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
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
those things of which he should haue taken and receaued greater causes of louing his Creator of those he receaued and tooke greater occasion of treason and disloyalty Therefore he was thrust out of Paradice and cast into banishment yea and was adiudged to hell fire that as hee was made a companion with the deuill in sinne so hee might be his companion in punishment The Prophet Elizeus sayd to his seruant Gehezi Thou hast receaued siluer and garments of Naaman therefore the leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and to thy seede for euer Like was the iudgement of God against man who seeing that he had affected the riches and treasure of Lucifer that is his pride and ambition it was meete that he should be infected with the leaprosie of the same Lucifer which was the punishment of his pride Behold then man made lyke vnto the deuill being a follower of his fault Therfore when man was so abhominable in Gods eyes and had incurred so great displeasure our most gracious and most mercifull Lord did not disdaine to respect vs he did not looke to the iniurie done to his supreame Maiesty but to the misfortune of our owne misery more lamenting our errour then desirous of reuenge for the contumely offered vnto him he determined to repaire man and to reconcile him vnto him his onlie begotten sonne being our Mediatour But how hath he reconciled man vnto him What humane tongue shall declare this vnto vs Christ hath procured so great friendship between vs and God that not onely God hath pardoned to man all his fault hath receaued him into his fauour hath made him one and that same with himselfe through a certaine vnion of loue but that which passeth all greatnes hath made such a likenes and similitude betweene himselfe mans nature that amongst all things created there can be found no greater conformity thē are the Deity and humanity for they are not one and the same through loue and fauour but also in person Who euer durst haue hoped that a wound so largely gaping should after this manner haue beene drawne together Who euer could haue thought that these two natures betweene which there was so great difference both of nature and of offence that euer they could haue beene so neerely ioyned together not in one house not at one table not in one loue but in one and the selfe same person What two greater contraries may be giuen then God and a sinner And what two things are now more straightly and narrowly combined together what more commixt then God and man There is nothing higher or nobler then God saith Bernard and there is nothing lower or baser then that clay of which man is formed Neuerthelesse with so great humility GOD descended vpon the earth to man and with so great sublimitie earth ascended to God that whatsoeuer God hath done earth may be said to haue done it and whatsoeuer earth hath suffered God may be sayd to haue suffered it Who would haue said to man when he was naked knew that he had incurred the wrath of God when he sought lurking holes and corners in Paradice wherein he might hide himselfe vvho I say would haue then said that the tyme should come when this vild substance should be vnited to God in one and the selfe same person Thys vnion is so neere straight and faithfull that when it was to be dissolued which was in the tyme of the Passion it would rather rent and breake then faint and forsake Death might seperate the soule from the body which was the vnion of nature but it could not pluck GOD from the soule nor frō the body for that vvas the vnion of the Diuine person For what it once apprehendeth with so strong a loue it neuer forsaketh This is that peace this is that health and saluation which wee receaue by the benefit of our Mediatour and Sauiour Although we are such and so great debtors for thys benefit that no mans tongue can vtter it yet we are not lesse bound to God for the manner of our Redemption then for the redemption it selfe O my Lord I am bound to thee in a high degree of dutie that thou hast deliuered me from hell and hast reconciled me vnto thee but much more owe I vnto thee for the manner it selfe by which thou hast deliuered me then for the liberty it selfe which thou hast giuen me All thy works are admirable in all things and although a man doth thinke when he hath considered one thing that not any thing remaineth which may be added to further admiratio◠foorth-with all that wonderment vanisheth when he turneth his eyes to contemplate an other thing O lord the glory of thy greatnes is not diminished if one wonder dooth seeme to expell and put out another but these are tokens of thy greater glory But what was the meane ô my Lord by which thou wouldest take away my euils and wickednesses There were infinite meanes by which thou couldest haue helped me and giuen me perfect saluation without labour and without any price Notwithstanding so great and so admirable is thy liberalitie that to show me more manifestly the greatnes of thy loue goodnes thou wouldest helpe me with so great dolours that the onely cogitation of them was sufficient to extract bloody sweat from all thy members thy passion a little after through dolor to cleaue a sunder the hardest Rocks O my Lord the heauens doe praise thee and the Angels sette forth thy wonders What didst thou neede our good or were our euils any preiudice vnto thee If thou sinnest sayth Iob what doost thou against him yea when thy sinnes be many what doost thou vnto him If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him or what receiueth he at thy hand Thys GOD so rich so voyde of all euill he whose riches whose power whose wisedome cannot increase or be greater then it is he that was neither before nor after the creation of the world greater or lesser then he is now he that is neither more illustrious or lesse glorious because Angels sing his prayse and men doe glorifie him nay if all the creatures should curse and blaspheme him thys great Lord not of necessity but of meere charitie it not hindering him that we were his enemies he dyd not disdaine to incline and bend the heauens of his maiestie and to descend into this valley of misery to be clothed with the flesh of our mortalitie and to take all our debts vpon him to cancell them to suffer and vnder-goe greater torments then euer any suffered heeretofore or shall suffer heereafter Ah my Lord for the loue of me thou wast borne in a stable and layd in a Cratch for me thou wast circumcized the eyght day for me thou flying into Egipt liuedst there in banishment seauen whole yeeres and for mee thou diddest sustaine diuers persecutions and wast molested and vexed with infinite iniuries For the loue of
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
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
life by grace and the blessed in the other by glory Of the fift priuiledge of Vertue which is the tranquilitie and peace of a good conscience which the righteous enioy and of the torment and inward byting with which the wicked and vngodly are tortured CHAP. XVII AFter the ioy and consolation of the holy Ghost an other ioy doth succeede which the righteous haue from the testimonie of a good conscience For the more euident vnderstanding of this priuiledge wee must know that the Diuine prouidence which bountifully prouideth that all the creatures haue those things that are necessary for their preseruation and perfection when it willeth that a reasonable creature should be perfect hath prouided most plentifully and copiously that not any of those things should be wanting which belong vnto his perfection And because the perfection of this creature consisteth in the perfection of his vnderstanding and will which are two of the chiefest and principallest faculties of our soule one of which is perfected by Science the other by Vertue God hath created vniuersall principles of all sciences in our vnderstanding whence theyr conclusions proceede and in the vvill hee hath ordained a seminary or seede plotte of all vertues for hee hath put in it a certaine naturall inclination to all good and a dread or horrour of that which is euill so that the vvill naturally reioyceth in the one and is heauy in the other murmuring against that as against a thing which it naturally abhorreth Which inclination is so naturall and so effectuall that although by chaunce it be weakened through a daily custome of ill liuing yet it cannot vtterly perrish or altogether be extinguished We haue a figure of this in the booke of Iob in each of the calamities and losses of this man of God alwayes there was a seruant remaining which brought him word of the misfortune and misery After the same manner this seruant is neuer wanting nor euer leaueth him who sinneth The Doctors doe name this seruant the Keeper or Watcher ouer the conscience which in all shypwracks escapeth safe and among all the dead it onely dieth not which ceaseth not to present before the eyes of the wicked the good which they haue omitted vvhen they sinned and the euill which they haue committed In vvhich thing the care and loue of the Diuine prouidence shineth with a wonderfull beautie by which it loueth embraceth vertue after that it hath appointed for her a perpetuall stirrer vp that she sleep not a perpetuall Preacher that neuer keepeth silence and a maister who alwaies directeth her to all good The Stoicke Philosopher Epictetus very well vnderstood this who said Our Parents deliuered vs beeing children to a Schoolemaister or Tutor which might attende vs that wee should not be hurt but God hath committed men to bee kept of their owne conscience seated within them which conscience and Keeper is not to be contemned because it both would displease God and we should become enemies to our owne conscience Euen as this conscience is as it were a Teacher and Maister of good men so on the contrary part it is a tormenter and torturer of the wicked which afflicteth and excruciateth them inwardly without intermission accuseth sinners for their sinnes committed and mingleth Wormwood with all their pleasures insomuch that scarce they bite of the Garlicke of Egypt but a teare doth fall from theyr eyes This is one of those plagues with which the Lord in Esay doth threaten that he will torment the wicked saying And I will make Babilon a possession to the Hedgehog For by the iust iudgement of God the hart of the wicked which heere is vnderstood by Babilon is giuen into the power of the Hedghog that thornie and pricking creature that is into the handes of the deuill and also into the power of the thornes and pricks of the conscience which sinnes doe bring with them which as sharpe thornes and needles doe thrust through and rent the hart of man But if thou askest mee what be these thornes I say that one is the filthines and enormity of sinne that of it owne nature is so abhominable that a certaine Phylosopher sayd If I knew that God would pardon me and that men were ignorant of it yet I should blush to sinne for the onely filthines of sinne Another thorne is when the sin bringeth with it an offence or iniurie to another man for then as it were the blood of Abel is represented to his eyes which cryeth for vengeance before the Lord there is an example of this in the bookes of the Machabees all the iniuries and all the euils which Antiochus the King had doone at Ierusalem came into his minde hee beeing now at the point of death by the which remembrance he came into such tribulation and anguish and into those floods of heauinesse and sorrow that he said And nowe doe I remember the euils that I haue doone at Ierusalem for I tooke all the vessels of gold and of siluer that were in it and sent to destroy the inhabitants of Iuda without cause I know that these troubles are come vpon mee for the same cause and beholde I must die with great sorrowe in a strange Land Infamie is another thorne which followeth sin whicha sinner knoweth of will he nill he and therefore he cannot but grieue for naturally men wish well vnto themselues are afflicted with the contrary For there is not a more grieuous punishment as a certaine Wiseman sayth then publique hate An other thorne is the necessarie feare of death the incertainty of life the feare of rendering an account and the dread horrour of euerlasting punishment Euery one of these are seuerall thornes which grieuously pierce and prick the hart of the vngodly insomuch that as often as the memory of death commeth on one side so certaine on the other so incertaine he cannot but be sadde and heauy as saith Ecclesiasticus For he seeth that day which shall auenge all his iniquitie and bring an end to his vices and pleasures Neither is there any man who can altogether cast the remembrance of this from him seeing that nothing is so naturall to a mortall man as to die Hence it is that being in any dangerous estate hee quaketh and trembleth through feare being doubtfull whether he shall die or not for the vehemencie of his owne loue and the perturbation of feare maketh him to feare a shadow and to dread where there is no such cause Therefore if in the Land destructions and common infirmities doe arise as the plague Earthquakes thunder and lightning a sinner straight-waies feareth and is troubled and is altered through the feare of an euill conscience perswading himselfe that these shall light vppon him All these thornes together pricke goare and thrust through the harts of wicked men as very largely remembreth one of Iobs friends The wicked man sayth he is continually as one
respectiue a regard dooth excite and stirre vp in man a great hope and an assured confidence Of the seauenth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the true libertie which the righteous haue and reioyce in and of the misery and vnknowne seruitude and bondage in which sinners liue CHAP. XIX OF all the priuiledges and prerogatiues hetherto spoken of but especially of the second fourth that is of the grace of the holy Ghost and of the Diuine cōsolation another preheminence doth arise no lesse admirable which the righteous enioy and that is the true liberty of the soule which the Sonne of God brought into this world of which priuiledge he hath obtained the name of the Redeemer of mankind Because he hath redeemed man and hath freed him from that wretched miserable seruitude in which he liued and brought him into true libertie This is one of the especiallest blessings which Christ brought into this world one of the most excellent benefits of the Gospell one of the most noble effects of the holy Ghost For where there is the Spirit of the Lord there is libertie sayth the Apostle To be briefe this is one of the richest rewards which in thys world are promised to the worshippers of the true God Thys libertie the Lord promised to certaine that were willing to serue him If saith he yee continue in my word yee are verilie my Disciples and shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free that is it shall giue vnto you true libertie They answered him Wee be Abrahams seede and were neuer bounde to any man vvhy sayest thou then ye shall be made free Iesus answered them Verily verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And the seruant abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer If the sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free in deede In which words the Lord plainely intimateth vnto vs that there are two kinds of liberty one false and in a show the other true and reall False liberty is proper vnto them who haue their bodies free but their soules captiuated and subiect to the tiranny of their own passions and sinnes as was the soule of great Alexander who when hee was the Lord of the whole world he was the seruant of his owne vices But true liberty is proper vnto them who haue their soules free from all these tirannies although their bodies be somtimes free and sometimes bond and captiuated as was the soule of the Apostle who although he was captiue and holden in bonds yet in spirit he mounted vp to heauen and by the doctrine of his letters he freed the whole world The reason why this liberty is called properly liberty and not that other is this because as among the two essentiall parts of man the soule is much more noble then the body yea it is as it were the whole man the body is no other thing then a matter or subiect in which the soule is included so he truly is to be called free who hath his more principall part free but hee is falsely called free who hath his soule captiue bond although he carrieth about his body freely whether so euer he pleaseth ¶ Of the seruitude in which wicked men liue IF any man shall aske me whence is this bondage of which we speake I say that it is a seruitude and captiuity vnder the most terrible most direfull and most cruell Tyrant of any that may be named that is vnder Sinne. For amongst all the most abhominable and dreadfull things that be in the world the torment of hell is most dreadfull and abhominable yet much more dreadfull and abhominable is Sinne which is the cause of this torment and also of this seruitude by which sinners are made seruants and bondslaues as you haue vnderstoode by the words of our Lord before aleadged Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne What seruitude then can be more miserable then this Neyther is he onely a seruant of sinne who committeth sinne but he is a slaue vnto the perswaders and procurers of sinne as are the deuill the world and his owne flesh corrupted of the same sinne and he is a seruant vnto all other inordinate desires which proceede of the flesh For he that is the seruant of the sonne is also a seruant of the father And it is confessed of all that these three are the fathers of sinne and therefore they are called enemies to the soule because they bring procure great mischiefe to the soule as that is that they make it a slaue a Captiue and deliuer it into the hands of this cruell Tyrant And although all these three doe conspire to this end yet they worke by diuers meanes For the two first are serued of the third which is the flesh as another Eue to deceiue Adam or as an instrument very fit to carry and draw vs into all euill For this cause the Apostle doth more manifestly call the flesh sinne putting the effect for the cause for it is it which pricketh forwards to all kind of sin For the same cause the Diuines call it the tinder touchwood of sinne that is the meate and nourishment of sinne By a common name it is called Sensuality Flesh or Concupiscence which also is called by a name more knowne Fleshly or sensuall desire whence all the perturbations of the minde spring in as much as it is corrupt and made disordered through sinne it is the motioner mouer and picker forwards to all sinne Therefore also the two other enemies take singuler aduantage of the flesh and her appetites that they may more strongly assault and wrong vs. Hence it is that Saint Basill sayth that the especiall weapons with which the deuill fighteth against vs are our owne desires For the vehemency of our affection seeketh by right and wrong to enioy those things that it lusteth after neither maketh any regard although it be forbidden by the law of God and from such an affection sinnes doe arise Such an appetite therfore is one of the most cruell Tyrants which man being a sinner is subiect vnto or as the Apostle speaketh vnder which he is sold. Hee calleth him sold vnder sinne because his sensuall appetite is made so mighty that it carrieth him as a bondslaue whether so euer it listeth But what is more lamentable then to see a man who hath a soule made to the image and likenes of God illuminated with heauenly light and an vnderstanding by which hee ascendeth aboue all things created vntill it find out God himselfe yet notwithstanding that hee should contemne and despise all this his nobility and excellency and be subiect and gouerned after a certaine furious and frantick maner of his beastly appetite to be corrupted of sin and moreouer to be led about to be moued and driuen forwards backwards of the deuill What I
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
the desires and affections of our appetite are brought into such order that they are stilled quieted and content with that part and portion that happeneth vnto them according to the disposition of the vpper portion of the soule For there the part concupiscible thinketh her selfe satisfied when she seeth her sister contented and so the whole man resteth and is quieted by reason of the participation and tast of the chiefest good Fourthly this peace proceedeth from the testimony and inward ioy of a good conscience which bringeth great quietnes and tranquillity to the soules of the righteous although it doth not make them vtterly secure for they doe not remaine without the care and dread of holy feare Lastly this feare is engendered of hope which the righteous haue in the Lord for that maketh them quiet after a singuler manner and comforteth men in the midst of the tribulations and torments of this life because they are strengthened with the anchor of holy hope that is they hope that they haue God theyr father theyr tutor theyr defender and buckler vnder whose shadow and shield they not without good cause liue securely singing with the Prophet I will lay me downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safety For hence springeth and ariseth the peace of the righteous and a remedy in all theyr troubles neyther haue they any cause to feare or lament who haue such an helper Of the ninth priuiledge of Vertue that God heareth the prayers of the righteous and reiecteth the prayers of the wicked CHAP. XXI THey that embrace and seeke after Vertue haue yet another priuiledge besides those which hetherto we haue spoken of that is that their prayers are heard of God and this vnto them is a notable and an excellent comfort and a singuler helpe in all their necessities and miseries of this life For the vnderstanding of this priuiledge we must know that there haue beene two vniuersall deluges and drownings of this world the one materiall the other spirituall and they both had one cause that is sin The materiall deluge that was in the time of Noah left nothing aliue in the worlde but those that were in the Arke for the waters couered all things so that the Sea deuoured the earth with all the labours and riches of men But there was another flood before that much greater then this for it did not onely hurt and endamage the men of that age but it brought deadly destruction to all the men of the ages past present and to come neyther did it onely hurt their bodies but also theyr soules for it spoyled them of all the riches of grace which the world had receaued by the meanes of him that was first formed And in this miserable estate all things as yet continue as we may see in euery creature which newly commeth into this world being naked and disfurnished of all the goods as well of the soule as of the body From this first deluge all those miseries beggeries and calamities are deriued to which mans life is subiect which are so many and so great that learned Wryters and graue Doctors of the Church haue written large and copious volumes of this matter Philosophers also very learned on the one part considering the dignity of man aboue all other lyuing creatures and on the other vnto what great miseries and vices he was subiect they could not wonder sufficiently at it seeing so great disorder and misgouernment in the world for they vnderstoode not the cause which was sinne For they did note and marke that onely man amongst so many liuing creatures enioying so many thousand kindes of pleasures and desires of the flesh was vexed with couetousnes ambition and insatiable desire to liue neither with these bonds his misery to be limitted but that hee must thinke of his death and buriall and what shall become of him after death There is not any liuing creature that hath a nature more fraile or inflamed with greater gurmandize or couetousnes neyther that feareth more vainely or more rageth through anger They did also see that other lyuing creatures did passe the greater part of their life without sicknesses and infirmity without the helpe of Phisitions and that all necessaries were prouided for them without their labour or industry But on the contrary part they did see that miserable man was exposed and layd open to a thousand infirmities mischaunces necessities and greefes as well of soule as of body both for himselfe and for his friends That which is past greeueth him that which is present afflicteth him that which is to come terrifieth him and that oftentimes he laboureth and taketh paynes all his life long for a morsell of bread and a mouth full of water to sustaine himselfe with all Neyther can I so soone make an ende to speake of these miseries of mans life of which blessed Iob sayth The life of man is a warfare vpon earth and his dayes as the dayes of an hireling This same thing with so great tediousnes afflicted those auntient vvise-men that there be some found amongst them who feared not to say that they doubted whether Nature was a mother vnto vs or not much rather a stepdame which hath exposed vs to so great miseries Another sayd That it is the best for man neuer to haue beene borne and the next soone after to dye Neyther erred he that sayd That many would not haue desired life if they had made tryall of it before If therfore our life be thus deformed through sinne and our chiefest renowne and principall good lost through this deluge what remedy hath he left for man who so grieuously hath punished mankinde Tell me what remedy hath a lame and a weake sickly man who sayling vpon the Sea looseth at one mischance all his riches I know what thou wilt say vnto me If hee haue not whereon to liue sayst thou neyther hath ability to traffique by reason of his infirmity it followeth of necessity that he must begge Goe to then if man in that vniuersall deluge lost what so euer he had and scarcely escaped the danger poore and naked what other remedy is left vnto him then that like a most needy begger he call and cry at the gates of the Lord This King Iehosophat teacheth plainely when he sayth Lord when wee are ignorant what we ought to doe we haue onely this remedy that we may lift vp our eyes towards thee To this agreeth King Hezechias From day to night sayth he wilt thou make an ende of me Like a young Swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a Doue As if he should haue sayd I am so poore and I doe so depend of thy mercy and prouidence that not one day I am assured of my lyfe Therefore all my exercise shall be alwaies to mourne grone poure out my sighes before thee as a Doue and I will call and cry out
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
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
life wickedly vngraciously led which to change is a death as we are wont to say The ouermuch accustoming our selues vnto vices sayth Saint Ierome doth make the way of Vertue hard and vnpleasant vnto vs. For custome is another nature and to expell it is as it were to ouercome Nature herselfe then the which there cannot be a greater victory Hence it is that Saint Bernard sayth After that any one vice hath been cōfirmed rooted in vs by the custome of many yeeres we haue neede of the speciall and miraculous helpe of the Diuine grace to ouercome and roote it vp And therefore a Christian ought to be very wary and circumspect that he doth not fall into the custome of any vice for when as anything commeth vnto an habit it is very hardly thrust forth and expelled so also vice being confirmed by daily vse and custome cannot be eschewed and forsaken without the especiall grace of GOD as sayth Bernard Also this difficulty proceedeth from the power of the deuill who hath a certaine peculier rule in that soule which is held vnder the slauery of sinne For he is that strong man armed of whom the Gospell speaketh who keepeth his pallace with a vigilant and a most especiall care Moreouer it proceedeth from that that God is farre of frō a soule polluted with the filth of sinne For this is the watch and gard that the Lord sette ouer the walles of Ierusalem which is so much the further of from a sinner by how much a sinner is heauilier loaden and burthened with sinnes From this absence great mighty miseries are deriued as the Lord himselfe saith by his Prophet Woe vnto them who haue forsaken me And Woe vnto them when I shall forsake them Thys is according and correspondent to that Woe of which Iohn maketh mention in his Reuelation To conclude this difficultie arriseth from the corruption of the powers of our soule which are grieuously disturbed and corrupted through sin although not in themselues yet in theyr operations and effects For euen as Wine is marred by vineger and fruites are spoyled of wormes and euery contrary is corrupted of his contrarie so also all the powers of our soule are disturbed and infected through sinne which is an especiall enemie and most contrarie to our soules Wherefore by sin the vnderstanding is obscured the will is weakened and the affections remooued out of order and it maketh that man is neyther Lord of himselfe nor of his actions yea although his Fayth the liberty of himselfe be neuer lost For these powers faculties be as instruments by which the soule worketh that which is good as wheeles of the clock of a life wel ordered which when they wander out of order what other thing is to be hoped of them but misgouernment and the confusion of all the Clock These be the chiefe and especiall causes of that difficultie which take their originall from sinne daily increase through vse and the corruption of euill custome These things beeing thus who will be so madde to beleeue that his conuersion and the amendement of his life shall be more easie after certaine yeeres when his sinnes shall be moe in number and the causes of this difficultie shall be multiplied It is certaine that thē thou by so much shalt be more vnapt and vnfitte and that the deuill shall haue so much the more power ouer thee and that GOD shall be so much the more further of from thee by howe much thy sinnes shall be multiplied increased Moreouer after certaine yeares thy soule will be more disordered and all the powers and faculties of it more disturbed as before we haue sayd If therefore these be the causes of this difficultie who is of so corrupt a iudgement amongst vs that hee should suppose that his conuersion should hereafter be easier the causes of the difficulties encreasing on euery side For when as sinnes are dailie heaped vnto sinnes there is no doubt but that the knots vvith which the soule is tyed are multiplied and the chaines vvith which it is bound are made the stronger and the more insoluble The vnderstanding for the time to come through the vse of sinning will be more darke and obscure the will wil be weaker to worke well the appetite will be more ready and prone to all euill and all the faculties of the soule will be so weakened that they shall not be able to defend themselues from the violence of sin Which seeing that it is so how can it be that thou shouldest beleeue that thy conuersion in the time to come shal be more easie and that thou caust performe it with greater conuenience If thou shalt say that in the morning thou canst not passe ouer the Fourd when as yet the water is low how shalt thou be able to passe ouer it at night when the bankes are full and the Riuer swelleth like the floods and tydes of the sea If it seemeth an hard thing vnto thee to pull vp the roote of vices newly and lately planted what wilt thou doe when they haue taken deepe and profound rooting and they cleaue and sticke much faster in the earth then they dyd before Let vs put the case That now thou must fight with an hundreth sinnes but hereafter the time shall be that thou must fight with a thousand that now thou art to fight with the corrupt depraued custome of one or two yeeres but perhaps hereafter with the naughty inueterate custome of ten yeares Who then will say vnto thee that hereafter thou shalt be more able to carrie that burden when now thou art in no wise able to support it when as the burden neuerthelesse is daily augmented and increased Doost thou not perceaue that these are the cauillations and impostures of euill paying debters who because they cannot repay that money that was credited vnto them doe delay and put off from day to day theyr payment Who knovveth not that these are the deceits fraudes of that old Serpent who by the same craft and subtiltie that hee deceiued our first Parents doth continually goe about to circumuent theyr chyldren Surely I doe maruell and exceedingly wonder that the difficultie daily on euery side increasing that thou shouldest thinke that that then should be possible and easie which novve seemeth vnto thee to be difficult vnpossible Who wil be induced to beleeue except he be madde that the offence increasing yet the pardon to be the easierly obtained and the disease and infirmity growing greater yet the medicine should speedilier profit the diseased Art thou ignorant of that of Ecclesiasticus An inueterate and old disease troubleth the Phisitian but an infirmitie lately growen he easily taketh away There is a pretty Story in the liues of the Fathers wherin an Angell excellently sheweth this guile and legerdemaine to a certaine holy Father lyuing in the Wildernes For the Angell taking this Anchorite carried
thou beleeuest not that thou shalt finde pardon vvith God what greater foolishnesse can there be then to sinne without hope of forgiuenes But if thou beleeuest that thou shalt finde him good gracious fauourable and mercifull vnto thee who albeit thou offendest him often yet he is ready to forgiue thee thy sinnes tell me I pray thee what greater frowardnesse or peeuishnesse can there be then to take further occasion to offend him where there is greater cause that thou shouldest loue him What can be aunswered to this argument What wilt thou say vnto mee as concerning those reares which hereafter thou must plentifully shed for the sinnes which now thou committest For if God call thee out of this life or visit thee euery morsell that thou now eatest shall then be more bitter vnto thee then gall and remember that then thou shalt alwayes lament and deplore that which but once thou didst commit That day at length will come make no doubt of it when thou shalt wish to haue suffered a thousand kinde of punishments then once to haue offended God The time that Dauid enioyed his pleasures was very short but the time that he lyued in sorrow and dolour for them was exceeding long as he testifieth of himselfe saying I am weary of my grouing euerie night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares So aboundant were his teares that the translation of Ierome hath for I wash my bed I make my bed to swim signifying the great showers and floods of waters flowing out of those eyes which had violated the law of God Why then doest thou vnprofitably consume the time in sowing that of which thou shalt gather no other fruite but teares Besides this thou oughtest also to consider that thou doost not onely sow teares whence thou reapest onely sorrow but also the difficulty and hardnes for euer entring into a better state of life by reason of the long and euill custome For euen as hee that is endangered with a long and a pernitious disease sildome so commeth to his former health that not some reliques of the disease remaine in his body so the greatnes and diuturnity of sinne is sildome healed and cured without some reliques remayning A man alwayes is weaker in that part with which he offended and the tiranny of the deuill rageth more violently in it The children of Israel worshipped a Calfe of the ashes of which being burned Moses made a decoction and caused them to drinke it For this is the punishment with which God is wont to punish certaine sinnes that by his iust iudgmeÌ„t some reliques may remaine in our bones so that may be a punishment and a torment which a little before was our Idoll Wilt thou that I shall tell thee how â—nequall the comparison is to reserue old age for repentance and filthily to spend the flower of youth in iniquities What great madnes I pray thee would it be thought if a man had many and weighty burthens to be carried to some certaine place and he had many Horses sufficient to carry them yet he should lay all the burthens vpon one of the weakest and worst Horses the other being sent away empty like or rather greater is their madnes who doe impose the burthen of repentance to be carried of olde age sparing youth and manly age and letting them goe empty which are much stronger and farre more fit to carry then old age seeing that old age is scarce able to support her owne infirmities It is excellently sayd of Seneca that great Philosopher He that deferreth to old age his goodnes and meaneth onely then to be good he plainly sheweth that he is vnwilling to giue any thing vnto Vertue but that time that is vnfit for all other things And in another place Thou shalt heare many saying when I am fifty yeares old I will take my selfe to mine ease but when I am sixty that will free me from all duties and offices And what surety doost thou take for a longer life Who will suffer these things so to passe as thou hast disposed them Doth it not shame thee to reserue thy selfe to the reliques and dregs of thy life and onely to destinate that time to a good and vertuous minde which is fit for nothing How late is it then to begin to liue when thou must leaue to liue What a foolish forgetfulnes of mortality is it to defer thy peace quiet and thy wholsomest counsels to the fiftith or sixtith yeare of thy life then to purpose to begin a new a better life wheÌ„ as very few reach to those yeares But what wilt thou doe if thou considerest the greatnes of the satisfaction which the infinite maiesty of God will require of thee before thou be disburthened of so great offences For that is so great as a learned man sayth That man is not able to satisfie God for the sinnes of one day and disburthen himselfe of that day Why then doost thou gather the debts of thy whole life as it were into one grosse summe and deserrest the payment and satisfying for them vntill thine old age which not with all the paynes that it can take can satisfie for it selfe This iniquity is so great that S. Gregory calleth it the greatest infidelity as he sheweth it in these words He is farre enough off from sayth who for his repentance expecteth old age For it is to be feared least while he hopeth for mercy he finde iudgement But let vs graunt that all that we haue sayd are of no moment nor any thing worth nor that any of these things shall come to passe Tell me ought not the greatnes and multitude of benefits receaued and the glory promised be onely sufficient to perswade and moue thee so that there be any law reason or iustice remayning in the world that thou shouldest not be so negligent and idle in the time of thy seruice so niggardly towards him who is so liberall in heaping graces and benefits vpon thee O how worthily is it spoken of Ecclesiasticus Be not slow to pay thy vow in good time and tarry not to be iustified vnto thy death because the reward of God endureth for euer Goe to then tell me I pray thee if the reward shall endure so long why wilt thou that thy seruice should be so short and momentany If the reward shall not be ended while God shall raigne in heauen that is it shall neuer perish why wilt thou not that thy seruice at the least should endure so long as thou liuest in this life Furthermore if thou hopest to be saued it followeth of necessity that thou must presuppose that he hath predestinated thee from all eternity to this saluation Tell me then if the Lord was so mindfull of thee that he loued thee from euerlasting after that thou wast made a Christian adopted thee to be his owne sonne made thee an heire of
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
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
for his defence vntill his eyes were opened by the prayer of the Prophet of God then he saw that there were moe defenders then offenders Of the same kinde and semblance is the errour of them of whom we now speake for when as they perceaue and feele in themselues the difficulty of Vertue and not hauing felt the graces and helpes that God fendeth for the attainement of Vertue and piety they pull back their foote and shrink away from Vertue Tell me if the way of Vertue be so difficult why doth the Prophet say I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches And in another place The iudgements of the Lord are truth they are righteous altogether and more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then bonny and the honny-combe So that the Prophet not onely granteth that that all we yeeld vnto Vertue that is admirable excellency and dignitie but also that which the world denieth that is sweetnesse pleasantnes and delectation For thys cause not without good reason thou mayst perswade thy selfe that those who doe so aggrauate and exaggerate this burthen and doe imagine to themselues that it is so heauy and so vnsupportable although they be Christians and liue vnder the couenaunt of grace yet they haue not tasted of thys misterie O thou wretched man thou that sayest thou art a Christian tell me why Christ came into the world Why he shedde his blood why he ordained his Sacraments why he sent his holy Spirit into the world what is meant by the word Gospell what by the word Grace and what is the meaning of this most famous and excellent name IESVS If thou knowest not enquire of the Euangelist and he will tell thee Thou shalt call his Name IESVS for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes What other thing meaneth the name of Sauiour Deliuerer What other thing to be saued and deliuered from sinnes then to obtaine pardon for vs for our sinnes past grace to eschew those to come For what other cause came the Sauiour into the world but that he might helpe thee and further thy saluation Why would he dye vppon the Crosse but that he might kill sinne Why would he rise from the dead but that he might raise thee and might make thee to walke in newnesse of lyfe Why did he shed his blood but that he might make a medicine or a plaister to heale and cure thy woundes For what other cause did he institute ordaine Sacraments in his Church but to strengthen thee in the progresse of righteousnesse What other is the fruite of his most bitter passion and comming into this world but that he might make the way to heauen plaine smooth which before was sharpe and rough with thornes and that he might make it passable and easie to be iourneyed This is that which Esay fore-told should come that in the dayes of the Messias Euery valley should be exalted and euery mountaine hill should be made low and the crooked should be strait the rough places playne To be briefe besides all these why was the holie Ghost sent from heauen but that thy flesh might be turned into spirit And why did he send him in the forme of fire but that he might inflame thee as fire and illuminate thee and transforme thee into himselfe and lift thee on high from whence he himselfe first came To what end profiteth grace all the vertues which proceede from it but that they may make easie and light the yoke of the Lord that they might make his seruice tollerable that they might make men couragious in tribulations to hope in perrils and ouercome in temptations This is the beginning thys the middle and this the end of the Gospell It is necessary also to know that as Adam an earthly man a sinner made all men earthly and sinners so Christ a heauenly man and a righteous made all men heauenly and righteous What other thing haue the Euangelists written What other thing be the promises sent vnto vs from the Prophets what other thing haue the Apostles preached This is the summe of all Christian Diuinitie thys is that abreuiated worde which the Lord made vpon the earth Thys is that consummation and abreuiation which Esay sayth he heard of the Lord vppon which followed so great riches of righteousnes vertues in the world But let vs declare a little more plainly those things which we haue spoken I demaund of thee from whence thinkest thou that this difficulty ariseth which is found in Vertue Thou wilt say from the wicked inclination of the hart and from our flesh conceaued in sinne for the flesh gainesayeth the spirit and the spirit resisteth the flesh as two contraries between themselues Let vs imagine that God calleth thee and saith vnto thee Man come hether I will take from thee that hart thou hast and will giue thee a new one I will giue thee strength also by vvhich thou shalt be able to represse and hold vnder thy appetites and euill concupiscences If God promise this vnto thee shall the way of Vertue yet seeme difficult vnto thee It is certaine that it shall not I pray thee what other thing is it that God so often hath promised vnto thee that he hath so often auerred in the holy Scriptures Heare what the Lord spake in times past by his Prophet Ezechiell speaking especially to them vvho lyue vnder the couenaunt of grace And I will giue them sath he a new hart and I will put a new spirit within theyr bowels and I vvill take the stony hart out of their bodies will giue them a hart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements execute them and they shall be my people and I will bee their GOD. Hetherto the Prophet Why then doost thou doubt ô man Is not God sufficient to performe his promise And if he shall performe his promise and keepe his credite with thee shalt thou not be able with his helpe and ayde to walke in his statutes If thou shalt deny the first thou wilt make God a rash and false promiser and that is exceeding great blasphemie but if thou shalt say that thou are not yet with all his helpe able to walke in his statutes and obserue his iudgements thou makest GOD an impotent prouider and fore-seer whilst he would haue man to sweare to that he is not able to doe by giuing him a remedie vnsufficient which in like manner is false What other doubt then is there Why should not Vertue haue force to mortifie these euill inclinations which fight with thee and which make the way of Vertue seeme difficult Thys is one of the chiefest fruites of the tree of Lyfe vvhich the Lorde hath sanctified by his blood The Apostle confirmeth this when he saith Our old man is crucified with Christ that the body
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
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
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
new or vnthought of and that he remember that most prudent counsaile of the Wiseman My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of God stand fast in righteousnes and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation For this ought to be most assured vnto him that comming to the seruice of God he commeth not to playes pageants not to banquets or feasts but he must take vp his shield and speare being harnessed with his coate offence for the battaile For albeit that it is true that we haue many helps and supportations in this life as we haue sayd before neuertheles it cannot be denied but that many difficulties doe offer themselues in the beginning which the young Souldier of Christ ought to haue premeditated least they come as at vnawares and discourage him and let him alwayes haue in mind the reward and price for which he fighteth that it is of so great value that it deserueth this and much more But least this feare inflicted of his aduersaries should discourage him or dash him out of countenance let him thinke that they are much moe and more powerfull that are for him then they that are against him For althogh on that side that sin standeth there area great multitude of cōspiratours yet on Vertues side the fauourers and defenders are stronger and more powerfull For as we haue sayd the Diuine grace is opposed to our corrupt nature God to the deuill good custome to euill an army of Angels to the multitude of euil spirits good examples and the fellowship of the Saints to euill examples and persecutions and the consolations and comforts of the holy Ghost to the delights pleasures of the world Neyther is it to be doubted but that euery one of these is stronger and mightier then his contrary Because grace is stronger then nature God then the deuill good Angels then euill and spirituall delights and pleasures are much more forcible and effectuall then carnall THE FIRST PART OF THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE SINNERS GVIDE VVhich entreateth of vices and theyr remedies Of the firme and resolute purpose which a Christian ought to haue that he may not doe any thing hereafter which is sinne CHAP. III. THE two former instructions being set downe as the principall foundations of this vvhole building the first and chiefest thing that a man must doe that he may be disposed and fit to offer and consecrate himselfe to the Diuine worship and to the exercise of Vertue is to plant in his soule a firme and resolute purpose that he will neuer heereafter fall into sinne by which he might lose the fauour of his Sauiour and the enioying of his blessings This is the chiefest foundation of a spirituall life this is that by which the friendship and fauour of God is kept and the hope of the kingdome of heauen In this Charity consisteth and the spirituall life of the soule This is that that maketh the sonnes of men the sonnes of God temples of the holy Ghost liuely members of Christ and maketh them pertakers of all the spirituall blessings of the Church So long as the soule perseuereth in this determination it abideth in Charity in the state of saluation but so soone as it steppeth back from it it is blotted out of the booke of life and is registred in the volume of perdition and is transported to the kingdome of darknes So that this busines being well considered of it seemeth that as in all things as well naturall as artificiall there is a substance and an accident betweene which there is this difference that the accidents being changed the substance still remayneth euen as the pictures of an house being defaced and the furniture spoyled the house notwithstanding standeth firme on the foundations albeit not with the same perfection but if the house fall which is the substance then nothing remayneth after the same manner as long as this holy and sanctified purpose standeth firme and fast in the soule the substance of Vertue standeth vnmoueable but if that faile forth-with all things fall The reason of this is because the whole foundation of a godly life consisteth in Charity which is to loue God aboue al things but he loueth God aboue all things who aboue all things hateth sinne for only through sinne this charity and loue of God perisheth For euen as adultery is the most contrary thing to mariage so that which is most contrary to a godly and vertuous life is sinne for this killeth Charity in which this life consisteth For this cause the Martyrs haue suffered so greeuous and horrible torments not refusing to be rosted to be fleane and to be cut in peeces to be bowelled to be racked to be torne in peeces of wild beasts rather then they would sinne by which they might lose the fauour of God yea although it was but for a moment not being ignorant in the meane time but that they might repent after the offence done and might be againe entertayned into fauour as Saint Peter was after that hee had thrice denied Christ. Neuerthelesse they had rather suffer all the torments of the vvorld then for so short a time to want the Diuine fauour Of this euery where we haue many examples but amongst others of three vvomen one of the old Testament the mother of the seauen sonnes in the Machabees and two vnder the new Testament one of which is called Felicitas the other Symphorosa each of them in like manner the mother of seauen Sonnes All these three were present at the tortures and martyrdome of their sonnes and seeing them to be rent and torne and the flesh with the skinne to be pulld from the bones vntill theyr bowels and intrals gushed out they did not only not faynt beholding so sorrowfull a spectacle but they comforted their sonnes and encouraged them admonishing them to fight manfully for the fayth and obedience of God At length they also with theyr sonnes for the same cause most constantly yeelded vp their lifes But after these famous illustrious examples I will here set downe another which is rehearsed of S. Ierome in the life of Paule the first inhabiter of the Wildernes The Tyrant saith he commaunded another in the florish of his young yeeres to be brought into a most pleasant Garden and there amongst the white Lillies and the redde Roses where a bright Riuer made a delectable noyse the winde made a pleasant ruffling among the leaues of trees he commaunded a soft bed of Downe to be made and that he might not roule himselfe off from it he caused him to be left lying vpon it fettered with bonds of silke to whom when all the rest were departed came a very beautifull harlot who began to coll kisse him vse al daliance to ripen lust and that which is a shame to be spoken shee dallied vvith his priuities that his body beeing thus prouoked to lust shee might gette the maistry ouer him What this souldier of
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
man should more esteeme his riches then himselfe and rather make shipwrack of his soule then of his substance expose his body to the sword that his garment might not be rent Such an one whosoeuer he be seemeth to me not much to differ from Iudas who for a few pence sold iustice sold grace and sold his owne soule To conclude if it be certaine as we assuredly beleeue that thou in the houre of death if thou meanest to be saued art bound of necessity to make restitution what greater madnes can there be then when thou art bound to restore and repay that thou owest to persist and continue in sinne to the houre of death to goe to bed in sinne to rise in sinne to liue and receaue the communion in sinne and to lose all that he loseth who perseuereth in sinne rather then to restore forth-with vvhat perdition can be greater in the vniuersal world He seemeth to haue no iudgment who slenderly accounteth of so great a losse Labour therfore my brother that thou mayst speedily and fully restore that thou owest neyther hereafter offer iniury or loose to any man Beware in like manner that the wages of thine hireling do not sleepe with thee til the morrow Doe not cause him to come often vnto thee and to depart heauy and sad from thee before he receaue his stipend least he lose more time in receauing then in earning it which often-times cōmeth to passe through the iniury of euil pay-maisters If thou beest the executour of any mans wil and testament beware that thou deceauest not the soule of the deceased least it proue another day a burden and clogge to thy soule If thou hast a family and many accounts to cast vp endeuor that they may be cleare and absolute or at least whilst thou lyuest that they may be cleared least when thou dyest strife and contention fall amongst thy family All that thou canst doe for the finishing and perfecting of thine owne will and testament passe it not ouer to the trust of another for if thou shalt be negligent in thine owne busines what thinkest thou others wil be in other mens Reioyce if thou owest not any thing to another but charity for then thou shalt sleepe securely and thou shalt feele no prick of conscience thy life shall be peaceable and thy death in tranquility But that thou mayst more be stirred vp to all these things cast a bridle vpon thine appetites and desires least thou giue the raynes vnto thy will and so out-runne thine estate dispose of thy diet and charges according to thy substance measure thine expences not by thy will but by thine ability least thou be oppressed with the lone of other mens money The burden of lones is drawne vpon vs by our owne affections temperance alone is more worth then many thousand of yeerely reuenues Possesse those blessed and true riches of which Paule speaketh Godlines is great gaine If men would be content with that estate that God hath sent them neyther murmur against the Diuine ordinance they should alwayes liue in peace but when they will ouerpasse these bonds and limits it is necessary that they should lose much of their tranquillity and quiet For those things haue neuer a happy end which are taken in hand against the will of the Lord. Remedies against Luxurie CHAP. VI. LVxury is an ordinate desire of filthy and vnhonest pleasures This sinne is very generall and common and more violent then all the rest For of all the combats and battailes which Christians are to fight the combat of Chastity is most difficult for the wrastling is perpetuall and the victory rare as sayth Bernard Therefore when as this soule and obscene vice doth tempt thy minde and thy flesh beginneth to tickle and prouoke thee thou shalt meete these motions with the cogitations following First and formost consider with thy selfe that this vice doth not onely pollute and contaminate thy soule which the sonne of God hath washed and beautified with his owne blood but also it defileth thy body which is a member of Christ and the temple of the holy Ghost But if it be a great wickednes to pollute the materiall Church of GOD what an hainous offence will it be to prophane this temple which is the liuely habitation of the true God For euery sinne sayth the Apostle that a man dooth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body that is by prophaning and coinquinating it with carnall lust and fleshly sinne Consider that this sinne cannot be done without the scandall and preiudice of many persons which concurre to the effecting of it which thing wonderfully afflicteth the conscience at the houre of death For if the Law of the Lord commaundeth that life is to be tendered for life an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth how can he giue a like recompence to God who hath destroyed so many Christian soules howe shall hee be able to make satisfaction for so many soules which Christ hath purchased vnto him by his precious blood See how many delights and pleasures this sinne hath in the beginning but the end is most bitter the entrance is easie but the issue and egresse most difficult Therefore the Wise-man sayth A whore is as a deepe ditch and a strange woman is as anarrow pit Ingresse to her is easie but egresse difficult For truely there is nothing found in which men are more easily taken then in the sweetnes of this sin which appeareth by the beginnings and entrance into it But when as hands haue strooken friendship and this league is confirmed and lust hath captiuated thy soule who shall be able to deliuer and free it Wherefore not without cause this sinne is sayd to be most like a fishers Wee le or bow-net which hath a large entrance into it but a narrovve getting out and therefore the fishes that once goe in cannot get out Hence it appeareth how great is the multitude of sins which ariseth from this one when as in all that time in which the way is prepared and the deede committed God is a thousand wayes offended by thoughts desires and workes Consider furthermore as a certaine learned Doctor sayth what a multitude of other mischiefes this deceitfull pestilence bringeth with it First it spoyleth thy good name which is the most precious thing that belongs to man neyther is there any sinne that pulleth more haynous infamy vpon thee then luxurie doth After that it weakeneth and enfeebleth the strength of man it taketh away the beauty it hurteth the sound constitution it bringeth infinite diseases which are both filthy and reprochfull it perisheth and blasteth the florish and blossome of thy youth neyther suffereth it to bud and increase it bringeth old age before the time it breaketh the force strength of thy wit it dulleth the subtiltie of thine vnderstanding and maketh a man like vnto a brute beast
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
and put of from day to day the amendment of their lifes and the embracing of Vertue ibidem The matters handled in this Chapter Diuers refuges and euasions of sinners ibidem Against them that deferre their repentance 266 The state of the question handled in this Chapter 267 The iust iudgement of God 268 Causes from whence the difficulty of conuersion ariseth ibidem The first cause is an euill habit and a naughty custome of a life wickedly and vngraciously led ibidem The second cause is the power of the deuill 269 The third cause by reason God is farre of from a soule polluted with the filth of sinne ibidem The fourth cause is the corruption of the powers of our soule ibidem Whether now or hereafter it is more easie to turne vnto God ibidem The force of euill custome 272 The Allegory of Lazarus being foure dayes dead 273 The losse of tyme ibid. The sinnes which we commit we shall heereafter deplore and lament in vaine 274 The reliques of sinne remayne after the sinne is committed 27â— How absurd a thing it is to reserue repentance for old age ibidem The greatnes of the satisfaction that God requireth of sinners 276 Deferring of repentance is a certaine infidelity ibidem Repentance is not to be deferred in regard of benefits receaued at Gods hand ibidem Repentance is not be deferred in regard of predestination 277. We offer the best part of our life to the world the worst to God ibid. What we owe vnto God in respect of our redemption 278 An excellent exposition of a place in the twelueth of Ecclesiastes ibidem The conclusion of the first obiection 279 The 26. Chapter Against them that deferre theyr repentance to the houre of death 280 The matters handled in this Chapter It is dangerous to dispute of finall repentance ibidem Authorities of certayne Fathers concerning finall repentance 281 To be conuerted what it is ibidem To dye well is an Art which ought to be learned all the life long 285 The authority of Schoole Doctors concerning finall repentance 286 The conclusion of Scotus that repentance made at the poynt of death and in extreamity is sildome true which he proueth by foure reasons or arguments ibidem The first reason of the Shoole-man is the great perturbations which arise out of the greatnes of griefes sicknes and the presence of death ibidem The euill disposition and temperature of the body is an impediment of contemplation 287 The second reason of the Schoole-man is that such repentance seemeth to be brought forth not of will but of compulsion whereas repentance ought to be voluntary ibidem The third reason of the Schoole-man is drawne from the custome of sinning 289 His fourth reason is founded in the quality of the valour of the workes which are commonly done at the houre of death 290 Certayne authorities of the holy Scripture confirming the precedent sentences of the Doctors 291 Aunswers to certayne obiections 294 Many miraculous and wonderfull things reserued to the comming of Christ among which the sauing of the theefe on the Crosse was one ibidem The iudgments of God 295 An obiection of the repentance of the Niniuites with an aunswere to it page 296 The conclusion of the former disputation ibidem The 27. chapter Against them that through the hope of the diuine mercy doe continue perseuere in theyr sinnes page 298. The matters handled in this Chapter The difference betweene the true Prophets and the false 299 Whence the Diuine iustice is knowne 300 All men ought to feare ibidem Whence feare is engendered 301 Of the works of the Diuine iustice whereof mention is made in the holy Scripture ibidem The beginning of the wayes of the Lord. ibid. The fall of deuills ibid. The fall of Adam ibidem The hidden and secrete iudgements of God page 103 Of the workes of the Diuine iustice which are seene in thys world 304 The great infidelity of men 305 What it is to trust in God 312 The conclusion of all those things which haue been spoken in thys chapter ibidem The promises of God belong to the righteous and the threatnings to the vnrighteous ibidem The 28. chapter Against them that excuse themselues saying that the way of Vertue is rough sharpe and difficult page 314 The matters handled in this Chapter Vertue is a friend vnto reason ibidem How the grace giuen vs by Christ doth make the way of Vertue easie pleasant 315 From whence the difficulty of Vertue ariseth 317 An answer to certaine obiections 319 For what end the reliques of sinnes and euill appetites remaine in vs. ibid. Another obiection with the answer 320 Spirituall circumcision 321 The commaundements of God are not impossible 322 How charity maketh the way easie and pleasant which leadeth vnto heauen 323 The cheerefulnes of Saint Laurence in his martirdome page 324 Those things which are vncleane to the world are cleane to the righteous ibidem Of other things which make the way of saluation easie and sweet 325. The way of the wicked is hard and difficult 326 All the precedent matters are proued by examples to be true 328 The great changes and alterations which the hande of the highest worketh 329 Thâ— disciples of Christ were on a suddaine made learned ibidem The conuersion of Saint Cyprian 330 The conuersion of Saint Augustine 331 The 29. Chapter Against them that feare to enter into the way of Vertue for the loue of thys world page 335. The matters handled in this Chapter What euills are in the world ibidem How short the felicity of this world is 336 No felicity of the world is lasting ibidem Of the great miseries that are mingled with worldly felicities 337 Some myseries are common both to the good and bad some proper onely to the wicked 338 Euils of God page 339 Punishments are inflicted vpon the wicked by the Ministers of God 340 The euils that passions and affections bring ibidem Of the multitude of the snares and dangers of thys world ibidem Of the blindnes and darknes of thys world page 342 The blindnes of men 342 Of the multitude of sinnes that are in thys world page 343 How deceaucable the felitie of the world is 345 The conclusion of all thys aforesayd 348 What the world is ibidem The world is a hell 349 That true rest and tranquility is found in God alone 349 Obiectiue beatitude ibidem Onely God can satisfie the hart of man page 350 The nature of the Sea-mans Needle ibidem Saint Gregory deplored the losse of his quiet and sweet solitary life 351. Those things which haue beene spoken are prooued by examples ibid. No man happy in thys world 353 The world is an hypocrite 354 The conclusion of the first Booke 356 In Vertue all perfections are found 357 Vertue is loued in an enemy ibidem THE SECOND BOOKE THE Prologue of the second Booke page 365 Matters handled in the Prologue The deuision of the second booke into two