hold on it vexâ—th and alwayes reserueth to the torment And therefore it is termed vnquenchable not onely because it cannot be quenched it selfe but bâ—cause it doth not quench or sley them it taketh For the Scripture saith that sinners put on immortalitie to wit profitable not to honour of life but to perpetuitie of correction Now the force of the punishment and that punishment of that fire which is so forciblâ—â—o voice will serue to declare no speech will serue to vtter for in good or euill things subiect to corruption there is nothing like them Neuerthelesse that wee may conceiue some motion of that fire and torment The torments of hell set foorth in their colours call to mind in him that hath a burning ague what tribulation what anxietie of the bodie and soule standeth on each side and by this temporall maladie gather what those torments be which are inflamed with an eternall fire which are watered before that horrible iudgemâ—nt s at with a fierie streame of tormenting waues There what shall wee doe What shall we answere Nothing shall be tâ—ere but gnashing of tâ—eth but schritching and weeping and too to late repentance no way any helpe being found and euery way the torments increasing without any comfort Wee shall â—ee none but the executioners and tortors dreadfull to bee beholden and which is woorst of all we shall haue no solace of the very aire For vtter darknes shall compasse the place of torments and the fire which as it hath not a nature of consuming so hath it not of illumining but it is a darke fire the flame thereof giuing no light So that to them that are in it what feare what renting of their bowels what dismembring of their bodies what crosses there be to euery sense no tongue can tell And as the sortes of torments doe varie and differ so proportionably euerich one to his sinnes hath his paine multiplied Now if thou shouldest say how can the bodie continue in so wretched and such an endlesse tormenting Consider what things now and then in this life betide vs and by these small things coniecture great How that some times we see some troubled with long sicknes yet their life to indure and howbeit the bodie bee dissolued by some death yet the soule is not dissolued nor consumed whence it is apparant that when the body shall also become immortall no death may kill the soule or body For in this present life it cannot be that the punishment of the body should bée both grieuous and perpetuall but the one yeeldeth to the other for that the body cannot abide both But when each shall put off corruption thâ— corruption afore receiued shall end but the incorruption gotten shall be endlesse So let vs not thinke the very exceeding greatnesse of punishment will cause an end of dolor but as I said our sinnes shall aggrauate the chastisement and the incorruption of the bodie or soule shall not limite it Tell mee now what space of sensualitie and dainties will thou liken to these torments Let vs if we list bestow on delights an hundreth yeeres adde thereto an hundreth moe and tenne times an hundreth what benefit will there be gotten of it if we consider this euer-remaining paine May not the whole time of this life wherein wee seeme to take pleasure in pastimes and wallow in wantonnesse be reckoned as the dreame of one night in comparison of that eternitie Is there any therefore who to haue a delightsome dreame one night would vndertake sempiternall paines Or take that for this or this for that I disprayse not as yet delights nor vnfolde the bitternesse of them because the time serueth not for such speeches nowe but then I shall be occasioned when I see thee able to auoid the same For because thou art addicted to them thou mayest ghesse wee doted if we auouch that pleasure which all men reckon acceptable and gladsome were yrkesome and sowre But if by the mercy of God thou maiest escape out of this sort of sickenes at that time yea at that time thou shalt finde out what bitternesse yea what bane sensualitie hath Nowe mâ—ane while let vs imagine that pastimes and pleasure and voluptuousnesse are honest and comely What shall we say to the punishments laide vp in store for them What shall we say to them because the delights vade like a shadow and hastily flie away but the paine abideth for euâ—r and euer Grant the time and space of pastime and punishment were all one is there any so foolish or so depriued of his fiue wits that would chuse to tolerate one day of paine for a day of pleasure sith the pangs of one houre and euery vexation of the body commonly causeth vs to forget all the time past consumed in delight Wherefore forasmuch as we may be ridde if in a moment we be turned from euery of those tormenting chastisements and inioy eternall goodnes why deferre we why stay we why doe we not vse the bountifulnesse of God For this is prouided by the vnspeakeable and infinite clemencie of God that labour and toile should not bee stretched farre nor be long or endlesse but short and as I may say for a minute of an houre Such is this present life if it be conferred with that euerlasting 2. Cor. 4. The clemency I say of God hath prouided that in this fleeting short life there should be labors and agonies but that in the life eternall there should be crownes rewards of good workes that trauell should soone be ended â—ut the reward of good deeds should last for euer And euen as this maketh them glad that through induring of toile inioye a crowne so it shall grieue and trouble those in the time to come that see they haue lost for a little and small time of delights perpetuall good things and haue sought for still induring euill things Let vs not therefore incurre this anguish of soule let vs awake while wee haue time And loe now is the acceptable time now is the day of saluation now is opportunitie of repentance and a time wherein repentance will not be fruitlesse But if we be carelesse of our life wee shall sustaine in hell not these calamities alone whereof we haue spoken but a more grieuous mischiefe For to be excluded from blisse and to be debarred from the things prepared for the Saincts causeth such affliction such wofulnesse as if no outward punishment tormented it were sufficient It surpasseth all paines of hell to want that beatitude the fruition of which lay in thy power For muse I desire you on the state of that life Heauenly blisse set foorth as much as a man may consider â—t for as it is in deed no â—peech can vtter Yet let vs comprehend an image thereof to the vtmost it may be by that we haue read and the darke speeches we haue receiued It is said of it in a certaine place Reu. 21.4 Isai 35. There shall
called together her friends and neighbours that they should reioyce with her but I will cal youre my friends neighbours together and will entreat them to meet not that they should be glad but that they should lament with mee not that they should reioyce but mourne with me greatly sorrow lifting vp their hands to heauen as they shall see me to doe and I will say vnto them howle and lament with me O my friends power out and bring foorth with me fountaines and floods of teares not for that I haue lost vnporzable weights of golde or innumerable talents of siluer not because I haue lost threades full of costlie pearles but for that my friend * Amicus alter iâ—se dearer than any gold and more pretious than any stone is I knowe not how while he sailed with vs ouer the large and broad sea of this life fallen downe into the very depth of destruction And if some one of my friends shall goe about to comfort and will me to leane of sorrowing I will aunswere him in the Prophets words * Or let me alone I wil weep bitterly you can not comfort me Suffer me to weâ—pe most bitterly neither hold on comforting mee for I weepe nâ—t through the affection of the flesh neither is my lamentation woman like wherein appeare immoderate teares to be blamed I mourne for that which thâ— great and famous Apostle S. Paul saith hee mourneth for when as he saith * 2. Cor. 12.22 That I may mourne for them that haue sinned and haue not repented The death of the soule is pitifully to be lamented seeing the death of the body is so bitterly taken Certes with reason shall one rebuke those that for the common death of their friends weepe without meane but when the wounds not of a body but of a soule are lamented â—nd of such a soule which in â—eath it selfe sheweth signes of â—er former beautie and wonâ—erous gainesse with liueâ— tokens displaieth the floure â—f vertues extinguished in her â—ho is so cruell vnacquainâ—ed with vertue that would â—ot be prouoked to teares For it is a point in Philosoâ—hie to forbeare weeping for â—ommon death so in the death â—f a soule and such a soule â—o receiue comfort I adiudge â—oth vngodly and irreligious For ordinary death to keepe â—he eyes from teares is the â—hiefest thinge in the studie of wisedome but how shall not â—e seeme to be lamented for without intermission who of â—ate reckned the whole brauenesse of the bodie but like â—arued stones who accounted gold as clay who respected all â—elights as durt and now â—ttached by the sodaine feuers â—f lust and voluptie being depriued of the integrity anâ— beautie of his mind hath shaken hands with vertue and iâ— become a slane to vice anâ— pleasure This man shall I not bewaile This man shal I not moysten so long with riuer of teares vntill witâ— weeping I stirre vp feeling iâ— him and by the warmth oâ— teares I raise some liuely motions in him if mourninâ— may doe ought And iâ— mourners of the body ceasâ— not from lamenting though they assuredly know theiâ— weeping profite them nothing to renew the life of him thaâ— is dead why should not we that know the soule may beâ— called from death by conuersion earnestly follow after the medicine of repentance thaâ— euen the sepulchre being opened with abundance of teares hee may bee recouered Yea also I thinke we are to be accused of sluggardie sith the lamenters of bodies and ordinarie death doe weepe so much continually yet certaine as we said that they shal not raise againe their dead if we that know that by repentance lamentation coupled which it a soule may be restored to his former estate for the kingly Prophet said * Psal 65. Or in the graue who shall praise thee In hell who shall confesse thy name do nothing so We know too that diuers in the dayes both of vs and our ancestors hauing sliden out of the straight path and straied from the entrance of the narrow way were so againe restored that their end answered their beginning obtaining the goale and crowne yea they were thought to haue place among the number of the Saints But as long as one remaineth in the flame fornace of lust these things seeme inpossible to him although * A thousand infinit examples shuld be alleged But if some small conuersion be begun and the penitent person cast vpward his eyes that burning flame will tarry behind him and by how much more swiftly he shall take his pace by so much more before him shall hee see all thinges sumpled with the coale of an heaueÌ„ly dew Despaire the greatest enemy to our saluation So much worth is it that wee beware of one thing the greatest enemy to our saluation to our conuersion to our repentance to wit desperation which if it take hold in our mind how great desire soeuer we haue of saluation how great purpose soeuer to liue euerlastingly if I say despaire come all the entry to saluation is stopped the way to repentance is hindered and the beginning of anguish is engendred And how then shall he that is out of the way and to whom the doore is shut ve able to doe any good worke when as because despaire prohibiteth he cannot come to the entrance of goodnes For this cause the Diuell goeth about with tooth and naile to plant in our hearts such manner of cogitations For if the feare of despaire shall remooue vs from the way of vertue he hath no long combate with vs for why should hee assault when none resisteth And whoso shall haue the power to vndoe this knot incontinent his strength returneth the lustinesse of his mind encreaseth he shall be delighted with the renuing of those contentions the reason is he shall see himselfe chase the chaser and pursue the persecuter And if in case as in wrastling it falleth out he faulter againe and fall let him not be out of hope for shame but remember that is not the law of wrestling and iusting not once to fall for he may not be said to be conquered that falleth but in the end not to yeeld for hee that despaire hath maystered how can he either recouer might in contention or withstand and fight seeing hee taketh his heeles and doth not at all returne to the conflict Neither thinke that I speake of those alonely that haue trangressed in small and not much important things but my speech is of him that hath made himselfe a villaine to all mischiefe and hath dammed to himselfe the way to the kingdome of heauen and was one of the number not of the incredulous miscreants but of them that liked God and after this hath either fallen into fornication or into all sortes of vnchastitie which as the Apostle saith * Ephe. 5.3 to name is vnseemely This man I say ought not to misdoubt of saluation though such wickednesse
of Christ and the punishment of the vngodly are set first in the second place those that shew the ioyes of the world to come and in the last roome those that teach that by faith sincere repentance and amendment of our liues we may inioy that heauenly blisse My petition to thee is this that thou daine to accept my labour which if thou doe I shall bee occasioned to iudge my trauell well bestowed The Lord of his mercy grant that sith wickednes neuer more abounded nor men neuer lesse remembred the comming of Christ vnto iudgement wee may heartely repent vs of our sinnes because the wrath of God hangeth ouer our heads and that wee may as good Christians liue worthy of our vocation liuing so as though euery one particularly should say with that holy man S. Hierome as often as I remember that day euery member of my body quaketh for whether I eate or drinke or do any thing else mee thinketh alwaies that dreadful trumpet soundeth in mine eares arise O ye dead and come to iudgement because the last houre is at hand Amen As desirous of thy profit as of his owne in the schoole of Christ Iesus R. Wol. OENIPODES Non cistae sed pectori Sentences collected out of the fathers workes which haue such agreement with the former Treatise as that they are not vnfit for this place Of the punishments of hell and of the day of iudgement IN that terrible ho wex of the death of a wretched sinner Bernard in spec pec immediatly there will come euil spirits like roaring lions to snatch away their pray When suddenly shal appeare the horrible places of torments the Chaos and obscuritie of darkenesse the dread of miserie and confusion the terror of that fearefull mansion where is the place of weepers where is the place of groaners where is the voyce of them that crie wo wo wo bee to vs the children of Euah when the miserable soule departing from the body shall heare see and seele these and sēblable thinges yea a thousand times worse then may be spoken in what I pray how great and how wonderous feare and trembling shall shee be what tongue can vtter it what booke declare it what will now auaile the boasting of knowledge the pompe of the people the vanitie of the world the greedinesse of earthly dignitie what shall then auaile the appetite of ryot delitiousnesse of meate exquisite drinke curiositie of garments nicenesse of the flesh gluttony of the belly superfluousnesse of foode surfetting and drunkennesse curious building of houses possessiō of terrene goods scraping together of prebends hoording of riches whether can these thinges deliuer the wretched soule of a man from the mouth of the hydious and horrible Lion that is from the iawe of the cursed dragon when that cunning deceiuer Idem ibid. that sonne of iniquitie that most eager enemy of our soules shall miserably and dreadfully meet with thy soule how wilt thou be able to abide the fearefull sight of his terrible countenance the intollerable stink of his mouth the brimstone-like flames of his eyes How then wilt thou be of force to abide so great feare of so horrible a beast Be assured that the feare of his dreadfull presence exceedeth euery kind of torments which may be deuised in this world At which the Prophet quaking betooke himselfe to prayer saying heare my prayer O God when I call vpon thee deliuer my soule from the feare of the enemy He said not from the power of the enemy but from the feare of the enemy But alas my brother if the sinfull soule bee so much and so greatly daunted at the sight onely of Sathan how great confusion or how great horror how great affiction and how great lamentation shal she haue through his touching and tormenting when the Lord shall be about to iudge the sorrowfull world Hierom. ad Heliod it shall make a great noyse and one kindred shal strike the breast to another kindred The Kinges once most puissaunt shall quake without a guard foolish Plato with his schollers shal be brought forth then Aristotles argumēts shall not be profitable when that sonne of the poore woman which exercised a craft shall come to iudge the endes of the earth That iudge is neyther preuented with fauour Augu. li. 3. de symb nor mooued with pitty nor bribed with money neyther will he be appeased with satsfaction or repentance Here let the soul deale for it selfe while it hath time as long as there is a place for mercy because there will be a place of iustice Greg. hom 15. In the last day of iudgment when the heauens being opened the Angels ministring the Apostles sitting together Christ shall appeare in the seate of his maiestie all the elect reprobate shal see him that both the iust may reioyce without end of the gift of theyr reward and the vniust euer lament for the reuengement of theyr plague Ansel de similitudini bus mundi On the right hand there shall be our sinnes to accuse vs on the left hand infinite deuils beneath the horrible confusion of hell aboue an angry Iudge without the worlde flaming within our conscience burning there scarce the iust shall be saued Alacke wretched sinner whither wilt thou flee It is impossible to be hidden intollerable to appeare The ioy of the time present must be so vsed Greg hom 32. that the remembrance of the bitternes of the iudgment to come may neuer depart from vs. Of the ioyes of heauen SO great is the beautie of righteousnes Aug. lib. de morb so great is the sweetnesse of the euerlasting light that is of the immutable wisdome that although we might not tarrie in it more then one day for this alone innumerable yeares of this life replenished with delights and aboundance of temporal goods were not without cause and reason to be contemned Jdem li 3. de symb Wee can easilier tell what there is not in that eternall life then what there is There is not death there is not mourning there is not wearinesse there is not weaknesse there is not hunger there is no thirst no parching heat no corruption no lacke no sorrowe no sadnesse Make haste thither where you may liue for euer Ide devtil agen poen For if you so loue this miserable and transitorie life wherein you liue with such labour and wherein by running trauelling sweating breathing thou scarce get things necessary for the body how much more ought you to loue the life euerlasting where you shall sustaine no labour where alwaies is great quietnes great felicitie happy libertie happy blessednesse where shal be fulfilled that the Lorde spake in the Gospell Men shall be like the Angels And that the iust shall shine c. Temporall life compared with eternall life Greg. in homil is rather to be called death then life For the daily fainting of corruption what is it els but a certaine long continuance
repent and returne againe vnto Christ For albeit his faith was weake and faint as was the faith of all the Apostles yet it was not vtterly extinct Luk. 22. for Christ had said vnto him before Simon I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not And in any wise take heede and note this well Christ saide not hee that denyeth mee I shall deny him though he repent and returne but remember well that Christ said Mat. 9. I came not to call the righteous but sinners vnto repentaunce Peter therefore repented and returned vnto Christ againe and so was receiued vnto grace and was saued Question VVherefore good Madam in this hard text of Saint Paule vnto the Hebrewes way wel this condition if they fall away for they onely fall away which commit that most horrible crime which is called in the holy scripture the sinne vnto death blasphemy against the spirit and the sinne against the holy Ghost which neuer shall be forgiuen neyther in this world neyther in the world to come But here it might bee demaunded what the sinne against the holy Ghost is and wherein it differeth from all other greeuous sinnes Answere VVhereunto I answere that there is difference in sinnes it may clearely be gathered of Christes wordes saying Mat. 12. I say vnto you all sinne and blasphemy shall bee forgiuen vnto men but the blasphemy against the spirit shall not be forgiuen vnto men Loe here is the matter plainely opened by our Sauiour Christ what kind of sinnes shal be forgiuen and what neuer forgiuen blasphemy against the spirit shall neuer be forgiuen all other sinne and blasphemy shall be forgiuen And Christ in saying all sinne shall be forgiuen compriseth both originall sinne Three sorts of sinnes Sinne Blasphemy Blasphemy against the spirit and also actuall sinne moreouer Christ speaketh here of three sorts of sinns the first he calleth sinne the second blasphemy and the third blasphe◠against the spirit which the scripture also calleth the sinne vnto death and the sinne against the holy ghost These three kindes of sinnes and the difference of euery of them I intend by Gods helpe seuerally to declare vnto you so shortlie as I can and so for this time tommit you vnto God And first consider well what sinne is Sinne Sinne. is euery wilfull disobedience act or deede that is done contrary vnto the Law and commaundements of God without murmur grudge or euill speaking eyther against the Law commaundements or God himselfe which is the maker and giuer of the Lawe As is Idolatry superstition periury swearing vnaduisedly breaking of the holy day dishonouring father and mother murther malice hatred enuie wrath strife treason sedition slaunder whordome theft and such like All these and such other are called and are indeede sinne so long as the dooers of them doe neyther murmur repine grudge nor speake euill against God or his holy lawe neither allowe in their conscience the thing and euill that they doe but rather doe vtterly disalowe accuse and cōdemne in their own conscience those their owne damnable acts as euil and detestable The second kinde of sinne is blasphemy marke it well and consider howe it differeth first from sinne and then from the sinne against the holy ghost Blasphemy Blasphemy is more heynous then is sinne alone for all blasphemy is sinne but all sinne is not blasphemy for truth it is that blasphemy compriseth in it selfe both sinne also a murmure grudg reuiling euill speaking slaunder and reproach of God and godlinesse but it is alway couple◠with ignoraunce and vnbeleefe and proceedeth not of such obstinate malice as continueth to the end of the life as doth the sinne against the holy Ghost In this sinne of blasphemy Saint Paule offended before his conuersion vnto the faith of Christ Iesu For thus he speakkth of himselfe before I was a blasphemer 2. Tim. 2 and a persecutor and a tyraunt but I obtayned mercy because I did it ignorantly in vnbeliefe Lo here it is plaine and euident that this blasphemy thogh it be a great offence yet it is remissible and forgiueable and is not excluded from grace and mercy because it proceedeth of ignorance and not of knowledge nor of obstinate malice that doth endure to the liues end neyther is it the sinne vnto death and therfore we may lawfully pray for such blasphemers As Saint Iohn saith 2 Iohn 5 if any man see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shal giue him life In this simple blsphemy for so wee may call it many of the Iewes offended takinge Christ to be nothing lesse then the sonne of Dauid or Messias because his parents were very poore and himselfe supposed to be but a poore carpenters sonne which bare but a simple port in the world yea and some of them that crucified Christ were ouerwhelmed in this simple blasphemy and therefore Christ prayed for them saying father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Luc. 23. So Peter in his sermon excused the crucifiers of Christ saying now deare breethren I knowe that you haue done it through ignorance c. Act 3. Repent you therefore and returne that your sinnes may be done away So did Saint Steuen also pray for his persecutors whome before hee called stifnecked Act 7. aduersaries of the holy ghost traitors and murtherers of Christ doubtlesse he would not haue prayed for them so earnestly vnlesse their sinnes had bene forgiueable and therefore their sin and offence was no more but simple blasphemy The third kind of sinn is blasphemy against the spirit They commit blasphemy against the spirit Blasphemy against the spirit or sin against the holy ghost which willingly vpon knowledge and aduisedly contrary to their owne conscience doe deny forake impugne slaunder reuile and persecute the plaine open manifest and knowne truth stifly malitiously and obdurately perseuering and continuing without vnfayned repentaunce in that their willfull blindnes and obstinate malice so long as they liue in this world as did Pharaoh Saule Herod Iudas the traytor Iulianus Apostata Porphirius Himeneus and Alexander the copper-smith with other But marke this diligently that wee cannot as farre as I can perceiue certainely iudge of these blasphemers against the spirit before the time of their departure out of this present life because wee cannot certainely knowe whether at the end of their life they can repent and by faith returne and take holde of the mercy of God or not Coniectures are vncertaine Luc. 23. VVee may coniecture but we can not as I suppose certainely define of them Let vs consider that the theefe that hung on the right hand of Christ euen at the last houre repented and with a strong faithful prayer committed himselfe wholly vnto the mercy of Christ and was saued In consideration whereof let vs thinke it to be our bounden duty as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did to reuoke and call
enuiron him euen to the last gaspe The anger of God is not passible and therefore though we sinne yet his wrath may bee changed into mercie But harken what the cause of this is If the wrath of God were an affection that did worke a passion we might rightly say that the flame of it kindled with so many and such euils might not be quenched but for as much as the truth teacheth that the nature of God is void of passions we must learn that though God punish though he plague he doth it not with a wrathfull passion but with vnspeakeable gentlenesse going about to cure vs not to confound vs and therefore with gladnesse will receiue the penitent For the plaister of repentance if thou seeke it healeth the soule and defendeth thee from the anger of God which he conceiued for thine offences God doth not as I said punish a sinner for his owne fantasie Why God punisheth man when he reuengeth his wrong for the nature of God is not capable of such an affection but for our profite he doth all things for our vtilitie and he chastiseth and correcteth not to auenge himselfe but to amend vs. And if any persist in hardnesse as the man that turneth his eyes from the light damnifieth nothing the light but damneth himselfe to darkenes so he that contemneth vertue through a heart that cannot repent estrangeth himselfe from saluation And as a Physition that suffreth wrong at the handes of phrenticke and brainesicke men sorroweth not nor is displeased a whit at it but doth all things that appertaine to ease the maladie of the patient for the wrong is caused by paine as you may see the Physition glad at a little amendment of the sicke person and to execute the residue of his charge with ioy and cheerefulnes not keeping in mind the wrong done but respecting the health of the patient so much rather God God is willing to haue vs returne when wee are become starke wood is not greedy of vengeance for our trespasses but desirous to heale our olde and putrified biles for to this end he saith doth all things thirsting after our safetie not our punishment And albeit reason sufficiciently shew the contrary yet least you should stagger in the matter we are able to auouch it out of the holy Scriptures Tell me what more wicked body was there euer then the king of Babylon Who hauing found out in many things the omnipotency of God Dan. 2.46 in so much that hee worshipped his Prophet and commaunded Frankencense and Myrrhe to be offered to him Dan. 3. yet againe in despight of God he returned to his wonted hawtinesse and did cast ioyntly into the ouen of burning fire those that refused to worship his image because they preferred the seruice of God Neuerthelesse God allured to repenpentance and gaue occasion of recanting to this so bloody and wicked a king First in this Dan. 3. that with the three children he appeared vnto him in the ouen afterward in that he caused him to see the vision which Daniel interpreted Dan. 4. that was able to mollifie euen an heart of flint But when hee was warned by workes the Prophet also exhorted him by wordes and he receiued the counsell of the Prophet saying Dan. 4. Wherefore O king let my counsell be ecceptabe vnto thee and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore for let there be an healing of thine errour What satest then to this O thou wise and blessed man Yet is there a returning after so great slides credite mee there is after grieuous sickenesse and from the doore of death proceedeth health and after desperate sins many waxe wise For loe as we shewed afore this king of Babel had now stapped all way of saluation in that hee prouoked the Lord to wrath who made him and exalted him to the throne of a kingdom who reuealed also to him heauenly mysteries who imparted on him the knowledge of things to come disclosed to him the secrets of all his kingdom who confounded by the diuine solution of his prophet the iuglings of the wise men Astrologers Gazarens Caldeans opened to the capacity of a child by a diuine interpretatioÌ„ a hidden secret insomuch that he seemed not only to beleeue in the highest God but to proclaime thoroughout al the world that the God of Daniel was the true God yet after this he fell into such an outrage that he threw headlong into the hot burning ouen the seruants of God that would not worshis his image And yet ne here doth the mercy of God forget to cure remedy him but in the midst of the fire when he had put to the flame the children that worshipped God there he asswageth him not with quenching the fire with water but with working a wonder For hee could both extinguish the fire and distill downe a showre from heauen but this he doth not least he should encrease the force of his rage but permitteth the flame to be made as great as the furie of the tortor desired and hee doth not forbid him to punish but taketh away power from the torment And that no one that sawe the children not burne might suppose it was a vaine imagination no fire in deede that he saw he suffered the executioners namely those that stoode about the fornace to bee consumed that hee might make manifest that not onely fire in truth was seene but that Gods commaundement was more forcible than any strength of fire For euery thing that is obeieth him of whom it had his beginning That fire receiued the bodies of those saints and by the ordinance and will of God forgetting his nature whereby it burneth vpon it shewed only his nature of illumining rendring againe the holy and faithfull thing committed to his charge nothing hurted for they came foorth out of the flaming fornace as it had beene out of a princes palace worthy to be admited of all of all to be reuerenced None then cast his eyes on the king who glittered in purple with a diademe on his head but hee was forsaken of all as though he had beene no body for that the children had rapteuâ— rich-one into an admiration For who would not hee astonied that the fire was afrighted at the sight of the young mens bodies and that it did not only she from the flesh of those saints but also did not touch one haire of their head which was but little nor the vttermost hemine of their garments Who would not admire that their members were stronger then mountains their garments than mettals their haires than diamonds And herein is the wonder aggrauated that when they were in the middest of the fire they sang a Psalme to God albeit experience teacheth that they that are committed to the flame bee consumed assoone as they open their mouth To conclude these blâ—ssed children remaine with God glorious with men wonderfull but
would God our hands were idle and did not worke our owne decay Which if they doe it hath great affinitie with most manifest outrage as if for example a champion leauing his aduersary should turne his hands on his owne head and buffet himselfe The diuell hath put vs to flight and hath dashed vs in sunder we haue need then to rise and to resist him When thou art once cast downe if thou be willing not onely to lie still but to throw downe thy selfe headlong this is to assent to thine enemie and to take in defence his part Blessed Dauid fell after rhe same sort thou diddest neither so alone but in more grieuous wise for he combined murder with adultery and what did he then Did he lie so Did he not rise and resist the enemy and so ouercame him that his good deeds profited his posterity ween he was gone For when Salomon had committed that hainous crime and was deemed worthy of a thousand deaths yet for Dauids sake the Lord said he would bestow the kingdome on him longer These be the words I will surely rent the kingdome from thee 2. Ki. 11.11 and will giue it to thy seruant Notwithstanding in thy daies I will not doe it 12. because of Dauid thy father 2. Ki. 19.34 but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne Hezechiah when he was much indangered albeit he were a iust man himselfe yet for blessed Dauid the Lord promised to helpe him * Or I will defend this citie to saue it for mine own sake and for Dauid my seruantes sake I will defend this Citie for mine owne sake and for Dauid my seruants sake I will saue it See what was the strength of repentance see what power conuersion had But if he had thus thought which thou now thinkest and had said it is impossible that the Lord should now be merciful to me he hath greatly honoured me and hath endued me with the gift of prophecy he hath exalted me to a kingdome he hath deliuered me from manifold dangers how then can I promerite clemencie at the hands of God forasmuch as I haue thus fallen If Dauid had thus thought he had loâ—â— not only that went afore but that that followed also For not only the wounds of the body if they be neglected bring death but the wounds of the soule semblably Are we so sottish to put a plaister to a bodily wound and neuer attempt to cure the soule Many wounds of our body may not be cured yet we dispaire not and though the Chirurgions say the wound is vncuâ—â—able yet we earnestly and vrgently beseech them that they would mittigate some what the paine But in the wounds of the soule which are not vnsanable for the soule is not tyed to necessity neither abideth any passion we are remisse we are past hope we are pricked with no care When there is no hope our griefe of body may be healed yet we withdraw nothing from our care but here when no occasion is of desperation without vsing any labour we omit all care So you perceiue how that more ardently we loue our body then our soule knowing not that if we regard not our soule we cannot saue our body For the soule was not ordained for the body but the body for the soule and he that esteemeth not the higher but polisheth the inferiour marreth both But he that obserueth an order and garnisheth the first admitte hee doe not passe for the second by the saluation neuerthelesse of the first the seeond shall be saued The which is builded on the plot of Christ his words Feare ye not them which kill thâ—â— body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell Thinke you we haue done enough and satisfied you in this thing that no infirmity of the soule is vncureable Or else is it needfull wee should vse other reasons and confirme it yet further For although a thousand times thou dispaire of thy selfe wee will neuer dispaire of thee Neither doe we this that wee mislike in other howbeit there be ods whether one dispaire of himselfe or another of him To dispaire of another is pardonable but to dispaire of him selfe is not because he is not master of anothers mind this ruleth his owne purpose Wherefore we hope there is a returne for you to the state of your former life and to the vertues of the minde which we know are in you Besides these things this we adde The Nineuits heard the Prophet saying definitely Jon. 2.4 yet forty dayes and Nineueh shal be ouerthrown notwitstanding they were not discouraged No not when they were not certaine that the Lord would not bring to passe his words and when in mans iudgement there was no hope of forgiuenesse And as soone as that abrupt saying was ended they determined repentance saying who can tell if God will turne and repent Verse 9. 10. and turne away his fierce wrath that we perish not And God saw their workes that they turned from their euill waies and God repented of the euill that he had said he would doe vnto them and he did it not If Barbarians and ignorant folke could vnderstand so much of the mercy of God doth it not much more behoue vs to do so who are instructed in the word of God and know this example was before our time and that many more like are contained in Gods booke either in words Isai 55.8 or in acts For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord. 9. For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher theÌ„ your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Farthermore if we receiue our seruants who haue offended vs when they promise they will amend and account of them as before nay many times credit them more after reconcilement will not God much rarher deale thus with vs If he had made vs to punish vs thou mightest well despaire and doubt of thy saluation but if for his goodnes onely he made vs to enioy his euer-during blisse and rewards and doth al things from the beginning of the world till this day to this end and purpose that he may saue vs what matter of despairing what matter of misdoubting is there left We haue offended him say you more than euer any man For this cause shouldest thou more speedily and earnestly make satisfaction and be sorrowfull for thine offence and abandon those deedes with which God is offended Neither doth a grieuous iniury offende any body so much as to continue in it when there is time and opportunâ—tie of satisfaction To sinne is humane but to perseuer in sinne is diabolicall To conclude Hier. 3.7 Or and I said when she had done all this turne thou vnto me but she returned not behold how God by the Prophet mistiketh this more then that And I haue
said saith he after that she hath in all this gone a whooring be thou turned to me and she is not turned And other-where when he had rebuked the transgressions of the people by his Prophet and they had promised amendment hee sheweth how louingly he receiueth the conuersion of sinners who wil grant their heart may be so in them that they may feare me and keepe my commaundements all the daies of their life that it may be well with them and rheir children for euermore Moses likewise when he would teach the people what God requireth of men Deu. 10.12 saith thus And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule God then who is desirous that himself be beloued of vs and for this doth all things not sparing his onely begotten for our saluation and the loue he bare towards vs wold faine after what fort soeuer if I may so speake we should be reconciled to him and how can it be that he should not receiue and loue vs being penitents conuerted vnto him and that as cheerefully as he doth his children For in what respect doe you thinke spake hee by the Prophet saying Tell thou thine iniquities first that thou maist be iustified Was it not for that he coueted to reuoke vs to his loue Amantium irae amoris redintegratio est and tender affection He that loueth his friend if perchance he suffer many iniuries at his hands his loue is not for that cooled towards his beloued if in case he will let the wrongs to be opened and discouered and certes he that is iniured doth desire this for no other cause but that their renewing of loue may be of more force and validity Now if the confession of sinnes mattreth so much to attonement how much greater may be our hope of reconciliation if by workes of repenance we blot out the offences we haue committed For if God prohibited the fallen to returne to the right way either none or very few should enter the kingdom of heauen Yea the cheefe Patriarchs whom we haue in admiration after backeslides in sinnes they haue beene restored For they that were earnest in euill being turned to goodnes vse the same forwardnes knowing that their debt is great In the Gospell this is taught of the Lord when he said to Simon of a certaine woman Seest thou this woman I entred into thine house and thou gauest me no water to my feet but she hath washed my feet with teares Luke 7.44 and wiped them with the haires of her head Thou gauest me no kisse but she since the time I came in 45. hath not ceased to kisse my feete My head with oile thou didst not annoint 46. but she hath annointed my feete with oyntment Wherefore I say vnto thee 47. many sins are forgiuen her for she loued much To whom a little is forgiuen he doth loue a little 48. And he said vnto her thy sins are forgiuen thee For which cause the diuell knowing that they which haue sold themselues to worke iniquity if they reuolt are diligent and serious and as in their transgressions they were hastie so in their amendment they are heedefull because now they know what they haue done he feareth and shaketh least any of them should make the onset to repentance For if they once begin they may not be withstood but kindled with the heat of repentance as it were with fire they make their soules purer than fined gold by the remembrance of their former misdeeds and as it were by the blowing wind of their conscience hauing hope their pilot they ariue in the hauen of health And bicause of the horrours past the circumspecter they are in their iourney so that in this welnigh they may seeme to passe those that neuer faultered because experience maketh them more chary Experientia stultorum mater For I know not how we loue more entirely the things we had and haue lost then the things we haue not and desiâ—e to get Then a hard thing it is as I said to make a beginning in this lyeth all the difficulty to prepare the way to repentance For straight way at the entrance the enemy bloweth out threats menacings and in his rage driueth vs backe when we would goe forth The smokie puffes and cloude of whose terrours if thou contemne when the way is entred thou shalt see thy self corroborated and obtaining the conquest thou wilt reioyce thine enemy menaced thee and thou shalt perceiue the rest of this combate easie Go too go too in the name of God now let vs enter the path of life let vs returne to the heauenly city seeing we are appointed and inrolled citizens The gates of this Citie despaire shutteth against vs hope and confidence will open them fully the which if we cast behind vs we incurre the crime not of sloath alone but of arrogancy For sathan was made as he is by no other meanes but for that after his sinne first he despaired and n xt fell from despaire into hautines and pride So likewise the soule if it once begin to despaire of saluation it vnderstandeth not into what mischiefes it runneth fearing not to speake or doe whatsoeuer may stop saluation Commonly we see in those that are mad when once they haue lost their wit they feare naught any longer they blush at nothing but licentiously they dare speake and doe euery thing If they fall into the fire they auoid it not if they be going into a headlong place they pull not back their foote After the same manner they that are in despaire commit intollerable actes they range in all the waies of wickednes shame is no let feare hindreth nothing the things present do not refrain them the things to come do not terrifie death only it is that they cannot escape Wherefore I humbly request thee before the poison of this sin more infect thee arise and awake at the last and lay aside this deuellish drunkennes If on the sudden thou canst not gather thy wits together yet doe it leisurely although in my opinion it be the easier way at once to break off all the staies of this euill to sheere it in sunder fully and to begin repentance anew But if this be difficile vnto thee as thou wilt and art able begin a better conuersation and couet eternall life Runne therefore I pray and beseech you deare friend I beseech you for those good deeds you haue done heretofore I pray you for the liberty that first you had let me see you clime vp to the top of vertue as truely a repentant as you were before Yeeld to me thy friend yeeld to all them that are offended through thee and fall because of thy fall yeeld to all them that are in despaire because of thy despaire
backe again open sinners and blasphemers to earnest repentaunce for their owne sinfulnesse and to haue a sure trust in the mercy of God and in the merit of Christs passion and death though they be euen at the departure out of this presēt life for it is neuer too late so long as life lasteth Let vs therefore with all feruentnesse call vpon them and exhort them in any wise with a good courage and a sure and vndoubful faith aske call and cry for Gods mercy for his sweet sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake and vndoubtedly they shall haue it For since the beginning of the world hitherto was there neuer one that in faith asked mercy heartely but he had it through the gratious goodnesse of our aforesaid most mercifull sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour laude and praise world without end Amen Yours at commaund to his power T. C. Giue all the honor laud and praise to God onely 1. Tim. 1. The prayer of Daniel turned into metre and applyed vnto our time Daniel IX O Lord thou high and fearefull God By whom all things do moue Thy mercies great are sure to such As thy precepts doe loue We sinfull men haue sore transgrest Against thy lawes deuine Full frowardly we haue fled backe From these precepts of thine Thy Prophets deare to speake were prest In setting forth thy name Both rich and poore as bold were bent For to gainesay the same To thee therefore thou Lord of hoastes All iustice doth belong To poure on vs such shame and griefe In this we haue no wrong Our shame is great and due to all Our flight is but in vaine To tread strange lands our sin hath sought Our shame doth still remaine But though such shame a reward iust To all in common be Yet mercy Lord and to forgiue Doth still belong to thee Indeede O Lord as for our selues No lesse confesse wee can But that thy lawes wee set at nought Much lesse haue kept them than Thy Prophets spake wee would not heare Ne of thee stand in awe Strange plagues from time to time we felt For breaking of thy lawe The force whereof so fiercely bent Was such as hath not bene For all the plagues in Moses lawe Fell on this Realme for sinne And yet to thee who made his sute His path way so to guide That flying vice might learne thy lawe And therein to abide Wwerefore thou sawest all would not helpe And couldst not hold thine hand But haste thy curse which now doth fall Vpon this sinfull land For as thou art a righteous God Thy workes doe soe appeare Consuming such as scorne doth take Thy louing voyce to heare But yet O Lord thou broughtest forth Thy flocke from Egipt land Whereby thy name was largely spread So now stretch forth thine hand But we haue sinned more then they Oh Lord yet stay thy rod. As for this land was sometime thine And thou also our God Our sinnes and eke our fathers faultes This day to passe hath brought That all which border vs about They set vs cleane at nought Now then O Lord hide not thy face Oh heare thy seruaunts cry Behold thine house sometime full rich How wast it doth nowe lie Thy truth is fled thy flock fast bound As sheepe led to be slaine Thy foes preuaile and prosper much Though mischiefe they maintaine And wilt not thou thy foes confound That thus thy workes reproue At least yet for thy great names sake Their vile intents remoue For why as for our owne deserts We can no such thing haue It is for thy great mercies sake That we such thinges doe craue Forgiue vs Lord intreated be To heare vs make no stay We beare thy name it is thy cause Oh Lord make no delay A Prayer against Despaire O Eternall God most louing and gratious father in Iesus Christ who art alwaies praysed and magnified by thy children in theyr great deliuerances and preseruation from their perils and daungers but especially when they perceiue themselues freede from the power of Satan death and hell from the which no creature can saue and deliuer them but thou onely O Lorde And because no chaine of the deuill or euill temptation is more strong to fetter the body and soule of man then despaire which is a wilfull forsaking of faith and confidence in thee O God it arising springing from fear and doubt as if thou wert not faithfull in thy promises or able in thy power to preserue vs Helpe Lord I beseech thee and free and deliuer me thy poore seruaunt from this temptation thraldome of Satan and soe strengthen I humbly pray thee my faith and confidence euer more in thee that in al my perils necessities wants sorrowes and griefe in this world I may haue a strong and stedfast hope in thee whereby I may ouercome repell and keepe backe the dangerous and subtill suggestions of Satan the world and the flesh to thy great glory and praise and my eternall and vnspeakable comfort through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Morning O Lord thou which couerest the night with darkenesse and causest man therein to take his rest and by euery day and night doest shew thy great glory in the heauens and also thy wisdome and power by gouerning and preseruing all thy creatures vpon the earth O Lord I thy poore seruaunt and creature doe most humbly thanke thee from the bottome of my heart for my sweete and comfortable rest this night past and for watching ouer mée by thine eye of prouidence and kéeping both my body and soule by thy grace from sinne and death beseeching thée O Lorde God my father Sauiour and comforter to blesse to sanctifie direct and preserue me in this thy new day and that I may become a newe creature vnto thée O God in holinesse and righteousnesse labouring faithfully and painfully in my calling that so my laboures this day may be sanctified and blessed vnto mée and mine and that I may shew forth thy praise in al my waies and declare my loue and charity vnto men in all my works that after the dayes of this my life and pilgrimage finished and ended here in this world I may liue with thee for euer in the world to come throgh Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour who liueth and reigneth with thée and the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Euening O gratious and mercifull God I am most bound vnto thy heauenly Maiesty for my preseruatiō this day because I and al men are continually subiect vnto all dangers and perils griefes sorrowes sicknesse and death yea we lie open vnles thy grace and might doe defend vs vnto the temptations tyranny of the world the flesh the deuill which daily seek and desire our hurt and confusion both of body soule for euer Wherefore O gratious and euerliuing God as thy right hand and sauing health hath bene with mée this day and thou hast directed blessed and comforted mee thy poore seruaunt in all my wayes and labours for the which I most hūbly thank thée so I most earnestly entreat thy Maiesty in thy loue and mercy for Christ Iesus sake to keepe mée and al mine in safety this night and to couer vs vnder the shadow of thy winges from all perils and dangers whatsoeuer and that our soules as well as our bodies may take their swéet and comfortable rest and ioy in thée and likewise that thou wouldest grant that whensoeuer thou shalt knocke at the doore of our hearts to call vs vnto thee O God we may with the wise Virgins be watchfull haue oyle in our lamps that we may be receiued into eternall rest through Iesus Christ thy deare sonn and our onely Sauiour Amen FINIS