a Fugitiue and is runne away from GOD who as Saint Augustine In Psal 139 speaketh is not only an Inquisitour but an Inuestigatour doth not only inquire of him but traces him step by step and will finde him out though hee hide himselfe in the top of Carmel Amos 9. 3. nay though hee lay close in the bottome of the Sea yet thence would hee command the Serpent and he should bite him Thirdly the LORD hath Deut. 28. 28 67. smitten him with Madnesse as hee threatned in the Law so that hee knowes not what to doe nor where to rest nor how to passe the time but when it is morning hee wisheth it were night and when it is night he wisheth it were morning and cannot sleep sweetly but starts out of his Bed and is readie to kill himselfe like the Keeper Acts 16. 27 of the Prisoâ— at Philippi Fourthly hee is a Malefactor condemned and adiudged to Death expecting hourely his deserued Execution and therefore liueth in continuall feare and punishment for Timor supplicamentum Id est supplicium De Fug habet sayth TERTVLLIAN Feare hath euer punishment annexed to it Fiftly he is like the man Possessed of the Deuill who Mark 5. 3. had his abiding in the Graues for the most pleasant prospects are to him but Golgothaes Lastly there is a Worme The Heathens shadowed this by the Eagle or Vulture that fed vpon the heart of Prometheus Macrob l. 1. in Som Scip. which lyes gnawing and grabling continually at his heart which shall neuer die neuer leaue tugging no not when hee hath lien thousand thousand yeeres in Hell For the certaintie whereof it hath pleased the Holy Ghost to repeat it three seuerall times within the compasse of fiue Verses in these wordes Where the Mark 9. 44. 46 48. Worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out CHAP. LXII That it is exceeding dangerous for a man in horrour of Conscience to kill himselfe AFter the Arch-enemie of Mankinde the Deuill hath insnared a man many yeeres together in sensualitie and worldlinesse and trailed him along with the vaine conceit of Mercie at last hee presents himselfe in a ghastly shape with kniues and halters in his hand coÌ„tinually vrging him to become his owne Deaths-man that so he may bee rid of his present anguish Against which bloudie temptation the Christian is most carefully to arme himself with the consideration of the danger that will accrew For if Cleombrotus Aug. De Ciu. Dei l. â— did ill to kill himselfe that hee might bee possessed of those ioyes of Heauen which his Master Plato so excellently had described and if Cato haue got him an euerlasting reproch amongst the truely wise by dispatching himselfe in a disdaine to yeeld to Caesar a man of incomparable valour and clemencie and if Lucretia chaste and innocent Lucretia haue wronged her name by the wilfull abridgement of her life in a false supposall of dishonour and if the best commendation that they got was that they did it Aug. De Ciu. Dei l. 1. c. 22. Magnè but not Benè how shall they escape the iudgement of GOD who in the bright sunne-shine of the Gospell doe most cruelly bereaue themselues of the great blessing of this present life which God hath allotted them for their comfort and Repentance Hath not the Lord said Thou shalt not kill without adding the word Neighbour as S. Augustine well De Ciu. Dei l. 1. noteth that thou mightest take heede of admitting the least thought of destroying thy selfe Againe 2. Sam. 17. 23. are not Achitophel and Iudas that strangled Act. 1. 18. themselues left to all posteritie as most fearefull spectacles of GODS vengeance For as for the fact of Sampson it is extraordinarie and more as Saint De Ciu. Dei Austine obserueth Spiritus latenter hoc iusserat The Spirit of God had secretly commanded it Besides the same Father doth peremptorily affirme that for a man to slay himselfe is Detestabile facinuâ— damnabile De Ciu. Dei l. 1. c. 25. A crime that is both Detestable and Damnable Further Mâ—ns Bodie is a Part of the Image of God and all the Three Persons in the Trinity Gen. 1. 26. consulted about the making of it and all the creatures in Heauen and in Earth are not able to make the least haire of ones head Lastly after death Locuâ— salubris De Ciu. Dei l. 1. c. 25. Poenitentiae non datur There is no fitting place for Repentance and therefore O man stay thy hand and commit not that Murder in one instant which thou canst neuer wash out with thy teares in infinite Millions of yeeres CHAP. LXIII Certaine forcible Reasons against Despaire TO the end the Deuill may not sinke downe the soule irrecouerably into Hell the distracted sinner is to know that none in this life are apparantly debarred from hope of forgiuenesse but onely the Reprobate angels Diaboli Enarrat in Psa 54. angeli eius saith S. Austin manifestati sunt nobis quòd ad Ignem aeternum sunt destinati Ipsorum tantùm desperanda est Correctio Concerning the Deuill and his angels most certaine it is that they are Praedestinate to euerlasting fire and we are to despaire of their correction only Againe it must bee well weighed that there is no Offender so hellish and abominable but that the Church of God receiues him into her armes vpon his vnfained Conuersion according to that sweete saying of S. Augustine In quibuscunque Tom. 10. Hom. 27. peccatis non perdit viscera Pia Mater Ecclesia Our Holy Mother the Church doth not forgoe the bowels of her loue in any sinne be it neuer so hainous Of this very mind is the blessed Martyr Cyprian Nec quisquam saith Ad Demetr he aut Peccatis retardetur aut annis quò â—â—inùs veniat ad consequendam salutem Let no man bee kept backe from seeking mercie haue he been neuer so mighty neuer so inueterate a Transgressour In isto adhuc mundâ— manenti nulla Poenitentia sera est so long as a man is in this World Repentance neuer commeth too late â—â— sub ipso licet exitu vitae temporalis occâ—su pro delict is roges venia confitenti datur ad Immortalâ—tatem sub ipsa morte transitur Though thou haue dâ—ferred the crauing of forgiuenesse euen till thou bee drawing on and in a manner at â—he last gaspe yet if thou then pâ—rforme it sincerely thy sins aâ—e pardoned and thou art pâ—ssed from death to life Which words are not written by this godly Father to bolster vp any man in his presumption but onely to comfort the distressed soule surcharged with his iniquities Moâ—eouer the wounded Sinner is to take notice that to adde Despaire vnto his other wickednesse is with the Amorites to make it Full. For it is the iudgement of Saint Augustine Tom. 10. Hom. 27. that Iudas sinned more grieuously by Despayring than by Betraying Our Sauiour His wordes are these Iudam Traditoren non tam scelus quod conmisit quà m Indulgeniae Desperatio fecit penitùs interire It was not so much the cursed fact of Iudas the Traytour that cast away his soule as the Despairing of the Mercy of God Lastly the Sinne of Despaire is so notorious that some learned men haue thought it to be the Vnpardonable sinne against the Holy Ghost because it is Diâ—nys-Carth in Euang. Math. c. 27. Pet. Lomb. l. 2. Dist 43 committed directè contra Diuinitatem Directly against the Godhead videlicet contra Infinitatem Bonitatis Misericordiae Dei that is against the Infinitenes of Gods Goodnesse and Mercie The Lord for his Christs sake confirme vs in the assurance of his fauour by the testimonie of his Spirit and the comfortable fruits of a Sanctified life that after this wearisome pilgrimage we may keepe holy to him an euerlasting Sabbath in the Heauens Amen Deo Gloria Qui primas non potuit habere Sapientiae secundas habeat partes Modestiae Aug. in lib. Retract
inestimable IEWELL and not suffer the Soule to lye neglected and forlorne while the Bodie is curiously pranckt and trickt vp Dominam ancillari Medit. c. 3. ancillam dominari magna abusio est saith Saint Bernard It 's a foule in 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 to â—he 〈◊〉 of Saint Cyprian who is very earnest De Discip Hab. Virg. and copious in the reproofe of it CHAP. XXX That a Good Conscience comforteth in Infamie THE speech of Iob is verie Iob. 31. 35 36. memorable Though mine Aduersary should write a Booke against mee would I not take it vpon my Shoulder and bind it as a CROWNE vnto mee His meaning is that in the vprightnesse of his Conscience hee would make himselfe Garlands of the reports of Sycophants Fideliter in conspectu Dei dico Cont. Lit. Petil. li. 3. c. 2 6. sayth Saint Augustine nihil eorum quibus Petilianus tempus vitae meâ— posteaquam in Christo baptizatus sum criminatus est mihi conscius sum idâ—oque non solum contristari non debere verum etiam gaudere exultare I speake it solemnely in the sight of God that I am not guiltie of any of those actions wherewith Petilian chargeth mee since the time I was baptized in the name of Christ and therefore haue I no cause to bee sad but rather to reioyce and exult What though Tertullus very eloquently doe call Saint Paul a Pestilent Fellow Act. 24. 5. 6. and charge him with Sedition Heresie Sacriledge so long as hee is able to answere him point by point and to cleere himselfe of Caluin in Epist the calumnies O bona Conscientia quantum polles ac vales O innocent Conscience of how great force and efficacie art thou For if the Lord speake peace vnto my Soule the Tongue that 's as hot as coles of Iuniper cannot Psal 120 4. hurt mee but if I bee guiltie and conuiected in my selfe what auailes an vniuersal acclamation of my goodnesse but to my further plague for my palliated hypocrisie CHAP. XXXI That a Good Conscience comforteth in Pouertie THE Moralist did well Eth. 3. 6. to place Pouertie in the ranke of things Terrible for besides the nips and pinches it giues which shrinke vp the heart like a piece of Northerne Cloth not Vertue herselfe but shal passe vnsaluted if She goe in ill clothes Howbeit the Christian hauing the Legacy of Peace bequeathed him by Ioh. 14. 27. his Sauiour in whose person 2. Cor. 8. 9. also Pouertie is sanctified contenteth himselfe with the saâ—ing of Saint Ie Ad Heliod rome Affatim Diues est qui cum Christo Pauper est Hee is abundantly Rich that is Poore with Christ Thus Iacob can sleepe on a Pillow Gen. 28. 11 Dan. 1. 15. of Stone Daniel is content with Pulse and Water and the Disciples are glad of Mat. 12. 1. Eares of Corne on the Best Day of the Seuen CHAP. XXXII That a Good Conscience comforteth in Imprisonment WHen Lenâ—ulus the Salust Con. Cat. Conspiratour was carryed to Prison and put in the Dungeon calld Tullianum a roome ouer-head vâ—â—lted with a stone-arch and exceeding darke and vnsauourie oh with what horror was hee surprized hauing no friend to flye to but his Conscience which like his Executioner was readie to strangle him But when Paul and Silas are sore beaten with Rods are cast into the Inner Prison set fast in the Stockes they cheerefully sing at Midnight Tantum interest non Aug. De Ciuit Dei lib. 1. cap. 8. Qualia sed Qualis quisque patiatur Such difference is there not betweene the Sufferings but the Sufferers These holy men had Peace of Conscience which as Saint Austine describes it is The Garden of Eden A Golden Bed of Rest and the Mercie-seate of the Cheru bins For they were thus shamefully intreated for Christs sake whose sacred Mat. 27. 2. hands had beene bound with cords for the purchace of their libertie O Bern. De Passion Dom. c. 4. Rex Regum Domine Dominantium quid tibi Vinculis O King of Kings and Lord of Lords alas what haue Bonds to doe with thee CHAP. XXXIII That a Good Conscience comforteth in Sicknesse THE comfort that Ahaziah 2. King 1. 2. hath when hee is cast vpon his bed of sickenesse is Baal-zebub the God of Ekron When Asa is 2. Chron. 16. 12. troubled with the Gowt his only hope is the Phâ—siciâ—n But when Hezekiâ—h is Isai 38. 3. â—eere vnto death hee hath recourse to Coâ—sâ—â—ence for succour I besecch thee Lord â—emember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is Good Bonum Conseâ—uatâ—uum Congregalâ—uum Communicatiuum in thâ— sight Hee meanes it of all kinds of Goodnesse whether it be Preseruing or Vniting or Communicating which yet he speakes not in a vaine confidence of merit but in a cheerefull testification of his Faith Not vnlike to this is the behauiour of GODS Children in their languishments for thus they resolue from the Apostle PAVL Whether Rom. 14. 8 wee liue wee liue vnto the Lord or whether we die we die vnto the Lord whether we liue therefore or die wee are the Lords CHAP. XXXIIII That a good Conscience comforteth at the time of Death THere are foure things that make Death formidable The Parting with the World the bitter Pangs of it the Horror of the Graue the Consideration of Iudgement following Against all these doth Good Conscience arme the Christian and inable him to incounter them either ioyntly or diuidedly And first for Parting with the World he hath his witnesse within himselfe that since the time of his effectuall calling hee neuer set his heart vpon it so the absence cannot bee very grieuous where the possession was but faintly taken As for the Pangs that clap to the heart in Death I confesse with Saint Augustine that Tam molesta est Mors vt nulla explicari locutione possit De Ciuit. l. 13. c. 11. they are so sharpe as that no tongue is able to expresse them but yet this is his comfort that hath a Regenerate Conscience that the Lord in mercie will either mitigate the paine or proportion the patience or els cause him to triumph in S. Hieromes words which he Ad Heliodor borrowed from the Prophet Hosea O mors quae fratres Hos 13. 14. diuidis amore sociatos crudelis ac dura dissocias Deuorasti Deuorata es O Death that art wont to part owne-brothers and inexorable as thou art doest separate those friends whom affection hath made one thou hast deuoured but art now deuoured thy selfe Now for the Graue it is true that as Iob describes Iob. 10. 22. it it is a Lâ—nd of Darkenesse and Confusion but yet Good Conscience that suckes comfort out of Gall and Worme-wood iâ— not in this case destitute For can Darkenesse strike terrour when
the bodie is asleepe Can stinch annoy 1. Thes 4. 13. when the sences are bound vp Can the Worme affright which is my Mother and Iob. 17. 14. my Sister Can Scalpes and Shin bones terrifie and amaze me sith He that shal one day seuer the Sheepe Mat. 25. 32 from the Goats doth now presently distinguish betwixt Bone and Bone in the Charnel-house And hath not my Sauiour Iohn 19. 40. 41. taken possession of the Graue with his owne blessed bodie which was imbalmed with sweet odours and made it of a rotten Cabine a delightfull Bed of Isai 57. 2. Downe And for the Day of Iudgement shal I not lift vp my head to thinke of it since it is the day of my Redemption Luk. 21. 28 1. Cor. 15. 14. c. Take away the comfort of the Resurrection and take away the Staffe of Christianity for then my Faith is vaine and my zealous indeuour of holinesse is vaine and the teares vaine that I haue shed for my sins and the prayers vaine that I haue made for their forgiuenesse and those vnspeakable ioyes are vaine which so oft I haue wisht which so long I haue longed for and the Sacraments the seales of my saluation are vaine and the Booke of Bookes the Holy Bible is vaine and woe is mee that euer I was borne for the Pagan is happier than I and the Epicure is happier than I and the foure-footed Beast that eateth hay is happier than I. CHAP. XXXV That a good Conscience comforteth at the Day of Iudgement NOw if the contemplation of the day of Iudgement approching doe bring with it such a waight of consolation oh what vnspeakeable gladnesse of heart will the true Professor bee possessed of when hee shall actually appeare before his Redeemer O the sweete musicke of Come yee Mat. 23. 34. Blessed and O the thunder-clap of Goe yee Cursed 41. Ad Heliod Veniet veniet illa dies c. To this very purpose S. Ierome speaketh notably The day will come yes it will surely come when this corruptible and mortall shall put on incorruption and immortalitie and then blessed bee that seruant whom the Lord finds waking The Earth with her inhabitants shall tremble at the sound of the Trumpet but thou good Christian shalt reioice The World shall mourne and roare and knock the brest the hearts of mighty Kings shall be seene to beat and throb through their sides the wanton Mistresse shall bee brought forth with her Bratts and the Iouial Yonker with his Plume and Buskinlike eloquence Then foolish Plato and his Schollers must answere for their Community and profound Aristotle shall not haue one poore Argument to helpe himselfe withall But thou now forlorne and despised Christian shalt then exult and triumphantly say Loe this my Iudge is the Childe that cryed when he was swadled in the Manger this is He that in contempt was called the Carpenters Sonne this is Hee that in his infancie did flie from man being God into Egypt This is Hee that was clad in Purple was wounded with the Crowne of Thornes was held a Coniurer a Samaritan and One possessed of a Deuill O Iew behold the hands which thou nailedst O Romane looke vpon the side which thou diggedst come neere and see whether it bee the selfe same bodie or no because ye gaue out that his Disciples had closely stolne him away by night Hitherto S. Ierome CHAP. XXXVI A complaint that Good Conscience is so little set by NOt-with-standing all that hath been spoken concerning the incomparable Treasure of a Good Conscience what man alas makes any account of it The Ambitious is hot in the pursuit of Honour but makes not Conscience priuie to his intent so neglecting the one hee falls short of the other for Gloria virtutem quasi vmbra sequitur saith S. Ierome Ad Eustoch Virg. appetitores sui deserens appetit contemptores It is the nature of Glory to follow vertue as her shadow and to forsake her followers while shee followâ—s her contemners But would he consult with the Booke of God and take in his 1 Sam. 2. 30. way Honorantes me Honorabâ— hee should finde that Conscience were the compendiary way to true glory which the very Heathen shadowed as is noted by S. Austine when they built Aug. De Ciu. l. 5. c. 12 the Temples of Vertue and Honour so close together that none could passe vnto the last but through the former The Great Ill man hauing discharged Conscience for comming vpon his ground sacrilegiously takes away the Tythes and Leu. 27. 30 Offrings which Scripture auoucheth to bee a part of the Lords Crowne and ancient Demaynes and beeing fleshed with the reuenewes of the Church runnes with open mouth vpon the Commons and deuoures whole Townes and Countries be fore him in hope at length to bee Lord of as much ground as a Kyte can well flye ouer in a day O Rauen For hee builds his nest alone and dips his bill in poore mens bloud vp to the eyes Hee hath got the aduantage of the Hill that his deadly Pile might strike downe all before it which being cast counter-mont or in a plaine leuill could not be so dangerous Which S. Chrysostome considering This saying of Chrysost is often cited by Latimer concludeth thus seuerely against the whole Ranke of them Miror si aliquis Rectorum potest saluari I wonder if any of these Great men can be saued where yet he doth not import an Impossibilitie but a Difficultie The Vsurer and his Broker vnmercifully fasten their gryping talons vpon the bosome of the decayed Borrower tell them of Good Conscience they terme you Pragmaticall and with full mouth talke of their Thousands as if they were able to spit shillings in the face of any one that durst oppose them The subtle Lawyer that pleades in ill causes sels silence takes fees with both hands and like an ill Surgeon keepes the wound of his Client greene esteemes of Conscience as the Rich-man in S. Iames of his poore-apparrel'd Iam. 2. 3. Sit thou here vnder my Footestoole Guest that is hee makes her his Foote-stooles Foote-stoole The deceitfull Tradesman that keepes a weight and a weight because hee hath an heart and an heart holds Conscience an vtter enemie to his thrift and because he meaneth to be vnreasonably rich he can well be content to be vnmeasurably sinfull The bold fac't Stage-player that trades in poysoning all sorts and ages with verses reezd in the smoke of lust and blasphemous Scripture-iests broke in the very face of GOD is worthily cast out as the Bane of Conscience to the vtmost welt of the skirt of the Suburbs CHAP. XXXVII That Gods dearest Children are often troubled in Conscience IT is the manner of the vnreclaimed person to blesse himselfe in the conceit of his light-heartednesse and to wonder that the staid and mortified Christian can bee so sad and so vnsociable But alas hee