of stay whereupon they may rest themselues Now this is one of the greatest paines wherewith they be tormented in that cursed place For if these tormeÌ„ts should haue their continuance limited but for a certaine time though it were for a thousand yea a hundred thousand millions of yeres yet euen this would bee some litle comfort vnto them for nothing perfectly great in case it hauâ— an end but alas they haue noâ— so much as this poore and miserable comfort but contraâ—â— wise their paines are equall continuance with the eterniâ—â— of Almightie God In hell shall be no end of torment and the sting of their miserie with tâ— eternitie of Gods glory as lonâ— as Almightie God shall liue 〈◊〉 long shall they die and wheâ— Almightie God shall cease tâ—â— bee God then shall they allâ—â— cease to be as they are O deaâ—ly life O immortall death know not whether I may truely tearme thee either life â—â— death for if thou be life whâ—â— doest thou kill and if thou be death how doest thou endure wherefore I will call thee neyther the one nor the other foâ— so much as in both of them there is contained some that is good as in life there is rest and in death there is an end which â—s a great comfort to the afflicted but thou hast neither rest nor end what art thou theÌ„ Marie thou art the worst of life and the worst of death for of death thou hast the torment without end and of life thou â—ast the continuance without any rest Almightie God hath â—poyled both life and death of that good which they had and hath put in thee that which â—emained to be a punishment or the wicked O bitter comâ—osition ô vnsauerie purgaâ—ion of the Lords cup Psal 74. of the which all the sinners of the â—arth shall drinke their part Now in this continuance in his eternity I would wish that thou my deare Christian brother wouldest fixe the eyes oâ— thy consideration a litle while that as the cleane beast cheweth her cud euen so thoâ— wouldest chew and weigh thâ— point within thy self with greater deliberation and to the intent thou maist do it the better consider a litle the painâ— that a sicke man abideth in oâ—cuill night especially if he 〈◊〉 vexed with anie vchemeÌ„t grieâ—â— or sharpe disease marke hoâ— often he tumbleth and tossâ— in his bed what disquietnesâ— hehath how long and tedioâ—â— one night seemeth vnto hiâ— how duly he counteth all thâ—â— houres of the clocke and hoâ—â— long he thinketh each of the to be how he passeth the timâ— in wishing for the dawning the day which notwithstaâ— ding is like to helpe him verie litle towards the curing of his disease If this then be accounted so great a torment what a torment shall that be trow ye in that euerlasting night in hell which hath no morning nor so much as anie hope of dawning of the day O darknesse most obscure ô night euerlasting ô night accursed euen by the mouth of Almightie God and of all his Saints that one shall wish for light and shall neuer see neither shall the brightnesse of the morning arise â—ie more consider then what a kind of torment that â—hall be to liue euerlastingâ—y in such a night as this is â—ing not in a soft bed as â—e sicke man doth but in a â—â—te burning furnace foming out such terrible raging flames what shoulders shall bee able to abide these horrible heates Oh how it maketh maâ— euen to tremble quake only to thinke of it If it seeme to vs thing intollerable to haue only some part of our feet standing vpon a panne of burning coales for the space of saying one Pater noster what shall be trowe ye to stand body and soule burning in the miâ— dest of those euerlasting hâ—raging fiers in hell in comparison whereof the fiers of thâ— world are but painted fires there any wit or iudgement this world haue men thâ—â— right senses do they vndeâ—stand what these words â—â— import or are they peradueâ—ture perswaded that these â—â— onely fables of Poets or 〈◊〉 they thinke that this appertaineth vnto them or else that it was meant onely for others none of all this can they say for so much as our faith assureth vs certainely herein and our Sauiour Christ himselfe who is the euerlasting truth cryeth out in his Gospell Mat. 24.35 Mar. 13. 31. saying Heauen and earth shall faile but my word shall neuer faile Of this miserie there followeth an other as great as it Section 3. The paines of hell continue euermore in one degree which is that the paynes are alwayes continuing in one like being and in one same degree without anie manner of intermission or decreasing All maner of things that are vnder the cope of heauen do moue and turne round about with the same heauen and do neuer stand still at one state or being but are continually either ascending or desceÌ„ding The sea and the riuers haue their ebbing and flowing the times the ages and the mutable fortune of men of kingdomes are euermore in continuall motion there is no seue so feruent that doth not decline neither griefe so sharpe but that after it is much augmented it doth forthwith decrease To be short all the tribulations and miseries are by litle and litle worne away with time and as the common saying is nothing is sooner drie vp then teares only that pain in hell is alwayes greene only that feuer neuer decreaseth onely that extremitie of heaâ— knoweth not what is either euening or morning In the time of Noes floud Almightâ— God rained fortie dayes and fortie nights continually without ceasing vpon the earth and this sufficed to drowne the whole world but in that place of torment in hell there shall raine euerlasting speares and darts of furie vpon that cursed land without euer ceasing so much as one onely moment and this is so true that as faith a Schoole-man euen the paines which shall be there giuen for the smallest sinnes shall be likewise euerlasting aswell as those paines which be there prescribed for the greatest and most hainous sins for infinite punishment is due vnto all sinnes because in the estate of damnanation there is no absolution or discharge of anie debt for that the time of paying and satisfying is then past therfore shall the paine due vnto veniall sinne continue euermore in one same estate and shall neuer cease Now what torment can be greater and more to be abhorred then coÌ„â—tinually to suffer after one like maner without any kind of alteration or change though â— meate be neuer so delicate yet in case we feed continually thereupon it will in verie short time be verie lothsome vnto vs for no meate can be more precious and delicate then that Manna was which almightie God sent to the children of Israell in the desert and yet because they did eate continually thereof it made them to lothe it yea and prouoked them to
without sadnesse without labour without griefe without trouble without corruption without feare without varietie without alteration a life replenished with all bewtie and dignitie where there is neither enemie that can offend nor delight that can annoy where loue is perfect and no feare a◠all where the day is euerlasting and the spirit of al is one where almighty God is seene face to face who is the onely meate whereupon they seed◠without any lothsomnesse 〈◊〉 delighteth me to consider thy brightnesse and thy treasure do delight my longing heart the more I consider thee the more I am striken in loue with thee the great desire I haue o◠thee doth wonderfully deligh◠me no lesse pleasure is it vn◠to me to keepe thee in remembrance O life most happy ◠kingdome truely blessed wherein there is no death no◠end neither yet succession e◠time where the day continuing euermore without night knoweth not any mutation where the victorious conquerour being ioyned with the euerlasting companies of Angels and hauing his head Crowned with a garland of glorie singing vnto almighty God one of the songs of Siō O happie yea and most happie should my soule bee if when the race of this my pilgrimage is ended I might be worthy to see thy glory thy blessednesse thy beauty the walles and gates of thy Citty thy streetes thy lodgings and thy noble Citizens and thine omnipotent king in his most glorious Maiestie the stones of thy walles are precious thy gates are adorned with bright pearles thy streetes are of very fine excellent gold in which there neuer faile perpetuall praises thy houses are paued with rich stones wrought throughout with Saphires and couered aboue with massie gold where none entreth in that is not cleane neither doth doth any abide there that is defiled faire and bewtifull in thy delights art thou ô Ierusalem none of those things are suffered in thee that are suffered here there is great diuersitie betweene thy things and the things we doe continually see in this miserable life in thee is neuer seene neither darkenesse nor night neither yet any change of time the light that shineth in thee commeth neither of lāpes nor of the moone nor yet of the bright glistring starres but God that proceedeth of God and the light that commeth of light is he that giueth clearnesse vnto thee euen the very king of kings himselfe keepeth continual residence in the midst of thee compassed about with his officers and seruants there do Angels in their order sing a most sweete and melodious harmonie there is celebrated a perpetuall solemnity and feast with euery one of them that commeth thither after his departure out of this pilgrima ge there be the orders of Prophets there is the famous company of the Apostles there is the inuincible army of martyrs The bless companie heauen there are the true and perfect religious persons there are the holy virgins which haue ouercome both the pleasure of the world and the frailtie of their owne nature there are the young men and yong women more auncient in vertue then in yeares there are the sheepe and little lambes that haue escaped from the wolfe and from the deceiptfull snares of this life and there doe now keepe a perpetuall feast each one in his place all alike in ioy though differēt in degree there charity raigneth in her full perfection for vnto them God is all in all whom they behold without ende in whose loue they will be al cōtinually enflamed whom they alwayes loue and in louing doe praise and in praysing doe loue and all their exercises consist in praises without wearinesse and without trauell O happie were I yea and very happie indeede if what time I shall be loosed out of the prison of this wretched bodie I might bee thought worthy to heare those songs of that heauenly melody song in the praise of the euer lasting king by all the Citizens of that so noble city happie were I and very happie if I might obtaine a roome among the chaplaines of that chappell and waite for my turne to sing praises to my God if I might be neere to my King my God my Lord and see him in his glory euen as he promised me when he sayd O father this is my last determinate wil that all those that thou hast giuen vnto me may be with me and see the glory which I had with thee before the world was created hitherto are the words of Saint Augustine Now tell me good Christian reader what a day shall that be that shall shine in thy house if thou leade thy life in the feare of God when after the course of this pilgrimage thou shalt passe from death te◠immortalitie in that passage when others shall beginne to feare thou shalt beginne to reioyce and lift vp thy head because the day of thy deliuerance is at hand Come foorth a little sayth Saint Ierome out of the prison of this body and when thou art before the gate of the Tabernacle set before thine eies the reward thou hopest for tel me what a day sha◠that be when the Lord himselfe with all his Saints shall come and meete thee in the way saying vnto thee Arise make hast ô my beloued my delight and my turtle-doue for now the winter is past and the tempestuous waters are ceased and flowers begin to appeare in our land How great ioy shall thy soule then receiue when it shall be at that time presented before the throne of the most blessed Trinity by the hands of the holy Angels how clearely shalt thou vnderstand the value and excellency of vertue there the obedient man shall talke of victories there vertue shall receiue herreward and the good shall be honored according to their desert moreouer what a pleasure will it be vnto thee when thou shalt see thy selfe to be in that sure hauen when thou shalt remember the tempestes wherein thou hast beene tossed the straights through which thou hastpassed and the daungers which thou hast passed and the daungers of theeues and pirates from whō thou hast escaped this is the place where they shall sing the song of the Prophet which sayth Had it not bene that the Lord had bene my helper it could not bee but that my soule had gone to hell And how it hath pleased almightie God that among such a multitude of damned persons thou shouldest be of the number of his elect and one of those to whom hee would graunt such exceeding great felicitie and glorie Besides all this what a goodly sight shall it be to behold the feastes and triumphes which they daily celebrate with their new brethren who hauing conquered the world and finished the course of their pilgrimage do enter in there to be crowned with them O what a ioy will it be to see those seates filled vp and that Citie builded and the walles of that noble Ierusalem repaired again with what cheerefull imbracings shall the whole Court of
treasures which Almighty God offereth vnto thee and do now lie hidden from thine eyes O miseraable is the day of thy natiuity much more miserable the day of thy death for so much as that shall be the beginning of thy euerlasting damnation Mar. 14. ô how much better had it bene for thee neuer to haue bin borne The wicked Christians shall be punished in hell more grieuously for their wicked liues more then the infiâ—els if thou shall be damned in the most horvible tormeÌ„â— of he fire for euer euer How much better had it bene for thee neuer to haue beene baptized if throughthe abusing thereof by thy wicked life thy damnation shal be therby the greater for if the light of reason onely sufficeth to make the heathen Philosophers inexcusable because they knowing God in some degree did not glorifie him nor serue him as the Apostle sayth how much lesse shall he be excused that hath receiued the light of faith and the water of Baptisme and doth often receiue the representation of the Lords body and euery day heareth his word preached Rom. â—1 if he doe nothing more then these pagan Philosophers haue done Now what other thing may we inferre of the premises but briefely to conclude that there is none other vnderstanding none other wisedome none other counsell in the worlde but that setting aside al the impedimeÌ„ts combersome dangerous wayes of this life we solow only that true and certaine way whereby true peace and euerlasting life is obtained hereunto we are called by reason by wisedome by lawe by heauen by earth by hell and by the life death iustice and mercie of Almightie God Hereunto we are also inuited very notably by the holy Ghost Eccles 6. speaking by the mouth of Ecclesiasticus in this wise My sonne bearken to instruction euen from the first yeares of thy youth and in thy latter daies thou shalt enjoy the sweete fruite of wisedome approch vnto it as one that ploweth and soweth and with patience expect the fruitfull encrease which it shall yeeld vnto thee The paines that thou shall take shall be but little and the benefits that thou shalt quickly enioy shall be great May sonne hearken to my words and neglect not my counsell which I shall giue put thy feet willinglyinto her fetters and thy necke into her chaines bowe downe thy shoulders and carry her vpon thee and be not displeased with her bonds approch neere vnto her with all thy heart and follow her wayes with all thy strength seeke for her with all diligence and shee will discouer her selfe vnto thee and after that thou hast found her neuer forsake her for by her shalt thou findrest in thy latter daies and that which before seemed painefull will afterwardes become pleasant vnto thee and her fetters shal be a defence of thy strength and foundation of vertue and her chaine shall be arobe of glorie for in her is the very beauty of life her both are the very bonds of health Hitherto are the words of Eâ—clesiasticus wherby thou maist in some degree vnderstaÌ„d how great the beauty the delight the liberty and riches of true wisedome are which is vertue it felse and the knowledge of Almighty God whereof we do intreate But is al this be not sufficient to mollifie thy heart lift vp thine eyes fixe thy mind not vppon the water of the world which vanish away but vppon the Lord who died for our sins there stan deth he with his feet nailed fast looking for thee with his armes spread abroad to receiue thee and with his head bowing downe to giue thee as to another prodigal son new kisses of peace attonement from thence he calleth thee if thou couldest here him with many callings and cries hearken therefore ô my Christian brother and consider this well with thy selfe that if his prayer bee not heard that hearkneth not vnto the cries of the poore how much lesse shall he bee heard that maketh him self deaffe to such cries as these are Wherfore now determine with thy selfe to hearken vnto these cries be fully resolued to change thy sinfull life to liue a new life and so shalt thou at the last possesse the ioyes which neuer shall end FINIS CONSTANTIA ET LABORE