God descended vpon them To be briefe the scripture is full of such examples although on the contrary his diuine mercy in expecting the conuersion of a sinner farre surpasseth his iudgement and the reason that there are so many examples extant of sinners in the scripture not punished by God sodenly is that he might declare vnto vs the riches of his mercy according to that saying of the Apostle Deus autē qui diues est in misericordiâ Eph. 2.4 God who is rich in mercie would expect them vntill they were conuerted he expected the penitencie of the olde worlde an hundred yeares before he would destroy it with the deluge in the meane time he commaunded Noah to preach pennance allthough according to the custome of the world they beleeued him not who were wont very seldome to beleeue Prophets who did denounce any destruction vnto thē but rather did persecute and torment them with diuerse punishments The Euangelist declareth this where Iesus Christ our Lord threatning Ierusalē Ierusalem inquiens Ierusalem quae occidis Prophetas Math. 23.37 Ierusalem Ierusalē thou which puttest to death the Prophets and stonnest them which are sent vnto thee But let vs omit these and declare how long time he expected before he would raine downe fire and brimstone vpon that obscene cōtaminated citie of Sodome and after that he had decreed to consume it he was soe clement that he was compelled drawne vnto it as if it were by the eares wherupō the holy scripture saith Clamor Sodomorum Gomor multiplicatus est Gen. 18.21 The cry of Sodome Gomorrha is multiplied and their sinne aggrauated exceedingly I will descend and see whether they haue in act◠accomplished the crie which is come vnto me Notwithstanding though he hath in so full a measure manifested his mercy yet that he might demonstrate the hate detestation which he hath towardes sinne it appeareth by many wonderfull examples how seuerely and iustly he hath punished it euen so soone as it was committed which is an infallible argument of the great deformitie of sinne The second reason by which we may vnderstand the great displeasure which God conceaueth against sinne is that for the subuersion of the same he would giue his only begotten sonne to die a most ignominious death vpō the crosse amidst two theeues Sic enim Deus dilexit mundum c. Ioh. 3.16 so God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne for the redemption of it Propter scelus populi mei percussi eum Isay 53.8 for the sinne of my people I haue strooke him and hee hath laid vpon him all our iniquities saieth the same holy Prophet Oh thou sinner consider wel this place and let it touch thee to the quicke if the eternall Father for the bannishing of sinne would that his owne sonne should suffer death who was not man only but also God and that so pretious a life should be giuē for the death of sinne which was prized at soe high a rate that the holy Apostle saieth Empti enim estis pretio magn◠1. Cor. 6.20 for yee are bought with a great price what an infinite then and immense indignation and wrath must God needs conceaue against sinne Furthermore how odious and detestable must execrable sinne be when Iesus Qui erat speciosus prae filijs hominum who was the fairest amonge the sonnes of men should soe abase himselfe that he made himselfe of no reputation that the Prophet Isay did say Vidimus eum c. Isa 53.2 we haue seene him and there was moe appearance of beautie in him we were desirous of him despised and most abiect of men a man of sorrowes and knowing infirmitie whereupon neither haue we esteemed him but counted him as a leaper and one striken of God oh yee Brethren sinners if the eternall Father would not pardon and remit sinne without the death of his only sonne how hatefull must it needes bee in his diuine sight and so much the more that it did not satisfie his infinite inscrutable iustice that his deare sonne should ōly dy but that he should suffer vpon the crosse a death most ignominious that he should be so oppressed with griefe and so tirannically hādled that his contenance and shape could not bee knowne Oh sinne be thou accursed that wast the cause that my sweet Sauiour Iesus suffered and died so shamefull vnheard of a death Oh Iesu my loue and delight commiserate and compassionate poore sinneful and wretched soules the which thou hast redeemed with so great a price as thy prepretious blood Neither can yee say that deare Iesus suffered and was crucified for the fall and sinne of Adam only when as trulie he died for the sinnes of the whole world Supra dorsum meum fabricauerunt peccatores Psal 128.3 sinners haue builded vppon my backe saieth the Prophet Dauid in the person of Iesus Christ what need we many words Iesus Christ our Lord died for the abolishing and abliterating of all sinnes and offences generally and particularly and he suffered no more for all then for one yea I say he offered himselfe to be buffeted and massacred for one only soule and if it were needfull and necessary he would doe the same againe for the most abiect soule that liueth Oh therfore yee sinners sinne no more by your so many offences and execrable iniquities crucifie no more your sweet Iesus indulgent Father for what of only the Iewes doe yee say he was crucified I will tell you brethren that what time so euer ye commit any sinne in as much as in your power lieth you doe crucifie him againe and doe cause him with euery one of your mortall sinnes if his death and passion were not already sufficient to vndergoe and suffer the same againe Rursum crucifigentes sibimetipsis filium Dei Hebr. 6.6 crucifying againe vnto themselues the sonne of God oh therefore Brethren abstaine from such infinite heinous offences and offend not your louing God any more with such death-bringing iniuries which loueth you so exceedingly mercifully expecteth your penitency and conuersion saying Conuertimini ad me in toto corde vestro Ioel. 2.12 turne to me with your whole harte oh clemencie oh benignitie oh loue of Iesus oh ingratitude oh obduracie oh malice of a sinner Oh deare and louing Iesus haue pittie vpon vs looke not vpon our iniquities but remember that infinite mercy wherewith thou diddest imbrace vs Et secundum magnam misericordiam tuam Psal 50. and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine iniquitie Amen The third Trumpet of the detriment that sinne bringeth to a soule in this life THE VII CHAPTER ET tertius Angelus tubâ cecinit Apoc. 8. and the third Angell sounded the trumpet Draw neare my sinfull Brother and attentiuely giue eare vnto the soūd of this trumpet if thou canst not be moued to the abhorring of sinne by that deformity which the former trūpet hath sounded vnto thee at least
reuerence he will make vs partakers of his celestial kingdome Cōsider now poore wretch that so long as thou art blemished polluted with the spott and contagion of sinne what soeuer thou doest were it to die it would not be imputed meritorious for the obtayning of eternall saluation and from hence it cometh that whatsoeuer thou doest it doth all perish although thou shouldest doe so much pennance so austerlie macerate thy body so often fast as often as the whole world if thou shouldest distribute al thy goods to the poore and giue thy body to be consumed in flames of fire performe what soeuer can be done or saide it doth not any way profit or auaile thee for the obtaining of eternall life so long as thou art in mortal sinne These good workes doe profit thee but to other endes as to conseruing of thy health and procuring and obtaining of temporall goods riches in this life because God out of his infinite goodnes and iustice letteth passe no euill vnpunished and no good thing vnrewarded Therfore abstaine thou not hereafter from doing well performing those good morall acts although thou beest guiltie of mortall sinne because besides that they conduce to that which I haue formerly intimated it may be also that they auaile so much that thou being freed from the guilt of sinne thou mayest be made more fitt and apt that God may more freely concur with thy soule and cause in thee penitencie and satisfaction for thy former sinnes although of thēselues they auaile not to obtaine heauē I will here demonstrate vnto thee a certaine manner of proceeding that although thou art guiltie of mortall sinne notwithstanding God may accept of thy good works to thy saluation which is very profitable and I earnestly desire thee to attend giue eare vnto it When thou art about to giue an almes to fast to say the Rosary to heare Masse or a sermon or to doe any good worke being then in mortall sinne if then thou hast not oportunitie or leasure to goe to confession I will that thou endeauour to gaine that sorrow and penitencie for thy sinnes that is requisite with a purpose neuer to sinne more and confesse them when there shall be conuenient time and occasion which thing being so done thy good workes shall be gratefull meritorious and capable of eternall retribution But if thou obseruest not this remainest guiltie of deadlie sinne there is no hope that thou shalt euer gaine heauen for all thy good deeds although they were innumerable Here I also tell thee that not a few are deceaued who suppose beleeue that those good acts that they doe in mortall sinne after confession and reconciliation with God shall be restored vnto them againe and by their merits they may gaine heauen which is is most vntrue But that thou mayest fully and truly vnderstād this opiniō I will that thou know ô sinner accordinge to all the Doctors that there are three kindes of workes which are liue workes dead workes mortified workes Liue workes are those which are done in grace and these are meritorious of eternall life Dead workes are called those which are done in sinne which are altogether dead neither are capable of merit Mortified workes are these which are done in the state of grace of any one but afterwards he sinneth and therby so mortifieth obscureth them that if he should die in mortall sinne the workes which before were meritorious and liuely shall perish and be abolished because their vertue and force was so debilitated and weakned by sinne Againe these mortified workes when thou shalt be receaued into grace they shall haue their former nature and that mortification being remoued they shall be reuiued and of no lesse merit thē they were formerly But these which were done in sinne which had no vigour or life although thou art admitted into grace not withstanding they shall obtaine nothing vnlesse as I haue formerly explicated Iesus Christ for his mercies sake graunt that he would impresse the horrible sound of this fearfull trumpet in your eares and hartes and therby so awake you that you may be alwaies fitt instruments of his diuine grace and at last to raigne with him and his eternall Father in the kingdome of eternall glorie in blisse and happines for euer and euer Amen The fourth Trumpet of the losse that a sinner suffereth through sinne at his death THE XIV CHAPTER ET quartus Angelus tubâ ceciuit Apoc. 8. and the fourth Angel sounded the trumpet Come yee now ô sinners to the hearing of the fourth trumpett attend and marke how terrible and fearfull it is O wretched and blinded soules that you are consider with your selues that you must once die Dust thou art and into dust shalt thou returne said God to Adam when he was penitent for his offence Gen. 3. By the enuie and malice of the diuell sinne entred into the world and those that are of his combination striue to imitate him The holy scripture saieth It is decreed once for men to die accordinge to the Apostle Alasse oh yee sinners what reason can you haue to be so proane and facill to sinne when as it must needes bee that you are not ignorant of the necessitie of your deathes Oh yee harlotes which make your owne bodies netts of the diuell to deceaue and entrap your selues and make your soules a prey for the furie of the diuell with thē to be burned perpetuallie in hell how can it be I say that beinge mindefull of death you doe not desist from such malignant offences and crimes O death how cometh it to passe that at the remembrance of thee sinners are not astonished In all thy workes remember thy last end and thou shalt neuer sinne saith the wise man Eccles 7.40 But which are your last and finall ends oh yee sinners doe you know They are Death Iudgement Hell Heauen we will at this present proceed to treat and say something of death and hereafter of the other O happy soule which now bearest in minde and appliest to thy harte the last houre and moment of death Mors est vltimum terribilium Death is the last thing of all that are to be feared saith the philosopher There can nothing be fained or thought vpon more fearful thē death but thou thinking not vpon this matter studiest continually how to sinne saying with the impious mā Let vs crowne our selues with roses before they wither let there be no pleasant medow which our riot shall not passe through Wisd 2.8 Thus thou spendest ten twenty thirty perhaps fourtie yeares liuing in this irreligious and vngodly course of life But tell me I beseech thee sinner what will all this profit thee at last thy life shall draw to an end at length thy last day shall come at length whether thou wilt or not thou must departe at last thou must leaue all thy treasures delightes recreationes and pleasures I say to all these thou must once die Thy
in this little booke to sound vnto your eares that at the last you being awaked with the terrour of the same you may beginne to forsake your flagitious and sinnefull life and be reduced to the right way which will guide and conduct you safe and secure to the happy and heauenly porte of perpetuall happines but know for certaine that if you stoppe your eares at these sounding Trumpets at the last pointe and article of your death you shall be called to a strict accompt for your so great conteÌ„pt and neglect which God forbid should come to passe but rather that the loue and charitie which did induce me to write this booke for your saluation may mollifie your stony hartes and tame your vnruly affectioÌ„s that these trumpets sounding forth your eternall blisse may penetrate and stirre vp your mindes and soules The first trumpet soundeth forth the great peruersnes and malice of a sinner wherwith he offendeth allmightie God The second the filthines of sinne The third the detriment that sinne causeth in the soule of a sinner in this life The fourth the harme and losse that shall appeare in the houre of death The fift the damage that it shal cause in the terrible day of iudgement The sixt the ineffable punishment that it doth procure in hell The seauenth the societie and combination which it draweth with it in this life in death and after death These oh my brethren sinners are the Seauen Trumpets which to the honour of God and to your soules health and the confusion of the diuell I entend to sound in this little booke Therfore I beseech you that when yee shall heare them like well disciplined and valiant souldiers you doe awake presently to enter in battaile with your enemy and permit not your selues to be vanquished trampled vnder foot but like horses wel exercised and trained vp in military discipline which at the sound of drummes and trumpets proudly shaking their loftie and magnanimous neckes couragiously neighing and beating the earth with their feete doe stirre vp them selues and animate their riders heroically to march against the army and affronts of the enemie Soe behaue your selues oh my Brethren viriliter agite take vnto your selues courage and with an vndaunted spirit oppose the world the flesh and the diuell necessitie vrgeth Res nostra agitur it is our cause that is in hand heere is matter of great importance namely the saluation and perdition of your soules Therfore for Iesus his sake awake out of that lethargie of vices wherein you lie depriued of all spirituall sence change your maners and institutions lead the life of good Christians call to minde the promise which you made vnto your redemer in your baptisme Surge qui dormis awake thou that sleepest and arise from the spiritual death of sinne and Christ shall illuminate thee Oh Brethren Operamini dum dies est worke while the day of Gods mercie appeareth because the night of his iudgement draweth neare wherein noe man can worke let vs doe good to all while we haue time because euerie one shal be rewarded after his death according to his workes and deedes Now is the acceptable time now is the time wherin we may buy oyle for our lampes be vigilant therfore with the wise Virgins to â—…er in with the bridegroome lest you be depriued of his presence for euer It is time for vs now oh sinners to awake and arise from sinne Iuxta est dies perditionis the day of perdition is at hand and the last night draweth neare Therfore my sinfull brethren seeke our Lord while he may be found for vnlesse you will turne vnto him he will shake his sword he will bend his bow and prepare the arrowes of death Returne therfore oh returne yee miserable and blinded sinners to the sure refuge of pennance Nisi penitentiaÌ„ egaritis vnlesse ye do penance ye shal likewise perrish oh my Brethren a vehement commination a fearfull threatning denounced to that end that euery one might be vigilant in matters concerning his saluation carefull to preuent future dangers Christ Iesus which speaketh these wordes vnto you for his mercies sake infuse into your soules his diuine grace that yee may serue him as ye ought not of coÌ„straint but of a willing mind not as seruants for feare but as dutifull children for loue Amen IN THE NAME OF THE Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen The first Trumpet of Gods grieuous complaint of a sinner THE II. CHAPTER ET primus Angelus tubâ cecinit Apoc. 8. and the first Angell sounded the Trumpet I would to God my deare Brethren that the sound of this first Trumpet would suffice and that by this he would so powerfully touch your hartes that you might with internall coÌ„punction turne to your creatour and mercifull Sauiour I haue not the spirit of Ionas the Prophet who with fiue wordes only conuerted the great vaste citie Nineue Adhuc quadraginta dies Nineue subuertetur Ion. 3.4 yet fourtie daies and Nineue shall be destroied Ionas sounded with the shrill Trumpet of his voice exclamations and threatnings but I desire not that at the first you should heare so fearfull a sound but that you might attend and giue eare a while to the pittifull complaintes of your mercifull redeemer for surely there is noe soule soe frozen in sinne whom these grieuous complaints would not dissolue into teares if they them selues did not make resistance Giue eare therefore I beseech you consider with what great griefe he bewaileth your ingratitude and vnthankefulnes Obstupescite coeli be astonished oh yee heauens and be yee desolate oh yee gates therof for my people hath committed two euills they haue forsaken mee the fountaine of liuing waters and haue digged to them selues cisterns broken cisterns that can holde no waters Ierem. 2.12 Oh wretched sinners penetrate and weigh well your miserie and see how true it is that you haue forsaken Christ the wel of liuing water and haue druncke of the bitter waters of Mara Exod. 15. Know yee not yet that vices are cisterns that can holde no spirituall water doe yee not perceaue that couetousnes is a cisterne that containeth not the water of true delight because the couetouse man is alwayes sad neuer satiated doe yee not perceaue that gluttonie and intemperancy is a cisterne that holdeth not the water of satietie because it is neuer filled perceaue ye not that lust and concupiscence are cisternes which receaue not the water of compleat delectation for the pleasures therof consume both body and soule doe yee not perceaue that ambition is a cisterne that containeth not the water of a satiated desire for the ambitious man is continuallie wracked Oh ambitio ambitio erat quomodo omnes torques omnibus places D. Bernard oh ambition ambitioÌ„ the torture of ambitious persons how doest thou torment all and yet art receaued of all Which your mercifull and louing Father foreseing complaineth of your
is a friend companion of God by how much it is intense in his worship praise and honour by so much it is gratious and acceptable vnto him from whence it cometh to passe that these great holy men when they were liuing in the worlde they were called the friendes of God Loquebatur Deus ad Moysen Exod. 13.11 God spake vnto Moyses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend and Iesus Christ saieth to his disciples Iam non dicam vos seruos Ioan. 15.15 now I will call you no more seruantes for the seruant knoweth not the minde of his Master but you haue I called friends because whatsoeuer I haue heard of my Father that I haue manifested vnto you Behold by what meanes a soule is made a friend and darling of God to witt by obeying his holy will and obseruing his diuine precepts now a sinner refuseth to doe that which is alwaies commaunded by God and in neglect of this performing the contrarie he witnesseth his malice and contempt of so omnipotent and infinite a maiestie if God saieth vnto him Non assumes nomē Domini tus in vanum Exod. 20.7 thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine he is presently breathing forth blasphemies If God saieth Obserua diem Sabath keepe holy the Saboth day he will little esteeme the prophanation of it if God saieth Honora Patrem honour thy Father and thy Mother he will be disobedient to them hence therfore ariseth a capitall emnitie betwixt the soule God Iniquitates vestrae diuiserunt inter vos Deum vestrum Isay 59.2 your iniquities haue made a diuision betwixt you and your God Oh vnfortunate soule what an inexcogitable preiudice hast thou procured which is the losse of Gods friendship and to appeare no other wayes in his diuine aspect then an abiect Reprobate and wretched enemy perhaps thou thinkest with thy selfe that thou hast lost but the fauour of some ignoble and vnworthy man or Prince Oh no no it is no lesse then the friendship of almighty God the creatour and conseruer of all thinges and redeemer of all mankinde Oh miserable soule if thou wouldest but duly consider and equally ballance thy vnheard of detrimēt what could there be inuented so pleasant or delightfull which might retaine thee in the snares of sinne what fetters and chaines of sinne so stronge that thou wouldest not shake off and breake in sunder oh what damage doe you sinners suffer when as you loose the loue fauour and friendship of so omnipotent clement and mercifull a God The holy Prophet Dauid consideringe only that he could not be present at the solemnity of the temple bewailing and lamenting he saieth Fuerunt mihi lachrimae meae c. Psal 41.4 my teares haue bene my bread day and night whilest they doe say vnto me where is thy God Quēadmodum desiderat ceruus euen as the harte panteth after the fountaines of waters so my soule desireth after thee oh God my soule hath thirsted after God the liuing water when shall I come and appeare before the face of God Si ergo inueni gratiam in conspectu tuo c. If therefore I haue found fauour in thy eyes shew mee thy fauourable cōtenāce saith Moyses to God Exod. 33.13 This is that that caused the Saints to be so vigilant and industrious in their prayers so austere in their fastinges mortifications and resignations of their proper wills and that to no other end but that they might be coūted worthy to be friendes of God for truly what other is the end center or repose of our soule but God As fire of its owne nature is carried vpward as euery ponderous and heauy thing of its nature falleth downewards euen so the soule is directed towards God and euen as the waters runne into the sea so haue our soules recourse vnto almighty God now truly from this center from this end and from this sweet repose is the soule hindred by the obstacle of sinne no other thing Oh therfore sinners enemies of God where wil you be secure To what place will you flie for refuge Where will you hide your selues from the presence of God Quò ibo à spiritu tuo Psal 138.7 whether shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I flie from thy face It was the misery of sinne that made Cayn crie out Ecce hodie eijcis me à facie terrae Gen. 4.14 behould thou doest cast me this day from the face of the earth and I shall be hid from thy face therfore euery man that seeth me may kill mee It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God saith S. Paul But do ye not tremble oh you sinners when your aduersary is so powerfull your enemy so potent wo be vnto vs if he were not clement who is so mighty Returne therfore now oh Brethren vnto him which so louingly expecteth you Humiliamini igitur sub potenti manu Dei 1. Pet. 5.6 humble your soules vnder the mighty hand of God that he might exalt you in the time of his visitation reconcile your selues vnto him and agree with your aduersary whilest you are in the way that when he shall see you at the point and laste article of your death taking your farewel of the world he may not condemne you with the damned soules and execrable diuells in hell but of his mercy extoll and place you in heauen Amen That a soule by sinne doth lose the grace of God THE X. CHAPTER GRatiam gloriam dabit Dominus Psal 83.4 Our Lord will giue grace and glorie That I may comprehend the matter in few wordes our Lord is he that in this life giueth grace and in the next glorie But you so long as yee are in mortall sinne are depriued of that grace and dying in sinne shall neuer attaine to that glory which God forbid therefore rather turne from your wicked wayes and learne to liue vnto God for our Lord saieth Nolo mortem peccatoris impij c. Ezech 33.11 I will not the death of a wicked sinner but had rather that the vniust man would leaue his iniquitie and liue Therefore Brethren consider I beseech you the exceedinge great detriment and losse that you suffer by the depriuation of grace which that with fruite and profit I may intimate demonstrate vnto you I beseech you and implore this thing of you that you would attentiuely heare and with diligence read this that followeth I haue formerly declared how a sinner looseth the friendship of God and now my intent is to make knowne vnto you how he looseth his diuine grace which grace is as it were an intermediat thing betwixt the soule and God causing it to be acceptable and gratefull vnto him for the grace of God is no other thing then a certaine ornament garment or spirituall vestment of the soule by which she is made glorious appeareth beautifull in the eyes and presence of her
magnificent glorie must haue an end thy splendour beautie and comelinesse must decay and thy flesh whyther that body of thine must turne to dust and ashes thou shalt die shalt be consumed and depart this present life But which is most to be lamented at last thy miserable and execrable soule if thou repēt not shall depart out of thy filthy and putrified body to a place of greater misery then can be expressed But when shal this be when thou thinkest least of it when thou art least of all prepared when thou shalt be strangely bound with the chaines and fetters of thy sinnes by the diuell The cordes of my sinnes haue bound mee saith the Prophet Psal 118. taking vpon him the person of a sinner Man knoweth not his end saieth Ecclesiastes but as fishes are taken with the hooke and as birds are caught with the snare so men are taken in the euill time when it shall sodenly come vpon them Eccles 9. O wretched sinner giue eare receaue the sound of this fearful trumpet Thou must once die ô sinner and thou oh harlot must one day be dissolued But when wilt thou say The time is vncertaine the time is concealed from thee the time is only knowne vnto God himselfe and it may be when thou not so much as thinkest of it There is nothing more certaine then death and there is nothing more vncertaine thē the houre of death saith S. Bernard This yeare this moneth this weeke this day this hower and moment thou mayest die and yeeld vp the Ghost They spend their dayes in mirth and in an instant they descend into hell Iob. 2. men shall be indulgent to their sensualities sporte laugh and be merrie and in a moment shall die and go to hell For when they shall say peace and securitie then shall sodenly destruction come vpon them as the paine to a woman in childbirth and they shall not escape saith the holy Apostle 1. Thessa 5.4 Of the last and deadly disease and damage of the soule and that after this life there is no recouery THE XV. CHAPTER MIserere mei c. Psal 6.3 haue mercy vpon me oh Lord because I am weake heale me oh Lord because my bones are sore troubled saith the Prophet Dauid Consider a while ô sinner that a little before thy soule depart out of thy vncleane polluted body thou shalt be vexed tormented with some cruell disease or other vnlesse thou be killed or die sodenlie which God forbid from soden vnprouided death oh Lord deliuer vs as our holy Mother the church teacheth vs often to repeate Tell me I pray thee who hath made thee certaine that thou shalt not fall downe dead as thou art eating who hath secured thee that thou shalt not departe this life hauing now the bread in thy mouth and the cupp in thy hand who can tell thee for a certaine that when thou art in the highest degree of delightes pleasures and worldly contentments that then euen in the midst of these thou shalt not be dissolued and descend into the abisse of perpetuall darknesse ô wretched and vnhappie sinners call to minde and foresee what you doe and haue respect vnto the end which most certainly shall come but when you know not Be it that God out of his infinite mercy and clemency will not deale with thee according to thy merits nor take thee away with a suddaine vnforseene but with a common ordinary kind of death In what an astonishmēt wilt thou then be whē thou shalt see the last messenger of thy life which shall be an ordinary disease but deadly euen in thy flourishing yeares beauty strength or in whatsoeuer gift and endowmen of nature belonging to a cōpleate and perfect man consider vnfortunate wretch that thou shalt not depart this life on a suddaine without some vehemēt feauer or the like disease which through heat or colde shall one while cause thy teeth to chatter shake an other while with heat burning shalt not only be enflamed molested with the grief of thy stomacke and head but thy very harte will tremble and quake within thee that all thy nerues sinewes iunctures arturies and veines shal be moued tremble and all this through thy intollerable paine and anguish neither shalt thou haue sleepe or appetite last of all thou shalt take no rest night nor day What wilt thou doe then miserable soule loaden with sinnes which for the space of soe manie moneths or yeares loste hast not confessed nor bene reconciled to God and thy neighbours nor agreed with thy aduersarie who like an other Sardanapalus hast runne a moste libidinous course and lastly seest thy selfe to be defiled and contaminated with the spott and filth of thy sinnes and offences Tell me I beseech thee how great will that anguish bee and how intollerable that affliction which then thy sinnes shall cause and bring vpon thee how infinite shall thy doloures be which shall cruciate thee when thou shalt cal to mind the iniuries wherewith so many yeares together thou hast offended almighty God Tell me whether of these greifes will be more vehement the tormentes of the body or the sorrow of thy soule For when thou shalt beginne to feare death and to receaue a remuneration according to thy sinnes which is death what a present hell will it bee to all the powers and faculties of thy soule when as for the hardnes of thy harte thou canest not repent Indurauerunt facies suas c. Ierem. 5.3 They haue hardened their faces more then the rocke and would not returne saith the Prophet Ieremie Be thou conuerted oh sinner and turne with al expedition vnto thy God expect not blinded soule the last howre in which that vnwelcom messēger of death shall come intimate vnto thee thy dissolution It is your cause that is now in hand therefore be well aduised what you doe it is your suite that is now in action therefore take counsell preuent the future and expect not that latter and perilous time What shall you then be confessed and brought into the state of grace who cā make you certaine of that or promise you that thē God will forgiue your crimes offences and admitt you into his fauour who haue all your life time so exceedingly offended him But if God should then assist you notwithstanding it wil be very painfull and laborious to remember your so innumerable sinnes By what meanes shall you call to minde so many wronges wherby you haue dishonoured God when as you shal be circumuented with so many griefes and oppressed with so many diseases and torments It may be you shall not be capable of sense or reason Last of all how shall it be manifest vnto you that you shall be of power and abilitie to make a true confession or speake or pronounce the words when you shall be dried vp with heat and debilitated with extremitie of sicknes Alas blinde and miserable wretches why prouide you
thy pernicious maledictiōs why blaspheamest thou thy God why contemnest thou thy Iesus and his blessed Mother S. Marie and doest not rather commende thy selfe vnto them chaunge now the institution and manner of thy life Doest thou thinke that thou shalt liue perpetually that thou art immortall that death shall be afraide of thee canst thou be perswaded that death which exerciseth her fatall function vpon all men and seazed vpon God himselfe that it will passe by or exempt thee Alas wretch knowest thou not what the scripture saith It is decreed that all must once die Heb. 9.27 Remember therfore thy last end and turne vnto thy God Giue eare vnto the sound of this trumpet if thou intendest when thou art come to the howre of death to triumph ouer the diuell haue confidence in thy God for in thy name saieth the Prophet Dauid we will dispise those that rise vp against vs and the same in the person of thy God saieth Super aspidem basilicum ambulabis c. Psal 90. thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and Basiliske and shalt tread vppon the Lyon and Dragon because he hath giuen his Angels charge of thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes There be three waies oh sinner in which the Angels doe protect guard thee The first in thy birth and natiuitie the second from thy birth vntill thy death the third from death to the obtaining of eternall life God of his infinite mercie keepe thee in all these waies that thou maiest come to raigne with him eternally Amen Of the fearfull presence of the Iudge in the instant of death THE XVIII CHAPTER ALas wicked and miserable sinner what terrour feare of necessity must possesse thy soule when as thou now dying must behould the angry countenance of that great Iudge God almightie whose glorious and pleasing aspect holy men could not beholde for no man shall see me and liue saieth God to Moyses Exod. 20.19 speake thou to vs and we will heare thee let not our Lord speake to vs least perhappes wee die saide the children of Israell to Moyses Saint Peter who loued Christ soe dearlie and was likewise so well beloued esteemed of him that he deliuered his church to him to be gouerned directed and would that it should relie vpon him as a firme foundation He I say vpon a certaine time when he saw Christ in presence astonished cried out Exi à me quia homo peccator sum goe from mee oh Lord because I am a sinnefull man what thē wilt thou do in the day of thy death when thou shalt behold the angry contenance of Iesus burning with the fire of diuine iustice Oh worme what will then become of thee where wilt thou hide thy selfe whether wilt thou flie Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo c. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant because no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight crieth out the Prophet in the person of a soule striuing with death Giue eare I beseech thee to that which holy Iob saieth of the presence of the iudge verè quod ita sit c. I know indeed it is so that man cannot be iustified compared with God if he contend with him he cannot answere him one for a thousand Iob. 9.2 notwithstanding Iob was of that integrity and sanctity of life that God him selfe speaking of him said Vir erat in terra Hus c. There was a man in the land of Hus whose name was Iob that was simple and right and fearing God departing from euill Iob. 1. And in the same chapter God speaking of Iob vnto the diuell he saied Hast thou considered my seruant Iob that there is not the like vnto him in the earth a man simple and right fearing God and departing from euill and keeping innocencie Alas how terrible and horrible a thing is it at the time of death to fall into the handes of the iust iudge Truly it would seeme a dreadfull thing if one should be circumuented and besett with a multitude of Serpēts Beares Dragons Lyons or other such like deuouring creatures yet all the terror which would proceed from these thinges created compared with the terrour and astonishment that the contenance and maiesty of the angry and iust iudge shall strike into a soule in the instant of death it is light and nothing O miserable soule commiserate and pitty thine owne case meditate vpon thine owne necessities consider what must at last befall thee consider the last end and thou shalt not sinne for euer saieth the wiseman to forewarne thee ô how much shouldest thou and indeed oughtest to feare and tremble to thinke vpon that last instant of thy life in which thy soule must be dissolued and presented before the maiestie of the angry and offended iudge The iudge miserable wretch will say vnto thee giue an account of thy stewardship render a reason of thy soule which thou receauedst immaculate pure and vndefiled of mee and which being defiled and blemished with the contraction and spot of originall sinne I haue washed and made cleane with my most pretious blood Giue an account of thy Reason Vnderstanding Memorie and Will which thou hast receaued of me thou wast endued with vnderstanding that thou shouldest know mee with thy Will that thou shouldest loue mee with a Memorie that thou shouldest be euer mindfull of mee but thou vngrateful soule hast abused these faculties by which thou wert like vnto God let vs make man after our owne Image saieth God Gen. 1. These endowments more then diuine thou hast occupied and busied about base humane transitorie and vaine subiects for so much as thou dost alwaies thinke of them loue and embrace them and exercise thy memorie with them Bewaile now and lament thou sinner for the time will come in which it will repent thee that thou hast bene no more sorrowfull forget not God now for there will come a time when all thy sayings deedes cogitations and counsels shall be reduced to memorie Now endeuour to loue and honour God with all thy force as he hath commaunded thee in these wordes Loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule and with all thy harte all thy neighbour as thy selfe Math. 22.38 Oh miserable mortall men who so inconsideratly vppon the suddaine runne into death My dayes haue passed more swiftlie then the webbe that is cut by the weauer and are consumed without hope Iob. 7.6 Giue vs we beseech thee thy grace oh Lord pardon and remit oh benigne and bountifull God our delictes crimes and offences Remember that thou art our Father looke not vpon our ingratitude but vpon thy mercie haue respect to mee and behould me with the eyes of pittie and compassion for I am alone and poore the tribulations of my harte are multiplied deliuer mee from my necessities Psal 24.16 Oh Marie Mother of indulgent Iesus by whom I am to be iudged pray for mee and for all sinners that we may so dispose of all our
wretch with how many difficulties will he then circumuent thee and the more because thou shalt not know what to answere in thine owne behalfe thou shalt be sore besett on euery side and preuaile nothing at all thou shalt be cast headlong into the gulfe of eternall perdition Alas miserable vnfortunate and forlorne sinners you will then haue no time to take an inward hatred of your hainous crimes and misdeedes The diuell will stand in your presence alleadging and reciting al your enormous faultes and offences declaring them to the full to the which you will not know what to answere or to make any excuse for your selues Harken sinners to a terrible example which maketh for our purpose and is related of Iohn Climachus in the eight sermon of his booke of sermons the historie is thus A certaine Monke called Stephen dwelling in moūt Sinay was wonderfully delighted with the tranquillity of a solitary life who as this authour reporteth was adorned with rare vertues learning for many yeares together to become a valiāt souldier of Iesus Christ This religious mā the day before he died would some times looke on the right side other times on the left side of his bed as though there were some present that demaunded a very strict account of all the thinges which euer hee had done We indeed saw no body saieth he to talke thus with him yet sometimes he would say Trulie so it is againe he would say I graunt it but this I haue confessed and for the same I haue fasted lamented so lōg a time Another while he would say it is true and presently after you belie mee it is not so I neuer cōmitted any such crime thē shortlie after he would tell them verily you accuse me vniustly and lay this infamy vndeseruedly vppon mee But this most of all amazed vs when he sayed I yeeld that it is true neither doe I know what to replie or answere for my selfe yet I put my trust in God who is mercifull so that this obscure iudgement which none there present did vnderstand was most terrible to relate but especially in this that the diuels should accuse him of thinges which he neuer did O wretch that I am to what streight was that Anachoret brought into a true louer of a solitarie and an heremiticall life who after that he had continued a monke for fourty yeares and had shedd forth many profitable teares yet after all this he affirmed that he could not say any thing for him selfe or giue a sufficient answer to excuse his offences Woe woe then to vs where was that large promise which allmighty God had made by the mouth of his holy Prophet Ezechiell Si impius egerit paenitentiam Ezech. 18.27 If the wicked shall doe pennance for all the sinnes which he hath wrought all his iniquities which he hath done I will not remember He could answere nothing nor alleadge this in his behalfe whereupon God is onely to be praised and extolled who knoweth the cause and reason of all thinges And so much the more for that some monkes affirmed that this Stephen so long as he liued in the desert fedd and nourished a Leopard with his owne hāds yet this Heremit of such fame and note in the world being called to giue an account of his life left no certainty behinde him what sentence passed on him whither he was accepted before God or no. This history Climachus relateth Haue you giuen eare to this sinners how is it then that you liue so securely being contaminated with vices and loathsome sinnes supposing that you shall die well enough when Alas you heare that so famous an Heremit a man of such notable sanctitie who did great pennance ful fourtie yeares now dying had nothing to answere when a reckoning was to be made O how narrowly shall our life be discussed and examined when we shall be summoned by death to appeare before the tribunall seate of allmightie God to render a strict account of the same We read in the Chronicles of our sacred order that when a certaine brother died who had liued well and deuoutly and giuen good example to all the comunitie a Doctor of diuinity beinge slacke in perfourming his office which was to say Masse for this dead brother according to his obligation thinking indeed that seeing he had liued so vertuously he did not stand in any need therof Hereupon one day betimes in the morning this deceased religious appeared vnto him and sayed Salue Magister vbi est illa charitas quâ te sacrificium pro me facturum promiseras God saue you Sir what is become of your charitie in that you promised to offer the holy sacrifice of the Masse for my soule I thought replied the diuine you had no need thereof No need of it saied the other Vtinam scires quà m seueré negotium in morte transigatur I would to God thou knewest how seuerely our busines is handled after death Know thou that I am punished in purgatorie with most grieuous paines and torments for which if thou wilt offer this holy sacrifice for me forthwith I shal be freed when he had sayed this he departed and the Doctor fulfilled his promise Alas therfore sinners take heed what you doe refraine from your mischieuous acts doe pennance for your former offences delay not diligently to caste vp your account Lord God almightie cleaue in sunder the stonie hartes of wandering sinners that thou mayest be worshipped and poore soules redeemed with thy moste pretious bloud may be saued Take away Lord Iesu and vtterlie destroy the power of Sathan which he so long hath exercised with all cruelty against the miserable soules of men that so this damned spirit may be put to vtter shame and confusion thy holy name be praised and glorified and sinnefull soules deliuered Amen Of the societie which the soule of a sinner hath after death THE XXXVI CHAPTER ITe maledicti c. Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angells Is not this the sentence sinners which Iesus Christ the iudge will pronounce in the last iudgemēt against the reprobate who haue died in mortall sinne goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire in the companie of all the diuels Cōsider therfore what associates you shall haue after death thinke that you shall be amongst the most cruell enemies of your soules But how long shall you tarry with that cursed crew for one tenn or a thousand yeares yea for euer miscreants and for all eternitie Alas what miserie Alas what torments and paine will you haue to continue imprisoned in that infernall darke dungeon Ponder that after death thou shalt be wholie in the diuels custodie where thou mayest bee sure that these deadly enemies of God and of mankinde will vse all cruelty to afflict thee which possibly they can deuise When I pray thee will the diuel beginne his dominion ouer thee in respect of thy soule In the very day of thy death and departure out
THE SEAVEN TRVMPETS OF BROTHER BARTHOLOMEVV SALVTHIVS OF THE holie Order of S. Francis Exciting a sinner to repentance A Worke very profitable for the saluation of all such soules as are bound with sinne NOW Lately translated out of the Latin into the English tongue by Br. G P. of the same order and obseruance AT S. OMERS FOR IOHN HEIGHAM With permission of Superiors Anno 1626. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE TO HIS LOVING AND Deare Father Master H. P. his obedient sonne wisheth health in Iesus Christ DEARE SIR The intimacie of my euer and all bounden dutie which I acknowledge as tributarie due vnto you with the ardent zeale and desire of your speedie auersion from these broken cisternes of heresie and your penitentiall conuersion vnto the liuing waters of eternall life which are no where contained but in one Holy Catholique and Apostolique church haue moued mee often times to commend some litle treatise vnto you therein to lay open before your eyes the grieuous threatnings of almightie God against sinneâ—s and to admonish you in 〈◊〉 of the dangerous state wherin you liue hoping by th s to disburthen my selfe of the obligatorie duties which I acknowledge as bouÌ„d by nature but considering that touchinge this subiect many bookes haue beene learnedly written tha kes bee giuen to God by diuerse good Catholiques and faithfullie translated into our English toung I desisted to proceede in so worthy an enterprise till at length mine enflamed zeale filiall dutie it such sort burned a fresh within mee that I could no longer quench it by the insurging waues of the seas nor deferre the aduenturing with this present to make the same knowne vnto you I am nor ignorant how farre the mouthes of many Gentlemen of your rancke and neighbourhood are out of tast and much more affected to the flesh parts of Aegypt Exod. 16.3 then to the bread of Angells I meane rather to the reading of prophane then spirituall bookes taking greater delight in perusing strang pleasant histories therin to solace and recreate them selues then in the pious workes and wholesome exhortations of deuout and religious men who intend nothing but the saluation of your poore sinfull soules But as the Prophet Dauid Psal 4.3 sayeth O yee sonnes of men how long are yee of heauie hartes why loue yee vanities and seeke after lying Did they but know what profitt and fruite they may reape thereby doubtlesse they would paint euerie little sentence in the r hartes and mediate vppon them morninge and eueninge and binde them for a signe on their handes writting them in their entries and on the dores of their houses that so they might alwaies haue them in their sight and remembrance Deuteronom 6.6.7.8 Truly Deare Sir I haue endeauored in dressing this meate to prouoke your appetite Gen. 27.9 and laboured to sett forth this doctrine in such a stile that it may moue you diligently to read the same which if you doe I hope by the grace of God you shall finde that wonderfull chaung in your soule which others in former ages most happilie haue had and as that allmost euery day haue who by the means of spirituall bookes haue vtterly detested their former licentious liues and with great feruour and zeale begunne anew in Gods holie seruice Call to minde the treasurer of the Queene of Aethiopia who was reading I say the Prophet in his chariot when God almightie conuerted him by Saint Philip Act. 8.30 Remember likewise that those soe notable and famous workes which King Iosias did in all his kingdome proceeded from the reading of an holie booke which Helchias the Prophet gaue vnto Saphan the scribe 4. Regum 22.13 and S. Augustine relateth confess lib. 8. how three noble courtiers walking abroad in the euening with Theodosius the Emperour into the fields two of them went a litle aside vnto a Monkes cell and there finding a booke wherein was written the life of S. Anthony one of them begaÌ„ne to read it behould in a moment he felt his hart so enkindled with an holie loue and moued with such a religious shame that hee together with his other companion being in a great agonie with themselues put off their secular apparell in the verie same place where they stood and bidding farrewell vnto courtlie pleasures beganne to erect a spirituall building and did forsake all thinges of this world desiring nothinge more then to follow their Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Such admirable chaunges and notable alterations haue holy bookes procured in these persons who with due attention considered them Accept then Deare Sir this small guift and first fruites of my poore endeuours which may be a means as I hope to call you into the path of a good life and induce you forthwith by Gods grace to make profession of the Catholique faith which faith vnlesse euery one keepe holy and inuiolable without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly S. Atha creed Come therfore speedily into the foulde of Christ if you will be preserued from the raueninge wolues Ioh. 10.16 Haue recourse vnto Noahs arke Gen. 6.18 if you will be saued from drowning Be a member of the Catholique and vniuersall church which according to the Apostle is Columna firmamentum veritatis 1. Tim. 3.15 the pillar and ground of truth And be no longer seduced by the fallacies and deceipts of death bringing heretiques Now at the last as you tender your owne soules health confesse your sinnes with the Prophet Dauid Psal 50. crie aloud vnto God for mercie with Saint Marie Magdalen Luc. 7. wash the feete of our Sauiour with tears of true contrition Goe out with S. Peter Math. 26. and weepe bitterlie For now is the acceptable time now is the day of saluation The night will come when it will be too late to worke 2. Cor. 6.2 True it is that the theefe was saued and found mercie at the last gaspe but God forbid as a right virtuous sonne said in the like case to his owne Father that wee should vse such preposterous pollicie as when our senses are astonished our wittes distracted our vnderstandinge obscured when both bodie and minde are tormented with the gripes of mortall sickenes that then wee should beginne to thinke of the weightie matters of our saluation and of the suddaine to become Sainctes when we are fearce able to behaue our selues like reasonable creatures No no deceaue not your selfe take time while you may when it is once past it is impossible to recall it according to the old prouerbe post est occasio calua feare not persecution or lâ—sse of goods feare not them that kill the bodie and are not able to preiudice the soule but rather feare him that can precipitate both body and soule into the infernall abisse of hell Math 10.28 Is it not a most lamentable case that men who professe themselues to be Christians should haue a greater care of their worldlie pelfe honours and dignities then of the health and saluation of their owne soules Wee
Reader Iuditious reader if thou seeke to please The fantasie with Arguments of witt Curious conceites know such fond passages I doe bequeath to lighter subiects fitt To thy deuotion therfore as a Frend My matter not my Meathhoode I commend Thine G. P. BROTHER BARTHOLOMEVV VNVVORTHY Seruant of Iesus Christ crucified to his moste endeared Sister S. Marie Magdalen glorious spouse of blessed Iesus in heauen BEholde my moste deare Sister Magdalen the spouse of Christ crucified once as blacke as the tents of Cedar Cant. 1. but afterwards as beautifull as the courtaines of Salomon portresse of loue and patronesse of all sinners now blessed with celestiall glorie beholde I say I haue finished a little booke entituled by mee The Seauen Trumpets exciting a sinner to repentance And because I haue written of thee being assisted with thy holy prayers not any that I could find might with such equitie challenge the patronage of this booke as thy selfe For to whom might I with more conuenience present this little worke out of which proceedeth such a sound that terrifieth the greatest malefactour and awakneth the securest offender thē to S. Mary Magdalē a sinner To whom I say rather then vnto thee should I the most abiect and vnworthiest of all sinners dedicate this booke that treateth of the saluation of sinners To thee therfore my sister Magdalen I commend it that thou beeing a daily assistant therof mightest cause it to bringe forth its intended frutes which is the safetie health and happinesse of all distressed wretched and sinfull soules Remember oh blessed Magdalen that thou wast once a loste sheepe farre strayed from the folde of Christ and if our deare Sauiour Iesus the carefull shepheard of thy soule had not called thee vnto him thou hadst beene deuoured of the rauening wolfe thou knowest that our Iesus did vndergoe death for the life of soules Christas venit in hunc mundum c. 1. Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am the cheefe and Christ himselfe saith Non est opus valentibus medico sed malè habentibus Math 9.12 They that be well neede not the phisitian but they that be sicke and thou art not ignorant of that which is written of him in the Gospell of Saint Luc. Hic peccatores recipit c. Luc. 15.2 This man receaueth sinners and eateth with them Oh therfore Magdalen let thy eyes of pittie be euer watchfull ouer miserable sinners intercede for the conuersion and saluation of so many soules which are running headlong into the abisse of eternall perdition Thou seest and knowest moste deare Magdalē what a number of soules doe daily and hourely descēd into the bottomlesse pitte of hell succour aide and stretch forth thy helping hand therfore to the perishing languishing soules remember oh Sister that all those soules were redeemed and bought with the pretious blood of sweete Iesus the Sauiour and Redeemer of vs both Thou knowest right well the inexcogitable sufferings of our louing Iesus vpon mount Caluarie for all vs rebellious wretches I am certaine thou well remembrest that pretious blood which whilest he hāged vpon the crosse thou sawest distill and runne downe from his sacred bodie vpon the earth Remember oh Magdalen the anxiety of his soule when as thou didst behold him yeelding vp his spirit with such bitter paines vpon the holy wood of the crosse procure by thy intercession that these soules which were redeemed with the pretious blood which did so abundantly flow out of his diuine head being prickt and goared with an vnheard-of crowne of thornes may be deliuered from the power of sinne and brought into the glorious liberty of the sōnes of God succour those poore soules which are bought with such an abūdance of blood running like a torrent from the most sacred hands and feet of thy Master Iesus crucified obtaine by thy holy prayers that those soules may be presented pure before God which were washed with that blood and water that issued out of thy Iesus his side euē vnto his most bitter death Thy prayers oh Magdalen which are enflamed with the burning loue of thy dearest spouse are of no small virtue to procure the helpe of the Angel of the couenāt to put the diseased soules of miserable sinners into the all curing waters of Bethsaida Ioan. 5.4 To thee therefore in the name of our gratious Iesus his blessed Mother he a louing Father she a tender Mother of al sinners I present offer this litle worke which I acknowledge to be thine In the name of the moste holie Trinitie Father Sonne and holie Ghost in the vertue of the name of Iesus and the B. V. Marie together with thy helpe oh Blessed Magdalen these my Seauen Trumpets are come to bee sounded abroad which by the efficacie of the blood death and passion of Christ who is Sonne of God and also him selfe true God and man I implore beseech and desire that they terrifie conuert and reduce to repentance an innumerable company of soules which lie demerged ouerwhelmed and plunged in the pitt of sinne and iniquitie Amen In the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Amen Let thy benedictiō oh my Magdalen descend vpon the soule and bodie of mee and all other sinners which shall peruse this booke by the vertue of the pretious body and blood of our Blessed Iesus which is cōtained in the most holy Sacrament of the altar Amen Pray for mee From Rome our place of S. Fran. Transtib Iun. 14. 1612. Thy most deuoted Brother in our Lord Brother Bartholomew IN THE NAME OF THE Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Here followeth the beginninge of the Seauen Trumpets of the B. F. B. Bartholomew Saluthius of the holie order of the Frier Minars of obseru reform THE PROLOGVE ET septem Angeli qui habebant septem tubas c. Apoc. 8. And the seauen Angels which had the Seauē Trumpets prepared them selues to sound saith S. Iohn after hee had said in the same place Et vidi septem Angelos c. and I saw seauen Angels standing in the presence of God and there was giuē vnto them Seauē Trumpets Oh Brethren sinners I am not an Angell but a sinner not onely like vnto you but worse then you who being enflamed with the honour of allmightie God and also moued with the desire of all your soules healths I haue presumed to bring to light this little booke entituled The Seauen Trumpets that they may found in your eares and recall you to your most louing God mercifull Father and reduce you into the way of saluation Oh wretches consider that you haue strayed and diuerted from the true path and doe now runne and persist with a swift pace in the way that leadeth to perditiō ponder well oh ye vnhappy soules how that yee stand vpon the brimme of hell ready euery moment to be caste downe headlong into the abisse of perpetual darknesse whereupon I being stirred vp
wicked impious and vngodly wretch which hauing noe respect or reuerence to so great infinite a maiestie darest commit such thinges in his presence which thou wouldest feare and be ashamed to commit in the presence of an earthlie King or Prince although of meane power and authoritie The third reason is Tell mee oh yee sinners what punishment is hee worthy of who receauing many courtesies fauours from some noble man of worth as a â—ouse ornaments and clothes beseeming his qualitie when before he was ragged torne and meanly cloathed and being restored to his former dignitie wheÌ„ as before he was in great disgrace and miserie and hauing recouered his health which before was sicke infirme by his meanes made rich and wealthy which before was a begger and in great want lastly promoted and placed in the cheifest degree of honour who before was contemned vilified and despised of all if this man who is thus infinitly obliged and bound to this his friend should in stead of giuinge thankes intend and meditate snares and deceipts for the taking away of the goodes estimation and honour and laste of all the life of so great a friend and charitable benefactor and should associate him selfe in the companie of his enemies to the end that he might abuse contemne deride and kill him speake I beseech thee what penaltie shall this vngratefull wretch deserue surely the greatest that can be inuented Tell mee now oh moste wicked rebellious adulterous sinner what punishments what torments art thou worthy of when as thou doest disunite and separate thy selfe from thy God which made thee which created thee which gaue thee thy soule and body adorned thee with faculties and senses correspondent which produced thee out of nothing when as thou wert nothing and conserueth thee in this state in which thou now art and for thy vse conseruation hath ordained an infinite number of creatures visible and inuisible the heauens sunne moone starres elements mixt and composed bodies for thy sake only who also exceeding in loue and charitie for thy sake was made man visible and mortall exposinge himselfe to all wronges and difficulties when as he was impassible who last of all did offer him selfe to be killed and naked like a publique malefactour in the middest of two theeues as theire captaine crucified vpoÌ„ the wood of the crosse only that he might free thee from death sinne the diuell and hell and to bring thee to the eternall blisse of the celestiall paradise but thou on the contrary doest oppose and resist with al thy forces this so benigne a God so indulgent a Father so gentle and milde a Lord this I say so infinite and great a maiestie thou doest studie and endeauour with all thy faculties and powers of body and soule with so odious and detestable crimes to offend despise and dishonour Oh miserable and sinneful soule what punishmeÌ„t caÌ„ be thought vpon ordained worthy of thy deserts oh infinite patience and clemency of God which when as thou mightest precipitate pluÌ„ge and caste these sinners into the bottomlesse pitte of hell and deliuer them into the hand of the diuell to be carried into the abisse of perpetual darknesse thou doest not only not doe it but fauorably and patiently expect their returne calling them by thy diuine inspirations and heauenly suggestions vnto amendment repentance And also hast conserued protected and defended such cruell and malitious enemies forso many yeares together as well in thinges appertaininge to the body as the soule thou callest them thou goest to meet them thou inuitest them and doest offer thy selfe vnto them as if thou wert rauisht with loue towardes them who art so infinitly offended and greatly dishonoured by them Oh immense loue oh patience oh clemency oh mercy of God what great reason haddest thou oh holy Prophet to say Misericordias Domini in eternum cantabo Psal 88.1 Thy mercies oh Lord will I sing for euer the earth is full of thy mercies oh Lord there is no end of thy goodnes Let vs come to the fourth reason which declareth the greatnes of sinne wherwith a sinner offendeth God What doe you otherwise oh sinners when yea sinne and offend then ballance in one scale the infinite maiestie power and presence of God and your selues your vnlawfull desires and momentary pleasures in the other therefore tell mee oh sinner whither of these two is of greater excellency and worth rather to be chosen God or thy little momentary pleasure your opinion is that this your transitorie pleasure is of greater value by which meanes your Sauiour being reiected you make choise of his creature God being left in whom is the fulnes of all thinges you take that which is nothing the cheifest good beinge contemned yee doe embrace that which beareth in it selfe noe species or signe of true good but superficiall painted and transitorie oh iniurie oh offence oh wrong oh dishonour wherewith you offend so louing a God and benigne and clement a Father Let vs now proceed to the gift of reason what doth a miserable sinner by sinning but call in question and dispute whether his or Gods diuine will is better whither with more promptitude hee should obey God or his owne base desire He preferreth his own will before Gods and presently concludeth that it is more conuenient to obey his owne making himselfe an other Lucifer greater then God Oh execrable Lucifers oh wicked and accursed sinners who when as yee are base filth and dung are so swollen and puffed vp with pride that in as much as lyeth in your powers you exalt yourselues aboue God what affliction therefore shall be imposed vpon you in the world to come when you shall be deliuered and giuen vp into the handes of that proud Lucifer of whoÌ„ ye haue bene such diligent sectatours and vigilant seruants Oh my deare sinnefull Brethren I will not be more prolix in this argument because the disputation calleth mee an other way it sufficeth mee and also ought to suffice you to haue heard the sound of this our first Trumpet which with a shorte blaste I haue sounded that detesting and abhorring sinne you may be disunited from Sathan and reioyned to your sweet creatour Lord and redeemer that herafter yee may desist from offering him so great iniuries and make an end and period of so many foule and detractiue contumelies wherby yee haue in no small measure offended him Doe this I beseech you brethren which I begge and implore of you by the pretious wouÌ„des and liuely blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ lyinge prostrate at your feet vpon the earth I say vnto you oh BrethreÌ„ by the bitter passion of Iesus crucified offend him not so often with so many iniuries crucifie him not any more with such hainous crimes desist my Brethren hereafter to contemne and tread vnder foot the blood of the couenant And turning to thee oh my Iesu I say oh Iesu my only loue and ioy graunt pardon
execrable and accursed sinne how great and infinite is thy deformitie filthines and malice Here followeth the same matter of the deformitie of sinne THE V. CHAPTER SVch so great oh Brethren is the deformity of sinne that if a sinner should see his soule in a deadly sinne he would be vtterlie confounded with feare and amazement Wee read of an adulterer who after that he had committed adultery returned home whose wife and children forthwith astonished at the sight of him rāne away for he did appeare vnto them in the likenes of a diuell with fearfull and huge hornes this man beholding himselfe in a glasse and seeing himselfe to be soe deformed being stroken with an horrible feare with all expedition and haste went forth to confession and to be reconciled to almightie God the people that mett him yea the very brute beastes themselues being affrighted fled away he seemed so terrible to them in shape and figure and coming to the preist who did stand at the gate of the church saying his diuine office being espied of him to approach neare vnto the church he did so astonish him as that it caused him presently to shut the dores The miserable soule comming to the dore intimated vnto him that he was a sinner and was so deformed and of so fearfull aspect by reason of his sinne and desired him not to be afraide this being related and manifested the priest being possessed with no smal fear went out vnto him who hauing confessed being penitent and reconciled was restored to his ordinary naturall forme Oh soule soule oh vnhappy and wretched soule if thou couldest but see thy selfe being in a deadly sinne how exceedingly beyond all apprehension wouldest thou bee ashamed astonished confounded at thy selfe how great a terrour would seaze vpon thee if thou shouldest see thy selfe so deformed and vggly through sinne when as before thou wert moste faire beautifull Furthermore when yee commit any sinne lest you should be seene of any one you seeke obscure places for the performance of the same and if by fortune you be apprehended in the acte of your offence presently you are moste grieuously ashamed and perplexed and although the sinne be obscure and not reuealed yet for many yeares you dare not appeare in the presence of him who apprehended you Oh blessed soules who now rest in the fauour of God make knowne vnto these sinners what basenes and confusion yee perceaue in sinne when as some time by the diuine permissiō endued with heauenly virtues and illuminated with the celestiall beames of diuine grace you know vnderstand apprehend your former blemishes and offences and the multitude of soe great iniuries whereby formerly you haue displeased your moste gracious God I beseech you oh blessed soules demonstrate this vnto these sinners and sollicite your benigne and clement spouse for them that he would be pleased for his mercies sake to bestow some measure of those singular graces wherewith yee your selues were endued vpon these destressed desolate and miserable wretches effect this I beseeche you by the loue of him who soe dearly loueth you and whom you likewise so much reuerence honour and esteeme Doe this seeing there is nothing more acceptable vnto God then to intercead for poore sinners for the pardoning and remission of their sinnes who were redeemed and bought with so deare a price as the pretious blood death and passion of his deare sonne obtaine this therefore I intreat you while I proceed further to exaggerate the deformitie of sinne Giue eare oh my Brethren sinners sinne is so odious and abhominable that it compelled Iob to curse the houre and day in which he was borne with that fearfull speech saying Pereat dies in qua natus sum Iob. 3.3 let the day perish in which I was borne the night in which it was said a man childe is conceaued let darknes and the shadow of death obscure it let a miste possesse it let it bee wrapped vp in bitternes let a darkesome whirlewinde possesse that night let that day not be counted with the dayes of the yeare nor numbred in the monethes And a little after in the same chapter he vttereth these words full of misteries Quare non in vuluâ mortuus sum c. why perished I not in the wōbe why did the knees beare mee the brests giue me sucke what doe yee say to this oh my Brethren that such an holy perfect and iust man as Iob should say these thinges of whom God with his owne mouth gaue this testimony vnto Sathan Numquid cōsiderasti seruum meum Iob Iob. 2.3 hast thou considered my seruant Iob that there is not the like vnto him in the earth a man simple vpright fearing God retaining innocency Wherefore then and to what end should such fearfull words as the literall sence giueth proceed out of his mouth as to curse the day the night and houre of his birth surely it was only to intimate vnto vs the greuous and detestable loathsomnes of sinne in which he was conceaued Oh this wonderfull and admirable exaggeration of sinne how fully doth it represent vnto vs the filth and deformity therof God graunt that the terrible soūd of this trumpet may worke in you an abhorring and detestation of vice and kindle in your soule the fire of diuine loue that you may die daily to sinne here liue with him perpetually herafter Amen In what hatred sinne is in the sight of almighty God THE VI. CHAPTER O Dio sunt Deo impius impietas eius Wisdom 14.9 The wicked and his impietie are abhominable vnto God Soe great Brethren is the deformitie of sinne that God who is nothing but beauty splendour and goodnes hath it in great hatred and detestation and not sinne only but also the sinner The wicked and his impietie are odious alike in the sight of God saith the holy scripture By many thinges we may collect the deadlye hatred that God hath towardes sinners but most especially by two The first is that he doth soe sodenlie out of his seuere iustice punish it Lucifer and his associates sinned but God by no means enduring that insolent pride precipitated them frō the height of their former felicitie into the abisse of eternall darknes by Michael the Archangell prime minister in the celestiall paradise Our first parents Adam and Eue sinned and God forthwith expelled them out of paradise There are many examples in holy scripture which doe liuely set before our eyes the rigorous and soden execution of the iudgement and seueritie of God vpon sinners The Israeliticall people sinned adoring the golden Calfe presently the fire of Gods wrath was kindled and he said vnto Moyses Dimitte me ut irascatur furor meus contra eos Exod. 32.20 suffer mee that my fury may arise against them The same people sinned in demaunding Quailes in the wildernes Adhuc escae erant in ore ipsorum Psal 77.30 Euen when the meat was in their mouth the iudgements of
a sleepe in vices iniquities neither wretch that thou art doest thou take notice of the troubled state of the shippe the church exposed to the danger of shipwrack for thy sinnes on all sides tossed with turbulent windes and stormes of most cruell enemies Arise vnhappy soule I say not the Master or pilot of the shippe but thy poore Brother who beinge touched with a desire of the helth of thy soule and of all other sinners for the loue of him who shewed such great mercy towardes me that called me from the sleepe in which I did lie I say vnto thee wherefore doest thou lie opprest with sleepe sleepe no longer awake oh sinnefull and wicked wretch now is the time to thinke with thy selfe what miseries are imminent now implore the diuine ayde and mercy Si fort◠recogitet de nobis vt non pereamus Ion. 1.6 if perhappes he will thinke of vs that we may not perish Arise now with the holy Prophet Dauid saying Illumina oculos meos Psal 12.5 lighten mine eyes lest I should sleepe in death lest that mine enemies should say I haue preuailed against him There are some which snorte are sound a sleepe in their sinnes and there be some which be halfe awake they of the first sorte be such as daily sinne mortally and they are in continuall enmitie with God because as they that snorte sleepe soundly neither are they awaked of the sudden so they that are in mortall sinne are not easily raised out of the depth thereof But they of the second sorte sometimes they fall sometimes they rise againe out of their sinnes euen as he that slumbereth often sleepeth and often awaketh againe and this is the lesser euill although sometimes they are punished with noe lesser penaltie then they that are soūdlie a sleepe God almighty illuminate you that you may not sleepe slumber nor snorte in the depth of sinne as you haue done vntill now The Apostle prosecuteth this matter further saying Et exurge à mortuis and arise from the dead Beholde a greater danger wherby the soule is endamaged by sinning for after that a soule for some time hath slept in sinne it is more negligent in the exercise of good workes and is so dulled and in disposed that it seemeth to be dead For as the body without the soule is dead so a soule is dead without God as the soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule know yee deare Brethren that there is noe dead carcase so stinkinge or hath a more loathsome smell in the sense of man as a soule dead in sinne hath in the nostrills of almighty God There is an example at hād in the liues of the holy Fathers of an Angell that did accompanie an Anachoret to make him vnderstand something of the diuine iudgements These in the way as they iournied foūd a dead body the Angel passing by made noe signe of any offensiue smell but proceeding further they met with a certaine comely yōg man richly inuested bearing about him strong parfumes at the sight of whome the Angell forthwith stopped his nostrills at which thing the Anchoret wonderinge he demaunded the reason wherfore he should stoppe his nose at that comely yong man wel cloathed and sending forth acceptable smells and immmediatly before made no such signe at the dead body because said the Angell youth loaden with sinne stinketh more odiously then a putrified body I am fetet now he stinketh saith Martha of her Brother Lazarus Ioan. 11.39 oh my my Brother sinner how grieuouslie doest thou stinke in the nostrils of God the Angels the Saints in heauen Et illuminabit te Christus Christ shall enlighten thee behold another greeuous effect and detriment that sinne bringeth vpō the soule Oh blinded sinners which perceaue not the resplendant lustre and light of diuine grace Et confestim ceciderunt ab oculis eius tanquam squamae visum recepit Act. 9.18 and presently there fel from his eyes as it were scales and he receaued his sight saieth S. Luke in the acts of the Apostles speaking of the conuersion of Saul Oh sinner persecutor of Iesus Christ I would to God thou couldest see with what great scales thy eyes are couered which doe hinder blinde thy sight Oculos suos statuerunt declinare in terram Psal 16.11 they haue determined to decline their eyes towardes the earth sinners haue made a compact with the diuell to haue their eyes alwaies fastned vppon the earth Oh blinded sinners that Iesus might illuminate your eyes he would permit his diuine eyes to be ridiculously couered shamfully blindfolded How ignorant and blind art thou oh ambitious man which doest so stedfastly fix thine eyes vpon the vanishinge shadow of vaine glory Oh thou couetous man how blinde art thou to whom a lump of dust earth seemeth an incomparable treasure How blinde art thou oh luxurious man to whom a stinking carcase seemeth so pretious a thing Oh intemperate mā how blinde art thou to whom transitorie pleasures seeme soe sweete and inestimable Oh all yee sinners how blinde are you that you cannot perceaue and see your great detriment and eminent danger oh my Iesu illuminate I beseeche thee these blinded sinners that they may take notice of their errours in which they are soe miserablie inuolued graunt them to repent for theire crimes and offences and to turne vnto thee with all their hartes the sweete fountaine of eternall life and happines Amen That a soule by sinne looseth the friendship of God THE IX CHAPTER SI consideremus fratres charissimi qua quanta sunt quae nobis promittuntur in coelis vilescerent animo omnia quae habentur in terris Oh dear Brethren if you would truly consider what and how great thinges are promised and prouided for you in heauen all things vppon earth would seme contemptible and base vnto you saith S. Gregorie I am not determined at this present to speake of the great losse which sinne bringeth vpon the soule in the life to come seeing that I purpose hereafter to take a more oportune occasion but now I wll intimate only what and how great a thing it is that a soule looseth by sinne in this life In maleuolam animam non intrabit sapientia wisedome shall not enter into a malignant soule saieth the scripture Wisd 1.4 behold the first shipwracke of a sinnefull soule is the want of the taste of true knowledge for although a sinful soule is endued with an excellent vnderstāding yet is it depriued of the comfortable tast of the scriptures and neuer hath the gust of the sweetnes thereof But this is nothing in respect of that which it looseth for the soule of a sinner is depriued of the friendship and amitie of God which farre exceedeth all other thinges Be wife now therefore oh yee sinners and know how pretious a iewell you loose heare mee I beseech you Soe long as a soule is void of sinne it
vngodly maner of liuing There be two thinges sinners that God doâ—h not remember to wit sinnes and good workes if one hath liued wel thirty or fourtie yeares and hath serued God with much feruour of spirit and maceration of his body with fastings watchings disciplines or other such acts and at last should sinne and decline from his former institution and manner of liuing God blotteth out of his memorie all his former good workes and meritorious actes and if he die in such a state he is for euer plunged into the pitt of perdition On the other side if any one hath liued thirty or fourtie yeares in sinnes be they neuer so great and at the last should be penitent and sorrowfull for them God will forgett them all were they as redd as scarlett he will make them as white as snow and dying in that estate without all doubt he should be made participante of the perpetuall ioyes of heauen The former ought to strike great feare trembling and terrour into the good but the latter much confidence hope trust into the wicked Therfore I beseech you and entreat you deare Brethren sinners for Gods sake and the honour and loue of him that died for you that you would leaue sinning be conuerted vnto your clement Redeemer not any longer to abuse his mercies but to giue his diuine maiestie infinite thankes for his long suffering expecting euen vntill this instaÌ„t of your amendment and conuersion and who is alwaies prepared fatherly to receaue you if euer by amendement of life you shall returne home vnto him Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Psal 31.6 I said I will confesse against my selfe mine iniustice vnto our Lord and thou hast forgiuen the impietie of my sinne saieth the holy Prophet Dauid who is he oh BrethreÌ„ that would abuse this so great benignitie of God doe it not doe it not doe it not for Iesus Christ his loue and bitter passion who died vpon the crosse for you but turne your selues vnto so louing and fatherly a God which doth not only expect but also draw you that he might pardon free and redeeme you from sinne death and hell A lasse oh yee fooles wherefore do you any longer defer it Sweet Iesu Christ looke downe vppon these blinded wretches and infuse into their soules the light of grace which may bring them to the participation of thy glorie which for thy mercie and much suffering vouchsafe to make theÌ„ capable of that they may die to liue with thee eternally Amen That man may easily sinne but cannot of himselfe rise from thence THE XII CHAPTER SIne me nihil potestis facere Ioan. 15.5 without me yee can doe nothing and in another place Nemo potest venire ad me c. Ioan. 6.44 no man can come vnto mee vnlesse my Father who hath sent mee shall draw him therfore the spouse in the canticles cried out Draw me after thee Cantic 1.3 Now therfore oh sinner it is no smal euill that thou doest incurre by sinning seeing thou hast power to fall and that it is in thy free will to sinne or not but being once fallen canst not of thy owne forces rise againe without the assistance of diuine grace Tel mee I pray thee speaking of thy body that by all probability immediatlye after foote set vppon ground thou shouldest fall how careful wouldest thou bee in walking what diligeÌ„ce wouldest thou vse for the placing of thy feete for the auoyding of danger and if thou chance to fall how willingly wouldest thou imitate the asse which with great difficulty iâ— drawne that way where hee foâ—merly receued any hurt The case is the same oh sinner in respect of thy soule in the next moment thou art ready to fall dangerouslie in so much that thou hast not power and abilitie to rise againe what care oughtest thou to haue then in ordering thy footsteps what vnwillingnes to walke in that path againe in which formerly thou hast receaued so great hurt and danger But thou neglecting this perhaps wilt say God will helpe me True it is thou maiest hope and it is good that thou trust confide in his diuine assistance but with this hope there must be ioyned an holie feare to offend or sinne against so great a maiestie for otherwise thou shalt much aggrauate thy crime and delict and procure the displeasure of so benigne and louing a Father But who hath or can assure thee that the effectuall helpe of God will alwaies be at hand to assist thee Hee can doe or omitt this as it shall be thought fitt by his diuine prouidence and therefore thou hast great reason carefully and prudently to institute thy life to shunne and abandon all obiects and occasions that may any way distract or hinder thee from the vnion of so mighty powerfull a Lord. Furthermore wheÌ„ as God hath administred vnto thee ofteÌ„times his diuine helpe and raised thee vp againe but thou continuing in vices and still with the dogge returning to thy former vomit it may be I say then he will leaue thee as long as that sentence of thy damnation may be pronounced in heauen thou art neuer secure why therefore doest thou studie as I may say to sinne and to prouoke the diuine goodnes Leaue therfore Brother leaue I beseech thee by that life and pretious blood which Iesus Christ our Lord powred out for vs hanging vpon the holy wood of the crosse Brother sinne no more for assure thy selfe that so long as thou art polluted with the blemish of sinne thou art no other then an adulterate person and liable to eternall perdition Beholde vnfortunate soule if thou shouldest be in daunger to fal into some deepe lake or into the sea or any other depth or into the iawes of some cruel wilde beastes how vigilant and carefull wouldest thou bee for the auoyding of so great and imminent a perill and yet thou seemest nothing at all to feare or care for falling into hell out of which there is no redemption How good workes done in sinne doe perish and are of no merit THE XIII CHAPTER WHat dost thou not know that all thy good and meritorious acts and deeds shall not auaile thee any thing if thou but once sinne This only thing truly ought to be a sufficient motiue if thou wouldest admit it to thy serious cogitation to excite rouse thee vp to amendement and correction of thy life manners Vnderstand how great and ineffable the loue and benignitie of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is towards vs vngratefull soules who hath ordained decreed for the least thing soeuer done in the honor of him to giue and make vs capable of heauen for one fasting for one mortification of the body for one almes for one penny giuen for the loue of him for one submission and inflexion of the body proceeding and tending to his glory for pronouncing only of the blessed name of Iesus if it be done with due
not now for your necessities why leaue you not your pernicious and wicked course of life why desist you not from offending your gratious God why crie you not out with the Prophet Dauid Haue mercie vpon mee oh God according to thy great mercie and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine iniquities If you will now implore the diuine assistance your daungerous woundes may be cured and you may find grace and mercie at the handes of God which at the howre of death it may be you shall not obtaine for then you will with feare but now you may with loue inuocate craue his diuine clemencie then you leaue not your sinnes but your sinnes leaue you Wherefore Brethren sinners be now vigilant and carefull for your soules begge at this instant with importunity pardoÌ„ for your so many heinous offences and odious delinquences Turne you to your Lord God with all your hartes he is exceedingly clement and his mercies are many and you shal finde rest vnto your soules Returne to him with the saying of the prodigal sonne in your mouthes Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and am not worthy to be called thy sonne which if you shall so doe he being moued with compassioÌ„ towards you will goe out to meet you and fall vpon your neckes and louingly embrace you pardoning all your former iniuries wherby you haue offended him euen as a Father taketh pittie of his children so hath our Lord compassion vpon them that feare him because he knoweth our making he remembreth that wee are but dust Psal 102.13 Our Lord is nothing but clemencie and goodnes the earth is filled with his mercie there is no end therof Psa 32.5 Breake forth therefore yee sinners into these wordes sayinge oh sweet Iesu our God Redeemer grant pardon mercie and remission helpe aide succour and assist vs perishing soules for thy bitter passions sake Amen haue mercy vpon me oh Lord haue mercy vpon me because my soule hath trusted in thee Of the separation of the soule from God in the article of death THE XVI CHAPTER INiquitates vestrae diuiserunt c. Isay 59.2 your iniquities haue diuided betweene you and your God saith the holy Prophet Isay consider now obdurate sinner that thou must approach to the last moment of thy death perswade thy selfe that thou must come to that terrible and fearfull instant in which thy soule shall be separated from thy body oh misery and calamity what wilt thou then say or doe when as by no meanes thou canst hinder thy soules departure Thy spirit must be then disioyned from thy flesh which I wish may not bee separated from God Alas alas wretched and miserable sinner when thou shalt see thy soule to depart from thy body and eternally to be separated from God what wilt thou then doe oh miserable separation of the soule from the bodie but oh farre more miserable the separation of the same from God What wilt thou coniecture when thou shalt see thy selfe to be excluded the presence of God thy Creator vnfortunate soule consider what a seuere iudgement there will be of thee at thy death which the holy Apostle considering saieth For we must all be manifested before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one may receaue the proper thinges of his body according as he hâ—th done either good or euill 2. Corin. 5.10 Then of all thy deedes euen thy least actions of all thy vaine wordes and cogitatioÌ„s which euer came into thy minde thou art to giue and yeelde a strict and seuere account Then shalt thou be constrained to answere not only for thy lost time but for al thy time il spent Then shalt thou vnderstand how profitable it would haue bene for thee to follow the counsell of the wise man who saieth Make vse of time and decline from euill Eccles 4.23 O miserable humane nature which runneth to death as the riuers to the sea You shall all die and fall as the waters vpon the earth which do not returne Enter therfore into the closet of thy harte and consider that thou art not to answere for thy owne crimes only but also for those which are committed either by thy fault consent counsell or conniuency or not hindering them when it was in thy power Then thou shalt not excuse thy selfe nor say with Cain Am I my brothers keeper Gen. 4.9 for truly he hath commaunded to euery one the care and charity of his neighbour Bee vigilant therfore thou sinner for there will be a great and difficult matter handled at the moment of thy death Well wilt thou then know how great an offence it is to vse iestes tauntes scoffes sportes and other merrie passages euen although without preiudice or detrimeÌ„t of thy neighbour How perspicuouslie shalt thou then perceaue what it is to be distracted in time of diuine office Masse and other holy Ceremonies and to be negligent and indisposed in the church or in other holy places If euery sinne be it neuer so smal for its obiect which is God is most great therefore also the least iniurie offered to God who is infinite is likewise infinite Now therefore oh sinner see how preposterously and peruerslie thou doest when thou wilt not alwaies eleuate and fix thine eyes vpon God Be circumspect least thou displease him euen in the least thing because thinges seeming of no moment are in his diuine presence very great from little and meane thinges of no account we easily fall into greater and more enormous as the scripture saith He that despiseth small thinges by little and little falleth saieth the wise man How truly did Salomon say The number of fooles is infinite because euery sinner is a foole who for a little vaine and transitorie pleasure feareth not to loose an infinite treasure permanent and immutable Oh sinners turne into your selues liue in the feare of God who created you for this is true wisedome and solidd prudence The beginning of wisedome is the feare of God Psal 110.10 Oh yee obdurate and blinded wretches looke into the state of your soules foresee what griefes you shal conceaue when your soules must departe your bodies with whom they haue bene with so great affection conioyned and vnited Consider that vnwilling and most dolefull departure and separation no man euer hated his flesh saith the Apostle Ephes 5.29 but loueth it with a moste vehement loue and affection whereupon the philosopher vnderstanding this naturall loue of the soule saied that death is the last of terrible and fearfull thinges Know now sinner that this feare terrour is to inuade thee but when this horrour shall seaze vpon thee the time is vncertaine Oh my Trumpet send foorth thy sound that thou mayest bee heard in the extreamest and furthest partes of the world let thy eccho enter into the eares of the wretched sinner that hee may know himselfe knowing may turne vnto himselfe and see the infinite losse detriment which
sinne bringeth into his soule at the houre of death and abhorre it following the counsell of the wise man fly from the face of sinne as from the face of a serpent the teeth therof are the teeth of lyons killing the soules of men O Brethren sinners by the sacred woundes of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I beseech you earnestly and entreat you that you would not imitate the deafe Adder which that she may not heare the melodious tune of the enchaunter stoppeth her eares the one by couering it with her taile the other by laying it on the ground doe you not the same but harken and attend to the sound of this Trumpet with open diligent eares that hereby the diuels stratagemes and diabolicall inuasions being put to flight there may be free accesse for the diuine concourse into your soules Amen Of the terrour which the diuell striketh into a soule in the moment of death THE XVII CHAPTER THe Dragon whom thou hast made to deceaue him saieth the Prophet Psal 103.26 I would to God thou couldest sufficiently weigh and consider the intollerable terrour and feare which the sight of most detestable diuels shall present vnto thee or that thou couldest comprehend what an astonishment it will be to behould a diuell I am certaine thou wouldest chaunge the course of thy life and arise out of the lethargie of thy sinnes if not for feare of God yet for feare of the diuellish and hellish crue For if the sight of a Wolfe a Beare a Lyon a Dragon a Serpent or any loathsome Toade doth strike such terrour into vs and doe so astonish and affright vs what wil the aspect of the diuels doe at the point of death Oh you doating and miserable sinners if you would with due consideratiō thinke of these fearfull formes and sightes which the diuels will lay before your eyes at the very instant of your deaths without doubt you would flie sinne For if when thou art well in health strong and of a good courage any one of the diuels should appeare vnto thee in the forme of some cruell and rauenous beast thou couldest not but tremble and quake through all the partes of thy body what wilt thou doe then vnhappy soule when thou shalt be debilitated and opprest with sicknes destitute and depriued of all powre and strength whē thou canst neither moue nor helpe thy selfe whē thou are scarce able to speak or hardly to intimate and make knowne thy necessities by signes and tokens When last of all the powers and faculties of thy body shall be weakened What when thou art compleate in perfect strength endued with all the ornaments of nature which are required to the full perfection of a man if then thou canest not endure the sight of a fearfull diuell nor of a diuell appearing in some common shape as of a dogge horse or the like what will become of thee when thou shalt behold the diuel not in the shape of some cruell beast but in a forme farre more horrible and that at the instant of thy death Our holy Father S. Francis was wont to say that it were impossible for any one to see the diuell in his owne proper forme and shape which he hath in hell but for the space of the reciting of the Pater or Aue allthough he were in perfect health without present death what then oh sinner will become of thee yeelding vp thy spirit when thou shalt plainly see perceaue that execrable enemy of thine in his detestable shape and forme Turne and direct all the forces powers of the supreme and intellectuall parte of thy soule to this reason abandon thy lasciuious sinneful life now begin to feare that hereafter thou mayest not tremble when it can no way auaile thee Consider that not only one diuell to thee then tormented with the paines of death but many yea thousands shall appeare euery one striuing and endeuoring with their diabolicall actions and gestures to molest affright and astonish thee whether then wilt thou flie for succour or who then will releeue thee will S. Mary whom thou hast despised Will Iesus whom thou hast blasphemed Will the Saints and Angels whom thou hast dishonoured Lastly will God whom thou hast vilified contēned Alas miserable wretch who will assist thee or what Saint wilt thou inuocate to whom wilt thou flie for in the deluge of many waters none of thē wil aproch or draw neare vnto thee Psal 31. no man shall plead thy cause or recite thy necessities Oh in what a depth of miseries art thou in at the houre of death when thou canst not soe much as commend thy soule so agonizing in infirmities to almighty God when thou canst not so much as cal vppon thy good Angell or any of the Saints which in time of thy health thou diddest honour with particular deuotion that they intercede for thee Oh sinners be you now conuerted vnto your God now importune your sweet Iesus now salute the Virgin Mary our blessed Ladie now it is time to implore the aide of the Archangels Michael Gabriell Raphaell and of thy Angel keeper and all the celestial spirits Now it is time to craue the assistance of S. Iohn Baptist S. Peter S. Paul S. Iohn S. Bartholomew and of the other Apostles now it is time to request the helpe of S. Stephē S. Laurēce S. George and all the other Martyrs now it is time to commend thy selfe to S. Benedict S. Dominike S. Francis and the rest of the holy confessors Lastly it is now time to cry out and call vpon S. Mary Magdalen who in time past was a sinner S. Clare S. Agnes S. Catharine S. Lucie and the rest of the blessed Virgins Widowes and Martyrs now Saints in heauen Doest thou not remember that thou hast read or heard how often the diuels haue presented thēselues to sicke mē in their chambers lying vpō their death-beds euē thē drawing their last breath yeelding vp the Ghost sometimes in the formes of Dogges Cattes Hogges or such like one while in one maner an other while in an other alwaies in different formes when they are not able to helpe themselues O wretched vnfortunate sinner how much do I lament thy case who leadest so detestable a life as without repentāce infallibly rēdeth to the pitt of hel cōsider that whē thou shalt come to that accursed place no man can helpe thee not thy Father not thy Mother not thy kindred not thy friendes not thy wife not any of them which stand by thee are of power to afforde thee any releife or assistance only God in the time of thy death can comfort and succour thee only S. Mary his blessed Mother and her sonne Iesus only the Angels the Saints in heauen in these amidst thine extreame agonies thou maiest finde releife comfort and consolation Therefore why doest thou now offend them wherfore doest thou dishonour them why doest thou inueigh against the glorious Saints of God with
actions in this world and so direct the course of our liues according to his holy and diuine law that so at the last he may show vs not his seuere and angry but pleasing and amiable countenance Oh Marie looke to the soules of poore distressed sinners leaue vs not oh sweet Mary thou art our Queene our Patronesse our Mistresse our Mother Marie Mother of grace Mother of mercie doe thou defend vs from our enemies and receaue vs at the howre of our death By the loue of the blessed soule of thy deare Sonne I beseech and humbly begg that thou wouldest be pleased to accept my poore soule and the distressed soules of all sinners vnto thy carefull and motherly tuition by the pretious blood of thy deare Sonne haue compassion vpon sinnefull soules Remember Marie that thou art a Mother and that our soules were redeemed and bought with the sacred blood of thy sonne Iesus O Iesu be thou now propitious vnto vs that we may not commit any thing whereby we may deserue thy angry countenance Oh Iesu our Father oh Marie our Mother graunt that we may be your true children graunt oh diuine maiestie that we may amēd and correct our manners end our liues in the holy feare of thy omnipotent deitie That at the houre of our death we may behould thee as a louing and mercifull Father auoide the great terrour of thy angry countenance Amen Of the gnawing of the conscience which after a terrible manner shall molest a sinner dying THE XIX CHAPTER AS if a man should flie from the face of a Lyon a Beare should meet him and enter into his house and leane his hand vpon the wall and a Serpent should bite him Amos. 5.19 Beholde the similitude of Amos the Prophet verie fit for this matter Oh wretch what wilt thou doe therfore at the time of thy death which way wilt thou flie which way wilt thou turne thy self there will be imminent daunger on all sides thou shalt finde no place where to hide or secure thy selfe in euery way thou shalt be circumuented and surprised with terrours molestations If thou wouldest eschew and flie the furie of the Lion thou shalt be exposed to the daunger of the Beare and in flying from the Beare taking house of some seeming refuge thou shalt be stunge with a venemous Serpent for truly what is meant by the Lion but Iesus Christ the angry iudge the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda Apoc. 5.5 what doth the Beare signify but the diuell nothinge else is ment by the Serpent but the conscience Behold therefore vnworthy wretch what daunger is to befall thee at the time of thy death dost thou desire to auoide the Lyon the angry iudge Iesus offended thē the Beare the diuell wil meete thee and with his diabolicall inuentions infernall forces and hideous roaringes wil confound astonishe and affright thee and when thou presumest of thy security within thy selfe and enterest thine owne house to take rest there thou shalt find the Serpent thy conscience which will permit thee to haue no peace reste or quietnes then thou shalt see in it as in a glasse all thy sinnes offences which thou in thy life time hast thought said or done neither will it only suggest what thou hast thought sayed or committed amisse but it will also represent vnto thee all thy good deedes and actions which thou hast omitted then oh sinner this Serpent shall bite and deadlie sting thee arguing and accusing thee of all thy crimes threatning hell perpetuall death and damnation vnto thee Alas miserable soule then what a vaste and profound sea of miserie shalt thou be plunged in Omnes persecutores eius c. all the persecutours apprehended her in the midst of her tribulatiōs these wordes of the Prophet Ieremie in his lamentations may be truly spoken of thee when thou art departing and at the instant when thy soule shall be separated from thy bodie all thine enemies shall then compasse thee and in the extreamest of thy miseries and difficulties thou shalt be enuironed with all thine aduersaries God the Diuell and thine owne Conscience the Diuell will be at hand and call to minde all the sinnes which thou hast committed and will crie out vnto the iudge for iustice according to thy merit and vse all his forces to bring thee to desperation Thy Conscience shall sting thee and leaue no parte vnwounded al thy sinnes shall present them selues vnto thy memory in the very same manner and kinde as thou diddest commit them The Diuell will delineate and draw them out in a farre more great and heinous manner then thou coniecturest thou didst commit them The Iudge will demaund an exact a iust account of all thinges saying Render to mee an account of thy stewardship then thou mayest trulie crie out with the Prophet Dauid I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly I haue roared for the groanings of my harte Psal 37.9 O wretched sinners why doe you not now at this instant amēd your liues and manners O rebellious miscreantes why are you so prompt and ready to sinne and offend your louing and mercifull Father Doe you thinke that you are immortall that you shall neuer taste of death Doe you thinke that the time will neuer come when you shall giue an account of your whole liues so euilly spēt you deceaue your selues ô wretches Amend your selues therfore ô my Brethren forsake your former crimes and offences least you be like the Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstandinge Psal 31.9 O that my wordes were so ardent and of such efficacie that they might burne out al the offences from the hartes of sinnefull men To Iesus ô you sinners to Iesus Are you ignorant that he is your God Creator and Father know you not that blessed Iesus for you was made man For you he shedd his moste pretious blood vpon the holy wood of the crosse and burning with the loue of you was willing to vndergoe all kindes of punishments Are you ignorant that he offered him selfe to die such a bitter death only for the loue of you Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Iesus came not for them that were well and haue no infirmitie but for those that are ill and diseased Consider sinner that Christ is thy brother Goe too my Brethren remember that Iesus for you was made man and the word was made flesh and dwelt in vs. Ioan. 1.14 cease therfore oh sinners to be any longer offensiue to Iesus your brother wicked Saul for tēne yeares did pursue Dauid but you by your wicked liues and vnheard of offences for these manie yeares haue persecuted and pursued your afflicted Iesus feare at last poore wretches to offend so louing a redeemer behold that infinite iniurie and wrong wherwith you haue afflicted him mark and duely penetrate I entreat you the manifold iniuries which you haue committed in neglecting and contemning so deare a Brother so faithfull a Friend so louing
receaue meate whē sweet sleepe shall be wanting vnto thee when all thinges shall be distastfull vnto thee when thou cāst not endure to heare the voyce wordes or speech of thy Wife Children Father or Mother or of thy most deare friendes when thou thy selfe shalt be distastfull vnto thy selfe O sinner what wilt thou then doe opprest on euery side with so many infirmities dolors and vexations when thou maiest truly say with the Prophet The sorrowes of death haue compassed me about the torments of iniquity haue troubled me the sorrowes of hell haue ouertaken me the snares of death haue preuented me Psal 17.5 O wretch be thou conuerted now vnto thy God now amend and correct thy life implore and craue with al submission pardon for thy sinnes past O you sinners giue an attentiue eare vnto your God who at this instant calleth you saying Be you conuerted vnto me with all your hartes Ioel. 2.13 O my sweet louing Iesus which didest vouchsafe for the saluatiō of miserable sinners to come into this world bestow such efficacie and force vpon my wordes that offenders therby knowing themselues may be conuerted vnto thee Remember blessed Iesus at what a price thou hast bought their soules Remēber what thou hast suffered for the redemption of them Graunt that the found of these my or rather thy Trumpetts may awaken the soules of sinners and stirre vp their mindes and affections to the embracing of thee and the seeking of their owne saluation O Clement Iesu I know with how great loue thou didest hasten to the ignominious death of the Crosse for the redemption of sinners forgett not therfore them which thou hast redeemed with thy moste pretious blood permitt not ô Iesu that those soules which thou hast so dearly bought doe perish but rather graunt that they may be raised vp from death and liue Deliuer my soule ô God from the sword and mine only one from the hand of the Dogge saue me from the Lions mouth and my humilitie from the hornes of the Vnicorne Psal 21.21 Inuocate thy Iesus ô poore soule with these wordes of the Prophet placing all thy trust and confidence in him who desireth nothing more then thy repentance and health I thirst I thirst cried he in the time of his bitter passion which although it may be vnderstood of a corporall thirst yet more especially is it meant of the spirituall thirst and ardent desire which he had for the saluation of soules O afflicted soule would to God thou couldest perceaue that infinite loue by which thy Iesus is enflamed towardes thee would to God thou couldest comprehend that speciall care which thy Iesus from thy first being hath had ouer thee O therefore my louing Iesus how cometh it to passe that a miserable sinner can be so ingratefull and vnmindfull of thee his soe clement mercifull and louing God O my God can it bee that the diuell should possesse the harte of a sinner that hee should become the vassaile of Sathan thy cheifest and most opposite enemie Alas miserable soule at thy death thou shalt perceaue experience the diuels plot and intent the end of his allurements and faire profers which he hath presēted vnto thee inuiting thee to offend thy God and to follow him so impious and cruel an enemie of thy Sauiour Then thou shalt see ô wretched soule how malitiouslie and treacherouslie the diuell will hādle thee In these thy extreame agonies and afflictions when thou mayest truly say Tribulations are on all sides of me Thou shalt stand in the presence of the diuell and all his execrable companions who so soone as thy soule is departed frō thy body shal carrie it into the infernal abisse of hell there to liue with the damned soules in perpetuall torments and flames of fire God of his mercie ô sinners opē your eyes that you may prouide for your soules health and auoyde those horrible punishmēts Heare now ô sinner I hartily beseech thee set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Isay 38.2 for it is apointed for al men to die once Heb. 9.27 Thou shalt die but to liue in perpetuall tormentes God graunt that we die to liue a spirituall and eternal life with Iesus in glorie Amen Of the place whether the soule goeth so soone as it departeth out of the body THE XXI CHAPTER BEhould the Timbrell the Harpe and reioyce at the sound of the Organe they lead their dayes in wealth and prosperitie and in a moment they goe downe into hell Iob. 21.12 It is time now ô sinner to draw nere to the consideration and contemplation of thy future estate and being Tell mee I beseech thee what shall become of thee when thy soule shall depart thy body To what place shall shee betake her selfe when shee shall be exiled and banished from this flesh with which so long as they were conioyned she committed such execrable sinnes and so heinouslie offended thy God and redeemer Heare what shall be said Behold miserable sinners your end Behold the reward of your delights the hire of your pleasures the euent of your desires Behold the end of all your goods riches and honours in a moment you shall forsake them and goe downe into hell O sadde and heauie newes for your delightes must perish your pleasures shall be expired your sensuall desires shall for euer cease Last of all your estate shall be taken away by death Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die sayed they in the persons of all sinners Isay 22.11 O miserable sinners fix your cogitations vpon that dreadfull time whē your soules shall bidde adew take their last farewell of your corrupted and loathsome bodies There be three places in which our soules so soone as they are separated from our bodies may haue their beings which be these heauen hell purgatorie Thinke therfore with thy selfe ô sinner that thou art to depart into one of these places according to thy merit or demerit for our iust Lord hath loued iustice Et equitatem vidit vultus eius and his contenance hath seene equitie Psal 10.8 and therefore he rewardeth euery mā according to his works good or euill Mine hire is with me to giue vnto euery one according to his workes Rom. 2.6 Those which haue done good workes shall goe into life euerlastinge and they which haue done euill shall goe into euerlasting fire saieth S. Athanasius Consider ô sinner that when thou art striuing and contending with death thy soule shall by little and little withdraw it from the inferior parts of thy body and shall betake her selfe to the harte where she hath her principall residence last of all when she can finde no place in the body where she may be receaued she presentlie flieth away and leaueth that dead carcase of thine But aboue all this consider with thy selfe what shall become of her after her departure for so soone as she is departed from thy body she presently is receaued by the
Angels to goe to heauen or purgatorie or otherwise the diuels with their infernall acclamations shal take and carrie her into hel there to remaine in perpetuall punishements and torments thinke with thy selfe ô thou miserable sinner in what a miserable streight will thy soule be when shee shall see heauen on this side and hell on the other and the diuells prepared suddenly to carry her away by violence to perpetuall torments Alas ô wretched soule what an alteration is this ô thou accursed doest thou see now that there is an hell ô thou malignant Heretike which hast denied that there is a purgatorie what sayest thou now being dimerged and plunged in the abisseall gulfe of infernall and endlesse flames and tormeÌ„ts haddest thou not rather be in purgatorie euen vntill the iudgement day or the last moment what sayest thou O Iew which haddest the holie scripture to demonstrate and intimate vnto thee the promised Messias but thou out of obstinacie and hardnesse of hart wouldst neither acknowledge nor retaine him doest thou perceaue the scripture to be true in this sence doest thou see now ô Turke the vanitie of thy law the deceipfulnes of thy wicked Prophet Mahomet ô sinner and false Christian doest thou acknowledge that God can punish doest thou vnderstand how much thou wert deceaued in saying to excuse thy sinne God is mercifull and will pardon mee I can not beleeue that he will the death of my soule which hath redeemed me at so great a price as his pretious blood I wil afterwardes amend the course of my life I will sinne noe more after this yeare moneth weeke or day deceauing thy selfe with such like perswasions The dayes of man are shorte the number of his monethes is with thee saieth Iob speaking to God Iob. 14.5 here thou mayest marke ô sinner that he saieth not the nuÌ„ber of his yeares are with thee neither doth he say the yeares of man are short but his dayes and monethes Behould sinner how much thou deceauest thy selfe measuring thy life by yeares saying so many yeares I shall liue enter into due consideration with your selues beare in minde the last end of your liues consider the shorte computation of most wise and holy â—ob which is in moneths and dayes perswade your selues that you may euery day and howre yea euery moment and instant fall downe dead Be yee watchfull for you know not when the time shall be saieth our Lord. Thinke therfore that the last momâ—nt of thy liâ—e is already come and 〈…〉 at this instant thy miserable soule may take her last farrewell of thy stinking body and consider to what place shee must goe Thinke with thy selfe ô man although thou shouldest be the most holy and sanctified man in the world that thou art not alwaies certaine of thy saluation They are iust men and wise and their workes are in the hands of God and yet maÌ„ knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred Eccles 9.2 Accursed be that night when the soule of a miserable sinner departing without penitencie of her sinnes shall be giuen into the haÌ„des of a thousand diuels to the dreadfull lâ—ke that burneth with fire and brimstone to be perpetually tormented with the hellish crue miserable soule thinkest thou nothing of this matter or thinking of it why doest thou not amend thy life why permittest thou thy self to be deceaued by the alluremeÌ„ts of the flesh Truly that soule shall be most happy when departing out of her body she shall be embraced by the handes of Angels and carried with iubilations hymnes vnto the celestiall paradise O vnspeakable felicitie O most blessed and fortunate soule Pretious is the death of the Saints in the sight of our Lord. Psal 115.5 Consider ô soule that it is the only felicity and beatitude which the Saints did hope for and attend I beseech thee what the psalmist saieth of thy end and destruction The death of sinners is most ill Psal 33.22 marke what wordes the holy Prophet vseth he doth not say it is ill but most ill in the highest degree because it is so ill that it cannot be worse deseruedlie ô sinner is thy death most ill for if thou shouldest die now presently the miseries that would accompanie thee would demonstrate the same for thou shouldest die guilty of mortal sinne and dying guilty of mortall sinne thou shouldest dy hateful to God and dying hatefull to God thou diest an enemie to God theÌ„ the which there can be nothing more grieuous for thee or more abhominable in his sight Therefore ô sinner seriously ponder and duly consider I beseech thee thine imminent danger and great perill accepting the counsell of S. Peter the Apostle who saieth Be vigilant carefull that by your good workes you may make certaine your vocation and election for doing these thinges you shall not sinne 2. Pet. 1.10 Mary Mother of grace Mother of mercy protect thou vs froÌ„ our enemies and receaue vs at the howre of death To thee we flie most pious Queene Aduocate and Mother we implore thine aide and assistance euen vntill that last terrible moment Helpe vs gratious Mother defend vs most sweet clement Mary Remember o most blessed Virgin that thou art the patronesse of all sinners Therfore I the most wicked chiefe of all offendors doe in the name of all desire and craue thy succour and intercession for vs but especially at the last instant when our soules are to depart out of this world Helpe vs Mary and defend vs perishing soules thou art our Mother we thy children therefore we wretched and afflicted commend our selues to thy care for thou art our guide in our last conflict Haile Mary full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Iesus holy Mary Mother of God pray for vs sinners now and at the howre of our death Amen Of the dead body and carcase of man and of the miserie of the same after the separation of the soule THE XXII CHAPTER ANd it came to passe that the begger dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome and the rich man also died and was buried in hell Luc. 16.22 Doest thou heare ô sinner whither the soule of Lazarus the beggar was carried and where the soule of the rich Epicure was buried The poore beggar by the handes of Angels was placed in Abrahams bosome a place of perpetuall rest and tranquilitie the rich man was precipitated into the infernall lake of hell a place of weeping and perpetual misery Consider now that the same shall be fall thee if thou diest not in the fauour and grace of almighty God And dying in his fauour hauing not satisfied for the temporall punishments which thy sinnes do deserue thou shalt be carried into purgatorie and there remaine vntil thou hast paied the last farthing But if thou shalt be dissolued and die in the fauour of God and hast satisfied for thy temporall punishment thou shalt
of his wife the wife all the faultes of her husband euery one shal haue his vices and disordered affectiōs plainely knowne O the iustice of almighty God which will discouer that which a sinner thought would haue beene for euer concealed Call to minde sinner what shame that will be for thee to be set before the eyes of the whole world to be seene of al both within and without Alas how many shall there be who whilst they liued in this world were reputed Saints were reuerenced of all for such but then shall be knowne to be farre otherwise How many treacherous and diuellish plottes how many adulteries and robberies shall openly be declared to the eyes of the whole worlde O my sweet Iesu which seest al thinges that descriest whatsoeuer is committed in priuat pardon sinners Iesu helpe them that doing pennance they may not be confounded with that last and great shame Iesu remember that thou art our Father our Lord God therfore forsake vs not but turne thine anger from vs suffer not the fire of thy wrath to consume vs Let not that perish Lord which is altogether thine Haue mercy vpon vs crying out vnto thee I haue strayed as a sheepe that is lost seeke thy seruant because I haue not forgotten thy law He hath forsaken mee and there is none that seeketh after my soule Psal 118. Many poore afflicted soules of sinners make such lamentations releeue and succour them Lord leaue them not who are thine they wholly giue vp themselues vnto thee they flie to thee for refuge they craue and looke for helpe of thee alone Alas sinners men and women without doubt our case is most miserable vnlesse we liue well and honestly and be conuerted vnto our Lord God seeing we yet receaue helpe wherupon if we perish it is our owne faultes The Saints the Angels the church yea heauen earth and euery thing else is ready to helpe vs the Blessed Virgin Mary is ready to succour vs our sweet Iesus to releiue vs and in a word the Blessed Trinity is prepared to defend vs whose wee are of whom we are created and preserued God doth lift vs vp but we cast our selues downe procuring to our selues our owne damage and withall the infernall pitt of hell God would haue vs be saued our Lord Iesus Christ died for vs all he is the propitiation for our sinnes saith S. Iohn not only for ours but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Iohn 2. Therfore sinners if we be damned we can giue no lawfull excuse it is our owne mischiefe and we are the cause beginning of our owne destruction Alas therfore brethrē sisters let vs shunne and detest our former vices which if we cannot doe at the first for the loue of God which we ought to beare towards him as a Father yet at the least let vs doe it to auoide the shame which will otherwise befall vs before the whole world in the day of iudgement And thus doing I hope at last we shall be brought to forsake them for the loue of God ô heauenly consideration ô frutefull and profitable contemplation I could wish that thou wert engrauen in the hartes of all men for surely thou wouldest be then a great helpe to miserable and wretched soules which now are like to be damned by theire owne foolish madnes O sinnefull man what doest thou what thinkest thou whither goest thou why doest thou hasten with such speed vnto thy destruction ruine and damnation show them a way ô Lord that so great a number of them may not perish preserue Christiā soules from destruction seeing that so many Turkes heretikes and other infidels are daily damned who obstinatly refuse to acknowledge the truth of the holie Catholique church But there is a meanes found out alreadie Christian Bretheren and sisters which stil remaine in your sinnes If you will enter into life keepe the commaundements Math. 19.17 you know you are commaunded of God to lead a life worthy and beseeming Christian profession to abstaine from sinne and flie the apearance of euil to loue vertue and embrace godlines God almighty graunt that we all may performe this that our soules in the day of accompt may be saued Amen Of the fearfull sentence which Iesus Christ will pronounce at the day of iudgement blessed and happy are they who seriously ponder it in their hartes and soules for this is the most compendious way to forsake sinne and to turne vnto God THE XXVIII CHAPTER THen shall the King say to those that are on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Math. 25.34 There are two things which may moue and excite you sinners to forsake your enormous crimes and vices and with an vnfained repentāce to returne to your God One is the consideration of the blessinge which the good shall haue the other is the pondering of the fearfull sentence that Iesus Christ shal pronounce against the damned to the good he shall say Come yee blessed of my Father inheritt the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world But to the wicked Goe into euerlastinge fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angells the one shall be called to a paradise of pleasures the other shall be sent into a lake of torments Nothing is more glorious or beautifull then paradise nor any thing more horrible and loathsome then hell nothing more delightsome then heauen nothing more detestable then hell therfore sinner consider well of these two such contrarie places Thinke of heauen that forsaking sinne and doing pennance thou mayest come to enioy the vnspeakable pleasures of it Thinke of hell and learne soe to order thy life that desisting from thy former courses thou mayest escape the grieuous punishments of the same Wise sinners and blessed are they who chaunge their ill maners forsake their lewed courses and satisfy for their misdeeds for at their death they shall be saued but miserable are those who giue themselues ouer to the filthy lustes of the flesh and with greedines doe commit all sinne for they after this life shall finde no redresse Happy are those who striue here to adorne their soules with virtues for in the day of iudgement they shall finde mercy and obtaine euerlasting ioyes but wretched are they who followinge the pleasures of this world dye in their sinnes for in the great day of their visitation they shall be perpetually damned And they that haue done good saieth S. Athanasius shall go into life euerlasting they that haue done ill into euerlasting fire Happy are the good to whom God of his bounty will giue the treasures of heauen miserable the wicked whose portion shall bee with the diuells in torments of hell O hard hart which art not moued with these thinges O impietie of a sinner who doeth not thinke of these thinges and by harty cōtritiō returne vnto God! thou hast but one poore soule
sinner and that in the day of iudgement shall either be cursed or blessed of God shall either ascend into heauen to liue for euer in the companie of Saints Angels or else descend into hell to be punished for all eternity with the company of the damned spirits If thou be wise thou wilt be wise for thy selfe saith Salomon Prou. 9.10 Thou wilt be wise sinner if thou detest and hate sinne and turne to God Thou wilt be foolish and worse then madd if in continuing in thy wickednesse thou forgett thy Creator Alas what a number of peruerse and madd fooles are there who are hardly corrected There is an infinite number of fooles Eccles 1.15 Wretched sinners how sottish haue you beene and yet still remaine so which for a small temporall pleasure like a shadow quickly vanishing you loose so great a substance of eternal good Consider sinners that there is no day nor howre nor moment of time passeth but many millions of soules such as yours are descend thicke into hell The sinner hath giuen vp himselfe to a spirituall kinde of sluggishnes not taking any care for his saluation he cōsidereth not that death is present euery howre and moment to giue him a mortall stroake Alas how many haue gone to bedd at night and neuer arose againe in the morning cōsider consider sinners your last endes which are not farre from you How fareth it with thee ô sinner in what case is thy poore soule full of vices and hainous crimes couered ouer with darknes in the diuels possession fast bound with many strong chaines that now thou maiest cry out with the Prophet I am wrapt round about with the cordes of sinners Psal 118. although thou canst not say that which followeth and I haue not forgotten thy law But let vs returne to the terrible and fearfull sentence which Christ Iesus will pronounce against the damned ponder and seriously consider it imprint it in your harts that it may be a spurre and incitement vnto you for the following of vertue and auoyding of vice meditate vpon that saying of worthy S. Hierome a man admirable in sanctity and holines of life Whether I sleepe saieth he or wake whether I eate or drinke write or read sitte or walke that terrible speech alwaies seemeth to sound in my eares arise yee dead and come to iudgement if men of such innocency and integrity of life so much feared that horrible day what will you doe miserable and blinde sinners against whom the sentence of condemnation is to be pronounced My God sweet Sauiour giue that power to my penne seing it is wanting to my toung that this short and rude woorke of mine written without elegancy of wordes and that the sound of these my Trumpets may so moue the hartes and mindes of those that shall read and heare them that at length they may forsake their former courses and fully resolue with themselues to turne to their Creator and Redeemer My God and sweet Sauiour since it hath pleased thee to inspire mee with thy heauenly grace to set forth this my poore labour for the saluation of poore soules redeemed with thy moste pretious blood graunt mee that fauour that I may awake sinners by this my writing and sound of my Trumpets from the lethargie of vices to the glory of thy name and saluation of their soules My God and sweet Sauiour for thy mercies sake suffer not I beseech thee this my labour to be read or these my shrill Trumpets to be heard of any sinner without profit and commoditie but that the noyse of them may force the diuell to tremble and the powers of hell to shake Bretheren sinners if you shall perceaue your hartes to be moued with their sound I pray you despise contemne or resist it not but thankfully acknowledge that motion and heauenly inspiration to be from God who calleth you out of his tender mercy Returne to God sinners men and women death is at hand and yet God as a kinde and louing Father by the sound of these Trumpetts gently calleth you Awake out of your deepe sleepe of sinnes wherin you haue beene buried so manie yeares and make him an answere Sinners our most mercifull Lord sendeth forth this sound both pleasant and harsh of mine or rather his Trumpetts that it may be for the good and saluation of your soules I pray God it may obtaine the end for which it was intended Pray for me and I will not cease to be mindefull of you all Amen Of the going and departure of the damned to hell in the company of all the diuells THE XXIX CHAPTER ANd they shall goe into euerlasting punishment but the iust into euerlasting life Math. 25.46 They that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life they that haue done ill to the resurrection of iudgement saieth S. Iohn Ioh. 5.29 Sinners stay here awhile and fasten your soules vpon the cogitation of that horrible spectacle and seriously consider how the damned persons goe downe into the darke pitt of destruction with fearful howling and lamentation in the company of innumerable forlorne diuells O fearfull thing whose terrour is able to breake and cleaue in peeces the hardest marbles yet nothing at all moueth the harte of man O the misery of humane nature which is not rent a sunder with so pittifull a spectacle Sinner consider that as soone as those wretched soules shall haue the sentence of condēnation pronounced against them the earth shall cleaue in sunder and all the diuels and damned spirits shall be swallowed vp in one gulfe and be throwne downe into the obscure abisse of hell O terrible and mourneful night when weeping and gnashing of teeth and wofull lamentations of forlorne soules now reunited to theire bodies shall continue for euer O miserable disiunction and diuision the husband shall bee separated from the wife the daughter from the mother when the one shall go to heauen a place replenished with all good the other into hell a place of all torments O God of all mercy open the eyes of blinde and obstinate sinners who neuer trouble their mindes with thinking of either heauen or hell but only deuise how to wallow still in the filth of sinne Surge surge quidormis arise arise thou that sleepest Neglect not thine owne saluation that Christ may helpe thee Behould he calleth now by my penne he desireth to awake thee out of thy sleepe by the loud sound of my Trumpetts Qui fecit te sine te non saluabit te sine te saieth S. Augustine he that made thee without thee will not saue thee without thee but will that thou labour to thy power to dispose prepare thy selfe to ētertaine those wholesom coūsels and exhortations which he of his mercy offereth vnto thee Hereupon it is that God prouideth that his truth should be made knowne vnto thee by teachers that thou shouldest be admonished by confessors ghostlie Fathers hereupon he speaketh vnto thee by spirituall bookes and by
of these thinges Bretheren doe you not likewise perceaue a great delight comfort when you thinke vppon God doe you not consider when you meditate vpon terrestriall and created thinges referring them to God their creatour and efficient cause that you receaue a wonderfull sweet content from them O what a meditation is here for you to contemplate the fairenesse and largenesse of the Emperiall heauen O Israell Magna est domus Domini ingens locus possessionis eius c. O Israell saieth the Prophet great is the house of our Lord and large is the place of his possession he is great and hauing no end high and mightie Baruch 3.25 In domo Patris mei mansiones multa sunt In my Fathers house there are many mansions saieth our Lord Iesus Ioh. 14.2 O how many diuerse places and seats are there in heauen which the Saints enioy What is it then that now hindereth your will what letteth you that you cannot be inhabitants of that heauenly citie I am non estis hospites aduenae c. Ephes 2.19 You are not now pilgrims and strangers but you are the citizens with the Saints and domestickes with God Our mercifull Lord Iesus Christ sinners hath reckoned vs amongst the citizens of heauen by his bitter death and passion he hath made vs heires and coheires of a kingdome haeredes quidem Dei cohaeredes autem Christi heires truly of God but as coheires of Christ. Alas miserable wretches what mischiefe is it that depriueth you of so large and faire an inheritance sinne some small puffe or blast of pride some little delight of your polluted bodies some gredie desire or thirsting after humane affaires some light passion of hatred some foolish plotts to be reuenged accursed be all those sinnes which procure such losse and damage vnto vs as to depriue vs of heauen and of the beatifical visiō of the almightie of the most pleasant sight of God the Father and of our Lord Iesus Christ and this is the portion which befalleth all the damned in hell O most louing Father O blessed Sonne of God and holy Ghost the comforter full of loue and charity for thy mercies sake suffer vs not to be depriued of those thy great and large promises permit not Lord God our mercifull Father Sonne and holie Ghost permit vs not to loose the ioyfull sight of that glory in the life to come and the comfort of thy grace in this life present Amen Of the fire of hell and the paines of sense which the damned doe suffer in the companie of diuells THE XXXI CHAPTER PRaeparata est enim ab heri Tophet c. for Tophet is prepared since yesterday of the King deepe and wide the nourishment thereof is fire much wood the breath of our Lord as a torrent of brimstone kindling it Isay 30.33 Goe to now sinner call to thy remembrance those grieuous punishments which thou shalt endure in hell vnlesse thou amend thy life And first of all consider that in hell there is a wonderful denowring fire euer burning and yet neuer consumeth those miserable damned Praeparata est ab heri It is prepared since yesterday that is from the beginning of the foundation of the world there is a place prepared which is called Tophet which signifieth a misleading or beguiling that is hell whither all the soules misled and beguiled by the world the flesh and the diuell presently resorte This Tophet and this hel God the King of Kinges hath prepared to reuenge and punish those execrable diuels all sinners together with thē Prosūdata c. It is deepe and vaste hell is large of great cōpasse saith the holy Prophet I say Nutrimentum eius c. the fuell of this place is fire wood and God with his breath doth cōtinually kindle and sett it on fire Whereupon sinners it is moste cleare that hell is a very darke place in the most inward deepest partes of the earth broade and wide and so ample that although soules should fall downe therin as fast as the raine vpon the earth yet would it neuer be filled In this place the fire allwaies burneth and without ceasing or intermission cruelly torments the diuells damned persons and will so torment and wofully burne them for euer The holy Doctors doe hould that this fire is corporall Ignem infernalem corporalem esse non ambigo saieth Saint Gregorie I doe not doubt but that the fire of hell is corporall And although no corporall thing hath power to worke on a spirituall thing naturally yet notwithstanding by the diuine power that fire which is corporall of the same nature with ours neuer ceaseth after a wonderfull manner to torment al the diuels which are pure spirits and all the damned soules which likewise are without their bodies vntill the day of iudgement then their bodies also shall burne with them for all eternity Alas miserable sinners this is the place appointed and prepared for you where you shal burne with all the accursed crue of diuells for euer except you amend your liues and by repentance turne vnto God That fire shall burne for euer and neuer be extinguished Nutrimenta eius ignis c. The nutriment therof is fire and much wood neither shall there want one daily to blow it for the breath of our Lord like a torrent of brimstone doth kindle it But you must by no means suppose or thinke that there is wood in hell necessary to encrease the fire but the sacred scripture speaketh so to this end that it may be presēted more liuely vnto our vnderstāding which better comprehends and perceaueth naturall thinges neither can wee but say the diuells and soules before iudgement and the bodies of the damned after iudgement be vnderstood by wood for euen as the wood shall be cast into the fire so the diuels and the damned spirits before the day of iudgemēt and their bodies after shal be cast into the same O wonderfull miserie and calamitie whereinto a sinner falleth seeing that he must go downe into hell where he shal burne for euer and euer and neuer be consumed Thinke with thy selfe that thou cannest not without marueilous paine hould thy fingar in this our fire for the space of one Aue Maria but according to the opinion of the Doctors this our fire being compared with the fire of hell is like a painted fire O ineffable miserie Put thy fingar a while to a painted fire and thou shalt perceaue no sensible paine but thrust it into a reall fire and thou shalt not be able to endure the same So truly stādeth the case here for so mightie and so forcible is the fire of hell and tormenteth the soule in such sort and so intolerably as that suppose any one could deliuer and take a soule out of hell fire and cast it into some burning furnace of our fire the soule would imagine it to be no other thing then a recreation or some sweet
you and haue carried you hence had not the goodnesse and clemency of our most sweet and milde Iesus hindered withstood him who gently preserued you aliue expecting looking that you should doe pennance calling you by inward motions and inspirations and admonishing you by wholesome instructions of deuout preachers and spirituall bookes Consider wicked and forlorne sinner how great thine ingratitude hath bene against God who so earnestly desireth thy conuersion saying Conuertimini ad me turne to mee in your whole harte Ioel. 2. Turne to mee and I will turne vnto you saieth God Zach 1. Turne then speedilie vnto him as to your louing God sinners seeing that his tender mercie so kindely inuites you Wilt thou leaue him sinner to take the diuell take heed what thou doest Nunquid non ipse est Pater tuus Is not he thy Father that hath possessed thee hath not he made thee and created thee It is a nation without counsell and wisedome O that they were wise and would prouide for their last end saieth the holy scripture Deut. 32. O the blindnesse of man O the madnesse of a sinner who forsaketh his God to follow a most terrible diuell Remember well and call to minde sinner that he is thy God that hath created thee that alone hath redeemed thee with his most pretious blood Tell me I pray thee sinner whose ayre is this wherewith thou breathest Whose earth is this which sustaineth thee and houldeth thee vp The water which washeth thee the fire which warmeth thee whose I say are all these but Gods who gaue thee cloathing wherewith thou coueredst thy nakednesse hadst thou not it from God from thy Iesus Who giueth thee bread to eate water to drinke but onely thy God wilt thou then be vnthankfull vnto him who bestoweth so liberally these benefits vpon thee who affordeth thee health Who maintaineth thy life is it not God that gaue the same vnto thee My God and sweet Sauiour my benigne clement mercifull louing God what iustice and equitie is it that we should all be conuerted vnto thee It is good for mee to cleaue to God to put my hope in our Lord my God saied the holy Prophet who knew how many great good things proceeded to him from his God Psal 72. but you forlorne sinners and sillie miscreāts are so farre frō desiring to come to God who is willing able to purge and sanctifie you that willingly and with free consents you associate your selues with the diuel who will make you diuelish like vnto himselfe when as otherwise you might be made one with God by the ardor of loue and charitie Deus charitas est c. Ioan. 4. God is charitie and he that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in him saieth S. Iohn If any man loue mee he will keepe my wordes and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and make our mansion with him Ioan. 14. Delitiae meae c. My delight is to be with the sonnes of men Behould here the inexcogitable felicity of the good the ineffable miserie and calamitie of the wicked for the good shall remaine in the blessed companie of allmightie God but the wicked and trāsgressors shall for euer be shut vp amōgst the damned crew of infernall diuels To conclude assure thy selfe sinner that whether thou eatest or drinkest whether thou sitt or walke whether thou sleepe or wake or what thing soeuer thou dost thou art alwaies in the company of innumerable diuells who daily stand attending thee ready to carry thee along with thē into hell And againe perswade thy selfe that they would not be long without the prey of thy poore soule if Gods clemency and the custodie of Angels were not present to defend it from them Our Lord by the merits of S. Marie Magdalen in remembrance of whose cōuersion the church euerie yeare solemnly celebrateth her festiual day so chaunge the mindes of sinners but especially of those who are to read this little worke that vtterly forsaking the familiaritie of the wretched diuells and damned spirits they may obtaine a heauenly societie and friendship with Iesus Christ their God their Father Creator world without end Amen And I humbly beseech euery one that shall read this booke that he would pray for mee miserable sinner liuing or dead Sweet Iesus blesse vs all Amen IN THE NAME OF THE Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Of the societie which sinners haue in their death and how dangerous their state is about the houre of their death THE XXXV CHAPTER IT is an olde Prouerbe sinner well knowne vnto thee Qui malè viuit malè moritur He that liues ill dieth ill What then doest thou suppose will become of thee who hast lead so wicked a life so many yeares It may be thou wilt say with S. Paul diues est in misericordia c. Ephes 2. God is rich in mercie and wil shew singular clemencie vnto mee in death But this befalleth but to very few for although some sinners haue bene saued at the last gaspe as it happened to the good theefe yet woe to them who sinne presuming vpon such a confidence Paenitentiam in extremis nec damnamus nec approbamus we neither approue of nor condemne repentance deferred to the last end saieth S. Augustin It is only knowne to God what such mens cases shall be This is most certaine that all sinners that are saued must haue an exceeding great and perfect sorrow for all their offences and iniuries wherby they haue offended his diuine Maiestie But who is he that shall be assured to haue this consideration with himselfe how he hath formerly liued in sinne and iniquity to haue a sufficient contrition sorrow for offending God at the time of his death Let no man seduce you by idle and friuolous wordes saieth S. Paul Ephes 5. What then sinner canst thou be so foolish as once to harbour such a thought in thy mind that the diuell thine aduersary who hath bene thy companion all the course of thy life will leaue and forsake thee at thy death be wiser then so for otherwise thou wilt be farre deceaued yea rather at that time he will shew all his malice and vse the greatest care and diligence that he can to obtaine the victory so longe desired of him Then shalt thou behold the vggely shape of thy infernall cōpanion then shalt thou clearly see how horrible his coūtenance is for then God will permit thee to discerne him whom thou hast serued and to whom thou hast boūd thy selfe as slaue for so manie yeares Alas sinner what wilt thou say when the diuell boasting exulting ouer thee will terrifie thee with his fearfull deformed face If happily thou purpose to go frō him and to returne to Christ by doing pennance for thy former lewed life then he will demonstrate and lay open before thine eyes some subtill deceipts and fallacies which before he kept secret Alas