the iust doe so greatly feare what shall the sinner doe When as the Cedar of Libanus is shaken what will the sprigge of the wildernesse doe If the righteous scarcely shal be saued as saith S. Peter where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Tell me I pray thee what doost thou thinke of that houre whē as thou departing out of this life shalt enter into that iudgment alone naked poore without any one that may defend and maintaine thy cause besides thy good works which thou hast doone and only thy conscience wayting vpon them that tribunall vvill be very sharpe and seuere where it is not handled of life or death temporall but eternall And if in rendring thine account thou art found wholy oppressed with debts alas how horrible wil be the dolours and vexations of thy mind O how full of confusion wilt thou be and how aboundant in vnprofitable repentance how voyd wilt thou be of all aduice and counsaile and how destistute of all comfort Truly great vvas the trouble and distraction of minde among the Princes of Iuda when as the victorious sword of Sesac King of the Egyptians did tyrannize in all the streets of Ierusalem when as by the present paine and punishment they acknowledged their passed faults and old errors But there is no comparison between that confusion and thys of the which we now speake In that houre what will sinners doe vvhether will they turne themselues vvho shall defend them Teares will not profit them there all repentance will be barraine and vnfruitfull In that houre neither prayers shall be heard neither any promises shall take place or any suretieshippe be accepted When as the last moment of life is come and the houre glasse runne out novve there is no more time left for repentance But if these foresaide things will not profit much lesse shall riches nobilitie or honours helpe for the Wise-man sayth Riches auaile not in the day of wrath but righteousnes deliuereth from death When as the vnhappy soule shall see it selfe compassed and inclosed in these streights what will it doe what will it say vvith what other words will it lament this lamentable estate then with those which the Prophet vsed in times past when he sayd The sorrowes of death compassed me and the floods of wickednesse made me afraid the sorowes of the graue haūe compassed me about the snares of death ouertooke me Woe is me poore wretch into what a laborinth haue my sinnes ledde me How suddenlie and thinking nothing lesse hath this houre entrapped me How hath it rushed vpon me I neuer dreaming of it What doe now my honours profit me vvhat doe now my dignities helpe me What doe all my friends for me vvhat profit doe now my seruaunts bring me vvhat fruite doe I now reape of all my riches goods which I was wont to possesse For no a small peece of ground of seauen foote will containe me and I must be content with a dwelling in a narrow Coffin and vvith lodging in a poore winding-sheete But that which is worst of all my riches shall remaine heere behind me which I haue scraped together with so great toyle and sweating others shall enioy them and shall spend them on their pleasures Onely my sinnes which I haue committed in gathering them waite vpon me that I may suffer deserued punishment for thē What can I make now of all my pleasures delights seeing they are all ouer-past onely theyr dreggs are my portion which are scruples bytings of conscience which like thornes doe pearce me and doe runne through my myserable hart and shall torment it with euerlasting tortures O my intollerable blockishnes ô my madnes and folly to be cursed with a thousand execrations how could it be that I vnmindfull of thys time haue not prepared my selfe to eschew these present calamities How often haue I beene admonished of this day but vvith deafe eares I ouer-passed all counsaile vvoc is me why did I not receiue instruction vvhy haue I not obeyed and harkened vnto my Teachers and to the wordes that they taught mee I lyued irreligiously in the midst of the Church and amongst Gods people I haue polluted my selfe with all kinde of sinne With these and such like lamentations sinners will deplore and bewaile theyr miserable estate and these most commonly will be their meditations considerations and confessions But least thou my brother sholdest fall into the like straights I pray thee that thou wouldest examine all these things aforesayd with diligent regard and that they being often meditated vpon thou wouldest euery where and alwayes set them before thine eyes but amongst others lay vp chiefely these three things deepely in thy minde and in a faithfull memory the first of which is that thou consider the greatnes of the punishment which thou shalt feele in the houre of death for thy multitude of sinnes by which thou hast offended the diuine goodnes the second is that thou diligently ponder with what great desire thou wilt then wish so to haue led thy life that in that houre thou mightest haue God propitious and fauourable vnto thee thirdly that thou remember how great and how seuere a repentance thou wouldest enter into if time should be graunted vnto thee Therefore liue so now as thou wouldest desire and wish that thou hadst liued in that houre THE EIGHT TITLE That man is bound to desire Vertue by reason of that second last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the last Iudgement CHAP. VIII AFter death followeth the perticuler iudgement of euery one and after that the vniuersall iudgment of all when that shall be fulfilled which the Apostle sayth Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receaue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill Heere we will speake of the rigour of that strict account which shall be exacted of vs in this iudgement and what will follow after the sentence of this iudgement that man may see that he not onelie is inuited vnto Vertue but rather that he is drawne and constrayned First therefore we are to consider that one thing amongst other which holy Iob wondered at that although man is so weake a creature yet God who is so great and mighty entreth with great rigour into iudgement with him Insomuch that there is no word no thought no inordinate and disordered motion which he hath not written in the booke and record of his iustice that he may exact a most strict account of it After a long discourse he at length sayth thus Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemy Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen too and fro And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth Thou puttest my feete also in the stocks and lookest narrowly vnto all my paths and makest
should say that true loue is not kindled through hope to worship God by which it hopes for any reward from God neither to waxe colder although it knowe that it should receiue nothing of him for it is not mooued through lucre and profit but through pure loue which is due to that infinite goodnes Although this reason chiefely doth binde vs vnto God yet it doth lesse moue the weake and imperfect and that for two causes The first is because our owne proper commodity doth moue by so much the more by howe much our owne proper loue hath taken deeper roote in the soule The second is because many men being rude and ignorant doe not vnderstand the dignitie and beauty of that supreame goodnes For if they had receiued the knowledge of it this onely glory splendour would so steale theyr harts from them that beeing content with it alone they would desire no other thing Therefore I think it not amisse to open a window to these men and to yeelde them some light that they may know more of the greatnesse of thys Lord. This doctrine is borrowed of that excellent great Diuine Dionisius who hath no other purpose in his mistical Theologie then to shew the dignitie of the Diuine essence bee ing compared with all other things created teaching that in the contemplation of God our eyes are to bee turned from all the perfection of the creatures least we be deceiued being desirous to measure him by them but leauing all these inferiour things we must lift vp our minds to the contemplation of one Essence which is aboue all Essences of one substance which is aboue all substances of one light which is aboue all lights in comparison of which all light is darknes of one beautie which is aboue all beautie to the which if all beautie be compared it is deformitie and abhomination The clowde into which Moses entred when he talked with the Lord doth signifie this vnto vs which couered the face of all things which were not God that by this meanes the true God might be knowne more easily and more exactly Thys thing also Elias signified couering his eyes with his Mantle when hee saw the glory of God passing by For a man ought to turne away his eyes from all things as vnworthy when hee will contemplate vpon the Diuine glory This will bee showen more manifestly if we consider the great difference betweene a thing vncreate and a thing created that is the difference between the Creator and the creature For we see that all the creatures had a beginning and that they may haue an end but he neither had beginning neither can haue end The creatures acknowledge a superiour and depend of him The Creator neyther acknowledgeth superiour nor dependeth of any The creatures be mutable and subiect to diuers alterations the Creator hath neither mutation in himselfe nor any alteration The creatures are mixt and compound but in the Creator no composition is found by reason of his pure simplenes For if hee was compounded of many parts hee should haue one to compound him who should be before him which is impossible The creatures may be moe then they are haue more then they haue know more then they know The Creator cannot be moe then he is seeing that the perfection of the whole Essence is in him neyther can he haue more then he hath seeing that in him is the bottomlesse deepenes of all riches neyther can he knowe more then he doth know seeing that his wisedome is infinite and his excellency eternall to which all things are as present For which cause the great Philosopher Aristotle called the Creator a pure act signifying that hee is the chiefest and greatest perfection to which nothing may be added for it is impossible that he should participate more of that substance wherof he is neyther can any thing be thought of which is wanting in him All creatures doe fight vnder the banner of mutability for like needy and poore beggers they may be mooued to seeke for that which is wanting vnto them but he hath no cause at all to moue himselfe because nothing is wanting to him and he is found in euery place All other things are found to be diuers and differing and one to be distinguished from an other but in him there is found no distinction of seuerall parts by reason of his great simplenes so that his Being is his Essence his Essence is his power his power is his will and his will is his vnderstanding and his vnderstanding is his intent and his intent is his wisedome and his wisedom is his goodnes and his goodnes is his iustice and his iustice is his mercy which although they haue contrary effects as to pardon and to punish yet in him really and in deede they are one and the same in so much that his iustice is his mercy and his mercy is his iustice and so in him these operations and perfections appeare onely but are not contrary in deede as Augustine hath well noted For he is most misticall and most powerfull most beautifull and the strongest stable and incomprehensible without place and in euery place inuisible and seeing all things immutable changing all things hee doth alwayes worke and is euer quiet hee doth fill all things and is not included hee is stretched ouer all things and not diuided he is great without quality and therefore immeasurable hee is good without quality and therefore exceeding perfectly good To be briefe that I may speake many things in few words all things created as they haue their essence â—ircumscript which comprehendeth and contayneth them so haue they their power limited and finit to which they are extended and their limited labours in which they are exercised and theyr circumscript places in which they stand and theyr certaine names by which they are called and demonstrated and theyr particuler definitions by which they are declared their particuler praedicaments vnder which they are contayned But that supreme iustice as it is infinite in essence so is it infinite in power and in all other things and as it hath no definition by which his nature is defined so it hath no praedicament vnder which it is contayned no place in which it is limited nor name whereby his right propriety may be signified Yea rather seeing that he hath no name as Dionysius sayth he hath all names for in him are found all perfections which in these names are comprehended and signified Whereupon is inferred that as all creatures are finite and limited so are they comprehensible but that deuine Essence solely as it is infinite so is it incomprehensible of all created intelligences For euen as saith Aristotle that which is infinite hath no beginning so neither absolutely nor fully can it be comprehended of any intelligence vnlesse of that which comprehendeth all things What other thing doe those two Seraphins signifie which the Prophet Esay saw standing before the Lord
who sate vpon an high throne Euery one sayth he had sixe wings with twaine hee couered his face and with twaine he couered his feete But to signifie that those excellent spyrits who haue so high a place in heauen and are the nearest vnto God himselfe cannot comprehend all that is found in God neyther come from one to an other that they may knowe and vnderstand these things al though they see him in his proper Essence beauty For euen as one standing vpon the shoare doth see the Sea and yet doth not see the breadth and depth of it so those excellent spyrits and all the other elect which be in heauen doe see God really yet they cannot comprehend eyther the depth of his greatnes or the altitude of his eternity And although God in the Scriptures is sayd to sit vpon the Cherubines yet rather hee may be sayd to stand vpon them so that they cannot approach vnto him much lesse comprehend him This is the darknes which as the Psalmist sayth he made his secret place and his pauilion round about him euen darknes of waters and cloudes of the ayre that that might be signified which the Apostle sayth that God dwelleth in the light that none can attayne vnto and to which there is no passage open therefore the Prophet calleth it darknes because it hindrethas well the sight as the apprehension of God For euen as as a certaine Philosopher sayth although there can be found nothing more bright and visible then the Sunne yet nothing is lesse seene then it by reason of the excellencie of his brightnes and the weakenes of our sight so although there is nothing in it selfe more intelligible then God yet there is nothing in this lyfe lesse vnderstoode then he for the same reasons Wherfore he that after any manner knoweth God after he shall come to the end and furthest limit of those perfections which may be knowne he shall confesse that hee must further proceede by infinite wayes and that God is greater then those infinite wayes then that he may be comprehended and by how much the more he acknowledgeth that â—ncomprehensibility by so much the more hee vnderstandeth more of him Heere-vpon it is that Saint Gregory saith vpon those words of Iob Who doth great thinges and vnsearchable and meruailous things without number sayth he then we speake better of God when as vnder the awe of consideration through admiration we hold our peace For then a man conueniently and seasonably doth prayse that thing he cannot vtter when hee is silent In the same opinion also is Dionysius The secret and mistery â—f the Diuinity sayth he which passeth all vnderstanding wee â—onour and adore with the holy worship and veneration of our minde and with ineffable and chast silence In which place he seemeth to allude to that of the Prophet according to the translation of Hierome For thee ô God all prayse wayteth and resteth and is silent in Sion signifying that this is the most perfect praise which is done by holding the peace and by that ineffable and chast silence that is by confessing the incomprehensibility and altitude of that vnspeakeable substance whose magnitude is aboue all magnitude and whose substance infinitely exceedeth and differeth from all other substance of things as well visible as inuisible Wherfore Saint Augustine also sayth When I seeke for my God I doe not seeke for a shape of a body not for the glory of time not for the cleerenes of the light not for beauty not for the sound of sweet melody and whatsoeuer plesant tunes not for the sweete sauours and odours of flowers oyntments and spices not for honey and Manna pleasant and delightfull to the tast not for other things gratefull and welcome to the touch or embrace neyther doe I seeke for any other thing subiect to these sences when I doe seeke for my God God forbid that I should thinke these to be my God which also are apprehended of the sences of bruite beastes And yet when I seeke for my God I seeke for neuerthelesse a certaine light aboue all light which mine eye is not capable of a certaine voyce aboue all voyces which mine eare doth not conceaue a certayne sauour aboue all sauours which my nosthrils cannot conceaue a certaine sweetnes aboue all sweetnes which my tast cannot conceaue a certaine embracing aboue all embracings which my touch cannot conceaue This light doth shine where place doth not receaue it this voyce doth sound whereas no ayre doth moue it this sauour doth smell whereas no blast doth carry it this tast doth there sauour where there is no feeding and this embrace is there touched where it is not sundered But if thou wilt conceaue and vnderstand any thing of this incomprehensible magnitude behold the frame of this world which is the worke of his hands that by the quality of the effect thou mayst know the noblenes of the cause presupposing that of Dionysius in the beginning that in all things there is sound a Being an Ability and a Worke which three doe so agree betweene themselues that of what sort the Being of a thing is of the same sort is the Ability of it and what the Abilitie of the thing is such is the Worke of it This principle being thus layde let vs foorth-with enter into contemplation how beautifull how well ordered and how great this world is for in the firmament there are certayne starres of such great magnitude as Astrologers say that in their quantity they exceede eighty times the earth and the water which together make but one Globe Then agayne consider how beautifully adorned the world is and how full of infinite variety of things which are found in the earth in the water in the ayre and in euery part of it all which are made with such perfection that monsters being excepted from the beginning of the world euen to this day there is nothing found to which any thing is wanting to the furnishing or perfection of his Essence Then consider as Saint Augustine sayth that God created this huge and admirable frame of the world in a moment and made it of nothing for he made it without any matter beeing without workmaisters without any workmen without any instruments without patterne without any exteriour thing contayning example and without space of time but only according to the pure and simple conceipt of his owne will he brought foorth into light this great worke and this whole vniuerse of things Consider furthermore that with the same facility he created this world he could haue created infinite thousands of worlds euery one of which should haue beene greater more beautifull and inhabited of moe people And after hee had made them hee could with the same facilitie haue cast them downe againe and ouerthrowne them and brought them to nothing without any resistance Therefore tell mee if according to the doctrine of Dionysius as it is presupposed
before of vs the power and force of the cause is knowne by the effects and work and by the power force the Essence is knowne What maner of power shall it be from whence so great a worke proceeded and if this power be such and so great what an one and howe incomprehensible is that Essence which is knowne by that power This contemplation without all doubt doth farre exceed all humane reach In this we must further consider that all these excellent and great workes not onely as they are but as they might haue beene are as though they were not in the viewe of that diuine power yea after an infinite manner they are lesser for that is infinitely greater to which this power doth extend it selfe Who then will not be astonished considering of the greatnes of such an Essence and of such a power which although a man cannot see with his externall eyes yet he may make a most certaine coniecture and gather of the foresaid reason how great it is how incomprehensible This wonderfull immensitie of God that great Schooleman Thomas Aquinas doth show in his Breuiarie of Diuinitie by this example We see sayth he in things corporall that by how much any thing is more excellent by so much also it is greater in quantitie for we see that the element of the water is greater then the earth and the ayre greater then the water and the fire then the ayre furthermore the first or lowest heauen is greater then the element of fire the second heauen greater thē the first and the third then the second and after the same manner by ascending euen to the tenth Spheare yea euen to that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares whose greatnes is incomparable That any one may plainly see if he haue any consideration how little the Globe and roundnes of the earth and water be if they be compared with the heauens The Astrologers also say that the whole circumference of the earth and water are but as a pricke or a poynt in comparison of heauen which they proue manifestly by their demonstrations For although the circle of the heauen be deuided into the twelue signes of the Zodiacke through which once in a yeere the Sun doth runne yet in eyther Horizon onely sixe are seene for the bignes and standing of the earth dooth take vp and possesse no more place of heauen then a leafe of paper or a tablet will being placed and sette in the Center of the world from whence the compasse of the heauen may be seene without let or impediment Seeing therefore that that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares which is the chiefest and the noblest body of the world is of such an inestimable magnitude aboue all bodies we may easily vnderstand sayth Thomas how God who is without any circumscription the chiefest greatest and best of all things as well of things corporall as spirituall who also is the maker of them ought must exceed all things with a certaine infinite magnitude not in quantitie for he is no body but in excellencie and noblenesse of his most perfect Essence But that we may returne from whence we are digressed after the same manner we may search in all other things how great and of what condition be the magnitudes perfections of this Lord. For it is necessary that they be such as his Essence is Ecclesiasticus confesseth that where he speaketh of Gods mercy According to his greatnes saith he so is his mercy of such sort are all the rest of his perfections Such is his goodnes such is his benignitie maiestie gentlenes wisedome sweetnes noblenes beautie omnipotencie and to be briefe such is his iustice He therefore is infinitely good infinitely sweet infinitely amiable and woorthy whom all creatures should obey feare and reuerence insomuch that if mans hart could containe infinite loue and feare and infinite obedience and reuerence all that should be obliged by the bond and rule of iustice to the dignitie and excellencie of this Lord. For if as euery one is more worthy more excellent so greater reuerence is due vnto him it followeth that seeing the excellencie of God is so infinite that also infinite reuerence is due vnto him Heereupon is inferred that all that which is wanting to our loue and reuerence whereby we doe not come to that measure is therefore wanting because it is indebted to a dignitie of such greatnesse Which thing seeing it is so how great I pray thee is that debt which this onelie title although there were no other doth request of vs in the loue obedience of this Lord What I pray thee will he loue who doth not loue so great a goodnesse What will hee feare who doth not feare so great a Maiestie Whom will hee serue who will not attend vpon such a Lord For what is thy will made if not to loue and embrace that which is good If then he be the chiefest good what is the cause that our will doth not loue embrace him aboue all that is called God And if it bee so heynous an euill not to loue or feare his Lord aboue all things what wil it be not to esteeme or regard him Who would haue euer supposed that the malice of man would haue come to so great impietie Neuerthelesse to that height of peruersitie they are come that for a little beastly pleasure or for a little honour or for a small gaine and filthy lucre doe offend and contemne so great a goodnesse O blindnes to be deplored ô insensiblenes more then bestiall ô deuillish rashnes and presumption What doth not he deserue who dareth such things with what punishment with what kind of torture shall the contempt of so great a maiestie be worthily satisfied It is certaine that it shall be punished with no lesser torment then that which is prepared for such an offence that is that whosoeuer hee be that contemneth God shall be tormented in hell fire euerlastingly and yet neither shall he worthily be punished This then is the first Title which bindeth vs to the loue and seruice of this Lord which bond is so great that all bonds by which by any manner of meanes in thys world we are bound to any person eyther for his excellency or for his perfection are vnworthy the name of bonds if they be compared with this For euen as the perfections of all other things being compared with the diuine are no perfections so neither the bonds which by reason of their perfections and excellencies are named such are bonds beeing compared with this as neyther all the offences made onely to the creatures cannot be called offences if they be compared to them by which the Creator himselfe is offended For which cause Dauid also in that paenitentiall Psalme sayth that he had offended the Lord onely and onely sinned against him albeit he had offended most grieuously against Vrias whō he had commaunded to be slaine being innocent and against
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
Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire And in another place admonishing vs to liue circumspectly and carefully which is opposite to this vice he sayth Be yee ready watch and pray for in the houre that yee thinke not of will the sonne of man come Therefore when this slothfull and idle vice tempteth thine hart thou mayst arme thy selfe with these considerations following First consider what great labours and troubles Christ from the beginning of his life suffered for thee howe he continued whole nights in prayer for thee how he ran vp and downe froÌ„ one country to another teaching healing men how he was alwayes busied about those things which belong vnto our saluation and aboue all these things howe at the time of his passion he bare that heauy crosse being wearied martired through many stripes and whippings If therefore the Lord of maiestie suffered so many labours and sorrowes for the saluation safetie of others how much more meete is it that thou shouldest doe and suffer some thing for thine owne That most immaculate Lambe suffered so great things to deliuer thee from thy sinnes and wilt thou not suffer a little while and a small thing for his loue Consider also what the Apostles haue suffered when trauailing throughout all the world they preached the Gospell and what the Martyrs Confessors and Virgins haue suffered with those holy Fathers that liued in most vast and solitary wildernesses farre remote from any humane resort To be briefe coÌ„sider of all the labours and trauailes of the Saints who now tryumph with the Lord in heauen by whose labours toyles the Church of God to this day enioyeth many notable blessings Contemplate moreouer how nothing is created to be idle for the heauenly Armies cease not to praise the Lorde The Sunne the Moone the starres and all the celestiall bodies are euery day once turned about the vniuersall Orbe for our commodity hearbes plants and trees from small bodies encrease to theyr iust magnitude Ants in sommer gather theyr graynâ— which they may liue of in winter Bees make their Honey-combes with all diligence persecute the Drone Thou shalt finde the same thing to haue place in all if thou shalt run thorow all the kindes of liuing creatures Therefore ô thou man capable of reason let it shame thee of idlenes which all creatures detest and that onely by the instinct of nature Behold how great paynes and trauailes those doe sustaine who gather earthly riches together which shall perrish vvhich are gotten with great labour are possessed with grâ—â—ter cares and dangers what oughtest not thou rather to do who dealest for heauenly matters who laborest for celestiall treasures which endure for euer Beware that now when thou art sounde and strong and hast time that thou walke not idely least somthing be wanting vnto thee which hereafter thou canst not labor for and yet wouldest faine haue Which we see to happen to many The tyme of our life is short and full of a thousand miseries therefore whilst thou hast fitte time to worke take heede that it slide not away vainely in idlenes For the night shall come in which no man can worke Remember that the multitude of thine enormous sinnes do aske great repentance Saint Peter denyed the Lord thrice and he mourned for this sinne all the daies of his life although it was already forgiuen him Mary Magdalen deplored her sinnes to her dying day which shee had committed before her conuersion albeit she had heard those sweet words of Christ Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee But because I labour to be briefe I cease to rehearse moe examples of thys sort of those who in like manner haue ended theyr repentance with theyr life many of whom had committed both fewer and lesser sinnes then thou hast But thou who daily heapest sinnes to sinnes how darest thou say that it seemeth a thing too hard and difficult vnto thee to doe necessary labours by which thou mayst flie sinnes Therefore in the time of grace and mercy endeuour with thy ful strength that thou maist bring forth fruite worthy of repentance And sette before thine eyes that example of a certaine godly man who as often as the clocke made a report of a passed houre was wont to say O Lord GOD behold novve another houre of them is already past which thou hast allotted vnto my life for which how shall I be able to render thee an account If at any time we be wearied in our godly exercises and labours let vs forth-with consider by how many tribulations and troubles we must enter into the kingdome of heauen and that hee shall not be crowned that hath not lawfully contended And if thou thinkest that thou hast laboured inough already and that no further paynes is to be endured remember that he onely shall be sâ—â—ed who continueth and perseuereth to the end For withou◠〈◊〉 all perseuerance neyther the course is worthy of reward nor of the small fauour of the Lord. For this cause the Lord would not descend from the Crosse when the Iewes willed him because he would not leaue the worke of our redemption vnperfect If therefore we will follow our head it is necessary that we should labour with all diligence till death because the reward of our Sauiour endureth for euer Let vs not leaue of continuall repentance let vs not be weary in bearing the Crosse of the Lord by following Christ otherwise what shall it profit to haue sayled succesfully and prosperously a long voyage if at length we make shipwrack in the Hauen Thou oughtest not to feare the difficulty of fighting God who sendeth thee to the warre doth promise thee helpe to ouercome he is a present beholder of thy fight and doth ayde and succour thee with a fresh supply when thou art eÌ„ndangered or when thy strength faileth but crowneth thee when thou hast ouercome When thou art wearied through tediousnes of trauaile thus resolue with thy selfe Doe not compare the labours of Vertue with the sweetnes and delight of the contrary vice but conferre the sorrow and anguish which thou now feelest in Vertue with the sorrow and disquietnes which thou shalt feele after thou hast sinned and the ioy which thou feelest in sinning with the ioy which for vertue remaineth for thee in the glory to come and thou shalt presently see how much better the condition of vertue is then of vice When thou shalt come Victour from one warre be not idle be not voyde of care for often-times as a certaine Wiseman sayth after victory the conqueror casteth away all care yea alwayes stand vpon the watch for by and by thine enemy wil approch againe and his trumpet will giue a signe of a new onset and a new assault will begin For the Sea cannot be vvithout vvaues and billowes nor this lyfe vvithout tribulation and temptation For he
thou lyuest not to feede thy belly but that thou must pray and forth-vvith read or studie or some other good worke is to be doone for which thou art vnfit if thou burdenest thy stomacke beyond measure Wherefore when thou commest to eate or drinke dâ— not respect how much thy mouth delighteth to eate but howe much is sufficient for thy life and to sustaine thy necessity We doe not say that thou shouldest kill thy selfe through fasting but that thou shouldest not pamper thine appetite fâ—rther then the vse of thy life requireth For thy body as the bodies of all other liuing creatures necessarily requireth nourishment that it faint not but thou must beware that through superfluity of nourishment thou surfet not Hence Bernard The body saith he is to be handled seuerely that it rebell not that it waxe not proude yet so that it may be of sufficient strength to serue because it is giuen to serue the spirit let thy flesh be restrained not consumed let it be pressed but not oppressed let it be humbled that it grow not insolent and let it serue and not rule Hetherto of the vertue of Abstinence ¶ Of the keeping of the Sences AFter that we haue chastened and reformed our bodies according to the rule deliuered it is necessary also that wee should reforme the sences of our bodies in which thing the seruants of God ought carefully to watch and to vse especiall heede and warines least theyr eyes which are as wide gates by which all vanities enter into vs which pierce euen to our soules and often are the windowes of our perdition by which death entreth least I say that they wander and stray abroade too licenciously But especially they that attend prayer ought warily to keepe this sence both that chastitie may be preserued and the hart being fixed may attend his deuoier Otherwise the images and shapes of things which enter into vs by this gate doe leaue many painted toyes and fansies behind them which hinder vs when we pray or meditate and they make vs scarcely think of any other thing then of that impression they haue left For this cause deuout religious men haue beene so carefull to moderate theyr sight that not only they haue not seene those things which might harme them but they haue auoyded costly buildings â—rtificiall pictures and precious and curious workes that they â—ight haue their imaginations pure and free at that tiâ—e when â—hey were to deale with God For thys exercise is such and so â—elicate that it is not onely hindered through sinnes but also â—â—rough the representation of those things which of themselues 〈◊〉 not euill The care and watch of the eares is no lesser then that of the 〈◊〉 for by these gates oftentimes those things enter into our soules which doe hinder and disturbe them destroy pollute them We must not haue our eares onely shut to hurtfull matters but also to the flying brutes rumors of this world which nothing concerne vs. For he that bewareth not of these things oâ—â—entimes when hee woulde gather his spirits together more firmely to meditate on God and heauenly things his hart is so troubled with the remembrance of things heard that they doe not suffer him rightly to meditate Of smelling I haue not much to say seeing that to carry about strange and outlandish smels and fumigations or to be delighted with them besides that it is the property of lasciuious sensuall men it is also infamous not onely for men but also for honest and chast women Of the tast also something were to be added but that wee haue already spoken of it in the precedent Section when we handled Abstinence Of the keeping of the tongue THE tongue is a copious theame to discourse of for as the Wiseman sayth Death and life are in the power of the tongue By which words it is manifest that all the good and ill of man consist in the good or ill keeping of this member Saint Iames the Apostle admonisheth vs of thys watch and guarde saying Behold we put bits into the horses mouthes that they should obey vs and we turne about all theyr body Behold also the shippes vvhich though they be so great and are driuen of fierce windes yet are they turned about with a very small rudder whither soeuer the Gouernour listeth Euen so the tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things beholde howe great a thing a little fire kindleth And the tongue is fire yea a world of wickednes so is our tongue sette amoâ—g our members that it defileth the whole body That we may gouerne and rule thys member well we must obserue foure things that is what is to be spoken the manner how it is to be spoken the time when it is to be spoken and the cause why it is to be spoken First therfore we will handle what is to be spoken that is the matter which wee would speake of Wherein that of Paule is to be obserued Let no corrupt comâ—â—nication proceed out of your mouthes but that which is good to 〈◊〉 vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers And 〈◊〉 another place showing more plainly what is corrupt communication he sayth But fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints neyther filthines neyther foolish talking neither iesting vvhich are things not comely Euen as therefore Saylers are wont to haue all dangerous places noted and deciphered in theyr Mappes by which theyr shyppes might be endangered and hazarded that they may auoyde them So the seruant of God ought to haue all kinde of corrupt speeches noted and sette downe that he may not be endangered by them Neither oughtest thou to be lesse faythfull and silent in these which are commended vnto thee that thou shouldest conceale them then the Saylers doe who knowing of a dangerous Rock are very wary not to discouer it least they should be ieoparded vpon it In the manner of our speaking wee must be circumspect that we speake not too finely delicately too vnaduisedly too affectedly too curiously and with wordes too exquisite but with grauity leysurely and with gentlenes simple and plaine wordes Here he that speaketh is to be admonished that hee be not head-strong obstinate of theyr nuÌ„ber that would alwaies ouercome for by this oftentimes the peace of conscience is disturbed charitie patience our friends are offended It is the part of a generous and noble minde sometimes to giue place and in disputation to giue the victory to another It is the part of wise and discreet men to follow the counsaile of the VVise-man who sayth In many things be as one that is ignorant be as one that vnderstandeth and yet hold thy tongue If thou be among great men compare not thy selfe vnto them and when an Elder speaketh babble not much The thyrd thing which ought to
which among others we ought to moderate and adorne with three holy affections as are Humility of hart Poorenes of spirit and an holy Hatred of our selues For these three doe make the busines of mortification very easie Humility as Saint Bernard defineth is a contempt of our selues which springeth of a deepe and true knowledge of our selues For it is the property of this vertue to cast out of the soule all the branches and all the daughters of Pride with the whole progeny of ambition and to cast vs downe vnder all creatures and to think that any other creature if so it were giuen vnto him of God to worke well as it is giuen vnto vs would be much more gratefull and would bring forth many moe fruites then we doe Neyther is it sufficient that man hath this contempt of himselfe hid within him but it is necessary that it should appeare and show it selfe in his conuersation so that in all things as much as may be hee show himselfe most humble according to the quality of his estate hauing no regard of the iudgement and estimation of this world which perhaps opposeth her selfe against him Wherfore it is necessary that all our actions and affaires haue a relish of humility and pouerty and that we submit our selues for the loue of God not onely to our elders and equals but also to our inferiours The second thing which is required in this place is the pouerty of spirit which is a voluntary contempt of the things of this world and a minde content with that estate which is alotted of God although it be meane and low At this stroke that roote of all mischiefe is cut vp which they call couetousnes and it bringeth to man so great peace and tranquillity of hart that Seneca is not afraid to say He that hath his gate shut to the lust of his desires may for felicity contend with Iupiter himselfe And in another place No man else is worthy of God but he that hath contemned riches Hath he little that chilleth not for cold that hungreth not that thirsteth not Iupiter hath no more He hath neuer little that hath inough This sayth Seneca By which words he intimateth that the felicity of man consisteth in the satiety and contentednes of the harts desire He that commeth to this stayednes and quiet of desire he may say that he is come to the height of felicity or at least hath attayned a great part of it The third affection is an holy Hatred of our selues of which our Sauiour sayth He that loueth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto life eternall Which doctrine is not to be vnderstoode of a peeuish and a peruerse hate as the desperate doe hate themselues but it must be vnderstood of an hate which the Saints beare towards their owne flesh as against a thing which was the cause of many and great euils and which hindred much good and therefore they handled it not according to the will and lust of it but according to the prescription of reason which coÌ„maundeth that we should often handle it not as a Mistres but as a seruant of the spirit otherwise that of the Wise-man will happen vnto vs He that delicately bringeth vp his seruant afterwards shall finde him obstinate and contâ—macious Wherefore in another place we are admonished that wee should smite it with clubs as an vntamed beast and bridle it The yoke and the whip sayth Ecclesiasticus bow downe the hard necke so tame thine euill seruant that is thy body with the whips and correction Send him to labour that he goe not idle for idlenes bringeth much euill Send him to worke for that belongeth vnto him if he be not obedient put on moe heauy fetters That he insult not nor waxe proud that he be not idle and rush into open wickednes This holy hatred is much auaileable in the busines of mortification that is it is very conducent to the mortifying and cutting away of our euill desires although it be hard and difficult For without this hatred how can we make incision and draw forth blood and greeuously wound a thing so dearely beloued of vs For the arme and strength of mortification getteth valour not onely from the loue God but also from the hate of our selues by vertue of which strength and valour man doth not excruciate his soule of passion but as a seuere Chirurgian doth cleanse and wipe away the corruption of a member affected and putrified ¶ Of the reforming of the Imagination AFter these two sensuall faculties there are other two which pertaine to knowledge 〈◊〉 Imagination and the Vnderstanding which answer to the two former that both of these appetites may haue his guide and knowledge conuenient and fit Imagination which is the ignobler of these two is called a power of our soule greatly weakened through sinne which is very haggard to be subiected vnto reason For oftentimes as a fugitiue seruant that departeth without licence it rusheth out of dores and wandreth throughout the whole world before we vnderstand where it is It is a faculty also very greedy in excogitating or searching out any matter which it hath a desire to and it imitateth hungry doggs who tosse and turne all things vpside downe and thrust their snowt into euery dish now lapping of this now of that and although they are beate from it yet alwayes they returne to their repast fore-tasted This faculty also is very glib and fleeting as a wild and an vntamed beast flying very swiftly froÌ„ one mountaine to another least it should be taken and restrained for it cannot abide a bridle or a bit neyther is it willing to be gouerned or managed of man Notwithstanding this licenciousnes and naturall wildnes there are some that daily make it worser as they that bring vp their children most deliciously daintily permitting them to vage freely whether so euer they list and to doe whatsoeuer pleasure willeth them without any reprehension Wherefore when as man would that this imagination should quietly persist in the contemplation of Diuine things it is disobedient and immorigerous because it hath accustomed to wander licentiously neither acknowledgeth it any moderation Therfore it is needfull that after we haue acquainted our selues with the bad conditions of this beast that we restraine it and that we bind it to a cratch that is to the consideration of good necessary things and that we commaund it perpetuall silence in all-other things So that as a little before we haue bound the tongue that it speaketh not any thing but good words and to the purpose so let vs bind our imagination that it may remaine and continue in good and holy cogitations and to all other that we shut the gate against it Herein we are to vse great discretion to examine what cogitations are to be admitted and what to be excluded that
especially the Psalmes and the Prophets in which nothing is so vsuall and common as hope in God and assurednes of the Diuine ayde and assistance which remayneth for them that trust in him The fourth vertue is the zeale of Gods honour that is if all our cogitations be to this end that the honour of the Diuine maiesty may be encreased and be preferred sanctified and glorified before all other things and that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen and that we haue this minde in vs that no greater griefe can happen vnto vs then to see the Diuine honour impugned or abused Such a will was in the harts of those Saints in whose name it is sayd The zeale of thine house hath 〈◊〉 eâ—teâ— me For their harts were so afflicted for this cause and so great griefe of mind did feede vpon their bodies that euident tokens of it were seene in them If we did burne with the like zeale forth-with we should be marked in our foreheads with that glorious signe of Ezechiell and wee should liue free from all punishment and scourge of the Diuine iustice The fift vertue is the purity of the intent to which pertayneth that in our actions we seeke not our selues or our owne commodity but the glory good pleasure of our Lord God certainly perswading our selues that as they that play at the game called He that winneth looseth by loosing they winne and by winning they loose so also we by how much more we traffique negotiate with God without purpose of our owne profit by so much we make the greater gaynes and contrarily Therefore in this poynt we must diligently aduice our selues and examine all our actions with an vpright and an impartiall iudgement as men iealous that our mind doth respect no other thing in working but God himselfe for the property of naturall selfe-loue is very subtill as we sayd before seeketh it selfe in all things Many are rich in good works which if they were tried by the touch of the Diuine iustice would be found without this purity of intendment which is that Euangelicall eye which when it is cleare and simple it maketh the whole body cleare but if it be wicked it maketh the body full of darknes Many men in great places and dignities placed as well in the common-wealth as in the Church seeing vertue laudable and beautifull in her functions haue endeuoured themselues so to walke in her trackt that they haue been reputed for good men and haue purged their hands from all filthy luker aud vncleannes which might by any meanes haue polluted their honours Yet they haue done it for this respect that they might not fall from that authority they were placed in and that they might be fauoured of theyr Princes and graced with great dignities and honours And therfore theyr good works proceeded not from the liuely sparke of loue or from the feare of God neyther had they his obedience and glory theyr purposed end but sought for their owne commodity and the glory of man But what soeuer is doone after thys manner although it seeme somwhat in mans eyes yet in Gods sight it is as smoake and a shadow of righteousnes not true righteousnes For before God workes are not acceptable commended onely by the strength and grace of morrall vertues neyther doe corporall actions and businesses please him no not if a man should sacrifice his owne sonne but onely that spirit of loue sent from heauen all that which groweth on this roote is acceptable in the Diuine sight In the Temple there was not any thing which eyther was not gold or that was not couered with pure gold so it is not lawfull that any thing should be in the liuely Temple of our soule which is not eyther charitie or ouer-guilded deaurated with charity Therefore the seruant of God should not so much respect that he doth as the end which he intendeth and destineth it for For workes very base and of low account beeing doone for an excellent intent become most â—â—ellent and contrarily For God doth not so regard the body of the worke as the soule of the intention which proceedeth of charity Thys is to imitate after a certaine manner the most noble and most gracious loue of the sonne of God who commaundeth in his Gospell that we should loue after the same manner as he before loued that is of pure good will and not for the cause of any profit And seeing that among the circuÌ„stances of charitie which is in God this is most admirable he shall be the happiest who in all the works that he doth endeuoureth to imitate this Hee that doth thus let him assuredly beleeue that he is entirely beloued of God as beeing very like vnto him in the perfection of beautie and puritie of intent for similitude and likenes is wont to get and winne loue Wherfore let man turne his eyes from all humane respects when he dooth good and let him haue them fixed vpon God neyther let him suffer that those workes which are in so great reckoning and price with God serue humane regards If a noble and a beautifull woman worthy of a Kings bed should be married to a foule Collyer it would mooue all to compassion that beheld her after the same manner and much more effectually shall he be mooued that seeth vertues woorthy of God and diuine reward to be made vassals to compasse the drosse dung of thys world But because this purenesse of intent is not so easily obtained let man desire it instantly of God in all hys prayers especially in that part of prayer which the Lord himselfe taught his Apostles where it is said Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen That as all the heauenly Armies doe the vvill of GOD with a most pure intent onely that they may please him so also let man as much as lyes in him heere in earth imitate that heauenly custome and stile not because besides that that we please God we may not come to his kingdome but because workes are so much the more perfect as they are voyder and nakeder of all priuate and selfe commoditie The sixt Vertue is Prayer by meanes of which we ought to haue recourse to our Father in the time of tribulation as chyldren haue who when they are feared or daunted foorth-vvith runne to the bosome and lappe of their Father We haue neede of this prayer that 〈◊〉 â—ay haue our Father in continuall remembrance and standing in his sight wee may often conuerse and haue conference with him For all these things are annexed to the bond and duty of a good sonne towards his Father But because the vse and necessity of this vertue is knowne to euery body seeing we labour to be briefe in this place we will speake no further of it The seauenth Vertue is giuing of thanks to which belongeth to haue alwaies
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