in pilgrymage to see anye Kinges Pallaces but to enioye the sight of the Martyres tombes many Kings haue become Pylgryms Prudentius also of this writeth Illitas cruore nunc arenas nicolae Cōfrequentāt obsecrātes voce votis munere Exteri nec non et orbis huc colonus aduenit Fama nā terras in ōnes praecucurrit proditrix Hic patronos esse mundi quos precātes ambiant The tounsmē flock to the imbrued sāds There makinge sute with voyce with vowe with gifte Men also come from farre and forreine landes To euerye coast fore-ranne the fame so swifte That heere the patrons of the worlde did lye By whose good prayers eche wighte might seeke supplye S. Beede also and our own Chronicles make mentiō how King Cedwall King Cenred wente to Rome in Pilgrimage to those holye reliques of the Apostles which honour to what Emperoure was it euer geuen or so longe continued Moreouer what wonderfull force the Martyrs be of the effectes that haue bene wroughte by they re verye ashes bones garmentes and other thinges of theyres doth aboundantlye testifye S. Chrisostome sayeth that S. Peters cheynes his sworde and his garmentes wrought manye myracles S. Ambrose writeth that at S. Geruasius and Protasius reliquies so diuerse diseases were cured that the people caste they re Beades and garmentes vppon they re bodyes deeminge them of force to cure maladyes by the only touch of those saintes The verye ashes of S. Cyprian dryue the diuells out of the possessed cured diseases and gaue fore-knowledge of future euentes as Cregorye Nazianzen wryteth And S. Chrisostome compareth Martyrs bodyes to the Emperoures owane armour the verye lyghte whereof maketh the theeues that is the diuels to flye though neuer so eager of praye Nō ad naturam eorum intendunt sed in arcanam dignitatem gloriam christi qui in agone certantium induta corpora martyrum suorum sicut arma portauit For they re eye aymeth not at theyr nature but at the secret dignitye and glorye of Chryste whoe puttinge on the bodyes of hys Martyrs beare them as armoure in the agony of theyr combates And in sūm what hath bene wrought by anye Martyre in his lyfe but that ordinarilye his ashes and reliques haue ben of the lyke yea and somtimes of greater force whether it were raysinge of the dead restoring of the lame geuing sighte to the blynde hearinge to the deafe or speache to the dūme or what other miracle so euer Now therfore yf Dauid demaunde his olde question Shall any vtter thy mercye in the graue or thy trueth in perdition shall thy maruayles be knowen in darkenesse or thy iustice in the lande of obliuion We maye aunswere that the Martyrs in their tombes extoll his mercye who by theire verye ashes cureth diseases and releeueth manye miseryes In perdition by the losse of theyr lyues shedding of theyr blood they confirme and geue testimonye vnto his truethe In darkensse of infidelitye and errour or of temporall disgrace and worldlye punyshmentes they make the maruayles of hys power and maiestye to be knowen and in they re graues whiche are the lande of oblyuion they renewe a continuall memory of his iustice who is so forwarde to aforde his rewarde to the deseruers and to crowne the conquerours in his quarrell that euen he maketh theyr deade bones and duste gloryous in this worlde before they be indued with they re final incorruption Where-vppon Gods Churche hauinge to her great aduancement founde the singuler power of Gods Martyrs hath alwayes made an especiall accounte of them had them euermore in chiefe reuerence This also moued the Fathers to geue them suche honourable tytles S. Basill calleth them the helpe of Christians the guardians of mankinde partners of our cares furtherours of oure prayers our embassadoures vnto God the starres of the worlde the flowers of the Church and Towers against inuasiō of heretickes S. Ambrose calleth them gouernoures and watchers of our lyues cryers of Gods kingdome inheritours with God intercessours of the worlde Patrons and fortresses of Cityes Theodoretus calleth them our Captaynes our Prynces our defenders keepers and aduocates Finallye S. Chrisostom calleth them Pillers Rockes Towers and lyghtes of the Church and Protectours of Kinges and Emperoures Cap. 12. O How vnhappye are they that for the sauing of goods credite tēporall authority or such worldly respects forsake these so glorious diuine honours purchase a most lamētable ignominious stile For what are they but cōtrary to that which S. Basill sayth of Martyrs the spoyle of Christiās the destroyers of mens soules the occasioners of our cares hinderers of our prayers factours of the diuell cloudes of darkenesse weedes of the Church and fortresses of heresye What are they but ruynes of relygyō dismembred offales and lymmes of Sathan Manye of them yeldinge before the battayle and foyled before they foughte haue not lefte them-selues so muche as this excuse to saye that they went to church vnwillingly They offer them selves voluntarylye they runne wittinglye to they re owne ruine and seeme rather to imbrace a thing before desired then to yeelde to an occasion that they wolde fayne haue eschewed And did not your feete stumble your eyes dasele your hart quake your body tremble whē you came into the polluted Sinagoge And could Christes seruant abyde in that place to do anye reuerence and renounce Christe or to doe anye homage to his enemy whom he had in baptisme renounced And could you come thether to offer your prayers vnto God where your verye presence offered you bodye and soule to the diuell And could catholicke eares sustayn without glowing the blasphemous reprocheful rayling speaches against your true mother the Catholicke Churche Was it no payne to heare the corrupte trāslations abuses and falsifyings of Gods owne worde Was not the lawe of goinge to churche and of beinge there present at that which they call diuine seruice made and published purposelye to the abolyshinge of the Catholique Faythe to the contempte reproofe and ouerthrow of the true Churche to the establishing of they re vntrue doctrine And can any Catholicke knowing this as none can be ignorant therof imagyne but that in obeyinge this lawe he consenteth vnto it and to the accomplyshing of that which the lawe intendeth that is the impugning of the true the setting vpp of a false faythe Doe you not remēber S. Paules wordes They are worthy of death not onlye that doe suche thinges but also those that consente to such as doe them Euen as he is worthye to be punyshed who though in mynde he fauoure his Prince yet in deede he cleaueth to his enemye Moreouer was not thys lawe made to force men to shewe and professe a conformablenesse in external behauiour to this new faith Is it not required as a signe of renouncinge the true church and approuinge this newe forme of seruice sacraments and
repayre vnto her So God sayeth S. Chrisostome suffereth vs of the worlde fleshe and deuill to be molested that we maye only acknowledge him and come vnto him as onr chiefe succour and refuge The Deuill kisseth where he meaneth to kyll he giueth vs a draught of poyson in a golden cup and in a sumptuous and statelye shipp wafteth his passengers vpon the rockes of eternal ruine DuÌ„ per voluptates sayth Eusebius Emisssenus extrinsecus blanditur intrinsecus insidiatur interficit spirituÌ„ duÌ„ oblectat affectuÌ„ While with pleasures without he delighteth vs inwardlye he deceyueth vs and killeth our soule while he flattereth our fancye For when he moueth vs to labour our wittes and settle our affection in these inferiour things what doth he perswade vs but with a golden hooke to fishe in a filthye puddle sincke where nothing can be gotten but venemous and vnsauorye vermin With Sirens sweete notes he woeth vs into the salte sea of perdition with Crocodyles teares he endeuoreth to intrapp vs and when he sheweth a mans face and glorious lockes adorned wrth a crowne of golde as the Locustes of the Apocalips did then meaneth he euen like the same to byte vs with his Lions teeth stynge vs with his Scorpions tayle For whye all his fauoures and friendlye countenances are but Oscula inimici kisses of an enemye Virus amaritudinis obscurat fraude dulcedinis prouocat prius odor poculi sed praefocat infusus sapor in virus mel est quod ascendit in labia venenum et fel quod descendit in viscera He shrowdeth his bitter poyson vnder a deceiptfull sweetenesse the pleasant sauour of the cupp inuiteth but the sweete taste of the poyson choketh it is honye that commeth vpp to our lippes but gall and poyson that goeth downe into our bowels And howsoeuer with a smoth flyghte and an euen winge the deuill houereth in the ayre as though he weare an Egle that delighted to view the Sonne and looke towardes heauen yet beareth he a raueninge minde in truth is but a greedy kyte that hath his eyes alwayes fixed on the Earth and maketh only such a fayre shewe in the ayre the better to watch a fitt tyme when he maye best seyze vppon his praye For this Saint Basill compareth him to a theefe that when he can not by open violence catch his bootye seeketh by shrowding him selfe in the valeys bushes darknes of the night to take the poore traualour vnprouided and so to spoyle him For so the deuill when he seeth that by open pursute he can not ouerthrowe vs he couertlye cowcheth him selfe in the shadowes bryers of worldlye vanityes and delightsome allurementes therby to intrapp vs ere we preuente his traynes But God taketh a contrarye course For as the husband man doth lopp the vyne leaste all the force be vnprofitable spente in leaues and the roote beinge therbye weackened the frute be neyther so much nor so pleasante as otherwyse it would So God like a carefull keeper of our soule least our whole mynde shoulde be imployed in vayne and superfluous pleasures he cutteth them from vs that our wittes which would in them with our profitt haue byn diffused beinge kepte in compasse by troubles may be fitter to worke and bring forth frutes of eternall saluation Where God purposeth to heale he spareth not to launce he ministreth bitter sirroppes to purge corrupte humors and sendeth embassies of death and reuenge where he meaneth to afforde eternall lyfe and felicity Good Raguell prepared a graue for young Tobias and yet desired harte lye his long lyfe Ioseph accused his brothers as spyes when he mente theÌ„ left harme and restreyned litle Beniamin as guilty of thefte whom he knewe fulwel to be a guiltlesse iÌ„nocent But these accusacions were but like water in a smithes forge to kindle not to quenche a rough entrance to a most kynd vsage and an outwarde shewe of suspicion to vtter the more his intire affection EueÌ„ so dealeth god with his children We haue passed through fire water sayth Dauid but it foloweth and he hath led vs out into comforte Manye goe de carcere catenis out of prison cheines but their iorneys ende is ad regnuÌ„ to a kingdome Many be in a few thinges vexed but they shall be well considered for it in many Manye are tryed lyke golde in the fornace but at their time shall regarde be had vnto them If it be a greeuous infirmitye at the lest it maketh the soule sober And if god beginne with affâ—ixi te I haue afflicted thee he will doubtlesse ende with Non affligam te vltra I will afflicte thee no more And finallye Sicut socij passionum sumus sic erimus consolationis si commortui sumus conuiuemus sisustinemus conregnabimus As we are fellowes of his passions fo shall we be of his comforte and if with him we dye with him shall we liue and if we suffer his Crosse we shall be partners of his Crowne God woundeth but his wouâ—des be vulnera amici woundes of a frinde He sent Ionas to Niniue to threaten theÌ„ an ouerthrow but his intente was to bring them to repentance that he mighte continue towardes them his fauour He sent to Ezechias to tell him of his laste day but his meaninge was to make him sorye for his offence that he mighte adiorne his lyfe He suffered Daniel to be throwen into the denne of Lions but it was to aduaunce him to greater credit He that had seene Ioseph vndeseruedlye in prison Iudith in her enemies campe Mardocheus in sackcloth with his gibbet before his eyes and innocent SusaÌ„na going to be stoned would haue lamented their case and feared their farther misfortune But had he knowen that Iosephes prison shold end in a Prince dome Iudiths hazard with a most happye victorye Mardocheus perill with royall preferment and Susannas stoning with glorye and triumphe he would rather haue thought theÌ„ mâ—ch beholdinge to god for the ensuinge felicity theÌ„ greatly to be pitied for their preseÌ„t distresse The figtree hath bitter rugged leaues it beareth no flowers and yet bringeth forth moste daintye and sweete fruite The Deuill because in dede he hath no fruite is fayne to feed his followers with leaues that soone wither and flowers that soone fade and all that he giueth is blowen awaye with a blast But god because he loueth vs sincerelye and not in shewe onlye but in veritye he giueth vs the fruite without flower or leafe that is his giftes and graces without externall and vayne solaces yea and sometimes he besetteth his fruites not onlye with rugged and bitter leaues but also with sharpe and pricking thornes that the hardnesse to attayne them maye make them the more prysed and the remeÌ„brance of former aduersitie maye make the comfortes followinge more delightsome The benefitt of a calme weather is
it and with pitifull mone and lamentation lyfted vpp her voyce to heauen feedinge her pensiue and timorous thoughtes with the dolfull remembraunce and continuall feare of her childes departure We see what cold and trembling agonyes surpryse the poore wretch that pleadeth at the barr whyle the Iurye deliberateth vpon his finall sentence We see how doubtfully the sicke patient hangeth in suspence betweene hope and feare whyle the phisicians are in consultatiō whether his disease be mortall Finallye if a younge spouse tenderlye affected and deeplye enamoured vpon her new husbande see him assaulted by fierce and cruell enemyes or inforced to wage in a whote daungerous battayle what a multitude of frightfull passiōs oppresse her how variablye is she tossed vp and downe with crosse and fearfull surmises Of euery gunne that is discharged she feareth that the pellett hath hitt his bodye ere the noyse came to her eares at euerye worde that is reported of anye that are slayne feare maketh her doubt that her best-beloued is one Euerye rumour costeth her a teare euerye suspicion a pange and till she see the battayle ended and her husbande safely returned she hangeth betweene life death drawing euery thing to sorowful constructions vtterly refusing all kynde of comforte O how harde and tough harted are we towarde our owne soules that seeinge them in all the rehersed daungers feele not in our selues any motiō of the like affections The sword of gods iustice hangeth ouer our soules ready for our sins to diuyde vs from eternall blysse and vncertayne it is whether he will geue not onlye a parte but the whole to the foule fiend that hath so often through our iniquityes stolne vs from our mothers syde into his enuious handes and shall not we be moued with pitye and griefe We are from paradyse exiled with Agar into this barren deserte and can not certaynelye assure our selues that we haue so much as one dropp of grace to slake and mitigate the thirsting passions which without it vndoubtedlye worke the death of our soules and our finall damnation And can we seeinge not our childe but the chiefe portion of our selues in such a taking with drye eyes and vnnaturall hartes beholde it without sorowe Are not we to stande at the barre in the daye of Iudgment where the deuils our consciences and all creatures shall giue most strayte information agaynst vs The twelue Apostles as our quest Christ as our Iudge whome we haue daylye offended shall passe their verdicte in moste rigorous sorte vppon vs and that about our eternall death and saluation And can we vntil we here what wil become of vs doe otherwyse but lyue in continuall feare and perplexitye Is not our soule in this bodye as a Lazar in death-bed vncertayne of life so long as it couched therin yea in apparent daunger of an endlesse death and shall not we till we heare the iudgment of our heauenlye phisician who can quicklye search and onlye can enter into our diseases trēble quake feare a hard resolutiō Finallye is not our most beutiful noble portiō of which the body hath al the seemlinesse without which it strayte becommeth vglye and monstrous Is it not I saye in the thronge and presse of most powrable subtile and barbarous enemyes hauing continuall warre not onlye agaynst fleshe bloode but also agaynst the princes and powers agaynst the rulers of the worlde of this darcknesse Is it not also set the in reach of many occasiōs allurementes and prouocations vnto sinne And can we seeinge this doe any thing but morne and liue in continuall anguish and pensiuenesse vntill we see the battayle ended and our soule safely deliuered out of daunger O senselesse and benummed hartes of ours that at the consideration of so heauye and lamentable poyntes can not fynde scope and fielde of sorowe Lett vs at the lest be sorye for our want of sorowe and bewayle our scarcitye of teares lest we fall into a carelesse securitye and by not sorowing as we should leaue considering for how great causes we ought For as S. Gregorye noteth Saepe quod torpentes latuit fletibus innotescit afflicta mens certius inuenit malum quod fecerat et reatum suum cuius secura non meminit hunc in se cōmota depraehendit Oftentimes that which we knowe not through our sloth we learne by teares and an afflicted mind more certainly findeth a cōmitted fault the guilt which in securitie it remēbred not being troubled it espyeth And seeing that on euerye syde we haue such vrgent occasiōs to morne and passe the dayes of this our paynfull pilgrimage in griefe and heauinesse we must rather content our selues in tribulation then in repose seeinge by the first we are but inuited to weeping and sorowe which is the thinge that we should professe and by the last to comfort and solace which with reason the eminent daungers and straytes that we stand in will not comporte Which both of Christ and his saintes hath ben so well vnderstood that Christ though it had bene as easye for him to haue bene borne an Emperour haue had all the pleasures that heauen and earth could yelde yet would he not in the vale of teares geue so preposterous an example of myrth But as one that knew whether he came he entered into the worlde weepinge and in tyme of his aboade with vs lyued lyke an outwayle and morner in his death tooke his leaue with teares tormēts What his Saintes haue done lett all antiquitye testifie how like men that had no feelinge of worldlye comfort they roued in deserts lodged in desolate holtes and caues were cloathed with heare and sackcloth fedd very litle and groslye chastised their bodyes often and seuerelye endeuouringe to keepe them selues alwayes in remembraunce that they were mourners And therfore choosinge place habyte dyet exercyse fittest for that dolfull professiō The Sayntes knew that heauen onlye was Terra viuentium a lande of the liuinge and that in this worlde we sitt In tenebris et in vmbra mortis in darkenesse and the shadowe of death and therfore they wyselye iudged that musica in luctu importuna vnfittinge it is to haue myrthe and musicke in tyme of sorowe They sawe no doubt the tree of this lyfe loaden with some alluringe and delicious fruites but consideringe that it grew in such a place as the clyminge vnto it implyed manifest daunger of falling into the bottomlesse pitt of hell they lefte it as a praye for the raueninge foule of this world contenting them selues with the bitter frutes of aduersitye They knew that only in the arriuall to heauen In exultatione metent portantes manipulos suos They shall reape in ioye bearing their handfuls and therfore here all the waye Euntes ibant etflebant mittentes semina sua they went weepinge sowinge their seedes in sorowe They knew that who will keepe the feast in heauen must first keepe the
moembus destitutae pars miseriaruâ— est recordari quid fâ—â—erit In the end the wretched citizens euerye where throwing them selues with a finall desperation into the fyer the whole citye became a funerall fyer and being now left smale in situation bare of walles it is a parte of the misery therof to here what it hath ben It were infinite to exemplifye the desolations ruines and calamityes that by warr haue fallen vppon all nations and prouinces euerye history cronicle of former times yea the vâ—rye experience of our dayes geueth so large proofe and notice of them that none can be ignorant how terrible a scourge it is hauing in it no smale resemblance of the eternall horrour of hell And thus it appeareth how mans offence by man hath ben reuenged Lett vs now see how the whole worlde hath conspired to the iuste punishment of Gods enemies And first to beginne with the earth what a terrible instrumeÌ„t of Gods iustice hath this element bene All Achaya was so strangelye shaken with an earthquake that two cityes Bura and Helice were swallowed vpp An other also happened in Traians tyme which in Asia ouerthrew fower cytyes in Greece two and three others in Galatia About the same time was greate parte of Antioch in lyke maner ouerthrowen In the nynth yeere of Titus Vespasianus three cityes of Ciprus were by the like accident destroyed I omitt the earthquake of Constantinople Rhodus and Caria thoughe all memorable for terrible effectes I will not speake of the horrible breach and gaping of the earth that happened in Rome out of which vamped so vntollerable a stench that the verye byrdes that flew ouer it fell downe dead which by no other meanes coulde be closed vpp but by the deuouringe of a man that voluntarilye leaped into it I omit diuerse other wonderfull calamityes which the earth by Gods permission hath occasioned to giue vs to vnderstand that we ought not to muche to marueyle at our present afflictions as muse at Gods mercye that we beinge attaynted with the lyke crymes we are not swallowed vpp quicke with our familyes howses children and goods as the sinners of former ages were Nether haue fewer vexations happened by meanes of the water For to saye nothing of Noe his fludd that left in the whole worlde no more but eyght persons aliue destroying cityes townes men and beastes There haue also since that time happened other inudations though not so generall as that yett doubtlesse such as testified sufficiently Gods deepe and immortall hatred agaynst sinne Of Ogigius fludd we reed that it wasted all most all Achaia Deucalions deluge consumed greatest parte of Thessalia And Diodorus writeth of an Iland in Egipt called Pharos that was altogether couered and drowned with a straunge irruption of waters I will not recken the ouerflowing of riuers yea of litle brookes that by continuall rayne and snowe swelled so hye that they haue drowned manye cityes destroyed manye townes spoyled corne and cattell and left behinde them most rufull monumentes of Gods deserued indignation How often also and how daylye see we how by diuers alterations the ayre hath ben a meane to chastise mens iniquityes What wracke hauocke hath ben made by stormes and tempestes what terrible frightfull casualtyes by thunder what strang mortallitye by pestiferous vapours exhalations corrupting and infecting the ayre and breeding infinite diseases in mens bodyes Eusebius writeth that Aethiopia was so pestered with the plague and infectious diseases that it was almost brought to vtter desolation Rome in L. Genucius and Q. Seruilius consulshipp by an infectious wynde was two whole yeres consumed with so generall a pestilence that all the inhabitantes were eyther dead or by extreame leanes left in as good as deadly termes Yea and in L. Cecilius Metellus and Q. Fabius Maximus Seuerinus tyme The infection and mortalltye was so greate that first there were not enow to burye the dead and in the end ther were none at all In so much that great howses were voyde of liuing and full of dead bodyes furnished with ample patrimonyes but without anye to enioye them Yea the miserye grew to so lamentable an issue that not onlye there could no man liue in the citye but not so much as approch vnto it so vntolerable was the stenche of the dead carcases rotting in their houses and in theire owne beddes Neyther was that wonderfull punishmeÌ„t of god shewed in M. Plautius Hipsaeas and M. Flaccus dayes of lesse terror For when throughe out all Africa there swarmed innumerable multitudes of Locustes which deuoured not onlye the corne fruites herbes leaues and twigges but euen the barke of trees and drye wood being lifted al froÌ„ the earth with a sodeyne tempest and gathered into globes they were caried in the ayre a long tyme and in the end drowned in the African sea Which afterwarde casting them by huge heapes vpon the shoares there rotting and putrifying they breathed out so noysome and pernicious a sauour that the verye bestes and byrdes dying and corrupting in the fieldes greatlye increased the former annoyance And as for men in Numidia where then Micipsa raygned ther dyed eyght hundred thousand and about the sea costes towarde Carthage and Vtica two hundred thousand more and in Vtica it selfe thirtye thousande soldiers The death also was so sodeyne that in one daye and by one only gate of this one citye there were caried out fiftene hundred of the younger sorte And thus the multitude of vermyne that could not alyue haue bene endured was much lesse tolerable when it was dead and the perishing therof destroyed all thinges which they could haue consumed if they had liued longer Which most detestable infections being conceyued encreased and fostered in mens bodyes by breathing and drawing in the corrupted ayre we see how seuere a whipp of Gods iustice it hath bene and that of Gods great mercye it proceedeth that we liuing therin so long haue ben thereby spared from parte of lyke rigorous punishemente our sinnes being so greuous that they deserued not onlye this our present and in comparison verye smale aduersitye but the moste bitter portion of the forenamed vengeance Now if we consider what desolate effectes the fyer hath wrought not onlye in hell and purgatorye where the torment therof is vnspeakeable but in this verye lyfe we shall fynde them no lesse fearefull argumentes of Gods iustice then haue bene touched before For to omitt the ordinarye casualtyes wherby manye townes cities haue bene by Gods per missioÌ„ vtterly coÌ„sumed To omit also the burning of Constantinople by fyer descended from the element in Arcadius his tyme The ouerthrow of greate parte of Rome walles by lightening The burning of manye partes of the same citye by sodeyne fyer which no man knoweth from whence it issued To omitt the strange iudgementes of God vpon diuers Tirants persecutors and wicked persons by thunder flashes I will
liue no longer For he leeseth nothing that then he had and he shall be to the world but as thē he was God made Adames garment of dead beasts skinnes to put him in minde that he was condemned to dye and to make the remembrance of death familiar vn to him that the losse of lyfe might not affright him who alwayes caryed the liuerye of deathe vppon him And as Daniell by spreadding ashes in the Temple discouered the treacherye and falshood of the Priestes of Babilonia So by poudering our thoughtes and memorye with the duste of our graue and often repetition of our decease we shall soon discrye the vanitye of this lyfe the traines of the diuell and our secrete temptations to be such as we would rather wishe by losing of lyfe to cutt of then by auoyding death to continue If any thing make death tedious it is the wante of the consideration of it The old men haue it right before them the yonge men hard behinde them all men daylye ouer them and yet we forget it Familiarytye with Lions taketh awaye the feare of them the being vsed to tempestes geueth harte and courage to endure them and in warre the seinge so manye howrely bereaued of lyfe maketh the soldier litle or nothing to sett by it If therfore we wil be out of all feare of death lett vs continuallye remember it If we vse our horse to the race before we runne for the wager If we accquaint our selues with the weapons before we fighte for the victorye Much more sholde we take heede that we come not dispourueyed to this laste combat The good Pylot when he guideth his shipp he sitteth at the sterne in the hinder parte therof and so the prouident Christian to directe his lyfe must alwayes sit at the end of the same that the mindfulnes of death being his sterne he may feare it the lesse and prouide for it the better This is the dore wherby we must go out of bondage therfore as the prisoner that standeth vppon his deliuerye taketh greatest comfort in sitting vpon the threshold that when the dore is opened he maye the sooner gett out So ought we alwayes to haue our minde fixed vppon the laste steppe of our lyfe ouer which we are sure that passe we muste though how or when we know not For this cause that holy man Ioannes Eleemosinarius Patriarke of Allexandrya hauing his Tombe in building commaunded that it shold be lefte imperfect and that his seruauntes euerye daye shoulde putt him in minde to finishe the same that hauinge hys eye alwayes fixed vppon this dore of death he might the better prepare for the passage through it The memorye of death is the ashes wherin the fire of vertue being raked vpp it continueth the better and wil be fitter to enkindle the courage of our mind that when death commeth in deede these ashes shal be vnraked we maye rather reioyce that our flame hath found a vente to mount to hir natural Sphere where it will shine to our glorye then sorowe that it parteth out of the chimnye of our fleshe where it was in daunger to be quenched with our iniquitye It was not without cause that God likened death to a theefe For as the theefe when hee findeth the man of the house watchinge and vppon his garde he saluteh him in curteous sorte and taketh vppon him the person of a friende but yf he finde him a sleepe he cruellye murdereth him and robbeth his treasurye So death to those that are prepared for it is verye cōfortable and to those onlye terrible that sleepe in sinne and are carelesse of their ende And to these belongeth that sayinge The deathe of the sinners is worste Euill because it seuereth from the worlde worse because it seuereth from the bodye and worste of all because it seuereth from God For why they make the worlde their Parradise their bodye their god and God their enemye To suche death is hatefull for that therin they are tormented with the panges of of the dyeing fleshe amazed with the fittes and corrasiues of the mynd frighted with the terrour of that which is to come greeued with remorse of that which is paste They are stunge with the gnawing of a guiltye conscience discomforted with the rigoure of a seuere Iudge annoyed with the thought of their lothsome sepulchre And thus though death of it selfe be not bitter yet is it bitter to the wicked And yet as S. Ambrose noteth euen to them is lyfe more bitter then death For more greeuous is the liuinge to sinne then the dyinge in sinne For the wicked while he liueth increaseth his offence and when he dyeth offendeth no more and therfore by his lyfe he agumenteth his tormentes and by his death he abridgeth the same It is the feare of death that maketh it terrible is not in deed so greeuous to dye as to liue in perpetuall feare and expectation of death For he that feareth God shall make a good ende and in the daye of his decease he shal be blessed And happye are the dead that dye in our Lord from hence forth sayeth the spirite they shall reste from their laboures for theire woorkes doe followe them The noone daye lighte shall ryse vnto thē at the euening of their life when they thinke themselues quite cōsumed they shal ryse as bright as Lucifer They as S. Augustine sayeth bycause their desire is to be loosed and to be with Christe endure to liue with patience are readye to dye with ioye They feare not death because they feared God in lyfe They feare not death because they rather feared lyfe And an euil deathe is but the effecte of an euil lyfe Their lyfe was a studye how to dye well and they knew that since death passed thorough the veines of lyfe it loste the bitternesse of death and tooke the taste sweetnesse of lyfe Neyther are they amazed with the fore-goinge gripes extremityes because they take them as the throwes of childebirth by whiche our soule is borne out of this lothsome bodye and brought forth to an eternal felicitye They feare not the diuels to whome they haue stoutelye resysted They haue confidence in God whose wrath they haue with repentaunce appeased The horror of the graue dothe nothing moue them because they doe but sowe therein a carnall and corruptible bodye to reape the same in the resurrection incorruptible and spirituall This made Simeon so ioyfullye sing Now thou releasest thy seruant O Lord according to thy worde in peace This made S. Hilarion so confidentlye say vnto his soule Egredere quid times egredere animamea quid dubitas septuaginta prope annos seruisti Christo mortem times Departe why fearest thou departe O my soule why doubtest thou Almost three score and tenne yeares hast thou serued Christe and fearest thou death This made S. Ambrose on hys death bedd geue this aunswere to those that wished his longer
exercitus grādis a huge army With your thunderinge bothe the cloude of erroure is disolued the enclosed lyghte of trueth displayed and the earth watered with profytable showers to the rypening of Gods corne Newe slyppes are euer engrafted when the olde bow is cutt of and the vertue of the roote that the bough leaseth the slypp enioyeth You cut open our fruite and shed the cornel on the earthe where for one that you spoyle many will springe vpp of it We are the wheate of Christe as S. Ignatus sayde and are readye if you will to be ground with the teeth of wilde beasts or if you wil not offer that with the milstones of your heauye persecution that we may become pure and cleane bread in the syghte of Chryste The Crosse is our inherytance as S. Ambrose saythe and there-fore if you bringe vs to the Crosse or which is all one in effecte to the gallowes we maye saye with S. Andrew O bona crux accipe me ab hominibus et redde me magistro meo vt per te me recipiat qui per te me redemit O good Cross take me from men and restore me to my maister that by thee he may receiue me who by thee hathe redeemed me For in this quarrell non maledictus not accursed but benedictus homo qui pependit in ligno Blessed is the man that hunge vppon a tree And therfore Agite boni praesides meliores multo apud populū si Catholicos eis immolaueritis cruciate torquete damnate atterite nos probatio est fidei nostrae iniquitas vestra Goe on you good magistrates so much the better in the peoples eyes if you sacrifyce vnto them Catholikes Racke vs torture vs condemne vs yea grinde vs youre iniquitye is a proofe of our fayth You open vs the waye to oure desyred felycitye You geue vs an absolute acquittance from endlesse misery You washe a way the vncleanesse of oure iniquitye and deliuer vs from the assaultes of oure eternall enemye You will peraduenture saye why then cōplayne you of our persecution yf you rather desyre to suffer seeing you should loue those by whom your desyre is fulfilled If we pleasure you thanke vs if we be so beneficyall vnto you we cānot doe but wel in cōtinuing our course We answere you to this with our Sauiours wordes whoe sayde desiderio desideraui hoc pascha māducare vobiscum With desyre haue I desyred to eate this pasch with you And yet it stoode well with this sayinge to saye also Vae homni illi per quē tradetur melius erat illi si natus non fuisset Wo be vnto him by whom the sonne of man shal be betrayed better it had bene for him if he had neuer bene borne Beinge soldiers by professiō we are glad that we haue so iuste occasion to fyghte in defence of the trueth and yet hartelie sorye to see you bidd vs battayle by impugninge and persecutinge the same How-soeuer it goe with vs we are sure of the victorye who if we haue the vpper hande we haue wonne Satan and chased him out of his haunt to the confusion of heresye and yf we be oppressed and murdered for oure faythe then winne we a heauenlye reward to oure selues and a confyrmation of oure relygion to oure posterytye Where-fore small is the hurte that you doe vnto vs ye vnspeakeable the benefytt But alas vnknowen the miserye that you worke vnto your selues for though you marke it not or will not see it you shall once feele that these wordes shal be verifyed in all persecutors Gladius ipsorum intret in corda eorum lett they re owne swordes enter into theyr owne hartes And the rootyng out of Catholykes frō amongest you is the onlye waye to procure your ruine For why you plucke vp the flowers and leaue the weedes you cut of the fruitfull braunches and let the withered a lone you burne the corne and spare the stubble you put Noe in to the Arke whose beinge amongest you kepte you from the deluge You thruste Loth out of Sodoma that kepte the Cytye from burning vpp you oppresse Moyses who should wrastle with Gods anger and keepe it from you And therfore puttinge Catholikes to deathe you digge your owne graues cut of the shote anckers that shoulde saue you from shipwracke It were but a follye for a Kinge that desyred peace fyrst to abuse disgrace and tormente the Embassadours and all the seruantes of a Monarch mightyer then himselfe and then to sende them home thus cruellye intreated to vtter theyr wronges receyued and to call vppon they re soueraigne for reuenge of theyr iniuryes Yet is this the extreme folly of all persecutours who thinke it necessarye for they re peace fyrste to impouerishe spoyle and tormente Gods seruantes and by barbarouslye martyring them to sende them to heauen there to be continuall soliciters with God for reuenge against they re murderers The effecte of whose prayers you partelye proue and if Gods mercye be not the greater more shall you proue hereafter The redd hott yron being put into the water maketh a greate noyse and seemeth to do the water greate harme Where-as in the ende we fynd that the fyre thereof is quenched the force of burninge loste and the water lytle the worse Lyke thys bublinge is your tryumphe ouer vs. For thoughe you embrue youre bloodye fystes in oure bledinge woundes and make to the eye a greate shewe of victorye yet when it commeth to the proofe God will shew you by a ruefull experyence that all the noyse that you made was but the sounde of your owne quenching fall and ruine and the Martyrs estate not hurte but abettered by your seueritye Doe but consider euen at this presente the wonderful straites into which your temporall state is fallen But yf this scourge seeme not enoughe consider what rewarde hath bene geuen to such as persecuted Gods flocke and howe heauye his hande hath bene in reuenge of his seruauntes quarrell For as S. Cyprian sayeth Nunquam impiorum scelere in nostrum nomen exurgitur vt non statim vindicta diuinitus comitetur Neuer dothe the impyetye of the wicked rage against vs but strayte Gods heauye reuenge doth accompanie theyr wickednesse Nero the ringeleader of youre daunce from killing Christians fell to be his owne butcher and murderinge himselfe ended his lyfe with these wordes Turpiter vixi turpius morior Filthilye haue I lyued more filthilye doe I dye Domitiā was stabbed to death of his owne seruauntes Maximinus was slayne together with his children hys murderers crying out Ex pessimo genere ne catulum quidem relinquendum Of so leude a race not so muche as a whelpe ought to be lefte alyue Decius tasted of the same cupp seeing his children slayn and himselfe with them Valerianus being taken at 70 yeares of age by Sapor Kinge of the Persians was kepte lyke a beaste in yron grates and in the ende being flean miserablye
people of Israel But if he thinke it better for vs to haue the number of oure brethren made vpp before he reuenge oure iniuries we will contente oure selues with his diuine apointmente It were no delight to vs to see you in the miserye that we our selues desire to be ridd of Your scorges could not auayle vs we enuye not so muche youre prosperitye as to desyre youre ouerthrow To your hatred we render goodwill for your punishments prayers we would willingly purchase your saluations with oure deerest bloode But how well so euer we be affected towardes you take heede that the earth that receyueth oure bloode crye not out againste you agreeablye to that The voyce of thy brothers bloode cryeth out of the earthe Vppon which S. Ambrose noteh that God sayde not it cryeth out of thy brothers bodye but out of the earth For though thy brother forgeue thee yet the earth forgeueth the not Though thy brother saye nothinge the earth condemneth thee That is against thee both a witnesse and a Iudge A more earnest witnesse that yet reeketh with the bloode of thy vnnaturall murder A more seuere Iudge that was defyled with so heinous a crime as to open the mouth receyue thy brothers blood at thy handes Yet for our selues we from our hartes forgeue youre iniuryes towardes vs and only pitie your abuse of Gods benefits that you sholde offende him with his owne giftes and for his fauoures towardes you persecute his flocke hinder the course of his religiō yea endeuoure to abolishe the name of his Catholike Churche Alas youre laboure is in vayne inestimable youre offence Adulterari non potest sponsa Christi incorrupta est pudica vnam domum nouit vnius cubiculi sanctitatem casto pudore custodit The Spouse of Christ cannot play the aduoutresse she is vndefyled and chaste she knoweth but one house and with vnstayned integritye keepeth the sanctitye of one onlye chamber And we doubte not but that God will geue vs grace to be loyall and true children to so pure and chaste a mother and rather to leaue if we had them manye lyues then degenerate from the profession of oure Faythe Illius faetu nascimur Illius lacte nutrimur spiritu eius animamur Haec nos deo seruat haec filios regno quos gerauit assignat We are children of her broode with her milke we are fostered with her spirite we are quickned She preserueth vs for God she assigneth to a kingdome the ofspringe that she hath brought forth She hath ben here to fore as fiercely assalted when in one Chrismasse daye she had twentye thowsand of her chrldren martyred and yet neuer ouercome And she is as S. Augustine sayeth like a dye whiche howsoeuer you lett it fall or throwe it it euer more lyeth on a flatt syde and can neuer fall a misse She is a sure shipp and wrought so conninglye by our heauenlye shipwrite that quantumlibet mare sae uiat ventus incumbat inter fluctus nauis ista turbetur tantum non mergatur curret How much soeuer the Sea rage the windes beate vppon it how muche soeuer this shipp be tossed emongst the waues onlye be it kept from drowning and it runneth on And doubtlesse drowne it can not hauinge him at the sterne of whome it is sayde mare venti obediunt ei The Sea and the windes obeye vnto him Your Idol Dagon must needes fal before Gods Arke and by the broken handes and feete bewraye the owne impotencie Your God Baal must needes be dumme and deafe though you ripp youre vaynes and sacrifyce your bloode yea your soules vnto him when he once commeth to stryue for the vpper hande with almightye God If your Scrybes and Pharisyes seeke with slaunders obloquyes to deface Christes doctrine he can make the diuels to confounde theyr owne impes And if there should wante anye to defende it the verye stones would crye your owne childrens mouthes be instrumentes to perfit the praise therof It was not with out cause that S. Iohn Baptist called your predecessours genimina Viperarum a generation of Vipers Whose nature as Eusebius Emissenus writeth is such that when the female conceyueth of the male she killeth him and when she groweth bigge with yonge she also of her owne brood is murdered For they refusinge to stay the ordinarye course of cominge forthe gnawe them selues passage through the sydes of the dame and with theyr birth worke her deathe Thus fareth it with the Persecutours of true pastours They deliuer into you the seede of Catholike doctrine and you moste vngratfullye murder them for theyr paynes but for all you can doe thys seede breedethe younge in your owne bowels and your verye broode will eate themselues oute of your impious wombe and leaue in the end your aduoulterous Sinagogue deade consumed as hetherto it hath happened in all other heresies Returne you therfore to the Churche acknowledge with vs youre mother whom now you aflicte Credite viuite qui nos ad tempus persequimini in aeternum gaudete nobiscum Beleeue you and lyue you and though you now persecute vs here for a tyme yet reioyce with vs for euer But if you continewe still in this rigorous course how many thousand soules haue you to aunswere for which by youre seueritye haue no meanes neyther to heare nor embrace the trueth You haue enow in hell alreadye that curse the day that euer you were borne through whose crueltye they fynde thēselues to haue fallen into those vnspeakable torments O how heauily will our blood weye vpon you you will thinke euery droppe a load of ledd What will you answere for the spoyle of Catholikes whose damages if you repent not you shall repay in eternall tormēts Remember what the scripture sayth This sayeth our Lord. You which feede in blood and lifte vpp your eyes to your vncleanesse shedd innocēt blood thynke you to possesse the lande by inheritance Nay rather I will deliuer thee ouer vnto blood and blood shall persecute thee sith thou hast hated blood euē blood shall pursue thee And woe be vnto thē that make vniuste lawes and writing haue written vniustice That they might oppresse in iudgemente the poore and might doe violence to the cause of the humble of my people That the widdowes might be they re praye and they might spoyle the orphans Whither will you flye in the daye of visitation and of calamitye that cometh a farre of To whose ayde will you make recourse and where will you leaue your glorye that you be not bowed down vnder the chayne and fal not with those that are slayne Because you spoyled the poore and tooke awaye the choysest praye from him you shal builde houses of square stone and shal not inhabit them You shall plante moste pleasant vynyardes and shall not drinke of the wine therof For whye those sayeth God whom you haue oppressed