repent and returne againe vnto Christ For albeit his faith was weake and faint as was the faith of all the Apostles yet it was not vtterly extinct Luk. 22. for Christ had said vnto him before Simon I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not And in any wise take heede and note this well Christ saide not hee that denyeth mee I shall deny him though he repent and returne but remember well that Christ said Mat. 9. I came not to call the righteous but sinners vnto repentaunce Peter therefore repented and returned vnto Christ againe and so was receiued vnto grace and was saued Question VVherefore good Madam in this hard text of Saint Paule vnto the Hebrewes way wel this condition if they fall away for they onely fall away which commit that most horrible crime which is called in the holy scripture the sinne vnto death blasphemy against the spirit and the sinne against the holy Ghost which neuer shall be forgiuen neyther in this world neyther in the world to come But here it might bee demaunded what the sinne against the holy Ghost is and wherein it differeth from all other greeuous sinnes Answere VVhereunto I answere that there is difference in sinnes it may clearely be gathered of Christes wordes saying Mat. 12. I say vnto you all sinne and blasphemy shall bee forgiuen vnto men but the blasphemy against the spirit shall not be forgiuen vnto men Loe here is the matter plainely opened by our Sauiour Christ what kind of sinnes shal be forgiuen and what neuer forgiuen blasphemy against the spirit shall neuer be forgiuen all other sinne and blasphemy shall be forgiuen And Christ in saying all sinne shall be forgiuen compriseth both originall sinne Three sorts of sinnes Sinne Blasphemy Blasphemy against the spirit and also actuall sinne moreouer Christ speaketh here of three sorts of sinns the first he calleth sinne the second blasphemy and the third blasphe◠against the spirit which the scripture also calleth the sinne vnto death and the sinne against the holy ghost These three kindes of sinnes and the difference of euery of them I intend by Gods helpe seuerally to declare vnto you so shortlie as I can and so for this time tommit you vnto God And first consider well what sinne is Sinne Sinne. is euery wilfull disobedience act or deede that is done contrary vnto the Law and commaundements of God without murmur grudge or euill speaking eyther against the Law commaundements or God himselfe which is the maker and giuer of the Lawe As is Idolatry superstition periury swearing vnaduisedly breaking of the holy day dishonouring father and mother murther malice hatred enuie wrath strife treason sedition slaunder whordome theft and such like All these and such other are called and are indeede sinne so long as the dooers of them doe neyther murmur repine grudge nor speake euill against God or his holy lawe neither allowe in their conscience the thing and euill that they doe but rather doe vtterly disalowe accuse and cōdemne in their own conscience those their owne damnable acts as euil and detestable The second kinde of sinne is blasphemy marke it well and consider howe it differeth first from sinne and then from the sinne against the holy ghost Blasphemy Blasphemy is more heynous then is sinne alone for all blasphemy is sinne but all sinne is not blasphemy for truth it is that blasphemy compriseth in it selfe both sinne also a murmure grudg reuiling euill speaking slaunder and reproach of God and godlinesse but it is alway couple◠with ignoraunce and vnbeleefe and proceedeth not of such obstinate malice as continueth to the end of the life as doth the sinne against the holy Ghost In this sinne of blasphemy Saint Paule offended before his conuersion vnto the faith of Christ Iesu For thus he speakkth of himselfe before I was a blasphemer 2. Tim. 2 and a persecutor and a tyraunt but I obtayned mercy because I did it ignorantly in vnbeliefe Lo here it is plaine and euident that this blasphemy thogh it be a great offence yet it is remissible and forgiueable and is not excluded from grace and mercy because it proceedeth of ignorance and not of knowledge nor of obstinate malice that doth endure to the liues end neyther is it the sinne vnto death and therfore we may lawfully pray for such blasphemers As Saint Iohn saith 2 Iohn 5 if any man see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shal giue him life In this simple blsphemy for so wee may call it many of the Iewes offended takinge Christ to be nothing lesse then the sonne of Dauid or Messias because his parents were very poore and himselfe supposed to be but a poore carpenters sonne which bare but a simple port in the world yea and some of them that crucified Christ were ouerwhelmed in this simple blasphemy and therefore Christ prayed for them saying father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Luc. 23. So Peter in his sermon excused the crucifiers of Christ saying now deare breethren I knowe that you haue done it through ignorance c. Act 3. Repent you therefore and returne that your sinnes may be done away So did Saint Steuen also pray for his persecutors whome before hee called stifnecked Act 7. aduersaries of the holy ghost traitors and murtherers of Christ doubtlesse he would not haue prayed for them so earnestly vnlesse their sinnes had bene forgiueable and therefore their sin and offence was no more but simple blasphemy The third kind of sinn is blasphemy against the spirit They commit blasphemy against the spirit Blasphemy against the spirit or sin against the holy ghost which willingly vpon knowledge and aduisedly contrary to their owne conscience doe deny forake impugne slaunder reuile and persecute the plaine open manifest and knowne truth stifly malitiously and obdurately perseuering and continuing without vnfayned repentaunce in that their willfull blindnes and obstinate malice so long as they liue in this world as did Pharaoh Saule Herod Iudas the traytor Iulianus Apostata Porphirius Himeneus and Alexander the copper-smith with other But marke this diligently that wee cannot as farre as I can perceiue certainely iudge of these blasphemers against the spirit before the time of their departure out of this present life because wee cannot certainely knowe whether at the end of their life they can repent and by faith returne and take holde of the mercy of God or not Coniectures are vncertaine Luc. 23. VVee may coniecture but we can not as I suppose certainely define of them Let vs consider that the theefe that hung on the right hand of Christ euen at the last houre repented and with a strong faithful prayer committed himselfe wholly vnto the mercy of Christ and was saued In consideration whereof let vs thinke it to be our bounden duty as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did to reuoke and call
of Christ and the punishment of the vngodly are set first in the second place those that shew the ioyes of the world to come and in the last roome those that teach that by faith sincere repentance and amendment of our liues we may inioy that heauenly blisse My petition to thee is this that thou daine to accept my labour which if thou doe I shall bee occasioned to iudge my trauell well bestowed The Lord of his mercy grant that sith wickednes neuer more abounded nor men neuer lesse remembred the comming of Christ vnto iudgement wee may heartely repent vs of our sinnes because the wrath of God hangeth ouer our heads and that wee may as good Christians liue worthy of our vocation liuing so as though euery one particularly should say with that holy man S. Hierome as often as I remember that day euery member of my body quaketh for whether I eate or drinke or do any thing else mee thinketh alwaies that dreadful trumpet soundeth in mine eares arise O ye dead and come to iudgement because the last houre is at hand Amen As desirous of thy profit as of his owne in the schoole of Christ Iesus R. Wol. OENIPODES Non cistae sed pectori Sentences collected out of the fathers workes which haue such agreement with the former Treatise as that they are not vnfit for this place Of the punishments of hell and of the day of iudgement IN that terrible ho wex of the death of a wretched sinner Bernard in spec pec immediatly there will come euil spirits like roaring lions to snatch away their pray When suddenly shal appeare the horrible places of torments the Chaos and obscuritie of darkenesse the dread of miserie and confusion the terror of that fearefull mansion where is the place of weepers where is the place of groaners where is the voyce of them that crie wo wo wo bee to vs the children of Euah when the miserable soule departing from the body shall heare see and seele these and sēblable thinges yea a thousand times worse then may be spoken in what I pray how great and how wonderous feare and trembling shall shee be what tongue can vtter it what booke declare it what will now auaile the boasting of knowledge the pompe of the people the vanitie of the world the greedinesse of earthly dignitie what shall then auaile the appetite of ryot delitiousnesse of meate exquisite drinke curiositie of garments nicenesse of the flesh gluttony of the belly superfluousnesse of foode surfetting and drunkennesse curious building of houses possessiō of terrene goods scraping together of prebends hoording of riches whether can these thinges deliuer the wretched soule of a man from the mouth of the hydious and horrible Lion that is from the iawe of the cursed dragon when that cunning deceiuer Idem ibid. that sonne of iniquitie that most eager enemy of our soules shall miserably and dreadfully meet with thy soule how wilt thou be able to abide the fearefull sight of his terrible countenance the intollerable stink of his mouth the brimstone-like flames of his eyes How then wilt thou be of force to abide so great feare of so horrible a beast Be assured that the feare of his dreadfull presence exceedeth euery kind of torments which may be deuised in this world At which the Prophet quaking betooke himselfe to prayer saying heare my prayer O God when I call vpon thee deliuer my soule from the feare of the enemy He said not from the power of the enemy but from the feare of the enemy But alas my brother if the sinfull soule bee so much and so greatly daunted at the sight onely of Sathan how great confusion or how great horror how great affiction and how great lamentation shal she haue through his touching and tormenting when the Lord shall be about to iudge the sorrowfull world Hierom. ad Heliod it shall make a great noyse and one kindred shal strike the breast to another kindred The Kinges once most puissaunt shall quake without a guard foolish Plato with his schollers shal be brought forth then Aristotles argumēts shall not be profitable when that sonne of the poore woman which exercised a craft shall come to iudge the endes of the earth That iudge is neyther preuented with fauour Augu. li. 3. de symb nor mooued with pitty nor bribed with money neyther will he be appeased with satsfaction or repentance Here let the soul deale for it selfe while it hath time as long as there is a place for mercy because there will be a place of iustice Greg. hom 15. In the last day of iudgment when the heauens being opened the Angels ministring the Apostles sitting together Christ shall appeare in the seate of his maiestie all the elect reprobate shal see him that both the iust may reioyce without end of the gift of theyr reward and the vniust euer lament for the reuengement of theyr plague Ansel de similitudini bus mundi On the right hand there shall be our sinnes to accuse vs on the left hand infinite deuils beneath the horrible confusion of hell aboue an angry Iudge without the worlde flaming within our conscience burning there scarce the iust shall be saued Alacke wretched sinner whither wilt thou flee It is impossible to be hidden intollerable to appeare The ioy of the time present must be so vsed Greg hom 32. that the remembrance of the bitternes of the iudgment to come may neuer depart from vs. Of the ioyes of heauen SO great is the beautie of righteousnes Aug. lib. de morb so great is the sweetnesse of the euerlasting light that is of the immutable wisdome that although we might not tarrie in it more then one day for this alone innumerable yeares of this life replenished with delights and aboundance of temporal goods were not without cause and reason to be contemned Jdem li 3. de symb Wee can easilier tell what there is not in that eternall life then what there is There is not death there is not mourning there is not wearinesse there is not weaknesse there is not hunger there is no thirst no parching heat no corruption no lacke no sorrowe no sadnesse Make haste thither where you may liue for euer Ide devtil agen poen For if you so loue this miserable and transitorie life wherein you liue with such labour and wherein by running trauelling sweating breathing thou scarce get things necessary for the body how much more ought you to loue the life euerlasting where you shall sustaine no labour where alwaies is great quietnes great felicitie happy libertie happy blessednesse where shal be fulfilled that the Lorde spake in the Gospell Men shall be like the Angels And that the iust shall shine c. Temporall life compared with eternall life Greg. in homil is rather to be called death then life For the daily fainting of corruption what is it els but a certaine long continuance
called together her friends and neighbours that they should reioyce with her but I will cal youre my friends neighbours together and will entreat them to meet not that they should be glad but that they should lament with mee not that they should reioyce but mourne with me greatly sorrow lifting vp their hands to heauen as they shall see me to doe and I will say vnto them howle and lament with me O my friends power out and bring foorth with me fountaines and floods of teares not for that I haue lost vnporzable weights of golde or innumerable talents of siluer not because I haue lost threades full of costlie pearles but for that my friend * Amicus alter iâ—se dearer than any gold and more pretious than any stone is I knowe not how while he sailed with vs ouer the large and broad sea of this life fallen downe into the very depth of destruction And if some one of my friends shall goe about to comfort and will me to leane of sorrowing I will aunswere him in the Prophets words * Or let me alone I wil weep bitterly you can not comfort me Suffer me to weâ—pe most bitterly neither hold on comforting mee for I weepe nâ—t through the affection of the flesh neither is my lamentation woman like wherein appeare immoderate teares to be blamed I mourne for that which thâ— great and famous Apostle S. Paul saith hee mourneth for when as he saith * 2. Cor. 12.22 That I may mourne for them that haue sinned and haue not repented The death of the soule is pitifully to be lamented seeing the death of the body is so bitterly taken Certes with reason shall one rebuke those that for the common death of their friends weepe without meane but when the wounds not of a body but of a soule are lamented â—nd of such a soule which in â—eath it selfe sheweth signes of â—er former beautie and wonâ—erous gainesse with liueâ— tokens displaieth the floure â—f vertues extinguished in her â—ho is so cruell vnacquainâ—ed with vertue that would â—ot be prouoked to teares For it is a point in Philosoâ—hie to forbeare weeping for â—ommon death so in the death â—f a soule and such a soule â—o receiue comfort I adiudge â—oth vngodly and irreligious For ordinary death to keepe â—he eyes from teares is the â—hiefest thinge in the studie of wisedome but how shall not â—e seeme to be lamented for without intermission who of â—ate reckned the whole brauenesse of the bodie but like â—arued stones who accounted gold as clay who respected all â—elights as durt and now â—ttached by the sodaine feuers â—f lust and voluptie being depriued of the integrity anâ— beautie of his mind hath shaken hands with vertue and iâ— become a slane to vice anâ— pleasure This man shall I not bewaile This man shal I not moysten so long with riuer of teares vntill witâ— weeping I stirre vp feeling iâ— him and by the warmth oâ— teares I raise some liuely motions in him if mourninâ— may doe ought And iâ— mourners of the body ceasâ— not from lamenting though they assuredly know theiâ— weeping profite them nothing to renew the life of him thaâ— is dead why should not we that know the soule may beâ— called from death by conuersion earnestly follow after the medicine of repentance thaâ— euen the sepulchre being opened with abundance of teares hee may bee recouered Yea also I thinke we are to be accused of sluggardie sith the lamenters of bodies and ordinarie death doe weepe so much continually yet certaine as we said that they shal not raise againe their dead if we that know that by repentance lamentation coupled which it a soule may be restored to his former estate for the kingly Prophet said * Psal 65. Or in the graue who shall praise thee In hell who shall confesse thy name do nothing so We know too that diuers in the dayes both of vs and our ancestors hauing sliden out of the straight path and straied from the entrance of the narrow way were so againe restored that their end answered their beginning obtaining the goale and crowne yea they were thought to haue place among the number of the Saints But as long as one remaineth in the flame fornace of lust these things seeme inpossible to him although * A thousand infinit examples shuld be alleged But if some small conuersion be begun and the penitent person cast vpward his eyes that burning flame will tarry behind him and by how much more swiftly he shall take his pace by so much more before him shall hee see all thinges sumpled with the coale of an heaueÌ„ly dew Despaire the greatest enemy to our saluation So much worth is it that wee beware of one thing the greatest enemy to our saluation to our conuersion to our repentance to wit desperation which if it take hold in our mind how great desire soeuer we haue of saluation how great purpose soeuer to liue euerlastingly if I say despaire come all the entry to saluation is stopped the way to repentance is hindered and the beginning of anguish is engendred And how then shall he that is out of the way and to whom the doore is shut ve able to doe any good worke when as because despaire prohibiteth he cannot come to the entrance of goodnes For this cause the Diuell goeth about with tooth and naile to plant in our hearts such manner of cogitations For if the feare of despaire shall remooue vs from the way of vertue he hath no long combate with vs for why should hee assault when none resisteth And whoso shall haue the power to vndoe this knot incontinent his strength returneth the lustinesse of his mind encreaseth he shall be delighted with the renuing of those contentions the reason is he shall see himselfe chase the chaser and pursue the persecuter And if in case as in wrastling it falleth out he faulter againe and fall let him not be out of hope for shame but remember that is not the law of wrestling and iusting not once to fall for he may not be said to be conquered that falleth but in the end not to yeeld for hee that despaire hath maystered how can he either recouer might in contention or withstand and fight seeing hee taketh his heeles and doth not at all returne to the conflict Neither thinke that I speake of those alonely that haue trangressed in small and not much important things but my speech is of him that hath made himselfe a villaine to all mischiefe and hath dammed to himselfe the way to the kingdome of heauen and was one of the number not of the incredulous miscreants but of them that liked God and after this hath either fallen into fornication or into all sortes of vnchastitie which as the Apostle saith * Ephe. 5.3 to name is vnseemely This man I say ought not to misdoubt of saluation though such wickednesse
hold on it vexâ—th and alwayes reserueth to the torment And therefore it is termed vnquenchable not onely because it cannot be quenched it selfe but bâ—cause it doth not quench or sley them it taketh For the Scripture saith that sinners put on immortalitie to wit profitable not to honour of life but to perpetuitie of correction Now the force of the punishment and that punishment of that fire which is so forciblâ—â—o voice will serue to declare no speech will serue to vtter for in good or euill things subiect to corruption there is nothing like them Neuerthelesse that wee may conceiue some motion of that fire and torment The torments of hell set foorth in their colours call to mind in him that hath a burning ague what tribulation what anxietie of the bodie and soule standeth on each side and by this temporall maladie gather what those torments be which are inflamed with an eternall fire which are watered before that horrible iudgemâ—nt s at with a fierie streame of tormenting waues There what shall wee doe What shall we answere Nothing shall be tâ—ere but gnashing of tâ—eth but schritching and weeping and too to late repentance no way any helpe being found and euery way the torments increasing without any comfort Wee shall â—ee none but the executioners and tortors dreadfull to bee beholden and which is woorst of all we shall haue no solace of the very aire For vtter darknes shall compasse the place of torments and the fire which as it hath not a nature of consuming so hath it not of illumining but it is a darke fire the flame thereof giuing no light So that to them that are in it what feare what renting of their bowels what dismembring of their bodies what crosses there be to euery sense no tongue can tell And as the sortes of torments doe varie and differ so proportionably euerich one to his sinnes hath his paine multiplied Now if thou shouldest say how can the bodie continue in so wretched and such an endlesse tormenting Consider what things now and then in this life betide vs and by these small things coniecture great How that some times we see some troubled with long sicknes yet their life to indure and howbeit the bodie bee dissolued by some death yet the soule is not dissolued nor consumed whence it is apparant that when the body shall also become immortall no death may kill the soule or body For in this present life it cannot be that the punishment of the body should bée both grieuous and perpetuall but the one yeeldeth to the other for that the body cannot abide both But when each shall put off corruption thâ— corruption afore receiued shall end but the incorruption gotten shall be endlesse So let vs not thinke the very exceeding greatnesse of punishment will cause an end of dolor but as I said our sinnes shall aggrauate the chastisement and the incorruption of the bodie or soule shall not limite it Tell mee now what space of sensualitie and dainties will thou liken to these torments Let vs if we list bestow on delights an hundreth yeeres adde thereto an hundreth moe and tenne times an hundreth what benefit will there be gotten of it if we consider this euer-remaining paine May not the whole time of this life wherein wee seeme to take pleasure in pastimes and wallow in wantonnesse be reckoned as the dreame of one night in comparison of that eternitie Is there any therefore who to haue a delightsome dreame one night would vndertake sempiternall paines Or take that for this or this for that I disprayse not as yet delights nor vnfolde the bitternesse of them because the time serueth not for such speeches nowe but then I shall be occasioned when I see thee able to auoid the same For because thou art addicted to them thou mayest ghesse wee doted if we auouch that pleasure which all men reckon acceptable and gladsome were yrkesome and sowre But if by the mercy of God thou maiest escape out of this sort of sickenes at that time yea at that time thou shalt finde out what bitternesse yea what bane sensualitie hath Nowe mâ—ane while let vs imagine that pastimes and pleasure and voluptuousnesse are honest and comely What shall we say to the punishments laide vp in store for them What shall we say to them because the delights vade like a shadow and hastily flie away but the paine abideth for euâ—r and euer Grant the time and space of pastime and punishment were all one is there any so foolish or so depriued of his fiue wits that would chuse to tolerate one day of paine for a day of pleasure sith the pangs of one houre and euery vexation of the body commonly causeth vs to forget all the time past consumed in delight Wherefore forasmuch as we may be ridde if in a moment we be turned from euery of those tormenting chastisements and inioy eternall goodnes why deferre we why stay we why doe we not vse the bountifulnesse of God For this is prouided by the vnspeakeable and infinite clemencie of God that labour and toile should not bee stretched farre nor be long or endlesse but short and as I may say for a minute of an houre Such is this present life if it be conferred with that euerlasting 2. Cor. 4. The clemency I say of God hath prouided that in this fleeting short life there should be labors and agonies but that in the life eternall there should be crownes rewards of good workes that trauell should soone be ended â—ut the reward of good deeds should last for euer And euen as this maketh them glad that through induring of toile inioye a crowne so it shall grieue and trouble those in the time to come that see they haue lost for a little and small time of delights perpetuall good things and haue sought for still induring euill things Let vs not therefore incurre this anguish of soule let vs awake while wee haue time And loe now is the acceptable time now is the day of saluation now is opportunitie of repentance and a time wherein repentance will not be fruitlesse But if we be carelesse of our life wee shall sustaine in hell not these calamities alone whereof we haue spoken but a more grieuous mischiefe For to be excluded from blisse and to be debarred from the things prepared for the Saincts causeth such affliction such wofulnesse as if no outward punishment tormented it were sufficient It surpasseth all paines of hell to want that beatitude the fruition of which lay in thy power For muse I desire you on the state of that life Heauenly blisse set foorth as much as a man may consider â—t for as it is in deed no â—peech can vtter Yet let vs comprehend an image thereof to the vtmost it may be by that we haue read and the darke speeches we haue receiued It is said of it in a certaine place Reu. 21.4 Isai 35. There shall
and the Monks which were in Chrisostomes dayes Those were continent and sequestred although they should haue had a care of the saluation of their brethren also themselues from the vulgar sort of men to the end they might giue thēselues wholy to contemplation and meditation for this was the cause why Basill the great went to Pontus and inuited his friend Gregory the Diuine to him these are lecherous and lustfull coueting that sort of life for idlenes alone and belly cheere Those a soone as they perceiued their vncleannes this fellow heere alleaged is a witnes fel to repentance without stay these through sensuality committing grosse carnall sins neuer truely repent for it and yet beare men in hand they are the holiest persons vnder the Sunne Of whom it was said rightly though in a rithme O monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi Vos estis Deus est testis turpissima pestis Let none then of the ignorant sort suppose that this example maketh ought for the vprightnes of Moonkes now a daies But I know not how drowsily yeelding to the suggestion and first battery of the diuell he fell into the desire of a woman when as hee neuer saw any sithence he became a Moonke First then he desired his fellow with whom he liued to bring him wine and flesh to feed on who making no hast he threatned him that he would goe downe into the city Which he said not that he might eat flesh but that he might find opportunity to satisfie his lust His companion marueiling at this and fearing least he should doe him more harme if he should deny his request gaue that he asked and fulfilled his will When he saw no way to guile openly and shamelesly he reuealeth his desire and confesseth he will goe downe to the Citie The other by much perswasion not able to retaine him let him goe and followed him a far off to se what he would doe and whither he would go And when a great way behind he saw him entring a brothel-house and to haue cooled his lust with the company of a strumpet tarrying at the dore straightway when he came forth he exhorted him to repentance he imbraced him and louingly kissed him and rebuked him not for his fal but desired him that now his lust being cooled he would returne to his old habitation and to the solitary wildernes But he marking in him such meekenesse and gentlenes was ashamed and stroken thorow with the force of his words and deeds and condemning himselfe for his misdemeaner goeth with his fellow which was so good and humble into the mountaine Whither when they came he entreated of him that when he was shut vp closely in his cell and heremitage he would * G.F.C. dayly euery second day bring him bread and water If any should seeke him he willed him to say that he was * G.F.C. a sleepe dead Which things obtayned he shut vp himselfe and thereabode clensing the foulnesse of his sinne with fasting prayers and weeping Few daies passed ouer when a drowth because of the want of raine had hurte the country neere about him and all the inhabitants of that land lamented much But one of them was warned in a dreame to goe to that man inclosed in a cell that he might pray and that by no other way raine might be procured but by his prayers So departing with some other taken to him he found this Monkes complice alone and demaunded where he was whom the vision admonished him to seek When he heard he was dead he deemed his vision false and they returned all to prayer but the same vision tolde him againe the same things Wherat earnestly entreating him that before had deceiued them they requested him to shew them the man affirming that by the authority of so marueilous a vision they were sent to him being aliue not dead Seeing it was the wil of God he brings them to that godly man and the wall being broken downe because he had shut the doore they enter in and fall before his feete desiring him when the truth of the matter was declared to release the famine by intercession First his excuse was that hee could not demerite so great a thing at which words he burst forth into weeping for the offence he had committed as if he had seene it fresh before his eies At length for the importunitie of the requesters for as much as he perceiued God would haue it so he gaue him selfe to supplication and out of hand there followed great store of raine wherwith both the earth and men were refreshed Read Eusebius hist eccl lib. 3. cap. 23. What should I speake of him which first was the desciple of Iohn the * G.F.C. sonne of Zebidaeus Apostle but after practised robbing for a long time Neuerthelesse afterward the Apostle got hold on him as he came out from the robbers den and brought him again as you will know to his former life so that his beginning was not to be conferred with his end I remember when you read this story you admired the incredible meekenes of this Apostle and among other tokens of his sincere loue towards him which he shewed this you said you most wondered at that he kissed the hand of the young man besmeared with bloud and so with imbracing reclaimed him to euerlasting life when as by all likelihood he was neare to the brinke of death Saint Paule also not onely loued and embraced Onesimus conuerted who was an vnprofitable seruant and fugitiue theefe but maketh petition to his master that he shuld esteeme him as himselfe and that because he recanted Philem. from the 10. verse to the 18. These be the Apostles words I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus whom I haue begotten in my bonds Which in time past was to thee vnprofitable but now profitable both to thee and to me whom I haue sent againe thou therfore receiue him that is mine owne bowels Whom I wold haue retained with me that in thy stead he might haue ministred vnto me in the bonds of the Gospell But without thy mind would I doe nothing that thy benefite should be as it were of necessity but willingly It may be that he therfore departed for a season that thou shouldest receiue him for euer not now as a seruant but aboue a seruaunt euen as a brother beloued specially to me how much more thē vnto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord If therefore thou account our things common receiue him as my selfe The same Apostle writeth to the Corinthians touching them that haue sinned in this wise 2. Cor. 12.22 least when I come againe I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned already and haue not repented of the vncleannes 2. Cor. 13.2 and fornication and wantonnes which they haue committed And againe I told you before and tell you before if I come againe I will not spare You see then whom the Apostle bewayleth and
of death But what tongue can tell or what vnderstanding conceiue how great these ioyes are of that supernall Cittie to be in the assembly of Angels with the most blessed soules to stand by the glorie of the Creator to beholde in presence the face of God to see that immeasurable light to feele no pangs of death to enioy the gift of euer-enduring incorruption Against despaire THe theefe acknowledged Aug. in lib. de symb Peter denied In Peter there is shewed that no iust man ought to presume of himselfe in the theefe that no wicked man being conuerted should despaire Therefore let the good feare least he perish through pride and let not the wicked despair throgh much naughtines Idem de vtil agen poen Let none despaire as Iudas the traitor not so much the haynous wickednesse which he committed was the cause of his eternall destruction as the despaire of forgiuenesse Let none distrust Amb. sup Luc. lib. 2. let none in the priuitie of his olde sinnes despaire of the rewardes of God God knoweth how to change his determination if thou know how to amend thy fault Let no man despaire of pardon Isido de suÌ„ bon lib. 2. although about the end of his life he bee turned to repentance God iudgeth euerie one according to his end not according to his life past To commit some foule offence is the death of the soule but to despaire Idem ibid. is to descend into hell Of Repentance IF I proffer thee golde Amb. in ser de eleem ieiun thou sayest not I will come to morrow but at the instant thou requirest it none prolongeth none maketh excuse the redeeming of our soule is promised and none maketh hast Conuersion is neuer too late the theefe went from the Crosse to Paradise Hier. in ep ad Laetam Greg. hom 34. sup eua There is greater ioy in heauen of a sinner conuerted then of a righteous man that standeth for a captaine also in warre loueth that souldier more who being returned from flight hath valiantly slaine his foe then him that neuer fled and hath neuer done any manly act So the husbandman loueth more that ground which after thornes yeldeth forth plentifull corne then that which neuer had thornes and neuer bare a fertile graine In nothing to sinne is only the property of God Amb. ep 3 ad Simplicianum it is the propertie of a wise man both to correct his fault and to repent for his sinne with God not so much the measure of time Hierom. in quod serm as the measure of griefe preuaileth not so much the abstinencie of meates as the mortificatton of vices Repentance is the medicine of our wound Isid li. 3. de sum bon the hope of saluatioÌ„ by which sinners are salued by which God is prouoked to mercy The which is not weighed by time but by deepenesse of lamentation and teares O repentance what new thing shall I speake of thee Cyprian de laud. paen Thou loosest all thinges which are boundeÌ„ thou openest al thinges which are shut thou mitigatest all aduersitie thou healest that is bruised thou illuminest that is confounded thou incouragest all that is out of hope Be not negligent because the Lord forbeareth you when you sinne Aug. in lib. de vti poen for how much the longer hee waiteth that ye amend so much the more grieuously will hee punish if you bee negligent Idem de 10 chordis Better is a little bitternesse in the cheekes then a perpetuall torment in the bowels Id. de poen Althogh the theefe was pardoned in his latter end of all his sins yet he gaue not an example to them that are baptized to sinne and perseuere in euill For then he was first baptized with the baptisme of the spirit in that then first hee professed Christ The sweetenesse of the apple recompenceth the sowrenesse of the roote Hier. super Mat. the dangers of the sea for hope of gaine delight vs the hope of health asswageth the griefe of phisicke Hee that desireth the kirnell breaketh the nut and hee that will be partaker of euerlasting goodnesse repenteth It is no great matter to fall in wrestling but to lie when one is cast downe Chrys in ep ad Heliod Monach. It is not deadly to bee wounded in battle but after the wound is inflicted through despaire to be cured to deny a plaister to the bile And oftentimes we see wrestlers crowned after often slides and many downe-casts VVe see also a souldier after many flights to bee a stout man and to ouercome him that discomfited him Behold the kingdome of God is to be solde Aug. de spir anima buy it if thou wilt Neither think of some great thing for the greatnesse of the price it is worth so much as thou hast seeke not what thou hast but what manner of body thou art This thing is worth so much as thou art giue thy selfe and thou shalt haue it But I am euill thou wilt say and happily it will not receiue me by giuing thy selfe vnto it thou shalt be good Idem in soliloquijs That repentance is in vaine which afterward a fault polluteth lamentations profit nothing if sins be doubled It auaileth nothing to craue pardon of euils and anew to commit euils Hee that knocketh his breast Idem in quodaÌ„ ser and correcteth not himselfe strengtheneth his sinnes and doth not take them away NAZIANZENVS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicubi chalcógraphus titubârit lector amice Da veniam lapso sic petis ipse tibi FINIS AN EPISTLE OF COMFORT From one Friend to another wherein the Anabaptists error of Desperation is briefly confuted and the Sinne against the Holy Ghost plainly declared Whereunto is added certaine effectuall Prayers LONDON Printed for Iohn Helme 1609. An Epistle of comfort from one friend to another wherein the Anabaptists error of desperation is briefly confuted and the sinne against the holy Ghost plainely declared VVhereunto is added certaine effectuall Prayers Syr whereas it pleased you to require mee to write vnto you my mind concerning the true sense and meaning of this place of Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 6. It can not be that they which were once lightned and haue tasted of the heâ—â—enly gift and were become partakers of the holy Ghost and hauing tasted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come if they fall away and as concerning themselues crucifie the sonne of God afresh and make a mocke of him that they should be renued againe by repentance Syr Many in time past and at this present day mistaking this text and not truely vnderstanding it The error of the Nouatians now of the Anabaptists both haue bene and are encombred with the Nouations error which is that after man by baptisme and the holy ghost is
Mat. 26. and so he was accepted vnto grace againe and Christ appeared vnto him to his great comfort after he arose againe from death to life and afterwards sending downe his holy spirit indued him with wonderfull gifts of grace from aboue And then Peter became a strong champion setting forth Christ to be the onely Sauiour of the whole world preaching and openly confessing him before all men wtout any feare either of the Scribes Pharises or Magistrates Now good sir lay this example of Saint Peter to this text of Saint Paule to the Hebrewes It cannot be that they which were once lightned c. If they fall away c. that they should be renued againe by repentance If a man would apply the aforesaid example of S. Peter vnto this text of Saint Paule hee would thinke that Peter should vtterly haue bene cast away from Gods fauour mercy and grace For first it can not be denyed but that he was once lightned that is endued with the true knowledge of Christ to be the onely Messias Sauiour of the world Secondly he had also casted of the heauenly gift which wes a true faith in Christ Iesus openly confessing the same before all the Apostles being fully perswaded in his owne conscience what Christ was Thirdly that Peter was become partaker of that holy Ghost had tasted of the good word of God it appeareth euidently by Christes sentence saying Blessed art thou Simon for flesh and bloud that is man shewed thee not that but my Father which is in heauen VVhich was by the inspiration of his holy spirit Finally Peter had a tast of the world to come For he did see in the mountaine the transfiguration of Christ Mat 17. and so did Iames the more and Iohn the Euangelist also VVhere in the presence of them all Christ was transfigured and shewed himselfe vnto them in the forme of a glorified body so that his face did shine as the Sun and his cloathes appeared as white as the light there appeared also among theÌ„ Moses and Elias And euen there the cleare voyce of God the father of heauen was plainely hearde among them out of the cloud saying vpon Christ this is my dearly beloued sonne in whom I delight heare him Loe all this and much more Peter both heard and saw being almost continually in Christs company eating and drinking with him hearing dayly his heauenly Doctrine preaching and teaching seeing euery where as occasion serued his great and wonderful myracles And yet for all this what a great fall Peter had it appeareth plainely by his deniall of Christ his louing master and Sauiour and the circumstances thereof which I touched before But yet to make Peters fall more horrible Christ said vnto him and vnto all other his Apostles when he sent them forth to preach the Gospell of saluation He that denyeth me before men I shall deny him also before my father Alas good Peter what case standedst thou in now How doth this saying of Christ now touch thee Remembring this saying of Christ art thou not at thy wies end Is it not most certaine true that thou hast too horribly fallen after that thou haddest tasted of al these gracious gifts before rehersed Hast thou not contrary to thine own coÌ„science most shamfully denyed thy master Sauiour before men Ah good soule what shall become of thee how wilt thou answere for thy selfe For it seemeth here plainely that both S. Paule in the afore aleadged place to the Heb. also Christ himselfe in the scripture afore rehearsed haue giuen sentence of coÌ„demnation against thee VVherefore the Anabaptists grounding vpon these scriptures wil plainely pronounce thee to be a reprobate and that thou art dispatched and vtterly cast away from all hope of saluation But here let vs not too lightly passe ouer but earnestly and deeply consider what may be said in this matter on Peters behalfe And first it may be rightly answered that that place of S. Paule vnto the Hebrews Heb. 6. maketh nothing against S. Peter neither yet against any Christian man how grieuously or how often soeuer he hath sinned so that he hath not vtterly forsaken Christ and fallen cleane away from him For S. Paule saith It cannot be that they which were once lightned c. If they fall away c. that they should be renued by repentance Marke here diligently It is not all one thing to fall and to fall away that S. Paule saith if they fall away He saith not if they fall but if they fall away for it is not all one thing to fall and to fall away For Peter did fal but did not fall away from Christ but returned vnto him againe And old prouerbe A prouerbe it is a man runneth very farre that neuer returnâ—th againe All wee Christians doe daily fall for we daily breake Gods commandements but yet we doe not fall away from Christ neither refuse wee him to be our Sauiour but acknowledging our manifold sinnes and offences we daily turne vnto him againe by true repentance faith and amendment of life nothing doubting of his great and vnmeasurable mercy towards vs. They fall away from Christ that vtterly forsake him and refuse him Who falleth away froÌ„ christ to be their Sauiour and neuer returne vnto him againe to obtaine his mercy but are become plaine apostaes vtterly forsaking the christian faith making but a mocke of Christ perseuering in their obstinate apostacy and vnbeleefe euen to their liues end As did Iudas the traitor 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 4. Iulianus Apostata Simon Magus Porphyrius Hymeneus and Alexander the Copersmith Mat. 10. A good generall rule to be noted Secondarily as touching that saying and threatning of Christ saying He that denyeth mee before men I shall deny him before my father c. It is to be considered that all the terrible threatnings that are in the holy Scripture threatned against great sinners are threatned conditionally that is to say if the sinners do not truely repent and returne vnto God by faith and amendment of life this plague or punishment or that shal light vpon them But if they at the preaching reading or hearing of Gods holy word do repente and returne vnto God by faith and godly life then that plague threatned shal not once touch them Example be the Niniuites vpon whom Ionas Gods minister and preacher or rather God by him pronounced this terrible iudgment saying Ion. 3. there are yet forty dayes and then shall Niniue bee ouerthrowne But there as the scripture saith the people of Niniue beleeued God earnestly repented them of their great sinnes and so was the sentence of God retracted and the Cittie saued and not ouerthrowne So likewise this terrible sentence of Christ he that denyeth mee before men I shall deny him before my Father must needes haue this coÌ„dition ioyned with it if he doth not repent neyther returne againe A conditon but Peter did both