how to decke and set out themselues with fine apparel with swéete smelles with daunces and other like allurements The which to doe is no better then to wrest the heauenly light of the minde which was made to beholde God to the obedience of a most wicked bond-slaue and to make the minde being withdrawne from heauenly exercises to be subiect vnto the appetites of a most abiect hand-maide 8 Therefore whoredome is a great and intollerable tyranny ouer the minde of man And no lesse is that tyranny of Ambition For behold and see what a heauie yoke ambition layeth vpon his bondmen commanding them that al their words and workes bée wholly imployed as nets and snares to get the common praise and fame of men and it compelleth them also to creepe as it were vpon the ground and to flye through the ayre For man at the commandement of Ambition séeketh to climbe higher then all men to bée subiect to none to rule al men and yet sometime when occasion serueth he prostrateth himselfe and humbleth himselfe to al men Thus the miserable man being contrary to himselfe and deuided in himselfe outwardly preferreth humilitie and in heart pride 9 Furthermore the lawes of this most cruel tyrant are such that if a man doe receiue a litle reproache or detriment eyther by right or by wrong he thinketh that he is vtterly disgraced if hée doe not presently reuenge it and if by no other meanes then to prouoke his enemie to some singular combat and so rather to loose his soule and body then to hazard the least part of his dignitie 10 I omit the tyranny of couetousnes and of other vices which are innumerable affirming with the Prophet Dauid that all the seruants of sinne do sit in darknes and in the shadowe of death fast bound in miserie and iron For what greater blindnesse can be imagined then that man should not know himselfe that he should not know God that he should not know wherefore he liueth and seeth not his bondes his miseries his perils and his harmes 11 And what greater miserie can there be then that miserable man should haue an infinite sort of desires as it were an infinite sort of mouthes stomacks which alwayes barke alwayes craue alwayes hunger and is not able to satisfie and fill so much as one of them 12 But now let vs sée what reward sin giueth vnto her seruants for so great labors Let vs harken to the Apostle and he wil tell vs The wages of sinne saith he is death that is to say both the first and the second death For what gall is to the lips a Cockatrice to the eyes a dead carcasse to the nose and Alowes to the taste the same and more is sin to the soule of man 23 Therefore let the bond-slaues of sin and wickednes go and serue their masters let them run into all dangers let them not spare for cost nor labors let them watch day night least peraduenture they be beguiled of so great a stipend O fooles which for the wages of eternal death will willingly beare so heauie a yoke when as with much lesse labour ye might serue righteousnesse who rewardeth her seruants with eternall liâ—e in the kingdome of heauen Wicked men labor and good men labour also both suffer both sweate both delue and digge but good and godly men till that ground likewise husbandmen which is firme sound fruitfull that is to say they exercise themselues in good workes and in sound vertues whereby they rearpe in the ende euerlasting life but wicked and vngodly men plow in the sand and sowe in the flesh and of the same shall receiue the wages of sinne eternal death 14 Therefore whether yée consider the wickednesses by themselues or the wages of the same the seruice of sin must néeds be horrible and wofull But yet there is nothing which doth so much set foorth the miserie of seruitude and the excellency of libertie as the manner of our setting at liberty and the passion of the Deliuerer For God which made the world without labour and as it were with a becke onelie at his will that he might deliuer vs from bondage slauery thought it good to be borne in a stable and was content to die in sorowes and paines But what manner of sorrowes Verilie such that the onely cogitation expectation of them might haue bin able to haue brought him into a bitter agonie to sweate water and bloud plentifullie The suffering of them made the most hard stones to rent the earth to tremble and heauen it selfe to be abashed 15 If God made so great a reckoning of thy libertie that hee vouchsafed to take vpon him the forme of a seruaunt and to liue thrée and thirtie yeares in hunger and thirst in colde in nakednes in fastings in watchings in iorneys in persecutions and in the end to shead forth his most precious heart bloud vppon the Crosse rather then hée would suffer this precious gemme to be taken from out of his handes let vs then acknowledge that excéeding glorie of the sonnes of God wherevnto wée are called which is the mother of all good things which alone is able to giue true peace perfite ioye blessed rest and tranquilitie If the heathen Romains of olde time for a false and fading libertie suffered great perils and death it selfe as Quintus Mutius Scaeuola thrust into the fire his right hand the Decii vowed themselues to the death that their legions of souldiers might bée preserued and get the victory Curtius being armed at all points and mounted vpon a horse threwe himselfe willingly into a gulphe of the earth that the Cittie of Rome might be deliuered from the pestilence for so had the Oracle giuen answere that the wrath of the gods would cease if that which the Romains estéemed best were throwne into that gulph Brutus also for the preseruation of the libertie of his Countrey did not sticke to slay his owne children If the heathen I say estéemed thus of their liberty which is in no point comparable to ours how much ought we to estéeme of that most true liberty wherby we are deliuered from sinne from sathan from death and from the wrath of GOD. They sought humaine praise a thing doubtlesse vnconstant and of small force as appeareth by the saying of the Poet Virgill concerning Brutus His Countries loue him driues and greedie lust of endlesse same But our ende is to approue our selues vnto God whose iudgment cannot be deceiued and to get the prize of the kingdome of heauen and the fellowship of Angels which is set before vs as the ende of our libertie which we séeke to attaine by this Pilgrimage CHAP. X. Concerning the Imitation of Christ THe true and sound perfection of a Christian man coÌ„sisteth in this to imitate Christ so neere as possibly he can for he is the head we are his members he is the captaine we his souldiers he is the Doctor we are his disciples It is said
Iesus Christ our Lorde So that wée must not doe as in times passed the Infidels did which made great lamentations and inuectiues against the Iewes Pontius Pilate Herode Iudas and them that had executed and put Christ to death and in the meane season flattered themselues vaunting of their owne merites and desertes and did not narrowly consider that Iudas Pontius Pilate Herode were but executers and ministers of their impieties and sinnes Let vs therefore consider in the breaking of the breade that our sinnes yea the sinnes of euery one of vs seuerally crucified the sonne of God and brake him with the sorrowes of the first and second death as namely the wordes of the Supper doe shew that the body of Iesus Christ was broken for vs and his blood was shed for the remission of our sinnes And our heauenly Father witnesseth the same speaking of the death of his Sonne Esa 53.3 For the sinnes of my people haue I smitten him Then if it bée so that our sinnes being weighed in the ballaunce of the iustice of GOD were found to bée so weightie and of so great importaunce that his wrath coulde neuer haue béene appeased towardes vs but by the death of his onely Sonne which maketh full satisfaction I say by the cruell ignominious deathe of the Crosse how should not wée hence forward detest and abhorre our sinne as that which is the cruell and bloody murderer of the only Sonne of God Mat. 27 451. Beholde the Sunne and the Moone beholde the Element beholde the vaile of the Temple beholde the stones and rockes which were moued at the death of Iesus Christ which shewed foorth tokens of sorrowe and wée which beare within our selues the cause of his death shal not wée haue in horrour and detestation this cursed enemie sinne that is lodged within vs Shall wée suffer him to rule and dwell in vs as before that il may bring home death vnto vs Not so but wée must detest it as that that before time separated vs from God our chiefest happinesse as that that caused vs to loose the image and similitude of God according to which wée were created at the beginning by GOD. It is that that hath wholy destroyed vs that hath depriued vs of holinesse and righteousnesse that hath banished vs out of Paradice that hath made vs slaues to the tyranny of the Diuell that hath made vs subiect to so many miseries and diseases and to be short both to the first second death It is that which after it had set a barre and diuision betwéen God and vs caused vs to sée our owne filthinesse purchased vnto vs shameful vilainous infamy made vs to tremble at the voyce of our God which was before most pleasant and louing vnto vs. It is that wherby the wrath of God is heaped vpon men that maketh the earth to become barren to bring forth thornes and thistles that causes women to bring forth in sorrow and that men eate their bread in the sweat labour of their bodies Séeing then that sinne bringeth forth and procureth vnto vs daily so many miseries it followeth that we ought to withdrawe our selues from it if we wil not be wilful enemies of our owne happinesse saluation Now then I cite here all disordered and slanderous persons which notwithstnading are so impudent to present themselues to the Lords holy Table I aske them what it is that they promised to God his Church in Baptisme They wil answere me that they promised God to renounce the Diuel all his workes But one of the chiefe and principall workes of the Diuel is sinne Why doe they not then abstaine from it Why are they traytours and disobedient to God his Church Why haue they conspired with the Diuel the world the flesh against their own saluation How dare they peesent themselues before God to aske him pardon and remission of their sins séeing that more and more they heape sin vpon sin crucifie kill againe as much as in them lieth the son of God or at the least make a scorne a scoffe of the purging of this blood which was appli-vnto them in Baptisme Put the case that a wicked man poore and destitute of all helpe wete fallen into a mire whence out he could by no meanes rayse vp himselfe that some young Prince passing that way tooke the paines to draw him out of the ditch to make him cleane to cloath him with gorgious and precious apparell if this wicked man poore miserable caytife fall againe into this myre wilfully by his own folly beray both himselfe his apparell being moreouer in great daunger of his life would not one think that this man were maruellously vnkind and a contemner of that princely bounty and goodnesse on the other side a wilful and sworne enemy of his owne health worthy to be lost and cast away without any helpe or assistance Euen so standeth our cause with Iesus Christ We fel al into the puddle of sinne in the person of Adam g Gen. 3.6 Psal 39.15 we are all wicked doers and worthy of an hundred thousande gibbets before God we can by no meanes get out of our selues and out of the ditche of destruction whereinto we are all fallen by our owne fault Behold the son of God the king of kings the Lord of Lordes which commeth to draw vs out of this puddle which cōmeth to wash vs with his precious blood which vouchsafeth to cloath vs with the proper cloake of his righteousnesse and innocency If we come againe to wallowe our selues in the puddle of sinne if we please our selues in it if we defile bedurt the robe of innocency which he hath giuen vs in Baptisme are we not manifest contemners of the inestimable loue gift of Iesus Christ are moreouer worthy to rot a thousand times in our filthinesse or rather to gnash our téeth euerlastingly with the diuels in hel It is euident Séeing then that it is so that the end of our redemptiō baptisme iustification requireth of vs to abstaine from sin so farforth as possibly we may our fleshly infirmitie wil suffer we must take all paines and diligence by the vertue of the spirit of God to cast out from vs all foulenesse filthinesse Idolatry blasphemy rebellion hatred murther whordome theft and vsury all other things contrary to the holy Lawe if we will not bee more than ingrateful towards Iesus Christ and open enemies of his Churche and our owne saluation But because it is not sufficient for the inducing of a true and he althful repentance to acknowledge our misery to abhorre it to confesse it and to abstaine from it but we must also know desire and do that good which God cōmandeth in his word we must consider the argument which ought earnestly to stirre vs vp to the sanctifying of the name of God First in that we are ioined and made one with Christ
wonderfully and very vehemently trouble vexe afflict and disquiet man 36 It were to be wished that wee had no worse enemies then the bruite beasts and that we had no cause to stand in feare of men themselues But these also are ful of fraudes deceits iniuries euill practises then the which what can be more intollerable And what meaneth so much armour pikes bowes bils swords gunnes with diuers other instruments of mans malice doe not these destroy and consume moe men then doe sicknesses and diseases Histories report that by one onely Iulius Caesar which is said to haue bin a most curteous and gentle Emperour there were slaine in seuerall battels eleuen hundred thousand men And if a man of mildnes and méeke spirit did this what shall we looke for at the hands of most cruell men Neither lands nor seas nor desart places nor priuate houses nor open stréetes are safe from ambushments conspiracies hatreds emulations théeues and pyrates Are there not vexations innumerable persecutions infinite spoyling of fields sacking of cities praying vppon mens goods fiering of houses imprisonments captiuities gally-slaueries renegations of Christianity by torments inforced beside death it selfe which men daily suffer at the hands of men And this is that ciuill and sociable creature which is called humane which is borne without clawes and hornes in token of peace and loue which hée ought to imbrace Moreouer not onely enemies but also friends and the mainteiners of peace and iustice are fierce cruel against men O man the very storehouse of calamities and yet thou canst not be humbled but art proud still 37 Neither haue wée onely those foresaid corporal enemies which we may sée and shun but which is more perillous we haue also ghostly enemies which see vs and wée not them For the diuels which are most crafty cruel most mighty in number and strength doe nothing practise nothing and thinke vpon nothing else then how they may tempt deceiue hurte and cast men downe headlong into hell fire 38 The holy and blessed Angels also do many times fight against sinful men For who burnt Sodom and Gomorrah with the inhabitants thereof with fire and brimstone The Angels Who slew the fourescore and fiue thousand men in the hoast of Senacharib The Angels Who afflicted the Egyptians with al those plagues mentioned in Exodus The Angels Who assisted Ioshua against the Cananites and Iebusites Gods Angels 39 Not onely the Angels but God himself also sometime shewing himself towards man as towards an enimy which caused holy Iob to say Why doest thou hide away thy face and takest mée for thy enemie what meaneth this O lord God Thou also which wast woont to be my father and kéeper hast now bidden battell against me 40 Moreouer and beside all these things there is yet a ciuill and internall war which man hath within his owne bowels continually For what man is he which doth not féele the striuings contentious of his affection will sense and reason Insomuch that man himselfe doth afflict himselfe and vnderstandeth it not is a greater enemie to himselfe then any other can be For who doth greater harme to thee then thou doest to thy selfe who more then thy selfe letteth thée and turneth thée away from thy felicitie 41 Who then seeth not how truely it is saide Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of miseries who séeth not that man is set in the very center of the sphere that miseries may fall vppon him from euery part and as the white in a butte that the arrowes dartes of all miseries may be directed vnto him 42 But let vs sée what followeth Hee shooteth foorth as a flower and is cut downe Whereby he teacheth that mans life is fraile and transitorie A flower v rily is a comely and beautifull thing and yet for all that it is nothing because ther is nothing found more fading and vanishing Euen so man during the time of his childehoode and flourishing youth he seemeth to be of a wonderful comelinesse but this beautie is of small price because it is more brittle then the glasse for that man carrieth alwaies the cause of death in his veines and bowels 43 Mans fading away is such and so sodaine oftentimes that there can be no reason giuen of his death for many haue gone to bed well in the euening that in the morning are found dead in their beds and many very sodainly haue dropped down in the highwaies and streetes as they haue walked about their affaires And this is no woonder if we consider the substance of mans body which being a building compact of gréene clay is easily ouerthrowne with a small puffe of wind 44 And how I pray you commeth it to passe that clocks are so easily stopped from their course is it not because they are made by arte and skill with so many whéeles that if one be staide all the rest are letted If this befall clockes that haue wheeles of Iron and stéele how much more easily may it come to passe in the humane clock of life the whéeles and engines whereof are not of Iron but of clay Therefore let vs not woonder at the frailtie of mans body but at the foolishnes of mans minde which vpon so fraile a foundation is woont to erect and builde such lofty Towers 45 Furthermore there is another miserie which is signified vnto vs by the comparison of a flower namely the deceitfulnes of mans life the which indeed is the greatest misery For as fained vertue is double iniquitie so counterfeyt felicitie is a twofolde miserie and calamitie If this present life would shew it selfe to be such as it is indéed the misery therof should not greatly hurt vs But it doth now greatly damnifie vs bicause it it is false and deceitful being foule it maketh a very faire and glorious shew being euer mutable it will séeme to be stable constant being most short it beareth vs in hand that it is cōtinuall that men being deceiued they may beléeue that they shal haue time to fulfill all their lustes and yet time and space enough to repent them 46 Holy Iob concludeth his sentence thus Hee vanisheth also as a shadowe and neuer continueth in one staie To make this more plaine behold and consider the ages of man and thou shalt euidently perceiue the alterations of humane life Childehoode is weake as well in mind as in body Florishing youth is weake in minde but strong in body Ripe and manly age is strong both in mind and in body Old age strong in minde and weake in body Crooked olde age is in this twise a childe weake both in mind and body Therefore hée fléeth as it were a shadow and neuer continueth in one stay 47 Beside this hée is now wise now foolish now merry now sad now in health now sick now strong now weake now rich now poore now hée loueth anon he hateth now hée hopeth by and by hée feareth
Amos. 8. and I will darken the earth in the cleere day That is to say when men thinke it to bée the high noone of their age when they thinke that they haue yet many yéeres to liue when their minde is occupied about their gaine about theyr affaires about their honors buildings mariages and pleasures when they say vnto their soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for thée for many yeeres eate drink rest and be merrie then it shall suddenly be saide vnto them Behold death is at the doore thou foole this night shall thy life be taken away from thee Eccl. 41. and whose are then those things which thou hast gotten 9 Then death vnlooked for frustrateth all our counsels cutting off the webs of our deuises and with on stroke she casteth down and layeth flatte on the ground al those Towers builded in the ayer and then what a wound doeth the heart of the sinner receiue which loueth this present life when the Physitian saith vnto him Thou must from hēceforth thinke no more of life but of death 10 Here first of all all those things which he loued in time past offer themselues vnto him from the which he shal be pulled away and seperated by death whether he wil or no. The body shal dye once but the heart shal dye so often as the things be in number which he loued Then in very déede shal the most cléere light be turned into darkenesse because those things which were aforetime occasions of great ioy shal be now horrible vexations and torments It is a most swéete and pleasant thing to them which liue to sée their louing and faithful friendes to remember their honors to think vpon the pleasures past and to come But all these things in the time of death shal be as swords as torments and most bitter potions 11 But if it be so harde a matter to bée pulled away from those things which do not so néerely touch man how bitter I pray you will the seperation bée of the body from the life and soule For such two louing familiars which haue alwaies liued sweetly together euen from the mothers wombe cannot be seperated without great gréef If the Oxe do commonly lowe mourn when his yoke-fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken away how will euery one of vs mourn when the minde shal be seperated from the body Then wil the body and the mind with teares repeate againe and againe doest thou thus seperate bitter death O death dost thou thus seperate 12 And when the cogitation of so sharp a seperation is déeply setled in our mind then gréefes follow gréefes and sorrow commeth vpon sorrow for then it commeth presently into the minde what a miserable condition the body and soule shal be in after the seperation And first of all when a man beginneth to recount with himselfe that his body after a fewe houres shall be buried in a graue or dark tombe he cannot cease from wondring at so abiect and miserable a condition What the body that now liueth which seeth which heareth whith speaketh shal it be made after one houre in a moment blinde deaffe dumbe without sense without spirit without life Shal I haue then in stead of a large pallace a base sepulchre in stead of a soft bed the hard ground for delights rottennesse for swéete smelles stinkes and in stead of seruants and familiar fréends wormes And thus this cogitation of the graue will verie sore trouble and terrifle a man in these extremities 13 But yet notwithstanding euery man feareth much more when he beginneth to consider what condition remaineth for the soule For when he beholdeth that eternity and that new Region vnknown to all men liuing which hée then alone and naked is to enter and againe when he vnderstandeth that there is to be founde in the same both euerlasting glorie and perpetual paine and misery and knoweth not of which hée shal take his part it cannot bée tolde with how great feare with what carefulnes and with what excéeding sorrow he shal be tormented When hée perceiueth plainly that after two houres he shaibe either in eternal ioyes or in euerlasting paines Is not this a crosse farre surpassing all other crosses 14 This incertainty therefore of blisse or of a cursed estate which after two houres the sinner expecteth that remembreth his sinnes feareth the iust iudgement of God without hope of remission or faith in Christ bringeth a hell in minde not to be expressed For by how much the kingdome which hée desireth is of largenes and by how much the fierie furnace which he feareth is terrible by so much greater shal this perturbation be For from the one Angels shal come to carie the faithful vp into heauen and from the other diuels shal come to cary the wicked and infidels into hell fire 15 But there is yet a farre greater perturbation then this namely that he shal cal to mind the account which he is to make to God of all his words déedes and thoughts For of it selfe it is a horrible thing to enter into iudgement with God the which horror wil wonderfully vexe and disquiet the diuels themselues For as so long as we liue they set forth vnto vs the mercie of God and doe also commend the same and do striue all that they can to keepe vs from meditating of his iustice and iudgements Euen so now on the contrary part they extenuate and make his mercy insufficient and doe set before our eies the greatnesse and seuerity of the Lords Iustice 16 Then the sinner wil begin to tremble and to fall into desperation and wil begin to reason thus with himselfe If God for the sinnes of others spared not his onely sonne wil he spare me which am guiltie of so many sinnes If this be done in the greene tree what shal befal that which is feare and drie If the Prophets if the Apostles if the Martyres after they liued godly so many yeares entred not into the kingdome of heauen without tribulations what other place can be left for me but that of hell fire which know no good that I haue done 17 If the Scripture be true which saith He wil render to euery man according to his works I which haue done so great wickednesses what should I looke for but eternal torments If the Apostle lye not as indéede he doth not when he saith That which a man soweth that shall hee reape Gal. 6. what shal hée reape but eternall death which hath made so cursed sowing If no polluted thing shal enter into the kingdome of God how shal I which am altogether filthy and vncleane haue hope to make so happie and blessed an entrance 18 Then therefore all his sinnes which he committed with so great facility when hée liued shal violently inuade the sinful man like an hoast of his enemies Then the feare of punishment wil open the eyes which sléeping securitie in sinne before had
of this whole frame which is called the great worlde the Sunne shal be turned into darknes and the Moone into blood and the Starres shal fall from heauen the Ayer shall be full of whirlewindes stormes corruscations slashing meteors and thunders the earth with fearefull tremblings and swallowing gulphes the floods of the sea shal swel so high as if they would ouer flow the whole world and the roaring and raging noyse of the fretting billowes and tossing waues shal greatly terrifie Men therefore shal wither and waxe pale with feare and horror and trembling shal vexe them more and more expecting what these new monsters wil bring foorth at the last and what wil be the end of such horrible beginnings 14 When a tempest ariseth at the Sea and the boisterous waues begin to tosse and beat the shippe and the men which are in the same do beholde the horrible lightnings and fierie flashings in the ayre and the furious winds also making the sea to swel and rage in such wise that now they sée themselues tossed aloft and then anon caried down into the déepe they begin presently to cry to feare to tremble to call for mercie to multiplie their prayers to craue time of repentance to commend their saluation to almightie God and to be short they begin to thinke of the amendement of their manners and to haue better purposes Then thinke with thy selfe what manner of minde men wil haue when they shal sée heauen and earth and all the elementes to haue their peculiar and proper tempestes when the Sun shal strike a horror into mens harts with his fearful darkenesse and the Moone being turned into blood shal terrifie them that beholde it and the starres with their falles shal threaten for they shal fal so thicke that the Firmament shal séeme to be quite without light and the aire with continual fierie meteors shal séeme to burne the sea shal swel excéedingly and the most high mountaines being shakē with earthquakes shal fal with excéeding great noise 15 Who then wil take pleasure to eate who wil take delight in drinke who wil then haue any desire to sléep Nay who dare once then slumber or take the least rest amidst so many tempests and stormes O miserable and vnhappy sinners ouer whose heads al these signes doe hang and doe foreshew vnto them extreame calamitie O happie men yea thrise four times tenne times yea a thousand times happie and blessed whose conscience in that time wil make them merry and glad 16 Thus farre we haue considered the greatnesse of the last day the signes going before the same now let vs cal to minde certaine thinges concerning the resurrection of the dead and the comming of the Iudge 17 Therefore after those signes wonders which shal goe before the day of the Lord an Archangel shal come downe from heauen and with the feareful sounde of a Trumpette shal giue a signe to all that are dead to rise againe and to come to Gods iudgement This is that Trumpet which Saint Hierome thought that hée euer heard sounding in his eares whatsoeuer he were doing and not without cause For who can appeale from this citation who can refuse this iudgemēt who can pretend sicknes busines or any other excuse 18 Then shal death be compelled to make surrender of al the spoiles in a momēt which hée had taken away from the world and she shal be sent away into euerlasting banishment beyond al lands and seas and beyonde the world and the borders of al liuing things For as Saint Iohn sheweth in his Reuelation then shal the sea yéelde vp her dead which it hath swallowed and death and hel shal doe the like 19 What a sight shal there bée then when sea and land shal bring forth in al places so many bodies so vnlike one to the other so different and so vnequal And when as at one and the selfe same place so many armies shal come together from all parts of the world In that place Adam the father of al the Nations of the earth shal sée al his posteritie come together and shal meruaile There we shal sée Xerxes Darius Alexander Caesar other Monarches of the world but yet hauing another forme other maners and other mindes then they had when they liued here For at the sound of the Trumpet kings and Nations and all the worlde shal tremble they shal strike their breastes and mourne 20 Moreouer although all men shal be restored vnto life yet neuerthelesse there shal be great difference betwéen those bodies which shal be restored to holy men and those which the wicked and vngodly shal receiue For they shal be more shining then the sun and shal bee beautified with vnspeakeable brightnes but the others most foule and vgly and more terrible then death it selfe 21 What pleasure I pray you shal the blessed soules haue when they shal be ioyned againe to their bodies as to their most swéet brethren after so long banishment neuer to feare any more a seperation What I beséech you shal flesh féele when it shal be raysed from dust and shal sée an vnwonted light and when the soule shal come vnto it and say God saue thée my sister and most swéete Spouse the winter is now gone the storme is past away arise my beloued and come the Lord hath fulfilled our desire thou hast bene the companion of my trauels and laboures thou hast for the Lordes sake suffered with me persecutions and iniuries thou hast bene with me in watchings in fastings and vnder the crosse of repentance thou hast liued with a temperate and spare diet to féede the poore thou hast not excéeded in apparrel that thou mightst cloath the naked Equitie therefore and reason requireth that the things which thou hast sowen with mée in teares thou shouldest also reape with me in ioy and that séeing thou hast bene a companion with mée in my labours thou shouldst also be partaker with me of my pleasures riches and glorie Then shal the soule swéetely imbrace the bodie and the bodie ioyfully kisse the soule and they shal be ioined together with most happy and indissoluble knots And then with how great ioy and gladnesse shal they dwel together in one for from thencefoorth appetite shal not contend with wil nor sence with reason but being ioined together in one with the league of amity peace and concord they shal enioy the delights and ioyes of heauen euerlastingly 22 And contrariwise with what anguish shal the soule of the sinner be tormented whē that foule il fauoured deformed and feareful body is offered vnto him With what words thinkest thou wil they salute one another O vnhappy body wil the soule say O the beginning and end of my calamities thou hast brought me to these torments with thy entisements and now I am come not as it were into a house to rest but as it were into a prison to be tormented I am compelled to enter into thée againe against my
make the eares of them that heare it to tingle O sentence intollerable which depriueth sinners of all good things and bringeth them to all woe The Lord sometime accursed the Fig-trée and immediately not onely the leaues but also the body and rootes were wholy withered Euen so that feareful curse of the last day shal be no lesse effectual For on whomsoeuer it falleth it shal so scortch them and shal so make them destitute of Gods grace that they shal neuer more be able to doe to speake to thinke or to hope for any good thing 31 Then therefore the wicked being stricken with this thundering sentence will lift vp their mouthes towards heauen wil spue foorth their shamefull blasphemies against God the Iudge they will curse this day and the houre wherein they were borne and their Parents which begat them and the wombs which bare them the aier which gaue them breath and the Earth which hath borne them but they shal not be suffered any long time to speake these things against the Iudge 32 For suddenly the Spirite of the Lord shal ouerwhelm them and shal with great violence caste them downe headlong into the déepe Apoc. 18. as in Saint Iohns Reuelation appeareth in these wordes Then a mightie angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the Citie of Babilon bee cast Apoc. 20. and be found no more And againe Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire And this déepe shal be shut vp with gates of brasse and with yron barres which cannot bee broken with any force nor cut in sunder by any arte and there they shal drinke of the cup of the Lords wrath and the smoke of their torments shal ascend worlde wtout end they shal not rest day nor night 33 On the contrarie part the iust being in the fruition of ful blessednesse and of euerlasting glorie shall haue in their mouthes the prayses of the Lorde and giuing of thankes and shal with singing and with mirth extol the name of their Lorde and God with whom they shal reigne without ende 34 But although wée heare of those things often yet neuerthelesse wée are not awaked from the sléepe of sinne before wee be ouerwhelmed with the night of death and of darkenes Why doe we which haue this time now looke for another time which peraduenture wée shal neuer haue Now is the accepted time now is the day of saluation There is nothing more profitable for a man then to knowe his time and therefore in our worldly businesse wée obserue times and seasons as a conuenient time to eare a fitte time to sowe to plant and such like Yea the brute beast by the instinct of nature can make choyce of his time for benefite The Swallowe when winter approacheth prepareth himselfe to take his flight into a warmer Countrey The Bée and the Ant in the time of summer prepare their foode against winter And the Prophet Ieremie saith that the Storke knoweth his appointed time If brute beastes deuoide of reason haue this foresight to make choise of time for their good and if man him selfe in a worldly regarde can make choyse of a fitte and due time to gette earthly and transitorie things how much more prouident ought hee to bee for heauenly things that to attaine these hée lose not his fittest time to attaine saluation 35 The olde worlde that liued in the dayes of Noah knewe not their time that was the cause they then perished with the flood The Cities of Sodome and Gomer knew not their time that brought fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads to their destruction The foolish Virgins knewe not their time therefore when their Lorde came they being altogether vnready were shut out of the Lords ioy Let vs then knowe the season how it is time now that wee should awake out of sleepe Rom. 13.36 1. Thes 5. Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober least the darkenesse come vpon vs wherein we can neither walke nor worke Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes that day and time wherein we shall appeare before God and his Angels and before the whole worlde to answere our cause and either to receiue a Crown of glory or else perpetual shame and confusion Let vs know that we haue here a very short time limitted vnto vs. wherein wée must so endeuour our selues that for short and transitory things we lose not that which is eternall If wee haue this consideration of that great day of the Lorde wée shal not only be the more secure in death but also be the better prepared to méet with our Lord and Sauiour when he shal come to iudgement CHAP. IIII. Concerning Hell and the torments thereof THere is nothing that the Diuell laboureth more then to perswade men that there is no hel that so the more easily hée may leade them thether as it were blindfolde by the way of sinnes while they haue no feare of any punishment euen as shéeues are wont to bee ledde with a vaile before their faces when they are going to the gallowes as Ezechias was serued whose eyes Nabuchadnezer commanded to be put out whē he was caried away captiue into Babilō 2 But it may bée shewed by many reasons and authorities that there is a hel For as a Princely magnificence requireth that a King haue a beautiful Pallace for to entertaine the best sort of men and a prison for the worst Euen so the king of kings and Lord of all glorie and principalities hath a Pallace wherein there are many mansions as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel testifieth which is the kingdom of heauen and he hath also a darke prison or dungeon which is hel 3 The lawe of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences be driuen into exile for euer euen so God doth banish from his presence Luke 16. the impenitent sinners into hel For so it is said of Diues that he dyed was carried into hel Esay 5 And the prophet saith Hel hath inlarged it self hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth among them shall discend into it Also S. Iohn saith that the feareful and vnbeleeuing and murderers Apoc. 21. the whormongers sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And Christ Iesus saith Feare him which hath power to cast body and soule into hell 4 But forsomuch as God hath not made Death nor the kingdom of Hell vpon earth Wisd 1. We must vnderstand that the principal procurer of this Hell is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse who béeing in
nature that there is nothing that we can more hardly digest then the forgiuing of iniuries For the which cause let vs vnderstand and knowe that by how much this forgiuenesse which God requireth is hard vnto vs by so much it is a greater argument vnto men that they are the sonnes of God which doe easily forgiue and forget iniuries and with their heart loue their enemies For herein they do shew foorth a certaine likenes vnto God their Father who loued vs as the Apostle saith when we were his enemies and reconciled vnto himselfe being redeemed by the death of his onely Sonne from eternall damnation Pray saith our Sauiour Christ for them that persecute you Mat 5. and say all maner of euill sayings against you that ye may be the children of your Father in heauen who suffereth his sunne to shine vpon the iust and vpon the vniust 18 The example also of our Sauiour Christ maketh this matter yet more manifest the which we ought alwaies to haue before our eyes For he hauing not so much as any suspition of sinne yet being buffeted spit vpon whipped blasphemed crowned with thornes nayled to the Crosse prayed thus for his enemies Luke 23. Father forgiue them for they wote not what they doe 19 There are many other most waightie reasons which the Fathers haue vsed to suppresse their frowardnesse which are most obstinate and wilfully bent to reuenge One is to giue him to vnderstande that hath the iniurie done vnto him that the same is not the principall cause of the iniurie which he desireth to reuenge For all those things whatsoeuer which we suffer in this life doe come from the Lord who is the author and fountaine of all righteousnes and mercie For God doth correct and chastice vs as his sonnes wherein he vseth his creatures as his ministers which can hurt vs in nothing but in those things which befall outwardly But euery man may most wickedly hurt himselfe and defile his owne mind with hatred enuy These things that most rare man Iob vnderstood who being vexed of the Sebeans Caldeans and the diuel himselfe vsed these words The Lord gaue Iob. 1.21 Gen 45. 2. Sam. 19 and the Lord hath taken Thus Ioseph forgaue the iniuries which his brethren did vnto him Thus Dauid bare patiently the iniuries which Shemei did vnto him It is great magnanimitie in a man when he hath receiued a wound not to feele or regard the harme 20 A second reason is that they which do not forgiue shall not be forgiuen of the Lord. For 1. Iohn 3. Eccle. 28. he that hateth his brother as S. Iohn saith abideth in death And Sirach saith Hee that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance of the Lord. 21 The third reason comprehendeth those incommodities into the which we then fall when we will not forgiue the iniuries that are done vnto vs. For it is most certaine that hatred is not onely a grieuous sin in it selfe but also by continuance it striketh more fast into our mindes is made greater In so much that the man which fostereth hatred in minde and desireth reuenge with hope to preuaile against his enemie at the last is so continually troubled day and night that hée neuer can put that wicked cogitation out of his minde whereby oft times it commeth to passe that the malicious man will sooner goe downe into hell then be brought to forgiue and with his whole heart to remit the iniurie Wherefore hatred is rightly compared to a wound wherein the head of the dart or arrow remaineth fast still 22 There are many other inconueniences and sinnes which are fast linked to this sinne of hatred Therefore Saint Iohn saith He which hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darknesse hath blinded his eyes Therefore of necessitie he cannot but stumble and fall For how is it possible that a man should allowe or like eyther of his words or déeds whom he hateth Héereof therefore come rash iudgementes wrath enuie slaunderings reprochfull raylings and many such like euery one of the which bring men in danger of hel-fire wherof he is guiltie as appeareth by the testimonie of Christ which saith but so much as Thou foole Math. 5. What then doth continuall hatred and back-biting raylers and slaunderers deserue 23 Let vs therefore follow the counsell and admonition of Iesus Christ as wée tender the remission of our sinnes Forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen For as Tertullian saith most comfortably Si apud Deum deposueris iniuriam ipse vltâ—r est Si damnum restitutor est Si doloreÌ„ medicus est Si morteÌ„ resuscitator est That is to say If thou lay downe the iniurie that is done vnto thee before Gods tribunall seate he is thy reuenger If thy losse he is thy restorer If thy griefe he is thy Physition If thy death he is thy resurrection and thy life Now therefore as Gods elect put on the bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde méeknesse long suffering Coloss 3. forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any haue a quarrell to another as Christ forgaue euen so doe yée So shalt thou peaceably procéede in thy pilgrimage CHAP. VIII Concerning Blessednesse and Felicitie IT is written in the ninetie one Psalme There shal no euill happen vnto thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling These wordes of the Prophet Dauid may beare a two folde interpretation First that they which are héere in this life vnder the protection of the Almightie are frée from all euil Secondly they containe a propheticall promise concerning the life to come And wheÌ„ we be in that heauenly Tabernacle of the which it is said in another place Psal 84. O Lord of Hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courtes of the Lord. And the Lord in the Gospel saith Lu. 9.16 I say vnto you make you friendes of the vnrighteous Mammon that when yee want they may receiue you into their euerlasting habitations And the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 9. Christ beeing a High Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect Tabernacle not made with handes that is not of this building neither by the blood of Goates and calues but by his owne blood entred hee in once into the Holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Also Saint Iohn in his Apocalips Beholde Apoc. 21. the Tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee their God with them And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrowe neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine for the first things are passed When I say wée bee in this heauenly Tabernacle then shal no euill happen vnto vs neither shal any plague
crookednesse of his legge or from such like cause After the same maner a théefe stretcheth forth his hand he shaketh his sword and it is of God and is good But to kill him whom he should not is euill and commeth from the wicked wil of man which God neither cōpelleth nor mooueth nor helpeth to euill and yet neuerthelesse suffereth that to be done which he desireth Thus then we sée how farre God hath his worke in the sinnes of men in suffering them to be done And although it is in him not to suffer euil the which without his sufferance coulde not bée yet notwithstanding that I may vse Saint Augustines words hee thinketh it better to drawe that wich is good from euill then not to suffer any euill at all For God would not suffer any sinne to be if hée were not so mighty so prudent and so good that both hée knoweth how and also can and wil out of sinne worke greater good 8 What greater euill could there be then so many Prophets so many Apostles so many Martirs and Christ himselfe to be slaine Could not God haue hindred this No doubt most easily but he would not By which we sée how great glary felicity he hath brought to them that suffered how great honour and praise they haue yéelded to God for whome they suffered and how great profit and commoditie their deathes and sufferings hath brought to the whole world Neither did the Church at any time suffer the persecutions of the heathen but it was thereby made the better the more vigilant the more glorious and like gold which comming out of the furnace is more fine and pure 9 The other cause of all our calamities miseries and afflictions of this life is sinne By reason wherof so soone as we are borne wée bring with vs the sentence of death Much like vnto those sicke men of whose life the physitians hauing no hope do onely for a time maintaine life with preseruatiues that so a little while he may linger to make his testament and then depart Euen so it fareth with vs all who do not therefore eate drinke and sléepe that we may neuer dye for that cannot be but that we may prolong our life for a fewe daies and so prepare our selues to 〈◊〉 And as Pyrates which are taken at the sea by the royall ships and are brought to the shoare there to be hanged and haue no longer hope of life then there is space betweene the ship and the land euen so euery one of vs which like Roauers saile heere in the sea of this world being once taken and holden captiue by the ministers of Gods iustice when we are come to a certaine place and point of our age shall without all doubt or mercy abide there and suffer death 10 Sinne therefore hath opened the passage vnto death and the whole host of tribulations do follow death as their captaine and guide and do enter in vppon vs by the same breach of sinne And as we do read of sinne The wages of sinne is death euen so also wée reade of tribulations Miseros fucit populos peccatum That is Sin is the cause of many tribulations 11 Neither is it for one sinne of Adams that so many tribulations come vppon vs but also for an innumerable sort of sinnes which we haue added and do adde daily as the holy ghost by the mouth of the Prophet Dauid hath pronounced If their children forsake my lawe walke not in my iudgemēts if they breake my statutes and keepe not my cōmandements Psal 89. I will visit their iniquities 〈◊〉 the rod and their sins with scourges 12 God afflicted the Iewish nation one while by the Philistines another while by the Madianits another while by the Assyrians and also by the Romanes but alwaies first they sinned and prouoked God to anger as the booke of Iudges the bookes of Kings and of the Prophets do declare God also afflicted the Church of Christians by tyrants as Neroes Dioclesians and such like which most cruelly persecuted the Church the cause of all which persecutions was the sinnes and wickednesses of the Christians as appeareth by Cyprian and Eusebius 13 Thus farre concerning the causes of tribulations now wee wil speake of the effects Concerning the effect and fruit of tribulation Chap. 12. the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes writeth thus Now no chastising for the present time seemeth to bee ioyfull but grieuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Although therefore wée cannot plainely know the fruites of tribulation before such time as wée come to that blessed and heauenly life which is free from all misery and trouble yet notwithstanding it will be very profitable for vs to speake and thinke vppon the same diligently to desperation But as the phisitian of things venemous and hurtful maketh most healthful medicines euen so Almighty God by his wisedome out of afflictions although they be euill things bringeth forth in his electe most excellent vertues among which patience is one 17 This patience worketh experience also the which is a certaine tryal both of our selues and of our own strength and especially of the might and goodnes of God For in suffering of aduersities we learn how great the corruption of our nature is which being touched with any aduersity straight way except the holy Ghost helpe breaketh forth into murmurings grudgings and into blasphemies and complaints against the prouidence of God Whereof we haue a liuely example set forth in Iob who being deliuered by God vnto the diuel to be tried how great blasphemies powred he out in his afflictions how much complaineth he of the prouidence and iustice of God But the light of the holy Ghost had no sooner illumined him but how did he plucke vp his spirits againe Howe godly and rightly doth he iudge of God The crookednes of our nature is hidden from vs for the heart of man is vnsearcheable But looke how soone the fire is stricken out of the flint stone so soone breaketh out our peruerse nature whē tribulation oppresseth vs. This tryall as Peter saith is euen as a furnace vnto gold And therefore God answered Abraham when hée was now ready to sacrifice his Sonne Now I knowe that thou fearest God No doubt that was knowne vnto God afore But by that fact he brought to passe that this obedience was the better knowne vnto others For we are like vnto certaine spices whose swéete sauour is not felt vnlesse a man bruse them well Wée are also like to stones called Piridites which shew not forth that force which they haue to burne except when they be pressed hard with the fingers 18 The triall also before spoken of bringeth hope Whereby wée sée that God hath so disposed those instruments of his as that they should one helpe another and the one bring in the other By reason of the hope of the glory of God afflictions are not
complaint wée are accompted as shéepe to the slaughter As if they had sayd Wée are otherwise dealt with then the Fathers in the olde time were dealt withal vnto whom God séemed to beare great fauour when as hée enriched them fought for thē gaue them the victorie and with excellent names and titles made them famous and honourable we say they are nowe otherwise dealt with for wée are deliuered vnto the enemies as shéepe to be slaine as vnto whom they may doe what pleaseth them death hangeth all the day long ouer our heads and we are neuer in securitie but yet herein we are comforted that we are not in this perill as men that suffer for euill doing but For thy sake that is for Religion and godlinesse 22 Wherby also we are admonished that paines punishments and death make not Martirs but the cause For otherwise many suffer many grieuous things and yet are not martyrs nor confessors If punishments mke martyrs then the Papists at this day might truely boast of Martyrdome when for their traitrous deserts to their Prince and Countrey they are rightly executed And some Sectaries Scismatickes which would faine be reputed Confessors might then haue some iust colour to complaine of persecution when they are by Ecclesiastical censures iustly punished But these are such Martirs and Confessors of whom S. Augustine writing to Boniface de correctione Donatistatum and in many other places complaineth saying that in his time ther were Circumcellions a furious kind of men which if they could finde none that would kill them would often times breake their owne neckes headlong and would slay themselues These men sayth hée must not be counted martirs These are not shéep but Goates these are not led against their wils but runne headlong through ambition and proud conceit These Rammes follow not the example of Christ of whom it is written that when he was led like a sheepe vnto death yet did he not open his mouth for these open their mouthes too too wide vttering blasphemies against Magistrates These haue forgotten the sentence of the Apostle If I shall deliuer my body to bee burnt 1. Cor. 13. and haue no charitie it profiteth mee nothing Therefore Martyrs and confessors beside the goodnesse of the cause must be méeke patient and charitable 23 Wherefore wée hauing a good cause ought with patience and méekenesse be ready prepared when trial shal be to suffer persecution and tribulation after the example of the holy Martirs of olde time because the crosse alwayes followeth them which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus Then hee who hath promised vs that neither in fire water no nor yet in the shadowe of death hée wil bée from vs but wil bée our buckler defender and shield faithfully wil performe the same in such wise that no temptation shal so assayle vs but that he wil giue vs a ioyfull end and deliuerance 24 The holy Ghost hath caused many histories to bée kept in writing for vs that liue now in the latter age of the worlde to this end that we should not onely beholde in them the fiery raging of the world from the beginning against the people of God and how stoutly they withstood and ouercame by faithful patience the mallice thereof but also by reading of them wee should in our like troubles learne like patience receiue the same comfort and béeing throughly tryed conceiue a sure hope of the same victorie which they after many and sundry trials did win whereof we shal not be disappointed if we to the end striue lawfully If it be too hard and aboue your capacity to behold al the hystories examples propounded in the scriptures and the chronicles of Christs Church with such consideration that you may espye and behold in them the order of Gods working with his Church in al ages and if you doe not vnderstand in diligent perusing thē that the end and issue was euer ioyful and glorious victorie and deliuerance wherwith to comfort your selues in the middest of miseries take into your handes the comfortable historie of king Dauid marke his whole life from that time hée was taken from his Fathers shéepe vntil his death beholde in him your selues whensoeuer you shal be afflicted with any kinde of Crosse 25 After that the Lorde had found out Dauid a man after his owne mind and appointed him king ouer his people who labored worthily to deliuer defend Gods people from their enemies the Idolaters that dwelt neare about him he did not grant vnto him such quietnesse neither to his people but that he was in continual troubles and no smal dangers during the life of Saule and also after Saules death the Idolators and also Saules friendes séeking al the waies that might be to depose him from his kingdome 26 And not onely was hée thus vexed with his forraine enemies but also most grieuously of all other by those of his household who should haue béene his most deare friends his owne natural sonne Absolom his most priuie Counsailers 2. Sam. 15 the nobilitie of his realme the most part of his subiects Absalom pretending to his father Dauid a great holinesse as the maner of hipocrites is desired to haue leaue to goe into Hebron there to sacrifice for the performance of a vow which he had made in the time of his being in Siria but his meaning was to obtaine the kingdome from his Father and to stirre all Israel against him which hée brought to passe Dauid was banished and pursued vnto the death by his own sonne who wrought so much villany against his owne Father that he did not forbear in the despight of him to misuse his Fathers wiues in the sight of all the people How grieuous and dangerous this suddain change was to Dauid and to the godly people which were but a few in respect of the great number of the malicious Hipocrites which followed Absolom it appeareth plainly in the story you may easily consider 27 The best that was like to come of the matter was that while the kingdome of Israel was thus diuided Gods enemies the Pbilistines which had lien long in wait therfore should snatch vp from both the parties the kingdome of Israel and not only vtterly banish Gods true Religion from among the Israelites but also bring them their countrey and their posterity into most miserable bondage and thraldome and that to Gods enemies the most vile people and hated of all the world 28 Dauid in all these perlious dangers of his owne life losse of his kingdome and vtter destruction of Gods people did not discourage himselfe but vnderstanding all this to be the worke of Gods own hand acknowledging the true cause vnfaignedly did perswade himselfe that the Lorde after a time when his good will should bée would giue a comfortable end to all these stormes and bitter pangues His whole behauiour hee himselfe describeth in a Psalme which is left in writing for vs to learne thereafter how to behaue
Lord 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnatiō because he discerneth not the Lords body c. Here the Apostle sheweth vs the danger of the vnworthy receiuing the Lordes body and blood and also the meanes how we may bée worthy receiuers of the same namely by examining our selues which examinatiō consisteth chiefly in foure pointes That is to say in Faith Kepentance Giuing of thanks to God and loue towards our neighbours First we must haue Faith that is to say a certaine and infallible assurance and firme perswasion that God is a mercifull Father vnto vs in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whom he deliuered to death for vs. Yea euery sinner must apply Christ his merites particularly vnto himselfe This Faith commeth not of vs neither is it grounded vpon vs or vpon any thing that is in vs but it commeth from God and is grounded vpon God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and vpon the promises of the Gospell confirmed inwardly within vs by the working of the holy Ghost which cryeth in our hearts Abba Rom. 8 15 Gal. 4.6 that is to say Father Furthermore this faith is nourished confirmed and increased in vs by the holy Sacraments For in the Supper God as a good father after that he had once brought vs into his Church by Baptisme nourisheth vs spiritually with the proper substance of his Sonne Iesus Christ applying and making proper vnto euery one of vs the merit of his death and passion To this ende and purpose is it that Iesus Christ himselfe giueth vs the Bread and Wine that he commandeth vs Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.21 Luke 22.19 1. Cor 11.14 to eate and drinke it that he saith that the Bread is his body which is giuen for vs and that the Wine is his blood which is shed for the remission of our sinnes by which words he giueth himselfe wholly vnto vs he will be out nourishment and spirituall life he wil dwell in vs by his holy Spirit and will that we abide in him by faith that through beliefe we may not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3 36.18 Psal 8.7 Mat. 11. Heb. 1.2 Iohn 17.12.27 and 28. whereof he is the onely heyre and giuer In like sort the breaking of the Bread of the Supper serueth to the confirmation of our Faith and sure warranting of our saluation insomuch as it assureth vs and causeth vs to see with spirituall eyes that Iesus Christ was once broken with the paines of death in Hierusalem to deliuer vs from the same and to get vs eternall life Also in that that by the Commandement of Christ Iesus we take the Bread in our hands and then the Cup moreouer in that that we eate the Bread and drinke the Wine which turne into the nourishment of our bodies we are certified that by the hands of Faith we take and imbrace Iesus Christ our Lorde for our onely Sauiour and Redéemer and that by the same Faith we eate his body spiritually and drinke his blood to the hope of eternall life Nowe euery one of vs must liue by his owne faith according as wée may make our Confession in the Beliefe which is called the Apostles in that euery man saith by himselfe I beleeue in God and saith not Wée beléeue We must not here cast our braines or thinke vpon the beléeuing or vnbeléeuing vpon the worthynesse or vnworthynesse of an other man but vpon our owne For S. Paul doth not teach vs to examine other men or that other men should examine vs but he saith namely Let a man examine himselfe Therefore let euery one of vs for his owne part be assured in his heart that Iesus Christ the true Messias is come into the world to saue sinners amongst whom hée ought to account estéeme himselfe by the example of S. Paul the chiefest Let him beleeue that Iesus Christ came downe from Heauen into earth to lift him vp from earth to heauen that he was made the Sonne of man to make him the child of God that hée was conceyued by the holy Ghost and that he was borne of the Virgin Marie to purifie and cleanse his wicked conception and birth .. Let him perswade himselfe that the Sonne of God hath ourcome the Diuel to deliuer him from the tyranny and slauish subiection of the Diuell that he hath fulfilled all the Lawe louing God his Father with all his heart strength and might and his neighbour as himselfe to get him iustice that hée appeared before Pilate an earthly Iudge and receiued as an euill doer sentence of condemnation for this life to exempt him frō appearing before the terrible iudgement seate of Gods iustice to receiue sentence of death and euerlasting damnation for that he had offended one eternal and euerlasting God Let him assure himselfe Psal 22.1 that the same Iesus Christ went downe to Hell for him that is to say that hée suffered the sorrowes and terrours of the second death and of the sincere wrath of God to deliuer him that hée died a death accursed of God in that hée was hanged on the Crosse to purchase him life and blessing before God that hée rose againe for a gage and assurance of his resurrection that he ascended into Heauen for a certaine token that hée also shall ascend thither that hée sitteth on the right hand of God his Father to be for him an euerlasting Priest Teacher King defender reconciler and aduocate to be short that he shall come at his last comming for his comfort and full redemption We must also euery one of vs for his owne part make proper vnto our selues yea and make ours all the goodnesse and all the riches that is in Iesus Christ because that in giuing himselfe to vs he giueth vs also his benefits So then in that that Iesus Christ is God it is to make vs partakers of his Diuinitie in that that he is heyre and Lord of the world it is to make vs partakers of his Lordship and inheritance and that we recouer in him the gouernment of all things which we lost in Adam in that that he is well beloued of his Father it is that we may be acceptable vnto him in that that he is rich it is to make vs partakers of his riches in that that he hath all power against the Diuel Sinne Hell Antichrist the Worlde and all our enemies it is to defend and shield vs in that that he is iust and good it is to iustifie vs and make vs good in that that he is happy and immortall it is to make vs partakers of his blessednesse and immortalitie When we shall thus particularly apply all the actions and benefites of Iesus Christ our Lord and also all his essentiall qualities vnto our selues putting our whole trust in him and in his promises and distrusting
Iesus in the supper in that we are made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones in that we liue by his holy spirit ought not this vpon good cause to exhort vs to conforme our selues to the Image and likenesse of the holines of our Lord Iesus Christ Can he dwel in vs nourish vs with his own substance quicken vs with his holy spirit ioyne vs vnto himself by the bond of Faith yet so that he his holy spirit and faith bring not forth in vs good holy works Moreouer for so much as he doth not giue himselfe vnto vs halfemeale and destitute of his qualities and riches accompanied with all spirituall giftes and blessings adorned with righteousnesse and perfection accompanied with innocencie sanctification how can we receiue Iesus Christ enriched with all his graces that the righteousnesse of our head may not shine in vs which are members yea shine in all our parts as well inward as outward Must it needs be that the two partes of our soule that is to say our mind and heart which ought to apprehende and take hold of the promises of God which ought to receiue by faith the body and blood of our lord Iesus Christ that is to say whole Iesus Christ true God equal in euery respect to God his father and true man made of humane body and soule that this minde heart I say must be applyed to the meditation and loue of worldly and wicked things being destitute of the knowledge and loue of God and of the loue of our neighbour Doth it behoue our body which is the temple of God to be prophaned That our eares which were created of God to heare his voice shuld be stopped against it and be opened to vanities wanton talke vnchast worldly songes Doth it behooue our tongue which is bound by the right of creation to sing the praises of God and by the right of redemption to shew forth the Lords death till he come h That this tongue which is so proper an instrument of the glory of God should be mute to goodnesse incessantly occupied in backbiting slaundering blaspheming or at the least in speaking idle words whereof one day wée shal yéeld an account before the throne of the Maiesty of God i Mat. 12.36 Doeth it behoue our mouth which ought to receiue the blessed signe of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus to suppresse the benefit of our redemption and to haue adders poyson in it Doeth it behooue our hands which ought to take at the supper the assured gage of the loue of God the infallible pledges of his league with vs the earnest penny of our saluation to be voide of goodnesse beside that be giuen to extortion theft murther oppression violence Doth it behooue our féete which ought to runne and make hast to goodnesse to be ready and light to runne to mischiefe No surely but as he which calleth vs is holy so likewise must we also be wholy holy as he hath brought vs by holy Baptisme into his holy house which is his Church the Cōmunion of Saints Euen so likewise must we lead therein a good holy conuersation as he hath washed vs from our sinnes by the precious blood of his sonne Iesus Christ so must we dye to them liue in righteousnesse as he hath called vs to the the incorruptible hope of the blessed resurrection eternal life so must we lift vp our harts on high and not be buried like Moles in this fraile and transitorie earth To be short séeing that the grace of God is set before vs euery day and his holy word soundeth in our eares l Tit. 2.11 12.13.14 to this onely end that it may be saluation vnto vs and that renouncing all vngodlinesse worldly desires we should liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ We must pray vnto this good God that he would giue vs grace so to behaue our selues towardes him in liuing godly so towards our neighbours in liuing iustly so towards the poore in reléeuing them charitably so towards our selues in liuing soberly that we may be found at the day irreprehensible by the meanes of that his wel beloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ 3 Thirdly Of thankes giuing we must giue thanks to this good God for the benefit of our redemption for this cause it is that the Auncients called the holy supper Eucharistia that is to say gratefulnesse good grace giuing of thankes For if so be that our ordinary food and daily bread which GOD giueth vs for the nourishmēt of our bodies ought to be sanctified by the word receiued with thankesgiuing ought we not much more to thanke God for the heauenly bread for the nourishment of our soules which is offered vnto vs really giuen vs in the holy Supper of Iesus Christ And we sée also how Iesus Christ himselfe sheweth vs an example hereof For when he tooke the bread of the Supper S Matthewe and S. Marke say that Iesus Christ blessed And S. Luke expoundeth this word to blesse when he saith that he gaue thankes Now then séeing that we sée that Iesus Christ when he tooke the bread of the supper gaue thankes to God his father as he did also when he tooke the cup that for the redemption of mākind it is our duty to do the like And that we may be the better moued to giue thanks to God we haue to consider the greatnesse of the benefit of our redemption and the excellency of the gift which God giueth vs at his holy table which cannot bée done vnlesse we consider our miserable condition which was before figured by the temporall captiuitie of Egypt We see there how Pharaoh was strong and mighty how he knew not the generall how he went about to kill all the séede of the Israelites Exe 1.3 by the suppression and death of their men children we sée also how excessiuely he caused the Israelites to worke without any hope of wages how he would not suffer them by any meanes to sacrifice to the Lord nor to goe forth of the land of Egypt Which thing continued not for one yeare or two but for the space of foure hundred and thirtie f Exo. 12.30 yeares Here may we liuely beholde a draught of our misery We were all lost and destroyed in Adam Wee were holden captiues in the helly Egypt vnder the Tyranny of a spirituall Pharaoh which is the Diuell This Tyrant was strong and mighty hee suffered vs not to serue our GOD. He made vs to labour incessantly in slauish and vnfruitfull workes of sinne to the establishment of his owne kingdome He slew not onely our men children but he led vs all indifferently to vtter ruine and destruction And this Tyranny had not onely continued for a certaine time but had béene eternall and