thou shalt die after which death because thou art a Christiā be sure thou shalt giue vp a reckoning of thy life forepassed Of this the faith which we professe wil not permit vs to doubt that other dayly experience doth confirme assuredly so that none can shunne or escape the one nor the other Be he Pope Prince or Emperour there shall come a time wherein eyther hee shall sée bright day continually or vgly night incessantly That time shall come without al doubt yet thou knowest not when whether it will be to day or to morrow In what time thou now readest this writing whole and sounde in all thy sences and members measuring the vayes of thy life according to thy businesse and delights shalt sée thy selfe in a bedde with a candle in thy hand attending the dint of death and sentence pronounced against humaine kinde which by no manner suite may bee released There shall be presented vnto thée the depriuation of all earthly delights the insupportable payne and passion of death the ende and last Pageant of thy life the horrour of thy graue the cursed condition of thy body allotted to be deuoured of woormes But the wretched estate of the soule will bee much more gréeuous vnto thée which béeing yet in the body knoweth not after an houre or two where his habitation shall be assigned Then in a moment thou shalt sée thy selfe sette before the tribunall seate of God almightie blaming and accusing vnto him thine owne naughtie life There thou shalt clearely discerne she foule enormious crimes whereof thou art guiltie and shall curse ten thousand times the day in which thou diddest transgresse the commaundements of God and the delight which stirred thée thereunto Then shalt thou meruaile at thy selfe how for so brickle pleasures as are those which thou imbrasedst diddest hazard thy selfe to endure perpetuall torments whereof thou now beginnest to haue a taste and smack for that the ioyes béeing now quite vanished away and the doome due vnto thée approaching neare that slender substance which was in them loosing his essence and beeing seemeth that it was nothing at all But the remorse and sting wherwith they presently prick and presse thy conscience appeareth to bée of inestimable force and efficacie Perceiuing therefore how for such transitorie trifles thou art at poynt to be bereaued of so incomparable felicitie béeing abashed thereat considerest thine owne distresse for that thou hauing runne out thy race there resteth no longer continuance of life nor leysure of repentance neither thy worldly fréendes neither the Idols to whom thou hast auowed the whole trauaile and terme of thy life can assist or succour thée at all yea those things which earst thou louedst most tenderly will be héere vnto thee the cause of grétest gréefe Tell me I pray thée when thou shalt sée thy selfe plunged in this perplexitie whither wilt thou turne what wilt thou doo to whom wilt thou crye To go backe it is impossible so goe forwarde intollerable to remaine as thou art thou mayest not what then wilt thou doo Then sayth God by the mouth of the Prophet the Sun shall not bee séene of the vngodly in the midday and I will bring darknesse vppon them in the bright day and I will conuert their pleasaunt sports to bitter plaints their dauncing and dallying to dolour and deadly dread Oh what wordes bee these Ezech. 32 The Sunne shall go downe in the midday because she huge heape of sinne then ouerwhelming the wicked which séeing by the iust iudgement of God the course of their life and time of repentance to b◠abridged many of them are so appalled with feare that they fall to flat dispayre of the mildenesse and mercy of GOD. And abyding yet in the middest of the day for so much as is remaynent of their mortall life which is the very time to merit or not to merit it séemeth vnto them that they haue no longer respect to doo good or euill but are vtterly excluded of both verily the passion of feare is of great force and vehemencie which maketh things that bee farre from vs séeme to bee present and of a trifle rayseth a tragedie If the consideration of this causeth them sometime to quake a little what then shall the feare of their vndoubted and iust ieopardie cause them to doo They béeing yet in this life beginne to suffer sensibly the gréefe and reproach of the Reprobate and in one very moment are both quick and dead For bewayling the present pleasures which they must forsake beginne to séele the future miserie which so much they feare They holde them most happie which tarry here behinde whereby they are prouoked to enuie which greatly augmenteth their griese To those the Sunne goeth downe at noone dayes for so much as which way soeuer they caste theyr eyes they sée themselues debarred on euery side from accesse to Heauen and that no beame or sparke of comfort appeareth vnto them for if they regarde the bountie of God they sée how sore they haue offended him if they behold his iustice they see him in a manner rigorously to rush vppon them for that hitherto the time and tide hath béene at their becke but now Gods turne is at hande If they looke backe to their life forepassed they sée what accusations groweth therof If to the time present they sée themselues to pecke ouer the pearch by péecemeale If they looke forwarde a little further they beholde the Iudge attending for their accounts Alasse what shall the séely wretches doo béeing atteinted with so many trespasses and affrighted with such furious feares at once For this cause the Prophet said that the bright day shall be turned into darkenesse thereby to giue vs notice that those things whereof the wicked are wont to take their greatest consolation should then be vnto them the cheefest cause of their discomfort It is a good thing I graunt for a man to sée his sonnes his friendes his house his worldly workes and all that he loueth besides but then this chearefull light shall bee altogither conuerted to profound darknesse for that all these things shall heape more heauinesse and shall become most bitter persecuters of their affectioned louers For as by nature and common custome we take no small delight in the present possession of those thinges which we loue and like well So likewise the losse thereof bringeth excessiue gréefe Therefore let the swéete children depart out of their fathers sight when hée lyeth at poynt of death and lette the mother also absent her selfe that shee may not giue and receiue by her presence so many sharpe assaults of sorrowe And his departure béeing into so far countries his iourney through so straunge and vnknowne waies the pinching smart which hee abideth will not permit him to haue confidence in any thing neyther will graunt him to take his leaue of his fréends If thou standest now vppon the same termes I spake of thou shalt well perceiue I haue not swarued from the truth
10. Finally there shall be inward and outward darknesse both of the body and minde farre more obscure then those of Egypt which might be felt and touched with the hand There shall be fire but not suche as we vse commonly which smarteth a little and vanisheth quickly but such as is most fit for that place that is which afflicteth vehemently and neuer ceaseth to torment If this be true how can it be that those whiche beléeue and confesse the same should line so loosely and sléepe in such securitie What daunger what tedious toyle would not any man gladly vndertake rather then he would endure one day yea one houre the least of these torments Why then to shun a perpetuitie of calamities so tragicall doo they not imploy themselues to so easie trauaile as that which is requisite to the following of vertue This thing were inough to sequester a mans soule from his sences and to bring him to an extacie that deliberateth aduisedly herevpon Yet if among these huge heapes of miseries were any hope of ende or redresse it woulde quallifie somewhat their gripings corsies but alas they find it there farre otherwise for the gates of comfort are closed vp on all sides In all kinde of heauinesse that may happen in this life resteth alwayes some reliefe wherein the afflicted may repose himselfe as that which is administred either by reason of time fréendes or company of many whiche doo participate with him in the same mishap or by hope to be released at last may mittigate their maladie But in this euill onely the cundits of grace are so stopped and the passages of common comfort so interrupted that these vnhappie creatures can finde fauour on no side neither from heauen neither from the earth neither of the time passed nor present nor of that to come nor of ought that can be else but they séeme to be pressed and pearsed of all partes and that all creatures coÌ„spire against them whereby at last they ware wood and wrath with themselues This is the extreme straightnesse whereof the wicked bewayle themselues by the Prophet in this sorte Psal 17. The dread of death hath hedged me in on euery side and the infernall frightes haue inuironed met round about in such wise that whereon soeuer they péepe or prie their obiect is alwayes miserie exempted of mercie The Virgines whiche stoode prest at the Pallace of their spouse were receiued in Matth. 15. as the Euangelist saith and sodeinly the gates were locked O perpetuall pinning faste O immortall inclosure O gate of comfort which neuer shall be opened which is as though he had saide Closed is the porte of pardon shut is the doore and hatch of hope and intercession of grace of consolation and of meriting any more The sixe daies are vanished wherin Manna was to be gathered but the Sabboth it could not be founde wherfore he must fast alwaies which would not prouide for himselfe in time The yâ—le sluggard saith Salomon fearing the colde will not till his grounde in the Winter whereby he shall begge in the sommer and nothing shall be giuen him And againe He that laboureth in the sommer and time of haruest is discréete but he that then betakes him to sleepe is the sonne of perdition What greater confusion can there be then that which hapned to the riche myser who might haue purchased his place in heauen with the crums of bread that fell froÌ„ his table by his couetousnesse in deteyning that litle is now brought to such penury himself that he craueth shall craue coÌ„tinually one drop of water shal neuer obtaine it In whose heart doth not this request of that wretch moue a remorse O father Abraham pittie my case and send Lazarus Luke 16. that he may dip the top of his finger in the water and may touch my toong therewith for this fire tormenteth me out of measure What lesse petition could be demaunded then this for he durst not request one vessell of water neither would he that Lazarus should wet all his hande nor his whole finger which is to be wondred at but only the toppe of his finger and yet it would not be graunted vnto him By which thou seest how close the gates of grace are shulte and howe farre the prohibition and curse stretcheth which is prepared for the vngodly sith they cannot get so small a matter In such sort that cast they their gastly lookes which way they will let them extend their hand to what place them list they shall finde no crum of comfort be it neuer so small And as one fallen into the sea plunging in the deapth of the waters can finde no perfect footing and often stretching out his arme catcheth and graspeth round about in vaine being now euen swallowed in the gulfe So shall it happen to the accursed crue to whome the worlde is without any stabilitie for wading in the waues of such woe wretchednesse and alwaies striuing with death without trust or stay of any succour to leane vnto Of all the gréefes which is suffered in that mischéeuous place and harbour of aduersitie this is the greatest for if these punishmentes were determinable by any time yea though it were a thousande yeares or a hundred thousande million of yeares it were some kinde of comfort for that which hath end is not altogither to be dispraïsed but the paine of the wicked shall be eternall and the time of their distresse shall be coequall with the diuine glorie of God so long as God shall liue so long shall they dye and when God shall cease to be that he is then shall they likewise leaue to be that they are O dying life O liuing and immortall death I know not whether I should call thée life or death for if thou be life why dyest thou if thou be death how doest thou still endure I will not therefore call thée the one nor the other for that neither the one nor the other conteyneth ought that good is Life hath his limits and death dureth but for a time which much auayleth to the asswaging of sorrowes but in thée are neyther boundes nor space at all What then art thou Verely thou art the penaunce of life and the plague of death for thou hast the sting and torment of death euerlastingly and of life thou hast the perpetuitie without intermission GOD spoyled both life and death of their happinesse and committed to thée that which was left for the perpetuall punishment of the vngodly O cursed confection O bitter pill berest vtterly of all the benefites and delights that floweth from our swéete Samour Christ which is the foode that all wretched sinners féede vpon I wish therfore deare brother that not sildome thou wouldest erect thy earthly minde to the consideration of this eternitie and as a beast of the world wouldest sometimes make thy repast thervpoÌ„ Which that thou mayest performe effectually propone before thy eyes of vnderstanding the affliction that a
a gallant superscription as héere thou seest grauen by the hande of God It was much lesse then this that Quéene Sabba had heard of Salomon and yet she came from the vttermost partes of the earth to trie whether those things were true which were reported vnto her Wherefore then hearing such and so certaine tydings of vertue doest thou not betake thée to a litle trauell If thou wilt be assured hereof graunt thy selfe vnto the word of God and confidently commit thy selfe into his handes loose thy selfe from the hands which hath wrapt and wonne thée and thou shalt sée that the same of vertue is lesse then her merite and that whatsoeuer we haue said is nothing in comparison of that she is in her proper effect The Argument To perseuere in sinne with a thousand excuses and delaies intending to amend his life hereafter deceiueth a Christian maruellously For by this meanes he blindeth and burieth himselfe in the durtie dunghill of vice and waxeth daily more prone therevnto in such wise that iniquitie taking deep roote in the intrailes of his mind it will very hardly be remoued CHAP. VIII NOtwithstanding all these assertioÌ„s whereby the condition of vertue is iustified sufficiently the wicked wil neuer want their wonted excuses and delaies for as it is written He that will shake off his friend searcheth for a cause of quarrell but in so dooing he meriteth a gréeuous reprehension and controlment Yet some there be which with one onely worde will easily reply to all this saying It sufficeth them to amend hereafter and then to reduce the course of their life to a better order foolishly feyning to themselues that it is too hard a matter presently for them so to doo and that in time to come they may attempt atchieue this thing with more facilitie How fondly man deceiueth himselfe which is one of the grossest errours wherewith a man may delude himselfe For if thou mindest so long to procéede and perseuere in that perillous path wherein thou art entred still augmenting the heape of thine iniquities howe canst thou so easily hereafter forsake it at thy pleasure thy naughtie conditions béeing growne by continuall custome into an habite Further if thou continue héerein euill custome shall bee more fortified and confirmed and nature shall be corrupted the more and the diuell shall preuaile and haue more power vpon thée and shalt be still farther from the fauour of GOD and consequently more blinde more enclined and plunged déeper in the stinking puddle of iniquitie Then howe can it be more easie for thée to performe this businesse béeing increased with these newe difficulties by reason of thy perseueraunce in sinne If euery time that thou doest offend thou leauest behinde thâ—â— a dayes iourney of thy voyage towardes vertue how canst thou more readily frame thy selfe thereunto hereafter hauing let slip so many daies iourney as thou hast committed offences It may well appeare that by this answere thou art instructed by the father of lyes and falshood that after thou hast so long inured thy selfe to vice and folly and haste runned a race so farre from the trade of vertue shall then bee most easie for thée to attayne therevnto But among these things what shall I say of the great power of custome and of the force shee hath to binde and wrap thée fast in wickednesse For true it is that as they which fasten a nayle in any thing with euery stroke they driue it further in and yet with other strokes further and so the more still they strike the more they fasten it and waxeth thereby the more harde to pull out againe In like maner by each euill fact we commit vice as it were with a béetle is more déepely rammed into our minde where it is fixed so fast that there can very hardly bee founde any force able to remooue it Whereby wée sée not seldome that the olde age of those who in their flourishing yeares were wholely giuen to carnalitie is often subiect to the dissolute manners of theyr youth yea although they then abhorre them and nature thereof disclaymeth vtterly which onely commeth to passe through the tyranny of euill custome For it is affirmed by Iob that the bones of the wicked shall be full of those vices that they vsed in their youth which shall accoÌ„pany them in their graues in such sort the vice hath no other end then death which is the dissolution and extinguishment of all mortall things which onely suffiseth to redresse and cure it And the cause hereof is custome coÌ„firmed which nowe is growne to nature For vicious appetites taking such roote in the bones and bowels of their souls is euen like vnto a ioynt ague which hauing setled it selfe in the intrailes of a man is become incurable The very same thing is shewed by our Sauiour in the resurrection of Lazarus which had lien dead nowe foure daies whome GOD called againe to life with such vehement shrikes and cries notwithstanding hee raised many from death before with such falicitie thereby to make it knowne vnto vs what a wonder it was that God raised him againe who foure dayes had béene dead and buried This long since is espied to be in sinne For as Saint Augustine openeth this place of these foure dayes the first is the delight we haue in sinne the second is the consent of minde the third the accomplishment in déede the fourth the perseuerance in sin and he that is come to this point is Lazarus lying dead foure dayes who cannot be receiued but with the loud lamentations and teares of our Sauiour If peraduenture this chaunce vnto thée which very seldome hapneth to any tell mee what lawe canst thou alleadge for thy leawdnesse that God before all worlds hauing loued and created thée to inuest thée with the glory of eternall felicitie wilt not consume in the seruice of him who hath bin thy benefactor and friend so long in this short brickle life that thou enioyest The Argument Repentance ought not to be deferred to the end of life for theÌ„ God doth seldome grant them his grace to dye well For he that hath lead a leaud life hath commonly a worse death and so findeth a righteous recompence for his vniust deserts CHAP. IX BVt some there be so blinde shamelesse that it suffiseth them not to haue sinned all their life passed but they resolue with themselues wilfully to wallowe therein vntill they sensibly féele themselues assited with the very sommons of death O dreadfull time full of perplexitie what thinkest thou with this price to purchase the Kingdome of Heauen and to merit the societie and seate of Angels Doest thou not sée that whatsoeuer is done at this time is necessitie and not will is forced and not frée is constraint and not consent is feare and not friendship yet it is loue not the loue of God but selfe loue which shunneth naturally his owne annoy Doest thou not perceiue that these things are méere opposite
to the rule of equitie that thou hauing dedicated the whole tearme of thy life to deuotion of the diuell wilt in the ende require to be rewarded of God Doest thou not behold herein euen that which the fiue foolish Virgins did prepare whereof the Euangelist sheweth that they were making them readie when they shoulde haue giuen vppe their accounts Therefore how canst thou expect any better successe then thou art admonished by this example continuing in the selfesame carefulnesse God is mightie and can inspire vpon vs true repentance when he list but howe often it happeneth at this houre and howe fewe they bee which then repent hartily aske S. Augustine S. Ambrose S. Gregory and all other Saints and thou shalt sée howe precisely and scrupulously they speake in this matter and thou shalt well perceiue what a madnesse it is so confidently to commit thy selfe to the mercie of a gulfe wherevnto so many skilfull Pilots did passe with such great horrour and feare To dye well is a knowledge which ought to be learned all the life before for in the houre of death the diseased is cumbred with so many cares and gréefes that hée hath no leysure to learne to dye well It is a generall rule that as the life is of euery man such is his daath The death of the wicked is conformable to their life Whereby it followeth that if the life bee mischéenous the death is miserable except God for some speciall purpose doth dispose it otherwise These be not my words but the Apostles sayings The ende of the vngodly shall be like vnto their deserts For speaking generally neither doo we looke for a good euent of wicked beginnings nor of good attemptes cuill happes Reade ouer the whole Byble and thou shalt not heare any thing repeated so oft as this What séede a man soweth such croppe shall he gather and that in the extremitie of death the vniust shall reape the fruite of their trauels and that God will impart to euery man according to his merits and that the death of euery man shall be conformable to the life he hath lead and that the iustice of the righteous man shall be vppon his head and the curse of the â—â—godly vpon his head likewise with a thousand such like sentences If all the diuine scriptures might be powred out to sée what would issue thereof scarce any thing would appeare more often to our view then this Wherefore if thy workes be wicked and thy life likewise what other thing can we prognosticate thereof but that the ende will succéede as the beginning and middle hath béene What thing else shall we thinke him to gather in the other life but corruption who in this life hath sowen nothing else but corruption Peraduenture as our Sauiour saith We may gather roses of thornes figges of furse-bushes c. If the house of the wicked as Salomon sayth declineth towards death and his foote path leadeth directly to hell what other port can bee expected after this nauigation but euen such an ende as where the wall or trée shall fall which bendeth to one side but in that part whither it howeth most For he whose life whose dooings whose thoughts hath bene their onely regard to hell for that they haue all deserued it where shall he settle himselfe after all this but euen there right where shall he haue his habitation if not in outward darkenesse which alway walked in inward darknesse how wouldest thou bring to passe that in the ende of his iourney he should arriue in heauen which hath alwayes pursued the beaten pathe that lyeth straight to hell The Argument Wee ought not to abuse the mercie of God perseuering in sinne vpon confidence thereof For if Gods mercy can suffer so many Infidelles in the worlde and in the Church so many wicked Christians and that all those should be cast away quite he will also suffer that euery one which stil remaineth in sinne shall perish eternally CHAP. X. ANd if on the other side thou say that great is the mercie of God which dooth embolden thée in such that continuing in thy naughtie life are yet assured of thy saluation But tell mee how canst thou offer greater iniâ—rie to the mercy of God then of his beneuolence to take occasion to displease him Who taught thee to argue in this sort that because God is good and gracious shou shouldest haue leaue to be vngracious and to merit heauen thereby The holy Ghost neuer taught thée this kinde of reasoning but rather in this fashion That God being so good ought to be honoured obeyed imbraced aboue all other thinges wherefore sith God is pittifull it is good reason that in him I shoulde repose my whole trust and considence that he will pardon my treipasses bee they neuer so hainous so that I detest them vtterly turning my selfe vnto him with a sincere heart But procéeding alwayes in sinne beléeue it well hée will not abeare it yea hee will condemne thée and hate thée the more whome hée suffereth so long Thou canst not gainsay me that of an hundreth partes of the worlde there is scarce one repleated with Christians and that of ninetie and nine which abide in the worlde none are saned For as in the time of that great flood none was saued out of the Arke of Noe nor out of the house of Rubbe none escaped of those which dwelt in Hierusalem so none can be saued out of the house of God which it his church euen that which wee call Christianitie Beholde in what pickle and perplexitie it standeth in these dayes and thou shalte finde for certaine that in this whole mysticall bodie from toppe to toe is scarce any thing entire and sounde Sette aparte some principall Cittie where discipline taketh place and range abroad through all Townes and other places where as I saide is no talke of discipline and thou shalte finde much people of whome may be verified that which GOD saide touching Hierusalem Search all the stréetes and houses of Hierusalem and if thou shalte finde one iust man for his sake I will haue compassion vpon the Cittie Raunge abroad I say not now through Innes and Markets for that these anâ— places dedicated to deceit but through the best Cittizens houses As Ieremie saith Listen thy eares to that they speake and thou shalt hardly heare ouâ— good word but bitter backbytings and murmure shall fill thy eares Their disorder their oathes their blasphemie laughter discorde threates and of all sides both heart and tongues debate of earthly drosse and gaine but verie sâ—dome of God and good things but altogither in swearing and forswearing his holy name which is the memory he hath left vnto vs. The same Prophet saying Let them be mindfull of me but not in swearing falsly by my name iâ— such sort that by the externall shewe a man can scarce coniecture whether that nation be Christian or Heathen except it be by the sounde of belles and ruthful rage of
of Angels Therefore if the righteous for their secret pride or negligence and ingratitude became so vnmiâ—d full of God after they had béene his dutifull Seruaunts so many yeares What doest thou looke for hauing framed thy life to no other trade then to accumulate one sinne vppon an other Therefore whosocuer we sée to liue in this sort as wee haue tolde of before shall it not bee expedient that hee shoulde nowe at the length cease to fill vppe the measure of his iniquities and to assay to please God and to deliuer his soule from bondage should it not suffise him that he hath liued so leaudlie till this houre addicting himselfe wholy to the worlde the flesh and the diuell and hereafter to imploy himselfe and to runne out the remnant of his race 〈◊〉 the homage and honour of God is it not néedefull after so long time and so many iniuries committed against his Diuine Masestie to feare his seuere instice which the more patiently it beareth with the wicked so much the more rigorously is reuenged vppon them in the ende shall it not be reason that hee should bee afraid to lye so long swallowed vppe in the gulfe of sinne depriued of the grace of God and to haue so strong an enemie as is hee who of a deare father through his deserts is become his adnersarie and his iudge Shall it not bée reason to dread least the force of long vse bee turned into nature and habitte making of vice necessitie How should hee not feare by little and little to fall into a reprobate sence whereunto when a man is come hee doth not any thing that is acceptable in the sight of almightie God The Patriarke Iacob said to his father in lawe Labin Fourtéene yeares are passed since I haue scrued thée and haue had charge of thy businesse and now it is time that I attend vppon mine owne affaires and that I begin to prouide for mine owne house Wherefore I pray thée sith thou hast bin so long not a retayner but a daylie waiter to the worlde not letting slip any oportunitie of this life which was eyther appendaunt to thy pleasures or agréeing to thy appetites shall it not to be reasonable for thée nowe at the length to get some commoditie for the soule and for the bertering of thy estate in the other life certainly there is nothing more short and vnsure then the life of man Why then thou prouiding so carefully all necessaries for that which is so momentall and transitory dost not likewise make some prouision for that which endureth for euer The Argument A man ought to remember himselfe and that he is a Christian and that he beleeue firmely all that he is taught by his faith which should mooue him eyther through loue or feare All things inuite him to the loue and seruice of God among which hee should acquire wisedome and harken to the words of Christ who fixed himselfe to the crosse for our redemption CHAP. XIIII NOw therfore if it be true as I haue said I beséech thée deare brother and charge thée by the precious blood of Christ that thou remember thy selfe that thou art a Christian and that thou take all that which our faith teacheth for vnfeined veritie which plainly prooueth vnto thée that besides other things thou hast a iudge to whose eye lyeth open all the actions and moments of thy life who will come at a day vnwares wherin he will exact an account of thée euen of euery idle worde This faith telleth shée farther that a man at his death is not quite extinguished because after this mortall life succéedeth an other which lasteth eternally and shat mens foules doo not perish with their bodies but that the bodies resting and raked vp in their graues the soules yet enter into a newe Kingdome and into an other new world where such condition and company shal be assigned vnto them as their manner and behauiour hath bin in this life Héere vnto this faith adioyneth yet more that as the rewarde of vertue so the scourge of vice is so infinit that although the whole worlde were full of bookes and euery creature were a Scriuener the writers woulde sooner dye and the world be at an ende before it could bee knowne and treated of particularly that which each of these doth containe in it selfe This faith also informeth thée that our debt and dutie is so great through our benefites receiued of God that though the number of a mans yeares did surpasse the sandes of the seas yet they should be too fewe to acquite himselfe in his seruice towards him The same faith affirmeth that vertue is of such passing valour that all the treasures of the worlde and all that a mans heart can desire may in no respect be coÌ„pared the reunto Wherfore if such and so great things doo exhort vs to vertue why be there so fewe which imbrace it and endeuour themselues to attaine it If men may bee mooued with any aduauntage or interest what greater gaine is there what life more perdurable If with feare what sharper punishments what paint more permanent If with the bonds of bountious liberalitie what greater debt haue wee then that which we owe vnto God of whom wee haue receiued all things If the dread of dangers may stirre vs what greater perill can there bee then that of death whose comming is so vncertaine whose account so straight If peace if libertie if the gifts of the holy Ghost and the solace of a sugred life be desired of all men it appeareth euidently that all these things are founde more readilie in that life which is lead by vertue and reason then in that which is ruled by rage and passions for that a man is a reasonable creature and not a beast But if all this bee not regarded shall it not bee sufficient that for the maintenaunce of veriue GOD descended from Heauen to the earth and was made man who hauing created the world in six dais imployed thirtie and thrée yeares in this worke wherein hee also spent his bloud and life God dyed to slay sinne yet for all this wee endeuour to reuiue in our hearts those whom God would destroy with his owne death What should I say more for all reasons are sufficient to promote this matter or to shewe it as it is Fo I say not respecting the crosse onely but which way soeuer we turne our eyes we shall finde that all things doo cry and cal vs to this commoditie sith there is no creature in the world if hee bee well noted but doth inuite vs to the loue and seruice of our supernall Lord in such sort that looke howe many creatures there be in the world so many preachers there are so many bookes so many voyces which doo stirre vs therevnto Wherefore howe is it possible that so many shriking sounds as héere thou hearest so many promises thundring threats can beare no parte to perswade thée thereunto What should God or could
whom is the foundation of wisedome and beginning of true blisse Endeuour therefore so to arme and addresse thy selfe at all poynts that thou be not vanquished by sinne Farther shalt viewe thine owne wretchednesse and infirmities whiche will serue as a corzie to quallifie the swelling rancor of pride and to establish humilitie the very quéene and guide of all other vertues And shalt easily reiect hatefull auarice and gréedie gaping for earthly vanities For the memorie of death causeth thée to knowe that none of these thinges can be called thine which thou canst not carry with thee out of this world And thou coÌ„tinuing in this exercise vnwares thy dread shall be turned into desire and death shall not séem so terrible vnto thée for that it depriueth thée of thy temporall life as delightful and acceptable because it giueth ende to so many gréefes and miseries and giueth enterance to life and light eternall And thou shalt perceiue howe little cause thou haddest to complaine or to be sorie weighing that whilest thy bodie doth perishe and consume in the graue thy soule liueth blisfully in heauen with a firme beléefe to rise againe at the last day to life euerlasting The Argument In the seuenth consideration ought to be premeditated how seuere and rigorous Christ will be at the day of iudgement for that his countenance will then declare to the wickid beholders nothing else but furious wrath and reuenge which none can escape for there must be giuen vp an exact account of all thinges done and thought of in this world CHAP. IX EAch man proueth and perceiueth in himselfe by often experience that his vnderstanding by the apprehension of some fearfull obiect or weightie consideration retireth and coucheth closely within it selfe and for that instant repelleth easily all other idle imaginations For which cause it is most prositable counsayle that a sinner at his first conuersion exercise himselfe seriously in such cogitations for that by this meanes péeuish fansies sometime through dread sometime through wonder will be either brideled or banished quite If the memorie of death as is aforesaide hath such force to cut off and to restraine our vaine and bagraum thoughts howe much more may this be done by the remembraunce of that which insueth after death immediately whiche is Gods iudgement and the paines of hell By which meditations if thou often thinke vpon them shall be brought to passe that which Ecclesiastick affirmeth Remember thy daies whereby hee meaneth that which then shall happen vnto thee and thou shalt neuer doo amisse S. Hierome not without iust cause said Whether I eate or drinke mee thinkes still I heare the sounde of the Trumpet buzzing in my eares Arise from death and come to your iudgement Which howe terrible it shall be cannot be imagined sith all other terrours or tragedies whatsoeuer in comparison of this is nothing at all Many times God hath manifested his iudgements in this worlde as when hee drowned the worlde with the great floud when hee burned Sodome and the Cities adioyning when he strooke Egypt with diuers dreadfull plagues when he made the earth to open in the desert to swallow vp sinners all which iudgements beeing compared to that generall iudgement which shall be exercised in the last day are but shadowes but shewes and figures of the veritie If then thou desire to come to thy selfe and to gather thy wits togither with the remembraunce of this represent to thy imagination the terriblenesse of Christ thy iudge whose countenance shall declare nothing else but rigour and reuenge as at the first comming he shewed mildenesse altogither From whom thou canst not appeale to any other because he is supreme Iudge neither canst thou auoide his furie because he is most puissant and for that hee is the very fountaine and God of knowledge nothing can be concealed from him And because he hateth iniquitie out of measure hee will not suffer any sinne to be vnreuenged There thou must bee accountable of all thy transgressions debts and trespasses whereof if the least be inough to put thée in extreame danger and perplexitie who can make satisfaction for so many debtes and arrerages as shall bee exacted at thy handes Then thou shalt bee examined how thou hast vestowed thy time howe thou haste ordered thy body howe thou hast gonerned thy sences and how thou hast guided thy heart howe thou hast answered to the diuine inspirations how thou haste acknowledged so many curtesies In the which accusation thou shalt bee conuinced with so many witnesses as are the creatures which thou hast abused by sinne which then will be so stirred to reuenge the wrong done vnto their creator that if it were possible those which are immortall would dye with feare For it shall be a horror inestimable to sée the worlde all on fire the buildings and princely Pallaces ouerthrowne and torne in péeces the earth to tremble to viewe the elements to chaunge theyr course the Sunne to bee darkened the Moone and Starres to léese theyr light to beholde the death and destruction of all creatures the open gaping of graues to heare the voyce of the terrible trumpe and wofull waylings of nations to marke the discouering of consciences to regarde the monstrous deformed diuels and she inâ—â—â—nall furnace sparkling with furious flakes But of all other things shall be most terrible to looke vppon the victorious flagge of the Crosse clittering in the ayre with all the ensignes of the glorious passion of our Sauiour To sée the Iudge to charge his enemies for the making frustrate yea the reitteration of so many torments as hee hath suffered for their redemption Who might more easily endure the smart of hell paines then to sée themselues so accused and accursed of the Lord of bountie and courtesie and to be expelled from his presence to perpetuall punishment The Argument In the eight consideration we ought to premeditate vpon the intollerable terrour of hell paines which shall be perpetuall But of al those torments the most greeuous is the losse and lacke of Gods chearefull countenance without any hope for euer to gaine it againe CHAP. X. BUt it may so chance that mauger thy might for all these considerations ydle thoughts will not forsake thee though it must néedes bee a sounde fléepe and a very drowzie dreame that will not bee awaked with such incitations Yet thou must not be discomforted but howe much more difficults doo arise so much the more stoutly thou shouldest striue to atchieue thy enterprise Assay then whither the search of hell paines will bee more behouefull vnto thée concerning which two things are chiefly to be noted that is the vehemencie of their smart and the time of their continuance The least of these is able to mollifie the most stubborne and stony heart of the worlde but the which is not mooued neither with the one nor with the other is eyther dead in his soule or else beléeueth not that which the Christian faith sheweth For though the greatnesse of hell torments cannot bee imagined nor expressed filled with most iust feare If thou accustome thy selfe to such exercises aâ—â— doest perseuer therin in short space thou thalt become a newe man for by these meditations thy minde shall be brought to despise the world to shun sinne to fear these paines and to loue vertue And though at the beginning thou bee appaled and affrighted vehemently yet hand patience a while for thy colde feare shall be qualified and tempered with the heat of loue as the black night is turned by little and little into the bright shining day EINIS
THE CONVERsion of a Sinner Faithfully translated out of Italian by M. K. Psalm 36. vers 27. Declina a malo fac Bonum Leaue sinne ere sinne leaue thee do good And both without delay Lesse fit he will to morrow be Who is not fit to day LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede for I. P. To the Reader I Doo heere present vnto thy fauourable view most curteous and gentle Reader this Pamphlet which wanting a particular Patron commeth as it were a begging vnto thee for no lesse then thy whole selfe and that chiefly for thine owne good The way to protect it is to direct thy life by it to suffer it to possesse thee assoone as thou hast possest it which if thou be so happie to accomplish it will teach thee to win Loue by feare Life by death yea euerlasting happinesse by the transitorie troubles of this wretched world And to giue it iust praise in a word it is a worke of the learned and spirituall Granado aptly translated by a vertuous Gentleman into our English Lamentationes Let Dread of paine for sinne in after time Let Shame to see thy selfe ensnared soe Let Greefe conceiued for foule accursed crime Let Hate of sinne the worker of thy woe With Dread with Shame with Greefe with Hate enforce To deawe the cheeks with teares of deep remorce Carmen So Hate of sinne shall make Gods Loue to grow So Greefe shall harbour Hope within thy hart So Dread shall cause the flood of Ioy to flow So Shame shall send sweete Solace to thy smart So Loue so Hope so Ioy so Solace sweete Shall make thy soule in heauenly blisse to fleete Vae Woe where no Hate doth no such Loue allure Woe where such Greefe makes no such Hope proceed Woe where such Dread doth no such Ioy procure Woe where such Shame doth no such Solace breed Wo where no Hate no Greefe no Dread no Shame No Loue no Hope no Ioy no Solace frame Non tardes conuerti ad Deum A brief Treatise exhorting sinners to repentance commonly called The Conuersion of a sinner The Argument Sinners are commonly coÌ„uerted to God through feare and dread Who if they read and well weigh holy writ would tremble and quake considering the iminent perils wherein they dwell and would diuert from their wicked wayes to the path of perfection thereby the better to ridde themselues from the gnawing gripes of a giltie conscience and dreadfull torments due vnto sin which otherwise God threateneth vppon them The first Chapter WE reade in the diuine Scriptures that God before he defaced vtterly rased the Citie of HierusaleÌ„ by Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon sayd to the Prophet Ieremie in this wise Iere 32. Take a booke not written in before and write therein that which I haue said vnto thée against Iuda and against Israel from the first day I began to talke with thée euen vntill this present day and publish it in the presence of all the people thereby to prooue whether this Nation vnderstanding the manifold miseries I minde to bring vpon theÌ„ will reuolt from their iniquities that in so dooing I may haue compassion vppon them pardon their offences and cease to exercise the whippe of my wrath which I haue alreadie prepared The Scripture addeth further that Baruch Scribe to this Prophet pronouncing that which hee had written in the open audience assembly of the people and Princes such horrour and feare fell amongst them that as meÌ„ amazed each beheld others considering the heapes of woes and wretchednesse which then was vttered before them This is the way gentle Reader that God then practised and hath don many times since to daunt mens hearts and violently to wrest them from their wickednesse as the most effectuall and forcible meanes that may bee founde to that purpose For such and so great are the things which the Scriptures and our fayth daylie telleth vs in the fauour of vertue and hatred of vice that if men would reade them attentiuely and ponder them aduisedly there is no doubt but their hearts would relent and their flesh tremble thereat considering the dreadfull daungers wherein they dwell Wherefore the chéefest thing that the Prophet desired aboue all others Deut. â—2 for the redresse of this vncurable maladie was this when hée said I would GOD this senselesse generation which are vtterlye deuoyde of counsell did know and throughly foresée what will happen vpon them which if they did as in dutie they are bound to doo they could not possibly procéede or coÌ„tinue longer in their so crooked course of life But they are all sunke in the vile sinke of sensuall delights some hunt after honours some for high promotions and dignities others beating theyr braynes day and night how to cloath curiously theyr carraine corps and to accomplish their carnall concupiscence haue no time eyes nor heart to looke to their owne estate and with the eyes of their minde to meditate vppon these things whereof the Prophet speaketh very properly Osea 7 saying Behold Ephraim is like vnto a Doue deceiued that hath no heart For the wicked haue heart wit and will inough to loue to couet and to count againe and againe vppon the pelfe of this world but they haue neither witte nor will once to thinke vppon the glory of the worlde to come which is so infinite and so inestimable that if the least part thereof bee exactly tried and examined in the minde it would suffice to euacuate the filthy smoake which hath shut vp the eyes of their vnderstanding and to make them to acknowledge and confesse their owne errour For this cause therefore beeing moued principally I haue thought it very requisite to set downe certaine perswasions tending to this purpose to the view of al that list to read or write them Following héerein the example of the Prophet Ieremie to shew not onely the gréeuous calamities that God hath prepared for the vniust but also the perfect blisse that he hath prouided for his seruants the godly that the euill disposed returning from their wicked race may be receiued into the fauour and mercy of God released of their trespasses and deliuered froÌ„ all those punishments which God menazeth vpon them in holy scriptures The Argument A Christian ought to consider his profession that he is subiect to death and must render a straight account in the other life of all his doings here Where he shall discerne sensibly the cryes and griefes intollerable wherwith death sinne rewardeth the vngodly both here and in the world to come there neither the beautie and fine feature of the body neither the flattery of false fortune nor yet the pompe of stately dignitie shall ought preuaile to withstand the wrath of the iust Iudge against the wretched sinner Chap. II. TAking my first entry in that which is most obiected to our sences Remember that thou art a Christian and a man Concerning thou art a man hold it for a ground infallible that
but if thou bee not yet come to this gulfe beléeue them that haue made their passage before thee as Ecclesiastes sayth They which passe ouer the Seas do tell strange perils if such things doo occurre ordinarily before the departure what shall happen after If the eue and vigil be so dreadfull how shall the feast it selfe bee and day of saluation Tell me I pray thée what wilt thou thinks when thou béeing depriued of this light and life alone poore and naked without any other companion then thine owne guiltie conscience shalt make thy appearance be-before the supernall seate of the righteous Iudge where a rigorous and seuers reckoning shall be erected of thée There shall be no talk of hanging heading or depriuing of this mortall life but onely of the death and life eternal If in the recordes of this rufull reckoning thou be déepely charged with arrerages debts and trespasses what yrkesome agonies shall thy poore heart then indure How much shalt thou bee confounded How sore shalt thou repent thée to haue done amisse How distressed of comfort and counsell shalt thou bee The gréefe of the Princes of Iuda was excéeding great when they beheld the pearsing sworde and Souldiers of Sesacke King of Egypt to bee dispearsed through the stréetes of Hierusalem when by theyr present plague and punishment they recognized and confessed theyr former defects But what is all this béeing compared to the confusion and wee which there shall wrap the wicked on euery side what shall they doo whither shall they flée who shall bee theyr shield and befence For there wéeping and wringing of handes doo not mooue compassion there detesting of former follies is not accounted of there no petition no promise will be accepted There no truce dayes or time of repentance can be graunted for that hauing finished the last pageant of the play they cannot enter the stage againe to play theyr part afreshe there neither eloquence nor worldly wealth nor fauour may purchase pardon for that Salomon sayth Prou. 11. Ezech. 17. In the dayes of tribulatiō richnesse shal be of no force and shall be despised vtterly onely Iustice and equitie shall defend thée from death But who can describe or paint in his colours the seueritie of his iudgement This exhortation then béeing so good and so fruitfull I beséech thée deare brother sucke out the sappe and swéete thereof for thy commoditie scanning and considering attentiuely this wherevpon vpon thou must trust and depend as she thing which concerneth thy perpetuall wealth or woe and though herein are many things well worthy to bee noted yet aboue al others let these thrée things neuer be forgottē Then first what gréeuous paine thou must then suffer for hauing purchased by thy desert Gods indignation The second how feruently thou wilt wish that thou haddest framed thy lifs according to his holy will and pleasure The third that looke what penance thou wouldest thē be glad to performe if it might be granted thée now through mature deliberatiō to assay and labour to liue in such sort as then thou wilt wish to haue liued The Argument At the day of iudgement a Christian must be accountable particularly of each little thought and fact committed in this life where the sinner being cōuicted by the iust sentence of God shall be detruded to perpetuall paines gastly shrikes and to the profound darknesse of the infernall prison and there being scorched with the glowing coales which be neuer extincted through wrath and fury shall curse both God and himselfe and calling eftsoones to minde all the good and euill which he hath omitted and committed augmenteth thereby his owne annoy He therefore that will not obiect himself to so many miseries must cal himselfe to repentance in time Chap. III. AFter death followeth the particular and speciall iudgement of euery mā and after that the generall and vniuersal iudgement of all men wherein shall be fulfilled the saying of the Apostle Wee must all of force shew our selues before the iudgemēt seat of God that euery one may giue an account of the good euil he hath done in this body Many matters are to bee considered in this iudgement but one of the chéefest is to mark of what things we must giue a reckening I will search Hierusalem diligently saith God with a candle in my hand Such is the phrase of the Scripture whereby we ought to be admonished how narrowly we shal be thē sisted and searched in the very least things that may be For there shal not be one fond cogitation nor one minute of an houre mispent but it shall bee skored vp in this reckoning Who is not abashed and appaled at these words of our Sauiour saying Verily I say vnto you that at the time of this audite men shall be accountable of euery idle worde which they speake vnaduisedly Then if of these words which hurt or hinder no man a reckoning shal be required what shall be required I pray you of dishonest and vnséemely spéeches of filthy imaginations of hands bathed and imbrued with blood of wanton lookes and vncontinent eyes In figne of the whole life imploied and consumed in leawdnesse and trecherie If this be true as it is most true what can bee inferred or gainsayed why this iudgement shoulde not bee so rigorous as it is knowne to bee indéede Howe full of ignominie shall hee bes who in the open face of such a reuerent Senate is prossed and burthened with each vaine worde that hath passed him from the time of his natiuitie Who will not woonder at such a straunge demaunde neuer heard of before and who durst to aduouche it vnlesse it had béene the wordes of Gods owne mouth What King hath euer exacted an account of any his subiects to the value of of a pinne O how excellent is the Christian religion howe pure is the sinceritie which by it wee are taught and with howe great care doth it demaunde the same puritie againe and how sharply doth it punish our defects héerein Further how passing great shal be the shame and reproch of the reprobate when all the mischiefs which hitherto they haue closely couered in the corners of their house and all the brutish vehauiour of theyr youth with all the secret sores and festered carbunckles of their conscience shall be published in the theater and open view of all the world And further who standeth vpon such sure grounde that hearing this his colour doth not begin to chaimge copis Some rather then they will disclose the secrets of their heart to one man in a place sequestred from all accesse béeing ouercome with shame in eschewing thereof haue bidden the brunt of many huge perils How shall they then be confounded whē their most couert drifts and treasons shall bee reuealed in the presence of God and his Angels before so many millions of men and women as haue béene from the beginning are now and shall be hereafter This confusion shal be so great that as the
day be depriued before the darke night of death steale vppon you and ere your féete be entrapped or ye stumble at that foule blacke hillocke Therefore take the time and day whilest ye haue it for it shall be turned into darknesse And our Lord himselfe who better then any other knoweth the deapth of this daunger aduertiseth vs hereof in his Euangelist saying Luke 11. Take héed that your hearts be not opprest with too much meate drinke and with ouermuch care and turmoyle of this world least that dreadfull day catch you at vnwares which will steale vpon you like a théefe and vpon all those which inhabit vpon the face of the earth Therefore watch and pray continually that you may be deliuered from these huge heapes of calamities which hereafter will happen that you being cleane and vndefiled may be presented before the sonne of the pure Virgin the promoter of all our auaile and profit The Argument Those which haue loued God and liued according to his will shall be rewarded in Paradise which is the glory and merit that good men do respect Which notwithstanding any difference that is among the elect bringeth a common comfort and pleasure to them all because there is perfect charitie and God is all in euery thing Wherfore no other exercise is vsed there or no other paine or trauaile then to loue God to laude and glorifie him incessantly for euer CHAP. IIII. NOw that we haue declared the coÌ„demnation and sharpe sentence to be pronounced vpon the wretched sinner it followeth consequently that we treat likewise of the glorious recompence wherewith the righteous shall be endued which is nought else but that happie life and kingdome which God hath ordeined for his chosen people euen from the creation of all things which is such and so excellent that neither with the tongue of men nor Angels it can be expressed But that ye may haue some taste of this heare what S. Augustine briefly saith in commendation hereof in a certaine meditation of his in this sort O life alotted by God to them that loue him a liuing life a life voide of care a blessed life a quiet life a pleasaunt life a pure life a chaste life a life enemie to death a life that knoweth no gréefe voyd of molestation of smart of anxietie voyd of all corruption voyd of perturbatioÌ„s not subiect to varietie change or mutabilitie A life full of beautie and perfection where no enemie shall molest thée nor no trespasse offend thée when is perfect vnitie vnfeigned and holie loue where all feare is far away where is one eternall day without alteration where God is séene face to face which is the foode of all that there abive Swéet GOD with an vnsatiable heart and greedie minde I couet thy hidden treasures and the more I long after them the more I luste and burne in desire considering thée my delight my life and Sauiour in contemplation whereof I féele my selfe excéedingly refreshed and reuiued O moste happie life O very blessed kingdome altogither with out death and without ende which doest not yéelde to any succession or alteration of times where is bright day continually without interruption of night there it is not knowne what mutation meaneth where the tryumphant Souldiour accompanied with a glittering crewe of Angelles singeth vnto GOD without ceasing the passing praise of Sion hauing gotten the crowne of euerlasting felicitie I would to God that my sin my gréeuous guilt were forgiuen me Thrise blessed were my soule if after this painefull pylgrimage I might be worthy to sée and beholde thy glory the beatitude the beautie the walles and the gates of thy Citie thy stréetes thy pallaces thy noble Citizens thy worthie King setled in his throne of magnificence Thy walles are made of precious stones thy gates are beautified with shining Pearles thy stréetes are paued with pure gold which resounde and ring aloude with the peales of perpetuall praises Thy houses are buylded with quadrant stones adorned with Saphyrs thy beames and rafters are of golde where no corruption can abide nothing may enter that is defiled O Hierusalem our mother thou art braue and pleasaunt in thy deuises the force of no aduersitie is felte in thée neither any of those discommodities are susteyned whiche here we find Thy ioyes are farre aboue any which this wretched life can yéelde vs. In thee is neuer founde night darkenesse nor chaunge of times Thy light issueth neither from lampe nor from the Moone nor yet from the stars but God the light of all lightes is ho which lightneth thée The supernall Emperour kéepeth continuall residence in the middest of thée enuironed and assisted with many millions of his ministers There the angelicall quires answere each to other melodiously there the frutes of true nobilitie doo yéelde a pleasaunt sent and spectacle to the beholders there is celebrated the feast of those who being safely arriued from the bottomlesse sea of these miseries and mishappes are incorporate in one societie with those which possesse eternall life There is the company of the Prophets the royall ranke of the Apostles the inuincible hoast of innumerable Martyrs there is the sacred conuent of graue Confessors there are the true religious the deuout women who despising all delights and dalliance haue conquered their fraile inclination There are the virgins and younglings which with their vertuous indnstry haue shunned she allurements of this vile deceitfull world There are the innocent lambs who robbing themselues of all earthly pleasures doo now skip and leape for ioy in theyr propper and peculiar houses And whatsoeuer difference there be in glory amoÌ„g them notwithstanding the solace and contentation is common to all There charitie ruleth béeing entire and perfect for that god is all in all whom they alwaies sée and séeing him continually are euer enflamed with his loue therefore they louing praise him and praysing loue him all their exercise all their endeuour is to magnifie him without ceassing or intermission O how happie were I and most happie if after the dissolution of this corporall prison I might heare the swéete musicall songs of that celestiall harmony and sing Psalmes of coÌ„mendation to the eternall king of al the woorthy company of the most happie Cittie Now happie shoulde I be yea twise blessed if I might attaine to this felicitie to sing stand before my King my God my guide and to behold him in his glorie as himselfe hath promised to be séene Ioh. 7. wheÌ„ he said O father my desire is that all those may be with me which thou hast giuen me that they may see the cleare brightnesse which I had with thée before the foundation of the world And all this is vouched out of S. Augustine Now tell me then what a chearefull day shall that be which shall so illuminate and clarisie thy courage if at the full consummation of this pilgrimage thou passe from mortalitie to immortalitie and in the same time that otherâ—
that deare brother take it for vnfeigned veritie that the quiet and contentment which thou expectest cannot bee had in this world but to bee rich in the fauour of God but in contemning thereof and in estéeming lesse of earthly things then they be indeede Go rounde about the sea and land wander whither thou wilt as saith S. Augustine thou shalt finde wretchednesse euery where if thou walk not in the way of the Lord in whom consisteth all felicitie and contentment The Argument The way of God is now nothing difficult nor austere at all but is become very plain and easie by the instruction and ensample of Christ but especially by his passion his resurrection and assention and after by his sending downe of the holy Ghost CHAP. XII OTher there be which excuse themselues saying The way of God is very hard and this is onely because his precepts are repugnant to the inclinatiō of mans appetites This is one of the principall causes that maketh men to loath this labour but the authors of such allegations though they bee Christians and liue vnder the lawe of grace they knowe not yet the first letter that standeth in the Alphabet of this lawe nor haue any smacke of this misterie O thou vnhappie wretche which makest profession to bee a Christian tell mee I beséech thée wherefore came Christ into the world wherefore did he shead his blood why did he institute so many sacramentes why sent hee the holy Ghost what is ment by the Gospell by grace by this word Iesu what doth this renowmed name of Lorde and Sauiour signifie which thou woorshippest If thou knowest not aske of the Euangelist who sayth His name shall be Iesu for it shall be hée that shall saue his people from their sinne But what is it to be a sauiour and deliuerer from sinne if by him wee doo not meritte pardon for our offences passed and grace to excuse those that are to come For what cause came Christ into the world if not to helpe vs to saluation Wherefore dyed he vppon the Crosse if not to slay sinne why did he rise againe after his death if not to reuiue vs Likewise wherefore spent hee his blood if not for a medicine able to heale thy festered woundes wherefore ordained hee so many Sacraments if not for a speciall remedie against sinne what is she chéefest fruite of his comming and possion if not to shewe vs thereby the way to Heauen which before was austere and difficult Esai 40. As appeareth by Esaias where hée saith At the comming of Mossias the crooked wayes shall become straight and the bitter passages pleasaunt large and wide Besides all this why did he send his holy Ghost if not of flesh to make thée spirituall and wherefore did hee sende it in the forme of fire if not to the ende thou shouldest bee inflamed as fire illuminated fortified and transformed into himselfe and should drawe thée to heauen whence he descended that he might powre vppon thée the grace and vertue that floweth from him abundantly thereby to lighten the heauie yoake of sinne to mittigate the exercise of vertue by reioysing in aduersity by hope in perils and by ouercomming in temptations This is the beginning the middle and ende of the Gospell that as one carnall man and a sinner which was Adam made vs all earthly and sinners so an other man béeing celestiall and iust descending from Heauen made vs all celestiall and iust What other thing did the Euangelistes write of What other promises did the Prophet forespeake of what else did the Apostles preache of There is no other diuinitie but this this is the woorde abreuiated this God wrote vppon the earth this is the consummation and abridgement heard by the Prophet Esay which was verified by the sequell of the great abundance of vertue and iustice which came into the world immediately after Then deare brother behaue thy selfe as though thou wert newly conuerted to christianitie and aske of some skilfull Diuine what thou art charged to doo by this thy Religion of whome thou shalt receiue no other aunswere then that it behooueth thée to bee a good man which to accomplish this profession giueth thée comfort and courage and causeth the carnall man to become spirituall giuing vnto him the holy Ghost the better thereby to procéede in the promises Surely it is a great ouersight that thou bearing the name of a Christian so many yeares knowest not yet what difference is betwéene the written lawe and the lawe of grace In this then consisteth the difference sith thou knowest it not that lawe enioyned a man to bee iust not furnishing him with forces necessarie for that exployt but this also chargeth vs to bee iust and good giuing grace and abilitie to accomplish this commaundement therefore for this cause and no other it is tearmed the law of grace That pressed vs to battaile without weapons to fight willed vs to ascend to Heauen but gaue vs no ladders to climbe prescribed to men that they should bee spirituall yet did it not inspire them with the holy Ghost that they might be spirituall But now it is otherwise for this lawe ceasing the other succéeded which farre excéeded it by his merites and by the sacred blood of Christ And yet as though the olde lawe were not extinguished nor Christ come into the world thou standest Iewishly coniecturing that of thy selfe thou art sufficient to fulfill and execute this lawe and so to be iustified Wherefore euery one that vnderstandeth this shall perceiue apparantly that many Authors agrée that this way of the Lord is both swéete and sowre Psal 18. For loue of the wordes issuing out of thy mouth saith the Prophet I trudge a iourney harde and vnsauery I am delighted with thy Commaundements as with the greatest treasures For this way conteineth in it selfe both partes that is it is difficult and easie difficult in respect of nature easie in respect of vertue and grace in suche sort that which was harde by one reason is light by another As our Sauiour sheweth when hée said That his yoke was easie and his burthen pleasaunt for a yoke and burthen is all ene in signification But to say it was swéete declareth the facilitie hée had in bearing it here through the grace which was giuen vnto him So that if thou demaundest howe it is possible that béeing a yoke it should be easie séeing it is the propertie of a yoke to bee heauie and hatefull Wherevnto it may be answered that God doth quallifie the gréefe of those that willingly submitte themselues to the saide yoke as he hath promised by the Prophet Esay saying I will bee as hée whiche looseth the yoke and as he that vnloadeth a mans necke from the weight thereof What thing is more woorthie of admiration then this that a yoke is easie and that by God it is made portable for that himselfe supporteth the burthen Wherefore then dooth it séeme a thing incredible vnto
which yéeldeth his fruite in due and conuenient time whiche neuer léeseth his verdure and all that hée doeth shall succéed prosperously My brother these are the voyces the drums and trumpets wherewith Gods eternall wisedome calleth sinners vnto him if thou wilt harken to this harmenie and not lysten to the Syren songes of the subtil Serpent turne thy selfe vnto to God and amende thy life spéedily to the which ende this Treatise is addressed But how this is to be performed shal be shewed in the next volume The ende of the Conuersion of a Sinner Sundrie profitable Contemplations gathered by the saide Author The Argument A Christian man which couetteth to come vnto God must make his enterance through the gate of compunction generally confessing all his offences Wherevnto it shall auaile him much to exercise himselfe euery day in certaine Prayers and godlie Meditations and in the considerations of death and of Gods seuere iudgement CHAP. I. HE therefore that is departed out of Egypt and beginneth to march towards the land of promise hee that like vnto the loste sonne reremembreth himselfe and openeth his eyes to behold the beames of glittering vertue and knoweth the perplexitie wherein hée is plunged and the fraude of this fraile life and desireth to returne to the plenteous repastes of his fathers house his first passage must be through the straights of penance where it behoueth him ruthfully to record in his minde the former ryots and excesses and firmely to purpose the amendment of them And for that this discussion and examination ought to bee as the Prophet sayth with affliction and remorce of conscience it is the part of the penitent at that time to vse al such praiers ronsiderations as by any meanes may stir him to teares and dolour To the which auaileth much the consideration of death of Gods finall iudgement of the paines of hell and of the passion of Christ suffered for the satisfaction of our sinnes Sith it is apparant that if there had bin no defects on our side there had héene no cause of his gréeuous annoy These and such like considerations may mooue vs to sorrow and to the detestation of sin which is the chéefest part of repentance In the which we should exercise our selues not onely the space of fiue or sixe dayes but the greatest part of our life Wherein many penitents are deceiued who béeing most diligent in scouring their conscience and scanning their faultes are quite carelesse in bewayling of them whereas both the one and the other are most necessarie but chéefly the last And I thinke verily that the cause why so many faynte in the following of vertue and in long time cannot attaine to perfection and sometime to surcease their iourney begunne is because they haue not layde a sure foundation nor haue not planted the rootes déepe inough in this exercise For this béeing the piller of all the building when the foundation it selfe is féeble the worke cannot bee firme which is erected vppon it To the which ende it is very necessarie to assigne certaine dayes many or sewe as the holy ghost shall direct vs wherein as I haue sayde before we may exercise our selues in all such prayers and meditations as maye induce vs to this sorrowe For the plainer declaration of this doctrine I minde to impart vnto you a fewe of the foresaid considerations which may serue not onely to stirre vs to be sory for our sinnes and to the hatred thereof but also to allure vs to the loue of vertue and to the feare of God and to the contempt of the world for al this is néedfull to nouices and beginners The Argument He that list to encline his heart to the hatred of sinne and to the dread of God must conuey himselfe into some couert corner and must bend and imploy his minde to the contemplation of the heauenly blisse and the iniquities which abound here in earth CHAP. II. VVHosoeuer then will haue his heart setled hereupon and wil fasten this firmly in his mind must euery day once or twise take a time most quiet conuenient for that purpose and sequestring himselfe into a secret place al other earthly thoughts and vain imaginations being laid apart arming himselfe first with the shield of faith humbly crauing the grace of the holy spirit to assist him in this behalfe assuming to himselfe the minde of that deuout Publican which durst not to lift vp his eyes towards Heauen for the confusion and horrour of his offences Let him repeate some generall confession or else the Psalme Miserere mei deus with so great deuotion as he can deuise and suddenly let him apply his minde to the considerations following that by this meanes he may attain the feare of God through the sorrow the dread and detestation of sinne The Argument In the first cōsideration a christian ought to runne ouer the multitude of the mortal offences that he hath committed CHAP. III. THe first sting that may stirre vs to the woe and hatred of our iniquities is to consider the infinit number of them and to fixe them before our eyes as a terrible troupe of armed Souldiers that the soule may be appalled with so hidcous a spectacle Runne ouer therefore bréefely all the commaundements of God through all the capitall sinnes through all the sences the powers and parts as well of thy body as of thy soule and thou shalt perceiue that there is scarce any commandement which thou hast not transgressed nor any sinne wherein thou haste not sunke nor any sence externall or internall which thou haste not abused nor any benefite which thou haste imployed to that ende for which it was giuen thée But as the Prophet sayth God hath giuen thée his golde and siluer and therewith thou haste serued Baal Looke therefore into thy selfe throughly and viewe the race of thy life passed and thou shalt sée a huge webbe fraught full of deceit of trecherie of pride of lyes of slouth of enuie of couetousnesse of hatred of entisements of blasphemie of malice and of a thousand other manners of mischiefes and thou shalt finde that like a brutish beast in all and euery of these thou haste followed and fulfilled thy sensuall delights without regarde of the lawe of iustice or reason and thou shalt perceiue that thou hast liued as a Gentile or Pagan altogither which neuer knewe God or as though thou so beleeuest that there were no God no death no iudgement no paine no blisse nor any thing else to be thought but euen to be borne and to dye He then that hath liued this many yeares so disorderly shall it not be reason that he imploy the fewe dayes that are remayning of his life in bewayling his former yeares fondly consumed and to féele sensibly the ruine and decay of the powers of his soule and the time that hee might hane gayned in this while which hee shall not get hereafter For time lost can neuer be recouered Throw therefore thy selfe
delight or gaine or steppe of dignitie or such like and on the other part the displeasure of God whereby we léese vtterly God himselfe who is the toppe of our felicitie In such sort as though God were conteined in one ballance and the taste aforesaide in the other and a man placed in the middest deliberating and giuing sentence which should be reiected despiseth God to enioy that fléeting delight what greater contempt what more ignominie what so great reproach can there bee offered to the diuine Maiestie of God then to preferre and estéem better of drosse and filth then of Gods excellencie Wherein we much resemble the Hebrewes when Christe and Barabbas béeing presented before them to knowe which should bee deliuered with one accord they rather chose Barabbas then Christe And this is as though we woulde say vnto God we will no more account thée for GOD but we will adore and haue for our God and finall ende our owne delightes and proper gaine For hée that so muche regardeth a delight that he preferreth it before the loue of God and estéemeth and accounteth it of greater price then God himselfe assayeth to robbe God of his royall dignitie who is the prop and piller of our beatitude bestowing it vpon some brickle or beastly pleasure whiche is as though he would bereaue God of his crowne and giue it to a creature What thing can be more horrible then this God commaunded the Heauens béeing sencelesse Creatures that they should féele this defect and should woonder thereat saying by the Prophet Ieremie O ye Heauens bée astonied thereat and lette your gates cracke with maruelling for my people haue offended mee gréeuously after two sortes They haue forsaken mee the fountaine of the water of life and they assay to asswage their thirst in stinking puddles which can holde no water He then that considereth how many thousand times hee hath done vnto God the very same contempt and iniurie what should he not tremble to haue committed so gréeuous crimes should hee not wish that his eyes were turned into fountaines of teares to bewails night and day so great euils and excesses The Argument Fifthly we ought to consider how much God hateth sinne and for the same how many men be scourged with sundry calamities CHAP. VII COnsider the execrable hatred that God beareth to sinne which cannot be comprehended in the vnderstanding of man for that the malice of sin is conformable to the maiestie of the person offended Wherfore as the greatnesse and omnipotencie of God is infinit so also is the malice of sin committed against him And farther as the bountie of god is infinit so he hath an infinit hatred to wickednesse And yet if thou will know this geare more clearely and wilt imprint déeper in thy minde the hugenesse of this hatred and therewithall wilt fixe in thy heart the feare of God which is the foundation of all our auaile marke the dreadfull and bitter punishments that he hath executed against sinne and thereby shalt vnderstand it the better These punishments are innumerable but thou mayest set to the view of thy consideration the most notable amongst them As was the wrath of God extended vpon his chéefest Angell and all his adherents Vpon the first man with all his posteritie Vpon the whole world by the generall floud Vppon the fiue great Cities consumed with fire and Brimstone discending from Heauen Vpon the two sonnes of Aron Nadab and Abiu because they would offer vp sacrifice to God with other mens fire Vppon Dauid for his adulterie Vpon Saule for his disobedience Vpon Hely for not chastening his Children Vpon Anania and Saphira for their auarice Vppon Nabuchodonezer for his pride Vpon Hierusalem Babylon and Niniuie and other Citties which for their diuers offences were vttterly destroyed and left desolate Consider also the fiercenesse of hell fire and the torments thereof which GOD prouided for the reuenge of sinne the satisfaction and punishment that his sonne was forced to endure before he coulde cure the guilt and griefe of sinne which is more terrible then all the rest for the worthinesse of the person vpon whom it was executed Euery one of these punishments if it bee scanned aduisedly with his due circumstances shall much auaile to aduise vs of the dreadfull seueritie of Gods iustice and the mortall hatred he heareth to sinne whereby may be driuen into our hearts the dread of God and dolour of sinne He therefore that considereth how oft he hath incurred this so haynous indignation of God shall it not be requisite that hee shrinke and shiuer thereat and that hee with for a sea of sorrowfull sobbes and teares to quench therewith the furie and flame of Gods hideous hatred enkindled against him A man therefore meditating in his minde with a vehement passion of dole that the mightie Lorde of hostes will lay vppon him all the plagues before mentioned or at the least some part of them lette him méekely prostrate himselfe before the presence of God and béeing truely humbled in the very bottome of his heart say he thus A Prayer O Supreme Creator of all things I reckoning in the secret records of my minde my gréeuous guilt committed against thy diuine Maiestie doo meruaile at my folly yea at my madnesse weighing how benigne and mightie a patron I haue abandoned I accuse and curse my ingratitude séeing that from such libertie I am come to so wretched thraldome I know not what to expect or hope for but hell death and desperation For the iustice which I cannot shunne doth gall and crush my conscience yet remember contrariwise thy infinit mercie and clemencie which by the testimonie of thy Prophet excelleth all other workes and by the which in a cortaine manner thou masterest thy selfe suddenly a ioyfull sparke of hope doth recreate my sore afflicted soule For why should I dispayre to obtaine pardon of him who by his Prophets doth so oft inuite sinners to repentance saying I wish not the death of a sinner but rather his conuersion and life And thy onely begotten sonne by many Parables hath manifested vnto vs howe readie thy remission is to all true penitents This he shewed by the Iewell which was lost and founde againe by the prodigall sonne whose perfect image I acknowledge to be in my selfe For he I am which haue wrongfully renounced thée my most affectioned father and hee that wasted his bloud riotously and following the pursuites of my fleshly desires haue fled from thē pleasant path of thy commaundements and haue fallen into the beastly bondage of sinne and consequently haue béene oppressed with extreame distresse and miserie From whence I know not who can restore mee home againe but hee onely from whome I haue reuolted Swéete Sauiour let thy mercy receiue the man that humply prayeth pardon whom thou hast graciously expected euen till this houre But because this is not due to my merittes in stead of them I offer vnto thée all the trauailes and deserts of thy dearely
beloued sonne and all the sorrowe and torments that he hath suffered for me Therefore most mercifull father for the feruent loue and petitions of thy deare sonne forgiue the faults of thy histoyall vassall regarde the noble sacrifice offered by thy sonne and race out of thy remembraunce the disobedience of thy leaud seruaunt For the raunsome that he hath payde for my deliuerie surpasseth farre any my debts or trespasses whatsoeuer Oh that it would please thée to put in a payre of balance my leaudnesse thy liberalitie my wickednesse and thy woundes no doubt the peise of them would bee more weightie a great deale For what guilt can bee so gréeuous for which such sorrowe cannot satisfie sufficiently which cannot bee washed away with such affliction with so many teares and with such obedience and humilitie with such inuincible patience and aboue all with such immeasurable loue What crime can be so enormous which may not bee cleansed with that bloudie sweat yea whole flouds of blood What sinne is there so execrable which is not cured by Christes death Oh heauenly Father I offer here vnto thée the selfe-same my Sauiour and Redéemer Iesus Christ thy sonne beloued most tenderly His sharpe sorrowes his agonies incomprchensible the which thou knowest exactly to be suffered for my defects and in stead of the contrition which I ought to haue for them I offer vnto thee his bloudie sweat in stead of my teares which I cannot shed because of the adamanticall harnesse of my hart I offer vnto thée his humble and feruēt praiers for all my slouths and negligences For ende I offer vnto thée all his loathsome labours and vertuous exercises his austere life and all that he hath wrought therein and the bitter tormēts that he did abide as a worthie sacrifice of thy diuine glorie for all the iniquities wherewith my whole life I haue offended thée and for the good things which I haue omitted and left vndone Which liuest and raignest for euer and euer Amen The Argument In the sixt consideration a man should thinke vpon death the last iudgement and bell paines And how greeuous will be the separation of the soule from the bodie by meanes of death which by reason of diuers accidents occurring then togither is the very receit of excessiue sorrows anxieties CHAP. VIII TO these considerations I wil adde other thrée out of Sarasinus of Fermus that is death iudgement and she paines of hel which are a very necesry appendix to all that we haue treated of before The same Doctor telleth vs that to him that is newly conuerted nothing is more behouefull and requisite then the meditation of death both for that it repelleth vaine delightes as also because the practise thereof is of such facilitie as the whiche we daily viewe with our eyes and féele with our hands yea we may rather say that our surest portion is with death and that we dye continually hauing a bodie so corruptible that euery houre altereth chaungeth his shape and neuer resteth in one estate Like vnto a riuer that passeth with a furious and headlong course wherof no part can be marked throughly for it running swiftly whilest ye note one waue straight it is not the same that ye looked vppon before but is turned into another Many deuout considerations may be had cōcerning death which the matter it selfe yéeldeth sufficiently to him that aduisedly deliberateth herevpon Of which minding to collect a fewe I doo affirme that if thou intende to reforme thy life when thou risest in the morning perswade thy selfe so much as thou maiest that the same will bee the last day of thy life and dispose of thy soule and worldly affaires in suche sort as though in verie déede thou shouldest not liue one houre longer and thinke not that thou deceiuest thy selfe in so dooing for if death may attache thée euery day thou shouldest likewise daily attende his comming And farther I say vnto thée that no one day of thy life shall passe without many negligences vnlesse thou doest enforce thy selfe to beléeue that euery of them is the laste of thy life Thinke also vppon the dreadfull stroke of Death which because it is so vncertaine ought to bee feared continually And consider to howe many perilles of death we are subiected and thou shalt finde that they are innumerable as well within the bodie as without in so muche that if thou looke warily about thée thou shalt perceiue Death to be paynted in euery place and businesse Thinke also what pressures and agonies shall assault thée at the poynte of death To this consideration it shall assist thée much to beholde sometimes a man dying Marke the accidents and painefull passions of that houre howe his bodie lyeth forsaken of naturall heats his sences without force or moouing as though it were a very stone the extremities and vttermost parts waxe colds the face is turned into the colour of leade the bowles of the eyes dipped in the mouth full of fome the tongue swollen the necke winding to euery side Then marke also howe the brest beateth and panteth and is readie to burst asunder with paine the lippes waxe blewe the téethe become dumbe Finally all the bodie dissoluing it selfe and being forsaken of the soule with sorrowe inestimable the man resteth a lumpe of earth Thou perceiuing and viewing well such perplexities in other maiest likewise represent the same spectacle in thy selfe imagining that the Phisttians haue nowe giuen thée ouer as knowing the maladie to bee incurable thy friendes and kinsfolkes about thy bedde whose presence shal augment the griefe of thy departure O how dreadfull shall that separation be where welth shall not asswage thy woe but shall rather plunge thée déeper in the gulfe of calamities neyther shall honours assist thée yea thou shalt leaue them with like vehement smart as thou gottest them with gréedie desire and for thy wonted delights shalt reape the fruites of a gnawing conscience What then wilt thou doo béeing brought to this poynt what counsell wilt thou then take To go out of thy bodie will be intollerable to abide there impossible to deferre thy departure cannot be graunted thée neither maiest thou returne to thy sensuall delightes which nowe are senslesse togither but knowing thy selfe and scanning them more narrowly shalt bee abashed at thine owne brutish behauiour and if it were possible wouldest flie from thy selfe Shalt sée thy selfe beset with horrible monsters that is with thine owne sinnes of whom whither soeuer thou wandrest thou shalt be pursued and hedged in all that is passed shall séeme vnto thée as the twinkling of an eye and shalt know the time to come to be infinite Then mayest thou well say with the Prophet The dolours and daungers of death hath inclosed mée rounde about and the furie of hell hath assaulted mée By this minding and meditation of death thou shalt acquire many great commodities First thou shalt be stirred and incensed to the seruice of God the feare of