with charitie towards you in this our conuent of S. Iohn Baptist at Font Palumb now residing God assisting mee together with the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God and of all the Saints and Angels in heauen but especially of S. Iohn Baptist and my glorious Father S. Francis I doe speake vnto all sinners crying out and compelling them with these wordes Oh yee sinners sinners I say turne yee to God forsake your enemie the diuell amend correct your euill liues and departe from the pernicious and dangerous way wherin yee walke turne oh brethren vnto your benigne creatour prepare the way by the which your sweet and louing Iesus is to come to inhabite and make his mansion in your soules Expell and driue out oh yee wretches those diabolicall vices which haue prepared for themselues an habitatioÌ„ in your poore soules Oh yee miserable sinners do ye not yet perceaue that your soules are as so many caues full of inhumane serpents and cruell dragons Who are al readie to deuoure and teare you in pieces These being expelled and put to flight let in your most louing Iesus into the closet of your soules who standeth knocking without and like a tender Father mercifull Sauiour commiserating your obduratnes crieth out open to me open to me I say my deare children Why doe you therfore oh yee miscreants admit your enemie and deadly aduersary into your soules and exclude and bannish your louing Sauiour and benigne redeemer Open vnto him oh my Brethren open vnto him and at last acknowledge that he alone is your creatour redeemer Sauiour turne to your selues and consider oh vnworthy abiects and know that this is that Iesus which bought you with his moste pretious blood and died for you vpon the holy wood of the Crosse Contemplate oh sinner the great loue which thy most sweete Iesus did and doth at this present beare to thee and be vigilant and carefull least thou againe offend him Consider that for the loue of thee he hangeth conteÌ„ned left of al vpon the crosse behold him nailed through his sacred hands and feete vpon the rood and for thy sake Behold how for thee his diuine head is girded about with sharpe and cruell thornes that pricked him eueÌ„ to the braines looke vpon him how hee is contemned vilified and crucified as a publique malefactour betwixt two theefs and onely for thee heare what opprobries contumelies and disgraceful termes hee endured of the passers by and that for thy sake giue eare vnto him crying with a loud voice by reason of extreme thirst Sitio sitio I thirst I thirst and onely for thee For this was that ardent thirst besides the naturall thirst which was most vehement to witt thy saluation Heare him not murmuring one iot but most ardently praying for his persecutours and malefactours Pater ignosce illis c. Luc. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Oh the depth of the loue and mercie of Iesus oh the Tigre-like cruelty and obdurate malice of that diabolicall hellish crue that crucified him oh yee vngratefull sinners who little esteeming of the vnspeakable affection of Iesus towardes you doe accompanie and vnite your selues with diuells are slaues to diuels and do eate drinke sleepe and liue in the companie of diuels who likewise at the last shall be damned with diuels vnlesse yee turne to your blessed redeemer This onely thing if yee your selues did not resist is of it selfe sufficient to reduce and conuert you to your louing Iesus that is to say the very remembrance of the fatherly compassion which our Blessed Sauiour did beare towards you which for you alone did suffer death and shedd his moste pretious blood Fidelis sermo omni acceptione dignus Tim. 1.15 It is a faithfull saving and worthy of all acceptatioÌ„ that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners and in an other place Empti enim estis pretio magno Yee are bought with a great price glorifie therfore God in your bodies But you wretches hauinge no respect of him doe vilifie contemne and trample him vnder your feete he died for you and yee liue that yee might offeÌ„d him he layed downe his soule for you and you giue your soules to your enemie the diuell he hath redeemed you from the hand of your aduersarie and you doe caste and precipitate your selues into his mouth hee freed your from the power of death and you by your vngodly coÌ„uersatioÌ„ bring death vpon your soules throw your selues into hell in despight of him Oh yee vnfortunate wretches commiserate your owne most woful condition and if that you will not be moued to serue him for loue at least beginne awhile to serue him for feare vntill at the last vnderstanding your blinde errours you may serue him as it is fitting for loue alone O my deare Iesu oh louing and sweete Iesu open thy bowells of compassion vnto all sinners regarde not their madnes remember not their pertinacious malice looke vpon the ignominies torments which thou hast sufsuffered for vs beholde that liuelie and hotte blood which gushed out and ranne downe from all parts of thy torne body haue pittie vpon that sinner that taketh no pittie vpon himselfe alwaies prouiding that it may be done to the augmenting and amplifying of thy honour glorie heere and for euer herafter Amen The diuision of the Seauen Trumpets THE I. CHAPTER ET primus Angelus tubâ cecinit the first Angell sounded the trumpet saieth S. Iohn Apoc. 8. without all doubt oh yee sinners if yee will vse the benefit of your free will together with the assistance of diuine grace and that little exhortation of my prologue you may very easily as yee ought abandon sinne flie your accustomed vices and leaue the seruitude of Sathan your deadlie enemie and turne to your sweet and louing Iesus the deare spouse of your soules But being that you sleepe so profoundly and so securely that vee doe not or will not heare the sweet sound of so gratefull acceptable musicke I haue determined to send forth a sound of a more shrill and fearfull trumpet to make triall whether I can awake you from the sleepe and letharâ—ie of your sinnes wherein you lie drowned ouerwhelmed being mindeful of that of the Prophet Clama ne cesses quasi tuba exalta voceÌ„ tuam Isay 58.1 crie out and cease not exalt thy voyce as a trumpet that a sinner hearing it he may be conuerted to repentance But I entreat you my brethren that Hodie si audteritis c. Psal 94. if to day you will heare the voyce of our Lord you would not harden your hartes Brethren I say in the interim whilest you heare the souÌ„d of these trumpets obdurate not your hartes lest God be offended with you Et primus Angelus tubâ cecinit and the first Angel sounded the trumpet That I may come to my intended purpose I haue determined with these Seauen Trumpets set downe
reuerence he will make vs partakers of his celestial kingdome Cōsider now poore wretch that so long as thou art blemished polluted with the spott and contagion of sinne what soeuer thou doest were it to die it would not be imputed meritorious for the obtayning of eternall saluation and from hence it cometh that whatsoeuer thou doest it doth all perish although thou shouldest doe so much pennance so austerlie macerate thy body so often fast as often as the whole world if thou shouldest distribute al thy goods to the poore and giue thy body to be consumed in flames of fire performe what soeuer can be done or saide it doth not any way profit or auaile thee for the obtaining of eternall life so long as thou art in mortal sinne These good workes doe profit thee but to other endes as to conseruing of thy health and procuring and obtaining of temporall goods riches in this life because God out of his infinite goodnes and iustice letteth passe no euill vnpunished and no good thing vnrewarded Therfore abstaine thou not hereafter from doing well performing those good morall acts although thou beest guiltie of mortall sinne because besides that they conduce to that which I haue formerly intimated it may be also that they auaile so much that thou being freed from the guilt of sinne thou mayest be made more fitt and apt that God may more freely concur with thy soule and cause in thee penitencie and satisfaction for thy former sinnes although of thēselues they auaile not to obtaine heauē I will here demonstrate vnto thee a certaine manner of proceeding that although thou art guiltie of mortall sinne notwithstanding God may accept of thy good works to thy saluation which is very profitable and I earnestly desire thee to attend giue eare vnto it When thou art about to giue an almes to fast to say the Rosary to heare Masse or a sermon or to doe any good worke being then in mortall sinne if then thou hast not oportunitie or leasure to goe to confession I will that thou endeauour to gaine that sorrow and penitencie for thy sinnes that is requisite with a purpose neuer to sinne more and confesse them when there shall be conuenient time and occasion which thing being so done thy good workes shall be gratefull meritorious and capable of eternall retribution But if thou obseruest not this remainest guiltie of deadlie sinne there is no hope that thou shalt euer gaine heauen for all thy good deeds although they were innumerable Here I also tell thee that not a few are deceaued who suppose beleeue that those good acts that they doe in mortall sinne after confession and reconciliation with God shall be restored vnto them againe and by their merits they may gaine heauen which is is most vntrue But that thou mayest fully and truly vnderstād this opiniō I will that thou know ô sinner accordinge to all the Doctors that there are three kindes of workes which are liue workes dead workes mortified workes Liue workes are those which are done in grace and these are meritorious of eternall life Dead workes are called those which are done in sinne which are altogether dead neither are capable of merit Mortified workes are these which are done in the state of grace of any one but afterwards he sinneth and therby so mortifieth obscureth them that if he should die in mortall sinne the workes which before were meritorious and liuely shall perish and be abolished because their vertue and force was so debilitated and weakned by sinne Againe these mortified workes when thou shalt be receaued into grace they shall haue their former nature and that mortification being remoued they shall be reuiued and of no lesse merit thē they were formerly But these which were done in sinne which had no vigour or life although thou art admitted into grace not withstanding they shall obtaine nothing vnlesse as I haue formerly explicated Iesus Christ for his mercies sake graunt that he would impresse the horrible sound of this fearfull trumpet in your eares and hartes and therby so awake you that you may be alwaies fitt instruments of his diuine grace and at last to raigne with him and his eternall Father in the kingdome of eternall glorie in blisse and happines for euer and euer Amen The fourth Trumpet of the losse that a sinner suffereth through sinne at his death THE XIV CHAPTER ET quartus Angelus tubâ ceciuit Apoc. 8. and the fourth Angel sounded the trumpet Come yee now ô sinners to the hearing of the fourth trumpett attend and marke how terrible and fearfull it is O wretched and blinded soules that you are consider with your selues that you must once die Dust thou art and into dust shalt thou returne said God to Adam when he was penitent for his offence Gen. 3. By the enuie and malice of the diuell sinne entred into the world and those that are of his combination striue to imitate him The holy scripture saieth It is decreed once for men to die accordinge to the Apostle Alasse oh yee sinners what reason can you haue to be so proane and facill to sinne when as it must needes bee that you are not ignorant of the necessitie of your deathes Oh yee harlotes which make your owne bodies netts of the diuell to deceaue and entrap your selues and make your soules a prey for the furie of the diuell with thē to be burned perpetuallie in hell how can it be I say that beinge mindefull of death you doe not desist from such malignant offences and crimes O death how cometh it to passe that at the remembrance of thee sinners are not astonished In all thy workes remember thy last end and thou shalt neuer sinne saith the wise man Eccles 7.40 But which are your last and finall ends oh yee sinners doe you know They are Death Iudgement Hell Heauen we will at this present proceed to treat and say something of death and hereafter of the other O happy soule which now bearest in minde and appliest to thy harte the last houre and moment of death Mors est vltimum terribilium Death is the last thing of all that are to be feared saith the philosopher There can nothing be fained or thought vpon more fearful thē death but thou thinking not vpon this matter studiest continually how to sinne saying with the impious mā Let vs crowne our selues with roses before they wither let there be no pleasant medow which our riot shall not passe through Wisd 2.8 Thus thou spendest ten twenty thirty perhaps fourtie yeares liuing in this irreligious and vngodly course of life But tell me I beseech thee sinner what will all this profit thee at last thy life shall draw to an end at length thy last day shall come at length whether thou wilt or not thou must departe at last thou must leaue all thy treasures delightes recreationes and pleasures I say to all these thou must once die Thy
thy pernicious maledictiōs why blaspheamest thou thy God why contemnest thou thy Iesus and his blessed Mother S. Marie and doest not rather commende thy selfe vnto them chaunge now the institution and manner of thy life Doest thou thinke that thou shalt liue perpetually that thou art immortall that death shall be afraide of thee canst thou be perswaded that death which exerciseth her fatall function vpon all men and seazed vpon God himselfe that it will passe by or exempt thee Alas wretch knowest thou not what the scripture saith It is decreed that all must once die Heb. 9.27 Remember therfore thy last end and turne vnto thy God Giue eare vnto the sound of this trumpet if thou intendest when thou art come to the howre of death to triumph ouer the diuell haue confidence in thy God for in thy name saieth the Prophet Dauid we will dispise those that rise vp against vs and the same in the person of thy God saieth Super aspidem basilicum ambulabis c. Psal 90. thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and Basiliske and shalt tread vppon the Lyon and Dragon because he hath giuen his Angels charge of thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes There be three waies oh sinner in which the Angels doe protect guard thee The first in thy birth and natiuitie the second from thy birth vntill thy death the third from death to the obtaining of eternall life God of his infinite mercie keepe thee in all these waies that thou maiest come to raigne with him eternally Amen Of the fearfull presence of the Iudge in the instant of death THE XVIII CHAPTER ALas wicked and miserable sinner what terrour feare of necessity must possesse thy soule when as thou now dying must behould the angry countenance of that great Iudge God almightie whose glorious and pleasing aspect holy men could not beholde for no man shall see me and liue saieth God to Moyses Exod. 20.19 speake thou to vs and we will heare thee let not our Lord speake to vs least perhappes wee die saide the children of Israell to Moyses Saint Peter who loued Christ soe dearlie and was likewise so well beloued esteemed of him that he deliuered his church to him to be gouerned directed and would that it should relie vpon him as a firme foundation He I say vpon a certaine time when he saw Christ in presence astonished cried out Exi à me quia homo peccator sum goe from mee oh Lord because I am a sinnefull man what thē wilt thou do in the day of thy death when thou shalt behold the angry contenance of Iesus burning with the fire of diuine iustice Oh worme what will then become of thee where wilt thou hide thy selfe whether wilt thou flie Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo c. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant because no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight crieth out the Prophet in the person of a soule striuing with death Giue eare I beseech thee to that which holy Iob saieth of the presence of the iudge verè quod ita sit c. I know indeed it is so that man cannot be iustified compared with God if he contend with him he cannot answere him one for a thousand Iob. 9.2 notwithstanding Iob was of that integrity and sanctity of life that God him selfe speaking of him said Vir erat in terra Hus c. There was a man in the land of Hus whose name was Iob that was simple and right and fearing God departing from euill Iob. 1. And in the same chapter God speaking of Iob vnto the diuell he saied Hast thou considered my seruant Iob that there is not the like vnto him in the earth a man simple and right fearing God and departing from euill and keeping innocencie Alas how terrible and horrible a thing is it at the time of death to fall into the handes of the iust iudge Truly it would seeme a dreadfull thing if one should be circumuented and besett with a multitude of Serpēts Beares Dragons Lyons or other such like deuouring creatures yet all the terror which would proceed from these thinges created compared with the terrour and astonishment that the contenance and maiesty of the angry and iust iudge shall strike into a soule in the instant of death it is light and nothing O miserable soule commiserate and pitty thine owne case meditate vpon thine owne necessities consider what must at last befall thee consider the last end and thou shalt not sinne for euer saieth the wiseman to forewarne thee ô how much shouldest thou and indeed oughtest to feare and tremble to thinke vpon that last instant of thy life in which thy soule must be dissolued and presented before the maiestie of the angry and offended iudge The iudge miserable wretch will say vnto thee giue an account of thy stewardship render a reason of thy soule which thou receauedst immaculate pure and vndefiled of mee and which being defiled and blemished with the contraction and spot of originall sinne I haue washed and made cleane with my most pretious blood Giue an account of thy Reason Vnderstanding Memorie and Will which thou hast receaued of me thou wast endued with vnderstanding that thou shouldest know mee with thy Will that thou shouldest loue mee with a Memorie that thou shouldest be euer mindfull of mee but thou vngrateful soule hast abused these faculties by which thou wert like vnto God let vs make man after our owne Image saieth God Gen. 1. These endowments more then diuine thou hast occupied and busied about base humane transitorie and vaine subiects for so much as thou dost alwaies thinke of them loue and embrace them and exercise thy memorie with them Bewaile now and lament thou sinner for the time will come in which it will repent thee that thou hast bene no more sorrowfull forget not God now for there will come a time when all thy sayings deedes cogitations and counsels shall be reduced to memorie Now endeuour to loue and honour God with all thy force as he hath commaunded thee in these wordes Loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule and with all thy harte all thy neighbour as thy selfe Math. 22.38 Oh miserable mortall men who so inconsideratly vppon the suddaine runne into death My dayes haue passed more swiftlie then the webbe that is cut by the weauer and are consumed without hope Iob. 7.6 Giue vs we beseech thee thy grace oh Lord pardon and remit oh benigne and bountifull God our delictes crimes and offences Remember that thou art our Father looke not vpon our ingratitude but vpon thy mercie haue respect to mee and behould me with the eyes of pittie and compassion for I am alone and poore the tribulations of my harte are multiplied deliuer mee from my necessities Psal 24.16 Oh Marie Mother of indulgent Iesus by whom I am to be iudged pray for mee and for all sinners that we may so dispose of all our
sinne liuing so inconsideratly securely and confidentlie as you doe thinke and verily perswade your selues making no doubt that the diuine wrath iudgement shal descend from heauen vpon the suddaine vnlooked for and more swift then the lightning Alas how many vppon the suddaine haue fallen downe dead which could not so much as say Iesu helpe me Alas how many by negligence and sloath haue perished which neuer thinking of their ends haue liued in all kinde of concupiscence and voluptuous delightes when they saide peace and securitie there came a suddaine destruction vpon them saieth S. Paul 1. Tim. 3. Man knoweth not his end but as fishes are taken with the hooke and birdes with the net so are men taken in the time of persecution when there shall come vppon them a suddaine destruction Eccl. 9. O you my Brethren and sisters sinners looking into your soules and beholding the imminencie of your present danger thinke some thing of your ends consider o you vnfortunate and miserable wretches the vncertainty of your liues consider the perpetual torments which are prepared for sinners in hell consider o you lost soules that you must once come to the point of death consider that your delights shal haue an end your pompes honours glorie and whatsoeuer else wherin you tooke sensual delight and you your selues shall perish die and become as nothing and your soules themselues shall be drawne and separated from your impure filthy loathsome bodies wherby you haue so heinouslie impiouslie offended your God To Christ therfore o yee sinners to Iesus Christ o yee obdurate soules draw neare and haue recourse to him God calleth you by my penne by that liuely blood of Christ O sinners by the virtue and force of the loue and mercie of God I beseech you and speake vnto you in these wordes Come ô you sinners death draweth nere but Iesus Christ died for you that you might liue for euer Come ô you sinners vnto Iesus for the diuell is at hand to throw you into hell Turne you to Christ who calleth you by the sound of my Trumpet lest he reiect and vtterly condēne you with the sound of his seuere and bitter sentence at the day of iudgement Woe to you ô sinners woe I say vnto you if you refuse to heare the sound of this Trumpet whereby the diuine clemency calleth you from sinne and perdition vnto repentance and saluation O you my Brethren sinners how cometh it to passe that your hartes are not mollified but are deafe dumbe at this sound God graunt that you be not of the nūber of those of whom it is written they haue obdurated their faces more hard thē the rocke and they would not be conuerted Of the fearful signes which shall apeare before the day of iudgement by the consideration whereof many sinneful soules may be saued which otherwise might perish THE XXIV CHAPTER ANd there shall be signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres in the earth distresse of nations for the confused sound of the waues of the sea mens hartes fayling them for feare and expectation of those thinges which shall come vpon the whole world Luc. 21.25 And I wil make wonders in heauen and in earth blood and fire and vapour of smoake the sunne shall be turned into darknes and the moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord doth come Ioel. 2.30 O vnhappy sinners if you would but settle your cogitations vpon these horrible thinges and prodigious signes I doe not doubt but that with feare and terrour at the very consideration of them your stony hartes would cleaue a Sunder What when you shall see the sunne obscured the moone turned into blood the starres obfuscated and seeming to fall from heauen the earth to be moued and tremble the sea to rage mountaines to breake and fall a sunder and to be leuelled with the vallies dumbe creatures so affrighted as to runne here and there Lions to roare Beares to make a hideous noise Wolfes to houle and other wilde beasts terrible to sight by the motion of the earth to come out of theire dennes and caues Dragons and Birdes to flie vp and downe the aire who would not be astonished for feare and dissolued with horrour O humane miserie what shall be come of thee What a terrour will it be to see and heare in the fearfull day of iudgement these strange signes and vnheard of wonders And there shall be a great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world euen to this day saieth our Lord by S. Mathew Math. 24.21 I will not omit ô sinners to soūd my Trumpett in your eares that I may rouse you out of the deepe sleepe of your sinnes being moued with a vehement desire of your saluation and incited by the loue of my deare Sauiour Iesus woe bee vnto you if you stoppe your eares at the sound thereof but most happy if you attend and giue eare vnto it which is sent forth for the saluation of your poore distressed soules Many signes there are which shall goe before the day of iudgement but fifteene only are remēbred by S. Hierom. The 1. signe is that the sea shall transcend the mountaines fourtie cubits The 2. signe the same sea shal descēd in such a lownesse as that it shall hardly be perceaued The 3. signe All the vnreasonable creatures especially they that liue in the sea shall be gathered together into lakes and pooles there to lament their desolation The 4. signe The sea and all waters shall burne The 5. signe All trees and herbes shall droppe blood The 6. signe Al the foules of the ayre shall be gathered together sending forth cries and lamentations and abstaining from their vsual meate drinke The 7. signe All houses statelie buildinges which are in the world shall be ruinated to the ground The 8. signe Lightnings and firie dartes shall flie from the west towardes the east threatning the heauens and striking feare and astonishment into the whole world The 9. signe The stones shall contend amongst them selues and in their conflict shall be broken The 10. signe Earthquakes throughout all partes of the world shall be so great that neither man nor beast shall be able to stād on their feete The 11. signe All the mountaines shall be turned into dust The 12. signe All creatures shall leaue their caues dennes and being possest with a kinde of madnes shall wander abroad The 13. signe in all places the graues and toombes shall be opened and the bones of all the dead shall stand vpright vppon their graues The 14. signe The starres shall fall from heauen The 15. signe Euery thing that is endued with life shall be chaunged as well beasts as men as vpon the suddaine those men that now dy together with them that haue died since the creation of the world shall be reuiued and liue againe Fearfull signes they be ô sinner which I relate vnto thee receaue
you and haue carried you hence had not the goodnesse and clemency of our most sweet and milde Iesus hindered withstood him who gently preserued you aliue expecting looking that you should doe pennance calling you by inward motions and inspirations and admonishing you by wholesome instructions of deuout preachers and spirituall bookes Consider wicked and forlorne sinner how great thine ingratitude hath bene against God who so earnestly desireth thy conuersion saying Conuertimini ad me turne to mee in your whole harte Ioel. 2. Turne to mee and I will turne vnto you saieth God Zach 1. Turne then speedilie vnto him as to your louing God sinners seeing that his tender mercie so kindely inuites you Wilt thou leaue him sinner to take the diuell take heed what thou doest Nunquid non ipse est Pater tuus Is not he thy Father that hath possessed thee hath not he made thee and created thee It is a nation without counsell and wisedome O that they were wise and would prouide for their last end saieth the holy scripture Deut. 32. O the blindnesse of man O the madnesse of a sinner who forsaketh his God to follow a most terrible diuell Remember well and call to minde sinner that he is thy God that hath created thee that alone hath redeemed thee with his most pretious blood Tell me I pray thee sinner whose ayre is this wherewith thou breathest Whose earth is this which sustaineth thee and houldeth thee vp The water which washeth thee the fire which warmeth thee whose I say are all these but Gods who gaue thee cloathing wherewith thou coueredst thy nakednesse hadst thou not it from God from thy Iesus Who giueth thee bread to eate water to drinke but onely thy God wilt thou then be vnthankfull vnto him who bestoweth so liberally these benefits vpon thee who affordeth thee health Who maintaineth thy life is it not God that gaue the same vnto thee My God and sweet Sauiour my benigne clement mercifull louing God what iustice and equitie is it that we should all be conuerted vnto thee It is good for mee to cleaue to God to put my hope in our Lord my God saied the holy Prophet who knew how many great good things proceeded to him from his God Psal 72. but you forlorne sinners and sillie miscreāts are so farre frō desiring to come to God who is willing able to purge and sanctifie you that willingly and with free consents you associate your selues with the diuel who will make you diuelish like vnto himselfe when as otherwise you might be made one with God by the ardor of loue and charitie Deus charitas est c. Ioan. 4. God is charitie and he that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in him saieth S. Iohn If any man loue mee he will keepe my wordes and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and make our mansion with him Ioan. 14. Delitiae meae c. My delight is to be with the sonnes of men Behould here the inexcogitable felicity of the good the ineffable miserie and calamitie of the wicked for the good shall remaine in the blessed companie of allmightie God but the wicked and trāsgressors shall for euer be shut vp amōgst the damned crew of infernall diuels To conclude assure thy selfe sinner that whether thou eatest or drinkest whether thou sitt or walke whether thou sleepe or wake or what thing soeuer thou dost thou art alwaies in the company of innumerable diuells who daily stand attending thee ready to carry thee along with thē into hell And againe perswade thy selfe that they would not be long without the prey of thy poore soule if Gods clemency and the custodie of Angels were not present to defend it from them Our Lord by the merits of S. Marie Magdalen in remembrance of whose cōuersion the church euerie yeare solemnly celebrateth her festiual day so chaunge the mindes of sinners but especially of those who are to read this little worke that vtterly forsaking the familiaritie of the wretched diuells and damned spirits they may obtaine a heauenly societie and friendship with Iesus Christ their God their Father Creator world without end Amen And I humbly beseech euery one that shall read this booke that he would pray for mee miserable sinner liuing or dead Sweet Iesus blesse vs all Amen IN THE NAME OF THE Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Of the societie which sinners haue in their death and how dangerous their state is about the houre of their death THE XXXV CHAPTER IT is an olde Prouerbe sinner well knowne vnto thee Qui malè viuit malè moritur He that liues ill dieth ill What then doest thou suppose will become of thee who hast lead so wicked a life so many yeares It may be thou wilt say with S. Paul diues est in misericordia c. Ephes 2. God is rich in mercie and wil shew singular clemencie vnto mee in death But this befalleth but to very few for although some sinners haue bene saued at the last gaspe as it happened to the good theefe yet woe to them who sinne presuming vpon such a confidence Paenitentiam in extremis nec damnamus nec approbamus we neither approue of nor condemne repentance deferred to the last end saieth S. Augustin It is only knowne to God what such mens cases shall be This is most certaine that all sinners that are saued must haue an exceeding great and perfect sorrow for all their offences and iniuries wherby they haue offended his diuine Maiestie But who is he that shall be assured to haue this consideration with himselfe how he hath formerly liued in sinne and iniquity to haue a sufficient contrition sorrow for offending God at the time of his death Let no man seduce you by idle and friuolous wordes saieth S. Paul Ephes 5. What then sinner canst thou be so foolish as once to harbour such a thought in thy mind that the diuell thine aduersary who hath bene thy companion all the course of thy life will leaue and forsake thee at thy death be wiser then so for otherwise thou wilt be farre deceaued yea rather at that time he will shew all his malice and vse the greatest care and diligence that he can to obtaine the victory so longe desired of him Then shalt thou behold the vggely shape of thy infernall cōpanion then shalt thou clearly see how horrible his coūtenance is for then God will permit thee to discerne him whom thou hast serued and to whom thou hast boūd thy selfe as slaue for so manie yeares Alas sinner what wilt thou say when the diuell boasting exulting ouer thee will terrifie thee with his fearfull deformed face If happily thou purpose to go frō him and to returne to Christ by doing pennance for thy former lewed life then he will demonstrate and lay open before thine eyes some subtill deceipts and fallacies which before he kept secret Alas
wretch with how many difficulties will he then circumuent thee and the more because thou shalt not know what to answere in thine owne behalfe thou shalt be sore besett on euery side and preuaile nothing at all thou shalt be cast headlong into the gulfe of eternall perdition Alas miserable vnfortunate and forlorne sinners you will then haue no time to take an inward hatred of your hainous crimes and misdeedes The diuell will stand in your presence alleadging and reciting al your enormous faultes and offences declaring them to the full to the which you will not know what to answere or to make any excuse for your selues Harken sinners to a terrible example which maketh for our purpose and is related of Iohn Climachus in the eight sermon of his booke of sermons the historie is thus A certaine Monke called Stephen dwelling in moūt Sinay was wonderfully delighted with the tranquillity of a solitary life who as this authour reporteth was adorned with rare vertues learning for many yeares together to become a valiāt souldier of Iesus Christ This religious mā the day before he died would some times looke on the right side other times on the left side of his bed as though there were some present that demaunded a very strict account of all the thinges which euer hee had done We indeed saw no body saieth he to talke thus with him yet sometimes he would say Trulie so it is againe he would say I graunt it but this I haue confessed and for the same I haue fasted lamented so lōg a time Another while he would say it is true and presently after you belie mee it is not so I neuer cōmitted any such crime thē shortlie after he would tell them verily you accuse me vniustly and lay this infamy vndeseruedly vppon mee But this most of all amazed vs when he sayed I yeeld that it is true neither doe I know what to replie or answere for my selfe yet I put my trust in God who is mercifull so that this obscure iudgement which none there present did vnderstand was most terrible to relate but especially in this that the diuels should accuse him of thinges which he neuer did O wretch that I am to what streight was that Anachoret brought into a true louer of a solitarie and an heremiticall life who after that he had continued a monke for fourty yeares and had shedd forth many profitable teares yet after all this he affirmed that he could not say any thing for him selfe or giue a sufficient answer to excuse his offences Woe woe then to vs where was that large promise which allmighty God had made by the mouth of his holy Prophet Ezechiell Si impius egerit paenitentiam Ezech. 18.27 If the wicked shall doe pennance for all the sinnes which he hath wrought all his iniquities which he hath done I will not remember He could answere nothing nor alleadge this in his behalfe whereupon God is onely to be praised and extolled who knoweth the cause and reason of all thinges And so much the more for that some monkes affirmed that this Stephen so long as he liued in the desert fedd and nourished a Leopard with his owne hāds yet this Heremit of such fame and note in the world being called to giue an account of his life left no certainty behinde him what sentence passed on him whither he was accepted before God or no. This history Climachus relateth Haue you giuen eare to this sinners how is it then that you liue so securely being contaminated with vices and loathsome sinnes supposing that you shall die well enough when Alas you heare that so famous an Heremit a man of such notable sanctitie who did great pennance ful fourtie yeares now dying had nothing to answere when a reckoning was to be made O how narrowly shall our life be discussed and examined when we shall be summoned by death to appeare before the tribunall seate of allmightie God to render a strict account of the same We read in the Chronicles of our sacred order that when a certaine brother died who had liued well and deuoutly and giuen good example to all the comunitie a Doctor of diuinity beinge slacke in perfourming his office which was to say Masse for this dead brother according to his obligation thinking indeed that seeing he had liued so vertuously he did not stand in any need therof Hereupon one day betimes in the morning this deceased religious appeared vnto him and sayed Salue Magister vbi est illa charitas quâ te sacrificium pro me facturum promiseras God saue you Sir what is become of your charitie in that you promised to offer the holy sacrifice of the Masse for my soule I thought replied the diuine you had no need thereof No need of it saied the other Vtinam scires quà m seueré negotium in morte transigatur I would to God thou knewest how seuerely our busines is handled after death Know thou that I am punished in purgatorie with most grieuous paines and torments for which if thou wilt offer this holy sacrifice for me forthwith I shal be freed when he had sayed this he departed and the Doctor fulfilled his promise Alas therfore sinners take heed what you doe refraine from your mischieuous acts doe pennance for your former offences delay not diligently to caste vp your account Lord God almightie cleaue in sunder the stonie hartes of wandering sinners that thou mayest be worshipped and poore soules redeemed with thy moste pretious bloud may be saued Take away Lord Iesu and vtterlie destroy the power of Sathan which he so long hath exercised with all cruelty against the miserable soules of men that so this damned spirit may be put to vtter shame and confusion thy holy name be praised and glorified and sinnefull soules deliuered Amen Of the societie which the soule of a sinner hath after death THE XXXVI CHAPTER ITe maledicti c. Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angells Is not this the sentence sinners which Iesus Christ the iudge will pronounce in the last iudgemēt against the reprobate who haue died in mortall sinne goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire in the companie of all the diuels Cōsider therfore what associates you shall haue after death thinke that you shall be amongst the most cruell enemies of your soules But how long shall you tarry with that cursed crew for one tenn or a thousand yeares yea for euer miscreants and for all eternitie Alas what miserie Alas what torments and paine will you haue to continue imprisoned in that infernall darke dungeon Ponder that after death thou shalt be wholie in the diuels custodie where thou mayest bee sure that these deadly enemies of God and of mankinde will vse all cruelty to afflict thee which possibly they can deuise When I pray thee will the diuel beginne his dominion ouer thee in respect of thy soule In the very day of thy death and departure out
execrable and accursed sinne how great and infinite is thy deformitie filthines and malice Here followeth the same matter of the deformitie of sinne THE V. CHAPTER SVch so great oh Brethren is the deformity of sinne that if a sinner should see his soule in a deadly sinne he would be vtterlie confounded with feare and amazement Wee read of an adulterer who after that he had committed adultery returned home whose wife and children forthwith astonished at the sight of him rāne away for he did appeare vnto them in the likenes of a diuell with fearfull and huge hornes this man beholding himselfe in a glasse and seeing himselfe to be soe deformed being stroken with an horrible feare with all expedition and haste went forth to confession and to be reconciled to almightie God the people that mett him yea the very brute beastes themselues being affrighted fled away he seemed so terrible to them in shape and figure and coming to the preist who did stand at the gate of the church saying his diuine office being espied of him to approach neare vnto the church he did so astonish him as that it caused him presently to shut the dores The miserable soule comming to the dore intimated vnto him that he was a sinner and was so deformed and of so fearfull aspect by reason of his sinne and desired him not to be afraide this being related and manifested the priest being possessed with no smal fear went out vnto him who hauing confessed being penitent and reconciled was restored to his ordinary naturall forme Oh soule soule oh vnhappy and wretched soule if thou couldest but see thy selfe being in a deadly sinne how exceedingly beyond all apprehension wouldest thou bee ashamed astonished confounded at thy selfe how great a terrour would seaze vpon thee if thou shouldest see thy selfe so deformed and vggly through sinne when as before thou wert moste faire beautifull Furthermore when yee commit any sinne lest you should be seene of any one you seeke obscure places for the performance of the same and if by fortune you be apprehended in the acte of your offence presently you are moste grieuously ashamed and perplexed and although the sinne be obscure and not reuealed yet for many yeares you dare not appeare in the presence of him who apprehended you Oh blessed soules who now rest in the fauour of God make knowne vnto these sinners what basenes and confusion yee perceaue in sinne when as some time by the diuine permissiō endued with heauenly virtues and illuminated with the celestiall beames of diuine grace you know vnderstand apprehend your former blemishes and offences and the multitude of soe great iniuries whereby formerly you haue displeased your moste gracious God I beseech you oh blessed soules demonstrate this vnto these sinners and sollicite your benigne and clement spouse for them that he would be pleased for his mercies sake to bestow some measure of those singular graces wherewith yee your selues were endued vpon these destressed desolate and miserable wretches effect this I beseeche you by the loue of him who soe dearly loueth you and whom you likewise so much reuerence honour and esteeme Doe this seeing there is nothing more acceptable vnto God then to intercead for poore sinners for the pardoning and remission of their sinnes who were redeemed and bought with so deare a price as the pretious blood death and passion of his deare sonne obtaine this therefore I intreat you while I proceed further to exaggerate the deformitie of sinne Giue eare oh my Brethren sinners sinne is so odious and abhominable that it compelled Iob to curse the houre and day in which he was borne with that fearfull speech saying Pereat dies in qua natus sum Iob. 3.3 let the day perish in which I was borne the night in which it was said a man childe is conceaued let darknes and the shadow of death obscure it let a miste possesse it let it bee wrapped vp in bitternes let a darkesome whirlewinde possesse that night let that day not be counted with the dayes of the yeare nor numbred in the monethes And a little after in the same chapter he vttereth these words full of misteries Quare non in vuluâ mortuus sum c. why perished I not in the wōbe why did the knees beare mee the brests giue me sucke what doe yee say to this oh my Brethren that such an holy perfect and iust man as Iob should say these thinges of whom God with his owne mouth gaue this testimony vnto Sathan Numquid cōsiderasti seruum meum Iob Iob. 2.3 hast thou considered my seruant Iob that there is not the like vnto him in the earth a man simple vpright fearing God retaining innocency Wherefore then and to what end should such fearfull words as the literall sence giueth proceed out of his mouth as to curse the day the night and houre of his birth surely it was only to intimate vnto vs the greuous and detestable loathsomnes of sinne in which he was conceaued Oh this wonderfull and admirable exaggeration of sinne how fully doth it represent vnto vs the filth and deformity therof God graunt that the terrible soūd of this trumpet may worke in you an abhorring and detestation of vice and kindle in your soule the fire of diuine loue that you may die daily to sinne here liue with him perpetually herafter Amen In what hatred sinne is in the sight of almighty God THE VI. CHAPTER O Dio sunt Deo impius impietas eius Wisdom 14.9 The wicked and his impietie are abhominable vnto God Soe great Brethren is the deformitie of sinne that God who is nothing but beauty splendour and goodnes hath it in great hatred and detestation and not sinne only but also the sinner The wicked and his impietie are odious alike in the sight of God saith the holy scripture By many thinges we may collect the deadlye hatred that God hath towardes sinners but most especially by two The first is that he doth soe sodenlie out of his seuere iustice punish it Lucifer and his associates sinned but God by no means enduring that insolent pride precipitated them frō the height of their former felicitie into the abisse of eternall darknes by Michael the Archangell prime minister in the celestiall paradise Our first parents Adam and Eue sinned and God forthwith expelled them out of paradise There are many examples in holy scripture which doe liuely set before our eyes the rigorous and soden execution of the iudgement and seueritie of God vpon sinners The Israeliticall people sinned adoring the golden Calfe presently the fire of Gods wrath was kindled and he said vnto Moyses Dimitte me ut irascatur furor meus contra eos Exod. 32.20 suffer mee that my fury may arise against them The same people sinned in demaunding Quailes in the wildernes Adhuc escae erant in ore ipsorum Psal 77.30 Euen when the meat was in their mouth the iudgements of
is a friend companion of God by how much it is intense in his worship praise and honour by so much it is gratious and acceptable vnto him from whence it cometh to passe that these great holy men when they were liuing in the worlde they were called the friendes of God Loquebatur Deus ad Moysen Exod. 13.11 God spake vnto Moyses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend and Iesus Christ saieth to his disciples Iam non dicam vos seruos Ioan. 15.15 now I will call you no more seruantes for the seruant knoweth not the minde of his Master but you haue I called friends because whatsoeuer I haue heard of my Father that I haue manifested vnto you Behold by what meanes a soule is made a friend and darling of God to witt by obeying his holy will and obseruing his diuine precepts now a sinner refuseth to doe that which is alwaies commaunded by God and in neglect of this performing the contrarie he witnesseth his malice and contempt of so omnipotent and infinite a maiestie if God saieth vnto him Non assumes nomē Domini tus in vanum Exod. 20.7 thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine he is presently breathing forth blasphemies If God saieth Obserua diem Sabath keepe holy the Saboth day he will little esteeme the prophanation of it if God saieth Honora Patrem honour thy Father and thy Mother he will be disobedient to them hence therfore ariseth a capitall emnitie betwixt the soule God Iniquitates vestrae diuiserunt inter vos Deum vestrum Isay 59.2 your iniquities haue made a diuision betwixt you and your God Oh vnfortunate soule what an inexcogitable preiudice hast thou procured which is the losse of Gods friendship and to appeare no other wayes in his diuine aspect then an abiect Reprobate and wretched enemy perhaps thou thinkest with thy selfe that thou hast lost but the fauour of some ignoble and vnworthy man or Prince Oh no no it is no lesse then the friendship of almighty God the creatour and conseruer of all thinges and redeemer of all mankinde Oh miserable soule if thou wouldest but duly consider and equally ballance thy vnheard of detrimēt what could there be inuented so pleasant or delightfull which might retaine thee in the snares of sinne what fetters and chaines of sinne so stronge that thou wouldest not shake off and breake in sunder oh what damage doe you sinners suffer when as you loose the loue fauour and friendship of so omnipotent clement and mercifull a God The holy Prophet Dauid consideringe only that he could not be present at the solemnity of the temple bewailing and lamenting he saieth Fuerunt mihi lachrimae meae c. Psal 41.4 my teares haue bene my bread day and night whilest they doe say vnto me where is thy God Quēadmodum desiderat ceruus euen as the harte panteth after the fountaines of waters so my soule desireth after thee oh God my soule hath thirsted after God the liuing water when shall I come and appeare before the face of God Si ergo inueni gratiam in conspectu tuo c. If therefore I haue found fauour in thy eyes shew mee thy fauourable cōtenāce saith Moyses to God Exod. 33.13 This is that that caused the Saints to be so vigilant and industrious in their prayers so austere in their fastinges mortifications and resignations of their proper wills and that to no other end but that they might be coūted worthy to be friendes of God for truly what other is the end center or repose of our soule but God As fire of its owne nature is carried vpward as euery ponderous and heauy thing of its nature falleth downewards euen so the soule is directed towards God and euen as the waters runne into the sea so haue our soules recourse vnto almighty God now truly from this center from this end and from this sweet repose is the soule hindred by the obstacle of sinne no other thing Oh therfore sinners enemies of God where wil you be secure To what place will you flie for refuge Where will you hide your selues from the presence of God Quò ibo à spiritu tuo Psal 138.7 whether shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I flie from thy face It was the misery of sinne that made Cayn crie out Ecce hodie eijcis me à facie terrae Gen. 4.14 behould thou doest cast me this day from the face of the earth and I shall be hid from thy face therfore euery man that seeth me may kill mee It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God saith S. Paul But do ye not tremble oh you sinners when your aduersary is so powerfull your enemy so potent wo be vnto vs if he were not clement who is so mighty Returne therfore now oh Brethren vnto him which so louingly expecteth you Humiliamini igitur sub potenti manu Dei 1. Pet. 5.6 humble your soules vnder the mighty hand of God that he might exalt you in the time of his visitation reconcile your selues vnto him and agree with your aduersary whilest you are in the way that when he shall see you at the point and laste article of your death taking your farewel of the world he may not condemne you with the damned soules and execrable diuells in hell but of his mercy extoll and place you in heauen Amen That a soule by sinne doth lose the grace of God THE X. CHAPTER GRatiam gloriam dabit Dominus Psal 83.4 Our Lord will giue grace and glorie That I may comprehend the matter in few wordes our Lord is he that in this life giueth grace and in the next glorie But you so long as yee are in mortall sinne are depriued of that grace and dying in sinne shall neuer attaine to that glory which God forbid therefore rather turne from your wicked wayes and learne to liue vnto God for our Lord saieth Nolo mortem peccatoris impij c. Ezech 33.11 I will not the death of a wicked sinner but had rather that the vniust man would leaue his iniquitie and liue Therefore Brethren consider I beseech you the exceedinge great detriment and losse that you suffer by the depriuation of grace which that with fruite and profit I may intimate demonstrate vnto you I beseech you and implore this thing of you that you would attentiuely heare and with diligence read this that followeth I haue formerly declared how a sinner looseth the friendship of God and now my intent is to make knowne vnto you how he looseth his diuine grace which grace is as it were an intermediat thing betwixt the soule and God causing it to be acceptable and gratefull vnto him for the grace of God is no other thing then a certaine ornament garment or spirituall vestment of the soule by which she is made glorious appeareth beautifull in the eyes and presence of her
a Father so good a God that God who hath created you redeemed you with his owne blood O you wretches behold in what a blindnes you walke and liue in so much that you persecute your dearest friend euē God himselfe if it were to molest or vexe some creature the fault would be more tollerable but you persecute and blaspheme euen almighty God himselfe neuer ceasing to quench the spirit of God and to resist his sacred inspirations which if you would know how great an euill it is giue eare I say to you saith our blessed Sauiour that al sinne blasphemy shall be forgiuen men and who so shall speake a word against the sonne of mā it shal be forgiuen him but he that shall speake against the holy Ghost he shall not be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come Math. 12. If you should cast or spit out your malice against the face of one of your enemies which by some heinous crime had offended you if against one which beareth an aduerse minde or affection towards you you might finde some excuse or euasion but you offend God who of his great bounty hath bestowed such ample benefits vpon you which created and redeemed you which preserueth and susteineth you who last of all is ready to giue you eternall life what an infinite heinous crime is this how loathsome detestable an offēce is this Oh my Brethren so much as that nature it selfe abhorreth and detesteth it I would to God vnworthy sinner that thou couldest but see that indignation with which so often as thou offendest thy God the elements fire ayre water and earth heauen starres sunne and moone are inflamed and moued against thee O that thou couldest but perceaue how much the very brute beasts voide of reason are molested and troubled I would to God thou couldest behould and with due consideration ponder how thinges euen without sense as herbes plantes stones themselues doe stand armed against thee so often as they see thee offending their God and Creator know therfore thou sinner and perswade thy selfe that if it were not for the clemencie and benignitie of thy God after thou hast sinned preuaricated the earth it selfe would open her mouth and swallow thee the waters submerge thee the ayre infect choake thee the fire burne and consume thee the heauens send forth lightninges and fearfull tempests to kill and destroy thee and last of all what thing soeuer is created would rise vp against thee to reuenge the wrong done to their God and Creator O you sinners know that for a certaine all liuing Creatures as wilde beastes Serpents Dragons also rauening birdes all trees such like would oppose make warre against you if it were soe permitted by your God What doest not thou thinke that the house in which thou sinnest could fall downe vpon thee in the very acte wherein thou offendest if it were not vpholdē by God What doest thou not perswade thy selfe that the very bedde wherin thou committest adultery and dishonourest thy Creator would be cōsumed vnder thee if it were not hindered by the diuine prouidence What doest thou not firmely beleue that the bread which thou eatest the meate whereby thou art nourished the wine that thou drinkest would presently choake thee and poysen thee so that it might cause thy death did not the goodnes of thy God withstand it Consider therefore ô sinner that if God would permit it thou shouldest not liue one moment longer wherby to offend him any more because all creatures would rise vp in armes against thee but he reserueth this vntill the last day of iudgement although he permitted many particular sinnes to be reuenged and punished by diuerse creatures that hee might giue an example to other offenders God graunt that we may take example at such so soone as may be amend our liues and be in his grace and fauour so great that we may be no more enemies to him his creatures Amen Of the separation of the soule from the body and of the great dolors and afflictions which follow at that time and instant THE XX. CHAPTER LEt vs proceed further and goe forward to consider now the anguishes dolors griefes which the soule shall feele in the instant and time of her separation from the body O poore soule if thou wouldest seriously examine this I doubt not but that thou wouldest giue such charge to thy Will that it should neuer consent to the sensuall pleasures of the flesh Consider ô sinner that Iesus Christ himselfe who was God when he knew he was to approach and draw nigh to his death he did sweat blood and being in an agonie he prayed vntill his sweat became as droppes of blood trickling downe vpon the earth Luc. 22.44 O wicked wretch if God considering that his blessed soule should departe out of his sacred body did soe much feare death that such an anguish sorrow did possesse his soule what will become of thee Consider obdurate sinner the great griefe and sorrow that one friend taketh at anothers departure and separation they depart weeping sighing and lamenting their separation neither are able scarse to speake or take leaue each of the other How incomparably will then that griefe bee which the soule feeleth at the separation from the body vnto which it hath bene vnited with such intimate and naturall loue and affection O miserable soule how great will thy griefe be how intollerable thy anguish and sorrow when thou shalt be separated frō this thy flesh which thou haste so naturally loued and neuer denied it any thing All the thinges which my eyes desired I haue giuen them saieth Salomon O vnfortunate soule what a penaltie and punishment will it be vnto thee to be disunited frō thy flesh which so dearly thou louest and so highly esteemest of as that thou wouldest not disobey it in any thing No man hath euer hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and succoureth it saieth the holy Apostle Hearken vnto mee ô sinner and at this instant consider that the time shall come when the bōdes wherwith thy soule is so strictlie bound conioyned with thy body shall be violated and dissolued It shall come ô vngratefull sinner that most horrible time I say shall come ô it shall come accursed soule I say that ruefull and dismall moment and instant shall come O sinner commiserate and take pittie on thy selfe and on thy poore soule by seruing and pleasing God What will it profit a man saieth the holy scripture to gaine the whole world and to loose his owne soule Consider therfore ô thou improbous sinner which art so indulgent to that flesh of thine and desistest not to pittie feed and nourish it consider that thou must be disioyned from it when thou art to depart this life Consider that when thou shalt approach and draw nere vnto thy last end thou shalt be tormented and afflicted with some disease that thou shalt not be able to
receaue meate whē sweet sleepe shall be wanting vnto thee when all thinges shall be distastfull vnto thee when thou cāst not endure to heare the voyce wordes or speech of thy Wife Children Father or Mother or of thy most deare friendes when thou thy selfe shalt be distastfull vnto thy selfe O sinner what wilt thou then doe opprest on euery side with so many infirmities dolors and vexations when thou maiest truly say with the Prophet The sorrowes of death haue compassed me about the torments of iniquity haue troubled me the sorrowes of hell haue ouertaken me the snares of death haue preuented me Psal 17.5 O wretch be thou conuerted now vnto thy God now amend and correct thy life implore and craue with al submission pardon for thy sinnes past O you sinners giue an attentiue eare vnto your God who at this instant calleth you saying Be you conuerted vnto me with all your hartes Ioel. 2.13 O my sweet louing Iesus which didest vouchsafe for the saluatiō of miserable sinners to come into this world bestow such efficacie and force vpon my wordes that offenders therby knowing themselues may be conuerted vnto thee Remember blessed Iesus at what a price thou hast bought their soules Remēber what thou hast suffered for the redemption of them Graunt that the found of these my or rather thy Trumpetts may awaken the soules of sinners and stirre vp their mindes and affections to the embracing of thee and the seeking of their owne saluation O Clement Iesu I know with how great loue thou didest hasten to the ignominious death of the Crosse for the redemption of sinners forgett not therfore them which thou hast redeemed with thy moste pretious blood permitt not ô Iesu that those soules which thou hast so dearly bought doe perish but rather graunt that they may be raised vp from death and liue Deliuer my soule ô God from the sword and mine only one from the hand of the Dogge saue me from the Lions mouth and my humilitie from the hornes of the Vnicorne Psal 21.21 Inuocate thy Iesus ô poore soule with these wordes of the Prophet placing all thy trust and confidence in him who desireth nothing more then thy repentance and health I thirst I thirst cried he in the time of his bitter passion which although it may be vnderstood of a corporall thirst yet more especially is it meant of the spirituall thirst and ardent desire which he had for the saluation of soules O afflicted soule would to God thou couldest perceaue that infinite loue by which thy Iesus is enflamed towardes thee would to God thou couldest comprehend that speciall care which thy Iesus from thy first being hath had ouer thee O therefore my louing Iesus how cometh it to passe that a miserable sinner can be so ingratefull and vnmindfull of thee his soe clement mercifull and louing God O my God can it bee that the diuell should possesse the harte of a sinner that hee should become the vassaile of Sathan thy cheifest and most opposite enemie Alas miserable soule at thy death thou shalt perceaue experience the diuels plot and intent the end of his allurements and faire profers which he hath presēted vnto thee inuiting thee to offend thy God and to follow him so impious and cruel an enemie of thy Sauiour Then thou shalt see ô wretched soule how malitiouslie and treacherouslie the diuell will hādle thee In these thy extreame agonies and afflictions when thou mayest truly say Tribulations are on all sides of me Thou shalt stand in the presence of the diuell and all his execrable companions who so soone as thy soule is departed frō thy body shal carrie it into the infernal abisse of hell there to liue with the damned soules in perpetuall torments and flames of fire God of his mercie ô sinners opē your eyes that you may prouide for your soules health and auoyde those horrible punishmēts Heare now ô sinner I hartily beseech thee set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Isay 38.2 for it is apointed for al men to die once Heb. 9.27 Thou shalt die but to liue in perpetuall tormentes God graunt that we die to liue a spirituall and eternal life with Iesus in glorie Amen Of the place whether the soule goeth so soone as it departeth out of the body THE XXI CHAPTER BEhould the Timbrell the Harpe and reioyce at the sound of the Organe they lead their dayes in wealth and prosperitie and in a moment they goe downe into hell Iob. 21.12 It is time now ô sinner to draw nere to the consideration and contemplation of thy future estate and being Tell mee I beseech thee what shall become of thee when thy soule shall depart thy body To what place shall shee betake her selfe when shee shall be exiled and banished from this flesh with which so long as they were conioyned she committed such execrable sinnes and so heinouslie offended thy God and redeemer Heare what shall be said Behold miserable sinners your end Behold the reward of your delights the hire of your pleasures the euent of your desires Behold the end of all your goods riches and honours in a moment you shall forsake them and goe downe into hell O sadde and heauie newes for your delightes must perish your pleasures shall be expired your sensuall desires shall for euer cease Last of all your estate shall be taken away by death Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die sayed they in the persons of all sinners Isay 22.11 O miserable sinners fix your cogitations vpon that dreadfull time whē your soules shall bidde adew take their last farewell of your corrupted and loathsome bodies There be three places in which our soules so soone as they are separated from our bodies may haue their beings which be these heauen hell purgatorie Thinke therfore with thy selfe ô sinner that thou art to depart into one of these places according to thy merit or demerit for our iust Lord hath loued iustice Et equitatem vidit vultus eius and his contenance hath seene equitie Psal 10.8 and therefore he rewardeth euery mā according to his works good or euill Mine hire is with me to giue vnto euery one according to his workes Rom. 2.6 Those which haue done good workes shall goe into life euerlastinge and they which haue done euill shall goe into euerlasting fire saieth S. Athanasius Consider ô sinner that when thou art striuing and contending with death thy soule shall by little and little withdraw it from the inferior parts of thy body and shall betake her selfe to the harte where she hath her principall residence last of all when she can finde no place in the body where she may be receaued she presentlie flieth away and leaueth that dead carcase of thine But aboue all this consider with thy selfe what shall become of her after her departure for so soone as she is departed from thy body she presently is receaued by the
horrible aspect O Alas miserable sinners what sight will it be to see in hell innumerable diuels foule vggely running about hel with woful noise and clamours who with whippes and scourges shall now vexe this man another while that woman and so grieuously tormēt all that Dionisius an approued author saieth Teterrima quaedam in daemonibus phrenesis furoris amentia inest There is a most mischieuous franticknesse and madnesse of raging anger in the diuells The sixt punishment of the dāned shall be in an insatiable and most vehement hunger wherwith gluttons and all those shall bee tormented who like brute beasts place their felicity in banquets iunketts and merrie meetinges without any feare of God or remorce of conscience who breake the fasts instituted by our holy Mother the church neither doe they regard Lent and other times of pennance which she hath carefully ordained for their soules health saluation They eate often deuowre and consume not only their goods and estate but that also which should maintaine and relieue poore widdowes and fatherlesse children Herupon our B. Sauiour threatneth thē in the Gospell in these wordes Va vobis qui saturati estis c. Woe bee to you that are now filled because you shall be hungrie Luc. 6.23 In like manner God speaketh by the mouth of the Prophet Isaias saying Serui mei comedent vos esurietis c. Behould my seruants shall eate and you shal be hungrie Isai 65. Behould my seruāts shall drinke and you shall be thirstie my seruants shall reioyce and you shall be confounded my seruants shall praise with ioyfulnes of harte you shall crie for sorrow and for contrition of spirit you shal howle And the wise man giueth vs this counsel Ante obitum tuum operare bonum c. Before death worke thy good because thou shalt finde no meate with thē in hel Eccl. 14. Alas thou gluttonous companion cōsider that extreame hunger and thirst which thou shalt endure in hell where thou shalt haue nothing but thine own flesh to feed vpon Vnusquisque carnem brachij sui vorabit c. Isay 9. Euery one shall deuowre the flesh of his owne arme saith the Prophet Isay Speaking of the damned Doest thou know miserable glutton what thy fare shall be in hell wormewood and gall Ecce ego cibabo vos absynthio c. Behould I will feed you with wormewood and will giue you gall to drinke saith the Prophet Ieremie Ierem. 23.15 Doest thou know sinner for whom thou shalt bee meate for death it selfe Sicut oues in inferno c. They are put in hell like sheepe death shalt feed vpon them Psal 48. Alas foolish and madd gluttons what will you doe then when hauing nothing to refresh your selues with all you shall perish for hūger but although you might haue all the dainty dishes which the world could afford you they would in no wise satisfie your appetite The seauenth punishmēt shall be an intollerable thirst As wee read the rich glutton was her with cruelly tormented when he cried out Father Abraham c. Luc. 16. And it foloweth that I may coole my toung for I am tormented grieuously in this flame Vae qui consurgitis ad ebrietatem c. Woe to you that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and to drinke euen vntil euening that you may be enflamed with wine Isay 5. and Salomon saith Be not in the feasts of great drinkers nor in their meetings which take flesh together to eate for they that are giuen to drinking and that pay shotts shall be consumed Alas wretched and couetous persons which would neuer giue so much as a cup of cold water to him that was thirstie nor a smal morsel of bread to the poore needy and hungry this hunger and thirst shall molest vex and torment you aboue all others Fili recordare c. Sōne remember that thou hast receaued good thinges in thy life time and Lazarus euill thinges Thus doeth Abraham speake to the rich glutton The same I may say to you rich couetous mē who will not show pittie or commiseration to any Alas how wofully shall all those pine away with hūger who in this world haue gorged themselues with wine and sugred soppes and haue enlarged their possessions with the goods of the needie and distressed with the rents and liuing belonging to te church Fumus tormentorum c. The smoke of their torments shall ascend for euer and they shall haue no rest day or night saieth S. Iohn in his Apocalipse Apoc. 14.11 And the Psalmist saieth Laborabit in eternum hee shall labour for all eternitie and shall liue yet vnto the end Psal 48.9 The eight punishment of the damned shall be to be fast bound and chained Our Lord affirmeth it in the Gospell Ligatis manibus Binde him hands and feet and cast him into vtter darknesse Iniquitates capient impium his owne iniquities shall ouertake the wicked and hee shall bee linked with the cordes of his sinnes saieth Salomon Prou. 5.22 Congregabuntur congregatione vnius fascis They shall be gathered together in the gathering of one bundle and shall be shut there in prison Isay 24.22 Alligate eos in fasciculos c. Binde them into bundels to burne saith our Lord speakinge of the Tares of the field Math. 13.30 whereby the damned reprobate are vnderstood Consider sinner what a multitude of bundles of men and women shall be in hel for they that haue beene participant of the same crimes and defiled themselues in the like offences shall be gathered together into the same bundle to receaue most cruell torments woe to you who will not pardon nor so much as looke vpon your enemies what will you doe then when you shall be fast chained to those to whom in this world you did beare deadly malice and hatred The ninth punishment shall be obscure darknes and thicke smoake Terra miseriae tenebraerum A land of miserie and darknes where the shadow of death is and no order but euerlasting horrour inhabiteth Although indeed there shall be great darknesse yet the diuine iustice hath so ordained that one damned shall clearly see another That of this mutuall behoulding of one another their torments may be the more encreased and augmented The tenth punishment is an intollerable filthines of that foule horrible and stinking hel that nothing can possiblie be compa-with it Goe to now sinner consider how thou shalt be shutt vp and bound fast in this place hauing no hope at all euer to come out againe O the calamity and miserie of mortall men who cast themselues headlong downe thither for iust nothing Quae videntur temporalia sunt quae non videntur eterna The thinges that are seene are temporall and transitorie but those thinges that are not seene are eternall and euerlasting saith the holy Apostle 2. Corin. 4.18 Your delightes and pleasures sinners are verie short but the torments of hel to which you hasten are of long continuance your