one beaste deuoured him but that he was for our sinnes a praye of many bloodye impious helhoundes and doubtlesse it can not seeme much to vs patientlye to weare the hearecloth of tribulation to cutt of the garmentes of our vayne pompe and superfluities and rather with Iacob to sitt comfortlesse sorowinge and lamentinge then to receiue anye comforte at their handes that betrayed our father that is the vanityes sinnes and pleasures of this worlde In the Machabees it is written that when the Elephantes went to the fielde they shewed them a bloodye coloured iuyce to sharpen and enrage them the more to the battell Beholde to vs beside the blood of infinite Martyrs Christ our Captayne King hanging vpon the Crosse openeth fiue fountaynes gushinge out with his inocente blood and sheweth vs his whole bodye all goarye with lashes and shall not all this harten vs constantly to encounter all tribulation and to wage battell agaynst our vayne desires and appetytes when they drawe from the Crosse to delight and pleasure When we haue a thorne in our foote much more if it be in our heade or harte all the reste of our bodye is so troubled that no consolation seemeth sweete and we wishe rather for the surgion to launce vs then for anye pleasures to delighte vs. Seinge therfore that we see our hed which is Christ to be stuck full crowned with thornes how can it be if we be true members of his body but that we must needes both care litle for all comforte be more willinge to sorowe wiâ—h our head and be launced for his sake then leane vnto the worldlye solaces which he contemned because as S. Bernarde sayeth Non decet sub spinoso capite membrum esse delicatum It is an vndecent thing to haue a dayntye member vnder a thornye heade Good Vrias when Dauide bad him goe lye in his owne house washe his feete and take his ease He lyke a true Israelyte answered agayne The Arke of god Israel Iude dwell but in tentes my Lorde Ioab and the seruauntes of my Lorde lye vppon the face of the earth and shall I goe into my house to eate drincke and haue the companye of my wyfe By thy saftye O Kinge and by the safâ—ye of thy lyfe I will not doe it He thought it an odious thinge to haue better lodginge then the Arke of god and his captaine and felowe soldiers He thought it a grate stayne to sleepe in a softe bedd while they laye on the harde grownde therfore rather chose to lye before the kings gate then once to enter into his owne house Loe our Arke lyeth not in papilionibus in tentes but in praesepio in the maunger Our Captayne lyeth not on the harde grounde but hangeth naked and nayled to a reprochfull crosse Our fellow soldiers are not onlye vpon the face of the earth but some haue beene cast into dungeons other into fyers manye amongst Lions and raginge beastes finallye all haue tasted of diuers and bitter afflictions And can any true Vrias thincke it much to take lyke parte with all these WheÌ„ the king of Niniue mourned in sackcloth and ashes all his Peeres and people did the same When Ionathas ventured to clyme most craggye and daungerous rockes and was alone to set vpoÌ„ a whole troupe of Philistians his man sayde vnto him Perge quo cupis et ero tecum vbicunque volueris Goe whether thou wilte and I will not fayle to folowe thee which waye soeuer thou goest Yea one of Saules squiers seinge his Kinge to haue runn vpon his owne sworde and killed him selfe presently though wickedly followed his example chosing rather to spill his lyfe with his Prince then to spare it for his enemyes Beholde our Kinge mourneth in sackcloth ashes of diuers calamities Our Ionathas clymeth vp to the mounte Caluarie loaden with a heauye Crosse vppon his torne and wounded shoulders He alone encountereth the Deuill and all his impes and offereth him selfe to the troupe of his enemyes in the garden Yea our Saule falleth on the most rigorous sworde of his owne iustice for our sakes And shall we for whose benefite all this is done vngratfullye refuse to followe his example Shall he morne in sackecloth and we bathe in pleasure Shall he fightinge alone in our defence be all in a goure bloode with infinite woundes and shall we disporte and solace our selues with fonde vayne delightes Shall he be stricken through with the sworde of reuenge for vs and shall we be vnwillinge to suffer for our selues Alas we are they that deserue rather to sitt with Iob in the dunghill then in sackcloth onlye with the Niniuites We are they that deserue with naked handes and knees to creepe vpp on the most ragged rocke of aduersitye For vs it were fitter in regarde of our trespasses to hazarde our liues amonge a thousande blades and tormentes Finallye it were our behoofe with repeÌ„tant hartes lothsomenes of our former lyfe to embrace the sworde of gods iuste reuenge and therwithall to kyll in our selues olde Adam that is veterem hominem cum vitijs concupiscentijs suis. The olde man with his vices and concupiscences O moste vnnaturall children that hauing before their eyes the most bloody flaughter of their owne father yea being with his bloode like Pelicans younglinges reuiued and raysed from death will not yet learne the excessiuenesse of his loue nor consider howe much they ought to doe and suffer for them selues who by their misdeedes haue bene cause of so vntollerable paynes vnto their heauenlye father Far other effecte tooke Christes passion in S. Paule who beinge inflamed with the force of so vnusuall an example laboured him selfe to be a perfecte scholer in this doctrine esteeminge it the highest and most needfull poynte of Christian knowledge to vnderstand the valew necessitye and maner of patient sufferance He woulde haue no other vniuersitye but Hierusalem no other schole bur mount Caluarye no other pulpitt but the Crosse no other reader but the Crucifixe no other letters but his Woundes no other commaes but his Lashes no other full poyntes but his Nayles no other booke but his open syde and finallye no other lesson But scire Iesum Christum hunc crucifixum to knowe Iesus Christe him Crucified In this schole shoulde be our chiefest studye Here shoulde we learne by Christes nakednesse how to clothe vs by his crowne of thornes how to adorne vs by his vinagre and gall how to diet vs by his praying for his murderers how to reuenge vs by his hanging on the crosse how to repose vs and by his paynfull and bitter death how to esteeme of the pleasures of this lyfe Here maye we see the wounderfull fruites and miraculous sequels ensuinge vpon tribulation patiently accepted which passe all naturall reach haue bene sett downe vnto vs as shores of comforte to vpholde vs in all our distresses Here may we see that death
lyfe Non sic vixi vt pudâ—at me inter vos viuere nec mori timeo quia bonum dominum habemus I haue not so lyued that I am ashamed to liue amongst you nether feare I to dye because we haue a good Lord. This made a Bishop S. Augustines familiar friende when his â—locke semed vnwilling with his death to say Si minquam bene Si aliquaÌ„do quare non modo If I shold neuer dye Wel. But if euer why not now They wel knew that death is but Gods officer to summon before him whome he meaneth to call They thought it an vnchristian parte to with-saye in deedes that which they prayed euerye daye in wordes For euery daye the ChristiaÌ„ sayeth thy will be donne And how preposterous a thing is it sayth S. Ciprian when his will is that we departe not willinglye to obeye him If we repyne and grudge against his pleasure doe we not folowe the guise of stubbrone and euill deseruing seruauntes that cannot with out sorowe and greefe be brought before their maister Doe we not rather goe enforced by meere necessitye then with anye remonstrance of goodwill or dutye And can we for shame desire of him to be honoured with eternal rewardes that can so hardlye be intreated to come and receaue them or to enioye for euer the glorye of his presence that shunne the dore wherby we must enter into it Wel might those wordes be repeated to vs which in S. Ciprians tyme were sayde in a vision to one that laye a dyinge Pati timetis exire non vultis quid faciam vobis You are vnwilling to suffer in the worlde lothe to departe out of the worlde what should I doe vnto you A worthye rebuke of the loth to dye For if the chased Harte to auoyde the greedye houndes flyeth often tymes to the hunters protection and though pursued of him yet by nature hath an affiance in his mercye If one enemy sometimes findeth fauoure at an other enemyes hande where he least looked for it why should a dutyfull childe feare to goe to his heauenly Father a penitent soule to his sweete Sauiour an obedient member to be ioyned with his head If he came into this worlde to redeeme vs why should we doubte but at our death he will receyue vs especiallye if we dye for him as he dyed for vs. He that accepteth his enemyes will he reiect his friendes and he that bought vs so deere will he refuse his penyworth If he affecte our companye so muche in earthe that he sayde my delyghte is to be with the children of men hathe he now so forgotten his olde loue as not to admitt vs to his companye in heauen He came hether to buy vs an inheritance and he went from hence to prepare it for vs and when we are to enter into posession wil he exclude vs Who can imagin of him that is contented here to be him selfe our food to abase his maiesty to enter into our soule dwelling in this cottage of clay vnpleasant dungeoÌ„ that he I saye will not be content in our cheefest neede to be our frende to aduaunce our departinge soule to the comforte of his presence Can he that hath bene our guyde and our gardian all the waye forsake and shake vs of in in the ende of our iourney No no the eyes of our Lorde are vppon those that feare him that he maye deliuer they re soules from deathe Lett vs remember his loue in adopting his trueth in promising and his power in performing and our feare of death wil be soone altered into desire of the same He came to open heauen gates and what meaned he but that we sholde enter in He came into earth to inuite vs vnto him and why departed he from earth but to haue vs folowe him Finallye he abandoneth none but abandoned by them he is easily found where he hath bene carefullye sought and is moste readye to crowne the victorious conquerour All whiche considdered we maye well saye with S. Ambrose that death to the good is a quiet hauen and to the bad may be counted a shipwracke Cap. 10. NEyther let the vyolence of death or multitude of torments affrighâ— vs we haue but one lyfe and but one can we leese Golias was as much hurte by Dauids litle stone as Sampsone by the wayght of a whole house And Hely had as much harme by fallinge backewarde in his chayre as Iesabell by beinge throwne downe from a hye windowe And all they that stoned Steeuen to death tooke no more from him then an ordinarye sicknesse did from Lazarus and doth dayelye from vs all One death is no more death then an other and as wel the easyest as the hardest taketh our lyfe from vs. Whiche poynt a gloryous Martyr of our dayes executed for the Catholike Faythe in Wales hauing well vnderstood when the senteÌ„ce of his condeÌ„nation was red that he shold be drawen vpon a hurdle to the place of execution then hanged till he were halfe dead afterwarde vnboweled his head cut of his body quartered his quarters boyled and seâ—t vpp in such and such places he turned vnto the people with a smiling countenaÌ„ce sayd And all this is but one death But yet if the foregoing torments dauÌ„t our constancie Lett vs consider what we are what we auoyde what we looke for and whome we serue We are Christians and ought to be of more valoure then heathens we auoyde by shorte punishmentes eternall and more greeuous afflictioÌ„s with small conflicts we purchase vnspeakable glorye we suffer for a God that hath suffered more for vs. Lett vs but consider what men haue suffered for false gods for the deuyll and for vayne glorye and we shall thincke our tormentes the more tolerable Tertullian writeth of a Curtizan called Leoena that hauing tiered the tormentours in the ende spitt her tongue in the Tirantes face that she might also spitt out her voyce and be vnable to bewraye her complices though violence should chaunce to make her willinge It was the fashion emongst the Lacedemonians for choyse younge gentlemen to offer themselues to be whipped before the aultars of theire false gods their owne parentes exhortinge them to constancye and thinkinge so much honoure gayned to their houses as they shedd blood Yea and accountinge it greater glorye that their lyfe should yelde and departe from theire bodye rather then theire bodye yelde or departe from the lashes The history of Mutius Scaeâ—ola is knowen whose constancye Seneca commending sayth Hostium flammarumque contemptor manuÌ„ suam in hostili foculo distillantem spectauit donec iussum est vt inuito ignis eriperetur Hoc tanto maius puto quanto rarius est hostem amissamanu vicisse quam armata A contemner both of flames and foes behelde his owne hande melting in his enemies fyer vntil commaundement was geuen that agaynst his will the fyre sholde be taken from him Whiche
full make and free from the impotencye of other broode as Epiphanius writeth And thus martirdome doth with our soule bringing it forth with such perfection that it is strayght enhabled to haue the perfect syght and loue of God wherin consisteth our blisse and happynesse without any delaye of further grouth or sufficiency In the baptisme of water saith S. Thomas the Passion of Christe worketh by a certayne figuratiue representation in the baptisme of spirite by a desyre and affection in the baptisme of bloode by perfecte imitation Lykewyse the power of the holy ghost worketh in the first by secret vertue in the seconde by commotion of the mynde in the thirde by feruour of perfect loue So muche therefore as immitation in deede is better then representation in the figure and desyre in the thoughte So muche doth the baptisme of blood surpasse those of water and spirite Baptisme is the cloude by which Moyses guided Gods people and shrouded them in the deserte but martirdome is the ryuer Iordan thorough which Iosue leadeth them into the lande of promise Baptisme appareleth Mordocheus in Kinges attyre yet leaueth him a subiecte But martyrdome with the robes inuesteth him also with royall dignytye No Naaman is so foule a leaper that this water of Iordan cannot cure No man so blynde but that the washing in this poole of Siloe can restore to sight No disease so vncurable but this ponde vppon Probatica can perfectlye heale It accomplysheth the laboures of the vertuous godlye satisfieth for the sinnes of the sinfull and wicked is to those a rewarde and to these a remedy Vidimus sayth S. Cyprian ad hunc nominis tituluÌ„ fide nobiles venisse plerosque vt deuotio nis obsequiuÌ„ mors honestaret Sed alios frequentur aspeximus interritos stetisse vt admissa peccata redimentes cruore suo loti haberentur in sanguine reuiuiscerent interempti qui viuentes putabaÌ„tur occisi Mors quippe integriorem facit vitam mors amissam inuenit gloriam We haue seene manye of noble faythe to haue aspired to this title of Martirdome that their deathe might honoure their seruiceable deuotion We haue seene others to haue stoode without feare that redeeminge their offences with their bloode they might be knowen to haue bene washed in the same and might be reuiued by killing that alyue were accouÌ„ted dead For this deathe maketh lyfe more perfect and recouereth the grace that was loste And if S. Chrisostome extollinge baptisme sayeth that it not onlye maketh vs free but also holye not onlye holye but iuste not onlye iuste but children nor only children but heyres not onlye heyres but heyres of the same inherytaunce with Christe Not onlye heyres with Christe but members of Christe Not only members but temples not onlye temples but also instrumentes of the holye Ghost Then may I farther enlarge my selfe in the prayse of Martirdome and saye that martirdome geueth a freedome voyde of all seruitude a holines and iustice without any faulte or feare of losse It so maketh vs children that we cannot become enemyes It makeâ—h vs heyres not only in right but in full possession It maketh vs heyres with Christ not onlye of hys grace but also of his glorye It maketh vs meÌ„bers that can not be cut of temples that cannot be defyled suche instrumentes of the holy Ghost as cannot be abused Finally it geueth vs the crowne wherof baptisme is the pledge In all which poyntes it is superior vnto it To praye for the baptised is a benefitt Quia nescit homo finem suum no man knoweth what his ende shall be but to praye for a martyr S. Augustine termeth it an iniurye seeing we ought rather to commende vs to his prayers Iniuria est orare pro martyre cuius debemus orationibus commendari It is an iniurye to praye for a martyr to whose prayers we must be commended For these causes dothe the Churche call the dyinge dayes of martyrs their byrth dayes For though we be borne agayne by baptisme yet are we not come to a ful birth and perfecte healing For as S. Augustine sayeth Filij dei quamdin mortaliter viuunt cum morte confligunt quamuis veraciter de illis dictum sit quotquot spiritu dei aguntur hi sunt filij dei The children of God so longe as they lyue a mortall lyfe they struggle with death and though of theÌ„ it be truelye sayde that so manye as are ledd by the spiryte of God they are Gods children Yet so longe as the bodye opresseth the soule Often times tan quam filij hominuÌ„ quibusdam motibus humanis deficiunt ad se ipsos et ideo pereunt Lyke children of men with carnall motions they fall into their oune fraylty so perishe Likewyse vpon these wordes of S. Ihon in iudiciuÌ„ non venit sed transit a morte ad vitaÌ„ Ecce inquit in hac vita non duÌ„ est vita transitur a morte ad vitam vt in indiciuÌ„ non veniatur He came not into iudgmeÌ„t but passed from death to lyfe Lo sayth he in this lyfe there is yet no lyfe we passe from death to lyfe to auoyde the coÌ„minge vnto iudgment We therfore sayth Origen Doe not celebrate the day of the Sayntes natiuitye which is an entrance of all griefes and molestations but the day of their death which is a rid daÌ„ce of their sorowes a farwell to the deuiles assaltes We celebrate the daye of theire death because thoughe they seeme to dye yet in deed they dye not When you here therefore named sayth an other Father the birth daye of the Sainctes vnderstand not that which breedeth them of fleshe into the earth but which bringeth theÌ„ from the earth into heauen from laboure to reste froÌ„ teÌ„tations to quiet from tormentes to delightes from worldlye laughters to a crowne of glorye For as S. Ciprian noteh scimus eos non amitti sed praemitti recedentes praecedere We know they are not loste but sente to leade vs the way and gone from vs to make way before vs. Natales vocamus dies sayeth Eusebius Emissenus quando cos martyrij vita gloriae fides dum ingerit morti genuit eternitati perpetua gaudia breui dolore parturiit We call their natall dayes wheÌ„ the life of martyrdome and the glorye of their Fayth while it putteth theÌ„ to a temporall death begetteth them to eternall lyfe and with a shorte payne bringeth them forth to perpetuall pleasure Worthely are they called birth dayes by the whiche they that were borne into this myserye of mans frayltye sodaynly are borne agayne to glory taking of theire end death a beginning of an endles lyfe For if we call those birth dayes in which in sinn sorow we are borne to sorowe in this worlde more iustly may these be called birth dayes wherin froÌ„ corruptible lyght they come into
Qui maledixerit Deo portabit peccatum suum qui autem assumpserit nomen Dei morte morietur He that blasphemeth God shall carye his sinne but he that taketh his name in vayne shall dye the death In respecte of blaspheminge God or reuiling him it is but litle to take his name in vayne and yet is this punished in this lyfe with present death the other not for why as Origines vnderstandeth it the other is so great as it deserueth a more greuous reuenge therfore shall the offendor carye it with him into hell So befell it in the rich glotton whose offences not beinge purged with anye tribulation were reserued to the flames of hell wherin he was buried wheras Lazarus in life full of miseries went without any stopp into the bosome of Abraham The like ende did the Machabees foretell Antiochus of wheÌ„ he put them to death Nos propter nosmetipsos haec patimur peccantes in deum nostrum tu autem ne impune existimes futurum quod contra Deum tentaueris pugnare tibi enim resurrectio ad vitam non erit We for our owne faultes suffer this offending our God but thincke not thou that it shall passe vnreuenged that thou hast presumed to fighte agaynst God for to thee shal be no resurrection vnto lyfe And this maner and fatherlye kinde of proceedinge vsed Paule with that sinfull Corinthian of whom he sayde Quem tradidi Satanae in interitum carnis vt spiritus saluus fiat Whom I haue geuen ouer to Satan for the destruction of his flesh that his soule maye be saued And in truthe it is a most rufull scourge of God and a token of a reprobate soule to be suffered to enioye continuallye all sortes of delighte and to haue no crosse to trauerse our comfortes This scourge did God threaten vpoÌ„ the people of Hierusâ—lem when reckoning the enormities by them coÌ„mitted he surioyneth presentlye Propter quod non visitabo super filias vestras cum maechantur For which I will not chastice your daughters for theire fornications As who would say this shal-be parte of your punishment for this S. Basill expoundinge those wordes of Esaie I will leaue my vineyarde desolate it shall neyther be pruned nor digged vnderstandeth them of the soule that sinneth with-out scourge which therby waxeth wylde fruitlesse full of weeds A more plaine saying for this purpose we haue in the secoÌ„d of the Machabees wher the holy ghost in these wordes warneth vs of it Obsecro autem eos qui hunc libruÌ„ lecturi sunt ne abhorrescant propter aduersos casus sed reputent ea quae acciderunt non ad interitum sed ad correctioneÌ„ esse generis nostri Etenim multo tempore non sinere peccatoribus ex sententia viuere sed statim vltiones adhibere magni beneficy est indicium I beseeche theÌ„ that shall reade this booke that they be not terified by these aduersities but rather deme those thinges which haue happened to be rather to the amendmeÌ„t then destruction of our nation for it is a token of a greate benefite not to suffer sinners to haue longe time their designementes but strayte to sende them reuenges for God dealeth not with vs as with other nations whose sinnes he leaueth to the laste daye to be punished together but though he neuer remoue his mercy froÌ„ vs he chastisinge neuer forsaketh vs in our troubles Well therfore sayeth S. Augustine Vnde plangis quod pateris medicina est non paena castigatio non damnatio Noli repellire flagellum si non vis repelli ab haereditate noli attendere quam paenam habeas in flagello sed quem locum in testamento Why weepest thou that which thou sufferest is a medicine not a punishment it is a correction not a condemnation Reiecte not the whippe if thou wilt not be reiected from the inheritance regard not what payne thou sufferest in the scourge but what place thou hast in thy fathers will The calues or oxen as S. Grgorye noteth that are designed to the slaughterhouse are suffered to ruÌ„ne and range at theire will in pleasant pastures but those that are appoynted to lyue are put in the plough yoked tyered and whipped Of this S. Augustine vseth these words Quot sunt qui lasciuijs vt boues et vaccae ad iugulum tendunt canentes et saltantes parant iter ad infernum How manye be there that runn dalyinge like oxen to the stall and prepare their waye to hell with singing dauÌ„sing Dimisit eos sayeth Dauid secunduÌ„ desideria cordis eorum ibunt ad inuentionibus suis. He hath giuen them ouer to their owne harts desires they shall goe on theire owne deuises But howsoeuer they prosper here in all theire attempts and worldelye wayes portant peccatum suum they cary theire sinne with them and in them is that sayinge of Iob verified Ducunt in bonis dies suos in puncto ad inferna descendunt They passe theyr dayes in iollitye and in a momeÌ„t they tumble into hell In this lyfe true it is they are not partakers of the toyles of other men and they shall not be scourged with them and therfore were they puffed vp with pryde ouerwhelmed in theire owne sinne and impietye But sure it is Comedent fructus viae suae they shall feede on the fruites of theire owne waye in the world to come Which fruites are thus described in Deutronomie vua eorum vua fellis botri amarissimi Fel Draconum vinum eorum venenum aspidum insanabile Theire grape is full of gall and theire clusters extreeme bitter the gall of dragons is theire wine and the vncureable poyson of Cocatrices The theeues sayeth S. Chrisostome till they come before the Iudge lyue in delightes and of other mens spoyle and calamitye enioye aboundance plentye of all pleasure So the wordlings till theire time of accompte come but then shall they be throwne into fluddes of fire And as S. Augustine warneth Veniet iudicium vt arescant peccatores virescant fideles Ther shall come a IudgemeÌ„t that shall make the wicked wyther and the faythfull florishe Better therfore it is to be chastised here with Gods children then spared and pampered with the vassals of Satan better to be dashed with the frutefull plantes theÌ„ without touching to florishe with barren trees and in the ende be quite cutt downe to make fuell for hel fire For aecording to the saying of S. Augustine Boni laborant qui flagellantur vt filij mali exultant quia damnantur vt alieni The good toyle because they are scourged as children the bad triumphe because they are condemned as aliantes And as S. Gregorye obserueth Peccantes quosque tuÌ„ putemus amplius miseros cum eos conspicimus in culpa sua sine flagello derelictos Lett vs then accompte sinners most miserable when we see them lefte in
repayre vnto her So God sayeth S. Chrisostome suffereth vs of the worlde fleshe and deuill to be molested that we maye only acknowledge him and come vnto him as onr chiefe succour and refuge The Deuill kisseth where he meaneth to kyll he giueth vs a draught of poyson in a golden cup and in a sumptuous and statelye shipp wafteth his passengers vpon the rockes of eternal ruine DuÌ„ per voluptates sayth Eusebius Emisssenus extrinsecus blanditur intrinsecus insidiatur interficit spirituÌ„ duÌ„ oblectat affectuÌ„ While with pleasures without he delighteth vs inwardlye he deceyueth vs and killeth our soule while he flattereth our fancye For when he moueth vs to labour our wittes and settle our affection in these inferiour things what doth he perswade vs but with a golden hooke to fishe in a filthye puddle sincke where nothing can be gotten but venemous and vnsauorye vermin With Sirens sweete notes he woeth vs into the salte sea of perdition with Crocodyles teares he endeuoreth to intrapp vs and when he sheweth a mans face and glorious lockes adorned wrth a crowne of golde as the Locustes of the Apocalips did then meaneth he euen like the same to byte vs with his Lions teeth stynge vs with his Scorpions tayle For whye all his fauoures and friendlye countenances are but Oscula inimici kisses of an enemye Virus amaritudinis obscurat fraude dulcedinis prouocat prius odor poculi sed praefocat infusus sapor in virus mel est quod ascendit in labia venenum et fel quod descendit in viscera He shrowdeth his bitter poyson vnder a deceiptfull sweetenesse the pleasant sauour of the cupp inuiteth but the sweete taste of the poyson choketh it is honye that commeth vpp to our lippes but gall and poyson that goeth downe into our bowels And howsoeuer with a smoth flyghte and an euen winge the deuill houereth in the ayre as though he weare an Egle that delighted to view the Sonne and looke towardes heauen yet beareth he a raueninge minde in truth is but a greedy kyte that hath his eyes alwayes fixed on the Earth and maketh only such a fayre shewe in the ayre the better to watch a fitt tyme when he maye best seyze vppon his praye For this Saint Basill compareth him to a theefe that when he can not by open violence catch his bootye seeketh by shrowding him selfe in the valeys bushes darknes of the night to take the poore traualour vnprouided and so to spoyle him For so the deuill when he seeth that by open pursute he can not ouerthrowe vs he couertlye cowcheth him selfe in the shadowes bryers of worldlye vanityes and delightsome allurementes therby to intrapp vs ere we preuente his traynes But God taketh a contrarye course For as the husband man doth lopp the vyne leaste all the force be vnprofitable spente in leaues and the roote beinge therbye weackened the frute be neyther so much nor so pleasante as otherwyse it would So God like a carefull keeper of our soule least our whole mynde shoulde be imployed in vayne and superfluous pleasures he cutteth them from vs that our wittes which would in them with our profitt haue byn diffused beinge kepte in compasse by troubles may be fitter to worke and bring forth frutes of eternall saluation Where God purposeth to heale he spareth not to launce he ministreth bitter sirroppes to purge corrupte humors and sendeth embassies of death and reuenge where he meaneth to afforde eternall lyfe and felicity Good Raguell prepared a graue for young Tobias and yet desired harte lye his long lyfe Ioseph accused his brothers as spyes when he mente theÌ„ left harme and restreyned litle Beniamin as guilty of thefte whom he knewe fulwel to be a guiltlesse iÌ„nocent But these accusacions were but like water in a smithes forge to kindle not to quenche a rough entrance to a most kynd vsage and an outwarde shewe of suspicion to vtter the more his intire affection EueÌ„ so dealeth god with his children We haue passed through fire water sayth Dauid but it foloweth and he hath led vs out into comforte Manye goe de carcere catenis out of prison cheines but their iorneys ende is ad regnuÌ„ to a kingdome Many be in a few thinges vexed but they shall be well considered for it in many Manye are tryed lyke golde in the fornace but at their time shall regarde be had vnto them If it be a greeuous infirmitye at the lest it maketh the soule sober And if god beginne with affâ—ixi te I haue afflicted thee he will doubtlesse ende with Non affligam te vltra I will afflicte thee no more And finallye Sicut socij passionum sumus sic erimus consolationis si commortui sumus conuiuemus sisustinemus conregnabimus As we are fellowes of his passions fo shall we be of his comforte and if with him we dye with him shall we liue and if we suffer his Crosse we shall be partners of his Crowne God woundeth but his wouâ—des be vulnera amici woundes of a frinde He sent Ionas to Niniue to threaten theÌ„ an ouerthrow but his intente was to bring them to repentance that he mighte continue towardes them his fauour He sent to Ezechias to tell him of his laste day but his meaninge was to make him sorye for his offence that he mighte adiorne his lyfe He suffered Daniel to be throwen into the denne of Lions but it was to aduaunce him to greater credit He that had seene Ioseph vndeseruedlye in prison Iudith in her enemies campe Mardocheus in sackcloth with his gibbet before his eyes and innocent SusaÌ„na going to be stoned would haue lamented their case and feared their farther misfortune But had he knowen that Iosephes prison shold end in a Prince dome Iudiths hazard with a most happye victorye Mardocheus perill with royall preferment and Susannas stoning with glorye and triumphe he would rather haue thought theÌ„ mâ—ch beholdinge to god for the ensuinge felicity theÌ„ greatly to be pitied for their preseÌ„t distresse The figtree hath bitter rugged leaues it beareth no flowers and yet bringeth forth moste daintye and sweete fruite The Deuill because in dede he hath no fruite is fayne to feed his followers with leaues that soone wither and flowers that soone fade and all that he giueth is blowen awaye with a blast But god because he loueth vs sincerelye and not in shewe onlye but in veritye he giueth vs the fruite without flower or leafe that is his giftes and graces without externall and vayne solaces yea and sometimes he besetteth his fruites not onlye with rugged and bitter leaues but also with sharpe and pricking thornes that the hardnesse to attayne them maye make them the more prysed and the remeÌ„brance of former aduersitie maye make the comfortes followinge more delightsome The benefitt of a calme weather is
reuiueth that sores salue that bloode washeth that sorow solaceth that an Eclipse lighteth that the fast nayled guydeth the thirsty giueth drincke the wearye refresheth the diseased cureth the dead bringeth forth Which albeit they be principally the proper effectes of Christes onlye Passion yet are they through the merites therof now experienced to followe also the martirdomes of Christes seruauntes to whom all crosses are coÌ„fortable and their bodilye death cause of many a soules spirituall lyfe So that now we may trulye interprete Sampsons ridle De comedente exiuit cibus de forti egressa est dulcedo Out of the deuourer there came meate out of the stronge issued sweetnesse For since that our sinnes lyke fierce Sampsons most cruellye murdered that Lion of the tribe of Iuda if our repentant thoughts like bees sucke at the flowers of his Passion they maye worke a delicious combe of honye and not onlye we our selues taste the sweetnesse therof but by our example moue others to feede willingly of the same shewinge them by our experience that the eysell and gall of our tribulations in this Lions mouth hath bene altered from the wonted bitternesse to sweetnesse the lionishe rage of persecutors accustomed to deuour so manye soules doth now rather minister to gods seruauntes a most pleasant viand yea those rigorous iudgmentes of god which haue heretofore bene so terrible vnto vs are now become Desiderabilia super aurum lapidem pretiosum â—ultum dulciora super melet fauum More to be desired then golde pretious stone more sweete then honye and the honicombe Bitter were the waters of tribulatioÌ„ so vntoothsome to mans taste that few could endure the annoyance therof and our queysie stomackes were rather contented to wante health then to procure it by such vnsauery lothsome phisicke And for this did our heauenlye Phisician strayne this bitter medicine through the nectared cloth of his sacrede humanitye and lefte therin such a taste of sweetnesse that it hath bene since egrelye thirsted which was before so warilye eschewed We need not now to crye Mors in olla Death is in the pott because the Prophet hath seasoned it not with a litle flower or meale but with his owne bloode We neede not murmur at the waters of Mara that is of ghostlye discomforte as vnable to be droncke or feare to sincke in the teÌ„pesteous poole of bodilye vexation for our Moyses hath sweetned the one with the sacred woode of his Crosse since our Elizeus cast into the other the wood of lyfe that is his blessed bodye our Iron began to swimme where before it had soncke the desolate that sayd Infixus sum in limo profundi non est substantia I am sett fast in the depth of the mudd and can fynd on stedye footing maye beginne to singe Eduxit me de lacu miseriae de luto faecis et super aquam refectionis educauit me He hath ledd me out of the lake of miserye the myre of filth and hath brought me vppon the waters of refection Let vs not therfore be afrayde to saye now to Christe Domine iube me venire ad te super aguas O Lorde commaunde me to come vnto thee vppon the waters For be the surges neuer so boystrous the waters neuer so deepe the stormye windes neuer so outragious if we runne vpon them towardes Christ they will eyther yelde drye passage by diuidynge them selues as the redd sea did to the Israelites or they will vpholde vs from perishinge as the waues did S. Peter Fidelis enim deus qui non patietur vos tentari supra id quod potestis For faythfull is god who will not suffer you to be tempted more theÌ„ you are able to beare And surelye now is the time that we are called by Christ through fyer and water and now with open voyce doth he renue his olde proclamation Whosoeuer loueth father mother wyfe children house or liuinges more then me is not worthye of me and he that taketh not vpp his crosse and that euery daye can not be my disciple We must not now seeke Christ as our Ladye did inter cognatos notos amongest her kinsefolke and acquaintance nor as the spouse did that sayed In lcctulo meo per noctes quaesiui quem diligit anima mea In my bed haue I in the nights sought whom my hart best loued Nor as the Israelites did of whome O see speaketh In gregibus suis et in armeÌ„tis vadent ad quaerendum dominuÌ„ In their flockes and herdes shall they goe to seeke our Lorde For as S. Anselme well noteth Non cubat in delitijs splendidi cubilis nec inuenitur in terrasuauiter viuentium He lyeth not in the delicacye of a gorgeous bedd neyther is he found in the lande of daynty liuers Moyses did see him in the deserte amid dest the fyer and thornes in the mount amongest lighteninges thunderinges and mistes Daniel sawe him in a fierye throne amongest fierye wheles with a swifte fierye sludd runninge before him And shall we thincke to be more priuileged then our aunciente fathers Thincke we to fynde in doune deyntinesse him that to them appeared so terrible and fearfull Doe we thincke that his rigor and iustice signified by these terrible semblances is so relented that he shoulde shew him selfe vnto vs only in amiable louelye countenances Surelye we are greatlye deceyued if we feede our selues with this vayne persuasion For albeit the new testament be fuller of grace yet is it no lesse full of agonyes Though Christes seruice be sweete and lighte yet is it a yoake and a burden and though our champions be of more courage and our foes more enfeebled since our redemption yet doth the Kingdome of heauen still suffer violence and the violent beare it awaye and none shall be crowned but they that haue lawfullye foughte for it If Christe was seene transfigured in Mounte Thabor in glorious maner he was also at the same time heard talkinge de excessu of his bitter passion And euen he that allured with glorye cryed bonum est nos hic esse It is good for vs to be here affrighted with the voyce Cecidit in faciem suam timuit valde fell vppon his face and was in a greate feare If he were in pompe and triumphe at his entrance into Hierusalem his pompe was of smale pleasure and his triumph not without teares and as fast as the children on the one side did sett forth his prayses so fast did the Pharises on the other side repyne and murmur agaynste him There is no reason that Christe shoulde shew him selfe more fauorable to vs that haue bene his enemyes then to his owne bodye neyther can we iustlye complayne if ere we find him he giue vs a sipp of that bitter chalice of which for our sakes he was contente
we haue not followed On the left hand the wicked whose course we haue pursued Before vs we haue our death readye to deâ—oure vs Behynde vs our wicked lyfe readye to accuse vs Aboue vs gods iustice readye to condemne vs Vnder vs hell fire readye to swallowe vs into end lesse and euerlasting tormentes And therfore S. Damascen most fitlye compareth vs to a man that pursued by an enraged Vnicorne whyle he was swiftlye fleeinge from it fell into a well and in the fallinge gott holde by a little tree and setled his feete on a weake staye thus thought him selfe verye secure But looking a litle better about him he espyed two myse one whyte and an other blacke that continually laye gnawing a sunder the roote of the tree which he helde bye vnderneth him a terrible Dragon with open iawes ready to deuoure him at the staye of his feete he found fower adders that issued out of the wall and after all this lifting vp his eye he espyed vpon one of the bowes of the tree a litle honye He therfore vnmyndfull of all his daungers not remembringe that aboue the Vnicorne wayted to spoyle him that beneath the fierye Dragon watched to swallowe him that the tree was quicklye to be gnawen asunder that the stay of his feete was slipperye and not to truste vnto Not remembring I saye all these perils he onlye thought how he might come by that litle honye The Vnicorne is death the pitt the worlde the tree the measure and tyme of our lyfe and whyte and blacke myse the day and night the stoppe borne vp by fower adders our bodye framed of fower brittle and contrarye elementes the Dragon the Deuill the honye worldly pleasure Who therfore woulde not thincke it a madnesse in so manye dauÌ„gers rather to be eagre of vayne delight then fearefull and sadd with consideratioÌ„ of so manifold perils O blindnesse of worldlinges that loue vanitye and seeke lyes that reioyce when they haue done euill triumphe in the baddest things that haue no feare of god before them A nation without counsell or prudence O that they woulde be wyse vnderstand and prouide for their last thinges lest it fare with them as Iob sayeth They holde the drumme and citherne and reioyce at the sounde of the organe they passe their dayes in pleasure and in a moment they descende into hell Farr otherwyse ought we to doe that fore see these inconueniences and rather with sorowfull hartes crye Hei mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est Woe vnto me that my inhabitance is proloÌ„ged For vpon the fluddes of Babilon what cause haue we but layinge a syde our myrth and musicke to sitt weepe remembringe our absence out of our heauenlye Sion In the vassalage and seruilitye of Egipt where we are so daylye oppressed with vncessante afflictions filthy workes Luti et lateris of claye and bricke that is of fleshe and blood what can we doe but with the Israelites ingemiscentes propter opera vociferari lamentinge our vntollerable drudgery cry out vnto God Who consideringe him selfe a wandering straunger in this farr and foreyne countrey and a drudge in the mierye farme of this worlde inforced to feede the swyne of his earthlye appetites senses and dryuen to so extreame exigents as not to be suffered implore ventrem de siliquis quas porci manducabant To fill his bellye of the huskes that the swyne did eate Who I saye considering this would not with the prodigall soÌ„ne bitterlye morne remembringe the aboundance and plentye of his fathers house wherof he is depryued and the moste wretched plyghte into whiche through sinne he is falne We are here in a deserte pathlesse and waterlesse soyle in an obscure land couered with the fogge and shadowe of death We are here in a place of exile in an hospitall of lazars in a chanell of ordure in a dungeon of miserie in a sepulcher of dead carcases finallye in a vale of teares And who could in such a place liue without sorowe and who woulde not saye with the wyse man Risum reputaui errorem gaudio dixi quid frustra deciperis I accounted laughture errour and to ioye I sayde why arte thou in vayne deceyued For laughing shal be mingled with sorowe the endinge of our mirth shal be preuented with morninge Happye is he that sitteth solitarye in the peruse of these miseries lifteth vp himselfe aboue him selfe happye is he that carieth the yoke from his verye youth blessed are they that morne and vnderstande how much better it is to go to the house of lamentatioÌ„ then of a bancker What comforte can a man reape in a place that is gouerned by the prince of darcknesse peopled with gods and our enemyes where vice is aduaunced vertue scorned the badd rewarded the good oppressed What quiet or contentment of mynde can be enioyed where the paynes be infinite common vntollerable the pleasures few rare and damnable where frindshipp breedeth daunger to the soule enmitye vexation to the bodye where wante is miserable plentye full of perill a man on euerye syde assaulted with vnplacable aduersaries My flesh sayeth S. Bernard is of earth therfore ministreth earthlye and voluptuous the worlde vayne and curious the deuil euill and malitious thoughtes These three enemyes assayle and persecute me somtymes openlye somtimes couertlye but alwayes malitiouslye The deuill trusteth much vpon the helpe of the fleshe because a housholde enemye is apter to hurte The fleshe also hath entered league with him and conspired to my subuersion beinge borne and nourished in sinne defiled from her beginnynge but much more corrupted by euill custome Hereuppon it is that so egrelye she coueteth agaynst the spirite that so daylye she murmureth impatiente of disciplyne that she suggesteth wickednesse disobeyeth reason is not rastrayned with feare The crooked serpente enemye of mankynde to her ioyneth his force her he helpeth her he vseth and he hath no other desyre no other businesse no other studye but to cast awaye our soules This is he that alwayes endeuoreth mischiefe that speaketh subâ—ellye prompteth cunninglye and deceyueth guylfullye He insinuateth euill motions he inflameth venemous cogitations he stirreth broyles he fostereth hatredes he moueth to glotonye he procureth lust he incenseth the desires of the fleshe He prepareth occasions of sinne and ceaseth not with a thousand hurtfull traynes to assaye mens hartes He beateth vs with our owne staâ—fe he byndeth vs with our owne gyrdle labowring that our flesh which was giuen vs as a helpe mighte be rather cause of our fall and ruine A greeuous combate and great daunger it is to wrastle agaynst our domesticall foe especiallye we being strauÌ„gers and she a cityzen For she dwelleth here in her owne countrey wheras we are but pilgrimes and exiled persons Greate is also the hazarde in susteyninge the often and continuall incouÌ„ters agaynst the deuils deceiptfull
it and with pitifull mone and lamentation lyfted vpp her voyce to heauen feedinge her pensiue and timorous thoughtes with the dolfull remembraunce and continuall feare of her childes departure We see what cold and trembling agonyes surpryse the poore wretch that pleadeth at the barr whyle the Iurye deliberateth vpon his finall sentence We see how doubtfully the sicke patient hangeth in suspence betweene hope and feare whyle the phisicians are in consultatiō whether his disease be mortall Finallye if a younge spouse tenderlye affected and deeplye enamoured vpon her new husbande see him assaulted by fierce and cruell enemyes or inforced to wage in a whote daungerous battayle what a multitude of frightfull passiōs oppresse her how variablye is she tossed vp and downe with crosse and fearfull surmises Of euery gunne that is discharged she feareth that the pellett hath hitt his bodye ere the noyse came to her eares at euerye worde that is reported of anye that are slayne feare maketh her doubt that her best-beloued is one Euerye rumour costeth her a teare euerye suspicion a pange and till she see the battayle ended and her husbande safely returned she hangeth betweene life death drawing euery thing to sorowful constructions vtterly refusing all kynde of comforte O how harde and tough harted are we towarde our owne soules that seeinge them in all the rehersed daungers feele not in our selues any motiō of the like affections The sword of gods iustice hangeth ouer our soules ready for our sins to diuyde vs from eternall blysse and vncertayne it is whether he will geue not onlye a parte but the whole to the foule fiend that hath so often through our iniquityes stolne vs from our mothers syde into his enuious handes and shall not we be moued with pitye and griefe We are from paradyse exiled with Agar into this barren deserte and can not certaynelye assure our selues that we haue so much as one dropp of grace to slake and mitigate the thirsting passions which without it vndoubtedlye worke the death of our soules and our finall damnation And can we seeinge not our childe but the chiefe portion of our selues in such a taking with drye eyes and vnnaturall hartes beholde it without sorowe Are not we to stande at the barre in the daye of Iudgment where the deuils our consciences and all creatures shall giue most strayte information agaynst vs The twelue Apostles as our quest Christ as our Iudge whome we haue daylye offended shall passe their verdicte in moste rigorous sorte vppon vs and that about our eternall death and saluation And can we vntil we here what wil become of vs doe otherwyse but lyue in continuall feare and perplexitye Is not our soule in this bodye as a Lazar in death-bed vncertayne of life so long as it couched therin yea in apparent daunger of an endlesse death and shall not we till we heare the iudgment of our heauenlye phisician who can quicklye search and onlye can enter into our diseases trēble quake feare a hard resolutiō Finallye is not our most beutiful noble portiō of which the body hath al the seemlinesse without which it strayte becommeth vglye and monstrous Is it not I saye in the thronge and presse of most powrable subtile and barbarous enemyes hauing continuall warre not onlye agaynst fleshe bloode but also agaynst the princes and powers agaynst the rulers of the worlde of this darcknesse Is it not also set the in reach of many occasiōs allurementes and prouocations vnto sinne And can we seeinge this doe any thing but morne and liue in continuall anguish and pensiuenesse vntill we see the battayle ended and our soule safely deliuered out of daunger O senselesse and benummed hartes of ours that at the consideration of so heauye and lamentable poyntes can not fynde scope and fielde of sorowe Lett vs at the lest be sorye for our want of sorowe and bewayle our scarcitye of teares lest we fall into a carelesse securitye and by not sorowing as we should leaue considering for how great causes we ought For as S. Gregorye noteth Saepe quod torpentes latuit fletibus innotescit afflicta mens certius inuenit malum quod fecerat et reatum suum cuius secura non meminit hunc in se cōmota depraehendit Oftentimes that which we knowe not through our sloth we learne by teares and an afflicted mind more certainly findeth a cōmitted fault the guilt which in securitie it remēbred not being troubled it espyeth And seeing that on euerye syde we haue such vrgent occasiōs to morne and passe the dayes of this our paynfull pilgrimage in griefe and heauinesse we must rather content our selues in tribulation then in repose seeinge by the first we are but inuited to weeping and sorowe which is the thinge that we should professe and by the last to comfort and solace which with reason the eminent daungers and straytes that we stand in will not comporte Which both of Christ and his saintes hath ben so well vnderstood that Christ though it had bene as easye for him to haue bene borne an Emperour haue had all the pleasures that heauen and earth could yelde yet would he not in the vale of teares geue so preposterous an example of myrth But as one that knew whether he came he entered into the worlde weepinge and in tyme of his aboade with vs lyued lyke an outwayle and morner in his death tooke his leaue with teares tormēts What his Saintes haue done lett all antiquitye testifie how like men that had no feelinge of worldlye comfort they roued in deserts lodged in desolate holtes and caues were cloathed with heare and sackcloth fedd very litle and groslye chastised their bodyes often and seuerelye endeuouringe to keepe them selues alwayes in remembraunce that they were mourners And therfore choosinge place habyte dyet exercyse fittest for that dolfull professiō The Sayntes knew that heauen onlye was Terra viuentium a lande of the liuinge and that in this worlde we sitt In tenebris et in vmbra mortis in darkenesse and the shadowe of death and therfore they wyselye iudged that musica in luctu importuna vnfittinge it is to haue myrthe and musicke in tyme of sorowe They sawe no doubt the tree of this lyfe loaden with some alluringe and delicious fruites but consideringe that it grew in such a place as the clyminge vnto it implyed manifest daunger of falling into the bottomlesse pitt of hell they lefte it as a praye for the raueninge foule of this world contenting them selues with the bitter frutes of aduersitye They knew that only in the arriuall to heauen In exultatione metent portantes manipulos suos They shall reape in ioye bearing their handfuls and therfore here all the waye Euntes ibant etflebant mittentes semina sua they went weepinge sowinge their seedes in sorowe They knew that who will keepe the feast in heauen must first keepe the
cheyned Paules speaches how muche were other hartened and comforted by the force of his fetters how manye did he bring to Christ whyle he was boūd for him gloriynge in them as so much the fayrer in that they were bred in his captiuity Now what prisoner for gods cause woulde not crye with Dauid funes ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris My bondes fell out to my greate glorye Whoe woulde not willinglye harken to those comfortable speaches that exhort vs to embrace the cheynes of wisdome that is of Christ the wisdome of his father Inijce pedem tuum in compedes illius in torques illius collum tuum subijce humerum tuū et porta illam ne acedieris vinculis eius erunt tibi compedes eius in protectionem fortitudinis bases virtutis et torques illus in stolam gloriae Decor n vitae est in illa vincula illius alligatura salutis Put thy feete into her fetters and thy necke in to her cheynes set vnder her thy shoulder and carye her and take no tediousnes in her gyues and her fetters wil be vnto thee a fortresse of strength and foundations of vertue her cheynes a stole of glorye For the beautye of lyfe is in her and her gyues are bandes of saluation Where beganne Ioseph to be made a decipherer of dreames a sercher of secrett interpretations but in prison Where did Hieremias prophesye most boldlye and truelye the ouerthrowe of his enemyes but in prison Where did Sampson recouer his strength and victoriouslye reuenge him self vppon the Philistines killinge more at his death then in his lyfe but Quando eductus de carcere ludebat coram cis when he was brought forth of prison to playe before them Manasses a most wicked Idolater and an impious King was neuer conuerted vntill he was captiue Ionas came not to full konwledge of his faulte but when he was imprisoned in the Whales bellye Iosephes brethren neuer entered into consideration of their offence in betrayinge him but when they were kept in restraynte So that we see the prison is a schoole of diuine and hidden misteries to Gods frendes a fountaine of reuenge agaynst his enemyes and a cell of repentance to carelesse offenders O how true a sayinge is that In funiculis Adam traham eos in vinculis charitatis In the bandes of Adam will I draw them vnto me and in the cheynes of charitye How truelye maye they be called cheynes of charitye and loue that haue not only force to appease the iustice and stirre vpp the mercye of God but euen haue power to suppresse and brydle the vnflexible enmitye that Nature hath engrafted Who could liue vntoucht among hungrye Lions but a Daniel and Gods prisoner Who could walke in the middest of the flame without burning but such as were bound and should haue bene burned in Gods quarell These S. Basill compareth to a stone called Amianton which is of that nature that in the fyer it becometh as bright as a fierye coale and taken out is cleerer then at the casting in and can not be anye waye stayned or defiled For their bodyes were not only as golde purged but more then golde not so much as dissolued came purer out then they were cast into the fornace These are they that are visited by Angels as S. Peter fedd by Prophetes as Daniel honored by heauenlye light and earthquakes as S. Paule and Sylas Of these it verefied that de carcere vinculis catenisque egrediuntur ad regnum From prison gyues and cheynes they come out to a kingdome as in Ioseph and Daniel appeareth the one being made Lorde of all Egipt and the other agayne made one of the three chiefe vnder Darius And both from the thrall of the dungeon aduanced to the throne of Prince lye dignitye In these haue all we afflicted Catholickes our chiefe confidence hoping that their cheynes will pleade for vs theire prisons protecte vs and their prayers obteyne vs some end of our miseryes We doubt not but Dominus de coelo in terram aspexit vt audiret gemitus compeditorum Our Lord hath loked from heauen into earth that he might heare the grones of the cheyned in prison We assure our selues that exaudiuit pauperes Dominus et vinctos suos non despexit Our Lorde hath heard the poore and hath not neglected the cheined for him And therfore doe we daylye crye Introeat in conspectu tuo gemitus compeditorum Lett the grones of thy prisoners enter into thy sighte Wherfore be not you dismayde but rather take comforte in your present estate If you be despised by the bad you are honored of the good if you be disgraced of men you maye righte well looke for your prayse from God S. Ihon Baptist was alwayes worthy of honour both in respect of his rough habitt his hard dyet his innocent lyfe his hye function and greate Prerogatiues Yett so longe as he was at libertye that the people rann admiring his lyfe and reuerencing his person we here no great mention made by Christ of him but when he was once become Ioannes in vinculis Ihon in cheines fallen into worldlye disgrace preferred to this Christian honour the Capteyne strayt sounded the souldiers renoume and God him selfe rehersed the catologue of his diuine prayses Which though they alwayes were so greate that they could neuer haue bene worthily enough by mans tongue rehersed yett were they neuer so worthy to be vttered by Christes owne mouthe as when they had their chiefe complement and perfection which was the honour of his cheynes Now let the captyues of the world flatter them selues with the vayne title of liberty Lett them triumphe in their cheynes of golde in theire iewels of perle and pretious stone in their gorgeous and statelye robes Lett them bost of theire freedome when euerye thridde and ornament about them is a manifest marke of theire captiuitye When I saye theire tongues are thrall to Potentates eares theire action and all theire behauiour framed to the likinge of greate personages eyes their sense bodyes and myndes seruyle to their owne sensualityes It is with them as S. Chrisostome noteth as with Kinges that are taken captiues by a barbarous Prince who for their greater ignominye and his owne glorye suffereth them to keepe on their princely robes and to were their crounes and in this attyre forceth them to most base seruyle offices For so these that on the one syde by their brauerye seeme of great might and at large libertye on the other if you consider their slauishe actions most base and filthye and theire daylye drudgerye in sinne you can not but deeme thē so much the more miserable in that seeming glorious they are inthralled in so heauye a bondage For as often tymes the lightening though it leaue the veluet and costlye scaberd whole yet it consumeth the more
are sure to be crowned Death of it selfe to the good is not so odious but that for infinite motiues we haue rather cause to wishe it then to eschewe it and rather to desire it then to feare it Sweete sayeth S. Chrisostome is the ende to the laborers willinglye doth the trauayler question about his Inne often casteth the hirelinge when his yeare will come out the husbandman alwayes looketh for the tyme of his haruest the marchant is stil busie about his billes to know the daye of payment and the woman great with childe is euer musing vppon the tyme of her deliuerye No lesse comfort it is to Gods seruauntes to thinke of theire decease seing that there is theire hart where they haue horded their treasure For as S. Bernard noteth where the coÌ„science is cleere absque formidine mors expectatur imo et exoptatur cum dulcedine et excipitur cum deuotione Death is looked for without feare yea desired with delight accepted with deuotion To vs it killeth our most daungerous and domestical enemy it breaketh the lockes vnloseth cheynes and openeth the dore to lett vs out of a lothsome prison It vnloadeth vs of a combersome burden which oppresseth our soule Who would not willingly be out of the sway of Fortune ridd of the infinite hazards and periles of daylye casualtyes Who would not be gladd to settle his soule in securitie out of this daungerous sea wherin as S. Bernard sayeth periculum probat transentium raritas pereuntiuÌ„ multitudo The rarenesse of those that passe ouer safe and the multitude of others that perishe in their passage sufficiently proueth the perill In the Ocean sea of fower shippes not one doth miscarrye and in the Sea of this worlde of manye fowers not one is saued This world is the kingdome of Sathan what seruaunt of God can loue to liue in it It is a place of banishment and who is so vnnaturall as not willinglye to forsake it Can any choose rather alwayes to hang in hazard then once to fall for his felicitye Can anye rather desire to liue in the Gunshott of the deuils assaultes then to enioye the porte of assured securitye We are promised that here we shal-be persecuted and hated of the worlde that we shall weâ—pe and liue in sorowe that we shal be despised and put to shame and haue no reste of bodye nor perfecte contentmente of mynde We are assured on the other syde that in the nexte lyfe our rewarde is greate our repose without trouble and our comforte without crosse Our teares shal be turned into triumphe our disgrace into glorye all our miseryes into perfect felicitye Who therfore would not reioyce quickly to dye seing that death is the passage from this worlde to the nexte from all the presente agreeuances to all possible happynesse Well maye the brute beastes feare death whose ende of lyfe is the conclusion of their being Well maye the Epicure tremble who with his lyfe looketh to lose his felicitye Well may the Infidels heretickes or vnrepentant sinners quake whose death is the beginning of their damnation Such as here haue their heauen and haue made their prison their praradise those whose bellye was their god and their appetites theire guides maye with reasone rue theire death seing they haue no portion in the lande of the liuinge They haue sowne in sinne and what can they looke to reape but miserye vanityes were their traficke and griefe wil- be their gayne detestable was their life damnable wil be their decease Of suche it is verified O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substaÌ„tijs suis vere mors peccatorum pessima Sed pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius O death how bitter is thy remeÌ„brance to a man that hath planted his peace and contentment in his worldlye substaÌ„ce for in deede most miserable is the sinners decease But pretious is the death of saintes in the sight of our Lorde Here they haue their payne and in heauen they looke for their payment Here they haue sowne in teares and there they shall reape in ioye Their Iudge is he for whome they haue suffered and therefore doubtlesse wil be mercifull Their accusers are made duÌ„me by their former repentance and therfore cannot be preiudiciall Their conscience is cleered by humble confession and therfore cannot be fearfull Hope is theire staffe to keepe them from sliding rightuousnesse their safe conduite to warrant them from arrestyng grace is their guide to keepe them from erring Their woundes and sufferings in Gods cause are rewardes to assure them of comfortable intertaynment Their frayes and wrastlinges against their owne passions are badges of perfection and will finde free accesse Finallye the hell that here they haue passed will acertayne them of obtayning a crowne in heauen They are goodlye fruite more fitt for the golden plate and Kinges table then to hange longer on a rotten bough They are pleasant and sweete roses more worthye to be honoured in the Princes hande then lefte vpon a thorny stalke Yea they are glorious rubies rather to be sett in the crowne of glorye then here to be trodden vnder foote by dirtye swyne What can they see in this world to with holde them They runne sayeth Saint Chrisostome for a greate wager and not quasi in certu They regarde not whether the way be greene and pleasant or rough mierye they waye not whoe seeth them nor what they saye of them Though they be reuiled they stay not to answere Though they be stroken they stande not to reueng Though their house burne their wife coÌ„playne their children crye they turne not backe to mâ—ane them their minde is onlye on their wager if they runne not they winne not and therefore their onlye ioy is to come soonest to their goale If they looke vppon the worlde they see it lyke a Sea where manye trusting to the waues are drowned others are beaten with the billowes against the stonye rockes dyuerse laboring to attayne dyuerse shores some by healpe of a selye plancke some by some fragment of the broaken shippe They see manye forced to healpe them selues with their onlye handes and manye other ouercome with the surges to haue yelded vp the ghost and lefte a multitude of dead carcases to the waters rage Amongest others they see themselues also tyred not with the smalest stormes and their holde to be verye fickle and therfore what greater comforte can ther befall them then to be quicklye landed in a safe porte where behoulding vnder them the perilles esscaped they maye the more reioyce at theire attayned securitye Dauid describing this tedious voyage or nauigation of Gods seruauntes thorough this stormye sea sheweth howe eagre they were and desirous to be deliuered out of the same They sayethe he which descende into the sea of this lyfe in the shippes of their mortal bodyes doing their worke in manye waters of worldlye
afflictions true it is that thâ—y see the mercyful workes of our Lorde in cherishing theÌ„ and his maruayles in coÌ„firming theÌ„ But all this they see in the depth of theire distresses He sayd and the spirite of tempest stoode vpp in their persecutours and the waues of aduersitye were raysed hye agaynst them They mounte as hye as heauen and fall as lowe as hell and for the tyme so amaze them that their life pined away in miseries For they are tossed and made to stagger lyke a drouncken man with continual varietye of newe surges and grieues and all their wisdome in patiently suffering firmely hopinge of Gods helpe is deuoured and to the eye vnprofitable against their enemyes rage And therfore they cryed vnto our Lord when they were distressed in this dauÌ„gerous manner and desired to haue a shorte cut to theire voyage end and esteemed it a singuler benefitt that he led them by death out of their necessities and so altered their storme into a calme wind and guided them in the hauen of theire owne willes that is the hauen of securitye in which they most desired to be If they consider the poore their lyfe is lead in such agonye payne needynesse that it maketh euery one to loath it If they beholde the rich and mightye their felicitye is follye and their ioye is vanity If they looke on Potentates that seeme the very flower of mankinde they finde oftentimes that they are poore in their riches abiect in their honours discontented in their delightes Their bodye a sacke of dunge their soule a sincke of sinne miserable their birthe wicked their lyfe and damnable their ende Looke sayeth S. Augustine into the graues sur-vew all the Emperours Dukes States and Worthyes of former ages see who was maister who man who riche or who poore Discerne if thou canst the Captyue from the King the strong from the weake the fayre from the deformed Which wordes import that if after lyfe there is no more difference of persons then there is in the ashes of veluet and course canuase or of diuerse woddes burnte vp in one fyer then surelye it is follye to care for these bodyes or to desyre theire long continuance whiche in the end must be resolued into earth and dust and can not here liue without a multitude of combers The lyke we fynd almost in euery other thinge and therfore surely all miseryes of our lyfe well perused we maye thinke it a great benefitt of God that whereas there is but one waye to come into this worlde yett are there verye manye to goe out of the same What can there be in lyfe eyther durable or verye delightsome when lyfe it selfe is so frayle and tickle a thinge Our lyfe sayeth the scripture is like the printe of a cloude in the ayre lyke a mist dissolued by the sunne lyke the passing of a shadowe lyke a flower that soone fadeth lyke a drye leafe caried with euerye Wynde lyke a vapoure that soone vanisheth out of sighte S. Chrisostome calleth it one whyle a heauye sleepe fedd with false and imaginarye dreames an other while he cal leth it a comedye or rather in our dayes a tragedye of transitorye shewes disguised persons Somtimes he likeneth it to a birdes nest made of strawe and dung that the winter soone dissolueth S. Gregorye Nazianzen calleth it a childes game that buildeth houses of sande in the shore where euerye waue washeth them away yea and as Pindarus sayeth it is no more but the dreame of a shadow It passeth awaye like one that rideth in post like a shipp in the Sea that leaueth no printe of the passage like a bird in the ayre of whose way there remaineth no remembrance like an arrowe that flyeth to the marke whose tracte the ayre sodaynlye closeth vp Whatsoeuer we doe sitt we stande we sleepe we wake we our shipp saith S. Basill alwayes sayleth towardes our last home and the streame of our life kepeth on an vnflexible course Euery daye we dye and howrely loose some parte of our life and euen then when we grow we decrease We haue lost our Infancye our childhood our youth and all til this present daye what tyme soeuer passethe perisheth and this very daye death secretly by minutes pourloyneth from vs. This S. Gregorye well expresseth saying Nostrum viuere a vita transire est vita nostra ipsis suis augmeÌ„tis ad detrimenta impellitur et inde semper deficit vnde proficere se credit Our liuing is a passing from lyfe For our lyfe with her increase diminisheth by that alwayes impayreth wherby it seemeth to profit Future things sayth Innocentius are alwayes beginning present thinges alwayes endynge and thinges paste are quite dead and donne For while we liue we dye and then we leaue dyeinge when we leaue liuinge Better therfore it is to dye to lyfe then to liue to death because our mortal lyfe is nothing but a liuing death And lyfe continually flyeth from vs and cannot be with-helde and death howrely commeth vppon vs and cannot be withstood No armoure resisteth no threatning preuayleth no intreaty profiteth against deaths assalte If all other perilles chauÌ„ces spare our lyfe yet tyme and age in the ende will consume it We see the fludd that riseth in the top of a Mountayne to fall roule downe with a continuall noyse It gusheth out with a holowe and horse sound then it runneth roaring down ouer craggye and rough clyffes and is continuallye crushed and broaken with diuers encounters til at the foote of the hill it entereth into the Sea And so fareth it with mans lyfe he commeth into the worlde with payne and beginneth his course with pitifull cryes and continually molested with diuers vexations he neuer ceaseth running doune til in the ende he fall into the Sea of death Neyther is our last houre the beginning of our death but the conclusion and then it is come that hath bene longe in the comming and fullye finished that was still in the ending Why therfore shold we be vnwlling to lese that which cannot be kept Better it is since death is debte and natures necessarye wracke to folowe S. Chrisostomes counsell Fiat voluntariuÌ„ quod futuruÌ„ est necessarium offeramus deo pro munere quod pro debito tene mur reddere Lett vs make it voluntarye which must needes be necessarye and lett vs offer to God for a present which of due and debte we are bound to render What maruayle if when the winde bloweth the leafe fall if when the day appereth the night ende Our life sayeth the same saynct was a shadowe and it passed it was a smoake and it vanished It was a buble and it was dissolued It was a spinners webb and it was shaken a sunder No wise-man lamenteth that he liued not a yeare sooner then he was borne and whye shoulde he lament that within a yeare or lesse he shall
liue no longer For he leeseth nothing that then he had and he shall be to the world but as thē he was God made Adames garment of dead beasts skinnes to put him in minde that he was condemned to dye and to make the remembrance of death familiar vn to him that the losse of lyfe might not affright him who alwayes caryed the liuerye of deathe vppon him And as Daniell by spreadding ashes in the Temple discouered the treacherye and falshood of the Priestes of Babilonia So by poudering our thoughtes and memorye with the duste of our graue and often repetition of our decease we shall soon discrye the vanitye of this lyfe the traines of the diuell and our secrete temptations to be such as we would rather wishe by losing of lyfe to cutt of then by auoyding death to continue If any thing make death tedious it is the wante of the consideration of it The old men haue it right before them the yonge men hard behinde them all men daylye ouer them and yet we forget it Familiarytye with Lions taketh awaye the feare of them the being vsed to tempestes geueth harte and courage to endure them and in warre the seinge so manye howrely bereaued of lyfe maketh the soldier litle or nothing to sett by it If therfore we wil be out of all feare of death lett vs continuallye remember it If we vse our horse to the race before we runne for the wager If we accquaint our selues with the weapons before we fighte for the victorye Much more sholde we take heede that we come not dispourueyed to this laste combat The good Pylot when he guideth his shipp he sitteth at the sterne in the hinder parte therof and so the prouident Christian to directe his lyfe must alwayes sit at the end of the same that the mindfulnes of death being his sterne he may feare it the lesse and prouide for it the better This is the dore wherby we must go out of bondage therfore as the prisoner that standeth vppon his deliuerye taketh greatest comfort in sitting vpon the threshold that when the dore is opened he maye the sooner gett out So ought we alwayes to haue our minde fixed vppon the laste steppe of our lyfe ouer which we are sure that passe we muste though how or when we know not For this cause that holy man Ioannes Eleemosinarius Patriarke of Allexandrya hauing his Tombe in building commaunded that it shold be lefte imperfect and that his seruauntes euerye daye shoulde putt him in minde to finishe the same that hauinge hys eye alwayes fixed vppon this dore of death he might the better prepare for the passage through it The memorye of death is the ashes wherin the fire of vertue being raked vpp it continueth the better and wil be fitter to enkindle the courage of our mind that when death commeth in deede these ashes shal be vnraked we maye rather reioyce that our flame hath found a vente to mount to hir natural Sphere where it will shine to our glorye then sorowe that it parteth out of the chimnye of our fleshe where it was in daunger to be quenched with our iniquitye It was not without cause that God likened death to a theefe For as the theefe when hee findeth the man of the house watchinge and vppon his garde he saluteh him in curteous sorte and taketh vppon him the person of a friende but yf he finde him a sleepe he cruellye murdereth him and robbeth his treasurye So death to those that are prepared for it is verye cōfortable and to those onlye terrible that sleepe in sinne and are carelesse of their ende And to these belongeth that sayinge The deathe of the sinners is worste Euill because it seuereth from the worlde worse because it seuereth from the bodye and worste of all because it seuereth from God For why they make the worlde their Parradise their bodye their god and God their enemye To suche death is hatefull for that therin they are tormented with the panges of of the dyeing fleshe amazed with the fittes and corrasiues of the mynd frighted with the terrour of that which is to come greeued with remorse of that which is paste They are stunge with the gnawing of a guiltye conscience discomforted with the rigoure of a seuere Iudge annoyed with the thought of their lothsome sepulchre And thus though death of it selfe be not bitter yet is it bitter to the wicked And yet as S. Ambrose noteth euen to them is lyfe more bitter then death For more greeuous is the liuinge to sinne then the dyinge in sinne For the wicked while he liueth increaseth his offence and when he dyeth offendeth no more and therfore by his lyfe he agumenteth his tormentes and by his death he abridgeth the same It is the feare of death that maketh it terrible is not in deed so greeuous to dye as to liue in perpetuall feare and expectation of death For he that feareth God shall make a good ende and in the daye of his decease he shal be blessed And happye are the dead that dye in our Lord from hence forth sayeth the spirite they shall reste from their laboures for theire woorkes doe followe them The noone daye lighte shall ryse vnto thē at the euening of their life when they thinke themselues quite cōsumed they shal ryse as bright as Lucifer They as S. Augustine sayeth bycause their desire is to be loosed and to be with Christe endure to liue with patience are readye to dye with ioye They feare not death because they feared God in lyfe They feare not death because they rather feared lyfe And an euil deathe is but the effecte of an euil lyfe Their lyfe was a studye how to dye well and they knew that since death passed thorough the veines of lyfe it loste the bitternesse of death and tooke the taste sweetnesse of lyfe Neyther are they amazed with the fore-goinge gripes extremityes because they take them as the throwes of childebirth by whiche our soule is borne out of this lothsome bodye and brought forth to an eternal felicitye They feare not the diuels to whome they haue stoutelye resysted They haue confidence in God whose wrath they haue with repentaunce appeased The horror of the graue dothe nothing moue them because they doe but sowe therein a carnall and corruptible bodye to reape the same in the resurrection incorruptible and spirituall This made Simeon so ioyfullye sing Now thou releasest thy seruant O Lord according to thy worde in peace This made S. Hilarion so confidentlye say vnto his soule Egredere quid times egredere animamea quid dubitas septuaginta prope annos seruisti Christo mortem times Departe why fearest thou departe O my soule why doubtest thou Almost three score and tenne yeares hast thou serued Christe and fearest thou death This made S. Ambrose on hys death bedd geue this aunswere to those that wished his longer
so much the more I account of by howe much a raâ—er thing it is with a maymed then with an armed hande to conquere an enemye It was an ordinarye pastime a monge the Romaines for men to shew sporte in wrastelinge and striuing with Lions and other wilde beastes onlye for a vayne proofe and bost of their valoure They esteemed the printe of brutishe tuskes glorious ornamentes The ranges of bloodye clawes badges of honour and their comlines increased with number of scarres Of these S Ciprian speaking sayeth Quid illud oroâ—te quale est vbise feris obijciunt quos nemo damnauit aetate integra honesta satis â—orma veste prâ—tiosa viuentes in vltroneum funus ornantur malis suis miseri gloriantur pugnant ad bestias non crimine sed furore What meaneth that I praye thee what thinckest thou of it where suche cast themselues to wilde beastes whom no man condemned and persons of ripe age of comely feature gorgeously attyred while they are aliue sett forth themselues towardes a voluntarye funerall and glorye poore wretches in their own miseryes fight with bestes not condemned for their faulte but incenced with furye But what neede I reckone profane examples though in deed they ought so much the more to moue vs in that they suffered for a puffe of vayne glorye more then we doe for eternall felicitye Yet wante we not most gloryous examples of our owne Sainctes and in our owne cause and because the particulers were infinite I wil onlye sett downe some general speches of their torments S. Cyprian speakinge to a persecutor sayth Innoxios iustos deo caros Domo priuas patrimonio spolias catenis premis carcere includis bestijs gladio ignibus punis Admoues laniandis corporibus longa tormeÌ„ta multiplicas lacerandis visceribus numerosa supplicia nec immanitas tua vsitatis potest contenta esse tormentis excogitat nouas penas ingeniosa crudelitas The innocent iuste and deerest vnto God thou thrustest out of their howses thou spoylest of their partrimonye thou loadest with cheynes thou lockest in prisons with wilde beastes swords and fyre thou deuourest Thou vsest longe torments in dismembringe their bodyes Thou multiplyest varietye of punishmeÌ„ts in tearing their bowels Nether is thy barbarousnes conteÌ„ted with vsuall torturinges Thy wittye crueltye deuiseth newe paines And in another place speaking of the martyrs The tormeÌ„ted sayeth he stood stronger then the tormentors and the beaten and torne members ouercame the beatinge and tearinge hookes The cruell and often doubled scourginge coulde not conquere their vnconquerable fayth though they were brought to that passe that the tormentour had no whole nor â—ounde parcell of limes but only goarye woundes wheruppon to continue his crueltye Arnobius speaking to the persecutours You sayeth he with yoâ—r flames banishments tormeÌ„ts bestes wher with you rend racke our bodyes doe not bereaue vs of our lyues but only ridd vs of a weake sorye sicknes You put vs sayeth Tertullian vppon gallowes and stakes you teare our sydes with forkes we are beheaded throweÌ„to the wilde beastes condeÌ„ned to toyle in the mettall mines Not inferiour to these were the tormeÌ„ts of the fathers of the olde TestameÌ„t of which S. Paule speketh sayinge Others were racked not acceptinge redemption that they might finde a better resurrection And others had tryal of mockeryes and strypes Moreouer also of bandes and prisons They were stoned they were hewed they were tempted they dyed in the slaughter of the sworde they went about in sheepes skinnes in gotes skinnes needye in disstresse afflycted of whom the worlde was not worthy Wandering in desertes in mountaynes in denes cauâ—s of the earth And of these tormentes of Martyrs all Historyographers doe make so often large mentioÌ„ that ther can hardly be deuised any kind of cruelty that they reckon not amongst the passioÌ„s of Gods sayncts Nether ar ther fewer that haue most valiaÌ„tlye besyde tormentes indured the laste brunte of death then thinkinge themselues most happye when they had obtayned any meanes to departe this life Lucretia sheathed her knife in her owne bowels to renoune her chastytie Empedocles threwe him selfe into Aetna flames to eternize his memory Peregrinus burnt himselfe in a pyle of woode thinking thereby to lyue for euer in mens remembraÌ„ce Asdrubals wife at the surprysing of Carthage rather chose to burne out her eyes and yeelde her bodye to hir countrye flames then to beholde her husbandes miserye and to be her selfe her enemyes praye Regulus a Captayne of the Romaynes rather theÌ„ he would ransome his owne lyfe with the death of manye was contented to be rouled in a Hogsehead sticked ful of sharpe nayles and Cleopatra suffered her selfe to be bitten and stounge with moste venomous Vipers rather then she would be caried as captiue in triumph Dyd not Saule and his esquire runne vppon their owne swordes to auoyde the Philistians rage Dyd not Iudas hang him selfe for desperation to hasten his iourney toward his deserued punishemente And yet all these with they re death began they re hell not ended they re miserye and vppon a vayne humour did the same that we are forced vnto for Gods cause And as Tertullian well noteth haec non sine causa Dominus in seculuÌ„ admisit sed ad nos et nunc exhortandos et in illa die confundendos si formidauerimus pati pro veritate ad salutem quae alij effectauerunt pro vanitate in perditionem Not without cause hath our Lorde permitted these exaÌ„ples in the worlde but for our present exhortation and future confusion if we be afrayde to beare for verytye to our saluation that whiche others haue desyred for a vanytye to their perditioÌ„ Now if I would stand to recite the glorious examples of those that haue constantlye dyed in a good cause the number is so great their courage so glorious that it would require a whole treatise by it selfe CoÌ„sider the example of Abell that was cruellye murdered of Hieremy that was stoned Esay that was sawen in sunder Zacharye that was slayne betwene the Temple and the Aultar Consider in the newe Testamente the courage of litle children that in their prowes surmouÌ„ting their age haâ—e in their childish bodye shewed hoarye and constant mindes and in that weakenes of yeares bene superyours to all Tyrantes tormentes Consider the tender and softe Virgins who being timorous by kinde and frayle by Sexe haue neuerthelesse in Gods quarell altered their female relenting hartes into vnfearful and hardye valoure and bene better able to endure then their enemyes to practise vppon them anye outrage Consider the whole multitude and glorious hoste of Martyrs whose tormentes haue bene exquisite bloody and with all kinde of extremytye and yet their myndes vndauÌ„ted stronge and their agonyes alwayes ended with triumphe and victorye And if all these examples be not forceible enough to make vs not to feare death let vs consider how manye
wayes we may of force and without merite suffer casuall mischaunces and sodayn death Vt illa nos instruant as Tertullian sayeth si constanter adeunda sint quae et inuitis et eue nire consueuerunt That those things may benefit vs if they be constantlye endured whiche whether we will or no are incidente vnto vs. How manye at vnawares haue bene burnte vpp in they re owne howses how manye slaughtered by beastes in the fieldes how manye by the same deuoured in Cytyes Howe many consumed in coÌ„mon pestilences murdered by theeues slayne by theyr enemyes And euen in oure dayes how many see we not onlye desperatelye to venture in warre to runne vppon the swordes to contemne perilles to be lauishe of theire lyues but diuers also forced against their willes to enter the same daungers and to caste them selues awaye and that often tymes in vniuste quarrelles to the damnation of theyr soules Finallye who is there that mauger whatsoeuer he can doe maye not suffer that by misfortune which he feareth to suffer in Gods cause Why therfore should we feare that which cannot be auoyded The verye necessitye of death sholde make vs not vnwilling to dye and the remembrance of our mortalytye sholde make vs litle feare wheÌ„ experyence sheweth vs mortall Lyue well and dye well we maye but lyue longe and not dye we can-not We should not thinke our lyfe shortened when it is well ended He dyeth olde enough that dyeth good and lyfe is better well loste then euill kepte We goe but that waye by the which all the world before vs hath gone and all that come after vs shall followe and at the same instant with vs thousandes from all partes of the worlde shall beare vs companie If we be taken awaye in the flower of our age how coulde it be better bestowed then on him that gaue it and all our losse therein is concluded in this that being passengers vpon this worldlye Sea we had a stronger gale to wafte vs sooner ouer to our desired porte If we dye in this cause our pitcher is broaken ouer the fountayne where the water is not loste but onlye returned thether from whence it was firste taken We are not in prisone for thefte or murder that when we are called out we sholde looke for nothing but for presente death Our bodye is our holde our death our deliuerye when the Iayler calleth we haue a clere conscience and feare not hys threatninge If he manace death he promiseth lyfe and his killinge is our reuiuinge It is a shame for a Christian to feare a blaste of mans mouth that hath such vnuincible shores to support him as that no man nor diuell is able to ouerthrowe them Times homineÌ„ Christiane sayeth Tertullian quem timeri opoâ—tet abab Angelis siquidem Angelos iâ—dicaturus es Quem timeri oportet a demonijs siquidem et in demones accepisti potestatem quem timeri oportet ab vniuerso mundo siquidem et in te mundus iudicatur Fearest thou man O Christian that arte to be feared of the Aungels for the verye Aungels shalte thou iudge That art to be feared of the diuels for ouer the diuels haste thou receyued authoritye that art to be feared of the whole worlde for in thee is the world to beiudged How often for a poynte of honoure haue we bene readye to chalenge our counterpeere into the fielde how often haue we for oure pleasure vsed desperate and breaknecâ— games thinking it glorye to contemne death for a brauery and a stayne to our courage to shew any cowardice in mortall hazardes Now therfore maye Tertullians words be well obiected vnto vs. Quid grauatur pati nunc homo ex remedio quod non est tunc grauatus pati ex vitio Displicet occidi in salutem cui non dsplicuit occidi in perditonem Nauseabit ad Antidotum qui hiauit ad venenum Why grudgeth man to suffer for hys remedye that which he grudged not to suffer vppon a vanitye Displeaseth it him to be killed to his saluation whome it displeased not to be killed to his perditoÌ„ and will he loathe to receyue the medicyne that gaped so wyde to lett in the poyson Now ought we to renewe that wonted courage and be as carelesse of our lyues when they are to be wel speÌ„t as then we were when we would haue spilte them for a vanitye When the diuell led vs in his seruice he could with a vayne hope of prayse weane vs from loue of our lyues and shall we thincke that God dealeth hardlye that with so glorious rewardes enticeth vs from the same Is death pleasant when the diuell commaundeth it and is it vncomfortable when it is at Gods appoyntemente For this verye ende hath God ordayned Martyrdome Vt a quo libenter homo elisus est eum iam constanter elidat That by whom man was wilfullye foyled him he should manfullye foyle agayne In sinne and heresy we were venturous and bolde or rather presuÌ„ptuous and rashe when we were vnarmed naked and without force no terrour could amaze or coole our audacity now that we are reclaymed to vertue and true religion harnesed with Gods grace garded vnder Gods pauice protected by his Angels and fortified by the Prayers Sacraments and good workes of the Churche shall we be more fearfull then we were without all these succours We are allotted to a glorious combat in which the onlye comforte of so honourable lookers on were enough to harten vs againste all affrontes Preliantes nos sayeth S. Cipryan fidei congressione pugnantes spectat Deus spectant Angeli eius spectat et Christus QuaÌ„ ta est gloriae dignitas quanta faelicitas praeside deo congredi Christo iudice coronari When we skirmish or fight in the quarell of our fayth God beholdeth hys Angels beholde vs and Christ looketh on What a glorious dignitye is it how great felicitye to fighte vnder God as ruler and to be crowned of Christe as iudge of the combate Lett vs therfore with our whole might arme vs and prepare our selues to this conflicte Let vs put on the brestplate of Iustice so that our breast may be garded agaynst our enemyes dartes Let our feete be shod that when we beginn to walke vppon the Basiliske and Adder and to tread vnder foote the Lyon and the Dragon we be not by them stung or supplanted Let vs cary the shield of fayth to repayre vs from our enemyes shott Let vs hyde oure head in the helmett of saluation that our eares yelde not to bloodye menacinges our eyes detest heretycall bookes and seruice our forehead alwayes keepe the signe of the Crosse and our tongue be alwayes readye to professe our faythe Lett vs arme oure hande with the sworde of Gods spirit that it refuse to subscribe to anye vnlawfull action and defende onlye the true Catholike faythe and being thus armed with a pure minde an vncorrupted fayth and sincerytye of lyfe
Ad aciem qua nobis indicitur dei castra procedant Armentur integriâ—ne perdat integer quod nuper stetit Armentur et Lapsi vt et lap sus recipiat quod amisit Integros honor lapsos dolor ad praelium prouocet Let Gods campe marche on to the battayle that is bidden vs. Lett the perseuerant be armed leste they lese the benefitt of their late staÌ„ding let the yeelders be armed that they may recouer the losse of their former falling Lett honoure to the constante and remorse to the lapsed be a spurre to the skirmige It hath bene alwayes sayeth Tertullian accounted a moste worthye experience of combatters studyes to put in tryall the strengthe and agilitye of their bodyes and measure it by the multitude of coÌ„menders hauing theire rewarde for theire goale the assemblye for their iudge the common verdict for their pleasure The naked limmes beare awaye many woundes the buffetes make them stagger the spurninges iustle them the plummet staues rende them the whippes teare them Yet no man condemneth the Captayne of the conflicte for obiecting his champions to suche violence Complayntes of iniuries haue no place in the fielde but euerye one marketh what reward is apoynted for those galles woundes and printes of the strypes as namely the crownes glorye stypende publike priuileges portratures and grauen Images and such like monuments wherwith the worlde dothe as it maye eternize them with a certayne perpetuitye and procure theÌ„ a continual resurrection in their posterityes remembrance Pictes ipse non queritur dolere se non vult corona premit vulnera palma sanguinem obscurat plus victoriatum est quam iniuriatum hunc tu laesum existimabis quem vides laetum The Champion himselfe complayneth not he would not be deemed to feele anye payne the crowne couereth the woundes the wager shrowdeth his bloode greater is his victorye then his iniurye and whome on the one side you thinke sore on the other side you see not sory How muche more ought we to glorye in our martyrdomes and not only not condemne but highlye prayse our heauenly Captayn for exposing vs to these bloodye frayes The husbande-man scattereth in the earthe his corne so carfullye before reaped yea he burieth it and couereth it in the forowes he reioyceth wheÌ„ the showers come to rotte it the froste to nippe it the snow to lye ouer it and yet in that seede hath he all his hope of gayne The rayne moueth him not wheÌ„ he thinketh on the haruest nor the corruptyng of the cornel when he thinketh on the rype eare of corne Lett not vs therfore condeÌ„ne our husband man for delighting in our passions For well knoweth he that nisi granum frumenti cadens in terram mortuuÌ„ fuerit ipsum solum manet Vnlesse the corâ—nell of wheate fall vpon the grounde dye it selfe onlye remayneth And therfore suffereth he these persecutions because therby multiplicabit semen vestrum et augebit incrementa frugum iustitiae vestrae He will multiplye your seede and augmente the increases of the fruites of your iustice Wherfore herein Liberalitas magis quam acerbitas dei praeest EuulsuÌ„ enim hominem de diaboli gula per fidem iam conculcatorem eius voluit efficere per virtutem ne solum modo euasisset sed etiam de â—icisset inimicum Amauit queÌ„ vocauerat ad salutem inuitare ad gloriam vt qui gaudeanus liberati exultemus etiam coronati Gods liberalitye appeareth more then his rigoure For whome he had draune out of the deuils throate by faythe he would haue to trample him doune by vertue Lest he shold onlye haue fledd not foyled his enemye It pleased him whome he called to saluation to inuite vnto glorye that we might not onlye reioyce as deliuered but also tryumph as crowned If therfore as S. Chrisostom sayeth the stormes and rage of the Sea to the maryner the winter and foule weather to the husbandman the murders and woundes to the soldiers the cruel blowes and stripes to the combatter seme tollerable enough in hope of a temporall and transitorye rewarde Muche more all worldlye miseries to vs in hope of heauen Other Kinges and potentats neuer conquere with out killinge neuer tryumphe without crueltye neuer enioye the pleasures of this lyfe without the miseryes of many mens deathes But the souldiers of Christ are most honourable not when they liue in deyntynesse pompe and maiestye not when they murder impiously cruelly and brutishly But when they suffer humblye stoutly and patientlye in his quarell Let our aduersaryes therefore loade vs with the infamous titles of traytours and rebels as the Arians did in the persecution of the Vandals and as the Ethnicks were wonte to call Christians Sarmentitios semiassios because they were tyed to halfpeny stakes and burnte with shrubbes So lett them drawe vs vppon hurdles hange vs vnbowel vs alyue mangle vs boyle vs and sett our quarters vppon their gates to be meate for the byrdes of the ayre as they vse to handle rebels we wil aunswere them as the Christians of former persecutions haue done Hic est habitus victoriae nostrae hec palmata vestis tali curru triuÌ„phamus merito itaque victis non placemus Such is the manner of our victorye such our conquerous garment in such chariotes doe we triuÌ„ph What maruayle therfore if our vanquished enemyes mislyke vs. Consolamini igitur in verbis istis Take comfort therfore in these wordes and with ioyful hartes crye Mihi viuere Christus est et mori lucruÌ„ If you dye you shal be delyuered out of two prisons at once the one so muche worse then the other as is it worse to be with-helde from perfect blisse then from the libertye of a moste paynful tedious pilgrimage You haue heretofore lyued to dye but then shal you dye to lyue for euer Here you so liued that you were continuallie dyeing but then you shall once dye neuer to dye more or rather by abrydging a lingring death pâ—rchase and euerlasting lyfe You shall leaue a ruinous and base cottage and passe to a moste glorious and blessed pallace whose verye pauement set with so manye bryght and glorious starres maye geue you a ghesse what roomes you are lyke to fynde aboue It cannot greeue you to departe with the prodigall Sonne from this dirtye village and the companye of swyne to your fathers house and you must needes willinglye cast of your sacke of dunge to receyue the first stole where you are inuited to the great supper I hope you haue neyther oxen to trye nor farme to see nor newe wife to withholde you from goinge You haue had toyle enoughe in the seruitude of Egipte You haue wandred longe enoughe in the Deserte in continuall battayle with youre and Gods enemyes And nowe if you dye the tyme is come that you take repose and enioye the felicitye of the lande of promise You haue bene in the Mount Sinai with
Moyses quando caeperunt audiri tonitrua micare fulgura nubes densissima operire montem When thunderinges began to be heard lyghtnings to flashe a thicke darke cloude to couer the Mounte Nowe are you called vnto Mounte Thabor where in-ioyeinge his glorye whose terroure you haue alreadye sustayned You maye saye with S. Peter Bonum est nos hic esse It is good for vs to be here The haruest of the Churche wherof the Spouse speaketh in the Canticles Messui mirrham meam cuÌ„ aromatibus I haue reaped my mirrhe with my spyces is not yet donne You are growne vpp in this fielde and are part of the croppe that by martirdome must be reaped to be layde vp in Gods barne You are the mirhe to enbalme not the deade bodies but the dead soules of heretickes You are Spyce to seasone by the example of your constancy the bitter griefes and passions of poore Catholickes Remember howe often you haue bene with Christe at his Supper and reasone nowe requireth you shold folowe him to Gethsemanie not to sleepe with S. Peeter but with him to sweate bloode Your lyfe is a warfare your weapons patience your Captayne Christe your standerd the Crosse. Now is the larum sounded and the warre proclaymed dye you must to winn the fielde Neyther is this newes to you that haue professed to be Christs champions seeinge the Captaynes generall of his armye I meane the Apostles and all the most famous Soldiers since their tyme haue esteemed this the moste soueraygne victorye by yelding to subdue by dyeing to reuiue by sheddinge bloode and leesinge lyfe to winne the goale of eternall felicity Elyas must not thinke much to let fall the worthlesse Mantle of his fleshe to be caryed to Paradyse in a fyery chariot Gedeon maye willingly breake his eartheÌ„ flagons to shewe the lyght that must put to flyght his enemyes Ioseph must leaue his cloake in the strumpets hands rather then consent vnto her lewd entysements the yonge maÌ„ of Gethsemani rather ruÌ„ne away naked theÌ„ for sauing his Sindon to fall into the Sinagoges captiuity The Beuers when they are hunted see theÌ„ selues strayted haue this propertye they byte of their owne stones for whiche by kinde they knowe themselues to be chieflye pursued that the hunter hauinge his desyre maye cease to folowe them anye farther Now if nature hath taught these brute thinges to saue theÌ„selues with so paynful a meanes from bodilye daunger howe muche more oughte reason and Faythe to teache vs willinglye to forgoe not onlye lybertye and lyuinge but euen our verye lyfe to purchase therby the lyfe of our soules and deliuer our selues from eternall perdition You haue euerye daye in your prayers sayd Adueniat regnum tuum lett thy kingdome come Now is the tyme come to obteyne your petition The Kingdome of this worlde is in the wayning and the age thereof beginneth to threaten ruine The forerunners of Anti-christ are in the pryde of their course and therfore S. Cyprian sayeth Qui cernimus iam caepisse graâ—ia scimus imminere grauiora Lucrum maximum computemus si istinc velocius recedamus We that see alreadye greate myseryes and foresee greater to be at hande let vs account it tyme happilye gayned if we maye quicklye departe to preuente their comminge Neyther is the winter so full of showers to water the earthe nor sommer so hot to ripen the corne nor the springe so temperate to prosper young growthe nor Autumn so full of rype fruite as heretofore it hath bene The hilles tyered with diggynge yelde not such store of marble the wearyed mynes yelde not so great plenty of precious mettall the scante vaynes waxe daylye shorter In the Sea decayeth the maryner in the tentes the souldier Innocencie in courtes Iustice in iudgementes agreement in friendshippe cunning in artes and disciplyne in maÌ„ners The hot Sunne geueth not so cleere lighte the Moone declineth from her accustomed brightnesse the fountaynes yelde lesse aboundance of waters Men are not of so perfytt hearing so swift running so sharpe sighted so well forced nor so bygge and strong lymmed as heretofore We see graye heades in children the heare falleth before it be full groune neither dothe our tyme ende in olde age but with age it beginneth and euen in our verye vprist our natiuitye hasteneth to the ende Fynallye euerye thing is so impayred and so fast falleth awaye that happye he may seeme that dyeth quicklye least he be oppressed with the ruynes of the dyinge worlde Lett them make account of this lyfe that esteeme the world their frende and are not onlye in the worlde but also of it As for you the world hateth you and therfore how can you loue it being hated of it We are here Pilgrimes straungers how can we but willinglye imbrace the death that assigneth vs to our last home and deliuering vs out of these worldlye snares restoreth vs to paradyse and the kingdome of heauen Our countrye is heauen our parentes the Patryarkes why doe we not hasten to come speedylye to our countrye and to salute these parentes There a greate number of our friendes exspecteth vs a huge multitude desyreth our comminge secure and certayne of they re owne saluation and onlye carefull of ours What vnspeakeable comforte is it to come to the syghte and imbracing of them How great is the contentment of theire aboade without feare of dyinge and with eternytye of lyuinge There is the glorious quire of Apostles a number of reioycing Prophetes the innumerable multytude of Martyres crowned for the victorye of theyr bloodye frayes and passions There are the troupes of fayre Virgyns that with the vertue of chastity haue subdued the rebellions of flesh and bloode There are the companyes of all Gods Saynctes that bathe in eternall felicytye hauing happelye passed ouer the daungerous voyage through this wicked worlde There is the center of our repose the onlye seate of vnfaylyng securitye and who can be so vnnaturall an enemye to himselfe as to eschewe death being the bridge to so vnspeakeable contentmeÌ„t Seeinge therfore there is so lytle cause ether to loue lyfe or to feare deathe and so greate motyues to lamente that oure inhabitance is prolonged oure decease adiourned Lett not their threatninges appall vs who can onlye kille the bodye and haue nothinge to doe with the soule Whose greatest spyte worketh our profitt and whoe when they thinke to haue geuen vs and our cause the greatest wounde then haue they deeplyest wounded themselues procured our hyghest aduancemente They vnarme vs of blunte and bending weapons they stryppe vs of slyght and paper harnesse and agaynst they re willes they arme vs with more sharpe prycking swordes and with armoure that yeeldeth to no kinde of vyolence When they thinke to haue rydde vs from encounteringe theire wicked endeuoures they doe but a better our habilitye to resiste and vanquish them altering vs from earthlye souldiers to heauenlye warriers
from tymorous subiectes to mightye soueraignes from oppressed captyues to glorious Saints They thinke by killâ—â—g Abell that Caynes sacryfice wil be accepted not remembringe that Abels bloode cryeth out agaynst them By pursuinge Elyas with manye soldyers they thinke to haue the vpper hande not remembring that the fyre wil fall from heauen in his defence They thinke by stoning SteeueÌ„ to haue ended their chiefe enemye not considering that his principall persecutour will succeede in his roome and be vnto them a more victorious aduersary Lett them still contynewe their rage let them thinke themselues wise in this ignorante follye But Lett vs though we lamente at theyr offence yet reioyce in oure felicitye Cap. 11. WHat greater preeminence is there in Gods Churche then to be a Martyr what more renoumed dignity then to dye in this cause of the Catholike faythe And this crowne doe our greatest enemyes sett vppon oure heades The glorye wherof thoughe none can sufficyentlye vtter but suche as by experieÌ„ce haue proued the same yet maye we gather by coniectures no small parte of the greatnesse â—fit For yf we consider it in it selfe it is the noblest acte of Fortitude death beinge the hardest thinge for nature to ouercome It is also the greatest poynte of Charytye by Gods owne testimonye who sayde Maiorem charitatem nemo habet quam vt animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis. It is the principallest acte of obedience commended so highlye in Christ. Factus obediens vsque ad mortem Become obedient euen vnto death It is by S. Augustins verdict more honourable then virginitye It is finallye the verye chiefest acte or effect of all vertues If therfore as the Diuines saye that worke or action is more perfit or meritorious which proceedeth of the greatest number of good causes concurring to the same Then must Martirdome be a most glorious thing which requireth the coÌ„course of all vertues and that in thâ—â—â—â—hest degree to the accomplishement therof Martirdome hath the priuiledge of the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme by S. Augustine is compared therwith In Martyrdome sayeth he all the misteryes of baptisme are fulfilled He that must be baptised confesseth his faythe before the Prieste and aunswereth wheÌ„ he is demaunded This doeth also the Martyr before the persecutoure he acknowledgeth his fayth and aunswereth the demaunde The baptised is eyther sprinkled or dipped in water but the Martyr is eyther sprinkeled with hys blood or not dipped but burned in fyre The baptized by imposition of the Bishoppes handes receyueth the holye ghost The Martyre is made a habitacle of the same spirite while it is not he that speaketh but the spirite of his heauenly Father that speaketh within him The baptized receyueth the blessed Sacramente in remembraunce of the death of oure Lorde the Martyr suffereth death it selfe for our Lorde The baptised protesteth to renounce the vanityes of the worlde the Martyr besyde this renounceh his owne lyfe To the baptised all his sinns are forgeuen In the Martyr all his sinnes are quite extinguished Sainte Cipryan also aleadging a reason why no cryme nor forepassed offence coulde preiudice a Martyre sayeth Ideo martirium aâ—pellatur tam corona quam baptisma quia baptiz at pariter coronat Therfore is Martirdome called as well a crowne as a baptisme for that it baptizeth crowneth together So that as no offence committed before baptisme can doe the baptised anye harme so also dothe Martirdome so clense the soule from all spot of former corruption that it geueth ther-vnto a most vndefiled beautye Yea and in this Martirdome seemeth to haue a prerogatyue aboue baptisme For though baptisme perfectlye clense the soule and release not onlye the offence but also the temporal punishment due vnto the same Yet sticketh the roote of sinn in the flesh the partye baptysed retayneth in him the badge and cognizance yea the scarres and tokens of a sinner But Martirdomes vertue is such that it not onlye worketh the same effecte of baptisme but purchaseth also to the soule forth with a perfect riddance of all concupiscence and inclynation to sinne and maketh it not only without offeÌ„ce but vnable to offende anye more It dothe not onlye gather the fruites or lop the braunches or fell the tree but plucketh it vpp by the verye rootes and dishableth it from springing vp agayn With the broode it killeth the dame it consumeth both the weede and the seede together clenseth vs both from the myre and from the stayne and spot that remayneth after it And therfore of Martirs doth the Scripture say Isti sunt qui venerunt de tribulatione magna et lauerunt stolas suas et dealbaucruÌ„t eas in sanguine agni These are they that came out of a great tribulation and haue washed theire stoles and whited them in the bloode of the Lambe Vppon whiche place Tertullian sayeth Sordes quidem baptismate abluuntur maculae vero marâ—irio candidantur quia Isaias ex rufo coccino niucum lancum repromittit The filth is washed away by baptisme but the staynes are cleered by Martirdome for Esay promiseth that redd and scarlet should become as white as snowe or woll As who sholde saye so much more forcible is martirdome then baptisme as the water that taketh out dirte and stayne together then that which washing the dirte awaye leaueth the stayne behinde it Not that this stayne importeth any sinne but the infirmity which originall sinne hath caused and of which actuall sinne proceedeth So that baptisme taketh away our falte martirdome our frayltye baptisme geueth vs the keye but martirdome letteth vs in That maketh vs members of the millitant this of the tryumphante Churche that geueth vs force to walke to our iourneis end and to fight for the victorye but this setleth vs in repose and crowneth our conquest Baptisme bringeth vs forthe as the mother dothe the childe to which though she geue most of those partes which are in men yet some she geueth not and those that she geueth are so impotent weake that though they may be vsed in childishe actions yet not to the principall thinges that man needeth till by processe of tyme they be farther enhabled For so baptisme geueth vs grace wherby we maye weakely turne the powers of our mind to God and haue an obscure and in a manner a childish kinde of knowledge loue of him But the chiefe actions wherin our felicitye consisteth ensewe not strayghte vppon our baptisme but with longe toyle we must laboure for them before we can attayne to so great habilytye But martirdome bringeth vs forthe as the Lyonesse dothe her whelpe Which breeding but one in all her lyfe beareth it six and twentye monethes in her bellye till it grow perfect in proportion hable and stronge of all the lymmes armed with all the clawes and not so muche but with all euen the cheeke teeth full growen So that it commeth forth with
the brightnesse of the next worlde and the sonnes of men ascende to the adoption of a heauenlye Father Whiche consideratiōs were enough to encorage vs to be rather greedy of martyrdome being so glorious a thing then anye waye slacke in imbracinge it when it is offered But if we consider moreouer how beneficiall the same is to the Churche and how importante a meanes to aduaunce Gods glorye no true member of Christe nor true childe of the Catholicke Churche can be so vnnatural as not to reioyce that he hath so good an occasion to discharge his dutye to them bothe in so acceptable a sorte The martyrs sayeth S. Chrisostom vphold the Church lyke pillers they defende it lyke towers they beare of the rage of waters lyke rockes keeping them selues in great tranquillitye Lyke lyghts they haue dispersed the darkenesse of impyetye and lyke oxen haue drawen the sweete yoake of Christe The corne the more it is watered with showers of rayne the more plentyful haruest doth it yeelde And the Vyne also when it is pruned it spreadeth out the braunches in greater pryde and is the more loaden with fayre clusters and the iniurie it seemeth to suffer returneth to the greater increase It is beneficiall to the fielde to set on fire the stubble that the ground maye be more fertyll and aboundant So sayeth S. Cyprian in martyrdome the fore-goinge fall is a preparation for greater fruite condemneth lyfe to deathe that by deathe lyfe maye the better be preserued And for this Theodoretus compareth the persecutours to men that go about to extinguish the flame with oyle wherby they rather increase it to carpēters that felling trees cause many more to springe thē they cut downe For the more martyrs are slayne the more daylye spring vp in their place This sayeth S. Hilarius is peculier to Gods Church while it is persecuted it florisheth while it is troaden doune it groweth vp while it is despised it profiteth while it is hurt it ouer cometh while it is contraryed it better vnderstandeth and then it is most constant when it seeemeth to be conquered So wonderfull is the force of the death and bloode of martyrs Whose gloryous course is verye fitlye expressed in the silk-worme which first eating it selfe out of a verye lytle seede groweth to be a small worme afterwarde when by feeding a certaine time vppon freshe greene leaues it is waxed of greater syse eateth it selfe agayne out of the other coate and worketh it selfe into a case of silke which when it hath once finyshed in the ende castinge the seede for manye younge to breede of and leauing the silke for mans ornament dyeth all white and winged in shape of a flyeinge thinge Euen so the martyrs of the Catholicke Church first breake out of the dead seede of original sinne by baptisme then when by feedinge on the Sacramentes and leaues of Gods worde they are growne to more rypenesse castinge the coate of worldlye vanityes they cloath them selues with the silke of vertue and perfection of lyfe in whiche worke perseuering to the ende euen when the persecution is greatest they finallye as need requireth shedd their blood as seede for newe ofspring to arise of and leaue moreouer the silke of their vertues as an ornamente to the Church And thus departe white for they re good workes and winged with innocency of handes and cleanes of harte they presentlye flye to they re heauenlye repose agreeablye to Dauides saying Quis ascendet in montem Domini Innocens manibus mundo corde Who shall ascend to the mount of God The innocent of handes and cleane of harte So that thoughe the rype fruite of the Church be gathered yet their blood engendereth new supplye and it increaseth the more when the disincrease therof is vyolentlye procured It is lyke the bush that burned was not cōsumed Of the owne ruines it ryseth and of the owne ashes it reuiueth and by that increaseth by which the worlde decayeth The Phenix as Epiphanius S. Clement and others report when she is come to her full age gathereth in some hye moūt a pyle of mirrhe frankēcense other spices which being kindled by the heat of the Sunn she suffereth her selfe to be burnte vpp and of her ashes there firste breedeth a litle worme which in the ende becommeth a Phaenix agayne So the Martirs when they see it necessarye for Gods glorye hauing gathered a pyle of vertue and good woorkes in the mount of the Catholike Churche and gotten that bundle of which the Spouse speaketh Fasciculus mirrhae dilectus meus mihi My beloued is vnto me by the example of his Passion a bundle of Mirrhe Exposinge them thereuppon to the scorchinge heate of persecution sacrifice them-selues in the flame of patience charytye that by theyr death the posteritye of the Churche may be preserued For as Saint Ambrose noteth the greate goodnes of our God so plentyful of mercye and so cunning an artificer of our saluation by setting before our eyes the hye rewarde of vertue will haue the merytes of martyrs to be our patronage and while in the harde conflicte of martirdome he cōmendeth vnto vs the true Faythe he maketh the affliction of the fore Fathers an instruction of their posterytye O how greate is Gods care ouer vs he examineth them to informe vs he spoylethe them to spare vs and turneth their passions to our profitt For we finde by experience that whosoeuer suffereth though he suffer for his offence is pityed and naturally miserye though deserued cannot but breede remorse tendernesse in the beholders But now when such men as be of innocente behauioure of vertuous conuersation learned and graue persons shall with comforte offer themselues to extremytye reioyce when they are tormented smile when they are dismembred and goe to death as they would to a bancket When such as neyther want dignityes to withdraw them nor frendes and familye to pulle them backe nor powerable enemyes to affrighte them shall be readye to change theire dignitye with disgrace to forsake their friendes and geue thēselues into the handes of their mortall foes only for the defence of theire conscience men must needes saye as they dyd in S. Cyprians time Noscenda res est et virtus penitus scrutāda visceribus Nec enim leuis est ista quaecunque confessio propter quā homo patitur mori posse It is a thing worthye to be knowen and some vertue that deserueth deepe consideration for which a man is content to suffer death They wante no meanes to searche out the trueth hauing both read heard that which can be sayd on eyther syde They wante not witt and iudgemente to discerne the good from the bad being persons knowen to be of deepe insight and discretion They can haue no pleasure in paynes nor anye temporall allurement to moue them to vndertake so greate miserye yea they haue manye delyghtes honours
his bodye vnseene and vntouched the effecte of them was neuer perceyued But so soone as by the wound in his syde they founde passage to come out there issued also with them a fountayne of grace where of all the Sacramentes take theire effecte Euen so is it in the blood of Martyrs They whom they re holye lyfe nothing moued they that by they re myracles could not be conuerted by theyr blood were mollyfied wrought to goodnes S. Paulâ— was obstinate for all S. Steuens preaching he was stubborne in his opynion for all his myraculous workes He could neuer be wonne tyll he felte the effecte of his innocent blood For as S. Augustin saieth Nisi Stephanus sic orasset ecclesia Paulum non habuisset Vnlesse Steeuen had thus prayed that is in his bloodye agonye the Churche had neuer had S. Paule Of S. Iames also it is written that in Spayne he could in his lyfe conuerte but eyght persons But when his blood began to worke the whole contrye yelded to his dead bones and reliques that regarded so lytle the force of his lyuinge speeches So lyke-wise the Citie of Rome though by S. Peter S. Paules owne voyces Epistles and conuersation they had bene laboured vnto the trueth yet it neuer could be throughly conuerted vntil it was longe soaked in Martyrs bloode Tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris Darcke sayth Dauid is the water in the cloudes of the ayre and yet that verye same it is that bringeth to light the sweete rose fayre liâ—lye that loadeth the trees with goodlye fruites and geueth all the pryde to the stateliest plants That is it as black as in the cloudes it seemeth that watereth the earthe and fallyng vppon the flowers setteth them forthe as it were with perles and diamantes and filleth the riuers with moste cleere streames What are these cloudes but Martyres of whome it is sayde whoe are these that flye lyke cloudes and lyke doues vnto they re windowes What is the water so darke in the clowdes but the blood of Martyrs in theire bodyes where the force therof is not yet vttered But when it is once shedd it sheweth it selfe to be the fludd of lyuing water that Christ promysed should flowe out of his beleeuers and that voluntarye rayne which God hath sett aparte for his inheritance that falleth lyke a shower vpon the herbes lyke dropps vpon the grasse in whose droppinges the younge springe reioyseth Of this maye we vnderstande Dauides prophesye Thou haste visited the earth doubtlesse of thy Church by persecution thou haste thoroughlye watered it doubtlesse with the bloode of Martyres and thou haste multiplyed to enriche it with younge springe of newe beleeuers In this are the words of Esay verifyed Since that thou art made honorable in my eyes and glorious by martyrdome I loued thee and will geue to my Churche men for thee many for one yea whole peoples for thy only lyfe that of thee it may be sayde as of Sampson that thou hast had a victory ouer more by thy death then by thy lyfe thou hadest obteyned To this effect may we referre these wordes of the Prophet They shal turne theire swordes into culters of ploughes and theyr speares into suhes because since Christs tyme all the persecutors by vsinge their swordes against the Church haue but plowed and tilled it to prepare it for newe corne and their speares haue bene but sithes to reape the rype croppe that more seede myghte shoote vpp in the place therof to the greater increase of Godds people And hetherto we haue experyenced the performance of that promyse made to Christes Church that the younge grouthe of Gods planting sholde to his glory shewe it selfe to be a worke of his handes for that the least shal become a thousand and a litle one become a moste stronge nation as by the vertue of the same hands fiue loues were multiplyed to be sufficiente foode for fyue thousand persons So hath it bene in euery place for the most parte and alwayes is proued true that Quo plus sanguinis effusum est hoc magis ac magis â—fâ—â—oâ—nit multundo fidelium As S. Câ—prian noteth The more bloode hathe bene shedd the more hath the multitude of the faythfull sloryshed Well may the Church saye vnto Christ these wordes of Sephora sponsus sanguinum tumihies Thou arte vnto me a Spouse of blood seinge that he neyther planted nor increased nor fostered her but in bloode With blood sprouted out her firste buddes as a presage and paterne of the future fruites and she was no soner maryed vnto Christ but strayt the Innocentes gaue her notise in what greefe â—he was to bring forthe her children Of these S. Augustine speakinge sayeth Iure dicuntur martyrum flores quos in medio frigore infidelitatis exortos velut primas cruÌ„pentes ecclesiae gemmas quaedam persecutionis pruina decoxit Non habebatis aetatem qua in passuruÌ„ ChristuÌ„ crederetis habebatis carnem qua pro Christo passuro passionem sustiâ—eretis They are worthely called the flowers of Martyres whiche springing in the harte of the colde of infidelitye as the firste buddes of the Church that shot out a certayne frost of persecution parched Your yeares serued you not to beleue in Christe but youre fleshe serued you to suffer for Christe that was afterwarde to suffer for you With theire blood did the Apostles Disciples and other Martyres vntill our dayes establish the Churches doctrine With bloode must we confirme it and in the ende of the worlde Enoch and Elias and other Martyrs of Antichristes time with their blood must seale vp the same for as S. Cyprian well noteth nullum instrumentum indubitabilius quam quod tot martyrum sanguine obsignatuÌ„ est No obligatioÌ„ more infallible then that which is sealed vp with the blood of so manye Martyres And therefore Christ taketh this course for the confirmation of his doctrine If in the olde Testament when Moyses redd the lawe vnto the people he sprinkeled them with blood of calues sayinge Hic est sanguis faederis quod pepigit Dominus vobiscum super cunctis sermonibus his This is the blood of the league which our Lorde hath made with you concerning all these speeches How much more effectuallye is the Churche sprinckled wyth the bloode of Martyrs as a meane to binde our hartes with vnfoluble league of beleefe to Christes sayinges The efficacie of this coÌ„firmation of our saith doth S. Ambrose acknowledge as verye important Nouerimus itaque sayth he quia non sine magno discrimine de religionis veritate disputamus quam tantorum martyrum sanguine confirmatam videmus Magni periculi res est si post tot ProphetaruÌ„ oracula post Apostolorum testimonia post martyrum vulnera veteruÌ„ fidem quasi nouellam discutere presumas et post tam manifestos duces in errore permaneas post morieÌ„tium sudores otiosa