him and leaping at him began to bite him by which thing the wickednes of this priuy murtherer was layd open and vncouered What sayst thou ô man if a dogge be so faithfull for a peece of bread and with so great loue doth affect his Maister Doth ingratitude so please thee that thou wilt suffer thy selfe to be excelled of a dogge in the law of gratitude If thys brutish creture burned with so great anger against the murtherer of hys Maister why art not thou also displeased and out of patience at these which haue killed thy Lord What be they They are thy sinnes these apprehended him these bound him these scourged him these violently drew him to the Crosse. Thy sinnes were the causes of thy Lords death Those cruell butchers and hangmen had not had so great force and power ouer Christ vnlesse thy sinnes had armed them Why then art thou not mad angry why doost thou not whet thy furie against thē which haue slaine thy Lord Wherefore when thou seest thy Lord slaine before thy face and in thy sight and that for thee is not thy loue increased towards him Why doost thou not fret and chafe against thy sinnes which haue procured his death especially seeing that thou art not ignorant that the end of all his sayings dooings and torments was no other then that he might stirre vp anger and hate in our harts against sinne He died that he might kill sinne and that hee might binde and restraine the power of our hands and feete hasting to mischiefe he had hys hands and feete nayled to the Crosse. With what face therefore darest thou liue that all the labors and sweats of Christ for thee should be vaine and of none effect whilst thou still wilt remaine in the same seruitude from which he hath freed thee with the effusion of his owne blood Can it be that thou doost not tremble at the onely mention of sinne when thou seest that God vnder-went terrible and horrible torments that he might destroy and abolish it What could he doe more that he might draw and hold back men striuinglie rushing into sinne then that God himselfe hanging vpon the Crosse might be sent to meete them Who will be so rash and foole-hardie that he dare offend GOD when he seeth before him both Paradice open and hell enlarging her mouth yet it is much greater then that to see God hanging vpon the Crosse. He that is not mooued with thys sight I know not truly vvith what other thing he will be mooued THE FIFT TITLE How wee are bound to follow Vertue by reason of our Iustification CHAP. V. WHat had the benefit of Redemption profited vs if the benefit of Iustification had not followed by which the vertue of that most excellent benefit is applyed vnto vs For euen as a plaister is of no vse if it bee not applyed to the wound or to the diseased place so there had beene no profit of that heauenly medicine if it had not beene applyed by this benefit Which dutie especially appertaineth to the holy Ghost to whom the sanctification of man is attributed For he it is that by his mercie preuenteth a sinner afterwards calleth him and beeing called iustifieth him and beeing iustified directeth him by the paths of righteousnes and so bringeth him by the gyft of perseuerance to the end of his course and race vntill at the length he bestoweth vpon him the crowne of glory for this benefit comprehendeth in it all the other benefits Amongst all these benefits that of Vocation and Iustification is the first which is when as by the vertue of this diuine Spirit the chaynes and snares of sinne beeing broken and burst man escapeth the rule and tyrannie of the deuill is raysed from death to life of a sinner is made righteous of a child of curse malediction is made the child of God Which cannot by any meanes be brought to passe without the peculier help ayde of God which the Lord testifieth in plaine words vvhen hee sayth No man can come to mee except my Father draw him signifying that no strength of mans nature can deliuer a man from sinne and bring him vnto grace vnlesse the arme of the diuine power helpe him Thomas Aquinas dooth thus comment vpon these words Euen as a stone sayth hee alwaies of his owne nature falleth downevvards neyther can lift it selfe vpwards without externall helpe so man by reason of the corruption of sinne dooth alwayes tend downewards that is he doth alwaies slide to the loue and desire of earthly things but if hee be to be lifted vp aboue that is to the loue to a supernaturall desire of heauenly things he hath neede of the right hand of the highest and of the Diuine helpe Thys sentence is to be noted and obserued for by this a man doth come to the knowledge of himselfe and vnderstandeth the corruption of his owne nature and knoweth how necessary the continuall prayer for the Diuine helpe is Therefore that we may returne to our purpose man by his owne strength cannot be deliuered from sinne and brought to grace because necessarily the hande of the Lorde is required which must deliuer him But who can declare what other great benefits are contained in this alone For seeing without all controuersie that by this sinne is banished and expelled out of the soule which ingendereth many euils in it howe great a good will that be which doth cast and driue out all these euills But seeing that the consideration of this benefit doth very much stir vp man to gratitude and to the desire of vertue heere by the way I will declare the great blessings which this onely good is wont to bring with it First by it man is reconciled to God and is brought and admitted to his fauour and friendship For the first and chiefest of all euils which sinne bringeth to the soule is that it maketh man an enemie to God who seeing that he is infinite goodnes aboue all things he hateth and curseth sinne Therefore sayth the Prophet Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy them that speake lyes He addeth furthermore that God abhorreth and detesteth the bloody man and deceitfull Thys is the greatest of all euils and the roote and fountaine of all the rest as on the contrary side to be loued of God is the greatest of all blessings and the cause and originall of them From thys so dangerous an euill by this benefit of Iustification we are deliuered by which wee are reconciled to God and of enemies made friends vnto him and that not in a common degree of friendship but in the highest which may be found of the Father towards the sonne The Euangelist Iohn worthily commendeth this fauour and friendship when he saith Behold what loue the Father hath shewed vnto vs that we should be called and be indeede the sonnes of GOD. He is not content to say
with me hath alwayes beene in me by which I became a solitary and a Monasticall man Histories report of Agathon that hee dying had his eyes three dayes open and neuer shut neyther euer moued them But his brethren touching him sayd ô holy Father where art thou now He sayd I stand in the sight of Gods iudgement his brethren sayd moreouer vnto him doest thou also feare To whom hee aunswered alwayes as much as lay in me I purposed to keepe the commaundements of God but I am a sinfull man and how should I know whether my works please God To whom his brethren sayd doest thou not trust in thy works because they are according to Gods word and rule To whom he aunswered I doe not trust in my works in the sight of God because in his iudgement and sight all our best works are imperfect and full of infirmity but onely in Christ Iesus my Redeemer in whom I assure my selfe to haue all righteousnes and perfection No lesse fearefull is that example which Iohannes Climacus remembreth of an other man that led a solitary life and that we will set downe heere with his owne words for it is especially to be noted to the edefying of mens soules A certaine man called Stephanus sayth hee dwelling in this place loued a solitarie and a quiet life This man when he had liued many yeeres solitarily being adorned with many singuler vertues of Christianity and sanctification built himselfe a Cell at the bottome of that hill in which in times past Elias beheld his holy and diuine vision He so venerable for life and conuersation that he might furnish himselfe with more integrity and purity of liuing hee came to a place of Anchorites which place was called Fayth In which place when hee had passed ouer many yeeres with a most straight kind of life for this place was vtterly remote from all humane consolation and almost not come to of any man for it was almost seauenty miles distant from any dwelling of man in the very last part of his life he departed thence desirous to dwell in the Cell of that holy Hill There were two Disciples of Palestina very religious who also diligently obserued the Cell of this old man In which whē he had continued a fewe dayes he fell into sicknes whereof he dyed But a day before his departure suddainly hee fell into an agonie and astonishment of minde and with open eyes he looked about first to the right side then to the left side of the bed and as though certaine required an account of him all they that stoode about him heard him say some-times thus So in truth it is but for this I haue humbled my selfe and broken of my sinnes by repentance Some-times hee said No truly but yee lie I haue not doone thus Then againe thus So it is indeede this is so but I haue wept and with weeping as with a gunneshot I haue battered downe that partition wall which kept Gods countenaunce from me God hath heard my prayers and my teares And againe yee rightly accuse me In some also some-times he said So it is truly and to these I haue not that I may say vnlesse God be mercifull vnto me and God is more mercifull then man can be sinfull if man will be sorrowful And surelie this inuisible and most sharpe iudgement was a feareful and a terrible sight in which also that which is more terrible they obiected vnto him what he had not done ah woe is me he being a man of such sanctitie and holines of life In many of his sinnes he said that he had not what he might aunswere euen this man said so who had almost forty yeeres ledde a solitarie life and had the grace of those teares that wash and blot out the hand writing of GOD against vs. Certaine affirmed to me of a truth that this man whilst he was in the vvildernes nourished a Leopard with his owne hand And vvhilst thys strict account was required of him and whilst he was in thys sore conflict he departed thys life Hetherto are the words of Climacus which sufficiently declare how greatly carelesse and negligent men ought to feare the seperation of theyr soule and body when as the very Saints themselues are found to feare so greatly But if any one aske why the Saints placed in this danger do feare with so great trembling to this Saint Gregorie aunswereth in the fourth booke of his Morrals in these words The minde of the Elect when it remembreth those things vvhich it hath done is greatly feared with the dread of iudgement Now it looketh perfectly into it selfe but as yet it dooth not raise vp it selfe vnto security because whilst it considereth how great the cumbrance and horrour of the last examination is it carefullie trembleth betweene hope and feare because the iust Iudge comming he knoweth not what of his trespasses hee will impute vnto him what he will forgiue For they are not therefore secure if outwardly in outward action they haue not offended but they are carefull for theyr thoughts by which theyr minde is forced hether thether For as much as they can do that they may not offend outwardly so much they cannot doe that they may not offend inwardlie in their thought Therefore often-times the elect vnwillingly offend in thought which they marke diligently in themselues and consider what great gilt it is before the eyes of God And when as for these things they alwaies feare the strict iudgement of God yet then especiallie they doe feare when they comming to pay theyr debt vnto nature do see themselues approching to the strict exact Iudge And so much more pearcing is the feare by howe much more the eternall retribution is neere Moreouer before the eyes of theyr hart at that time no fantasticall thing doth flie because all such matters beeing taken away they onely consider themselues and him to whom they are approching Feare increaseth by the neere retribution of iustice and by the neerenes of death so much by howe much the strict iudgement is neere as it were touched Although they remember that they neuer offended in those things which they know yet they feare those things which they knowe not because they cannot vtterly iudge of and discerne themselues therefore their end growing neere they are terrified with a greater feare Neither is the soule of man then feared without cause seeing that after a very short time it shall haue that iudgement which neuer can be changed Hetherto Gregorie If therefore holy men with so great reason haue feared thys iudgement what ought not they to doe who are not such ones Yea who haue spent the greatest part of theyr lyfe in following the vanities of this world vvho so often haue offended God vvho hetherto haue liued most carelesly vvho neuer haue had any care of theyr saluation vvho haue neuer beene touched with any regard to prepare themselues for this houre If
Saint Isidore doth consent vnto this He that would sayth he be certaine of the remission of his sins in the houre of death let him repent whilst he is in health and then let him lament deplore his iniquitie and wickednes But he that hath liued wickedly and repenteth at the houre of his death it is most certaine that he is in very great ieopardy For euen as his damnation is vncertaine so also his saluation is doubtfull Surely these words are very dreadfull but those more fearefull which Eusebius the Scholler of Saint Ierome writeth and which his glorious holy Maister spoke being at the poynt of death stretching him selfe vpon the earth arrayed in rugged and course Sack-cloth but because I dare not relate them with that rigour that they are written least I should minister occasion of distrust and despaire to those that be weake and faint-harted let him that pleaseth reade them he shall finde them in the fourth tome of saint Ieromes workes in a certaine Epistle of Eusebius to Byshoppe Damasus as touching the death of Saint Ierome whose beginning is To the most reuerent Father c. Where amongst other things hee sayth But some man will say That man that hath done wickedly all the time that he liued and repenting at the houre of his death he shall obtaine pardon of God Alas how vaine a supposall and how false a meditation Scarcely of an hundred thousand men whose lifes haue alwaies beene wickedly led scarcely I say one deserueth fauour at Gods hands A man altogether borne and brought vp in sin who hath neither seene nor acknowledged GOD neither is willing to heare of him neither knoweth when he sinneth nor what repentance is vnlesse perhaps he sometimes dreame of it and altogether intangled in worldly busines whom the loue of his children whoÌ„ he must forsake oppresseth whom infirmitie amateth vvhom the losse and griefe of riches and temporall blessings shaketh excruciateth because he seeth that he can no longer enioy them what repentance can he bring forth acceptable to God which he at all would not bring forth nor once medle with if he had any hope of recouery Certainly I will conclude as I thinke he that whilst he is young strong feareth not to offend God in death he deserueth not to finde any fauour of God What repentance is that my beloued children which a man onely maketh for this respect because he seeth that hee can liue no longer Who if he should recouer of his sicknes would becom worser then he was before I haue knowne many peny-fathers and helhound vsurers who may rightly be termed the deuils Alcumists or the deuils Mint-maisters that haue beene sorry and penitent when they haue thought that there was no way with them but death but after that they haue beene recouered their lifes haue beene a great deale more wicked and detestable then it was before This I hold this I thinke to be true this I haue lerned by long experience that his end is not good whose life was alwayes euill who feared not to sinne but alwaies liued in the vanities of the world Hetherto Eusebius by whose words it is manifest how suspected that repentance was to this holy Doctor Ierome which was made at the houre of death of him who had continued in sinne all the time of his life Neyther heere the iudgement of S. Gregory is to be kept close as concerning this matter who vpon these words of Iob For what hope hath the hypocrite though he be nâ—uer so couetous if God take away his soule Will God heare his cry when trouble commeth vpon him sayth God heareth not his cry in the time of trouble who in the time of peace and prosperity hath not heard the Lord crying vnto him in his commaundements For it is written Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law his prayer shall be abhominable Therefore the holy man beholding how those that contemne the law and all right paths doe at the last cast conforme themselues vnto prayer sayth Will God heare his cry Those words doe iumpe with those of our Sauiour who sayth Afterward came also the foolish Virgins saying Lord Lord open to vs. And it shall be answered vnto them Verily I say vnto you I know you not Because then so much the more seuerity shall be vsed by how much the more mercy hath now beene extended and then iudgement shall be seuerely and strictly executed vpon them whom now persisting in sinne mercy patiently wayted vpon These be S. Gregories words Another Doctour of the Church sayth It is a hard thing that then that is at the poynt of death true repentance should be when it commeth so late When as anguish and payne tormenteth the body and greefe oppresseth the sences scarcely can a man thinke of any other thing Greatly suspicious ought that repentance to be which seemeth constrayned The coniecture is easie that a man should thinke that himselfe is vnwilling to doe that which he hath no ability to doe Possibility doth very well proue the willingnes If thou doost not whilst thou mayst thou manifestly shewest that thou art vnwilling to doe Another Doctour of the Church doth also subscribe to all this Seeing therefore sayth he that a fruitfull repentance is not the worke of a man but of God by his mercy he can inspire it whensoeuer he will and reward those by his mercy whom he could condemne by his iustice But because there are many things that hinder and hold backe the sicke partie and him that languisheth and faynteth through sicknes it is dangerous and neere vnto destruction to protract and defer repentance till death But a meruailous great thing is it if God at that time inspire any man with true repentance Consider I pray thee how fearefull and dreadfull these words be Who then is so bold and audacious that dare expose this great treasure to so great hazard Is there any thing more precious in this world then saluation Who therfore is so inconsiderate and vnaduized that dareth presume to say that he doth not passing ill that committeth so great treasure to such danger These be the iudgements of the holy Doctours by whom we may euidently gather how great theyr folly and madnes is without an especiall care to sayle ouer this so dangerous a Sea of which the most expert and experienced Mariners haue spoken so doubtfully and with so great feare To dye well is an Art which ought to be learned all 〈◊〉 life long For in the houre of death so many and so great are the discruciatements that cause death that scarce remayneth any time to learne to dye well ¶ The authority of Schoole Doctours concerning this matter IT remayneth now for the greater confirmation of this matter that we see what the Schoole Doctours thinke of it Among others there is one that excellently handleth this matter agreeing in all things vnto vs putting and inferring this conclusion Repentance
I had in the wildernes a cottage of way-faring men that I might leaue my people and goe from them for they bee all adulterers and an assembly of rebels Whatsoeuer hath hetherto been spoken generally appertayneth to wicked men although it cannot be denied but that in all estates of the world there are many good men for vvhose sakes GOD spareth to destroy the world Therefore vvhen thou shalt see all these things consider with thy selfe how iust a cause thou hast to forsake and auoyde a thing so wicked corrupt and abhominable in which if GOD would fully open thine eyes thou shouldest see more deuils and moe sinnes then there be moates in the Sunne-beames Thys consideration will worke in thee at least in thy spirit a desire to leaue this world so that thou wilt take vp that of the Prophet and say O that I had winges like a Doue then would I flie away and be at rest ¶ How deceaueable the felicitie of the world is THese and infinite other are the attributes of worldly felicitie as it were the counterpoizes with which it is weighed and peised and the vnseparable companions which waite vpon it that thou mayst see that there is more gall then honny in it and more Wormwood then Sugar I omit very many other euils mischiefes which it hideth from her louers For besides that this miserable felicitie is short it is also impure vncleane for it maketh a man carnall and filthie it is also beastly for it maketh a man like vnto a beast And mad for it taketh avvay his iudgement To conclude it is deceitfull and faithlesse because it faileth and forsaketh a man in his chiefest hight and in the florish of his best time Neyther will I heere be vnwilling to take further paines in manifesting thys latter euill which perhaps is the worst of all that is that it is deceitfull and fraudulent For it seemeth to be that it not it promiseth that it performeth not and yet these not hindering it draweth vnto it the greater part of people For euen as there is found both true gold and counterfeit gold so there are found true good things counterfeite good things true felicity and false which appeareth to be such but is not of thys sort is this worldly felicity which deceiueth vs by a vaine disguised apparition and painted masking face For as Aristotle sayth many lyes meete with vs which although they be lyes yet they haue greater showe and apparance of truth then the truth it selfe So certainly and it is matter worthy of obseruation certaine euils and enormities are found which albeit they be euils indeed yet they haue greater semblance and apparance of good things then the good things themselues And of thys number is the felicity of this world and by reason of this apparance the ignorant are deceaued by the show of it no otherwise then byrds and fishes by a false baite For it is the nature condition of corporall and worldly things that on a suddaine they offer themselues with a flattering countenaunce and doe fawne and smâ—â—e vpon men promising vnto them ioy and felicitie but afterwards the very experience of the things themselues discouereth theyr errour and falshood For after the pleasures folow calamities diseases griefes by the abseuce of the thing loued by iealousie by strifes and contentions by the losse of things by diseases by the perturbations of the affections and by very many other sorrowes and last of all death also followeth What greater deceit can there be and what hipocrisie more intollerable So a virgine merily reioycing goeth to the house of her Bridegrome for the hath not eyes to see any other thing but that which outwardly appeareth and presently showeth it selfe but if she could see that seed-plot seminary of miseries which are sowen vpon this day for her to reape surely she should haue greater cause to weep then to reioyce Rebecca desired to bring foorth children but when she was great with child c. the children stroue together in her wombe she sayd If it must be thus with mee what neede had I to conceaue O how often dooth such like guile and fraude make heauie the hart of man after it hath got that it desired wheÌ„ as those things offer themselues in the progresse which were not promised in the beginning But what shall I say of offices dignities and honours vvith what a smiling countenaunce faire aspect do they first shew themselues but afterwards to howe many passions care enuies and labours doe they expose their possessors But of those that are entangled with vnhonest loues we may iustly say that at the beginning they finde a pleasant entrance into that darke and denious Laborinth but when they haue passed in alack how many labours and troubles doe they beare hovve many nights doe they passe ouer without sleepe how many how great dangers are they compelled to vndergoe For the fury of that venomous dragon which is the sword of that cruel parent and of that iealous husband dooth alwayes keepe the fruite of that forbidden tree and it often coÌ„meth to passe that such men in one moment doe lose together theyr lifes riches honors and soules After the same maner it were no hard matter to examine the lifes of couetous men seruing the world and catching at by all meanes by force and fauour the vaine-glory of it in whose tragedies we might behold a merry protasis but a lamentable and mournful epitasis for this is the nature of that Babylonian cup which without is gold but within full of poyfon These things being thus what I pray thee in thy iudgement is the glory of this world but the singing of Syrens sweet but a deadly potion a Viper artificially painted without but within full of venomous poyson If the worlde fawne vpon thee it doth it that it may deceitie thee if it exalt thee it doth it that thy fal may be the greater if it make thee merry it dooth it that it afterwardes with sorrow may breake thy hart It giueth all her goods vvith the mixture of incomparable heauines and griefe and that with the greatest vsury If a sonne be borne vnto thee and soone after die thy sorrow will be seauen-fold greater then thy ioy was The thing lost more afflicteth vs then found ioyeth vs sicknes more excruciateth vs then health gladdeth vs iniury more tormenteth vs then honour contenteth vs insomuch that I am altogether ignorant why it is so effected by nature that euils do more afflict vs then good things do reioyce vs. All these things being well considered of they do shew vnto vs clearer then the noone day how vaine deceitfull and fraudulent the felicity of this world is ¶ The conclusion of all this aforesaid THou hast here seene my brother the true figure of thys world although with another face then it outwardly carrieth Behold therefore now what the felicity of the World is how short miserable
will be so in his old age Of these and such like coniectures which are found amongst the Doctours of the Church hee that is such an one may with humility assure himselfe of the infinite goodnes of God that he is one of the number of the Elect. For as he hopeth in the infinite goodnes of God to be saued so hee may humbly presume that he is one of their number who are to be saued seeing that the one doth presuppose the other Which seeing that it is so I pray thee consider with thy selfe ô man with how great a pledge the Lord doth hold thee bound vnto him for this vnmeasurable benefit that is that thou art written in that booke of the which our Redeemer sayth to his Apostles In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in the booke of life How vnmeasurable therefore is this benefit to be loued and to be elected from that eternity from which God was God To rest in his most sweet breast euen from the beginning of all eternity To be accounted for the adopted sonne of God then when his naturall sonne was begotten in the glory and splendour of all the Saints who were present in his diuine vnderstanding Consider therefore dilligently all the circumstances of this election and thou shalt see euery one of them to be singuler very great benefits and also to bring new bonds and obligations with them Consider first the dignity of him who hath elected thee who himselfe is God happy and infinitely rich who neyther needeth thine nor any mans riches else Consider how vnworthy he is who is elected if thou considerest his nature and quality for he is a miserable and mortall creature subiect to all the infirmities miseries and pouerty of this life guiltie of hell fire both for an other mans and also for his owne sinne Thirdly marke how excellent the election it selfe is after that thou art elected to an end so high then the which a greater cannot be that is that thou mayest be made a sonne of God an heire of his kingdome and a pertaker of his glory Consider fourthly how free this election is when it is as wee haue sayd before any merrit of thine of the onely lyking and ordinance of the diuine will and as the Apostle sayth for the glory and praise of the bounty and fauour of God But a benefit the freer it is the more it doth hold a man bound Fiftly the antiquity of this election is to be looked vnto for it did not begin when the world was made but it is much more auncient then the world it selfe yea it is of the same age with God himselfe who as he is from euerlasting so he loueth his elect from euerlasting and loueth them still and will loue them for euer whom he beholdeth with his fatherly eyes and those truly fauoring being alwayes mindfull to what an excellent good he hath ordayned and predestinated them Sixtly the rarenes of this benefit is to be considered after that among so many nations of barbarous men in such a multitude of the damned the Lord would call thee to so happy an estate that thou shouldest be in the number of them which are elected to eternall life And therefore he seperated thee from the masse of the corruption of mankind condemned for sinne out of the leauen of corruption hath changed thee into Angels food In this consideration few things are found that may be written but many things that may be considered of in the minde that thou mayest be thankfull to the Lord for the perticularity of this benefit which is so much the more by how much the number of the elect is lesser and the number of those greater that are to be damned which number as Salomon sayth is infinite But if none of these things doe moue thee at the least let the greatnes of the costs and charges moue thee which the most bountifull Lord determined to make by reason of this benefit as are the life of his onely begotten sonne and his blood shed in the cause of this benefit as who had determined from euerlasting to send him into this world that he might be the executor of this determination Which seeing that it is so can there be any time long enough and sufficient to consider of so great mercy of God What tongue can euer vtter it sufficiently What hart can perfectly feele and tast it To be briefe by what duties can he recompence it And with what loue can man answere vnto this diuine loue Who will be so ingratefull that will refuse now at the length to loue him of whom hee hath beene beloued from all eternity Who will change him for any other friend For seeing that in the holy Scriptures an auncient friend is so highly praysed and had in great estimation who would change the possession and fauour of this most auncient friend with all the friends of the world And if the possession of a thing time out of minde doth giue authority and right to him that in deede hath no right vnto it what shall this eternall possession doe by which the Lord doth possesse vs that by the title of this friendship we may be reputed his By these it is manifest that no good may be found in the world which is to be changed with this good neyther that there are any such great euils which are not to be borne for the loue of this good Who I pray thee can be so dull blockish and inconsiderate that being taught by diuine reuelation that some begger which daily in the streetes from dore to dore doth seeke his bread is predestinate of God after this maner would not kisse the earth whereon he treadeth with his feete Would not giue place vnto him And bending his knees with great humility would not wish well vnto him and gratulate him with these words ô thou happy and blessed man art thou one of the blessed number of the elect Shalt thou reioyce in that happy company of Angels Shalt thou sing that heauenly musicke Shalt thou possesse that euerlasting and eternall kingdome Shalt thou contemplate and view that bright and glorious shining face of Christ O happy is that day in which thou wast borne but much more happy is that day in which thou shalt dye to the world for then thou shalt begin to liue an eternall and immortall life Happy is the bread with which thou art fed happy is the earth which thou treadest vpon for that doth carry an incomparable treasure Blessed are the tribulations which thou sufferest and the neede which doth presse thee Because they doe open a way to thee which leadeth to eternall life What cloude of calamities or tribulations shall be so thicke which will not vanish and be expelled at so great hope These and such like are the words with which wee would moue and perswade any man whom we knew certainly to
commaundements which I commaund thee this day the Lord will set thee on high aboue all nations of the earth And all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee if thou shalt harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Blessed shalt thou be in the Citty and blessed in the field Blessed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy ground and the fruite of thy cattell the encrease of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store Blessed shalt thou be when thou commest in and blessed when thou goest out The Lord shall giue ouer thine enemies that rise against thee that they may fall before thy face they shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seauen wayes The Lord shall commaund the blessing vpon thee in thy store-houses and in all that thou settest thine hand vnto and will blesse thee in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee The Lord shall make thee on holy people vnto himselfe as he hath sworne vnto thee if thou shall keepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God and walke in his wayes And all nations of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called vpon ouer thee and they shall be afrayd of thee And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods in the fruite of thy body in the fruite of thy cattell and in the fruite of thy ground in the land which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers to giue thee The Lord shall open vnto thee his good treasure the heauen to giue raine vnto thy Land in due season and to blesse all the labours of thy hand Tell mee what riches what treasures may be compared to these blessings But if thou shalt say that these promises are rather made vnto the Iewes then vnto Christians for vnto these according to Ezechiel those more excellent blessings as are the blessings of grace and of glory are promised yet as in that carnall law God did not denie to the righteous Iewes spyrituall blessings so in the spirituall law he doth not withdraw temporall prosperity from good Christians yea hee doth giue vnto them temporall blessings and that with a double commodity neyther of which the wicked haue The first is because as a skilfull Phisitian he bestoweth these blessings vpon them after that measure which their neede requireth that by this way they may be releeued and not waxe proude neyther beeing fatted and crammed kick and spurne This commodity the wicked haue not for they scrape together as much as they are able neuer regarding theyr saluation When as notwithstanding the superfluity of temporall goods is not lesse hurtfull to the soule then that meate is to the body which cannot be by any meanes digested For although it is necessary and needefull to eate for the releefe and sustentation of the body yet superfluity of meate doth very much hurt So although the life of man consisteth in the blood yet too much aboundance of blood is the cause of death and oftentimes killeth men The second commodity is because lesser pelse and a measurable and an indifferent possession of riches doth bring greater quietnes and tranquillity vnto the soule which is the end why men with such greedines desire temporall goods For whatsoeuer God can doe by second causes he can doe it yea more perfectly by himselfe without those meanes So hath hee done in all his Saints in whose name the Apostle sayth Hauing nothing and possessing all things For so little doth suffice vs that we hauing very little and being therewith content we seeme vnto our selues to be the Lords of the whole world A trauailer for his prouision in his voyage carrieth his money in gold for so he is the richer and he is troubled with lesse weight after the same manner also our Lord doth lighten his laying vpon them but easie burthens but yet sufficient and that which may content them After this manner the righteous doe goe naked yet they are content they are poore and yet they are rich But the rich when they are full of wealth yet dye for hunger and when as they sit euen vp to the lips in water yet they are slayne with thirst as the Poets in times past fabled of Tantalus For this and such like causes that great Prophet long agoe did prayse the obseruance of the Diuine law willing that in it all our meditation should be For he knew very well that in this all things were fulfilled These be his words Seate all these words in your harts and in your soules and bind them for a signe vpon your hands and they shall be as frontlets betweene your eyes And yee shall teach and rehearse them continually vnto your children and shall talke of them when yee tarry in your houses and when yee walke by the way and when yee lye downe and when yee rise vp Also thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates that thy dayes and the dayes of thy children may be multiplied in the Land which the Lord sware vnto your fathers to giue yee for euēr O holy Prophet what I pray thee hast thou found worthy of so great commendation in the keeping of the law It is not to be doubted but thou who wast so great a Prophet and a Secretary of the Diuine counsaile didst vnderstand the inestimable greatnes of this good and knewest that in it were to be found all kinde of blessings present and to come temporall and eternall corporall and spirituall and he that hath satisfied the law hath fulfilled all things Thou knewest very well that a man did not loose his time when hee was occupied in doing Gods will yea then to labour in hys owne Vineyard then to water his gardens to till his fields and to dispatch all his busines better then if he had laboured with his owne hands for he satisfying Gods will casteth all his care vpon God who finisheth all the rest For this is the law of the league and federacie which God made with man that man should keepe his commaundements and God would prouide all necessary things for him and doe his busines Neyther shall this league and couenant be euer violated of God For if man be a faythfull seruant vnto God God will be a faythfull Lord and patrone vnto man This is that one thing which the Lord sayd was necessary that is to know to loue and to serue God for this one thing being kept and obserued all the rest are well and in safety Godlines sayth Paule is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come See I pray thee how plainely heere the Apostle promiseth vnto godlines which is the worship and seruice of God not onelie the blessings of eternall life but also of this life as much as are conducent to obtayne the other But we
one as the other the Lord sheweth when he sayth that his yoke is easie and his burthen light For when he calleth it his yoke he signifieth the heauines which is in the way of the Lord but when he calleth it easie he intimateth facilitie which is in respect of the grace that is giuen But if thou shalt demaund of me how both it can be a yoke and easie and light seeing that it is of the nature of a yoke to be heauy I aunswer that the reason of it is this because the Lord maketh it easie and light as he promiseth by his Prophet And I will bee to them as hee that taketh of the yoke from theyr iawes What maruell is it then if the yoke be light seeing the Lord supporteth easeth as it were carrieth it himselfe If the bush burned was not consumed because the Lord was in it what maruell is it that it is a burthen and also light if the same Lord be in it who helpeth vs to carry it Wilt thou that I shall show thee as well the one as the other in one and the selfe same person heare what the Apostle sayth We are afflicted on euery side yet are we not in distresse in pouertie but not ouer-come of pouertie We are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perrish not Behold here on the one side trouble and distresse and on the other side comfort and consolation which the Lord giueth in them The same thing also the Prophet Esay insinuateth when he sayth They that waite vpon the Lorde shall renue theyr strength they shall lift vp the wings as the Eagles they shall runne and not be wearie and they shall walke and not faint Doost thou not see that the yoke is here made light through grace Doost thou not see here that the strength of the flesh is changed into the strength of the spirit Or that I may speake better the strength of man into the strength of God Doost thou not see how the holy Prophet doth not conceale eyther the trouble or the ease Therefore thou hast not my brother any cause for which thou shouldest shrinke from this way albeit it be rough and difficult seeing that there be so many and so great meanes which make it plaine and easie ¶ All the precedent matters are proued by examples to be true BVT if all those things which hetherto we haue spoken can not conquer and breake open thy hard and obduâ—â—â— hart and thine incredulitie be like that of Saint Thomas who would not beleeue vnlesse he first saw and touched yet I will vndergoe this labour that at the length I may satisfie thee For I will not grutch to take any paines so that I may defend a cause so honest profitable and iust Therefore let vs take a man that hath tryed both estates that is who hath some-times serued the world and hath carnally liued vnder the slauery of sinne who afterwards by the mercy of God is changed and becommeth altogether another man quite altered from the former Such a man shall be the best iudge for vs in this cause for he shall not iudge by heare-say but by sight certaintie seeing that he hath tryed and learned both conditions by experience Aske thys man whether of these estates is easier sweeter more pleasant Of men of this sort they know howe to yeeld the best testimonie to whom the ouersight of the Church is committed who see into the courses of men and watch theyr pathes and proceedings For these be they that descend into the Sea in shyps and see the workes of God in many waters which are the works of the Diuine grace and the great changes and alterations vvhich by the meanes of it are daily wrought in men which certainlie are worthy of all admiration For in very deede there is nothing found in the world worthy of greater astonishment and vvhich is daily more renued and recreated if any one consider well of it then those things which are wrought in the soules of the righteous by the Diuine grace how it trans-formeth a man raiseth him vp strengtheneth and comforteth him and beautifieth him both within without how it changeth the manners of the old man how it altereth al his affections how it maketh a man to hate that which before hee loued and to loue that which he hated maketh him to find sweetnes in that which before hee despised what strength it giueth that it may worke constancie in the soule what ioy what light what peace it effecteth to attaine the knowledge of Gods will to know the vanitie of the world and the dignitie of spirituall things which before he contemned and set at naught But that is most of all to be wondred at that we see all these things to be doone in a very short time so that it is not needfull by many yeeres to frequent the schooles of Phylosophers and to expect gray hayres that time and age may helpe the vnderstanding and mortifie the affections but in the midst of the heate of youth in the space of a few daies a man is so changed that he seemeth vtterly to be made another and not the same man that he was before Wherefore Saint Cyprian saith that thys change is sooner felt then learned neyther is it attained by the study of many yeeres but by grace and that in a very short time Which grace we may worthily call a spirituall enchauntment by which God after an admirable manner dooth so change the hart of man that with a most ardent longing he doth loue that which before with the greatest hate he abhorred I meane the exercise of Vertue and he doth execrate detest that with an hate more then that which followed Vatinius which before he most tenderly loued that is the pleasure of vices But for the greater confirmation and more euidence of these things that haue been spoken I will remember in this place the examples of two famous Doctors of the church who almost at one and the selfe same time liued in this errour but afterwards when it pleased the Diuine mercy that they saw how they were deceaued they were conuerted and haue left in wryting both their error and their conuersion to the edifying of all posterity One of them is S. Cyprian who writing to his friend Donatus and relating the beginning and progresse of his conuersion sayth When I lay in darknes and in the blacknes of the night and when I nodding and reeling floted vpon the Sea of this billowy and tempestuous world walked staggering by blind and erroneous wayes I being ignorant of mine owne life and an alien and stranger vnto the truth and vnto the light I being at that passe thought that altogether difficult and hard which the Diuine fauour and mercy promised for my saluation that is that any one should be borne againe and made a new lyuing soule by the bath of that wholsome water
dangerous blind sinfull and deceiueable and according to these what other thing is the world but as a certaine Phylosopher was wont so say a Casket of sorrowes and grieuances a Schoole of vanitie a Laborinth of errours a dungeon of darknes a market place of cousenages a way beset with theeues a ditch full of mud and a sea continually tost and troubled with stormes and tempests What other thing is the world but a barren Land a fielde full of thistles weedes a vvood full of thornes a florishing garden but bringing foorth no fruite What is the world but a riuer of teares a fountaine of cares a sweet poyson a tragedy pleasantly framed and a delightfull phrensie What good things I pray thee are found in the world which are not counterfeit and what euills which are not so in deed The worlds rest hath labour the securitie of it is without ground the feare of it is without cause the labours of it vvithout fruite the teares without purpose and the purposes vvithout successe the hope of it is vaine the ioy fained and the sorrow true By all which it is no difficult matter to see how great the kindred is between the world and hell for hell is no other thing but a place of punishments and sinnes and what other thing els is seene in this world The Prophet testifieth this whē he saith Day and night iniquitie goeth about it vpon the walls therof both wickednes mischiefe are in the midst of it These be the fruites of the world these the merchandize this is the traffique of it which at all times and in euery place is exercised so that thou seest that the world may iustly be termed hell In thys account Saint Bernard had thys world when he said But for that hope which we haue of the life to come thys world did not much differ from hell ¶ That true rest and tranquilitie is found in God alone NOW wee haue declared and showen how miserable and deceitfull the felicity of this world is it remaineth now that we proue that true felicity tranquility as it is not to be found in the world so it is onely to be found in GOD alone which demonstration if it were rightly vnderstood of the men of thys world they vvould not be so carefull for it nor so tied and fettered ynto it as they are And therefore I thinke that it vvill be worth the labour if I shall adde this manifest truth vnto the precedent and establish it not so much by the authority and testimonies of fayth as by reasons Therfore first we must know that no creature can perfectly rest and be at quiet so long as he commeth not to his last end which is his last perfection agreeable vnto his nature For so long as he commeth not thether he must of necessity be vnquiet as that creature that suffereth violence by reason of some defect Doost thou then demaund what and who is the last end of man in whose hand his felicity is placed vvhat is that that the Diuines call the obiectiue beatitude I cannot deny but that it is God who as he is the first beginning of man so is he also his last end And as it cannot be that there should be two first beginnings so it is imposibble that there should be two last ends For this were to make two Gods Furthermore if God be the last end of man he is also his last beatitude and felicity but it is impossible that there should be two last ends or two felicities Therfore it cannot be that without God there should any felicity be found For euen as a Gloue is made for the vse of the hand and a scaberd that a sword may be sheathed in it So also the hart of man is created for the vse of God neyther without him can any rest be found The reason is because seeing that the principall subiect of felicity is in the vnderstanding and will of man so long as these two faculties are not quiet so long cannot man be quiet But because it is without controuersie that these two faculties cannot be quiet but onely in God therfore these two faculties are neuer at quiet vntill they finde out some vniuersall obiect wherein are all good things Which when it is once knowne and loued then there is nothing further that the vnderstanding desireth to know or the will to loue Hence it is that nothing created although it be the empire and rule of the vniuersall vvorld can satisfie the hart of man he onely being excepted for whom it was created that is God alone Plutarch reporteth of a certaine Souldier who through many degrees of dignity at the length came to be made Emperour Now when he had attayned so great honour and found not that quiet and peace in it which before he promised to himselfe to be in this estate he sayd I haue runned through al the degrees of all dignities but I haue not found quietnes and tranquillity in any of them Neyther is it any meruaile because that which is created for God without him cannot finde any quiet or rest But that thou mayst vnderstand this the better and more manifestly behold the Sea-mans needle and it will teach thee this so necessary Philosophy It is the nature of that Iron that in what part it hath touched the load-stone that that part alwayes looketh towards the North. For God who hath created this stone hath bestowed vpon it this naturall inclination Thou seest the experience of the thing teaching thee how that needle runneth and turneth to and fro and with great vnquietnes moueth to euery corner vntill it hath found that poole then it resteth and standeth vnmoueable no otherwise then if it was fastened downe with a nayle So hath God created man and hath infused into him a certaine naturall inclination and readines that he should alwayes looke to his maker as to the poole and his last end Therefore so long as he is without him like that needle he is vnquiet yea if he was the Lord of the whole vvorld But turning and directing his hart to God forth-with he resteth and as that needle standeth vnmoueable for in him he findeth rest Of this is followeth that he is onely happy who possesseth God and that he commeth the nearer vnto happines who goeth the lesser way from God But because the righteous in this life are the nearer vnto God therefore they are the more happy albeit the world knoweth not their felicity The reason is because this felicity consisteth not in a sensible and corporall pleasure as the Epicures sayde and after them the Moores of Mahometistes and after them the wicked and vngodly Christians who with their mouthes deny the law of Mahomet but in their lifes follow it and diligently obserue it neither seeke for any other Paradice in this life then that of the Saracens Therefore true felicity consisteth not eyther in the body or in
tast that which being tasted bringeth death Hence it is that those beasts in Ezechiell which are the figures of holy men were full of eyes round about that thereby might be signified howe necessary these spirituall eyes are for the seruants of GOD that they may defend themselues from vices Therefore of this remedy we will in this tractate especially entreate to which we will also adioyne all others which seeme to bring any profit as shall be more plainly seene in the discourse following Of the remedies against Pryde CHAP. IIII. WE handling in thys former part sinnes the remedies of them will take our beginning from those seauen which are called capitall as it were the heads and fountaines of all other For euen as the rootes of trees beeing cut vp the boughes branches which receiue life from the rootes doe foorth-with wither and perish so those seauen generall vniuersall rootes of all other vices beeing hewen in sunder and vtterly eradicated suddenly also the vices will dye which are deriued from them For this cause Cassianus with great diligence writ eyght bookes against these vices in which kinde of studie many other learned and graue men haue imitated him 〈◊〉 they did see that these enemies being ouerthrowne others could not lift vp their heads The reason of this is because all sinnes doe originally flow from selfe-loue because euery one of them is committed through the loue desire of some particuler good to desire which this selfe-loue pricketh vs forwards From this loue those three branches do spring of which S. Iohn speaketh in his Canonicall Epistle which are The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Which that I may expresse them by more known names are the loue of carnall delights pleasures and the loue of riches and honours These three loues are deriued from that first For from the loue of pleasure three sins are engendered Luxurie Gluttony Idlenes From the loue of riches Couâ—tousnes ariseth and from the loue of honour Pride The other two Wrath and Enuye serue each one of these peruerse corrupt loues For Wrath proceedeth thence that a man cannot obtaine that he desireth and Enuye thence that any one is preferred before vs or that any one hath obtayned that we desired Seeing therefore that these three are as the vniuersall rootes of all euils from which all these seauen sinnes proceede these seauen beeing destroyed the whole Armie of other vices shall be ouerthrowen Therefore all our studie ought to be to thys end that we fight valiantly against these Gyants if we will tryumph ouer all other enemies who possesse the Land of Promise Among these vices Pryde is the most powerfull which is an inordinate appetite of our owne excellencie The Saints doe call this the Mother and Queene of all other vices Wherefore not without cause amongst many other instructions holy Toby said to his sonne Suffer not pride to raigne in thine hart or in thy mouth for in pride destruction tooke her beginning Therefore when as this pestilent beast doth assault thy hart thou maist defend thy selfe with the weapons following Consider first that horrible punishment with which Lucifer and his Angels are punished because they were proude for in a moment in the twinckling of an eye hee with his Angels was cast from the highest heauen downe to the deepest hell See 〈◊〉 darke and blinde this vice made him who was more cleâ—â—â—n the starres who not onely was an Angell but the Prince of Angels but now is made not onely a deuill but the wickedst and the filthiest of all deuils If it could doe so much in Angels what can it not doe in thee who art dust and ashes For God is not contrary to himselfe neyther is hee an accepter of persons and as he suffered not pryde in Angels so also in men it dooth displease him in whom he looketh for humilitie Hence it is that Saint Augustine saith Humilitie maketh men like vnto holy Angels pride of Angels maketh deuils And that I may speake plainly Pride is the beginning end cause of all sinnes because it is not onely a sinne but that no sinne is or hath been or shall be without it This saith he And Bernard saith Pride casteth downe from heauen to hell Humilitie rayseth from the lowest place to the highest an Angell falleth froÌ„ the loftiest height to the lowest pitte and man ascendeth from out the world to heauen Then with this punishment let vs consider of the inestimable example of the humility of the sonne of God who for vs tooke vpon him the most abiect nature of man and for vs in like manner was obedient to his father euen to the death of the Crosse. Learne therfore ô man to be humble learne ô earth to obey learne ô dust to be despised Learne ô man of thy God for he is meeke and humble in spirit If it seemeth not honorable inough vnto thee to imitate the example of other men imitate the example of the God of Gods who became man not only that he might redeeme vs but also that he might teach vs humility Cast thine eyes also vpon thy selfe for in thy selfe thou shalt finde that may perswade humility Consider what thou wast before thou wast borne what thou art now being borne and what thou shalt be after death Before thou wast borne thou wast filthy and obscene matter not worthy to be named now thou art dung couered ouer with snow and a while after thou shalt be meate for wormes Why then art thou proud ô man seeing that thy natiuity is sinne thy life misery and thine end putrefaction and corruption If the possession of temporall goods doe puffe thee vp stay a while and death will come who maketh the begger equall with the King and the cottage with the crowne For as we are all borne alike and equall as much as pertayneth to the condition of nature so we all dye alike and equall by reason of the common necessity that being excepted that after death they haue the greater count to render who here haue possessed more Wherfore Chrisostome sayth excellently well Looke into the Sepulchers of the dead seeke amongst them for tokens and notices of that magnificence in which they â—â—ned seeke and enquire for their riches seeke for the solaces of this world which they enioyed whilst they liued Tell me where are now their ornaments their precious and costly apparell their delights and pleasures they are all past away all gone all their magnificent and riotous banquets laughters sports and all the mirth of this world is faded and vanished away Come neerer to the Sepulcher of whom so euer thou wilt and thou shalt find no other thing here but dust ashes wormes and putrified bones Here then is an end of all bodies yea although fed and nourished with the greatest delicates and dainties of the world And I would to God that here were an end of
would haue it pierced and thrust through his flesh and bowels that through it he might haue a smarting sence of it as a naile fastned through which might stick in his mind for a perpetuall memoriall to stirre him vp that he might not sleepe and so in some-thing offend his eyes whom he feareth therefore it is most fitly sayd of Ecclesiasticus The feare of the Lord driueth out sinne For by how much any one is feared by so much more diligently we take heed that we doe not offend him It pertayneth to this holy feare not only not to commit euill deeds but also to examine the good least perhaps they be not pure or want their necessary circumstances least a thing of it selfe good by our defect be made euill and vnprofitable For Saint Gregory sayd very well It pertayneth to a righteous man to feare a fault where no fault is Such a feare holy Iob had when he sayd I did feare all my works knowing that thou doost not spare the offender It pertayneth also to this feare that when we are present in the Church at Diuine seruice especially where the holy Sacrament is administred that we chat not nor walke nor vnreuerently gaze about casting our eyes now hether now thether as many doe but we ought to abide there with feare and great reuerence in the presence of the Diuine maiestie who is there after a speciall manner But if thou askest me how this holy affection is begot and bred in our soules I say as I sayd a little before that the loue of God is the especiall roote of it After which seruile feare in like manner auayleth which is the beginning of filiall feare and doth bring it into the soule no otherwise then the bristle doth bring the Shoomakers lyne into the shooe To nourish and increase this holy affection the consideration of the exceeding highnes of the Diuine maiesty is profitable and the consideration of the depth and profundity of Gods iudgements the greatnes of his iustice and the multitude of our sinnes but especially the resistance which we make against Diuine inspirations Therfore it is great wisedome to busie and occupy our minds with these foure considerations for so this holy feare is begot and preserued in our soules Of this feare we haue more copiously spoken in the eight and twenty Chapter of the precedent booke The third vertue which is required in this Diuine worke is trust and confidence that is euen as a sonne in all his troubles and necessities which happen vnto him trusteth and affianceth his repose in his father especially if he be rich and powerfull that his helpe and fatherly prouidence will not at any time faile him so also in this matter let a man haue the hart of a sonne so enlarged that considering he hath such a father as he hath in whose hands is all the power of heauen and earth let him boldly hope and assuredly trust that in all troubles that betide him he shall finde helpe in that father and let him constantly perswade himselfe that if he turne vnto him hoping in the mercy of this heauenly father he shall altogether be deliuered from euill or it shall be ordered to his greater good and further commodity For if the sonne hath so great repose and security in his father how much more ought to be our confidence and trust in God who is our father after a better manner then all earthly fathers and is richer then all the richest men of this world But if thou shalt say that the scarcity of thy good works and deserts and the multitude of the sinnes of thy passed life doe strike a feare into thee whereby thou darest not expect or promise vnto thy selfe so great things from God the remedy will be if when this cogitation commeth into thy mind thou forth-with turnest thy mind from it turnest thy selfe wholy vnto God and to his onely sonne our Sauiour and Mediatour For then presently thou shalt recouer thy courage and thy strength shall increase in him Euen as we add courage vnto them who passe or ferry ouer any swift current or riuer which with the swiftnes and velocity of the running causeth the swimming and giddines of the head and with some call or encouragement admonish them that they should not behold the water but the earth or heauen that they may more securely and healthfully passe so those that be faint-harted and weaklings are to be dealt withall in this busines least heere they looke vpon themselues or their sinnes But perhaps thou wilt say whether shall I turne me that I may procure this strength and confidence vnto me I aunswer that aboue all things the infinite goodnes and mercy of God is to be considered which extendeth it selfe to all the wretchednes of thys world Then his infallible promises are to be weighed in which he promiseth grace and helpe to those that call vpon his Name and doe flie vnto him Neyther are we further to doubt For we see that the enemies themselues doe not denie their fauour beneuolence to them that flie vnto their Tents because they are marked for banishment with some brand or incision but they graciously defend them in the time of danger and heale theyr woundes Consider also the multitude of benefits which hetherto thou hast receaued of his gracious and bountifull hands and of his mercy which thou hast already tryed in benefits past learne to hope for things to come But aboue all these looke vpon Christ with all his torments merrits in which there be especiall causes why we may confidently presume to sue for the fauour of GOD seeing that it is manifest that those merrits on the one part are so great that they cannot be greater and on the other part are the treasuries of the Church for remedy and releefe of all them which stand in need of them These are the cheefest props of our trust and confidence which haue so strengthened and encouraged the Saints in those things they hoped that they were more stedfast and and more vnmoueable then mount Sion But it is greatly to be wondered at that we when we haue so great motiues to moue vs to hope and so iust reasons to perswade vs to trust yet that we are so weake and faint-harted that when we see present danger to hang ouer our heads forth-with wee flie into Egypt to the shadow of Pharaoes Charriots So that many seruants of GOD are found strong and couragious in fastings feruent in prayers liberall in almes deedes and exercised and expert in other vertues but very few are found who haue so steddy a confidence as that holy woman Susanna had Whose hart when she was condemned to death and brought to the place of execution had confidence and trust in the Lord. Hee that desireth moe authorities for the perswasion of this vertue he may bring the whole store-house of the holy Scripture
especially the Psalmes and the Prophets in which nothing is so vsuall and common as hope in God and assurednes of the Diuine ayde and assistance which remayneth for them that trust in him The fourth vertue is the zeale of Gods honour that is if all our cogitations be to this end that the honour of the Diuine maiesty may be encreased and be preferred sanctified and glorified before all other things and that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen and that we haue this minde in vs that no greater griefe can happen vnto vs then to see the Diuine honour impugned or abused Such a will was in the harts of those Saints in whose name it is sayd The zeale of thine house hath 〈◊〉 eâ—teâ— me For their harts were so afflicted for this cause and so great griefe of mind did feede vpon their bodies that euident tokens of it were seene in them If we did burne with the like zeale forth-with we should be marked in our foreheads with that glorious signe of Ezechiell and wee should liue free from all punishment and scourge of the Diuine iustice The fift vertue is the purity of the intent to which pertayneth that in our actions we seeke not our selues or our owne commodity but the glory good pleasure of our Lord God certainly perswading our selues that as they that play at the game called He that winneth looseth by loosing they winne and by winning they loose so also we by how much more we traffique negotiate with God without purpose of our owne profit by so much we make the greater gaynes and contrarily Therefore in this poynt we must diligently aduice our selues and examine all our actions with an vpright and an impartiall iudgement as men iealous that our mind doth respect no other thing in working but God himselfe for the property of naturall selfe-loue is very subtill as we sayd before seeketh it selfe in all things Many are rich in good works which if they were tried by the touch of the Diuine iustice would be found without this purity of intendment which is that Euangelicall eye which when it is cleare and simple it maketh the whole body cleare but if it be wicked it maketh the body full of darknes Many men in great places and dignities placed as well in the common-wealth as in the Church seeing vertue laudable and beautifull in her functions haue endeuoured themselues so to walke in her trackt that they haue been reputed for good men and haue purged their hands from all filthy luker aud vncleannes which might by any meanes haue polluted their honours Yet they haue done it for this respect that they might not fall from that authority they were placed in and that they might be fauoured of theyr Princes and graced with great dignities and honours And therfore theyr good works proceeded not from the liuely sparke of loue or from the feare of God neyther had they his obedience and glory theyr purposed end but sought for their owne commodity and the glory of man But what soeuer is doone after thys manner although it seeme somwhat in mans eyes yet in Gods sight it is as smoake and a shadow of righteousnes not true righteousnes For before God workes are not acceptable commended onely by the strength and grace of morrall vertues neyther doe corporall actions and businesses please him no not if a man should sacrifice his owne sonne but onely that spirit of loue sent from heauen all that which groweth on this roote is acceptable in the Diuine sight In the Temple there was not any thing which eyther was not gold or that was not couered with pure gold so it is not lawfull that any thing should be in the liuely Temple of our soule which is not eyther charitie or ouer-guilded deaurated with charity Therefore the seruant of God should not so much respect that he doth as the end which he intendeth and destineth it for For workes very base and of low account beeing doone for an excellent intent become most â—â—ellent and contrarily For God doth not so regard the body of the worke as the soule of the intention which proceedeth of charity Thys is to imitate after a certaine manner the most noble and most gracious loue of the sonne of God who commaundeth in his Gospell that we should loue after the same manner as he before loued that is of pure good will and not for the cause of any profit And seeing that among the circuÌ„stances of charitie which is in God this is most admirable he shall be the happiest who in all the works that he doth endeuoureth to imitate this Hee that doth thus let him assuredly beleeue that he is entirely beloued of God as beeing very like vnto him in the perfection of beautie and puritie of intent for similitude and likenes is wont to get and winne loue Wherfore let man turne his eyes from all humane respects when he dooth good and let him haue them fixed vpon God neyther let him suffer that those workes which are in so great reckoning and price with God serue humane regards If a noble and a beautifull woman worthy of a Kings bed should be married to a foule Collyer it would mooue all to compassion that beheld her after the same manner and much more effectually shall he be mooued that seeth vertues woorthy of God and diuine reward to be made vassals to compasse the drosse dung of thys world But because this purenesse of intent is not so easily obtained let man desire it instantly of God in all hys prayers especially in that part of prayer which the Lord himselfe taught his Apostles where it is said Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen That as all the heauenly Armies doe the vvill of GOD with a most pure intent onely that they may please him so also let man as much as lyes in him heere in earth imitate that heauenly custome and stile not because besides that that we please God we may not come to his kingdome but because workes are so much the more perfect as they are voyder and nakeder of all priuate and selfe commoditie The sixt Vertue is Prayer by meanes of which we ought to haue recourse to our Father in the time of tribulation as chyldren haue who when they are feared or daunted foorth-vvith runne to the bosome and lappe of their Father We haue neede of this prayer that 〈◊〉 â—ay haue our Father in continuall remembrance and standing in his sight wee may often conuerse and haue conference with him For all these things are annexed to the bond and duty of a good sonne towards his Father But because the vse and necessity of this vertue is knowne to euery body seeing we labour to be briefe in this place we will speake no further of it The seauenth Vertue is giuing of thanks to which belongeth to haue alwaies
these euils It is most certaine that if God should grant to thee a choyce and say all the time that thou liuest thou shalt eyther be tormented with the goute or be extreamely vexed with the tooth-ache which disease neyther night nor day shal suffer thee to take any case or rest or if thou wouldest be free from these diseases thou shalt enter into some austere and straight kinde of lyuing which thy nature can hardly brooke consider with thy selfe which of these thou wouldest choose I doe not thinke that a man can be found so foolish who for the onely loue of himselfe would not choose rather this straight kinde of liuing then that he would endure so long time these griefes and dolours Seeing that therefore the discruciatements and dolours that we speake of are infinitely more greeuous in diuturnity of time without any comparison longer and this austere and straight kinde of lyuing which God requireth of thee is much more lesse then that thy nature can brooke and beare vvhat madnes is it then to be vnwilling to vndergoe so small labours and so short troubles by which thou mayest escape those eternall torments Who doth not see that this is the greatest errour of this world and intollerable madnes But the reward and fruite will be that whilst a man will not free himselfe here from so great euils by a small labour of repentance that there he shall make euerlasting sorrow and repentance without any fruite or profit Wee haue a figure of this thing in the furnace which King Nabuchodonozer commaunded to be heated in Babilon The flame of which mounted aboue the furnace nine and fortie Cubits for the defect of one Cubit it came not to the number of fifty which signifieth the yeere of Iubily that we may vnderstand that although these eternall flames of Babilon that is of hell doe burne aboue measure and most cruelly doe torment the miserable and wretched being damned yet they shall neuer come to that to obtayne the fauour of a true Iubily O punishments without profit ô barren teares ô sharpe and bitter repentance yet voyde of all hope and solace How little of those thinges that there the damned suffer without fruite if they heere had suffered willingly and patiently might haue preserued them from these euils How easily might they haue beene deliuered and for how small paines Therefore let fountaines of teares flow out of our eyes and let sighs without ceasing be fetched from the bottome of our harts Therefore I will mourne and howle sayth the Prophet I will goe without cloathes and naked I will make lamentation like the Dragons and mourning as the Ostriches because the plagues of my people are greeuous If these things were suspected of men and if there were no credite to be giuen to these things or if they were doubtful and vncertaine after some manner it were tollerable if men fel into this error But we professing all these things most assuredly and with a most vndoubted beleefe and knowing most certainly as our Sauiour sayth That heauen and earth shal passe but not one iote or one title of these things shall scape till all things be fulfilled And saying plainely that all these things are to be holden most religiously and yet liuing securely and negligently this doth passe all wonder and admiration Tell me ô blind and witles man what thou doost finde worthy amongst the riches and goods of this world that may be compared with this price Graunt it sayth Saint Ierome that there is in thee the wisedome of Salomon the beauty of Absalon and the strength of Sampson let the yeeres and life of Enoch be promised vnto thee possesse the riches of Craesus and the power of Octauian what shall all these things profit thee if at the length thy body be giuen for meate vnto wormes and thy soule carried of deuils to hell be deliuered to euerlasting torments to be tortured with the rich Glutton Let these things suffice for the first part of our exhortation to Vertue In the next we will speake of the seuerall and perticuler prerogatiues and priuiledges of Vertue promised to the vertuous The end of the first part THE SECOND PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which are handled the temporall and spirituall blessings which in this life are promised to Vertue and more particulerly the twelue more notable and famous priuiledges prerogatiues which are found in Vertue THE ELEVENTH TITLE ¶ That we are bound vnto Vertue by reason of the inestimable blessings which are promised in this present life CHAP. XI SVrely I know not what they can pretend or what excuse they can make who doe not embrace Vertue seeing there be so many reasons which doe enforce men to that study For it is no small thing for the defence of this matter to alledge that there is a God and what the studious of Vertue deserue what is giuen and what is promised vnto them on the other side what threatnings are menaced and denounced against the vicious and against those that flye from the study of Vertue Therfore not without cause may some man aske why amongst Christians who beleeue and confesse all these things there be so many found who neglect vertues doe follow vices For it is not to be meruailed at that there be many such among infidels who seeing they know not Vertue haue it in no price euen as a ditcher if he by chaunce finde a Iem doth little esteeme it because he knoweth not the vertue and price of it But that Christians who know and beleeue all these things doe liue as though they beleeued not vnmindfull of God seruants of sinne bondslaues vnto their owne passions and appetites by so much more addicted to visible things by how much more they are carelesse of inuisible things ready to all kinde of sinne no otherwise then if death were not at all neither that they should come to iudgement neither that anie glorie of heauen was to be looked for and to be briefe neither hell to be feared This I say is greater then all admiration Therfore as I said it may worthilie be demaunded whence this negligence growes and whence this stupiditie of vnderstanding and this diabolicall inchauntment if I may so call it comes vnto men This mischiefe hath not one onely roote but many and diuers Amongst others and those not the least is a certaine generall errour in which men of this worlde doe lyue supposing all that God promiseth to the louers of Vertue to be reserued to the life to come and that in this present world nothing is to be looked for Therefore seeing that man dooth so greatly desire reward and especially is ledde by profit but not vnlesse it be present and is mooned with those things which are obuious to the outward sences when he seeth nothing present he smally accounteth of that which is to come So the Ievves seeme to haue doone in the time of the Prophets For vvhen
as Ezechiell by the commaundement of God did set before thē great promises or did denounce against them direfull comminations they mocked and with a certaine contempt hissed at them all saying The vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophecieth of the times that are farre of So the scornefull contemned the sayings of the Prophet Esay and said Precept must be vpon precept precept vpon precept line vnto line line vnto line there a little there a little This is one of the especiall reasons that withdrawes peruerse and froward men from the obseruance of Gods commaundements perswading themselues that there is no reward ordained for Vertue in this world but all things to be reserued for the world to come To this that great Wiseman respected when hee said Because sentence against an euill worke is not speedily executed therfore the hart of the chyldren of men is fully sette in them to doe euill The Wise-man addeth also another thing and that is the worst among all things that are done vnder the Sunne and that it doth giue great occasion to the wicked to sinne that it happeneth ill to the righteous as though they had doone the workes of the wicked and the wicked often-times doth liue so securely as if they did the works of the righteous or that all things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner hee that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Whereupon he sayth The harts of the sonnes of men are full of euill and madnes is in their harts whilst they liue and after that they goe to the dead That which Salomon heere speaketh the wicked and vngodly them selues doe confesse by the Prophet Malachie saying It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commaundements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts Therefore we count the proude blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are sette vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered These things the wicked say and these are the things which especially hold them in impietie for they suppose it a very hard thing as Ambrose sayth to buy hope at their owne perrill that is to compasse future blessings with the losse of present and to giue those things that are in their hands for those which sometimes heereafter may be giuen To banish and expell this most pestilent errour I know not whence to take a fitter beginning then from those wordes and teares of our Sauiour with which in times past he did lament weepe ouer that miserable Cittie of Ierusalem saying O if thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hidde from thine eyes Our Sauiour did consider on the one part howe great the blessings were which were brought into the world for the vse and good of that people together with his person for all the graces and heauenlie treasures descended frō heauen together with Christ on the otherside he looked to this people offended at his lowlie humilitie and base estate and that they would not accept of his blessings and that for this sinne they should not onely lose these treasures but also their whole Common-wealth and their Cittie Therefore the Lorde exceedingly lamenting wept most aboundantly and broke forth into this short and imperfect sentence the which the shorter it is it hath the greater signification This same affection and these words may be fitly applied to our purpose For considering on the one part the beauty of Vertue and the graces and riches which attend on her and on the other part how farre these things are remoued and hid from the eyes of men drowned in earthly things and also how Vertue doth sweepe the ground and being despised in all the world cannot finde a place for her selfe doost thou not thinke that wee haue iust cause to weepe and to say with our Lord O if thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day that is ô that God would now open thine eyes that thou mightest see the treasures magnificence riches peace liberty light tranquillity delights fauours and all the good things and blessings which like Hand-maydes attend and wayte vpon Vertue in what great price and esteeme wouldest thou haue her With what great desire wouldest thou long and thirst after her With what great diligence and labour wouldest thou seeke and enquire after her But now all things are hid from carnall eyes for they not seeing any thing besides the outward bark of Vertue neuer tasting the inward sweetnes of her thinke that there is nothing in her but that which is hard sharpe and vnsauery they thinke that she is not currant in this present life but to be vsed in the other and if there be any goodnes in her that it pertayneth wholy to another world and not to this Therfore they disputing according to the flesh doe say that they will not buy hope by danger neyther that they will hazard present things for things to come So speake they that are offended at the exteriour figure of Vertue for they are ignorant of the Philosophy of Christ neyther know they that Vertue is like vnto her Maister Christ who although outwardly hee beare the shape and image of a most poore and base man yet inwardlie was the God and Lord of all creatures The selfe same thing is also reade of the faithfull and beleeuers in Christ that they are dead to the world and that their life is hid with Christ in God Therefore as the glory of Christ was hid in this world so is all theirs that imitate and follow his life We reade that in auntient times men were wont to make certaine Images which they called Sileni these were rough and vnpolished without but within they were curiously wrought with great Art So that the deformity was outward and the beauty inward Deluding on the one part the eyes of the ignorant on the other drawing into them the minds and eyes of the wise Such certainly were the life 's of the Prophets such the life 's of the Apostles and such the life 's of all good and faithfull Christians as was the life of the Lord of all Thou therefore that hast nothing more oft in thy mouth then that Vertue is conuersant about hard and difficult things oughtest to cast thine eyes vpon those helps which God hath prouided for vs to ouercome these difficulties as are vertues infused into vs gifts of the holy Ghost the Sacraments of the Gospell with many other graces diuine helps which are to vs that which oares and sayles are vnto ships in sayling and wings vnto birds in flying Thou must behold the name and essence of Vertue which
so great a good whose Lord is God who possesse God whose inheritance God is for by so much your good is more excellent by how much God is more excellent then the creatures This expresly confesseth the Prophet in the Psalmes saying Rescue and deliuer me ô Lord frō the hand of strangers whose mouth talketh vanity and theyr right hande is a right hand of falsehood that our sonnes may be as the plants growing vp in their youth and our daughters as the corner stones grauen after the similitude of a pallace that our corners may be full and abounding with diuers sorts and that our sheepe may bring foorth thousands and ten thousand in our streets that our Oxen may be strong to labour that there be none inuasion nor going out nor no crying in our streets Blessed are the people that be so yea blessed are the people whose GOD is the Lord. Why doost thou speake thys ô Dauid The reason is in a readines For he that possesseth GOD hee hath that good in which all goods are found which may be desired Let them glorie that will in all other things I will glory onely in the Lord my GOD. So also that holy Prophet dyd glory who said I will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation The Lorde God is my strength hee will make my feete like Hindes feete and hee will make me to walke vpon mine high places This then is the treasure this is the glory prepared for them in this world who serue the Lord. This is one and that the greatest reason which inuiteth vs to serue God and a iust complaint is it that God hath against them who will not serue him seeing that he is so good a Lord to them so faithfull a defendour and so sincere an Aduocate With this complaint in times past he sent Ieremy that he might expostulate and chide with the people saying What iniquitie haue your Fathers found in mee that they are gone farre from mee and haue walked after vanitie and are become vaine And a little after Haue I beene as a wildernesse vnto Israell or a land of darkenesse As if he should say No Seeing that this Land hath receaued of mine hands so many victories so much happines Wherefore sayth my people then Wee are Lordes wee will come no more vnto thee Can a mayde forget her ornament or a Bride her attire Yet my people haue forgotten me daies without number who am their ornament glory and beauty If God after this manner lamented in the old Lawe when as his fauours and graces vvere not so perfect what great cause hath he novve to lament seeing that his graces are so much the more excellent by hovve much they are more diuine and more spirituall Of that manner of prouidence by which God espieth out the wicked to chastise theyr maliciousnesse CHAP. XIII IF thou be not mooued with the loue of so happy and blessed a Prouidence in which the good do ioy at least let the feare of that Prouidence moue thee if it be lawfull so to call it with which God doth espy and watch ouer the wicked which is to measure them with theyr owne measure and to handle them according to the obliuion and contempt offered to the diuine Maiestie forgetting them who haue forgotten him and contemning them of whō first he was contemned But that I may speake this after a more homely manner God commanded his Prophet Hosea to take vnto him a wife of fornications that he might demonstrate the spiritual fornication of that people who had refused and put away theyr lawfull Bridegrome and Lord to play the fornicators And hee willed also that the Prophet should haue of that wife sonnes of fornications and the thyrd begotten he should call by an Hebrue name signifying Not my people that he might shew thereby seeing that they for their sinnes would not acknowledge GOD nor serue him as theyr God that he in like manner would not acknowledge them neither would haue them for his people And that he might confirme this sentence he saith by the Prophet a little below Pleade with your Mother pleade with her for shee is not my wife neyther am I her husband as if hee should say as shee hath not kept the fayth and obedience of a good wife towards me so in like manner I will not keepe that loue and prouidence which a good husband is wont to show and vse vnto a good wife See howe plainely our Lord teacheth vs heere how he dooth mete vnto euery one according to his owne measure whilst he dealeth so towards men as men deale with him Therefore the wicked doe liue as neglected and forsaken of the Lord and they are in this world as a patrimony without an heire as a schoole without a maister as a shippe without a guide and as a flock without a Pastour layd open to the deuouring greedines and voracity of Wolues After this manner he threatneth them by the mouth of his Prophet saying I will not feede you that that dyeth let it dye and that that perisheth let it perish and let the remnant eate euery one the flesh of his neighbor The same thing Moses obiecteth to Israel in his song I wil hide sayth the Lord my face from them I will see what their end shall be for they are a froward generation and children in whom is no fayth He sayth I will consider what their end shall be that is I will stand idely and will see what end their misery shall haue at length neyther will I bring any release vnto them Besides these things that haue beene spoken much more plainely speaketh Esay to the people of this kinde of prouidence vnder the name of a Vineyard in the person of the Lord against which when it had beene tilled and much cost and many benefits bestowed vpon it neyther brought forth tollerable fruites he pronounceth this sentence And now I will tell you what I will doe to my Vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten vp I will breake the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe And I will lay it wast it shall not be cut nor digged but bryers and thornes shall grow vp I will also commaund the cloudes that they raine no raine vpon it That is I will take away all the ayde and helpe with which I haue hetherto defended it which being taken away destruction and ruine will follow Doth not this kinde of prouidence seeme fearefull vnto thee Tell me what greater danger or what greater misery then to liue without the defence of the Diuine prouidence To be left and layd open to all the persecutions of the world to the iniuries and calamities of this life For seeing that the world is a tempestuous sea and as it were a wildernes full of theeues and fearefull beasts and seeing that there be so many and so great discomodities and
it enlightneth the vnderstanding it inflameth our will it strengtheneth our memorie it tempereth and moderateth our part concupiscible least it runne into all euil it cōfirmeth the part irascible least it be slow too sluggish to work well Moreouer because all our natural passions which are found in these two inferiour powers of our appetite are as it were step-dames vnto vertue dores wherby deuils oftentimes enter into our soules it hath appointed as it were Sentinels in each of these parts which watch and keepe it that is a certaine infused vertue comming from aboue vvhich doth helpe man and maketh him secure in danger which ariseth by meanes of those passions So to defend the soule frō the appetite of gluttonie it sendeth Temperance to defend it frō the lust of the flesh it sendeth Chastitie and to defend it from ambition it sendeth Humilitie and so in the rest But there is one thing which exceedeth all the fore-sayde that is that grace maketh God to dwell in our soule that dwelling in it he may gouerne it defend it direct it in the heauenly way God therefore sitteth in our soule as a King in his kingdome as a Captayne among his armie as a Maister in his schoole and as a Pastour among his flocke that there he may exercise and vndergoe spiritually all these offices and administer all prouidence Goe to therefore if this precious pearle out of which so many good things come be a perpetuall companion vnto Vertue who will not willingly imitate that wise Merchant in the Gospell who sold all that he had that he might buy this alone ¶ Of the third priuiledge of Vertue which is a light and a certaine supernaturall knowledge which our Lord giueth to them who seeke after Vertue CHAP. XV. THE third priuiledge which is graunted vnto Vertue is a certaine speciall light and a certaine wisedome which our Lord doth bestow vpon them that are righteous which also proceedeth from that grace of which we haue hetherto spoken The reason is because it is a function and duty of grace to heale and recure nature beeing weake feeble and decayed Euen as therefore it healeth the appetite and will weakened through sinne so also it recureth the vnderstanding being exceedingly obscured and darkned by the same sinne that by this benefit the vnderstanding may know what it ought to doe and by the will there may be ability power to doe that which now it vnderstandeth is needefull for to be done Not vnlike to this is that Saint Gregory hath in his Morals Not to be able to fulfill that which man vnderstoode was a punishment of sinne as also that was a punishment of the same not to vnderstand that Therefore sayd the Prophet The Lord is my light against ignorance and my saluation against impotencie In one is signified what is to be desired in the other strength is giuen by which we may attaine vnto it And so as well this as that pertayneth to the same grace Hence it is that besides fayth and prudence infused which enlighten our vnderstanding that it may vnderstand what it ought to beleeue what also to doe the gifts of the holy Ghost doe increase also in vs foure of which pertaine to the vnderstanding that is the gift of wisedome which is giuen for the knowledge of high and lofty matters the gift of Science which is giuen that wee may vnderstand lower matters the gift of vnderstanding by which we come to the knowledge of the misteries of God and to the congruencie and beauty of them and the gift of counsaile and aduice by whose helpe we know the actions of this life and how to gouerne and rule whatsoeuer happeneth to vs in it All these beames come from the splendour of grace onely which therefore is called in the holy Scriptures an Annointing or Vnction For it teacheth all things as Saint Iohn speaketh Wherefore euen as oyle among all liquid substances is the fittest to preserue light and to cure wounds so this diuine Vnction doth cure the wounds of our will and doth illuminate the darknes of our vnderstanding This is that most precious oyle better then all oyle of which the kingly Prophet speaketh Thou hast annoynted mine head with oyle It is certaine that he speaketh heere not of a materiall head nor of materiall oyle but of a spirituall head that is of the superiour part of our soule in which our vnderstanding is as very well sheweth a learned man wryting vpon this place and of spirituall oyle which is the light of the holy Ghost by which our lampe is preserued that it is not put out Of the light of this holy oyle this good King had much who thus speaketh of himselfe Thou hast taught me wisedome in the secret of mine hart An other reason may be also giuen of this For seeing that it is the office of grace to make a man endued with Vertue it cannot execute this vnlesse first it moue a man to sorrow and repentance of his former life and stirre vp the feare of God in him Vnlesse before it worketh that man doth deadly hate sinne and desire heauenly blessings with great feruency and altogether contemne these worldly vanities But the will cannot obtayne these and the like vnlesse before it hath the light of vnderstanding and a knowledge proportionable by which the will may be stirred vp For the will is a blind faculty which is not mooued except the vnderstanding goe before carrying a light and shewing good and euill in all things that the affection towards them may encrease or decrease Hence it is that Thomas Aquinas sayth euen as the loue of God doth encrease in the soule of a righteous man so also encreaseth the knowledge of the goodnes fauour and beauty of the same God and that by an equall proportion that if one of them encrease an hundreth degrees so many also encreaseth the other For hee that loueth much he vnderstandeth many causes of loue in the thing beloued but he that loueth little vnderstandeth but few And that which is cleerely vnderstoode of the loue of God this also is vnderstoode of feare hope and of the hatred of sinne From which men would no more abhorre then from other things vnlesse they vnderstood that it was an euill then which nothing in this world is more worthy of horror and execration Seeing therefore that the holy Ghost willeth that these effects should be in the soule of a righteous man he willeth also that there should be causes in it from whence they may come As hee willeth that there should be diuersity of effects in the earth so also he willeth that diuers causes and celestiall influences should be wrought in it Furthermore seeing that it is true as we before haue proued that God doth dwell by grace in the soules of the righteous and that God is light Enlightning euery man that commeth into the world as Saint
scarcelie it is knowne or noted in any man All these things doe sufficientlie declare how miserable thys seruitude is and with what a horrible punishment man is condemned for sinne seeing that for it the noblest creature is deliuered into the hands of so barbarous and cruell a Tyrant Ecclesiasticus hath expressed the nature of this beast when he beseeched the Lord that hee would put from him all wicked and vngodly desires that hee would take from him the greedines of the belly that the lust of the flesh should not take hold of him and that he might not be giuen ouer to an impudent minde As if he should say that he desired that he might not be deliuered into the hands of such a Tyrant or executioner For he supposed that such an appetite was worthy of such a name But if thou desirest to know how great the force and power of thys Tyrant is thou maist easily gather of that which he hath done and which hee daily dooth in thys world I will not send thee to the fables of Poets which tell vs how that most famous Hercules after he had conquerd all the Monsters of the world at the length beeing captiuated with the loue of a certaine lasciuious woman cast away his club and sat amongst other vvomen spynning and drawing out threds from his distaffe For so the woman that hee loued commaunded him yea if hee did it not she threatned him and checked him Thys those wise Poets fained more ingeniously then truly that they might shewe the cruell tyrannic and power of that appetite Neyther vvill I bring out of the holy Scriptures that known example of Salomon who beeing most holy and most wise yet hee was so besotted by his Concubines that his true God beeing forsaken he adored Idols and builded for them magnificent and stateliâ— Temples that hee might serue these impure harlots and his owne appetite although this example doth no lesse argue the tiranny of this most pestilent passion then that afore For I had rather bring those which daily are obuious to our eyes Consider I pray thee into what present danger an adulterous woman doth cast her selfe that she may satisfie her inordinate lust for it pleaseth vs to take an example from that perturbation seeing that the knowledge of the rest doe depend of the knowledge of one That woman knowes if she be found of her husband in an act so wicked and detestable that she shall be slaine without any hope of pardon shee knowes that shee shall loose together at one and the selfe same time her soule her life her honour her riches and all other blessings which she might hope for eyther in this world or in the world to come then which losse surely a greater nor a more vniuersall cannot be inuented or thought of She is not ignorant that she shall be a perpetuall reproch and scandale to her desamed children to her father and mother also to her brethren and sisters and to her whole family and that shee shall for euer be a griefe vnto them Neuerthelesse so great is the violence of this appetite or that I may speake better the power of this Tyrant that he forceth the woman to all these and easily bringeth her to so great danger and she doth willingly what so euer he commaundeth her What Barbarian or Tyrant was euer found in the world who could euer force his seruant to vndergoe so great dangers and so farre to obey him What captiuity can be found more hard or sharper In this estate all sinners liue as the Prophet witnesseth when he sayth That they dwell in darknes and in the shadow of death being bound in misery and yron That is in yron chaynes What darknes is this except that blindnes in which the wicked are conuersant as we haue shewed before seeing that they know neither themselues nor God as they ought to knowe neyther for what cause they liue neyther for what end they are created much lesse doe they know the vanity of the things they loue neyther this seruitude wherein they liue What be these bonds with which they are bound vnlesse the violence of their affections which holdeth their harts tyed with the most straight bonds of those things which they to inordinately doe desire And what is that hunger and misery which they suffer but an insatiable appetite and desire by which they are tormented about infinite things which they cannot haue Consider now therefore if any captiuity harder or sorer can be sustayned or borne But that thou mayst know this yet more plainely I will illustrate it by another example Behold Amnon King Dauids eldest sonne when as he laciuiously had beheld his sister Thamar he was so blinded with this darknes and so miserably bound with these chaines and so vehemently tormented with this hunger that he could neyther eate nor drinke nor sleepe yea he was so farre enamoured of her that he was sicke for her loue Tell me I pray thee what ones were the chaines of this perturbation or appetite with which his hart was bound when it so changed his flesh and so infected the humors of his body that a great infirmity followed vpon it But that thou mayst know that the remedy of this infirmity was not to haue obtayned that he desired marke how the same Amnon was further out of square and more greeuously afflicted and more vexed with a contrary affection after hee had satisfied his lust then he was before for the Scripture sayth And hee hated her exceedingly so that the hatred where-with he hated her was greater then the loue where-with he had loued her So that the rauishing of his sister did not free him from the passion but changed the one into another greater Is there any Tyrant to be found in the world who so often doth tosse and turmoyle his Captiues that doth commaund them to doe vndoe that forceth them to goe and returne the same way Certainely beleeue me my brother they are all such who are subiect to the like vices who are scarce Lords ouer themselues For they eate nothing they drinke nothing they thinke vpon nothing they speake nothing they dreame of nothing but of it So that neyther the feare of God nor their conscience nor heauen nor hell nor death nor iudgement nor oftentimes life it selfe and their proper honour which they so ambitiously loue and maintaine can bring them from this way or breake these bonds What shall I speake of their iealousie of their feare of their suspitions and of other externall accidents in which they are plunged night and day casting themselues headlong into most certaine danger of life and honour for this rauening and tormenting pleasure Is there any Tyrant in the world which after such a manner doth dominere and tyrannize ouer his seruant as vice rageth and raigneth ouer this mans hart For a seruant is neuer so bound to his Lord that night and day he doth wayte vpon him
voluntary For neyther is the malignity and mischiefe of poyson lesser although it be sweet so that it be poyson in deede There cannot be a greater captiuitie then if thou doost so blind-fold thy selfe that thou canst not beholde God truth honestly nor the lawe of righteousnesse If thou doost suffer thy selfe to be tortured vnder the vnreasonable rule of thys empyre thou art no more Lord of thy selfe then a drunken man is of himselfe ouer whom wine hath the soueraigntie and vpper hand But if it be a torment a torture to be a slaue a seruant what greater torment can there be then that with which couetous men are tormented especially seeing that they cannot many times possesse that which they so greedily desire neither can they choose but couet that neither knowe they meanes or way to obtaine it Therefore at the length they come to this ambiguitie that they say that which a certaine Poet sayd to a melancholie and braine-sicke woman I loue thee I hate thee And if thou askest me the cause I will tell thee I abhorre thy familiaritie and yet I cannot liue without thee If any one placed in this seruitude and slauerie shall assay to breake these chaynes and to ouercome conquer thys desire he shall finde the force of this appetite so mighty in striuing wrastling against him that oftentimes hee shall dispayre of the victorie and so he wretched man shall returne againe and put his hands and feete into his former gyues and chaynes Therefore doth not hee say well that calleth this appetite a bondage and a torment But if man were bound with one chaine alone surely it were a lesser euill for that man that onely is shutte vp in one prison hath but one only enemy to buckle with there is some hope that thys man may come free but what shall wee say of the bondes of so many other affections with which miserable man is bound Seeing therefore that mans life is subiect to so many and so diuers necessities all these be chaines and motiues of this insatiable couetousnes for they be snares in which our wretched hart is taken although they take hold sooner more grieuously of one then of another For there are many men by nature so apprehensiue that they cannot be brought from that which once they haue apprehended There be others that bee weake and as it were melancholy who through the nature of this humor doe most easily apprehend any thing whose desires are very vehement Some others are faint-harted and of feeble courage to whom all things seeme great hard and difficult and worthy to be much esteemed and although they are very smal yet they are exceedingly desired For to a base and peasantlie mind all things seeme great albeit they be small as Seneca saith Many also are naturally found very vehement in all things that they doe desire of which number are women of whom a certaine wise-man speaketh very well Either a woman loueth or hateth there is no third thing All these therefore doe suffer a hard and a sharpe seruitude through the violence of the passions which captiuate them But if the misery be so great to be bound with one onely chaine and to be the bond-slaue of one onely Lord what great misery shal it be to be bound with so many chaines and to be a seruant of so many Lords as a sinner is who obeieth so many Lords as he hath affections and vices which hee serueth What misery can be greater then this If all the dignitie of man in that he is man consisteth in two things that is in Reason and Will what can be more contrary to the one and to the other then passion and appetite which blindeth the Reason and hindereth the Will Hence it is manifest how dangerous and deadly all affection is for it throweth man out of the seate of his dignity by obscuring his reason and peruerting his will Without these two man is not man but a beast Thys therefore my brother is that miserable seruitude in which sinners liue as a nation which is neyther gouerned of God nor of reason but is haled and drawne of the appetite and of passion ¶ Of the libertie in which the righteous liue THE sonne of God came to deliuer vs from this vild miserable seruitude of which we haue hetherto spoken and this is that libertie and victory which the Prophet celebrateth when he sayth They shall reioyce before then according to the ioy in haruest as men reioyce when they deuide a spoyle For the yoke of theyr burden and the staffe of theyr shoulder and the rod of theyr oppressour hast thou broken All these names of the yoke of the staffe and of the rodde doe agree vnto the tyrannie and violence of our appetite because the deuill abuseth it as his owne instrument as he who is the Prince of this world and exerciseth his tyrannie in these names to bring men vnder the yoke of sin From this violence and power the sonne of God hath deliuered vs and that by the fulnesse of his grace which hee hath brought vnto vs through the sacrifice of his death For vvhich cause the Apostle sayth Our old man is crucified together vvith Christ. In the which place by the old man our inordinate appetite is vnderstoood which is corrupt and depraued by that first sinne For by this great and mighty sacrifice and merrit of his passion Christ hath obtained that grace and fauour for vs that we might bring vnder vs this Tyrant and that wee might treade him vnder our feete and that we might inflict vpon him due punishment by crucifying him who before crucified vs by bringing him into bondage who first helde vs captiue Wherefore that saying of Esay is fulfilled And they shall take them prisoners whose captiues they were and haue rule ouer theyr oppressours For before grace the sensuall appetite did hold vnder the spirit exercised tyrannie ouer him constraining him to serue euill lusts as before we haue spoken But after grace was giuen to the spirit the spirit was so helped of it that it preuailed and ouerthrew thys tyrant subiected him vnto him and made him to obey reason This is most excellently prefigured in the death of Adonibezech King of Ierusalem who was slaine of the children of the chyldren of Israell first the thumbes of his handes and feete beeing cutte off Who seeing himselfe brought to that misery and beeing mindfull of his owne cruelty and tyrannie which he before had vsed to others hee sayde Seauenty Kings hauing the thumbes of theyr hands and of theyr feete cutte off gathered fragments of meate vnder my table as I haue doone so God hath rewarded me The Scripture addeth that they brought him to Ierusalem and there he died Thys cruell Tyrant is a figure of the Prince of this worlde who before the comming of the sonne of GOD cutte off the hands feete of
beleeuest in him where is thy charity where is thy fortitude where is thy obedience where is thy patience where is thy faithfulnesse and where is thy strength of hope Is this the end of all thy labors is this thy good purpose is this that thou so often desiredst prayedst to God for Remember that Christianitie consisteth not onely in this to fast to pray to heare seruice and sermons but it is necessary that God find thee faithfull as another Iob or Abraham in the time of trouble A righteous man beeing helped after this manner by his good meditations and contemplations by his owne vertue and by the fauour of the Diuine grace which neuer forsaketh him at length commeth to that passe that he beareth the burden of his troubles not onely with patience but also with thanks-giuing and with great ioy A proofe of this is the example of the holy man Tobias the elder of whom it is written that after many calamities with which he was proued yea by Gods sufferance he lost his sight in his old age that an example of patience might be giuen vnto men he was neither consumed through griefe of minde neither lost he that sayth and obedience which before he had Wherefore the Scripture sayth But God therefore suffered this temptation to happen vnto him that an example of his patience might remaine vnto posteritie like as of holy Iob. For when as hee had alwayes feared God euen from his infancie and had kept his commaundements hee did not murmur against God that this plague of blindnesse fell vppon him but he remained vnmoueable in the feare of GOD giuing thanks to God all the dayes of his life Thou seest therefore that the holy Ghost dooth adde patience in troubles vnto vertue and vnto the feare of the Lorde which this holy man had according to that which before hath beene said There might also in this place be remembred certaine excellent and famous examples of our time in which certaine men and maids the seruants of GOD haue borne very great troubles and afflictions with great ioy who in bitternesse haue found sweetnes in tempest a calme and in the midst of the Babylonian fornace haue found a most wholsome and comfortable refreshing ¶ Of the impatience and fury of the wicked in tribulations THere is lesser cause to praise the Lord when we see the righteous constant in tribulation then there is to lament and grieue when we see the wicked compassed and enclosed vvith troubles For these haue neither charitie nor fortitude nor hope nor any vertues like vnto those and so tribulations finde them vnarmed and vnprepared neither haue they light by benefit of which they might see that which the righteous doe see through fayth neither doe they embrace that by a liuely hope neyther by experience haue they tryed that singuler goodnes fatherlie prouidence of God by which he watcheth ouer his It is a thing worthy of exceeding sorrow to see them swallowed vp in this sea neither to finde any footing nor any body to reach the hand vnto them to stay and support them For whilst they haue not this helpe and saile without this Pilot and Gouernor and fight without this Armour what is to be hoped for of thē but that they must be drowned and make shypwracke in that storme and tempest or that they must be slaine in this warre What is to be hoped for of them but that they must be tossed with the stormes of windes and with the floods of tribulations and that they must split theyr ship against the rocks of vvrath faint-hartednes impatience blasphemy and desperation There are many also found who furthermore haue lost their vnderstanding their health their life or els their sight through continuall mourning teares So that one part of men as most pure gold tried in the fire of affliction remaineth firme vnconquerable and another part as lead or tinne foorth-with is melted through the heate of the fire Therfore whilst one sorroweth another singeth and where one is drowned and choked another swimmeth and walketh dry foote therfore in the Tabernacles of the righteous alwaies the voyce of prayse and myrth dooth sound but in the houses of sinners lamentations are alwaies heard and voyces full of misery and confusion But if thou wilt more plainly vnderstand that which I say consider the sighes and sorrowes and the extreame lamentations of certaine great noble women after that by death they had lost a son or a husband and thou shalt find that some of thē haue closelie shutte vp themselues in obscure and darke places where they might neither see the Sunne nor the Moone others lyke beasts shutte themselues vp in Caues and Dennes of the earth others haue cast themselues into the fire others to whom lyfe was a payne and death a desire haue dashed out theyr ovvne braynes against a wall To be briefe others after easier maners through impatience and vehemencie of sorrowe haue ended theyr liues and ouerthrowne their families But this is more that not onely they haue been cruel and inhumane vnto themselues but they haue maliciously spurn'd against God blaspheming his Name and reuiling and reproching his prouidence cursing his iustice banning his mercy and opening theyr sacriligious mouthes against heauen and against the high and soueraigne maiestie of God Hence it is that calamities and miseries at the length doe raine and shoure vpon their houses and theyr miseries are doubled which the Lord sendeth vnto them for so great blasphemies For this reward deserueth he who spetteth in the face of God and willingly kicketh against the pricke Yea oftentimes this worke of the hand of GOD is wont to be most iust that hee suffereth man from one calamitie and tribulation to fall into greater Wherefore these vnhappy and miserable wretches the guidance of Vertue leauing them doe all thinges after a contrary and preposterous manner and doe peruert all order in the time of tribulation they blaspheme where they ought to blesse they are proude when humilitie is required augmenting their owne woe and misfortune with that punishment they bring vpon themselues and making their case more desperate with that medicine which they thought to apply vntothemselues which is as the beginning of one hell and going to another which is prepared For if hell be a place of punishments and sinnes what hindereth but that wee may say that there is a certaine resemblance of hell where so many punishments and so many sinnes are found But besides all these what griefe is it to see howsoeuer it be done yet that there is no remedy but that tribulation must bee suffered but to take them vpon vs and to beare them with patience doth make the burden lighter and is well pleasing vnto God but how miserable is that man which loseth the fruite of his patience for beare he must increaseth by impatience the bitternes of his condition which sorer afflicteth then the misfortune
sayth The age of the righteous shall appeare more cleare then the noone day because hee knoweth how great clearenes and brightnes remayneth for him when now he beginneth to goe out of this world And so at that time when the wicked are heauy and faynt the righteous reioyce and haue confidence in the Lord. This Salomon testifieth in his Prouerbs The wicked sayth he shall be cast away for his malice but the righteous hath hope in his death Tell mee I pray thee what greater hope or confidence can be wished for then that which a certaine holy man did ioy in at the houre of his death Death drawing on and he seeing the enemy of mankinde sayd Thou cruell beast why standest thou there thou shalt find nothing deadly in me for the bosome of Abraham shall receaue me in peace How can hee feare or be disquieted who at the very poynt of death had so great hope of the heauenly glory Therfore the righteous doe not feare death yea they reioyce and prayse God when they dye and doe render vnto him great thanks for theyr ende for by the benefit of death they are deliuered from all their labours and enter into their happines Saint Augustine writing vpon the Epistle of Saint Iohn sayth Hee that desireth to be dissolued and to be with Christ dyeth not patiently but lyueth patiently and dyeth delightsomly Therefore the righteous hath no cause to sorrowe neyther to feare death yea rather â—â— is to be sayd of him that like vnto a Swan he dyeth singing yeelding the glory to God who calleth him He feareth not death because he feared God and he that feareth him neede not feare any other He feareth not death because he feared life but feares of death are the effects of an euill life Hee feareth not death because throughout all his life he learned to dye and prepared himselfe to dye but a man prepared and prouident feareth not his enemy Hee feareth not death because so long as he liued he sought for those things that might helpe him that is for vertues and good works He feareth not death because he hath the Iudge fauourable friendlie vnto him and this was the comfort of Saint Ambrose when he was departing this life I haue not so liued sayth he among you that I am ashamed to liue any longer neyther doe I feare to dye because we haue a good and a gracious Lord. To be briefe he feareth not death because to a righteous man death is not death but a sleepe it is not death but an end of all labours it is not death but the way vnto life and a ladder vnto Paradice For he knoweth very well that death hath lost all the bitternes of death after that it hath passed through the veines of life and that it hath receaued the sweetnes of life Hee is not discouraged for any other accidents which oftentimes happen vnto him at this last cast for he knoweth that those sorrowes are the sorrowes of the birth by which he is borne vnto eternity for the loue of which he hath alwayes desired death and led his life in patience He is not terrified through the memory of his sinnes because he hath Christ his Redeemer whom alwayes he did striue to please He feareth not the Diuine iudgement because he hath Christ his Aduocate he sereth not the presence of deuils because he hath Iesus his defender and Captaine he feareth not the horrour of the graue because he knoweth that his body is sowne a corruptible body but shall rise againe an incorruptible body And after this manner prayse is sung in the end The last day iudgeth all the praecedent as Seneca sayth and giueth sentence of the life past for this is it which eyther iustifieth or condemneth but seeing that the end of the righteous is so quiet and peaceable and the death of the wicked so troublesome and dangerous what is further required to make vs flye an euill life and to embrace a good besides this difference What doe all pleasures riches and sauours of this world profit and what auaileth prosperity if I am at the last to be cast into hell fire And what haue all the miseries and calamities of this life hurt me if I shall sleepe and rest in peace tranquillity and if I shall passe hence hauing a pledge and pawne of eternall life Albeit a sinner be wise in the busines of this life vvhat profit reapeth he by this wisedome vnlesse he heape and scrape together those things whereby he becommeth prouder vainer more delicate and of greater power to worke mischiefe but more vnfitte and vnapt to any good worke Hence death is so much the more bitter vnto him by howe much lyfe vvas sweeter There is no wisedome nor prudence more excellent in this life then so to dispose of all affaires that the end may be ioyfull and happy For it is the propertie of a wise man conueniently and fitly to direct the meanes to the end Wherefore if he be called a skilfull Phisitian who can so temper his medicine that it bringeth health which is the end of his medicine so he shall be termed truly wise who hath so learned to lead his life that a good death may follow that is that he be prepared to giue an account which in that day shall be exacted vnto which all the life is to be disposed aymed and leuelled at ¶ The Conclusion of those thinges which haue beene spoken of in this second part THou hast heard therfore my brother what how great be these twelue priuiledges prerogatiues which are granted vnto Vertue in this life which are as the twelue most notable and excellent fruites of that most noble tree which S. Iohn saw in his Reuelation which was planted by the side of a Riuer bearing twelue manner of fruites and yeelding fruite euerie month For what other thing can thys tree be after the Sonne of GOD then Vertue herselfe which yeeldeth fruites of holines and of lyfe And what other fruites more precious then these can be desired which throughout this whole part we haue remembred For what fruite is more pleasant to the sight then that fatherly prouidence by which God preserueth his What fruite is sweeter then the Diuine grace the light of wisedome the consolations of the holy Ghost the ioy peace of a good conscience the good euent of hope the true libertie of the soule the inward peace of the hart to be heard in prayers to be helped in tribulations to be prouided for temporall necessities and to conclude to be ayded and to tast of heauenly comforts in death Surely each one of these priuiledges is so great and so excellent of it selfe that if it were thorowly known each I say were sufficient to moue a man to embrace Vertue to alter and change his life and it would make a man truelie to vnderstand how well it was said of our Sauiour That whosoeuer shall forsake the
which is made at the poynt of death and in extreamity is sildome true by reason of the great difficulty that happeneth at this time He prooueth this conclusion by foure reasons or arguments The first is by reason of the great perturbations which arise out of the greatnes of griefes sicknes and the presence of Death through which the hart is lesse able to lift vp it selfe to God and rightly to busie it selfe in the exercises of true repentance For the better vnderstanding of this argument we must know that all the perturbations of our hart haue great force to disturbe and hinder our will and sences and according to the rule of Philosophy in this effect and euent the affections or passions are much more powerfull which cause sorrow and sadnes then those that procure mirth and ioy Hence it is that the perturbations or affections of one dying are exceeding strong and of all other most powerfull For as Aristotle saith death is the most dreadfull of all terrible things there being so many dolours discruciatements in the body so many afflictions and anguishes in the soule so great sorrow and care for children wife the world all which are to be forsaken Amongst so many and so tempestuous winds of the passions where shall the sences be and where the cogitations but where these dolours and perturbations doe carry and whirle them Daily experience teacheth vs that if any one be tormented with the tooth-ach or by any other sharpe payne although he be a very godly and a religious man yet scarcely then can he stedfastly lift vp his hart to God nay all the sences thoughts haue recourse thither where the griefe is If this happeneth to the righteous what will he doe who neuer accustomed himselfe to thinke of God and who so much is readier to endanger his greater friend then his lesser by how much he is apter and proner to loue his body better then his soule Amongst the foure impediments of contemplation which S. Bernard doth reckon vp one is the euill disposition and temperature of the body For then the soule is so vrged and occupied with the dolours of the flesh that scarce it permitteth a man to thinke vpon any other thing besides that which then greeueth and excruciateth him Which if it be true what greater dotage or madnes can there be then to expect tarry and wayte for the worst disposition and temperature of the body in it to handle and deal with the greatest businesses of the soule I knew a certaine man who being at the poynt of death when he was willed and admonished to prepare himselfe for his end for the glasse of his life was now runned out he was so affrighted and ouerwhelmed with the presence of death that he thought vpon nothing els then how he might escape the danger of death as if the date of his life had beene put in his owne hands and he had the ordering and determining of it All his care was how he might remedy and auoyde this danger if possibly it might be But when the Minister saw him so little carefull and troubled with those things which were necessary for that time he admonished him that he should let passe such thoughts and begin earnestly to call vpon God The sicke man hardly taking this aâ—â—onition began to talke a farre off from the purpose and so yeeleded vp the ghost Notwithstanding this man had beene a louer of Vertue wherby thou mayst see how the presence of Death doth disturbe and disquiet them who are in loue with their lifes seeing that it so greatly troubled him who at other times had despised it I knew also another man who when hee had fallen into a most dangerous and greeuous sicknes and saw Death now at hand he earnestly desired to conferre a little with God and to preuent the Iudge by a deuoute prayer before hee should depart out of this life but sorrowes and the continuall accidents of his infirmity would let him haue no rest If therfore onely preparation to repentance bâ—so hard at that time who will be so fond and mad to defer and prorogue the remedy and repentance of his whole life to that moment The second reason of the Shoole-man is that true repentance ought to be voluntary that is it ought to be done willingly and not of constraint or compelled by necessitie Thys is that which Saint Augustine saith Let no man tarry so long as he can sin For God requireth the liberty of the vvill that thy faultes may be wiped away he requireth not necessity but charitie not onely feare because man liueth not onely in feare Therefore it behoueth him that lately repenteth not onely to feare the Iudge but to loue him because without charitie no man can be saued Wherefore that man that neuer truly repenteth himselfe in his life time but prorogeth it to the houre of death he seemeth not to bring forth repentance of will but of compulsion â—â—d if of constraint or necessity then it is not meerely voluntary Such was the repentance of Shimei for that offence which he had committed against Dauid when hee fled from the face of his sonne Absolon Which Shimei when he saw that the victory did incline to Dauid and considering of the mischiefe that hung ouer his head he descended with the men of Iuda to meete King Dauid and with the thousand men of Beniamin and prostrating himselfe before the King he craued pardon for his fault Which when Abishai heard he sayd Shall not Shimei die for this because he cursed the Lords annointed But holy king Dauid not ignorâ—â—â— of what small desert this repentance was for the time wisely dissembled the deede yet he would not that it should vtterly passe vnreuenged but when he was at deaths doore not for any desire of reuenge but in the zeale of iustice he commaunded his sonne that hee should not suffer it to goe vnreuenged who afterwards commanded him to be slaine Of this kinde and nature seemeth the repentance of many wicked Christians to be who when they haue perscuered all theyr lyfe thorow in sinne offending God when the houre of rendering an account shall draw neere when they see death approching and the graue open and the Iudge present when they shall vnderstand that no strength or power can be founde against that infinite power omnipotencie and that that shall be determined in that moment which is for euer irreuocable then they turne themselues vnto the Iudge with prayers and protestations which if they be true certainly they are profitable But the common euent teacheth what manner of prayers and protestations they were and are for we haue learned by experience that many of them hauing escaped this danger forthwith haue forgot all that they promised and as Swine haue returned to theyr wallowing in the myre yea they haue reuersed and recalled that good which then they purposed and haue againe embraced those
mistery of that time it will be counted a ridiculous thing to thinke that these are matters for all times and places which were onely proper for that time We see also in all well ordered common wealths that some things be done ordinarily and alwayes after the same manner and some things that are vsed extraordinarily Ordinary things are common to all but the extraordinary are proper to some certaine The same thing also commeth in vse in the common wealth of God which is his Church And so that of the Apostle is regular and ordinary Whose end shall be according to theyr works signifying that after the common manner of speaking an euill death followeth an euill life and a good death a good life And it is an ordinary thing that those that embrace Vertue and leade a godly life doe enter into an eternal life and those that liue viciously and wickedly to be cast into hell fire This sentence is common and true which the holy Scripture doth beate vpon in many places This the Psalmes doe sing of this the Prophets doe celebrate this the Apostles doe preach of this the Euangelists haue noted The kingly Prophet hath comprehended this in few words when he sayd God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God And that thou Lord art mercifull for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke This is the summe of all Christian Philosophy Therfore according to this speach of Dauid we say that it is an ordinary thing that as well the righteous as the sinner should receaue a reward at the end of their lifes according to the works which they haue done Yet besides this vniuersall law God can by his especiall grace and fauour bestow mercy vpon some that they should dye the death of the righteous who haue liued the life of sinners as also it may come to passe that he that hath liued like a righteous man in this world by the secret iudgement of God may dye as a sinner As it happeneth vnto them who haue sayled very fortunately in a long voyage and at the very mouth of the Hauen suffer shipwrack Hence it is that Salomon sayth Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth vpward and the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth For although it be alwayes in a manner true that their soules who liue like beasts descend to hell and that theirs that liue like men ascend to heauen yet in the secret and particuler iudgement of God this order may be somtimes inuerted Yet it is safe and generall doctrine that a good liuer shall haue a blessed death Therefore no man ought for the praecedent causes to leane to their examples who haue been saued by especiall and particuler grace and sauour for they make no generall rule nor extend themselues to all men but onely to few and those vnknowne Neyther canst thou know whether thou art contayned in that number But if thou obiectest vnto me the repentance of the Niniuites which proceeded from feare least they should all haue beene destroyed within forty dayes consider thou not onely their sharpe and seuere repentance which they made but also their change of life Change thou also thy life after the same manner and the same mercy shall not forsake thee But I perceaue that thou art scarcely recouered of thine infirmity and scarcely risen out of bed seeing that thou straightwayes runnest to the first kind of life and recallest all that which thou didst purpose when thou wast weake Wherfore I leaue thee to consider what I may think of thy repentance ¶ The conclusion of the former disputation WHatsoeuer hath hetherto beene spoken hath not beene spoken to that end that it should shut the gate of saluation or of hope against any man for neyther hath any of the Saints shut it neyther ought any man to shut it but to this end that the wicked may be recalled turned from that refuge and fortresse in which they lurke and are made mightier to perseuere in their iniquities But tell me I pray thee my brother if all the voyces and iudgements of Doctors and holy men if all reasons if the holy and sacred Scripture pronounce so dangerous and perillous things of it how darest thou hope for saluation in so great danger and hazard In whom doest thou trust that will helpe thee in this ieopardy Perhaps thou placest thy hope in thy preparations in thine almes and in thy prayers Thou vnderstoodest a little before how the fiue foolish virgins with great care would haue prepared made ready thēselues after that they had heard the voyce telling them that the Bridegrome came thou hast learned also with what great instancie they knocked and cryed at the doore yet it profited none of them for it proceeded not of true loue or of true repentance Perhaps thou trustest to thy teares which thou wilt poure forth at that time surely vnfained teares at all times are auailable happy is that man that from his very hart can poure thē foorth but remember I pray thee what teares Esau shedde Who as the Apostle saith found no place of repentance though he sought it with teares For he did not weepe for the loue of GOD but for his owne commoditie Or doost thou put thy hope in thy good purposes which thou then settest before thine eyes These are of force vvhen they are true and sincere but remember the purposes of King Antiochus who when hee was in this danger promised such great and magnificent things that it would make a man amazed that readeth them This wicked man saith that booke prayed vnto the Lord of whom he obtayned no mercy The reason was for all things that he purposed proceeded not of the spirit of loue but of seruill feare which is not acceptable For to feare hell may proceede of the meere naturall loue which man beareth to himselfe But that man loueth himselfe is no reason that the kingdome of heauen should be giuen vnto him Insomuch that as no man entred into the pallace of King Assuerus clothed in Sackcloth so it is lawfull for no man to enter into the pallace of God with a seruill garment but all that will enter must be clothed with wedding garments that is adorned and beautified with true loue and charitie Wherefore my brother I pray and intreate thee that thou wouldest reade and consider of these things with great attention that thou after a very short time without all doubt shalt come to this houre and to this ieopardy For thou seest vvith what great swiftnes heauen is turned about and with what velocitie time slippeth and posteth away how soone the thred of thy life shall be cut off The day of destruction is at hand sayth the Prophet and the times that shall come make hast Therefore a little space of time being ouer-past this prophecie shal be fulfilled Then thou shalt
them in thy minde by little and little thou shalt feele this feare wrought in thee ¶ Of the workes of the Diuine iustice whereof mention is made in the holy Scripture THE first worke of the Diuine iustice which the holy Scripture remembreth is the damnation of Angels The beginning of the wayes of the Lord was that terrible bloudy beast the Prince of deuils as it is written in the booke of Iob. For seeing that all the waies of the Lord are mercy and iustice vntill this first sinne the iustice of GOD was not yet reuealed which was hid in the bosome of the Lord as a sword in a scabberd This first sinne was the cause why this sword was vnsheathed Consider now how grieuous and terrible this first plague and punishment was lift vp thine eyes and thou shalt behold wonderfull things thou shalt see I say the most precious iewel of the house of God thou shalt see the chiefest beauty of heauen thou shalt see that Image in which the Diuine beauty shyned so cleerly this I say thou shalt see falling from heauen like an arrow and that for the onely thought of pride The Prince of all the Angels is made the Prince of deuils of most beautifull he is made most horrible and deformed of most glorious he is made most vilde and disgracious of one most acceptable gracious of all those creatures which God had made or euer would make he is made the greatest the most malicious enemie What astonishment thinkest thou and what admiration was this to the heauenly Spirits who know from whence and whether this so noble a creature fell With what feare did they all pronounce that of Esay Howe art thou fallen from heauen ô Lucifer sonne of the Morning Descend afterward a little lower to the earthly Paradice and there thou shalt see a case no lesse feareful vnlesse there had been a remedy vsed for this mischiefe For that the Angels should fall it was needfull that they all should actually offend But what hath the creature which is borne actually offended in why he should be borne the child of wrath It is not needfull that he should haue actuall sinne it sufficeth onely that he be borne of that man that had offended and by offending had corrupted the common roote of all mankind which was in him this I say is sufficient why he is borne in sinne The glory and Maiesty of God is so great that when as one onely creature had offended him the whole kinde deserued so seuerely to be punished For if it was not sufficient to Haman that great friend of King Assuerus that he might reuenge himselfe of Mardocheus of whom he supposed that he had receaued an iniury not only to punish Mardocheus but for the greatnes of his honour to cut off the whole nation of the Iewes for the deniall as he iudged of a small reuerence why doest thou meruaile if the glory and maiesty of God which is infinite requireth like punishment Behold therfore the first man is banished out of Paradice for a bit of an apple for which euen to this day the whole world is punished And after so many thousand yeares the sonne that is borne bringeth with him out of his mothers wombe the staine and blemish of his father and not when he can offend himselfe by reason of age but in his very natiuity he is borne the child of wrath and that as I haue sayd after so many thousand yeares After so long time this iniury could not be buried in obliuion being deuided among so many thousand thousands of men and punished with so many scourges Yea all the torments which men haue suffered from the beginning of the world to this day all the deaths which they haue vndergone and all the soules which burne and shall burne in hell euerlastingly are sparks which haue originally proceeded from that first sinne all which are arguments and testimonies of the Diuine iustice And all these things are also done and brought vpon vs after the redemption of mankind wrought and made by the blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Which remedy if it had not beene wrought there had been no difference betweene men and deuils for of themselues there had beene as little remedy and hope of saluation to the one as to the other What doest thou think of this punishment I thinke that it is a reasonable sound argument of the Diuine iustice But because this heauy and greeuous yoke is not taken away from the sonnes of Adam new and moe kinds of punishments haue sprung from it for other sinnes which haue beene deriued from that first All the world was drowned with the waters of the deluge The Lord rayned from heauen fire and brimstone vpon those fiue polluted and sinfull Citties The earth swallowed vp Dathan and Abiron aliue for a certaine contention that was betweene them and Moses A fire went out from the Lord and deuoured the two sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu because they had not obserued the right and due ceremonies in the sacrifice neyther did the dignity of their priesthood profit them any thing nor the holines of their father nor that familiarity which theyr Vncle Moses had with the Lord. Ananias and Saphira in the new Testament because they lyed vnto S. Peter which seemed to be but a small matter fell downe dead and sodainly yeelded vp the ghost But what shall we say of the hidden and secret iudgements of God Salomon who was the wisest of all men and whom God so tenderly loued that he was sayd to be the Lords beloued by the hidden and secret iudgement of God came to that extreame abhomination and that most abhominable sinne that he fell into Idolatry What is more fearefull then this But if thou shouldest know of moe iudgements of this kinde which daily happen in the Church perhaps thou wouldest no lesse feare these then thou dreadest that Because thou shouldest see many starres falling from heauen to the earth thou shouldest see many who did eate the bread of Angels vpon the Lords table to fall and slip into such calamities that they rather desire to fill their bellies with the drasse and swash of Swine thou shouldest see many whose chastity was purer and more beautifull then a Porphirite to be blacker then a cole The causes of whose lapse were their sinnes But what greater signe of the Diuine iustice canst thou desire thē that God for the iniury done vnto him wold not be satisfied but with the death of his onely begotten sonne before he would receaue the world to his fauour What manner of words I pray thee were they which the Lord spake to the women which followed him lamenting and bewayling Daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children For behold the dayes will come when men shall say Blessed are the barren and the wombs that neuer bare and the paps
alike yet there were great cause of feare Why do I say alike Yea such so great are the euerlasting torments of hell that if onely one man of all man-kind were to be banished thether yet we all should tremble and feare When our Sauiour did eate his last Supper with his Disciples and sayd One of you shall betray me they were all exceeding sorrowful began to feare although theyr conscience witnessed their innocencie For when as an imminent mischiefe is grieuous heauie although there be but few to whom it is threatned yet all and euery one feareth least it should happen to him If there were a great Army of men in a fielde and it should bee reuealed from heauen to them all that a little after an Arrow should fall from heauen and should kill one of them neyther was it known whom it should be there is no doubt but that euery one would feare himselfe least it should fal vpon him But what would they do if the greater part of them should be in danger and ieopardy How much greater would thys feare be Tell me ô man thou that art so cunning in fleshly wisedome and so vnskilfull in the busines of thy saluation did God euer reueale vnto thee that there should be so many whom the thunder or sword of the Diuine iustice should smite If thou knowest not this certainly I much lesse beleeue that thou knowest how many and which â—e they that shall escape that plague on which side thou shalt stand and yet doost thou not feare Or doth hell seeme more tollerable vnto thee then the wound of an arrow Or hath God secured thee or hast thou letters of thy securitie or is an infallible charter of thy saluation graunted vnto thee or a priuiledge of immunity and freedom Hetherto there is nothing that promiseth any such like thing vnto thee moreouer thy works condemne thee and according to the present iustice vnlesse thou turne ouer a new lease thou art reprobated and doost thou not yet feare or wilt thou say that the Diuine mercie doth comfort thee Surely that doth not dissolue the works of iustice neither is contrary to them yea if it suffer so many to be damned will it not also suffer thee to be one of them if thou together sinnest with them Doost thou not see that thys vnhappy loue of thy selfe doth blinde thee and miserably deceaue thee whilst it maketh thee to presume other things then are seene in the whole world What priuiledge I pray thee is giuen vnto thee beyond the other sonnes of Adam that thou shouldest not be banished thether whither they are gone whose works tâ—oâ— doost follow But if God be to be known by his works I know what I wil say For although there be many comparisons by which the mercy of God his iustice may be compared between themselues in which the works of mercy doe preuaile yet at the length we finde that in the posterity of Adam of whose seede thou also art borne that there are found many moe vessels of wrath then of mercy seeing that there are so many that are damned and so few that are saued The cause of which is not because the grace and helpe of God forsaketh them or is wanting vnto them For God as the Apostle sayth would haue all to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth but because the wicked are wanting to themselues and the grace of God is of none effect in them All these things are remembred more largely and prolixely of me that thou mayest vnderstand that notwithstanding the mercy of God which thou pretendest God suffereth so many to be Infidels and in the Church so many euill Christians and so many Infidels and so many euill Christians to perish so also he will permit thee to perish with them if thou imitatest theyr life Or when thou wast borne did the heauens reioyce or shal the iudgements and decrees of God be changed that the world may be peculier to thee and another to others If therfore notwithstanding the mercy of God hell be so enlarged and so many thousand soules be daily swallowed vp of it shall not thy soule also come thether if thou continuest in thy sinnes But that thou mayest not say that God in times past was seuere and sharpe but now gentle and mild consider that also with this gentlenes and clemencie he suffereth all that thou hast heard neyther shalt thou be free and exempted from it but also thy punishment remayneth for thee yea although thou beest called a Christian if thou beest found a sinner Or therfore shal God lose his glory if he shall condemne thee Hast thou I pray thee any singuler thing in thee for which God aboue others ought to spare thee Or hast thou any priuiledge which others haue not for which he should not destroy thee with others if thou beest not lesse euill then others be Consider I pray thee the sonnes of Dauid for their fathers sake many priuiledges were promised vnto them but neyther for that cause would the Lord suffer their wickednes vnpunished wherefore many of them had but sorrowfull ends Where then is thy vaine trust Why doest thou vainely hope they perishing that thou shalt not perish seeing thou art pertaker of their wickednes Thou errest my brother thou errest if thou thinkest that this is to hope in God This is not hope but presumption For hope is to trust that God will forgiue thee thy sinnes if thou be repentant and sorrowfull for them and turnest from thy wickednes and that then he will receaue thee into fauour But it is exceeding great presumption to beleeue that thou shalt be saued and happy perseuering and continuing in thy sinnes Doe not think that this is a small sinne for it is numbred amongst those which are committed against the holy Ghost for he that presumeth after this maner he offereth no smal ignominy reproch to the Diuine goodnes which especially is attributed to the holy Ghost Such sinnes as our Sauiour testifieth are not forgiuen in this world nor in that to come insinuating that they are remitted with great difficulty for as much as they shut against them the gate of grace and offend a Phisitian who can giue life apply the medicine to the wound ¶ The conclusion of all those things which haue beene spoken in this Chapter LEt vs at the length conclude this matter with that excellent sentence of Ecclesiasticus Because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne And say not The mercy of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercy wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Tell me I pray thee if of a sinne forgiuen we ought to feare how can it possibly be that thou shouldest be secure by daily adding sinnes to sinnes Marke diligently what he sayth His indignation commeth downe vpon sinners For of this sentence the
whole matter dependeth For we must know that although the Diuine mercy extendeth to the iust and vniust calling these and expecting their repentance and preseruing the other neuerthelesse the great graces the notable benefits which God promiseth to men in the Scriptures especially belong to the righteous who as they faythfully obserue the law and commandements of God so faithfully God keepeth them he keepeth his promises with them and he is a true father vnto them as they are his morigerous and obedient sonnes On the contrary part whatsoeuer threatnings curses and seuerity of Diuine iustice the holy bookes of the Bible contayne all that properly pertayneth to thee and to such like vnto thee How great therfore is thy blindnes and blockishnes who fearest not so great cominations purposely intended against thee and comfortest thy selfe with promises not made for thee O miserable man haue an eye to those things that are spoken of thee and giue to the iust that is theirs Wrath belongeth to thee therfore feare but loue to the righteous let them therfore reioyce and be glad Wilt thou that I shall proue this to be true heare what Dauid sayth The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open to their prayers But the face of the Lord is against them that worke euill to roote their memory from off the face of the earth Such a like speach is found in Esdras The hand of our God sayth Esdras that is the Diuine prouidence is ouer all that seeke him in truth and his wrath strength and fury ouer them who forsake him Which seeing that it is so why ô wretched man doest thou continue in thy sinne vvhy doest thou deceaue thy selfe vvhy art thou so dull vvhy errest thou thus These testimonies of Scripture are not for thee so long as thou remaynest in the state of damnation the sweetnes of the Diuine fauour and loue speaketh not to thee This is the portion of Iacob it belongeth not to Esau. This is the lot of the righteous thou who art wicked what right hast thou here Leaue of to be wicked and it shall be thine forsake thine vngodly life and the loue of God and his fatherly prouidence shall protect thee and cherrish thee Which if thou doest not thou art a tyrant and doest vsurpe the rights of other men Hope in the Lord sayth Dauid and doe good And in another place Offer the sacrifices of righteousnes and trust in the Lord. This is the best manner of hoping doe not further abuse the mercy of God in perseuering in thy sinnes and in hoping that thou shalt come to heauen It is the best hope to flye sinne and to call vpon God but if thou continuest in thy sinnes this is not to hope but to presume this is not to hope for mercy but it is to doe an euill deed and to offend that mercy For euen as the Church doth profit them nothing who depart from it that they may doe wickedly so also it is meete that the mercy of God should not profit them who continue in their sinnes This before all things the dispencers and Preachers of Gods word ought to consider who oftentimes not marking before whom they make their Sermons minister occasion to the wicked to continue and perseuere in their sinnes They should respect that euen as a sicke and a diseased body the more it eateth the greater harme it taketh so also a soule hardened in sinne the more that it deceaueth it selfe with this kinde of trust the more it is hardened and moued to perseuere in sinne In stead of a conclusion that excellent sentence of S. Augustine shall be By hoping and despairing men perish By hoping naughtily in their lifes but by despairing worser in their deaths Therfore cease my brother and forsake this presumptuous hope remember that as the Lord is mercifull so also he i◠iust Therfore as thou castest one eye vpon mercy that thou mayest hope so cast the other vpon iustice that thou mayest feare For as S. Bernard sayth God hath two feete mercy and iudgement we ought to apprehend neyther of them alone or seuerally for iustice without mercy doth not so make to feare as mercy without iustice doth make men continue and perseuere in a wicked life Against them that excuse themselues saying that the way of Vertue is rough sharpe and difficult CHAP XXVIII WOrldly and carnall men are wont also to bring another excuse that they may seeme not without cause to haue left and eschewd Vertue and Religion saying that it is rough and difficult albeit they are not ignorant that this difficulty ariseth not from vertue her selfe for she is a friend vnto reason and very well agreeth with the nature of a reasonable creature but from the euill inclination of our flesh and our wicked appetities which taketh the originall from sinne Hence it is that the Apostle sayth that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and that these two doe striue between themselues And in another place he sayth I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members By which words the Apostle meaneth that the law of God and Vertue doe very well agree with the superiour part of our soule which altogether is spirituall in which the vnderstanding and the will is but her watch and warines is hindered by the law of the members and this happeneth of the euill inclination corruption of our appetites and the passions arising from them which are aduersaries to the superiour part of the soule and to God himselfe which discord contrariety is the cause of all this difficulty For this cause many alienate themselues from Vertue albeit otherwise they highly account of it as also sicke men doe who although they desire health yet they abstayne from and abhor medicines because they suppose them to be bitter and of euill tast Wherefore if we take this errour and opinion from men I take it that we shall performe a thing not to be repented of for this is the onely stay and let that hindereth them from Vertue besides this difficulty there is nothing in Vertue which is not greatly and especially to be desired and affected ¶ How the grace giuen vs by Christ doth make the way of Vertue easie and pleasant FIrst of all in this place we must know that the chiefest cause of this errour is that men onely looke vpon this small difficulty which is found in Vertue and lift not vp theyr eyes to those Diuine helps which God sendeth to ouercome it The errour of the seruant of Elizeus was of this kinde who seeing the army of the Syrians compassing the Citty and Horses and Charets begirding the house of the Prophet saw not the army of the Lord prepared
doest thou promise that thou thy selfe wilt performe it This question is aunswerrd by the words of Augustine who sayth Lord giue that thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt So that he be the same vvho commaundeth me what I ought to doe and he that giueth me grace to doe it Therfore in one and the selfe same thing both the commaundement and the promise are found and God and man doe one and the selfe same thing he as the principall and chiefest cause but man as a cause lesse principall So that God in this busines carrieth himselfe to man as a Paynter who guideth the pencill in the hand of his Scholler and so maketh a perfect picture two perfit this worke but more honour belongeth to the one then to the other So also God worketh with vs in this busines after an absolute manner man hath not wherein to glory but to glory with the Prophet and say Lord thou workest all our works in vs. Therefore be thou mindfull of these words for by them thou mayst interpret all the commaundements of God For all that he commaundeth thee to doe he promiseth also that he will doe it with thee When as therfore he commaundeth thee to circumcise thine hart he sayth also that he will circumcise it so when he commaundeth thee that thou shouldest loue him aboue all things he bestoweth grace vpon thee that thou mayst be able so to loue him Hence it is that the yoke of the Lord is sayd to be sweete For there be two that draw it God man and so that which seemed and was difficult vnto nature the Diuine grace doth make it light and sweet Wherefore the Prophet after the fore-sayd words doth proceede further and say This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hid from thee neyther is it farre of It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp for vs to heauen and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it Neyther is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs and bring it us and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But the word is very neere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine hart for to doe it In which words the holy Prophet would altogether take away that difficulty which carnall men imagine to be in the precepts of the Lord for they onely looking to the law of the Lord without the Gospell that is to those things that are commaunded and not to the grace which is giuen to obey and walk in those commaundements they accuse the law of difficulty saying that it is greeuous heauy difficult not considering that they expresly contradict Saint Iohn who sayth For this is the loue of God that we keepe his commaundements his commaundements are not greeuous for all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world That is all they that haue conceaued the spyrit of God in their soules by meanes of whom they are regenerated and made his sonnes whose spirit they haue receaued all these haue God in them who dwelleth in them by grace and they can doe more then all that that is not God and so neyther the world nor the deuill nor all the power of hell can hurt them And here-vpon it followeth that although the yoke of Gods commaundements be heauy and burthenous yet that newe strength and fortitude which is giuen by grace doth make it light and tollerable ¶ How Charity also maketh the way easie and pleasant which leadeth vnto heauen WHat wilt thou think if to all these precedent another help be ioyned which is deriued in vs from Charity For it is certaine that it is one of the most principall conditions of Charity to make the yoke of the Diuine law most sweet Wherfore as Saint Augustine sayth by no manner of meanes the labours of louers are burthenous or combersome but are delightfull and pleasurable as the labours of Hunters Fowlers and Fishers For in that which is loued eyther there is no labour or the labour is loued And in another place He that loueth sayth he laboureth not For all labour is contrary vnto them that doe not loue It is onely loue that blusheth at the name of difficulty What is it that maketh that a mother doth not feele the continuall labours and troubles which she hath in bringing vp her children but onely loue What is it that maketh an honest and a good vvife to attend night and day vpon her weake and sickly husband but onely loue What doth moue beasts also that they are so carefull to bring vp and foster their young ones and to giue them meate from their owne mouthes that theyr yong may haue to eate what doth moue them I say so to trouble and torment themselues that they may liue safely and what doth moue them so strongly to defend them endangering their owne lifes but true loue What is the cause why Saint Paule sayd with so magnanimous a spirit Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuertheles in all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What is the cause why the holy Martyrs of Christ so feruently desired martirdome as the hart desireth the water brookes but true loue What is the cause why Saint Lawrence lying vpon the Gridiron in the midst of his torments sayde cheerefully that the flames did comfort and refresh his limbs but that great desire by which he longed for martirdom which was kindled with the flames of this loue For true loue thinketh nothing hard nothing bitter nothing greeuous nothing deadly as Petrus Rauennas sayth What sword what wounds what paynes what death can preuaile against perfect and true loue Loue is an impenetrable coate offence it resisteth darts it beateth backe the sword it tryumpheth ouer dangers it scorneth death if it be loue it ouercommeth all things Therefore ô man loue God loue him wholy that thou mayst ouercome and subdue all sinnes without labour The warre is pleasant and the combat delicate onely by loue to carry the victory ouer all crimes and vices This sayth he Neyther is true loue content if it conquer all labours and troubles but the very nature of loue desireth to sustaine moe labours and troubles for his sake whom it affecteth Hence ariseth that ardent desire of martyrdome which righteous and truly religious men haue that is to shed and poure forth
looke a little into the worlds darknes and blind guidance and thou shalt soone discerne it Tell me I pray thee what is more blind then that men should beleeue as they beleeue and liue as they liue What greater blindnes then so to reuerence and dread men and so wickedly to contemne and despise God So carefully to seeke and study for the commodities of the body which is nothing else but a brutish creature and to haue no care for the soule which is the image of the Diuine maiefty what greater blindnes can there be What greater blindnes then when wee assuredly know that we shall dye neyther doe we know in that houre whether our felicity or misery shall be determined which for euer shal stand ratified yet we liue so negligently and securely as if we should alwayes liue For sinners liue no otherwise to day then if they meant to liue alwayes and that death would neuer come What greater blindnes can be thought vpon then this that men for the satisfying of one desire should lose willingly their whole inheritance of heauen So greatly to esteeme of riches and so finally to set by their conscience To haue so diligent a regard that all external blessings should be safe and ordered and not to care whether the life be ordered and sound Such plenty of blindnes and palpable darknes is found in the world that a man hath good cause to coniecture that men are inchaunted and bewitched who hauing eyes see not eares yet heare not who when they are cleare and bright sighted to behold earthly things yet are more blind then Moles in viewing celestiall things That happeneth to them that in times past happened to Saint Paule persecuting the Church of God who falling vpon the earth when hee opened his eyes hee saw no light so also these miserable and wretched men who when they haue eyes broad open in earthly matters doe see nothing in Diuine matters as though their eyes were shut ¶ Of the multitude of sinnes that are in this world IF there be so many snares in the vvorld and so great darknes what is to be hoped therof but stumblings slydings and sinnes But sinne is the greatest of all the euils of this world and ought to be the most effectuall motiue to mooue vs to forsake the world By this only consideration that glorious Martir Cyprian endeuoured to perswade a friend of his to despise contemne this world imagining him to be set on the top of a very high mountaine whence he might view all things lying beneath him his eyes being cast on euery side the holy Martyr sheweth vnto him all Seas Lands Pallaces and iudgement seates to be fild and replished with a thousand kinde of sinnes and iniuries which were committed in euery place and when he had seene so many and great euils which were daily perpetrated in the vvorld he very well knew with what great circumspection and care he ought to beware of the world how great a debter he was to God who had vouchsafed him such a caueat wherby he might detest and abhorre the world Ascend thou therefore my brother to the top of this mountayne and cast thine eyes into euery corner of the vvorld and behold the stormy vvhirle-winds of this boysterous Sea Looke into the Pallaces of Princes the Courts and publique meetings of this vvorld and there thou shalt see so many kind of sinnes so many lyes so many cauilations deceits iniuries thefts enuyings flatteries vanities and that which is greater so great forgetfulnes of God and so little care of saluation that thou canst not but greatly vvonder and stand amazed in beholding so many and so great euils Thou shalt see the greater part of men to liue after the manner of beasts ruled and swayed by the violence of their affections hauing no respect eyther of iustice or of the Diuine law or of nature or reason lyuing more filthily then the Heathen who haue no knowledge of the true God neyther doe they thinke that any thing further remayneth then to be borne and to die Thou shalt see Innocents wrongfully punished and malefactors escape vvithout danger thou shalt see good men despised and vvicked men honoured thou shalt see poore men afflicted and humbled and in all things fauour to be preferred before equity and vertue Thou shalt see the lawe sold no respect being had vnto the truth thou shalt see vnlawfull Arts maintayned offices peruerted and depraued and all estates of men corrupted and turned vpside downe Thou shalt see many dishonest and vild men woorthy to be seuerely punished vvho by theft and frandulent means haue purchased store of vvealth to be praysed and feared of all men To be briefe thou shalt see the vvorld more deuoutly vvorshipping and adoring a penny then God himselfe And vvhen thou hast beheld and ouer-looked all things thou shalt confesse that it is most truly and iustly spoken of the Psalmist The Lord looked downe from heaven vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God All are gone out of the way they are all corrupt there is none that doth good no not one Hosea doth no lesse deplore the estate of men The Lord sayth he hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whooring they breake out blood toucheth blood But that thou mayest more plainly discerne the condition and estate of this vvorld take a view of the head that gouerneth it and beholding the Gouernour thou shalt easily vnderstand the condition of that thing that is gouerned For if it be true that the Prince of this vvorld that is of sinners be the deuill vvhich Christ himselfe also affirmeth vvhat is to be looked for of that body vvhich hath such an head and of that common vvealth vvhich hath such a Ruler This one thing is sufficient to let vs vnderstand vvhat is to be expected of the louers of this vvorld What neede we many words tell me vvhat other thing is the vvorld then a denne of theeues an army of robbers astie of Swine a galley full of Pirates and a lake of Serpents Cockatrices and Basiliskes If the vvorld be thus and of this kind why doe I not leaue a place so filthy and impure sayth a certaine Phylosopher a place so full of traditions and deceits wherein scarcely any pietie faithfulnes or iustice may be found Wherein all vices raigne where one brother lyeth in waite for another where the sonne wisheth the death of his father where the wife desireth the death of her husband and the husband of his wife to be briefe where nothing beareth rule but gluttony enuie wrath luxurie ambition and all other euils and enormities Who would not wish to be deliuered from such a world it is not to be doubted but that Prophet wished it who said O that
lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all euill The naughtines and malignitie of this vice cannot be described more cunningly or curiously For it is manifest by these words that that vnhappy man who is subiect to this euill is the seruaunt and slaue of all other sinnes Wherfore wheÌ„ this vice doth assault thine hart thou shalt defend thy selfe with these weapons following First therefore ô thou couetous man consider that vvhen the Lord and thy GOD descended from the highest heauen to the earth he would not possesse riches which thou so greatly desirest yea he loued pouerty so wel that he would take flesh of a Virgin most poore and lowly and not of a Queene rich mighty When he was borne he would not lodge in a stately and wealthy pallace he would not lye vppon a soft bed he refused dainty swadling-clothes embraced for his cradle a hard Cratch So long as he lyued in the world he alwayes loued pouerty and contemned riches He chose his Apostles and his Embassadours not Princes and great men but base and abiect Fishers What preposterous order then is this that the most vild worme should seeke riches which the Lord of al the world and of all creatures contemned for his cause Consider furthermore the exceeding great basenes of thine hart that when as thy soule is created according to the image similitude of God and redeemed by his owne blood in comparison of which all the world is nothing yet thou art not ashamed to lose it for so small a gaine God would not haue gyuen his life for the whole world which notwithstanding he willingly layd downe for the soule of man Therefore thy soule is worthier and of more price then the whole world True riches are not gold nor siluer nor precious stones but they are found in Vertue which a good conscience bringeth with it Relinquish the false opinion of men and thou shalt see that gold and siluer are no other things but yellow and white earth which through the errour of men is crept into so great credit That which hath been despised by all the Phylosophers of the world doost thou beeing a disciple of Christ so much esteeme it that thou shouldest make thy selfe a seruant and slaue vnto it For as S. Ierome saith he is a seruant vnto riches who keepeth and tendeth them as a seruant but he who hath cast off that yoke deuideth them as a Lord. Consider also what the Lord sayth in the Gospell No man can serue two Maister God and Mammon that is riches The soule cannot freely serue God if it follow and hunt after riches so greedily and with so open a mouth Spirituall delights doe shunne a hart busied and occupied about earthly matters neyther doe things counterfeit and true agree together nor things hie and low temporall and eternall spirituall and carnall neyther can any man reioyce and recreate himselfe in them both together Consider in like manner that by howe much more prosperously earthly matters succeede with thee by so much perhaps thou art more miserable by reason of that pledge which here is giuen vnto thee that thou maist relye vpon vaine felicity which heere is offered vnto thee Ah that thou knewest what great euils and how many inconueniences thys small prosperity bringeth with it thou shouldest see the loue of riches more to afflict by desire then to delight by vse For it enwrappeth the soule in diuers temptations and bindeth it in infinite cares it allureth it with sundry delights prouoketh it to sinne and disturbeth the quiet no lesse of the body then of the soule And that vvhich is greater riches are neuer gotten without trouble nor possessed without care nor lost without griefe and that which is worser they are sildome gathered without sin and offence to God Hence is that prouerbe A rich man is eyther a wicked man or the heâ—re of a wicked man Consider moreouer how great an errour it is without intermission to desire those things which albeit they be most plentifull yet they can neuer satisfie the desire of man yea they prouoke it and inflame it more as drinke in a Dropsie is the cause of greater thirst so that although thou hast yet thou alwaies couetest that which thou wantest and alwaies couetest more and more So that the miserable and wretched hart wandering through all the things of this world is wearied but neuer satisfied it drinketh but the thirst is not quenched for it esteemeth not those things which it hath vnlesse also it possesse in like manner those things which further it may haue and there is no lesse trouble for things which it compasseth not theÌ„ there is pleasure in things which it possesseth neyther is the heart more satisfied with gold then the body with wind or ayre Wherefore not without cause Saint Augustine maruelleth saying What greedines sayth hee of desire is this seeing that the beastes haue a meane For then they rauine when they are hungry but they spare the pray when they feele fulnes Onely the couetousnes of riches is vnfatiable it alwayes raueneth and is neuer satisfied neyther feareth GOD nor reuerenceth man neyther spareth Father nor acknowledgeth Mother neyther yeeldeth vnto brother nor keepeth fayth with friend Consider that where much riches is there are many that eate and deuoure them many that couet them and many that lye in waite to steale them What hath the richest man of this world more of all his riches then whereof he may necessarily lyue of thys yrksome care thou maist disburthen thy selfe if thou wilt cast thy care vpon God and commit thy selfe to his prouidence for God neuer confoundeth them that trust in him For whom God made he will not suffer to die through hunger He that feedeth the foules of heauen and clotheth the Lillyes of the field how is it possible that he should forsake man especially seeing that so small a thing sufficeth the necessity of man The life is short death followeth at our heeles what need is there then of so great prouision for so short a iourney What wilt thou doe with so much riches especially seeing that the lesse thou hast the more lightly and freely thou mayest walke and when thou shalt come to the end of thy pilgrimage if thou beest poore thy estate shall not be worser then rich mens who are loaden with much gold Yea it shall be much better for thou shalt feele lesser griefe in forsaking this trash and pelfe of the world and a smaller account is to be rendered before God On the contrary part rich men in the end of their iourney leaue their mountaines of gold not without great griefe of hart which they adored as GOD neyther without exceeding great danger and hazard vnto them an account is to be rendered of those things they possessed Consider also ô thou couetous man for whom thou gatherest so
beast with all the strength of thy wit which if it perseuere to sollicite thy minde be thou so much the more cherefully instant to resist it and fight with greater valiancy and fortitude of minde For he that willingly consenteth not to this euill is not hurt albeit his malicious flesh doth hale and pull him to impure and odious conditions But if thou shalt see that all things fall out more prosperously to thy neighbour or to thy friend then to thy selfe giue God thanks and thinke that eyther thou art vnworthy of such prosperity or at least that it is not profitable or conducent for thee and remember that thy businesses shall not succeede the more prosperously with thee because thou enuiest the happy estate of thy neighbour but that they will fall out more aduersly and disasterously But if thou desirest to knowe with what armour and weapons thou mayst resist this vice obserue the considerations following First consider that all enuious men are like vnto the deuill whom our good works doe exceedingly afflict and whom our felicity doth torment with intollerable dolour not because he can enioy it albeit men should lose it for hee hath lost it vvithout hope of recouery but that men taken from dust and earth should not possesse those blessings he lost Hence is that of Augustine in his booke of Christian doctrine God turne saith he the plague of enuie from the mindes of all Christians For enuie is the deuils sinne of which alone the deuill is guilty vnpardonably guilty For it is not sayd to the deuill that he is damned because thou hast committed adultery because thou hast stolne because thou hast violently taken away other mens goods and possessions but because thou falling thy selfe forthwith didst enuy man standing After thys manner men imitating the deuill are wont to enuie other men not because they hope to translate theyr prosperitie to themselues but because they desire that all may be as miserable and wretched as they themselues are Marke consider ô thou enuious man that although he whom thou enuiest should not haue those goods for which enuy doth so haunt thee yet it foloweth not that presently they should be thine Because therefore that he possesseth them without thy losse or hurt why doth it grieue thee that he possesseth them without thy preiudice But if peraduenture enuie hath possessed thy mind because an other excelleth thee in some vertue and grace of mind as in religion and feruencie of prayer I pray thee see what an enemy thou art to thy selfe For thou art pertaker of all the good prayers of thy neighbour so that thou be in the fauour of GOD and by howe much thy neighbour excelleth in feruencie of spirit by so much thou growest richer in spirituall things and therefore thou enuiest him quite beyond all reason but on the contrary part thou oughtest to reioyce because the profit is cōmon to you both and thou also pertakest of his blessings Consider therefore how great thy misery is that by hovve much thy neighbour profiteth in goodnes by so much thou art the worser but if thou didst loue the good thinges in thy neighbour which thou hast not the same good things should be thine by the vertue of Charitie and so thou shouldest enioy another mans labours without thine owne labour Thys Saint Gregory showeth when he sayth Charitie by louing another mans goodnes maketh it her owne but Enuy by hating that same goodnes turneth it to the wounding of her own breast Perpend also and ponder I pray thee howe enuie burneth the hart dryeth the flesh tortureth the vnderstanding disturbeth the peace of conscience maketh all the daies of the life sorrowfull and heauie and banisheth all tranquility all ioy from the hart of man For enuie is like a worme in wood which as it is bred in the wood so it consumeth it so also enuy is bredde in the hart and the hart is the first thing that it excruciateth and when it hath corrupted the hart it also taketh away the naturall colour of the countenaunce for the pale and wanne colour of the face is a token of the greatnes of the enuy that tormenteth man within There is no Iudge so seuere against a man as enuy for it continually afflicteth him and tortureth her owne Authour For this cause some Authors call this vice iust not that it is iust for it is a sinne but because by her owne torment shee chastiseth him in whom she is and exerciseth punishment vppon him See also howe contrary this vice is vnto Charitie which is God and to the common good which God euery where respecteth and promoteth For it enuyeth the good things of other men and abhorreth those whom God hath made and redeemed and on whom GOD bestoweth his blessings which thing is manifestly condemned for it dissolueth that that is made of God if not indeede yet in will But if thou will vse a present remedy for this disease loue Humility and flye Pride which is the mother of this deadly plague For when as a proud man cannot away with a superiour or an equall enuy is easily inflamed against them who excell in any thing for if it see any man eyther superiour or better it thinketh it selfe worser baser The Apostle vnderstood this well when he sayd Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glory prouoking one another enuying one another He therefore that would cut off the branches of enuy it is needfull that first he dig vp the roote of ambition from vvhich enuy ariseth Furthermore thou must also withdraw thy minde from an inordinate desire of temporall goods and thou must only loue the celestiall inheritance spirituall blessings which are not diminished albeit there are many who loue and possesse them yea they so much the more increase by how much the possessors are multiplied On the contrary part temporall goods are so much the more diminished by how much they are moe amongst whō they are diuided therfore enuie discruciateth the mind of him that lusteth after them For when as another receaueth that that he desired or it altogether perisheth or is diminished it certainly cannot be done without griefe But it sufficeth not that thou shouldest not greeue at the good of thy neighbour but it is necessary that thou shouldest doe well vnto him as much as lyeth in thy power and moreouer thou shouldest pray vnto the Lord God that he would supply those things that thou art not able to doe Thou must not contemne any man Loue thy friends in the Lord and thine enemies for the Lords sake vvho when thou wast his enemy he so loued thee that to redeeme thee and deliuer thee out of the hands of thine enemies he gaue his owne life Although thy neighbour be euill yet for all this he must not be contemned but in this thou must imitate the Phisitian who hateth the disease yet loueth the person of the diseased
thou lyuest not to feede thy belly but that thou must pray and forth-vvith read or studie or some other good worke is to be doone for which thou art vnfit if thou burdenest thy stomacke beyond measure Wherefore when thou commest to eate or drinke dâ— not respect how much thy mouth delighteth to eate but howe much is sufficient for thy life and to sustaine thy necessity We doe not say that thou shouldest kill thy selfe through fasting but that thou shouldest not pamper thine appetite fâ—rther then the vse of thy life requireth For thy body as the bodies of all other liuing creatures necessarily requireth nourishment that it faint not but thou must beware that through superfluity of nourishment thou surfet not Hence Bernard The body saith he is to be handled seuerely that it rebell not that it waxe not proude yet so that it may be of sufficient strength to serue because it is giuen to serue the spirit let thy flesh be restrained not consumed let it be pressed but not oppressed let it be humbled that it grow not insolent and let it serue and not rule Hetherto of the vertue of Abstinence ¶ Of the keeping of the Sences AFter that we haue chastened and reformed our bodies according to the rule deliuered it is necessary also that wee should reforme the sences of our bodies in which thing the seruants of God ought carefully to watch and to vse especiall heede and warines least theyr eyes which are as wide gates by which all vanities enter into vs which pierce euen to our soules and often are the windowes of our perdition by which death entreth least I say that they wander and stray abroade too licenciously But especially they that attend prayer ought warily to keepe this sence both that chastitie may be preserued and the hart being fixed may attend his deuoier Otherwise the images and shapes of things which enter into vs by this gate doe leaue many painted toyes and fansies behind them which hinder vs when we pray or meditate and they make vs scarcely think of any other thing then of that impression they haue left For this cause deuout religious men haue beene so carefull to moderate theyr sight that not only they haue not seene those things which might harme them but they haue auoyded costly buildings â—rtificiall pictures and precious and curious workes that they â—ight haue their imaginations pure and free at that tiâ—e when â—hey were to deale with God For thys exercise is such and so â—elicate that it is not onely hindered through sinnes but also â—â—rough the representation of those things which of themselues 〈◊〉 not euill The care and watch of the eares is no lesser then that of the 〈◊〉 for by these gates oftentimes those things enter into our soules which doe hinder and disturbe them destroy pollute them We must not haue our eares onely shut to hurtfull matters but also to the flying brutes rumors of this world which nothing concerne vs. For he that bewareth not of these things oâ—â—entimes when hee woulde gather his spirits together more firmely to meditate on God and heauenly things his hart is so troubled with the remembrance of things heard that they doe not suffer him rightly to meditate Of smelling I haue not much to say seeing that to carry about strange and outlandish smels and fumigations or to be delighted with them besides that it is the property of lasciuious sensuall men it is also infamous not onely for men but also for honest and chast women Of the tast also something were to be added but that wee haue already spoken of it in the precedent Section when we handled Abstinence Of the keeping of the tongue THE tongue is a copious theame to discourse of for as the Wiseman sayth Death and life are in the power of the tongue By which words it is manifest that all the good and ill of man consist in the good or ill keeping of this member Saint Iames the Apostle admonisheth vs of thys watch and guarde saying Behold we put bits into the horses mouthes that they should obey vs and we turne about all theyr body Behold also the shippes vvhich though they be so great and are driuen of fierce windes yet are they turned about with a very small rudder whither soeuer the Gouernour listeth Euen so the tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things beholde howe great a thing a little fire kindleth And the tongue is fire yea a world of wickednes so is our tongue sette amoâ—g our members that it defileth the whole body That we may gouerne and rule thys member well we must obserue foure things that is what is to be spoken the manner how it is to be spoken the time when it is to be spoken and the cause why it is to be spoken First therfore we will handle what is to be spoken that is the matter which wee would speake of Wherein that of Paule is to be obserued Let no corrupt comâ—â—nication proceed out of your mouthes but that which is good to 〈◊〉 vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers And 〈◊〉 another place showing more plainly what is corrupt communication he sayth But fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints neyther filthines neyther foolish talking neither iesting vvhich are things not comely Euen as therefore Saylers are wont to haue all dangerous places noted and deciphered in theyr Mappes by which theyr shyppes might be endangered and hazarded that they may auoyde them So the seruant of God ought to haue all kinde of corrupt speeches noted and sette downe that he may not be endangered by them Neither oughtest thou to be lesse faythfull and silent in these which are commended vnto thee that thou shouldest conceale them then the Saylers doe who knowing of a dangerous Rock are very wary not to discouer it least they should be ieoparded vpon it In the manner of our speaking wee must be circumspect that we speake not too finely delicately too vnaduisedly too affectedly too curiously and with wordes too exquisite but with grauity leysurely and with gentlenes simple and plaine wordes Here he that speaketh is to be admonished that hee be not head-strong obstinate of theyr nuÌ„ber that would alwaies ouercome for by this oftentimes the peace of conscience is disturbed charitie patience our friends are offended It is the part of a generous and noble minde sometimes to giue place and in disputation to giue the victory to another It is the part of wise and discreet men to follow the counsaile of the VVise-man who sayth In many things be as one that is ignorant be as one that vnderstandeth and yet hold thy tongue If thou be among great men compare not thy selfe vnto them and when an Elder speaketh babble not much The thyrd thing which ought to
constancie But what shall I speake of the arts and inuentions vvhich that ingenious and witty cruelty I say not of men but of deuils hath deuised to ouer-throw and confound with corporall tortures fayth courage fortitude Some of them after they were most cruelly martyred and theyr flesh all to be-torne and rent were cast vpon a floare all sette with goades and prickes that theyr bodies all at once might be goared and 〈◊〉 with a thousand woundes and that they might feele a generall greefe throughout all theyr members that theyr intollerable payne might striue for victory with their faith Others beeing condemned were commaunded to walke vpon hote burning coales with their naked feete Others beeing tyed to the tayles of horses were drawne ouer thornes and bryers and rough places Others were condemned to wheeles stucke all round about with sharpe kniues that theyr bodies being put vppon them whilst they turned about might be cutte small peeces Others were stretched vpon Racks and their bodyes beeing harrowed and furrowed from top to toe with yron crookes and peircers did openly show their naked bowels the flesh being puld of and their ribs lying bare What shall I say more seeing that the barbarous and more then beastly cruelty of Tyrants not being contented with these torments hath found out a certaine new kind of cruelty With certaine instruments they so brought together two high sturdie trees that their tops touched one the other to one of these tops they bound the right foote of the Martyr to the other the left Then losing the Trees to their old scope they carried the body with them and violently tare it in peeces and each tree carryed with it his part into the ayre In Nicomedia among other innumerable Martyrs one was beaten so long till his white ribbs appeared through his bloody wounds for the scourges and whippings had peece-meale puld away the flesh then they washed his whole body with most strong vinegar after vinegar stuffed all his wounds ful of salt The Tyrants not yet satisfied with these dire discruciatements and extreame tortures when they saw that the Martyr yet breathed they cast his halfe dead body vpon a gridyron vnder which they made a fierce scorching fire haling the gridyron this way and that with their yron hookes vntil the body being fully rosted the sanctified pure-purged soule passed to the Lord. And thus those most barbarous inhumane butcherly murtherers inuented tortures more cruel thē death which notwithstanding was wont to be termed the terriblest of all dreadful things For they sought not so much to kill as to slay with vnheard of torments without any deadly wound by a lingering death and with intollerable greatnesse of dolours and sorrowes Surely these Martyrs had not bodies vnlike to ours or which were of another substance their flesh was as our flesh and theyr complexion was the same with ours neyther had they another God for theyr helper besides our God neyther did looke for another glory then that wee looke for Proceede therefore if they haue obtayned eternall life by so violent death why should we feare for the same cause at the least to mortifie the euill concupiscences of our flesh If they died through hunger wilt not thou fast one day If they with their mangled bodies perseuered in prayer why wilt not thou being sound and in health with bended knees continue a little in prayer If they were so patient that without resisting or contradiction they suffered their members to be maymed and detruncate and theyr flesh to be torne in peeces why wilt not thou abide that thine appetites and thine vnruly affections should be circumcised and mortified If they many yeares and many moneths sat imprisoned in darke dungeons why wilt not thou a little be contayned and shut vp in thy chamber If they haue not refused to haue their shoulders furrowed and mangled with whips and scourges why wilt not thou chastice thine If these examples doe not suffice thee lift vp thine eyes to the Crosse of Christ and behold who is he that hanging vppon it suffered so great and so cruell things for the loue of thee The Apostle sayth Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners least yee should be wearied and faint in your minds This is a fearefull and a dreadfull example what way so euer thou shalt consider of it For if thou lookest vppon the torments there can be no greater If thou respectest the person who suffereth a more excellent cannot be giuen If thou examinest the cause for which he suffereth not for his owne offence for he is innocency it selfe neyther suffereth he of compulsion for he is the Creatour and Lord of all creatures but of his mere goodnes and free loue Yet for all this he suffered so great torments not only in his body but also in his soule that the torments of all Martyrs of all men that euer haue been in the world are not to be compared with these This was such a spectacle that the heauens were astonished the earth trembled rocks claue in sunder and all the insencible creatures felt the indignity of the thing How therefore commeth it to passe that man should be so insencible blockish that he should not feele that which the brute elements haue felt with what face can he be so ingratefull that he should not study somewhat to imitate him who hath done and suffered so great things that he might leaue vs an example For euen so as the Lord himselfe affirmeth Christ ought to haue suffered and so to enter into his glory For seeing that he came into the world that he might teach that heauen is not to be cōpassed by any other way then by the Crosse it was necessary that the Lord himselfe should first be crucified that a courage might be put into his Souldiers seeing their Captaine to be so cruelly and inhumanely handled and intreated Who then will be so ingratefull wicked proud and impudent who seeing the Lord of Maiesty with all his friends and chosen ones to walke such difficult wayes and yet he himselfe will be caried in an Horse-litter and on a bed of Downe led his life in deliciousnes King Dauid commaunded Vrias whom he had called from warre to goe into his owne house to sup sleepe with his wife but the good seruant answered The Arke and Israell and Iuda dwell in tents and my Lord Ioab and the seruants of my Lord abide in the open fields shall I then goe into mine house to eate and drink and lye with my wife by thy life by the life of thy soule I will not doe this thing O good and faithfull seruant who by so much is worthier of prayse by how much he is vnworthier of death And thou ô Christian seeing thy Lord lying vpon an hard Crosse hast thou no respect of him neyther doost thou yeeld honour reuerence vnto him The Arke of God made of incorruptible Ceder wood