the time of Achab king of Israell when Samaria was besieged by the Armie of the king of Syria we read that men did eate the dunge of Doues that thys kinde of meate was sold for a great price But thys was not so much at the length it came to that passe that mothers did kil and eate the chyldren of their owne wombe Iosephus also writeth that the same happened at the siege of Ierusalem But the slaughters and captiuities of this people together with the vtter ouerthrow of the Common-wealth and the kingdome of the Iewes are so well knowne to all that heere they neede not to be rehearsed An eleuen of theyr Tribes were made perpetuall seruants to the Kings of Assyria that one Trybe which remained a long time after beeing vanquished was brought into seruitude vnder the Romaines in which destruction exceeding great was the number of the captiues but greater was the number of those that were slaine as the same Historiographer copiously describeth Neyther let any one deceaue himselfe saying that this calamitie pertaineth onely to the Iewish nation seeing that it generally appertaineth to all men who haue knowledge of the Diuine law and doe despise it neyther will obey it as the Lord himselfe testifieth by his Prophet Haue not I brought vp Israell out of the Land of Egipt and the Philistines from Cappadocia and the Syrians from Cyrene Behold the eyes of the Lord God are vppon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth Signifying that all these changes of kingdoms whereby thys kingdome is ouerthrowne and that planted and raysed vp doth come through sinne And if any one will see that this is true let him read ouer the histories of times past he shal vnderstand how God doth chastice the froward and peruerse but especially those that haue the true law and doe not keepe it He shal see how great a part of Europe Asia and Affrica which in times past were full of Churches and of Christian people now are possessed of Infidels he shall know also what great massacres ruines and destructions the Gothes Hunnes and Vandales haue made vpon the Churches who in the time of Saint Augustine destroyed and wasted the Prouinces of Affrica and that without any mercie or compassion they sparing neyther men nor women neither old nor young neither Virgins nor married At the same time also and after the same manner the kingdome of Dalmatia was wasted with the bordering Countries as Saint Ierome showeth who was borne in that Country insomuch that he that should haue passed through trauelled those Countries should haue seene nothing but heauen and earth all things were so ruinated and ouerthrowen Yea if we will looke into our owne times we shall see what slaughters and effusion of Christian blood what desolations and euersions of Citties sinne hath caused in Fraunce Belgia and many other Countryes What mightie massacres and lamentable diuastations hath sinne brought vppon the world by the sword of the Turkes those professed enemies of Christianitie who stil brandish their swords against Christendome for the sinnes of Christians These sufficient plainly doe declare how that true vertue and sincere religion are not onely profitable to the obtayning of eternall blessings but also to gette and keepe temporall blessings that the consideration of all these may inflame our mindes with the loue of Vertue which preserueth vs from so many mischiefes bringeth with it so many good things Of the twelfth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the quiet peaceable ioyfull death of the righteous and contrarily of the wretched miserable painfull disquiet and grieuous death of sinners CHAP. XXIIII THE last priuiledge prerogatiue at the length is ioyned to the precedent that is the death and the glorious end of the righteous when they depart out of the prison of this body vnto the which end all the rest of the priuiledges are destinated and ordayned Because in the end as we are wont to say the praise is proclaimed Tell mee what is more glorious or what more delightsome then the end of the iust and righteous And contrarilie what is more wretched or vnhappy then the death of sinners Right deere and precious saith the Psalmogapher in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints but the death of sinners is vilde and exceeding euill What meaneth thys vvord Exceeding euill vttered in the Superlatiue degree Because thys is the last and greatest of all euils as well for the soule as for the body After thys manner S. Bernard doth expound this of the Psalmist The death of sinners is exceeding euill Because it is euill in losing the world worser in the seperation of the flesh but exceeding euill in that double calamitie of the worme and of the fire It is grieuous to leaue the worlde more grieuous that the soule is seperated from the body but exceeding grieuous and in no wise to be compared vnto the other to be tortured vvith the torments of hell Both these and many moe miseries shall vexe and turmoile the wicked in this houre For then before and aboue all things the accidents of thys infirmitie shall surmount the griefes of the body the terrors of the soule and the afflictions of externall things the thoughts of things to come the remembrance of sinnes past the feare to giue an account the dreadfull sentence the horrour of the graue the seperation and departure from euery thing that was too deere and imbraced with an inordinate loue that is from riches friends wife children from this light from the ayre wherein we breathe and from life it selfe All euery one of these so much the more doe afflict a man by how much they are loued For as Augustine sayth They are not lost without griefe which are possessed with loue Therefore it was very well said of a Phylosopher Hee that in his life knoweth of fewest delights least of all other feareth death But most of all in that houre the burned and feared conscience and the consideration of that which is prepared for them doth excruciate vexe the vvicked For then man beeing raised as it were out of a deepe sleepe by the presence of Death openeth hys eyes and beginneth to behold and see that which he neuer saw before Eusebius Emisseâ—â—s giueth a reason of this At what passe will man be then at sayth hee when bidding his last farewell to all worldly matters hauing death before him leauing life behind him he shal be drawn into that horrible fearefull gulfe For there shall be no preparation for victuals or care for cloathing no busines for Labourers Souldiers or Traffickers no ambition for wealth or honour but there an intollerable terror of giuing an account shall fill and possesse the minde being free from all other cares and the heauy and vnsupportable weight of iudgment shal dreadfully hang ouer the captiue sences Then man forgetteth all thinges
Saint Isidore doth consent vnto this He that would sayth he be certaine of the remission of his sins in the houre of death let him repent whilst he is in health and then let him lament deplore his iniquitie and wickednes But he that hath liued wickedly and repenteth at the houre of his death it is most certaine that he is in very great ieopardy For euen as his damnation is vncertaine so also his saluation is doubtfull Surely these words are very dreadfull but those more fearefull which Eusebius the Scholler of Saint Ierome writeth and which his glorious holy Maister spoke being at the poynt of death stretching him selfe vpon the earth arrayed in rugged and course Sack-cloth but because I dare not relate them with that rigour that they are written least I should minister occasion of distrust and despaire to those that be weake and faint-harted let him that pleaseth reade them he shall finde them in the fourth tome of saint Ieromes workes in a certaine Epistle of Eusebius to Byshoppe Damasus as touching the death of Saint Ierome whose beginning is To the most reuerent Father c. Where amongst other things hee sayth But some man will say That man that hath done wickedly all the time that he liued and repenting at the houre of his death he shall obtaine pardon of God Alas how vaine a supposall and how false a meditation Scarcely of an hundred thousand men whose lifes haue alwaies beene wickedly led scarcely I say one deserueth fauour at Gods hands A man altogether borne and brought vp in sin who hath neither seene nor acknowledged GOD neither is willing to heare of him neither knoweth when he sinneth nor what repentance is vnlesse perhaps he sometimes dreame of it and altogether intangled in worldly busines whom the loue of his children whoÌ„ he must forsake oppresseth whom infirmitie amateth vvhom the losse and griefe of riches and temporall blessings shaketh excruciateth because he seeth that he can no longer enioy them what repentance can he bring forth acceptable to God which he at all would not bring forth nor once medle with if he had any hope of recouery Certainly I will conclude as I thinke he that whilst he is young strong feareth not to offend God in death he deserueth not to finde any fauour of God What repentance is that my beloued children which a man onely maketh for this respect because he seeth that hee can liue no longer Who if he should recouer of his sicknes would becom worser then he was before I haue knowne many peny-fathers and helhound vsurers who may rightly be termed the deuils Alcumists or the deuils Mint-maisters that haue beene sorry and penitent when they haue thought that there was no way with them but death but after that they haue beene recouered their lifes haue beene a great deale more wicked and detestable then it was before This I hold this I thinke to be true this I haue lerned by long experience that his end is not good whose life was alwayes euill who feared not to sinne but alwaies liued in the vanities of the world Hetherto Eusebius by whose words it is manifest how suspected that repentance was to this holy Doctor Ierome which was made at the houre of death of him who had continued in sinne all the time of his life Neyther heere the iudgement of S. Gregory is to be kept close as concerning this matter who vpon these words of Iob For what hope hath the hypocrite though he be nâ—uer so couetous if God take away his soule Will God heare his cry when trouble commeth vpon him sayth God heareth not his cry in the time of trouble who in the time of peace and prosperity hath not heard the Lord crying vnto him in his commaundements For it is written Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law his prayer shall be abhominable Therefore the holy man beholding how those that contemne the law and all right paths doe at the last cast conforme themselues vnto prayer sayth Will God heare his cry Those words doe iumpe with those of our Sauiour who sayth Afterward came also the foolish Virgins saying Lord Lord open to vs. And it shall be answered vnto them Verily I say vnto you I know you not Because then so much the more seuerity shall be vsed by how much the more mercy hath now beene extended and then iudgement shall be seuerely and strictly executed vpon them whom now persisting in sinne mercy patiently wayted vpon These be S. Gregories words Another Doctour of the Church sayth It is a hard thing that then that is at the poynt of death true repentance should be when it commeth so late When as anguish and payne tormenteth the body and greefe oppresseth the sences scarcely can a man thinke of any other thing Greatly suspicious ought that repentance to be which seemeth constrayned The coniecture is easie that a man should thinke that himselfe is vnwilling to doe that which he hath no ability to doe Possibility doth very well proue the willingnes If thou doost not whilst thou mayst thou manifestly shewest that thou art vnwilling to doe Another Doctour of the Church doth also subscribe to all this Seeing therefore sayth he that a fruitfull repentance is not the worke of a man but of God by his mercy he can inspire it whensoeuer he will and reward those by his mercy whom he could condemne by his iustice But because there are many things that hinder and hold backe the sicke partie and him that languisheth and faynteth through sicknes it is dangerous and neere vnto destruction to protract and defer repentance till death But a meruailous great thing is it if God at that time inspire any man with true repentance Consider I pray thee how fearefull and dreadfull these words be Who then is so bold and audacious that dare expose this great treasure to so great hazard Is there any thing more precious in this world then saluation Who therfore is so inconsiderate and vnaduized that dareth presume to say that he doth not passing ill that committeth so great treasure to such danger These be the iudgements of the holy Doctours by whom we may euidently gather how great theyr folly and madnes is without an especiall care to sayle ouer this so dangerous a Sea of which the most expert and experienced Mariners haue spoken so doubtfully and with so great feare To dye well is an Art which ought to be learned all 〈◊〉 life long For in the houre of death so many and so great are the discruciatements that cause death that scarce remayneth any time to learne to dye well ¶ The authority of Schoole Doctours concerning this matter IT remayneth now for the greater confirmation of this matter that we see what the Schoole Doctours thinke of it Among others there is one that excellently handleth this matter agreeing in all things vnto vs putting and inferring this conclusion Repentance
the iust doe so greatly feare what shall the sinner doe When as the Cedar of Libanus is shaken what will the sprigge of the wildernesse doe If the righteous scarcely shal be saued as saith S. Peter where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Tell me I pray thee what doost thou thinke of that houre whē as thou departing out of this life shalt enter into that iudgment alone naked poore without any one that may defend and maintaine thy cause besides thy good works which thou hast doone and only thy conscience wayting vpon them that tribunall vvill be very sharpe and seuere where it is not handled of life or death temporall but eternall And if in rendring thine account thou art found wholy oppressed with debts alas how horrible wil be the dolours and vexations of thy mind O how full of confusion wilt thou be and how aboundant in vnprofitable repentance how voyd wilt thou be of all aduice and counsaile and how destistute of all comfort Truly great vvas the trouble and distraction of minde among the Princes of Iuda when as the victorious sword of Sesac King of the Egyptians did tyrannize in all the streets of Ierusalem when as by the present paine and punishment they acknowledged their passed faults and old errors But there is no comparison between that confusion and thys of the which we now speake In that houre what will sinners doe vvhether will they turne themselues vvho shall defend them Teares will not profit them there all repentance will be barraine and vnfruitfull In that houre neither prayers shall be heard neither any promises shall take place or any suretieshippe be accepted When as the last moment of life is come and the houre glasse runne out novve there is no more time left for repentance But if these foresaide things will not profit much lesse shall riches nobilitie or honours helpe for the Wise-man sayth Riches auaile not in the day of wrath but righteousnes deliuereth from death When as the vnhappy soule shall see it selfe compassed and inclosed in these streights what will it doe what will it say vvith what other words will it lament this lamentable estate then with those which the Prophet vsed in times past when he sayd The sorrowes of death compassed me and the floods of wickednesse made me afraid the sorowes of the graue haūe compassed me about the snares of death ouertooke me Woe is me poore wretch into what a laborinth haue my sinnes ledde me How suddenlie and thinking nothing lesse hath this houre entrapped me How hath it rushed vpon me I neuer dreaming of it What doe now my honours profit me vvhat doe now my dignities helpe me What doe all my friends for me vvhat profit doe now my seruaunts bring me vvhat fruite doe I now reape of all my riches goods which I was wont to possesse For no a small peece of ground of seauen foote will containe me and I must be content with a dwelling in a narrow Coffin and vvith lodging in a poore winding-sheete But that which is worst of all my riches shall remaine heere behind me which I haue scraped together with so great toyle and sweating others shall enioy them and shall spend them on their pleasures Onely my sinnes which I haue committed in gathering them waite vpon me that I may suffer deserued punishment for thē What can I make now of all my pleasures delights seeing they are all ouer-past onely theyr dreggs are my portion which are scruples bytings of conscience which like thornes doe pearce me and doe runne through my myserable hart and shall torment it with euerlasting tortures O my intollerable blockishnes ô my madnes and folly to be cursed with a thousand execrations how could it be that I vnmindfull of thys time haue not prepared my selfe to eschew these present calamities How often haue I beene admonished of this day but vvith deafe eares I ouer-passed all counsaile vvoc is me why did I not receiue instruction vvhy haue I not obeyed and harkened vnto my Teachers and to the wordes that they taught mee I lyued irreligiously in the midst of the Church and amongst Gods people I haue polluted my selfe with all kinde of sinne With these and such like lamentations sinners will deplore and bewaile theyr miserable estate and these most commonly will be their meditations considerations and confessions But least thou my brother sholdest fall into the like straights I pray thee that thou wouldest examine all these things aforesayd with diligent regard and that they being often meditated vpon thou wouldest euery where and alwayes set them before thine eyes but amongst others lay vp chiefely these three things deepely in thy minde and in a faithfull memory the first of which is that thou consider the greatnes of the punishment which thou shalt feele in the houre of death for thy multitude of sinnes by which thou hast offended the diuine goodnes the second is that thou diligently ponder with what great desire thou wilt then wish so to haue led thy life that in that houre thou mightest haue God propitious and fauourable vnto thee thirdly that thou remember how great and how seuere a repentance thou wouldest enter into if time should be graunted vnto thee Therefore liue so now as thou wouldest desire and wish that thou hadst liued in that houre THE EIGHT TITLE That man is bound to desire Vertue by reason of that second last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the last Iudgement CHAP. VIII AFter death followeth the perticuler iudgement of euery one and after that the vniuersall iudgment of all when that shall be fulfilled which the Apostle sayth Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receaue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill Heere we will speake of the rigour of that strict account which shall be exacted of vs in this iudgement and what will follow after the sentence of this iudgement that man may see that he not onelie is inuited vnto Vertue but rather that he is drawne and constrayned First therefore we are to consider that one thing amongst other which holy Iob wondered at that although man is so weake a creature yet God who is so great and mighty entreth with great rigour into iudgement with him Insomuch that there is no word no thought no inordinate and disordered motion which he hath not written in the booke and record of his iustice that he may exact a most strict account of it After a long discourse he at length sayth thus Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemy Wilt thou breake a leafe driuen too and fro And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth Thou puttest my feete also in the stocks and lookest narrowly vnto all my paths and makest
saying An vngodly man will not be reformed but can helpe himselfe with the example of others in his purpose That is with apparant excuses The same thing also Salomon seemeth to tell vs of when he sayth He that would depart from his friend seeketh occasions So hee that would depart from God as sinners doe seeke and at length finde out some of these excuses some deferre and procrastinate their repentance putting it off from day to day others reserue it to the ende of theyr life many say that they absent themselues from godly and vertuous lyuing because it is painefull and laborious some cheere vp themselues through the hope of the Diuine mercy supposing that they shall be saued by a naked and fruitlesse fayth and a dead hope without charity to be briefe others being inamoured of this world will not change the felicity which they think they possesse in it with the promises of Gods word These in a manner be the fraudes and errors the snares and nets with which the enemy of mankind ensnareth and entangleth the vnderstanding of men that he may detayne them all their life long prisoners and flaues vnder sinne that at the length death may set vpon them sodainly and oppresse them at vnawares To all these cauelations and friuolous excuses we will aunswere in this last part of this booke But first of all we will dissolue and aunswere their obiection who put off the amendment of their life 's vnto the time to come which excuse is more vsuall and more generall then the rest There are many that confesse that all things are true which hetherto haue beene spoken and that there is not any estate or condition more secure and safe then theirs that embrace and follow after Vertue yea and that they themselues will heereafter enter into a vertuous and a godly kinde of life but they cannot yet but the time will come when they shall doe it with greater conueniencie and performe it with more perfection So Saint Augustine saith of himselfe O Lord I had not wherwith to aunswere thee when thou saydst vnto me Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall illuminate enlighten thee and thou demonstrating in euery poynt those things to be true which thou spakest vnto me I beeing conuinced with the truth had not any aunswere at all but onely the words and speaches of a loytering sluggard of a drouzie sleeper By and by and behold anone and let me alone a little But by and by and behold anone had neyther measure nor moderation and let me alone a little held on a long time So also the wicked at this day deale with God still procrastinating and putting off the time and neuer comming vnto true conuersion It is no hard thing to shew that this was the deceipt of that old Serpent to whom it is no new or vnusuall thing to lye and to deceaue miserable men and if I shall conuince this I thinke that I shall take away this controuersie and dissolue this obiection For we all know that nothing ought more to be wished of Christian men then the health of their soules and for this respect the amendment of their lifes is necessarily required for without this it is most certaine that no man can be saued So that heere nothing commeth into question but the time in which the life ought to be amended In the rest there is no discent Thou sayst that thy conuersion is to be deferred till the time to come my assertion is that it ought to be done presently Therefore let vs see whether opinion is more probable and more conformable vnto the truth But before we speake of the easines and facility of conuersion tell me I pray thee who hath promised thee this time to come How many men haue there been whom this vaine hope hath miserably deceaued Although God sayth Gregory hath promised pardon to the penitent yet he hath not promised tomorrow to a sinner Not vnlike to this is that of another learned Writer Some man will say when I come vnto old age then I will runne vnto the remedy of repentance Why dare mans frailty presume thus much of himselfe seeing he hath not one day of all his life in his owne power Verily I suppose that innumerable soules haue perished through this vaine perswasion After this manner that rich man in the Gospell perished of whom Saint Luke wryteth that when his fielde had brought foorth plentifull fruites hee thought within himselfe saying What shal I doe because I haue no roome where to bestow my fruits And he said This will I doe I will pull downe my barnes and build greater and therein will I gather all my fruites and my goods And I will say to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merry But whilst this miserable man thought thus with himselfe a voyce vvas heard saying vnto him Thou foole this night doe they require thy soule againe from thee then whose shall those things be vvhich thou hast prouided Therefore what greater foolishnes can there be then that a man by his owne authority should presume to dispose of that that is to come no otherwise then if he had beene set and appoynted to gouerne times and seasons which the eternall Father hath put in his owne power And if Saint Iohn say that the sonne onely hath the keyes of life and death that hee may shut and open to whom he pleaseth and when he pleaseth how dare a vild and an obiect worme attribute vnto himselfe and vsurpe this authority Onely this impudent boldnes is worthy of notorious punishment that is that he should finde no place of repentance in the time to come who vainely and fruitlesly passeth ouer that time which God hath graunted vnto him That so this punishment may giue vnderstanding and that a foole thereby may become the wiser But seeing that the number of them that are thus chasticed is very great men shall doe very aduisedly if by other mens harme they become more wary and out of other mens danger they learne to be more circumspect following that good counsaile of Ecclesiasticus saying Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for sodainly shall his wrath come and in the time of vengeance he shall destroy thee But let vs graunt that thy life shall be as long and lasting as thou perswadest and promisest vnto thy selfe tell me I pray thee whether will be more easie now to amend it or heereafter when thou hast procrastinated and deferred thy conuersion But that thou mayst vnderstand that better which we say we will by the way rehearse the chiefest causes from whence this difficulty ariseth It ariseth not from those impediments lets which they imagine but from an euill habite and from the corruption of a naughty custom of a
wilt heare his voyce harden not thy hart that thou maist make answer to hym to morrow yea begin presently to lay to thine hand which the sooner that thou shalt doe it shall be the more easier vnto thee Against them that deferre their repentance to the houre of death CHAP. XXVI IVstly and rightlie ought those things which we haue spoken to be sufficient to confound them who deferre and put off their repentance to the houre of death For if it be so dangerous to prorogue and deferre it to certaine yeeres what wil it be I pray thee to driue it of and reserue it for that most perrilous time But because this errour is too familiar and vsuall in the world and seeing that very many soules doe perrish beeing miserably deceiued by this errour I thought it very necessary to speake somewhat of this vaine opinion of men And although it is very dangerous to speake of this matter for it may minister occasion to weake and fearefull consciences to distrust and despayre yet greater shall the danger be that men know not into what hazard they cast themselues when they deferre theyr repentance to that time So that weighing both dangers in an equall ballance we may manifestly see that this is greater then that by manie degrees For experience teacheth vs that moe soules doe perrish through too much confidence then by too much feare or faint-hartednes For wee are appointed Watchmen as Ezechiell saith that when we see the sword comming we should tell the people of it least those that should be admonished of vs be deceaued and their blood should be required at our hands But because in this life we haue no other light nor no other truth besides the holy Scripture and the monuments of holie Fathers and Doctors of the Church who before vs haue copiouslie and sufficiently handled this matter let vs see what they say of it For I hope that no man will be so rash that will prefer his own opinion before their iudgements In speaking of which we will obserue this order that first we remember what the Fathers haue spoken of this matter and then what the Scripture teacheth vs. ¶ Authorities of certaine Fathers concerning finall repentance BEfore we enter into this disputation let vs presuppose that which Saint Augustine and all the Doctors of the Church do say that we must necessarilie know that as true repentance is properly the worke of God so he can giue it to whom he wil and when he pleaseth Therefore according to this sentence repentance shall be true and sufficient to saluation at what time soeuer it be yea in the houre of death But how sildome thys happeneth I would not that thou shouldest beleeue me or thy selfe but the Saints by whose mouth the holy Ghost hath spoken Therefore it is meet and requisâ—â—e that we relye vpon their iudgements Heare therfore what Saint Augustine doth speak of this matter in his booke of true and false repentance Hee that first is forsaken of his sinnes before he forsake theÌ„ he freely and willingly doth not forsake them but of necessity and constraint But God requireth the libertie of thy will Wherefore they that will not be conuerted vnto the Lord so long as they can sinne and afterwards come vnto conuersion wheÌ„ they can sin no longer they shall not so easily obtaine that they desire And then a little after Augustine declaring how that conuersion is wrought sayth thus Hee is conuerted that is he is wholie and altogether changed who now not onely feareth punishment but hasteth to returne to a good and gracious God Which conuersion albeit it happeneth to any one at the end of his life we are not to despaire of the remission of his sinnes But because so faithfull and absolute a conuersion sildome or neuer happeneth so late repentance is suspicious and to be feared For whom the disease constraineth and the paine terrifieth he shall scarcelie euer come to true conuersion especially when hys children are present whom he hath too much doted on his wife and the world doe call him vnto them For this late repentance is wont to deceaue manie But because God is alwayes almightie he can alwaies help in death whom he pleaseth But because there be many things that doe hinder and doe draw away the languishing and fainting spirit it is most dangerous next to destruction to put of repentance vntill death But it is a very great thing that God should then inspire thee and deale so fauourably with thee If therefore there be any one who then doth seeke for true repentance let him expect the friendly clemencie of God well vnderstanding and feeling that the goodnes of God is greater then his wickednes He that thus escapeth let him liue and not die Hetherto Saint Augustine by whose words it is manifest into how great dangers they do cast themselues headlong who of purpose leaue of their repentance to the houre of death Saint Ambrose also in his bookes of repentance doth largelie dispute of this matter although there be some that attribute this discourse of his to Augustine where amongst many other things he faith He that râ—penteth and reconcileth himselfe at the last cast and passeth hence that is departeth out of his bodie I confesse vnto you that we deny not vnto him that which he desireth but I dare not presume to say that hee went vvell hence I doe not presume I doe not promise I doe not say I deceaue ye not I doe not beguile you I make no promise vnto you A faithfull man liuing well doth safely depart hence He that repenteth and is reconciled whilst he is in health if after he liue well is safe Repeating the same thing a little after he saith But he that repenteth at the last and shall passe hence whether hee safelie passeth or no I am not certaine I can assure him of repenpentance but of further securitie I cannot assure him Marke what I say I will lay downe this more plainly least any one should misse my meaning Doe I say that he shal be damned I doe not say so Neither doe I say that he shall be saued O holie Bishop what other thing doost thou say vnto me Certainlie I know not what I shall say vnto thee I haue said I presume not I promise not I know not Gods determination Wilt thou my brother be deliuered from all doubt wilt thou escape thys ambiguous incertaintie Repent whilst thou art strong and in health For if thou truly repentest whilst thou art in health so the last day finde thee thou art safe Therefore runne that thou maist be reconciled If thou doost so thou art safe Why safe Wilt thou that I shal tell thee Because thou repentedst at that time when thou mightest haue sinned Behold I haue told thee why thou art safe But if then thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer thy sinnes haue dismissed thee and not thou them
weepe in the very bitternes of my hart These and other things being past finished which he remembreth forth-with the light of security being infused into his hart the darknes of al doubt fled away The Lord so changed his mind that afterwards he neyther desired any carnall vices nor any other vanity in this world And being losed from these chaynes he beginneth at the entrance of the booke following to giue thanks to God his deliuerer saying Lord I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thine Hand-mayde Thou hast broken my bonds I will sacrifice vnto thee the sacrifice of prayse My hart and my tongue doe prayse thee and all my bones doe say Lord who is like vnto thee Let them say so and Lord aunswer me and say to my soule I am thy saluation Who then am I and what an one What euill am I not Or was it my deedes or if not my deedes was it my words or if not my words was it my will But thou Lord art good and mercifull and thy right hand respected the profundity of my death and thou drewest the depth of corruption from the bottome of my hart And this was wholy that vnwillingnes which thou willedst and that willingnes which thou wouldest not But where was all this long time my wil to doe wel and from vvhat bottome and deepe Abysse didst thou in a moment call it forth vvhereby I might submit my necke vnder thine easie yoke and my shoulders vnder thy light burthen ô Christ Iesus my helper and onely redeemer How sweete on a sodaine was it for me to want the sweetnes of trifles and which I was afrayd to lose now it was a ioy vnto me to lose them For thou being the true and chiefest sweetnes didst cast them from mee thou didst cast them away and for them entredst in thy selfe being sweeter then any pleasure but not to flesh blood and brighter then any light but to the inward secret man and higher then all honour but not to those that are high in themselues Hetherto are the words of Saint Augustine Tell me now if the matter standeth thus if the vertue and efficacie of the Diuine grace be so powerfull what is it that holdeth thee captiue vvhereby thou canst not doe that vvhich they haue done If thou beleeuest that these things are true that the grace of God is effectuall to worke so admirable a change if it be denied to no man that with all his hart desireth it because now also he is the same God vvhich he vvas then vvithout respect of persons vvhat doth hinder thee vvhy thou goest not out of this wretched seruitude and embracest that chiefest good vvhich freely is offered thee Why hadst thou rather vvith one hell to gayne another then vvith one Paradice to gayne another Paradice Be not negligent or vvithout hope Assay once his busines and trust in God vvhich vvhen thou shalt scarcely begin to doe behold he vvill come to meete thee as the father met his prodigall child with open armes Certainly it is a matter of wonder astonishment That if some cosener should promise thee the Art of Alcumy vvhereby thou mightest extract gold out of brasse thou vvouldest not cease although it vvere very chargeable vnto thee vntil thou hadst tried and experimented it and heere the vvord of the Lord teacheth thee to make heauen of earth spirit of flesh and an Angel of a man and vvilt thou not assay and make trial And when as in the end eyther later or sooner eyther in this life or in that to come at the length thou shalt know the truth of this matter I desire thee that with attention thou wouldest consider how thou shalt finde thy selfe deceaued in the day of rendering an account when thou shalt see thy selfe damned because thou didst forsake the way of Vertue because thou imaginedst to thy selfe that it was hard and difficult And there thou shalt know most manifestly that this way is much more sweet and pleasant then the way of vices and pleasures which leade thee onely to earthly delights of which then there shall not be any footsteps or reliques left Against them that feare to enter into the way of Vertue for the loue of this world CHAP. XXIX IF we should feele the pulse and life vaine of all them who feare to enter into the way of vertue perhaps wee should finde many so slothfull and sluggish because the loue of this world hath infatuated them and made them fooles I say that it hath infatuated them for this loue is a false glasse and an apparance of good things which in truth are not good vvhich false glasse maketh all worldly things to be in so great price amongst the ignorant Whereupon beasts which feare shadowes flie all shadowie things as hurtfull dangerous when in deed they are not So these men on the contrary part doe loue and embrace the things of this world supposing estimating them to be louely and delectable when in deed they are not Therefore as they that would bring beasts from their shadowie idle imagination doe often leade them through those places which they feare that they may see that that is but a vaine shadowe which they feared So now it is necessary that we leade these men through the shadowes of earthly things who so ordinarily doe loue them that we may make them to behold them vvith other eyes that they may plainly see how great a vanitie and a shadow all that is which they so greatly admire and loue and that as those dangers are not worthy that they should be feared so also these good things are not worthy that they should be desired or loued He therefore that shall diligently and seriously consider of the world with all the felicities in it shall finde sixe euils and mischiefes in it which no man can denie as are shortnesse miserie dangers blindnes sinnes and deceipts vvith which the felicitie of the world is alwaies mingled by which it may plainly be seene who and what it is Euery one of these wee will handle in that which followeth yet briefely and in order ¶ How short the felicity of this world is GOe to thou canst not denie to me beginning to dispute of this worldly felicitie but that all the felicitie and sweetnes of this world or by what name so euer els thou wilt call it is short and of small continuance For this felicitie cannot endure beyond a mans life But how long the life of man is we haue before declared seeing that it reacheath scarcely to an hundred yeeres But how many be there that come to an hundred yeres I haue seene diuers Bishops and Cardinals who haue scarcelie liued two moneths in theyr dignitie others elected Popes who haue scarce sit one month I haue seene others that haue married wiues louing beautifull rich and vertuous so that nothing seemed to be wanting in them who haue not enioyed them one week
in his 36 Sermon vppon the Canticles 1 Cor 4. Ber. in his 88. Epistle Ber. in hys 54. Sermon vpon the Canticles Greg. in his 40. homily vpon the Gospels 1 Tim 6 Christ an example pouertie How vnworthy how vilde a thing it is to lose thy soule for gold Math 6 Riches bring many euils inconueniences with them Riches doe not satisfie the appetite A similitude Aug. of the words of the Lord Riches are not safe Riches profit nothing in death A similitude Ambrose in a certaine Sermon Riches are remedies reliefes of mans misery and not instruments of pleasure 1 Tim. 6. Rich men may also be saued Ambrose in a Sermon Gregory in the 1. booke of his Register chap. 2. Hirelings are not to be defrauded of their wages Wils are speedily to be discharged A ioyfull plesaÌ„t thing not to be endangered and endebted to others 1 Tim 6. The combat of Chastity difficult Luxury polluteth the liuâ—ly temple of GOD. 1 Cor 6 The beginning of luxurie pleasant but the end bitter Prou 23 Mischiefes ioyned to this vice Luke 15 The chast beginne an Angels life in this life Bernard Epistle 42 Apoc 14 The outward sences are to be kept Ecclesi 9. Iob 31. The presence of God of thy Angell and of the deuill is to be thought vpon It is dangerous for a man alone to speake with a woman alone Dan. 13. August of the words of our Lord. Greg. in the 3 booke of his Dialogue ch 7. Enuy is familier with euery age person Gen. 37. Num. 12. Eccles. 4. Enuious men like vnto the deuill August in his booke of Christian doctrine Wee must not enuie the vertues of our neighbor By Charity other mens good things are made ours The mischiefes of Enuie A similitude Enuy is a iust sinne Gala 5 A similitude An obiection The answer Luke 21. Gluttony the cause of death The Abstinence of Christ. The abstinence of the holy fathers The delight of gluttony very short Luke 16. We must be wary in the refection of our bodies How man is reformed Aâ—lus Gâ—liâ—â— Ephe 4 Math 5 Man more wrathful then beasts Man hath no weapons giuen him of nature The anger of a certain Lyon From the example of Christ. An angry man without the grace and fauour of God Math 5 In his 8. homily vpon Ezech. How wee must reuenge Selfe-loue is to be pulld vp by the roots We must do nothing in our anger Plutarch in the Apothegs of the Romanes In the time of anger we must decree of nothing A similitude Ecclesi 19. Another aduice 1 Cor. 13. Prou 15. Math. 7. Math 24 The lobors of Christ. The labors of the Saints Nothing created to be idle Iohn 5 Great repentance is required for sinnes Luke 7 The saying of a godly man Without perseueraÌ„ce no saluation A similitude Very good and wholsome counsaile After victory a newe warre approcheth A similitude How temptation is to be turned into good Iames 5 We must not sweare by the life of another A similitude Three euils spring froÌ„ murmuring A similitude Ecclus 22 Prou 16 Ecclus 28 Ecclus 11 Ecclus. 28 Ecclus 9 The greatest soueranity to be able to rule thy tongue A similitude Psalm 55 Murmurers detractors are not to be heard Ecclus 29 Prou 25â—punc Howe a backbiter a detractour is to bee reproued A similitude Scandall that comes by detraction Math 18 Zach. 2. Against ieâ—ters and Iibers Leuit. 19. Math. 7. Foure precepts of the Church Housholders ought to looke that their families keepe the Sabaoth Eccles. 9. Eccle. 19. Aug. in his booke of the 〈…〉 Greg. in his Pastorals The hurt that the sins bring to the soule which we make so small account of In what things they are committed Aug. in his book of the conflict of vertues and vices Tom 9. Math 6. Math 23 Luke 10 Rom 13 Wisdom 2 Math 5 1 Iohn 4 Psalm 5 1 Peter 2 Math 10 1. Tim 4 2 Tim. 2 2 Tim 4 Math 5. Math. 25. Ezech. 18 Eccles. 5. Ezech. 16. A similitude 1 Iohn 16 Luke 6. â—ath 5 Iâ—b 31 Esay 46. 1 Cor. 2. The conclusion of the first part of the sâ—cond book 1 Iohn 4. The duties of iustice Note Miche 6 The parts to be reformed in maÌ„ What maner of conuâ—rsation man ought to haue The first fruit of this modesty Math 5 A caution The second fruite A similitude Ecclus 19 The third fruite Iob 29 In the same chapter Ecclâ—s 19 Prou 27 The body ought to be hâ—ndled â—usterely A similitude Rules to be obserued in eating Ecclesi 31. Bernard in his Epistles Greg. in the 2 booke of his Morals A similitude Gluttony a deceitfull pretender of yâ— which is not Epictetes The touch and the tast are the ignoblest sences The pleâ—sure of the tast short Wine immoderatly taken how dangerous Ephesi 5. In an Epistle to Eustochium of keeping virginity The Vine bringeth forth three kinde of Grapes Wine a very bad counsayler Much talke to be auoyded Prou 31 In the life of August chap 22. Ierome in an Epistle to Furia A similitude Bernard in his Epistles At the time of prayer the eyes are especially to be kept The eares are to be kept Smelling The tast Ecclus 18 Iames. 3 4. Things are to bee obserued in speaking The matter is to be obserued Ephe 4 Ephe 5 A similitude The maner is to be obserued in speaking Ecclus 32 The time Ecclus. 20. The intent of the speaker Prou 17 The euils and mischiefes of our owne will Bernard in his thyrd sermon of the resurrection of the Lord. The inferiour part of the soule is to be watched kept The difference betweene the sonnes of God the children of the world With what affections we are especially to warre Note How the superiour part of the soule is to be reformed The pouerty of spirit Seneca in his 18. Epist. Iohn 12. Prou. 29. Eccles. 33. A similitude A similitude The Imagination a wanderer and a fugiâ—iue A similitude 2 Kings 4. The duty and office of wisdom Similitudes Wisedome the Captaine and guide of other vertues The first duty of wisedome The second dutie The thyrd dutie The fourth dutie The fift dutie Eccles 3 Prou 29. Eccles 8. The 6 duty Ecclus 18. The 7. duty The 8. duty Acts 6 The 9. duty No man hurteth more then hee the hurteth vnder the show of pietie The tenth dutie Gala 1 Prou. 4. what things are required for this wisedome Foure stepdames of wisedome Vertue hateth extreames Antiquity doth not patronize nor vphold sinne This rule hath place in morality not in matters of faith Apparences of things doe often deceaue vs. In what a man ought to be circumspect Note Prou. 14. Eccles. 1. Euery opinion is not to be followed Ecclesi 13. The second part of iustice Esay 58 1 Cor 12 Colos 3 1 Tim 1 Rom 13 Ierome vpon the sixt chap. of the Epistle to the Galathians Charitie is not a naked and a bare affection 1 Iohn 3 Sixe