God is as mercyfull to them as the father is mercifull vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timeÌ„tium se faciet God will doe the will of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob wheÌ„ he sayd to god I feared all my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that thovv sparest not hym that offendeth thee This feare backed the other of whome the prophet sayeth The sinner hathe exaspered God by sayeing that god will not take accoÌ„pte of his doeings in the multitude of wrathe Thy iudgementes o Lord are remoued from his sight And againe wherfore hathe the wicked man styrred vp god against hym selfe by sayeing god will not take account of my doeyngs yt is a great wickednes no dowt and a greate exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of gods nature from hym whiche is to make hym mercifull without iustice and to lyue so as though God wolde take no accouÌ„t of our lyfe wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie sayeing that he is a hard and eouetous man whiche will not be coÌ„teÌ„t to receyue his owne againe but also will haue vsurie that he will haue a reckening of all hys goodes lent vs that he will haue fruite for all his labours bestowed vppon vs finallie that he will haue account for euery woorde that we haue spoken Christ in the three score eight psalme which in sundrye places of the gospell he interpreteth to be writen of him selfe amonge other dreadfull curses whiche he setteth downe against the reprobate he hath these lett theyr eyes be daseled in suche sorte as they may not see powre owte thy wrathe my father vpon them lett the furie of thy vengeaÌ„ce take hand fast on them add inquitie vpon their iniquitie and lett hym not enter into thy iustice Lett them be blotted owt of the booke of lyfe and lett them not be inrolled together with the iust Heer loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting owt of the booke of lyfe is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into consideration of hys iustice For whiche cause also this coÌ„fident kynde of sinning vpon hope of gods

vsed according to his desertes The thyrd reason is for that the custome of sinne whiche hath continued all the life long can not be remoued vpon the instaÌ„t beinge growen into nature it selfe as it vvere For vvhiche cause God sayeth to euill meÌ„ by the prophet Ieremie yf an Ethiopian can chaunge his black skynne or a leoparde hys spottes that are on his backe then can you also doe vvell hauing learned all dayes of your life to doe euill The fovverth cause is for that the actes of vertue them selues can not be of so greate value vvith God in that instant as yf they had bene done in time of healthe before For vvhat greate matter is yt for example sake to pardone thy enemies at that tyme vvhen thovv canst hurt them no more to geue thy goodes avvaye vvheÌ„ thovv cannest vse them no more to abandon thy concubine vvhen thovv cannest keepe her no longer to leaue of to sinne vvhen sinne must leaue thee All theese thinges are good and holie and to be done by him vvhiche is in that last state but yet they are of no suche value as othervvise they vvolde be by reason of this circumstance of time vvhiche I haue shevved Theese are the reasons vvhie the holie fathers and doctors of Christ his church doe speake so dovvtfullie of this last conuersion not for any vvant on gods parte but on theirs vvhiche are to doe that great acte I might heere alleage greate store of authorities for this purpose But one place of S. Austen shall serue for all Thus then he vvriteth of this matter in a certaine homilie of his If a man haue done penance truelie do dye being absolued from the bondes wherwith he was tyed and seperated from the bodie of Christ he goeth to God he goeth to reste But yf a man in the extreeme necessitie of his sicknenesse doe desire to receyuo penaÌ„ce and doe ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ it and doe passe hence reconciled I confesse vnto you that we doe not denye hym that whiche he demaundeth but yet we presume not that he goeth hence in good case I doe not presume I tell you playnelie I doe not presume A faythefull man that hathe lyued well goeth awaye securelie He that dyeth the same howre he was baptized goeth hence securelie He that is reconciled in his healthe and doeth penance and afterwarde I yueth well goeth heÌ„ce securelie But he that is reconciled and doeth penance at the last cast I am not secure that he goeth hence securelie VVhere I am secure I doe tell you and doe geue securitie And where I am not secure I may geue penaÌ„ce but I can geue no securitie But heere perhappes some man will saye to me good pryest yf you knowe not in what state a man goeth hence nor can not geue securitie that he is saued to whome penance was assigned at his death teache vs I beseeche you how we must lyue after our conuersion and penance I saye vnto you abstayne from dronkennesse from coÌ„cupiscence of the fleshe from thefte from muche babling from immoderate laughter from ydle woordes for whiche men are to geue account in the daye of iudgemeÌ„t Loe how small thinges I haue named in youre sight But yet all these are great matters and peftilent to those which coÌ„mit them But yet I tell you further a man muste not onelie at staine from these vices and the lyke after penance but also before when he is in healthe For yf he dryue it of to the last ende of his lyfe he can not tell whether he shal be able to receyue penaÌ„ce and to confesse his sinnes to God and to the pryest or no. Beholde the cause why I sayd vnto you that a man should lyue well before penance and after penance better Marke well what I saye perhappes it shall be needfull to expounde my meaning more plainlie leste any man mistake me VVhat say I then that this man whiche repenteth at the ende shal be damhed I doe not say so VVhat theÌ„ Doe I saye he shal be saued no. VVhat theÌ„ doe I saye I say I know not I say I preâ—â€¦me not I promise not I know not VVilt thow deliuer thy selfe foorthe of this dowte wilt thow escape this daungerous and vncertaine point doe penance then whiles thow art hole For yf thow doe penance while thow art in healthe and the last day chaunce to come vpon thee runne presentlie to be recoÌ„ciled and so doeinge thow art safe And whie art thow safe for that thow diddest penance in that tyme wherein thow myghtest haue finned But yf thow wilt doe penance then wheÌ„ thow cannest sinne no longer thow leauest not sinne but sinne leaueth thee But you will saye to me how knowest thow whether God will forgeue a mans sinnes at the last howre or no you say well I know it not For yf I knewe that penance wold not profit a man at the last howre I wolde not geue yt hym Agayne yf I knewe that it wold deliuer him I wolde not warne you I wolde not terrifye you as I doe Two thinges there are in this matter ether God perdoneth a man doeing penance at the howre of deathe or he doeth not pardone him VVhiche of these two shal be I know not wherfore if thow be wise take that whiche is certaine and let goe the vncertaine Hitherto are S. Austens woordes of the dowtfull case of those whiche doe penance at the last daye And heere now wolde I haue the carefull Christian to consider with me but this one comparison that I will make If those whiche repent and doe suche penaÌ„ce as they may at the last daye doe passe hence notwithstaÌ„ding in suche daungerous dowtfullnes as S. Austen sheweth what shall we thinke of all those whiche lacke ether timeÌ„ or abilitie or will or place or meanes or grace to doe any penance at all at that howre what shall we saye of all those whiche are cutt of before whiche dye suddenlie whiche are stricken dumme or deafe or senseles or frentike as we see manye are what shall we saye of those which are abandoned by God left vnto vice euen vnto the last breathe in theyr bodie I haue shewed before owte of S. Paul that ordinarilie sinners dye according as they liue So that it is a priuilege for a wicked man to doe penance at his deathe And then yf his penance when it is done be so dowtfull as S. Austen hath declared what a pitifull case are all other in I meane the more parte whiche repent not at all but dye as they liued and are forsaken of God in that extremitie according as he promiseth when he sayeth for that I haue called you and you haue refused to come for that I haue held owt my hande and none of you wolde vouch safe to looke towardes me I will laughe also at your destructioÌ„ when anguyshe and calamitie cometh on you You shall call vppon me and I will not heare you shall ryse

in this place for that they lett and hinder greatlie this resolution whiche we talke of For he that lyueth in a slumber and will not heare or attend to any thing that is sayed of the lyfe to come beside this imagineth fearefull matters in the same and thirdlie is throwen downe by euerie litle blocke that he findeth in the waye lastlie is so lazye as he can beare no laboure at all this man I saye is past hope to be gayned to any suche purpose as we speake for To remoue therfore this impediment this sorte of men ought to laye before their eyes the laboures of Christ and of his saintes the exhortations they vsed to other men to take lyke paines the threates made in scripture against them whiche laboure not the condition of our present warfare that requireth trauaile the crowne prepared for it and the miserie enseweing vpon idle and lazye people And finallie yf they can not beare the labour of vertuous lyfe whiche in deede is accompanyed with so many confolations as it may not rightfullie be called a labour how will they abyde the labour and tormentes of the lyfe to come whiche must be bothe intollerable and euerlasting Saint Paul sayeth of him selfe and others to the Thessalonians we dyd not eate our breade of free cost when we were with you but dyd woorke in labour and wearynesse bothe daye and night therby to geue you an example of imitation denouncing further vnto you that yf any man wolde not woorke he should not eate Christ went foorthe into the streetes twyse in one day and still repreheÌ„ded greuouslie those that stoode ydle there Quid hic statis tota die otiosi VVhye doe ye stand heere all the daye ydle and doeyng nothing I am a vyne sayeth Christ and my father is a husband man euery braunche that beareth not fruit in me my father will cut of and cast into the fire And in an other place Cutt downe the vnprofitable tree whie doeth it stand here and occupie vp the grounde for nothing And againe the kindome of heauen is subiect to force and men do gayne it by violence labour For which cause the wyse man also sayeth what soeuer thy haÌ„d can doe in this lyfe doe it instanlie for there is nether tyme nor reason nor wisdome or knowlege that we can emplove And agayne the same wyse man sayeth The lazie hande worketh beggarie to it selfe but the laboursome and valyant hande heapeth vp greate riches And yet further to the same effect The slothefull man will not sowe in the wynter for that it is colde and therfore he shall begge in the somer and no man shall take pitie of hym All this pertayneth to shew how that this lyfe is a time of labour and not of ydlenes appointed vnto vs for the gayning of heaueÌ„ it is the Marquet wherein we must buye the battaille wherein we must fight gayne our crowne the winter wherin we must sowe the daye of labour wherin we must sweate gaine our pennie And he that passeth ouer lazilie this daye as the most parte of men doe must suffer eternall pouertie and neede in the â—â€¦fe to come as in the first parte of this booke more at large hathe bene declared VVherfore the wise maÌ„ or rather the holie ghost by his mouthe geueth eche one of vs a moste vehement admonition and exhortatio in theese wordes Runne aboute make haste styrre vp thy freend geue no sleepe vnto thy eyes lett not thine eye lyddes slumber skyppe owt as a doe from the handes of hym that held her and as a byrd owt of the hand of the fowler goe vnto the Emmet thow slothefull man and consider her doeinges and learne to be wise she hauing no guyde teacher or captaine prouideth meate for her selfe in the sommer and gathereth together in the haruest that whiche maye serue her to feed vpon in the wynter By whiche woordes we are admonished in vvhat order we ought to behaue our selues in this lyfe and how diligent and carefull vve should be in doeinge of all good woorkes as S. Paul also teacheth considermge that as the Emmet laboureth most earnestlie in the haruest time to lay vpp for the vvynter to come so we should for the next world And that slothefullnes to this effect is the greatest and most daungerous lett at may be For as the Emmet should dye in the wynter most certainlie for hunger yf she should lyue ydelie in the fomer so without all dowte they are to suffer extreme neede and miserie in the world to come whoe novv for slouthe doe omitt to laboure The seconde impediment ys called by me in the title of this chapiter negligence But I doe vnderstand therby a further matter than commonlie this woorde importeth For I doe comprehend vnder the name of negligent all careles and dissolute people whiche take to hart nothinge that pertayneth to God or godlynes but onelie attend to woorldlie affaires making their saluation the least parte of their cogitations And vnder this kynde of negligence is contained bothe Epicurisme as S. Paul noted in some Christianes of hys dayes whoe beganne onelie to attend to eate and drinke and to make their bellies their God as our Christians now doe and also a secret kinde of Atheisme or denieing of God that is of denieing him in life and behauiour as S. Paul expoundeth it For albeit these men in wordes doe confesse God and professe the selues to be as good Christians as the rest yet secretlie in deed they doe not beleeue God as theyr lyfe and doeings doe declare VVhiche thing the scripture discouereth plainlie when it sayeth ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ dissolutis corde qui non oredunt deo woe be vnto the dissolute careles in hart whiche doe not beleeue God That is thoughe they professe that they beleeue trust in hym yet by theyr dissolute and careles doeings they testifie that in theyr hartes they beleeue hym not for that they haue nether care nor cogitatioÌ„ of matters pertayning to hym These kynde of men are those which the scripture noteth and detesteth for ploweyng with an oxe and an Asse together for soweing their grounde with myngled seede for wearing appatell of linsie woolsie that is made of flaxe and wooll together Theese are they of whome Christ sayeth in the reuelatioÌ„s I vvold thou vvere ether colde or hoate But for that thou art luke vvarme and nether cold nor hoate therfore will I beginne to vomite thee owt of my mouth Theese are they whiche can accorde all religions together take vp all controuersies by onely sayeing that ether they are differeÌ„ces of small importance or els that they appertaine onelie to learned men to thinke vpoÌ„ and not vnto them These are they which can applie them selues to anye companie to any time to any princes pleasure for matters of ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ to come These men forbyd all talke of

a league with deathe and haue made a bargayne with hell it selfe whiche is as muche to saye as if they had sayde trouble vs not moleste vs not with thy persuations spend not thy woordes and labour in vayne talke vnto others whoe are not yet setled lett them take heauen that take it will we for our partes are resolued we are at a pointe we haue made a league that must be kept we haue made a bargaine that must be perfourmed yea thoghe it be with hell and death euerlasting It is a wounderfull furie the obduratioÌ„ of a hard hart and not without cause compared by the prophet as I haue shewed before to the willfull furie rage of serpentes And an other place of scripture describeth it thus Durus es neruus ferreus ceruix tua froÌ„s tua aerea Thou art hard harted and thy neck is a sinowe of yron and thy forehead is of brasse VVhat can be more vehementlie spoken to expresse the hardnesse of this mettall but yet S. Barnard expresseth it more at large in these woordes Quid ergo cor durum and what is theÌ„ a hard harte and he answereth immediatlie A hard hart is that whiche is nether cutt by compunction nor softened by godlynes nor moued with prayers nor yeeldeth to threatning nor is any thing holpen but rather hardyned by chastening A hard hart is that whiche is ingreatefull to gods benefites disobedient to his counsails made cruell by his iudgementes dissolute by his allurementes vnshamefast to filthines feareles to perils vncourteous in humane affaires recheles in matters pertayning to God forgetfull of things past negligent in things present improuident for things to come By this description of S. Barnard it appeareth that a hard harte is almost a desperate and remedyles disease where it falleth For what will you doe sayeth this good father to amend it yf you laye the greuousnes of his sinnes before hym he is not touched with compunction Ys you alleage hym all the reasons in the world why we ought to serue god and why we ought not to offend and dishonoure hym he is not mollified by this consideration of piotie Yf you wold request hym and beseeche hym with teares euen on your knees he is not moued Yf you threaten gods wrathe against hym he yeeldeth nothing therunto Yf God scourge hym in deede he waxeth furious becoÌ„meth much more hard tha before If God bestowe benefites on hym he is vngratefull Yf he counsaile hym for his saluation he obeyeth not Yf you tell hym of gods secrete seuere iudgemeÌ„tes it dryueth hym to desperation and to more crueltie Yf you allure hym with gods mercie it maketh him dissolute If you tell him of his owne filthines he blusheth not If you admonishe him of his perils he feareth not If he deale in matters towardes meÌ„ he is prowde vncurteous If he deale in matters towardes God he is rashe light and contemptuous Finallie he forgetteth what soeuer hath passed before him towardes other men ether in rewarde of godlines or in punishement of sinners For the time present he neglecteth it nor maketh any account of vsing it to his benefite And of things to come ether of blisse or miserie he is vtterlie vnprouident nor will esteeme therof laye you them neuer so ofteÌ„ or vehementlie before his face And what waye is there then to doe this man good Not without greate cause surelie dyd the wyse man pray so hartilie to God Animae irreuerenti infrumitae ne tradas me delyuer me not ouer o Lord vnto a shamelesse vnrulie foule that is vnto a hard and obstinate harte VVherof he geueth the reason in an other place of the same booke Cor enim durum habebit male in nouissimo for that a hard ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ shal be in an euill caâ—â€¦e at the last daye Oh that all hard harted people wolde note this reason of the scripture But S. Barnard goeth on and openeth the terrour heerof more fullie when he sayeth Nemo duri cordis salutem vnque adeptus est nisi quem forte miserans deus abstulit ab eo iuxta prophetam cor lapideum dedit cor carneum There vvas neuer yet hard harted man saued except perchaunce God by his mercie dyd take awaye his stonye harte geue hym a harte of fleshe according to the prophet By whiche vvoordes S. Bernard signifieth and proueth ovvt of the prophet that there are two kyndes of hartes in men the one a fleshie hart vvhich bleedeth yf you but prick it that is it falleth to contrition repentance teares vpon neuer so small a checke for sinne The other is a stony hart vvhich yf you beate and buffet neuer so muche vvith hammers you may as soone breake it in peeces as ether beÌ„d it or make it bleede And of these two hartes in this lyfe dependeth all our miserie or felicitie for the lyfe to come For as God vvhen he vvolde take vengeance of Pharao had no more greuous vvaye to doe it than to saye Indurabo cor Pharaonis I vvill harden the hart of Pharao that is as S. Austen expoundeth I vvill take awaye my grace and so permitt hym to harden his owne harte so when he wolde shew mercie to Israel he had no more forcible meanes to expresse the same than to saye I vvill take avvaye the stony hart ovvt of your fleshe and geue you a fleshie hart in steade therof That is I will take away your hard hart and geue you a soft hart that wil be moued when it is spoken vnto And of all other blessings and benefites whiche God dothe bestowe vpon mortabll men in this lyfe this soft and tender hart is one of the greatest I meane suche a hart as is soone moued to repentance soone checked and coÌ„trolled soone pearsed soone made to bleede soone styrred to ameÌ„demeÌ„t And on the contrarie parte there can be no greater curse or malediction layed vpoÌ„ a Christian than to haue a hard and obstinate hart which heapeth euery day veÌ„geance vnto it selfe and his maister also as S. Paul sayeth is compared by the same Apostle vnto the grownde whiche no store of rayne can make frutefull thoughe it fall neuer so often vpon the same therfore he pronounceth therof Reproba est maledicto proxima euius consummatio in combustionem That is it is reprobate and next doore to maledictioÌ„ whose ende or consummation must be fire and burning VVhiche thinge being so no maruaile though the holie scripture doe dehort vs so carefullie from this obduration and hardnes of hart as from the moste daungerous desperate disease that possiblie may fall vppon the Christian being in deed as S. Paul signifieth the next doore to reprobation it selfe The same Apostle therfore crieth nolite contristare nolite extinguere spiritum dei doe you not contristate or make sadde doe you not extinguishe the spirit of God by obduration by

c. 13 Ioh. 17. 1. Co. 13 Hug. lib. 4. de anima ca. 15 knovvleige Psa. 35. Loue. The grea tenes of ioye in heauen Mat. 25. Psal. 83. Tra. 4. in ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Ioh. Matt. 5. p. Co. 3. Aug. c. 36 soliloq 1. Co. 13. Psal. 4. Gen. 15. Io. 17. Ca. 35. so ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Phil. 4. Esa. 51. Esa. 35. Psa. 103. Psal. 20. A coÌ„fortable coÌ„sideratioÌ„ Luc. 21. Ephe. 1. Colos. 1. 1. The. 1. Esa. 6. Luc. 15. The ioye of securitie Iosu. 21. 22. Gene. 3. Sap. 17. 1. Co. 9. Iero. ep 22. ad Eusto Apo. 19. Mat. 2. Luc. 1. Serm. 37. de sanctis Meetinge vvithe our fryndes in heauen Cyp. lib. de mortalitate 2. Ti. 4. Apoc. 2. 3. 4. Lib de ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ A comparison The great acceuÌ„t that saints ma de of hea ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Heb. 12. Mat. 13. Phil. 3. Ierom. in catalogo Ser. 31. de sanctis 1. Cor. 1. 2. 3. Psal. 4. VVherto a Christian is borne by baptisme Gal. 3. 4. Ephe. 1. 5. Colos. 3. Tit. 3. Rom. 8. Iac. 2. Heb. 1. 9. 1. Pe. 1. 3 2. Pet. 3 Apoc. 1. Mat. 19. Luc. 22. 1. Co. 6. Apo. 1. 4. Luc. 12. Mat. 11. Matt. 5. 9. Ioh. 14. 1. Co. 7. 1. Ioh. 2. Serm 37. de sactis Apoc. 3. Exod. 5. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 2. Apo. 21. The vanitie of vvorldlie men Luc 6. Luc. 12. Mat. 26. 1. Co. 2. Ep. Iud. A similitude 1. Cor. 2. 2. Co. 12. 1. Cor. 6. Phil. 3. 2. Tim. 2 1. Ti. 6. Heb. 12. Matt. 7. 19. 25. Rom. 8. Mat. 11. Apo. 14 20. Psal. 14. Matt. 7. 19. Ioh. 14. Luc. 14. A saying to be remebred Ep. Iud. Rom. 1. Pro. 18. 20. Psa. 140 Tob. 12. Pro. 29. Lib. de coÌ„punct cordis Hom. 16. ex 50. Rom. 8. 2. Pet. 2. Luc. 16. The vvaye of ver tue is not hard Mat. 12. 1. Ioh. 5. The cause ofpretended difficulti Ibidem 2. Co. 12. 4. Re. 6. 1. Thefor ce of gra ce forthe easing of vertuous lyfe Rom. 8. Phil. 4. Psa. 118. Psa. 118. Psa. 18. Ioh. 10. Rom. 5. Heb. 6. Matt. 1. Esa. 40. Esa. 11. Et vide Jer. ibi Amb. lib. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ sp S. c. 20. Au. ser. 209. de temp Matt. 5. Luc. 6. Act. 4. 2. Co. 4. Esa. 10. Of the force of grace 2. Co. 12 Exo ca. 11. 36 Rom. 6 So proncth S. Au. li. 2. de pecca merit cap. 6. Esa. 41. A ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ The vse of ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ moderated 2. Tim. 4 Pro. 26. Pro. 20. Pro. 24. Mat. 11. 1. Ioh. 5. Ioh. 8. Rom. 7. Rom. 8. Psal. 26. 27. Psal. 22. 1. Ioh. 5. An obiection ans vvered Psa. 118. Mat. 11. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Loue maketh the vvaye pleasant The force of loue Ser. 9. de verbis domini The loue of Christ to his sainces of his saites to hym Euseb. 11. 6. c. 34. Ietom in catalogo Psa. 6. 18. Mat. 11. 1. 10. 5. Tra. 26. in IohaÌ„ Ioh. 14. Marke this obseruatioÌ„ Rom. 13. 1. Io. 5. 3. Peculiar light of vnderstanding Prou. 9. Psal. 16. Psa. 118. Psal. 50. Ioh. 1. 1. Io. 2. Iero. 31. Esa. 54. Ps. 118 1. Co. 2. 1. Cor. 2. Esa. 65. Sap. 5. 4. Internall con solation Apo. 2. Psa. 30. Psal. 67. 1 Ose. 2. Psal. 35. 64. Mat. 17. Marc. 9. Luc. 9. Psal. 31. Esa. 29. A similitude Apoc. 3. Psa 117. 2. Cor. 7. The vvaye to come to spi rituall coÌ„ folation Psa. 67. Can. 1. Esa. 66. 1. Re. 5. 10. 8. 14. 15. 16. 1. Io. 2. Exo. 16. Exod. 2. Luc. 15. Begyrners chee felie cherished vvith spi rituall consolation Exo. 13. Matt. 11 5. The quiet of coÌ„scieÌ„ce 2. Cor. 1. Pro. 15. Gen. 4. 1. Ma. 6. Mat. 27. Act. 1. Marc 9. Sap. 7. Iob. 15. The trou ble of an euill con science Hom. 8. ad pop Antiochenum Pro. 28 Pro. 28. 6. The ho pe of ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ men Iacob 1. Rom. 5. Heb. 6. Eph. 6. 1. The. 5 Psal. 55. Iob. 13. Psa. 1. Pro. 10. Pro. 11. Iob. 11. Iere. 17. Esa. 28. Sap. 5. Esa. 30. 36. Iere. 17. 48. Pro. 10. Iob. 8. Matt. 7. VVicked men can not hope in God Iacob 2. Mat. 7. 1. Co. 13. 15. Rom. 1. Gal. 3. Eph. 2. 1. Io. 3. 1. Ti. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ S. AustcÌ„ lib. 1. de doc chri cap. 37. S. Austen in prefat Psal. 31. 7. Libertie of foule 1 oh 8. 2. Co. 3. An exam ple to ex presse the bond age of vvicked meÌ„ to their sensualitie The mise rie of a man ruled byseÌ„ sualitie 2. Re. 11. Iud. 14. 3. Re. 11 An ambi tious maÌ„ A couetous maÌ„ Ioh. 8. Rom. 6. 2. Pet. 2. Eze. 34. Psal. 90. Rom. 6. 8. Peace of mynde Psal. 75 Psa. 118. Esa. 48. 57. Psal. 13. Rom. 11. Esa. 57. lac 3. Two cau ses of dis quietnes in wieked men Pro. 30. Gen. 11. Psal. 54 Phil. 4. Ioh. 14. 17. Matt. 10 9. Expectation of revvarde An exam ple. Gen. 40 41. 43. Pro. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Mat. 11. Psa. 106. Vide pra tum spiri tuale S. Patrum Gofr in vita barn Li. ep 1. Li. 6. confess c. 12. Li 8. confess ca. 1. Psal. 34. Psa. 115. Resistance at the begynning Cyp. li. r. ep 1. Aug. li ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ doct c. 23 Greg. li. Mor. 4. c. 24. li 32. cap. 18. Barn in psa 90. Cyr li. de orat Orig. ho. 3. in Exo. 9. in le uit 11. in Iosue Hill in psa 118. Eccle. 2. Marc. 9. Gen. 31. Exod 5. The eonuersion of S. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Li. 8. con sess c. 1. 2. Cap. 6. A monasterie of moÌ„kes at millaÌ„ before S. Au stens time Cap. 7. Cap. 8. Marke this geÌ„tle reader Cap. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Li. 8. c. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ S. AusteÌ„s final coÌ„uersion by a voyce from heauen S Anthonies conuersion Athanasiusin vita Antonii Mat. 19. Rom. 13. Rom. 14 * Her name vvas monica a verie holy vve maÌ„ as he shevveth Li. 9. c. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. * This vvas the religious rule of monasticall lyfe vvhiche S. Austen after pro fessed pos sid in vita Augu. AnnotatioÌ„s vpoÌ„ this conuersion Those that are to bee best men haue grÌ„ea test conflicte in their coÌ„uersion Act. 9. Li. 6. c. 6. 15. Li. 9. c. 6. S. AusteÌ„s diligeÌ„ce intryeing ovvc his vocatioÌ„ Apoc. 3. Li. 9. c. 2. Violence to bevsed at the be gynning of our coÌ„ uersion Bernard in verba Euangelii ecce nos reliquimus omnia Psal. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Gen. 22. Gall. 3. Fovver pointes to be haÌ„ dled in this chapiter 1. 2 3 4 1. VVhether all good meÌ„ must suf fer tiibulation or no. Ioh. 26. Luc. 11. 2. Ti. 3. Act. 14. Apo. 3. Heb. 12. Ver. 8. 2. Ti. 2. Psa. 33. Mat. 10. 2. Tim. 2 Ca. 3. Matt. 8. Iob. 7. Iob. 5. Iob. 13. The exaÌ„ple of saintes Gene. 4. Gen. 22. Iudit 8. Ma. 5. 23 Luc. 13. Iob. 1. Tob. 2. Tob 12. Heb. 11. Luc. 24. Mat. 10. Luc. 6. Mat. 10. Luc. 2. 1. Cor. 4 2. Cor. 4 6. 11. 12. Act. 20. Rom. 8. Ioh. 21.

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