their minds may be altered and they yeeld themselues unto the humble and sweet service of their Lord and Saviour and that the Angels in heaven may rejoice and triumph of their regaining as of sheepe most dangerously lost before CHAP. II. How necessarie it is to enter into earnest consideration and meditation of our estate THE prophet Ieremie after a long complaint of the miseries of his time fallen upon the Iewes by reason of their sins vttereth the cause thereof in these words Al the earth is fallen into utter desolation for that there is no man which considereth deeply in his hart Signifieng hereby that if the Iewes would haue entered into deepe and earnest consideration of their liues and estate before that great desolation fel vpon them they might haue escaped the same as the Niniuites did by the fore-warning of Ionas albeit the sword was now drawen and the hand of God stretched out within fortie daies to destroy them So important a thing is this consideration In figure wherof al beasts in old time which did not ruminate or chew their cud were accounted vnclean by the law of Moises as no dowt but that soule in the sight of God must needs be which resolveth not in hart nor cheweth in often meditation of minde the things required at hir hands in this life 2 For of want of this consideration and du meditation all the foul errors of the world are committed and many thousand Christians do find themselves within the verie gates of hel before they mistrust any such matter towards them being caried thorough the vale of this life blindfolded with the veile of negligence and inconsideration as beasts to the slawghter how 's and never suffered to see their own danger vntil it be too late to remedie the same 3 For this cause the holy scripture doth recommend vnto us most carefully this exercise of meditation and diligent consideration of our duties to deliver us thereby from the peril which inconsideration leadeth us unto 4 Moises hauing delivered to the people his embassage from God touching al particulars of the law addeth this clause also from God as most necessarie These words must remain in thy hart thou shalt meditate vpon them both at home and abroad when thou goest to bed and when thou risest again in the morning And again in another place Teach your children these things that they may meditate in their harts upon them The like commandement was given by God himselfe to Iosua at his first election to govern the people to wit that he should meditate vpon the law of Moises both day night to the end he might keepe and perform the things written therein And God addeth presently the commoditie he should reap thereof For then saith he shalt thou direct thy way aright and shalt vnderstand the same Signifieng that without this meditation a man goeth both amisse and also blindly not knowing himselfe whither 5 Saint Paul having described vnto his scholler Timothie the perfect dutie of a Prelate addeth this advertisement in the end Haec meditare Meditate ponder and consider vpon this And finally whensoever the holy scripture describeth a wise happie or iust man for all these are one in scripture for that justice is only tru wisdome and felicitie one cheefe point is this He wil meditate upon the law of God both day and night And for examples in the scripture how good men did use to meditate in times past I might here reckon vp great store as that of Isaac who went foorth into the feelds towards night to meditate also that of Ezechias the king who as the scripture saith did meditate like a dove that is in silence with his hart only without noise of words But above al other the example of holie David is singular herein who every where almost maketh mention of his continual exercise in meditation saieng to God I did meditate upon thy cōmandements which I loved And again I wil meditate vpon thee in the mornings And again O Lord how have I loved thy law It is my meditation al the day long And with what fervour and vehemencie he used to make these his meditations he sheweth when he saith of himselfe My hart did wax hot within me and fire did kindle in my meditations 6 This is recorded by the holy Ghost of these ancient good men to confound vs which are Christians who being far more bound to fervour than they by reason of the greater benefits we have received yet do we live so lazily for the most part of us as we never almost enter into the meditation and earnest consideration of Gods laws and commandements of the mysteries of our faith of the life and death of our Saviour or of our dutie towards him and much lesse do we make it our daily studie and cogitation as those holie kings did notwithstanding al their great busines in the cōmonwealth 7 Who is there of vs now adaies which maketh the laws and commandements or justifications of God as the scripture termeth them his daily meditations as king David did Neither only in the day time did he this but also by night in his hart as in another place he testifieth of himselfe How many of vs do passe over whole dais and months without ever entring into these meditations Nay God grant there be not many Christians in the world which know not what these meditations do mean We beleeve in grosse the mysteries of our Christian faith as that there is an hel an heaven a reward for vertu a punishment for vice a judgement to come an accompt to be made and the like but for that we chew them not wel by deepe consideration and do not digest them wel in our harts by the heat of meditation they helpe vs little to good life no more than a preservative put in a mans pocket can helpe his health 8 What man in the world would adventure so easily vpon sin as commonly men do which drink it up as easily as beasts drink water if he did consider in particular the great danger and losse of grace the losse of Gods favour and purchasing his eternal wrath also the death of Gods own son sustained for sin the inaestimable torments of hel for the everlasting punishment of the same Which albeit everie Christian in summe doth beleeve yet bicause the most part do never consider them with du circumstances in their harts therefore they are not moved with the same but do beare the knowledge thereof locked vp in their breasts without any sense or feeling even as a man carieth fire about him in a flint stone without heat or perfumes in a pommander without smel except the one be beaten and the other be chafed 9 And now to come nere our matter which we mean to handle in this booke what man living would not resolve himselfe thorowly to serve God in deed
another place he complaineth yet as the prophet saith God wil have his day with these men also when he wil be known And that is Cognoscetur dominus iudicia faciens God wil be known when he beginneth to do iudgment And this is at the day of death which is the next dore to judgement as the Apostle testifieth saieng It is appointed for al men once to die and after that ensueth iudgement 3 This I say is the day of God most terrible sorrowful and ful of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be known to be a righteous God and to restore to every man according as he hath done while he lived as Saint Paul saith or as the prophet describeth it He wil be known then to be a terrible God and such a one as taketh away the spirit of princes a terrible God to the kings of the earth At this day as there wil be a great change in al other things as mirth wil be turned into sorrow laughings into weepings pleasures into paines stoutnes into fear pride into dispaire and the like so especially wil there be a strange alteration in judgement and opinion for that the wisdom of God wherof I have spoken in the former chapters which as the scripture saith Is accounted holy of the wise of the world wil then appeere in hir likenes and as it is in very deed wil be confessed by hir greatest enimies to be only tru wisdom and al carnal wisdom of worldlings to be meer folly as God calleth it 4 This the holie scripture setteth down cleerly when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this world at the last day saieng touching the vertuous whom they despised in this life Nos insensati c. We senseles men did esteem their life to be madnes and their end to be dishonorable but look how they are now accounted among the children of God and their portion is with the saints We have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined before us neither hath the sun of understanding appeered unto us We have wearied out our selves in the way of iniquitie and perdition and we have walked craggy paths but the way of the Lord we have not known Hitherto are the words of scripture wherby we may perceave what great change of judgement there wil be at the last day from that which men have now of al such matters what confessing of follie what acknowledging of error what hartie sorrow for labor lost what fruitles repentance for having run awry Oh that men would consider these things now We have wearied out our selves say these miserable men in the way of iniquitie and perdition and we have walked craggie paths What a description is this of lamentable worldlings who beat their brains daily weary out themselves in pursuit of vanitie and chaf of this world for which they suffer notwithstanding more pains oftentimes than the just do in purchasing of heaven And when they arrive to at the last day wearied and worn out with troble and toile they finde that al their labor is lost al their vexation taken in vain for that the litle pelfe which they have gotten in the world and for which they have strugled so sore wil helpe them nothing but rather greatly afflict and torment them for better understanding wherof it is to be considered that three things wil principallie molest these men at the day of their death and unto these may al the rest be referred 5 The first is the excessive pains which commonly men suffer in the separation of the soul and bodie which have lived so long together as two deer frinds united in love and pleasure and therfore most loth to part now but onlie that they are inforced therunto This pain may partly be conceaved by that if we would drive out life but from the least part of our bodie as for example out of our little finger as surgeons are woont to do when they wil mortifie any place to make it break what a pain doth a man suffer before it be dead What raging greefe doth he abide And if the mortifieng of one little part onlie doth so much afflict us imagin what the violent mortifieng of al the parts together wil do For we see that first the soul is driven by death to leave the extreeme parts as the toes feet and fingers then the legs arms and so consequently one part dieth after another until life be restrained onlie to the hart which holdeth out longest as the principal part but yet must finally be constrained to render it selfe though with never so much pain and resistance which pain how great strong it is may appeer by the breaking in peeces of the very strings and holds wherwith it was environed through the excessive vehemencie of this deadly torment But yet before it come to this point to yeeld no man can expresse the cruel conflict that is betwixt death and hir and what distresses she abideth in time of hir agonie Imagin that a prince possessed a goodly citie in al peace wealth and pleasure and greatly frinded of al his neighbors about him who promise to assist him in al his needs and affairs and that upon the sudden his mortal enimie should come and besiege this citie and taking one hold after another one wal after another one castel after another should drive this prince only to a little tower and besiege him therin al his other holds being beaten down and his men slain in his sight what fear anguish and miserie would this prince be in How often would he look out at the windows and loope holes of his tower to see whether his frinds and neighbors would come to help him or no And if he saw them al to abandon him and his cruel enimie even ready to break in upon him would he not be in a pitiful plight trow you And even so fareth it with a poore soul at the hour of death The bodie wherin she raigneth like a joly princesse in al pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and overthrown by hir enimy which is death the arms legs and other parts wherwith she was fortified as with wals words during time of helth are now surprised and beaten to the ground and she is driven only to the hart as to the last and extreemest refuge where she is also most fearcely assailed in such sort as she cannot hold out long Hir deer frinds which soothed hir in time of prosperitie and promised assistance as youth physik and other humane helps do now utterly abandon hir the enimie wil not be pacified or make any leag but night and day assaulteth this turret wherin she is and which now beginneth to shake and shiver in peeces and she looketh hourly when hir enimie in most raging and dreadful maner wil enter upon hir What think
for to belong to the church of Christ as on the other side whosoever they are that have not this faith that those are none of the church of Christ whatsoever thing else they can praetend So that the church of which we speak at this praesent is that universal assemblie or gathering togither of al those whether congregations or several persons in any part of al the world that beleeve in Christ or professe the same that we cal christianitie or the Christian faith Concerning the members it may sufficiently appeer by this that is said alreadie who they are that do appertain to that account whether they be whole congregations or several persons that come in quaestion For whosoever they are that professe according to the pattern aforesaid those must needs be very good members and those that swerve from it whether more or lesse are in like sort to be accounted to be in the like proportion departed from the sinceritie of the better sort So that in any wise we must take heed that in this account we measure not the goodnes of any member either in the secret election of God for that it is unknown unto us or in the framing of the conversation to outward sobrietie or holines of life wherin we may be very soone guiled but only that we now seeke out those that are visible members alone measuring the woorthines of everie member by the profession before set down until that once having found out the truer members of the church we then examin among themselves who they are that more sincerely answer their holie calling 17 Having so found out what it is to be of the church who are the visible members therof now may we with lesse labor espie what it is to depart from the same especially if we take heed of this that we use no other tokens for to teach us when we are wrong than only that same wherby we have lerned when we are right For as a sea mark on the shore or a beakon upon the hil doth by one and the selfesame labor teach them both so the same likewise that before is set down is sufficient to declare unto al that do walk by direction therof who they are that are right who on the other side do wander amis out of the way We have therfore first to resolve our selves that for this matter we wil take our aim therat then to seek out by direction therof who they are that depart from the church That we should so resolve our selves we have as good reason as can be desired for that otherwise we may be deceived but never if we take our aim by this The reason that otherwise we may be deceived is for that al things else wherby others do commonly judge what is the course that they hold are nothing else but either points of lesse importance if they do belong unto this or else are of some other kind either directly contrarie to it or divers from it If it be of the former that is appertaining indeed to sound religion and yet nevertheles not so material or very needful but that christianitie may stand without it then if any man depart from it although that therin he do withdraw himselfe from the truth yet may not that be accounted any departing away from the church so long as he keepeth unto the substance of christianitie As for example the truth is that of al that were born of women Christ only was without sin and yet for our sin that he sustained for which he had to satisfie the justice of God he was hartily touched with the horror of death Nevertheles if any there be that cannot be as yet persuaded but needs he must think it more honorable for the blessed virgin yea for Christ himselfe that tooke flesh of hir to have been without sin therupon for his part do rather think that by special praerogative she also was praeserved frō original corruption or els do but dowt it to be somwhat reprochful to Christ that being as he was the son of God he should be so much afraid of death although that heerin he do indeed depart from the truth in those two points or at least in his weaknes come short therof yet bicause that neither of them is so much of the substance of religion but that christianitie may be acknowledged where nothing else but these or such like are wanting therfore may we not by any aequitie account any such to be out of the church that holding al things else besides only sticketh in some of these So likewise if any should depart from that which hath been for a long time received and yet is either against the truth of religion as the worshipping of images or but more than the scripture teacheth as the altering of the sabboth to another day than was woont to be observed as in the former he were so much the rather of the church of God so in the latter he were not to be condemned as no member therof holding al things else sincerely For though our selves do like the altering of the sabboth new from that which was observed of the Iews unto the day of Christs resurrection yet must we needs grant with al that it was somwhat more than needed and that if it had stood as it did it had not been against the Christian faith which is so much the rather to be noted for that not only divers of the antient fathers in times past have been but we also at this praesent in like sort are a great deal too hastie to condemn in such cases al that do not fully accord in al points with us In these cases therfore or any such like whosoever wil condemn al those to be none of the church that are not fully persuaded as we are therin he might soone condemn many such as might after be found to be the children of God when himself and his fellows should be excluded and besides that in the mean season commit an uncharitable part towards those his brethren and that which might grow to an il example for others to follow The reason that we cannot in any wise be deceived if we cleave to the other hangeth on two principal points the one that there is no other way to the kingdome of God the other that it is the only faith that is common to al that unto this kingdome do appertain That there is no other way than Christ alone it is in it selfe so very cleer that it needeth no further help Out of it likewise must the other very necessarily arise that seeing there is none other way but it alone therfore so many as belong therunto must needs be of the same profession In which respect that which is the substance of this profession by divers of the fathers of old hath bin termed catholik yet is so called to this praesent day For howsoever Christian churches have at al times varied in
he had al other parts of his bodie yet had he not the use of one of them al bicause that yet he wanted that living soul that could rightly use them Or in much like case as Lazarus was the fourth day dead laid in his grave chained up fast in the power of death having no abilitie at al to come forth or to help out himselfe until he was called forth by the word of thy power and withal had power given him to come Or as Nicodemus not yet regenerate or born again who though otherwise he were learned and wise yet did he not see any thing at al such things as belong unto thy kingdome neither yet was able until he was born again from above But as we are in truth thus far to acknowledge the want that is in us and to take the confusion therof to our selves as the proper and only portion that is du unto us so do we again to our comfort remember that thou art able to make our blinde eies to see to give us power to come forth unto thee and to make us able to understand whatsoever belongeth to our peace And this do we finde not only in thy holie word but also in thy mightie works finding it plain by long experience that thou often hast wrought and daily dost work such things as these where it pleaseth thee When as therby it cōmeth to passe that ever thou hast had hast at this praesent and ever shalt have a seed of those that glorifie thee and in some measure study to advance thy honor on earth First therfore giving unto thee al possible thanks for al those thy servants whom thou hast lightened with the knowledge of thy truth and brought into the way of life which either have been heertofore and now are past their pilgrimage heer and triumphing with thee in the heavens or else do live at this praesent whersoever they are in al the world desiring also to be with thee and to see the glorie of thy kingdome we most humbly beseech thee to gather togither to that assemblie al those thy servants that yet are to come in and wander as yet in their own natural blindnes until it please thee to visit them with thy grace from above O most gratious and merciful father hold on that course with the children of the new Adam now that thou didst with the first Adam before As thou hast given them eies harts and al other parts of the outward man in that they are born the natural children of men so we beseech thee to breath into them the living spirit that so their eies indeed may see and their harts understand not only the things of this world but also whatsoever is expedient for them to know belonging to the world to come and that al the powers both of their bodies and soules togither may in some good measure serve to such use as is seemly and meete for those that do appertain unto thee whom by adoption thou hast vouchsafed to make thy children And thou aeternal and everlasting son of the father who by the word of thy power quickenest whomsoever thou wilt al those which thy heavenly father hath given thee and never sufferest one of those to miscarrie we beseech thee to loase al those that are thine from the snares of sin and power of sathan that they may effectually hear thy voice be therwithal so quikned by thee that being set at libertie from the snares they were in and lieng bound in the grave no longer they come foorth at thy cal and do the service Thou also most glorious and mightie spirit the fountain of al our regeneration by whom unles we be born again we can never see the kingdome of God and by whom we are sealed to the day of redemption so many as are by aeternal election therunto ordeined we humbly beseech thee that as thou knowest who they are that are thine and in what time they are to be called so it would please thee so to work in them by thy power as that whosoever are yet but the natural children of Adam decaied and yet in the secret purpose of the Godhead do appertain to the kingdome of God may when the time of their refreshing doth come be so renued framed by thee that they also may plainly understand the doctrine thou teachest professe the same and frame their lives in some good measure agreeable to it and therin to their comfort finde that they also are sealed to aeternal life O blessed Trinitie it is not in us to reform our selves For both the enimie is stronger than we and stil detaineth us under his power and we likewise have no desire to be freed from him and besides that have a natural loathing of the way of life But unto thee O Lord it belongeth and to thee alone Thou art able both to deliver us from the bondage that we are in and to make us both to covet and to love to come to the freedome of thy children to spend the rest of our daies therin We pray not in this respect for the world though otherwise we beseech thee stil to continu thy wonted goodnes to it likewise to al the children of men but as thou hast more specially ordeined those whom thou hast chosen out of the world to be a peculiar people to thee to have now the knowledge and fear of thee and after to see thy glorie in heaven so we humbly desire that now thou wilt so effectually cal them in thy good time and sanctifie them heer in this life that after by the course that thou hast ordeined they may likewise come to life everlasting Seeing that the son is to be had in honor of al and it is not wel with the members until they be joined unto their head in both these respects we beseech thee make haste to unite them togither that the son may have to sanctifie him and to speak of his holy name and that his members heer on earth may so far injoy the peace and comfort that in him thou hast provided for them Grant this we beseech thee most merciful father thorough Iesus Christ thy son our Lord to whom with thee and the holie Ghost as of right appertaineth be ascribed al power thanks and glorie for ever and ever Amen FINIS Of the Author By what occasion he wrote His intent and purpose Of the booke it selfe In what maner it came foorth at the first What is don to it since First in the substance which is approoved Then in the form or maner of it which is amended The first part The second part The end of this bóoke Two parts of this booke The necessitie of resolution Acts. 7. Apoc. 3. Rom. 1. An advertisement The divels argument Wilful ignorance increaseth sin Psal. 35. Ose. 4. Iob. 21. See S. Austen of this sin De gra lib. arb chap. 3. S. Chrisostom hom 26. in epist. ad
Rom. What mind a man shuld bring to the reading of this booke Luc. 15. Iere. 12. Ionas 3. Leu. 11. Deut. 14. Deut. 6. Deut. 11. Iosu. 1. 1. Tim. 4. Psal. 1. Pro. 15. Eccl. 14. Gen. 24. Esai 38. Or moorn for it was in the way of sorrowing or lamentation Psal. 118. Psal. 62. Psal. 118. Psal. 38. Psal. 118. Psal. 76. Beleefe in grosse Marvelous effects of inconsideration Iere. 12. The nature of consideration A fit similitude 2. Cor. 4. Deut. 6. Luc. 1. Mat. 12. 1. Cor. 5. Eph. 5. Gen. 6. Gen. 19. Mat. 7. Acts. 1. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 4.6.11.12 1. Cor. 9. Phili. 2. 1. Cor. 2. A comparison Mat. 7. Luc. 12. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 2.3 Gal. 3. The conclusion of this chapter Esai 28. Deut. 6. Iosu. 22. Gen. 14. Luc. 1. The first consequence The second consequence Luc. 13.23 Mat. 19. Mar. 10. Luc. 19. The lamentable state of men of the world A comparison Gal. 6. Iohn 9. Luc. 12. Ioh. 7.8.2 1. Iohn 2. A praier Two parts of our end in this life Psal. 36. Esai 1. Rom. 6. 1. Pet. 2. Tit. 2. Two parts of the service of God Iohn 7. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 2. Phil. 1. Heb. 10. and 12. Matt. 9.10.20 Luk. 10. 1. Tim. 5. Psa. 125. Mat. 13. Esai 1. Mat. 25. Luc. 13. Mat. 25. How we ought to resist sin Heb. 12. Eph. 5. Iaco. 4. 1. Pet. 5. Matt. 5. Exo. 12. Deut. 5. How we must do good works Eccl. 9. Eccl. 1. Gal. 6. 1. Cor. 15. A description of a christian Eph. 2. The perfection of a christian life Augu. lib. 2. cont Iulian. lib. 1. de peccat mer. cap. vlt. Io. Cassian 1.5 ca. 12. deinceps Mat. 5. Iob. 9. Psal. 76. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Cor. 6. and 11. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Cor. 9. Remedies used by the ancient fathers for resisting of sin How much we fail in doing good works Iohn 6. Gal. 6. Phil. 2. * * Although many such things wer doon to superstitious and very il uses yet even then also were they somtimes sufficient testimonies of a great care to do wel so far as their knowledge served them in so manie as did not wilfully er but were desirous to know the truth and to do accordingly And so may those also be in such a sense examples to us Phil. 2. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 16. Luc. 22. Mat. 13. Rom. 8. Apoc. 22. The different state of a good and evil man at the day of death Gal. 6. A principal point of wisdome in a servant A necessarie consideration Rom. 2. Rom. 7. Gal. 3. Heb. 12. Exo. 19. The dredful publication of the law Acts. 7. Exo. 20. Deut. 5. Heb. 12. Gods punishments Gen. 3. Gen. 7. Gen. 19. 1. Re. 28. 2. Re. 12. Christs speeches Mat. 25. Mat. 24. Mat. 22. Mat. 25. Mat. 13. Luc. 18. Mat. 19. Ioh. 14. Iohn 2. Mat. 5. Mat. 28. Luc. 13. Ioh. 5. Mat. 5. Mat. 12. Of the day of iudgement Two iudgements after death Iohn 5. Mat. 25. and 16. Luc. 16. Lib. 2. de anima ca. 4. 2. Cor. 5. The particular iudgement Aug. trac 49. in Io. Why there be two iudgments appointed Consider wel this reason good reader Of the generall day of iudgment Eccl. 12. Luc. 21. Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Esai 13. 1. Cor. 13. Mat. 25. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Co. 4 a. Luc. 12. Psal. 74. Sap. 5. Luc. 23. Apoc. 6. Mat. 25. 1. Pet. 4. The demands at the last day Psa. 149. A pitiful case Anselm Mat. 24. Apoc. 6. Apoc. 9. Mat. 25. The last sentence pronounced The conclusion Mar. 13. Mat. 24. A goodly exhortation of Christ. 2. Pet. 3. Eccl. 18. 1. Cor. 11. Gods hatred to sinners Psal. 5. Psal. 14. Pro. 15. Iob. 11. Esai 1. Psal. 13. Psal. 49. Eccl. 15. The reason why God so hateth a sinner The iniurie done to God by sin Mat. 17. Mar. 15. The malice of a sinner towards God Sapi. 1. Rom. 8. Psal. 7. Rom. 5. Iaco. 4. 1. Ioh. 3. Sinners enimies to God and God to them Such like also Isa. 26.11 Psal. 90. Gods hatred infinite against sinners Why every sin deserveth infinite punishment Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1. The punishment of Angels Of Adam and Eve Esai 53. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Mat. 27. Psal. 21. Esai 53. The sin of Esau. Gen. 25. 27. Heb. 12. Of Saul 1. Re. 15. and 16. 1. Re. 9. 15. 16. 2. Reg. 9. Psal. 6.34.68.108.105.29 2. Re. 12. Eccl. 40. Psal. 10. Psal. 9. Psal. 3. Psal. 9. Psal. 36. Psa. 144. Psal. 57. Psal. 36. Psa. 103. Psa. 140. Eccl. 2. Psal. 71. Esai 13. Psal. 57. Pro. 14. Psal. 10. Tob. 12. Eccl. 21. Tob. 4. Psal. 9. 1. Ioh. 3. The obstinacie of sinners Psal. 57. The losses that came by sin Isa. 11. Ier. ibid. Rom. 6. Heb. 10. Heb. 6. Rom. 6. Heb. 10. Rom. 16. 2. Pet. 2. Excuse of sin Gal. 6. Rom. 11. Heb. 10. 2. Pet. 2. Ep. Iud. 2. Pet. 2. 2. Pet. 4. A good maner of reasoning Mat. 7. Luc. 13. Mat. 12. Psal. 9. How necessarie it is to fear Psa. 118. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Pet. 1. The danger of them which live in sin Psa. 118. Psal. 18. The maiestie of God Gen. 17. Esai 66. Deu. 10. Psa. 148. Iob. 9. 1. Tim. 6. Apoc. 1. Exo. 35. Dan. 7. A contemplation of the maiestie of God Iac. 2. A consideration of the benefits of God The benefit of creation The benefit of redemption 1. Pet. 2. The benefits of vocation and iustification Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 5. 1. Co. 13. Esai 11. The benefit of the sacraments The use of sacraments The benefit of preservation and inspiration Apoc. 3. Aelian in hist. animal The intollerable ingratitude of a sinner Sin persecuted Christ unto death Gods complaint against sinners Psal. 34. Iere. 2. Isai. 1. Isai. 4. Causes of love in God besides his benefits A praier Psal. 24. The induration of som harts Gen. 19. Ex. 6.7.8.9 Matth. 26. Zach. 7. Esai 1. Psal. 9. Heb. 9. Esai 2.13.34.37.61 2. Cor. 5. Psal. 75. The great change of things at the day of death 1. Cor. 2. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1. Sap. 5. Of the souls parting from the bodie the first matter of miserie in death * * Those paines in death are especially to be restreined to the death of the worldlie for the godlie have for the most part a singular comfort therin A similitude expressing the pains of death Ser. 48. ad frat in eremo The second matter of miserie in death Eccl. 41. Luc. 12. The sorrow of leaving al. The third matter of miserie in death Eccl. 10. The cogitation of the bodie Mat. 19. 1. Ioh. 2. Matt. 7. Rom. 2. Luc. 13. 1. Cor. 6. Rom. 8. Gal. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Iere. 2. Apo. 20. 2. Pet. 2. 1. Pet. 4. Mat. 19. Ierom in vita Hilarionis abba A very profitable consideration The cogitation spech of the soul at the day of death Psa. 115.
godlines no more than a bird can fly lacking one of hir wings I say that neither innocencie is sufficient without good works nor good works any thing available where innocencie from sin is not The later is evident by the people of Israel whose sacrifices oblations praiers and other good works commended and commanded by God himself were oftentimes abhominable to God for that the dooers thereof lived in sin and wickednes as at large the prophet Esay declareth The former also is made apparant by the parable of the foolish virgins who albeit they were innocent from sin yet bicause they gave not attendance they were shut out of the doores And at the last day of judgment Christ shal say to the damned bicause you clothed me not fed me not and did not other deedes of charitie appointed to your vocation therfore go you to everlasting fire c. Both these points then are necessarie to a Christian to the service of God and so necessarie as one without the other availeth not as I have said And touching the first which is resisting of sin we are willed to do it even unto death and with the last of our blood if it were need and in divers places of scripture the holy ghost willeth vs most diligently to prepare our selves to resist the divel manfully which tempteth vs to sin and this resistance ought to be made in such perfect maner as we yeeld not wittingly and willingly to any sin whatsoever either in work word or consent of hart insomuch that whosoever should give secret consent of mind to the performance of a sin if he had time place and abilitie therunto is condemned by the holy scripture in that sin even as if he had cōmitted the same now in act And touching the second which is good works we are willed to do them abundantly diligently joifully and incessantly for so saith the scripture Whatsoever thy hand can do do it instantly And again Walk worthy of God fructifieng in every good work And again Saint Paul saith Let us do good works unto al men And again in the very same place Let us never leave of to do good for the time wil come when we shal reap without end And in another place he willeth vs To be stable immoveable and abundant in good works knowing that our labor shal not be unprofitable 6 By this it may be seen deer brother what a perfect creature is a good Christian that is as Saint Paul describeth him The hand work of GOD and creature of Christ to good works wherin he hath prepared that he should walk It appeareth I say what an exact life the tru life of a Christian is which is a continual resistance of al sin both in thought word and deed and a performance or exercise of al good works that possibly he can devise to do What an Angelical life is this Nay more than Angelical for that angels being now placed in their glory have neither temptation of sin to resist nor can do any work as we may for to encrease their further glorie 7 If Christians did live according to this their duty that is in doing al good that they might never consenting to evil what needed there almost any temporal laws What a goodly common wealth were Christianitie Who wil not marvel at the rare examples of many good forefathers of ours wherin such simplicitie such truth such conscience such almsdeeds such sinceritie such vertu such religion and devotion is reported to have been The cause was for that they studied upon these two points of a Christian mans duty and labored for the performance therof every man as God gaue him grace And we bicause we look not into these matters are become as loose and wicked in life as ever the Gentils or infidels were And yet is God the same God stil and wil accept at our hands no other account than he did of those forefathers of ours for the performance of these two parts of our duty towards him What then shal become of us which do not live in any part as they did And to enter yet somwhat more into the particular consideration of these things who is there now a daies amongst common Christians for no doubt there be in secret many servants of God which do it but of those which beare the name of Christians and most stur abroad in the world who is there I say that taketh any pain about the first point that is touching the resisting of the concupiscence of sin Which concupiscence or natural motion of sin remaining in us as a remnant of our natural maladie in punishment of the sin of our first father Adam is left in us now after baptisme ad agonem that is to strive withal to resist But alas how many be there which do resist as they should these evil motions of concupiscence Who doth ever examine his conscience of the same Who doth not yeeld cōmonly consent of hart to every motion that commeth with pleasure of covetousnes of anger of revenge of pride of ambition and above al of lecherie and other filthie sins of the flesh knowing notwithstanding by the protestation of our Saviour Christ himselfe that every such consent of hart is as much in substance of sin as the act and maketh the soul guiltie of eternal damnation 8 It is a woonderful matter to consider and able to make a man astonied to think what great care fear diligence and labor good men in old times did take about this matter of resisting sin and how litle we take now Iob the just having lesse cause to fear than we saith of himselfe I did fear al my doings ô Lord considering that thou doost not pardon such as offend thee But the good king David which had now tasted Gods heavy hand for consenting to sin before sheweth himselfe yet more careful and fearful in the matter when he saith I did meditate in the night time together with my hart and it was my whole exercise and I did brush or sweep mine own spirit within me What a diligent examination of his conscience thoughts and cogitations was this in a king And al this was for the avoiding and resisting of sin as also it was in Saint Paul who examined his conscience so narrowly resisted al temptations with such diligence attention as he could pronounce of himselfe that to his knowledge he was in his ministerie guiltie of nothing albeit he doth confesse in another place that he had most vile and strong temptations of the flesh laied upon him of the devil by Gods appointment Yet by the grace of Christ he resisted and overcame al. For the better performance wherof it is likely that he used also these external helps and remedies of tru fasting earnest praieng diligent watching and severe chastising of his body by continual and most painful labour in his vocation
wherof he maketh mention in his writings As also al godly men by his example have used the like helps since for the better resisting of sinful temptations when need required and the like Wherof I could here recite great store of examples out of the holy fathers which would make a man to woonder and afeard also if he were not past fear to see what extream pain and diligence those first Christians tooke in watching every little sleight of the devil and in resisting every little temptation or cogitation of sin wheras we never think of the matter nor make account either of cogitation consent of hart word or work but do yeeld to al whatsoever our concupiscence moveth us unto do swalow down every hook laid vs by the devil and most greedily do devour every poisoned pleasant bait which is offered by the enimy for the destruction of our souls and thus much about resisting of sin 9 But now touching the second point which is continual exercising our selves in good works it is evident in itselfe that we utterly fail for the most part of us in the same I have shewed before how we are in scripture cōmanded to do them without ceasing and most diligently whiles we have time of day to do them in for as Christ saith The night wil come when no man can work any more I might also shew how certein of our forefathers the saints of God were most diligent and careful in doing good works in their dais even as the husbandman is careful to cast seed into the ground whiles fair weather lasteth and the merchant to lay out his mony whiles the good market endureth They knew the time would not last long which they had to work in and therfore they bestirred themselves whiles opportunitie served they never ceased but came from one good work to another wel knowing what they did and how good and acceptable service it was unto God 10 If there were nothing els to proove their wonderful care and diligence herein yet the infinite monuments of their almes-deeds yet extant to the world are sufficient testimonies of the same to wit the infinite churches builded and indued with great abundant maintenance for the ministers of the same so manie schooles colledges vniversities so many bridges highwais and publik commodities Which charitable deeds and a thousand mo both private and publik secret and open which I cannot report came out of the purses of our good ancesters who oftentimes not only gave of their abundance but also saved from their own mouths and bestowed it upon deeds of charitie to the glorie of God and benefit of others Wheras we are so far of from giving awaie our necessaries as we wil not bestow our very superfluities but wil imploy them rather upon hawks and dogs and other brute beasts and somtimes also upon much viler uses than to the releefe of our poore brethren 11 Alas deer brother to what a carelesse and senseles estate are we come touching our own salvation and damnation S. Paul crieth out unto us Work your own salvation with fear and trembling and yet no man for that maketh account therof S. Peter warneth us gravely and earnestly Brethren take you great care to make your vocation and election sure by good works and yet who almost wil think upon them Christ himselfe thundereth in these words I tel you make your selves frinds in this world of uniust mammon that when you faint they may receive you into eternal tabernacles And yet for al that we are not moved herewithal so dead we are and lumpish to al goodnes 12 If God did exhort us to good deeds for his own commoditie or for any gain that he is to take therby yet in reason we ought to pleasure him therin seing we have receaved al from his only liberalitie before But seing he asketh it at our hands for no need of his own but only for our gain to pay us home again with advantage it is more reason we should harken unto him If a common honest man upon earth should invite us to do a thing promising us of his honestie a sufficient reward we would beleve him but God making infinit promises unto us in scripture of eternal reward to our wel doing as that we shal eat with him drink with him raigne with him possesse heaven with him and the like can not move us notwithstanding to works of charitie But bicause those forefathers of ours were moved herewithal as having harts of softer metal than ours are of therfore they brought foorth such abundant fruit as I have shewed 13 Of al this then that I have said the godly Christian may gather first the lamentable estate of the world at this day when amongst the smal number of those which bear the name of Christians so many are like to perish for not performing of these two principal points of their uocation Secondly he may gather the cause of the infinit difference of reward for good and evil in the life to come which some men wil seeme to marvel at but in deed is most just and reasonable considering the great diversitie of life in good and evil men whiles they are in this world For the good man doth not only endevor to avoid sin but also by resisting the same daily and hourly encreaseth in the fauor of God The loose man by yeelding consent to his concupiscence doth not only lose the favor of God but also doubleth sin upon sin without number The good man besides avoiding sin doth infinit good works at the least wise in desire and hart wher greter abilitie serveth not But the wicked man neither in hart nor deed doth any good at al but rather seeketh in place therof to do hurt The good man imploieth al his mind hart words and hands to the service of God and of his servants for his sake But the wicked man bendeth al his force and powers both of body and mind to the service of vanities the world his flesh Insomuch that as the good man increaseth hourly in the favor of God to which is du increase of grace and glory in heaven so the evil from time to time in thought word or deed or in al at once heapeth up sin and damnation upon himself to which is du vengeance and increase of torments in hel and in this contrarie course they passe over their lives for twentie thirtie or fortie yeeres and so come to die And is it not reason now that seeing there is so great diversitie in their estates there should be as great or more diversitie also in their reward Especially seeing God is a great God and rewardeth smal things with great wages either of everlasting glorie or everlasting pain Thirdly and lastly the diligent and careful Christian may gather of this what great cause he hath to put in practise the godly counsel of Saint Paul which is That every man should prove
at Gods hands Hereof foloweth the reason of divers things both said and done by God in the scriptures and taught by Divines touching the punishment of sin which seeme strange unto the wisdome of the world and in deede scarce credible As first of al that dreadful punishment of eternal and irrevocable damnation of so manie thousands yea millions of Angels created to glorie with almost infinite perfection and that for one onely sin once committed and that only in thought as Divines do hold Secondly the rigorous punishment of our first parents Adam and Eve and al their posteritie for eating of the tree forbidden for which fault besides the chastising of the offenders themselves al the creatures of the earth for the same and al their children ofspring after them both before the incarnation of Christ since for albeit we are delivered from the guilt of that sin yet temporal chastisements remain upon us for the same as hunger thirst cold sicknes death and a thousand miseries mo besides also the infinite men damned for the same besides this I say which in mans reason may seeme severe inough Gods wrath and justice could not be satisfied except his own son had come downe into the world and taken our flesh upon him and by his pains satisfied for the same And when he was come down and had in our flesh subjected himselfe unto his fathers justice albeit the love his father bare him were infinite yet that God might shew the greatnes of his hatred and justice against sin he never left to lay on upon his own blessed deere son no not then when he saw him sorrowful unto death and bathed in a sweat of blood and water and crieng O Father mine if it be possible let this cup passe from me And yet more pitifully after upon the crosse O my God why hast thou forsaken me Notwithstanding al this I say his father delivered him not but laid on stripe upon stripe pain upon pain torment after torment until he had rendred up his life and soul into his said fathers hands which is a wonderful and dreadful document of Gods hatred against sin 7 I might here mention the sin of Esau in selling his inheritance for a little meat of which the Apostle saith He found no place of repentance after though he sought the same with teares Also the sin of Saul who his sin being but one sin and that only of omission in not killing Agag the king of Amalek and his cattel as he was willed was utterly cast off by GOD for the same though he were his annointed and chosen servant before and could not get remission of the same though both he and Samuel the prophet did greatly lament and bewail the same sin or at least that he was rejected 8 Also I might alledge the example of king David whose two sins albeit upon his hartie repentance God forgave yet notwithstanding al the sorrow that David conceaved for the same God chastised him with marvelous severitie as with the death of his son and other continual affliction on himselfe as long as he lived And al this to shew his hatred against sin and therby to terrifie us from committing the same 9 Of this also do proceed al those hard and bitter speeches in scripture touching sinners which comming from the mouth of the holie Ghost and therfore being most tru and certein may justly geeve al them great cause of fear which live in sin as where it is said Death bloud contention edge of sword oppression hunger contrition and whips al these things are created for wicked sinners And again God shal rain snares of fire upon sinners brimstone with tempestuous winds shal be the portion of their cup. Again God wil be knowen at the day of judgment upon the sinner who shal be taken in the works of his own hands many whips belong unto a sinner let sinners be turned into hel God shal scatter al sinners God shal dash the teeth of sinners in their mouths God shal scoff at a sinner when he seeth his day of destruction commeth on the sword of sinners shal turn into their own harts thou shalt see when sinners shal perish the arms of sinners shal be crushed and broken sinners shal wither from the earrh desire not the glorie and riches of a sinner for thou dost not know the subversion which shal come upon him God hath given him riches to deceave him therwith behold the day of the Lord shal come a cruel day and ful of indignation wrath and furie to make desolate the earth and to crush in peeces hir sinners within hir The just man shal rejoice seeing this revenge and then shal he wash his hands in the blood of sinners These and a thousand such sentences more of scripture which I omit uttered by the holy Ghost against sinners may instruct us of their pittiful estate and of the unspeakable hatred of God against them as long as they persist in sin 10 Of al these considerations the holy scriptures do gather one conclusion greatly to be noted and considered by us which is Miseros facit populos peccatum Sin bringeth men to miserie And again Qui diligit iniquitatem odit animam suam He which loveth iniquitie hateth his own soul. Or as the Angel Raphael uttereth it in other words They which commit sin are open enimies to their own soules Wherfore they lay down to al men this general severe and most necessarie commandement upon al the pains before recited Quasi á facie colubrifuge peccata And again Cave ne aliquando peccato consentias Beware thou never consent to sin for howsoever the world doth make litle account of this matter of whom as the scripture noteth The sinner is praised in his lusts and the wicked man is blessed Yet most certain it is for that the spirit of God avoucheth it Qui facit peccatum ex diabolo est He which committeth sin is of the divel And therfore is to receave his portion among devils at the latter day 11 And is not al this sufficient deer brother to make us detest sin and to conceave som fear in committing therof Nay is not al this strong inough to batter their harts which live in state of sin and do commit the same daily without consideration or scruple What obstinacie and hardnes of hart is this Surely we see the holy Ghost prophesied truly of them when he said Sinners alienated from God are possessed with a fury like a serpent and like a deafe cocatrice which stoppeth hir eares to the inchanter This fury I say is the fury or madnes of wilful sinners which stop their eares like serpents to al the holy inchantments that God can use unto them for their conversion that is to al his internal motions and good inspirations to al remorse of their own consciences to al
you is now the state of this afflicted soul It is no marvel if a wise man become a foole or a stout worldling most abject in this instant of extremitie as we often see they do in such sort as they can dispose of nothing wel either towards God or the world at this hour the cause is the extremitie of pains oppressing their minds as Saint Austen also proveth or some other under his name and giveth us therwithal a most excellent forewarning if men were so gracious as to folow it When you shal be in your last siknes deer brother saith he O how hard and painful a thing wil it be for you to repent of your faults committed And why is this but only for that al the intention of your mind wil run thither where al the force of your pain is Manie impediments shal let men at that day as the pain of the bodie the fear of death the sight of children for the which their fathers shal oftentimes think themselves often damned the weeping of the wise the flatterie of the world the temptation of the devil the dissimulation of physitions for lucre sake and the like And beleeve thou O man which readest this that thou shalt quickly proove al this tru upon thy selfe and therfore I beseech thee that thou wilt repent before thou come unto this last day dispose of thy house and make thy testament while thou art thine own man for if thou tary until the last day thou shalt be led whether thou wouldest not Hitherto are the Authors words 6 The second thing which shal make death terrible and greevous to a worldly man is the sudden parting and that for ever and ever from al the things which he loved most deerly in this life as from his riches possessions honours offices faire buildings with their commodities goodlie apparel with rich jewels from wife and children kindred and frinds and the like wherwith he thought himselfe a blessed man in this life and now to be plucked from them upon the sudden without ever hope to see or use them again oh what a greef what a torment wil this be For which cause the holie scripture saith O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substantijs suis O death how bitter is thy memorie unto a man that hath peace rest in his substance riches As who would say there is no more bitternes or greefe in the world to such a man than to remēber or think on death only but much more to go to it himselfe that out of hand when it shal be said unto him as Christ reporteth it was to the great wealthy man in the Gospel which had his barns ful and was come now to the highest top of felicitie Stulte hac nocte animam tuam repetent à te quae autem parasti cuius erunt Thou foole even this night they wil take thy soule from thee and then who shal have al that thou hast scraped together 7 It is unpossible I say for any toong to expresse the doleful state of a worldly man in this instant of death when nothing that ever he hath gathered togither with so much labor and toil and wherin he was woont to have so much confidence wil now do him good any longer but rather afflict him with the memorie therof considering that he must leave al to others and go himselfe to give account for the getting and using of the same perhaps to his eternal damnation whiles in the mean time other men in the world do live merilie and pleasantly upon that he hath gotten litle remembring and lesse caring for him which lieth perhaps burning in unquenchable fire for the riches left unto them This is a woful and lamentable point which is to bring manie a man to great sorrow and anguish of hart at the last day when al earthly joies must be left al pleasures and commodities for ever abandoned Oh what a doleful day of parting wil this be What wilt thou say my freend at this day when al thy glorie al thy wealth al thy pomp is come to an end What art thou the better now to have lived in credit with the world In favor of princes Exalted of men Feared reverenced and advanced seeing now al is ended and that thou canst use these things no more 8 But yet there is a third thing which more than al the rest wil make this day of death to be troublesom and miserable unto a worldlie man and that is the consideration what shal become of him both in bodie and soul. And for his bodie it wil be no smal horror to think that it must inherit serpents beasts worms as the scripture saith that is it must be cast out to serve for the food of vermins that bodie I mean which was so delicately handled before with varietie of meats pillows and beds of down so trimly set forth in apparel and other ornaments wherupon the wind might not blow nor the sun shine that bodie I saie of whose beutie there was so much pride taken and wherby so great vanitie and sin was committed that bodie which in this world was accustomed to al pampering and could abide no austeritie or discipline must now come to be abandoned of al men and left onlie to be devoured of worms Which thing albeit it can not but breed much horror in the hart of him that lieth a dieng yet is it nothing in respect of the dreadful cogitations which he shal have touching his soul as what shal become of it Whither it shal go after hir departure out of the bodie And then considering that it must go to the judgment seat of God there to receive sentence either of unspeakable glorie or insupportable pains he falleth to cōsider more in particular the danger therof by comparing Gods justice and threats set down in scripture against sinners with his own life he beginneth to examin the witnes which is his conscience and he findeth it readie to lay infinite accusations against him when he commeth to the place of justice 9 And now deer brother beginneth the miserie of this man For scantly there is not a severe saieng of God in al the scripture which commeth not now to his mind to terrifie him withal at this instant as If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his commandements is a liar Manie shal saie unto me at that day Lord Lord c. Not the hearers of the law but the doers of the law shal be iustified Go from me al workers of iniquitie into everlasting fire De not you know that wicked men shal not possesse the kingdome of God Be not deceived for neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor unclean handlers of their own bodies nor Sodomites nor theeves nor covetous men nor dronkards nor bakbiters nor extortioners
shal ever possesse the kingdome of God If you live according to the flesh you shal die and the works of the flesh are manifest as fornication uncleannes wantonnes luxurie poisonings enmities contentions emulations hatred strife dissentions sects envie murder dronkenes gluttonie and the like Wherof I foretel you as I have told you before that they which do these things shal never attein to the kingdome of God We must al be presented before the iudgment seat of Christ every man receive particularly according as he hath done in this life good or evil every man shal receive according to his works God spared not the Angels when they sinned You shal give account of everie idle word at the day of iudgement If the iust shal scarce be saved where shal the wicked man and sinner appeer Few are saved and a rich man shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heaven 10 Al these things I say and a thousand mo touching the severitie of Gods justice and the account which shal be demanded at that day wil come into his mind that lieth a dieng and our ghostly enimie which in this life labored to keep these things from our eies therby the easier to draw us to sin wil now lay al more too before our face amplifieng and urging everie point to the uttermost alledging alwais our conscience for his witnes Which when the poore soul in dieng cannot denie it must needs terrifie hir greatly for so we see that it doth daily even many good vertuous men Saint Ierom reported of holie Saint Hilarion whose soul being greatly afeard upon these considerations to go out of the bodie after long conflict he took courage in the end and said to his soul Go out my soul go out why art thou afeard thou hast served Christ almost threescore and ten yeeres and art thou now afeard of death But if so good a man was so afeard at this passage yea such an one as had served God with al puritie of life and perfect zeale for threescore and ten yeeres togither what shal they be which scarce have served God truly one day in al their lives but rather have spent al their yeeres in sin and vanitie of the world Must not these men be needs in great extremitie at this passage 11 Now then deer Christian these things being so that is this passage of death being so terrible so dangerous and yet so unavoydable as it is seeing so many men perish and are overwhelmed daily in the same as it cannot be denied but there do and both holie scriptures and ancient fathers do testifie it by examples and records unto us what man of discretion would not learn to be wise by other mens dangers Or what reasonable creature would not take heed and look about him being warned so manifestly and apparantly of his own peril If thou be a Christian and dost beleeve indeed the things which Christian faith doth teach thee then dost thou know and most certainly beleeve also that of what state age strength dignitie or condition soever thou be now yet that thou thy selfe I say which now in health and mirth readest this and thinkest that it litle pertaineth to thee must one of these dais and it may be shortlie after the reading hereof come to prove al these things upon thy selfe which I have here written that is thou must with sorrow and greefe be inforced to thy bed and there after al thy struglings with the darts of death thou must yeeld thy bodie which thou lovest so much to the bait of worms and thy soul to the trial of justice for hir dooings in this life 12 Imagin then my frind thou I say which art so fresh and frolik at this day that the ten twentie or two yeeres or it may be two moneths which thou hast yet to live were now ended and that thou were even at this present stretched out upon a bed wearied and worn with dolor and pain thy carnal frinds about thee weeping and howling the phisitions departed with their fees as having given thee over and thou lieng there alone mute and dum in most pitiful agonie expecting from moment to moment the last stroke of death to be given thee Tel me in this instant what would al the pleasures and commodities of this world do thee good What comfort would it be to thee to have beene of honor in this world to have beene rich and purchased much to have born office been in the princes favor To have left thy children or kindred wealthy to have troden down thine enimies to have sturred much and born great sway in this life What ease I say or comfort would it be to thee to have been fair to have been gallant in apparel goodly in personage glittering in gold Would not al these things rather afflict than profit thee at this instant For now shouldest thou see the vanitie of these trifles now would thy hart begin to say within thee O follie and miserable blindnes of mine Lo here is an end now of al my delites prosperities al my joies al my pleasures al my mirth al my pastimes are now finished where are my frinds which were woont to laugh with me My servants woont to attend me my children woont to disport me Where are al my coches and horses wherwith I was woont to make so goodlie a shew the caps and knees of people woont to honor me the troups of suters following me Where are al my daliances and triks of love al my pleasant musik al my gorgeous buildings al my costly feasts and banquetings And above al other where are my deer and sweet frinds who seemed they would never have forsaken me But al are now gone and have left me here alone to answer the rekoning for al and none of them wil do so much as to go with me to judgement or to speak one word in my behalfe 13 Wo worth to me that I had not foreseen this day sooner and so have made better provision for the same it is now too late and I fear me I have purchased eternal damnation for a litle pleasure and lost unspeakable glorie for a floting vanitie Oh how happie and twise happie are they which so live as they may not be afeard of this day I now see the difference betwixt the ends of good evil and marvel not though the scriptures say of the one The death of saincts is precious And of the other The death of sinners is miserable Oh that I had lived so vertuously as some other have done or as I had often inspirations from God to do or that I had done the good deeds I might have done how sweet and comfortable would they be to me now in this my last and extreemest distres 14 To these cogitations and speeches deer brother shal thy hart be inforced of what estate soever thou be at the hour of death if thou do not
prevent it now by amendment of life which only can yeeld thee comfort in that sorrowful day For of good men the judge him selfe saith His autem fieri incipientibus respicite levate capita vestra quoniam appropinquat redemptio vestra When these things begin to come upon other men do you lift up your heads for that your redemption commeth on from the labors and toils of this world And the holie prophet saith of the vertuous man which hath done good works in this life that he shal be at this time Beatus vir An happie man And he giveth the cause Quia in die mala liberabit eum dominus opem feret illi super lectum doloris eius For that God wil deliver him in this evil day and wil assist him upon the bed of his sorrow Which is ment no dowt of the bed of his last departure especially for that of al other beds this is the most sorrowful as I have shewed being nothing else but an heap of al sorrows togither especially to them which are drawn unto it before they are readie for the same as commonly al they are which defer their amendement from day to day and do not attend to live in such sort now as they shal wish they had done when they come to that last passage CHAP. IX Of the pains appointed for sin after this life AMongst al the means which GOD useth towards the children of men to moove them to this resolution wherof I intreat the strongest and most forcible to the common sort of men is the consideration of punishments prepared by him for rebellious sinners and transgressors of his commandements Wherfore he useth this consideration often as may appeer by al the prophets who do almost nothing else but threaten plaegs and destruction to offenders And this mean hath oft times prevailed more than any other that could be used by reason of the natural love which he bare towards our selves consequently the natural fear which we have of our own danger So we read that nothing could moove the Ninivites so much as the foretelling them of their imminent destruction And Saint Iohn Baptist although he came in a simple and contemptible maner yet preaching unto the people The terror of vengeance to come and that the ax was now put to the tres to cut down for the fire al those which repented not He mooved the verie publicans and soldiers to fear which otherwise are people of verie hard metal who came unto him upon this terrible embassage and asked what they should doo to avoid these punishments 2 After then that we have considered of death and of Gods severe judgement which insueth after death and wherin everie man hath to receave according to his works in this life as the scripture saith it followeth that we consider also of the punishments which are appointed for them that shal be found faultie in that account hereby at lestwise if no other consideration wil serve to induce christians to this resolution of serving God For as I have noted before if every man have naturally a love of himselfe desire to conserve his own ease then should he also have fear of peril wherby he is to fal into extreme calamitie This expresseth saint Bernard excellently according to his woont O man saith he if thou have left al shame which apperteineth to so noble a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorrow as carnal men do not yet lose not fear also which is found in verie beasts We use to load an asse and to wearie him out with labor he careth not bicause he is an asse but if thou wouldest thrust him into fire or fling him into a ditch he would avoid it as much as he could for that he loveth life and feareth death Fear thou then and be not more insensible than a beast fear death fear judgement fear hel This fear is called the beginning of wisdom and not shame or sorrow for that the spirit of fear is more mightie to resist sin than the spirit of shame or sorrow wherfore it is said Remember the end and thou shalt never sin That is remember the final punishments appointed for sin after this life Thus far Saint Bernard 3 First therfore to speak in general of the punishments reserved for the life to come if the scriptures did not declare in particular their greatnes unto us yet are there manie reasons to persuade us that they are most severe dolorous and intollerable For first as God is a God in al his works that is to say great woonderful and terrible so especiallie he sheweth the same in his punishments being called for that cause in scripture Deus iustitiae God of iustice As also Deus vltionum God of revenge Wherfore seeing al his other works are ful of majestie and exceeding our capacities we may likewise gather that his hand in punishment must be woonderful also God himselfe teacheth us to reason in this maner when he saith And wil ye not then fear me And wil ye not tremble before my face which have put the sand as a stop unto the sea and have given the water a commandement never to passe it no not when it is most trobled and the floods most outragious As who would say If I am woonderful and do passe your imagination in these works of the sea others which you see daily you have cause to fear me considering that my punishments are like to be correspondent to the same 4 Another conjecture of the great and severe justice of God may be the consideration of his infinite and unspeakable mercie the which as it is the very nature of God and without end or measure as his Godhead is so is also his justice And these two are the two arms as it were of God imbracing and kissing one the other as the scripture saith therfore as in a man of this world if we had the mesure of one arm we might easily conjecture of the other so seeing the woonderful examples daily of Gods infinite mercie towards them that repent we may imagin by the same his severe justice towards them whom he reserveth to punishment in the next life and whom for that cause he calleth in the scriptures Vasa furoris vessels of his furie or vessels to shew his furie upon 5 A third reason to persuade us of the greatnes of these punishments may be the marvelous patience and long suffering of God in this life as for example in that he suffereth divers men from one sin to another from one day to another from one yeere to another from one age to another to spend al I say in dishonor and dispite of his majestie adding offence to offence and refusing al persuasions allurements good inspirations or other means of frindship that his mercie can devise to offer for their amendement And what man in the world
considerations Saint Paul used when he said The sufferings of this life are not woorthy of the glorie which shal be revealed in the next The second Saint Peter used when he said Seeing the heavens must be dissolved and Christ come to iudgement to restore to every man according to his works what manner of men ought we to be in holie conversation As who would say No labor no pains no travel ought to seem hard or great unto us to the end we might avoid the terror of that day Saint Austen asketh this question what we think the rich glutton in hel would do if he were now in this life again Would he take pains or no Would he not bestir himselfe rather than turn into that place of torment again I might ad to this the infinite pains that Christ took for us the infinite benefits he hath bestowed upon us the infinite sins we have committed against him the infinite examples of saints that have troden his path before us in respect of al which we ought to make no bones at so little pains and labor if it were tru that Gods service were so travelsome as many do esteem it 3 But now in very deed the matter is nothing so and this is but a subtil deceit of the enimie for our discouragement The testimony of Christ himselfe is cleer in this point Iugum meum suave est onus meum leve My yoke is sweet and my burden light And the deerly beloved disciple Saint Iohn who had best cause to know his maisters secret herein saith plainly Mandata eius gravia non sunt His commandements are not greevous What is the cause then why so many men do conceive such a difficulty in this matter Surely one cause is beside the subtiltie of the devil which is the cheefest for that men feele the disease of concupiscence in their bodies but do not consider the strength of the medicine given us against the same They cry with Saint Paul that They find a law in their members repugning to the law of their mind which is the rebellion of concupiscence left in our flesh by original sin but they confesse not or consider not with the same Saint Paul That the grace of God by Iesus Christ shal deliver them from the same They remember not the comfortable saieng of Christ to Saint Paul in his greatest temptations Sufficit tibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient to strengthen thee against them al. These men do as Helizeus his disciple did who casting his eies only upon his enimies that is upon the huge armie of the Sirians ready to assault him thought himselfe lost and unpossible to stand in their sight until by the praiers of the holie prophet he was permitted from God to see the Angels that stood there present to fight on his side and then he wel perceived that his part was the stronger 4 So these men beholding only our miseries and infirmities of nature wherby daily tentations do rise against us do account the battel painful and the victory unpossible having not tasted indeed nor ever prooved through their own negligence the manifold helps of grace and spiritual succors which God alwais sendeth to them who are content for his sake to take this conflict in hand Saint Paul had wel tasted that aid which having rekoned up al the hardest matters that could be addeth Sed in his omnibus superamus propter eum qui dilexit nos But we overcome in al these combats by his assistance that loveth us And then falleth he to that woonderful protestation that neither death nor life nor Angels nor the like should separate him and al this upon the confidence of spiritual aid from Christ wherby he sticketh not to avouch That he could do al things David also had prooved the force of this assistance who said I did run the way of thy commandements when thou didst inlarge my hart This inlargement of hart was by spiritual consolation of internal unction wherby the hart drawn togither by anguish is opened and inlarged when grace is powred in even as a dry purse is softened and inlarged by annointing it with oil Which grace being present David said he did not only walk the way of Gods commandements easilie but that he ran them even as a cart wheel which crieth and complaineth under a smal burden being dry runneth merilie and without noise when a little oil is put unto it Which thing aptly expresseth our state and condition who without Gods help are able to do nothing but with the aid therof are able to do whatsoever he now requireth of us 5 And surely I would ask these men that imagin the way of Gods law to be so hard and ful of difficultie how the prophet could say I have taken pleasure O Lord in the way of thy commandements as in al the riches of the world And in another place That they were more pleasant and to be desired than gold or pretious stone and more sweeter than hony or the hony comb By which words he yeeldeth to vertuous life not only du estimation above al treasures in the world but also pleasure delite and sweetnes therby to confound al those that abandon and forsake the same upon idle pretensed and fained difficulties And if David could say thus much in the old law how much more justly may we say so now in the new when grace is given more abundantly as the scripture saith And thou poore Christian which deceivest thy selfe with this imagination tel me why came Christ into this world Why labored he and why took he so much pains here Why shed he his blood Why praied he to his father so often for thee Why appointed he the sacraments as conduits of grace Why sent he the holie Ghost into the world What signifieth this word Gospel or good tidings What meaneth the word grace and mercy brought with him What importeth the comfortable name of Iesus Is not al this to deliver us from sin From sin past I say by his only death From sin to come by the same death and by the assistance of his holie grace bestowed on us more abundantly than before by al these means Was not this one of the principal effects of Christ his comming as the prophet noted That craggy wais should be made straight and hard wais plain Was not this the cause why he indued his church with so many blessed gifts of the holie Ghost and with divers special graces to make the yoke of his service sweet the exercise of good life easie the walking in his commandements pleasant in such sort as men might now sing in tribulations have confidence in perils securitie in afflictions and assurance of victory in al temptations Is not this the beginning middle end of the Gospel Were not these the promises of the prophets the tidings of the Evangelists the
preachings of the Apostles the doctrine beleefe and practise of al Saints And finally is not this Verbum abbreviatum The word of God abbreviated wherin do consist al the riches and treasures of Christianitie 6 And this grace is of such efficacie and force in the soul where it entereth that it altereth the whole state therof making those things cleer which were obscure before those things easie which were hard and difficult before And for this cause also it is said in scripture to make a new spirit and a new hart As where Ezechiel talking of this matter saith in the person of God I wil give unto them a new hart and wil put a new spirit in their bowels that they may walk in my precepts and keep my commandements Can any thing in the world be spoken more plainly Now for mortifieng and conquering of our passions which by rebellion do make the way of Gods commandements unpleasant Saint Paul testifieth cleerly that abundant grace is given to us also by the death of Christ to do the same for he saith This we know that our old man is crucified also to the end that the bodie of sin may be destroied and we serve no more unto sin By the old man and the bodie of sin Saint Paul understandeth our rebellious appetite and concupiscence which is so crucified and destroied by the most noble sacrifice of Christ as we may by the grace purchased us in that sacrifice in some good measure resist and conquer this appetite being freed so much as we are from the servitude of sin And this is that noble and entire victorie in this world begun to be finished in the world to come which GOD promised so long ago to every Christian soul by the means of Christ when he said Be not afraid for I am with thee step not aside for I thy God have strengthened thee and have assisted thee and the right hand of my just man hath taken thy defence Behold al that fight against thee shal be confounded and put to shame thou shalt seek thy rebels and shalt not find them they shal be as though they were not for that I am thy Lord and God 7 Lo here a ful victory promised upon our rebels by the help of the right hand of Gods just man that is upon our disordinate passions by the aid of grace from Iesus Christ. And albeit these rebels are not here promised to be taken clean away but only to be conquered and confounded yet is it said That they shal be as though they were not Wherby is signified that they shal not hinder us of our salvation but rather advance and further the same For as wild beasts which of nature are fearce and would rather hurt than profit mankind being maistered and tamed become very commodious and necessarie for our uses so these rebellious passions of ours which of themselves would utterly overthrow us being once subdued and mortified by the grace of God do stand us in singuler stead to the practise and exercise of al kind of vertues as choler or anger to the inkindeling of zeal hatred to the pursuing of sin an hautie mind to the rejecting of the world love to the imbracing of al great and heroical attempts in consideration of the benefits received frō God Beside this the verie conflict and combat it selfe in subduing these passions is left unto us for our great good that is for our patience humility and victorie in this life and for our glory crown in the life to come as Saint Paul affirmed of himselfe and confirmed to al others by his example 8 Now then let the slothful Christian go Put his hands under his girdle as the scripture saith and say There is a lion in the way and a lionesse in the path readie to devour him that he dare not go foorth of the doores Let him say It is cold and therfore he dareth not go to plow Let him say It is uneasie to labor therforè he cannot purge his vineyard of nettles and thistles nor build any wal about the same That is let him say his passions are strong and therfore he can not conquer them his bodie is delicate therfore he dare not put it to travel the way of vertuous life is hard and uneasie and therfore he cannot apply himselfe therunto Let him say al this and much more which idle and slothful Christians do use to bring for their excuse let him alledge it I say as much and as often as he wil it is but an excuse and a false excuse an excuse most dishonorable and detractorie to the force of Christ his grace purchased us by his bitter passion that now his yoke should be unpleasant seeing he hath made it sweet that now his burden should be heavie seeing he hath made it light that now his commandements should be greevous seeing the holie Ghost affirmeth the contrarie that now we should be in servitude of our passions seeing he hath by his grace delivered us and made us truly free If God be with us who wil be against us saith the Apostle God is my helper and defender saith holy David whom shal I fear or at whom shal I tremble If whole armies should rise against me yet wil I alway hope to have the victorie And what is the reason For that thou art with me O Lord thou fightest on my side thou assistest me with thy grace by help wherof I shal have the victorie though al the squadrons of my enimies that is of the flesh the world the devil should rise against me at once and I shal not only have the victorie but also shal have it easily with pleasure and delite For so much signifieth Saint Iohn in that having said that the commandements of Christ are not greevous he inferreth presently as the cause therof Quoniam omne quod natum est ex deo vincit mundum For that al which is born of God conquereth the world That is this grace heavenly assistance sent us from God doth both conquer the world with al difficulties and temptations therof and also maketh the commandements of God easie and vertuous life most pleasant and sweet 9 But it may be you wil say Christ himselfe confesseth it to be a yoke and a burden how then can it be so pleasant easie as you make it I answer that Christ addeth that it is a sweet yoke a light burden Wherby your objection is taken away and also is signified further that there is a burden which greeveth not the bearer but rather helpeth and refresheth the same as the burden of feathers upon a birds bak beareth up the bird and is nothing at al greevous unto hir So also though it be a yoke yet is it a sweet yoke a comfortable yoke a yoke more pleasant than hony or hony comb as saith the
who never persecused his son in law Iacob until he would depart from him And yet more was this expressed in the doings of Pharao who after once he perceaved that the people of Israel ment to depart from his kingdome never ceased greevously to afflict them as Moises testifieth until God utterly delivered them out of his hands with the ruin and destruction of al Egypt their enimies Which event the holie doctors saints of the churh have expounded to be a plain figure of the deliverie of souls from the tyranny of the devil 35 And now if thou wouldest have a lively example of al this that I have said before I could alledge thee many but for brevitie sake one only of Saint Austens conversion shal suffice testified by himself in his books of confession It is a mavelous example and containeth many notable and comfortable points And surely whosoever shal but read the whole at large especially in his sixt seventh eight books of his confessions shal greatly be mooved and instructed therby And I beseech the reader that understandeth the Latin toong to view over at least but certein chapters of the eight book where this Saints final conversion after infinite combats is recounted It were too long to repeat heer though indeed it be such matter as no man need to be wearie to hear it There he sheweth how he was tossed and troubled in this conflict between the flesh and the spirit between God drawing on the one side and the world the flesh the divel holding bak on the other part He went to Simplicianus a learned old man devout Christian he went to S. Ambrose bishop of Millan after his cōference with them he was more trobled than before He consulted with his cōpanions Nebridius Alipius but al would not ease him Til at the length a Christian courtier captain named Pontition had by occasion told him and Alipius of the vertuous life that Saint Anthonie led who a little before had professed a private a solitarie life in Egypt as also others he then heard did even in Millan it selfe where then he was Which when he had heard then with-drawing himselfe aside he had a most terrible combat with himselfe Wherof he writeth thus What did I not say against my selfe in this conflict How did I beat and whip mine own soul to make hir follow thee O Lord But she held bak she refused and excused hir selfe and when al hir arguments were convicted she remained trembling and fearing as death to be restrained from hir loose custom of sin Wherby she consumed hir selfe even unto death After this he went into a garden with Alipius his companion and there cried out unto him Quid hoc est Quid patimur Surgunt indocti coelum rapiunt nos cum doctrinis nostris sine corde ecce ubi volutamur in carne sanguine What is this Alipius what suffer we under the tyrannie of sin Vnlearned men such as Anthonie and others for he was altogither unlearned do take heaven by violence and we with al our learning without harts behold how we lie graveling in flesh and bloud And he goeth forward in that place shewing the woonderful and almost incredible tribulations that he had in this fight that day After this he went forth into an orchard and there he had yet a greater conflict For there al his pleasures past represented themselves before his eies saieng Demittes ne nos à momento isto non erimus tecum ultra in aeternum c. What wilt thou depart from us And shal we be with thee no more for ever after this moment Shal it not be lawful for thee to do this or that no more heerafter And then saith Saint Austen O Lord turn from the mind of thy servant to think of that which they objected to my soul. What filth what shameful pleasures did they lay before mine eies At length he saith that after long and tedious combats a marvelous tempest of weeping came upon him and being not able to resist he ran away from Alipius and cast himselfe on the ground under a fig-tree and gave ful scope unto his eies which brought foorth presently whole fluds of tears Which after they were a little past over he began to speak to God in this sort Et tu Domine usquequo Quam diu quam diu cras cras Quare non modo Quare non hac hora finis est turpitudinis meae O Lord how long wilt thou suffer me thus How long how long shal I say to-morow to-morow Why should I not do it now Why should there not be an end of my filthie life even at this hour And after this followeth his final and miraculous conversion togither with the conversion of Alipius his cōpanion which bicause it is set down breefly by himselfe I wil recite his owne words which are as followeth immediately upon those that went before 36 I did talk this to GOD and did weep most bitterly with a deep contrition of my hart and behold I heard a voice as if it had been of a boy or maid singing from som house by and often repeating Take up and read take up and read And straightway I changed my countenance and began to think most earnestly with my selfe whether children were woont to sing any such thing in any kind of game that they used but I never remember that I had heard any such thing before Wherfore repressing the force of my tears I rose interpreting no other thing but that this voice came from heaven to bid me open the book that I had with me which was Saint Pauls epistles and to read the first chapter that I should find For I had heard afore of Saint Anthonie how he was admonished to his conversion by hearing a sentence of the Gospel which was read when he by occasion came into the church and the sentence was Go and sel al thou hast and give to the poore and thou shalt have a treasure in heaven and come and follow me Which saieng Saint Anthonie taking as spoken to him in particular was presently converted to thee O Lord. Wherfore I went in haste to the place where Alipius sate for that I had left my booke there when I departed I snatched it up and opened it and read in silence the first chapter that offered it selfe unto mine eies and therin were these words Not in banketings or in dronkennes not in wantonnes and chamber works not in contention and emulation but do you put on the Lord Iesus Christ and do you not perform the providence of the flesh in concupiscence Further than this sentence I would not read neither was it needful For presently with the end of this sentence as if the light of securitie had been powred into my hart al the darknes of my dowtfulnes fled away Wherupon putting in my finger or
that to persuade our selves the contrarie therof were to mok and abuse God which hath laied down this law unto us 20 Notwithstanding as I have said this barreth not the mercie of God from using a priuilege to some at the very last cast But yet miserable is that man which placeth the ankor of his eternal wealth or wo upon so ticklesome a point as this is I cal it ticklesome for that al divines which have written of this matter do speak very dowtfully of the conversion of a man at the last end And although they do not absolutely condemn it in al but do leave it as uncertain unto Gods secret judgement yet do they incline to the negative part and do alledge four reasons for which that conversion is to be dowted as insufficient for a mans salvation 21 The first reason is for that the extreme fear and pains of death being as the philosopher saith the most terrible of al terrible things do not permit a man so to gather his spirits and senses at that time as is required for the treating of so weightie a matter with God as is our conversion and salvation And if we see often that a very good man cannot fix his mind earnestly upon heavenly cogitations at such time as he is troubled with the passions of cholik or other sharp diseases how much lesse in the anguishes of death can a worldly man do the same being unacquainted with that exercise and loden with the guilt of many and great sins and cloied with the love both of his bodie and things belonging therunto 22 The second reason is for that the conversion which a man maketh at the last day is not for the most part voluntarie but upon necessitie and for fear such as was the repentance of Simei who having greevously offended king David in time of his affliction afterward when he saw him in prosperitie again himselfe in danger of punishment he came and fel down before him and asked him forgivenes with tears But yet David wel perceived the matter how it stood and therfore though he spared him for that day wherin he would not trouble the mirth with execution of justice yet after he gave order that he should be used according to his deserts 23 The third reason is for that the custome of sin which hath continued al the life long is seldome remooved upon the instant being grown into nature it selfe as it were for which cause God saith to evil men by the prophet Ieremie If an Ethiopian can change his blak skin or a leopard his spots that are on his bak then can you also do wel having learned al dais of your life to do evil 24 The fourth cause for that the acts of vertu themselves cannot be of so great valu with God in that instant as if they had been done in time of health before For what great matter is it for example sake to pardon thine enimies at that time when thou canst hurt them no more To give thy goods away when thou canst use them no more To abandon thy concubine when thou canst keepe hir no longer To leave off to sin when sin must leave thee Al these things are good and holie and to be done by him which is in that last state but yet they are of no such valu as otherwise they would be by reason of this circumstance of time which I have shewed B. * A fift reason might be taken of experience for that we see oft times that such as repent after that maner if they recover again they are afterward as bad as they were before and somtimes much woorse which without quaestion was not tru repentance in them 25 These are reasons why there is such dowt made of this last conversion not for any want on Gods part but on theirs which are to do that great act Mark wel saith one again what I say and it may be it shal be needful to expound my meaning more plainly least any man mistake me What say I then That a man which repenteth not but at the end shal be damned I do not say so What then Do I say he shal be saved No. What then do I say I say I know not I say I presume not I promise not I know not Wilt thou deliver thy selfe foorth of this dowt Wilt thou escape this dangerous and uncertain point Repent then whiles thou art whole For if thou repent while thou art in health whensoever the last day shal come upon thee thou art safe And why art thou safe For that thou didst repent in that time wherin thou mightest have sinned But if thou wilt repent then when thou canst sin no longer thou leavest not sin but sin leaveth thee 26 And heer now would I have the careful Christian to consider with me but this one comparison that I wil make If those which do shew a kind of repentance at the last day do passe hence notwithstanding in such dangerous dowtfulnes what shal we think of al those which lak either time or ability or wil or grace to repent at al at that hour What shal we say of al those which are cut off before Which dy suddenly Which are striken senseles or frentik as we see manie are What shal we say of those which are abandoned by God and left unto vice even unto the last breath in their bodie I have shewed before out of Saint Paul that ordinarily sinners die according as they live So it is as it were a privilege for a wicked man to have his repentance to be begun when he is to die And then if his repentance when it doth come be so dowtful what a pittiful case are al others in I mean the more part which repent not at al but die as they lived and are forsaken of God in that extremitie according as he promiseth when he saith For that I have called you and you have refused to come for that I held out my hand and none of you would vouchsafe to looke towards I wil laugh also at your destruction when anguish and calamitie commeth on you You shal cal upon me and I wil not hear you shal rise betimes in the morning to see me but you shal not find me 27 When a worldling doth see that the brightnes of his honor vainglorie and worldly pomp is consumed when the heat of concupiscence of carnal love of delicate pleasures is quenched when the beautiful summer day of this life is ended and the boisterous winter night of death draweth on then wil he turn unto God then wil he repent then wil he resolve himselfe and make his conversion When he can live no longer he wil promise any pains what hearing or studieng of the word of God you wil what toil or labor in his vocation you wil what praier you wil what fasting you wil what alms deeds you can desire what austeritie you can imagin he
they do in althings agree with them Freedom of wil and merit of works were indeed jolly matters to puffe us up higher in our own aestimation but we can be prowd inough without them Sufficient for us it ought to be that we may be saved let us leave the glorie therof wholy to God and take no part therof to our selves Since the fal there is not in man any inclination at al unto good that is of that kinde saving only in those that are regenerate and that which is in them is not ever continual but somtimes very rare and weak likewise and ever is the special working of God in us And though our works that are done in faith and love have reward promised unto them and so consequently by promise du yet are the best of them on our parts or so much therof as is ours so unperfect and weak that by right they could otherwise than by merciful acceptance deserve nothing at al. And when we are sure we have most absolute redemption fully and wholy in the merits of Christ what need we trouble our selves further to search out whether that we may not think that our good works have in some sense merited also Traditions so far as they do not swarve from the written word or are to aedifieng we do not mislike otherwise we think we have alreadie so much to do that is expresly commanded unto us that we think they hinder us much in the service of God that incumber us with more The preesthood and sacrifice of Iesus Christ we account to be of that sufficiencie in themselves and so proper to him alone that we cannot yet be persuaded either that we need or that we may set up any other but that we must needs bewray either our great ignorance in the one or that we have a very slender and over-base an account of the other Otherwise if these wil not serve needs must we be more out of hope to get any good by those that are brought in by them Howbeit his preesthood continueth forever and his sacrifice once made is a ful satisfaction for al so that we need never be careful for any thing else to be joined withal As for their purgatorie and the sillie helps that they have allotted therunto we can neither stand in fear of the one nor if we should be distressed by it can hope of any releefe of the other Of their purgatorie we cannot stand in fear both bicause the scripture doth not tel us of any such place and besides that it lappeth up al forgivenes of sins and remembrance therof to al beleevers in the death and sufferings of Christ and that in so ful and comfortable maner that it leaveth to us no dread at al of any such torments to be afterward suffered for sin by any of us and bicause it is so evident to al the world that it was at the first an heathenish opinion among the gentils before they came to the knowledge of Christ and hath been since used in the church of Rome as a compendious way to get in monie and that beyond al measure and mean The helps that they use to releeve the souls that they suppose to be afflicted therin can do little good both bicause that nothing can be any satisfaction for sin to the justice of God but only the death and sufferings of Christ and bicause that those helps of theirs besides that they are verie weak in themselves are not ordeined of God to be the means to apply the same unto any but only the faith of the parties themselves wrought in them by the holie Ghost In their worshipping of saints and images there is some ods howbeit we cannot finde the better of them both their worshipping of saints I mean to be any better than plain idolatrie so oft at least as it goeth beyond that honor which in the second table and fift commandement is appointed to fathers mothers and reacheth unto the worship which in the first table and in the first second commandements is before taken up unto God As also we think themselves should perceive that if they do it as a dutie that they ow unto them or as a thing that saints do like of or to get some benefit at their hands in al these points they do but wast leese their labor for that they ow them no such dutie neither do they like that they should offer them any such nor yet can help them in those things that they crave at their hands And as for their images neither are they blessed of God to yeeld any such fruit as they require at their hands neither should we so maintain the dignitie of our creation being ordeined to repraesent the person of God to al these his creatures if we shuld so servilely abase our selves to stoks and stones when as the Lord hath made us the head over them not them over us Concerning the marriage of those that are of the clergie seeing that both the scripture alloweth of it in al estates and degrees whatsoever and that God in his wisdome ordeined the same and seeing that the practise of al antiquitie hath had it in continual use it is a thing we think more plain than that we may allow any controversie therof to be made If this wil not serve let them but turn bak their eies to themselves and but make an indifferent search how fowl and manifold pollution hath broken foorth among them since the time that they have abandoned marriage from their orders and that one thing we think wil be sufficient to teach them that heerin they were far overshot and have found it tru in themselves by experience that which before they might have learned at the mouth of the Lord that generally it is not good for any estate of men to live unmarried when as therby they so quikly brought al their orders so fowl out of order As for their inhaerent justice and that with some distempered affections as it seemeth they charge us to allow of none other but that which is putative and only faith the substance of this matter being before specially touched it is not needful heer to say any more therof So these are in effect those great matters for whose sakes we are charged to have translated so corruptly and so consequently in the judgement of some that we have not the word of God at al among us Wherunto would they ad but this little correction that for these matters we have it not to their good liking therunto could we be content to yeeld and therwithal think that we stil must want al authoritie of scripture for thē Otherwise they have sufficiently found even in the ruines of their own usurpation and doctrines that we have the scriptures among us as also not many of themselves do charge us but only for these and for a few such others besides of such like or lesse importance