thee O thou Vsurer and thou that grindest the faces of the poore thy gold cannot ransome thee Then thou mighty man that rackest the Widdow and circumuentest the Orphane of his successiue right thy honour cannot priuiledge thee then thou murtherer adulterer and blasphemer thy colourable excuses will not purge thee Then O thou vncharitable Churle who neuer knewest that a rich man treasures vp no more of his riches then that he contributes in Almes Thou that neuer imbracedst the counsell of that reuerend Father who cryes Feede him that dies for hunger Whosoeuer thou art that canst preserue and wilt not thou standest guilty of famishing then I say in that day shalt thou pine in perdition Then O thou luxurious Epicure that through the fiue senses which are the Cinque-Ports or rather sinner-ports of thy soule gulpest downe delightfull sinne like water they will bee to thee like the Angels bookes sweet in thy mouth but bitter in thy bowels Then O thou gorbellied Mammonist that pilest vp congestest huge masses of refulgent earth purchased by all vnconscionable courses yet carriest nothing with thee but a Coffin and a winding sheete Thy faire pretences will be like Caracters drawne vpon the Sands or Arrowes shot vp to Heauen-ward they cannot release thee from Satans inexpiable seruitude Then O thou Canker-worme of Common-wealthes thou Monster of Man thou that puttest out the eye of Iustice with Bribes or so closely shutst it that the clamorous cry of the poore mans case cannot open it Thou that makest the Law a nose of Waxe to turne and fashion it to thine owne priuate end to the vtter disgrace of conscionable Iustice and to the lamentable subuersion of many an honest and vpright cause thy quirkes dilatory demurres conueyances and conniuences cannot acquit thee but thou shalt be remoued with a Writ into the lowest and darkest dungeon of damnation No no the Lord of heauen and earth who is good in infinitenesse and infinite in goodnesse will winnow garble and fanne his corne the choyce wheate he will treasure vp in the garners of eternall felicitie but the Chaffe and Darnell must bee burnt with vnquenchable fire There must you languish in torments vnrelaxable there must you fry and freeze in one selfe-furnace there must you liue in implacable and tenebrous fire which as Austin defines shall giue no light to comfort you Then will you wish though then too late that you had beene created loathsome Toades or abhorred Serpents that your miseries might haue clozed vp with your liues but you must bee dying perpetually yet neuer dye and which enuirons mee with a trembling terrour when you haue languish't in vnexpressible agonies tortures gnashings and horrid howlings ten thousand millions of yeeres yet shall you bee as farre from the end of your torments as you were at the beginning A confused modell and misty figure of hell haue wee conglomerate in our fancy drowzily dreaming that it is a place vnder earth vncessantly Aetna-like vomiting sulphurious flames but we neuer pursue the meditation thereof so close as to consider what a thing it is to liue there eternally For this adiunct Eternall intimates such infinitenesse as neither thought can attract or supposition apprehend And further to amplifie it with the words of a worthy Writer though all the men that euer haue or shall be created were Briareus-like hundred-handed and should all at once take pens in their hundred hands and should doe nothing else in ten hundred thousand millions of yeeres but summe vp in figures as many hundred thousand millions as they could yet neuer could they reduce to a Totall or confine within number this Trisillable word Eternall Can any Christian then vpon due cōsideration hereof forbeare to prostrate himselfe with flexible humility before the glorious Throne of Grace there with flouds of vnfaigned teares repentantly abiure and disclaine the allurements of carnall corruption the painted pleasures of the world and the bitter sweetnesse of sinne which is the death's wound of his soule for a Weapon wounds the body and sinne the soule For what profits it a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule The soundest Method therefore to preuent our exclusion from the Throane of Gods mercy is to imagine we still see him present in his Iustice whatsoeuer or when soeuer we attempt any blacke designe Let vs but adumbragiously fancy as one hath it the Firmament to bee his Face the all-seeing Sunne his right Eye the Moone his left the Winds the breath of his Nostrils the Lightening and Tempests the troubled action of his Ire the Frost and Snow his Frownes that the Heauen is his Throne the Earth his Footstoole that he is all in all things that his omnipotence fils all the vacuities of Heauen Earth and Sea that by his power hee can vngirdle and let loose the Seas impetuous waues to o'rewhelme bury this lower vniuerse in their vast wombs in a moment that hee can let drop the blue Canopy which hath nothing aboue it whereto it is perpendicularly knit or hurle thunder-bolts thorow the tumorous cloudes to pash vs precipitate through the center into the lowest dungeon of Hell These allusiue cogitations of Gods omnipotent Maiestie will curbe in and snaffle vs from rushing into damnable actions if we vnremoueably seat them in our memories Make then a couenant with thine eyes and heart O man lest they dote on earthly grasse surfeit on the sugared Pils of poysonous vanities and so insensibly hurle downe thy better part into the gulph of irreuocable damnation if not for thy selfe sake yet iniure not thy Creatour who halh drawne thee by his owne patterne moulded thee in his owne forme and to make thee eternally happy hath infused his owne essence into thee for thy soule by the Philosophers confession is infusion celestiall no naturall traduction and in that respect another calls it an arrachment or cantell pulld from the celestiall substance which cannot terminate it selfe within a lumpe of flesh Euen as the beames of the Sunne though they touch the earth and giue life to these inferiour creatures yet still reside in the body of the Sunne whence they are darted So thy soule though it bee seated either within the filme of the braine or confined in the center of the heart and conuerseth with the sences yet it will still haue beeing whence it hath its beginning Remember then thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth call vpon him while it is called to day for as the Poet no lesse sweetely then discreetly sung Who knowes ore night that hee next morne shall breathe Then take Dauids Early in the morning not the Deuils Stay till to morrow for thou knowest God will bring thee to Iudgement yet thou knowest not when nor in what yeere nor in what moneth of the yeere nor in what weeke of the moneth nor in what day of the weeke nor in what houre of the day nor in what minute of that houre nor in what moment of
either for that hee hath vertues more then humane or that hee is so contemptible and meane in respect of Man that he is vnworthy to approach neere him But let him know which doth affect solitarinesse because he doth surpasse all men in vnderstanding and vertue that he ought to repell that humour and to condescend by humilitie and meekenesse to the imperfections of others labouring for the good of the Church or Common Wealth either by word or worke For what are all those perfections more then shaddowes and obscure traces of those perfections that are in Iesus Christ notwithstanding he tooke vpon him our shape and conuersion among men that thereby he might saue them and winne soules to heauen Therefore to conclude this point If to flie from the World bee a vanity how much more to follow it If vices and torments do harbour in the desart how much more in presses and throngs of people Truely if vanity bee in euery place let vs say that all is torment and affliction of Spirit CHAP. XI Of old and decrepit age BVt in the meane time that man is busied about al these vaine conceits while he is pushing time with his shoulder endeauouring nothing all dayes of his life but to rise and to goe to bed to apparell himselfe and to make himselfe vnready to fill his belly and to euacuate his stomacke which is no more then a circle of the selfe same importuning occupations much like vnto a Millers horse that alwaies treads one compasse While he is thus busied with such occasions behold old age stealingly arriueth to which few doe attaine and all desire But if any doe peraduenture gaine that time they desire to haue it prolonged to the vtmost this age being as Grapes which haue lost their iuyce and as the sincke of mans life is without question the most vnhappy for those men that are worldly as no the contrary it is most blessed for such as are godly For worldly men in this age are doubly possest with way wardnes their feare and distrust doth increase their iudgement waxeth weake begins to diminish Wherefore we do wrongfully call a melancholy humor wisedome a dis-abilitie sobriety because old age leaueth not pleasure but pleasure leaueth it And therefore he doth vndeseruedly complaine that the time and manners of men are changed into worse while nothing is changed but himselfe for in his youth all things pleased him if they were neuer so bad in his old age all things dislike him if they were neuer so good Like vnto those which being in a Ship thinke that the banks moue when it is onely themselues It is also a vice incident to this Age to speake much because they are no more able to performe any thing and that they also thinke themselues most fit to propose precepts to youth and to declare things of time long since Like vnto a declining State as that of the Romane Empire where there are many talkers but few valiant not much different from the aged time of the world where are many curious disputers but few of the true Religion In this Age also doth increase the loue of wealth and earthly cares doe summon new forces against man he waxeth all gray and euery thing in him beginneth to wither onely his vices excepted That auncient man of whom the Apostle maketh often mention beeing ready to dote waxeth not old in worldly age but then he is in full vigour He therefore feareth approching death and holdeth his life like vnto an Eele which slideth away In the meane time he determineth of tedious designes and heapeth vp riches as if death stood a farre off and durst not appeare But now that age is come and the time that he ought to rest his griefes and dolours are renewed the heart afflicted the braine troubled the face withered the body crooked the sight dimmed the hayres falne and the teeth rotten and to be short the body is as it were asimilitude of death yet doth he prepare himselfe least to gaine the future blisse and though many times death takes for a gage one part or other of his body as an arme an eye or a legge to serue for an aduertisement that he will shortly fetch the rest yet he is so affianced to the earth that he is vnwilling to goe to it when nothing remaineth in him but euill CHAP. XIII Of DEATH THus after Man hath sorrowed all his dayes vnder the heauy burthen of his sinnes and in conclusion of all this vnprofitable wearisome trauell behold the approch of death before he hath learned to liue much lesse to dye The most part beeing taken out of this world before they know to what end they entred in they would willingly prolong the date of their life but death admits no composition for it hath feet of wooll but armes of iron it cōmeth vnsensibly but hauing taken once hold it neuer looseth her prize To this pace or step man commeth so slowly as possibly he can For if a Ship should sinke among the waues two hundred leagues from Land notwithstanding euery Passenger would striue to swim not with an intent to saue his life but to repell death for some minutes and to render nature her last ineuitable tribute Euery man trembleth at this passage and laboureth to settle himselfe here yet is forced at last to yeeld vnto Death and yet by no meanes may bee knowne after what manner hee shall end his life Some there bee that are forced to dye by hunger others by thirst others by fire others by water others by poison others are smothered others are torne in pieces by wilde beasts others deuoured of the Fowles of the aire others are made meat for Fishes and others for Worms yet for all this Man knoweth not his end when hee thinketh himselfe most at rest hee sodainly perisheth What a dreadfull sight is it to see him lying in his bed that is oppressed with the paines of Death What shaking and changing of all the bonds of nature will he make the feete will become cold the face pale the eyes hollow the lips and mouth to retire the hands diminish the tongue waxeth blacke the teeth doe cloze the breath faileth the cold sweat appeareth by the violence of sicknes All which is a certaine token that nature is ouercome But now when it commeth to the last gaspe or at the sorrowfull departure that the soule maketh from his habitation all the bands of Nature are broken Besides when the Diuell or wicked spirit is assured of our end what furious assaults will hee make against our soules to make vs despaire of Gods mercy It is the houre when as Satan doth his power to striue against GOD for to hinder the saluation of mankind and he is more boisterous in these latter dayes for that he knoweth that his time is but short and that the end of his kingdome is at hand and therefore he is the more enflamed for he neuer
death for death is the path of life a Gaole-deliuery of the soule a perfect health the hauen of heauen the finall victory of terrestriall troubles an eternall sleepe a dissolution of the body a terrour to the rich a desire of the poore a pilgrimage vncertaine a thiefe of men a shadow of life a rest from trauell an Epilogue to vaine delight a consumption of idle desires a scourge for euill a guerdon for good it dis-burdens vs of all care vnmanacles and frees vs from vexation solicitude and sorrow Of all those numberlesse numbers that are dead neuer any one returned to complaine of death but of those few that liue most complaine of life On earth euery man grumbles at his best estate The very elements whereby our subsistence or being as the secondarie cause is preserued conspire against vs the fire burnes vs the water drownes vs the earth annoyes vs and the aire infects vs our dayes are laborious our nights comfortlesse the heat scorcheth vs the cold benummes vs health swels vs with pride sicknesse empaleth our beauties friends turne Swallowes they will sing with vs in the Summer of prosperitie but in the winter of tryall they will take wings and be gone Enemies brand our reputations with deprauing imputations and the enuious man hurleth abroad his gins to ensnare our liues who would then desire to liue where there is nothing that begets content for this world is a Theater of vanities a Chaos of confusions an Embassador of mischiefe a Tyrant to vertue a breaker of Peace a Fauorite of Warre a friend of Vices a coyner of Lies an Anuile of Nouelties a table of Epicurisme a furnace of Lust a pit-fall to the rich a burthen to the poore a Cell of Pilgrims a den of Theeues a calumniator of the good a renowner of the wicked a cunning Impostor and a deceiuer of all How is the progresse of poore proud mans life violently agitated like the riuer Euripus with contrarious motions The pleasure of the wyly world thus inueigles him Come vnto mee and I will drowne thee in delight The corruption of the luxurious flesh thus ingles him Come vnto me and I will infect thee the Diuell he whispers this in his eare Come vnto mee and I will cheate and deceiue thee But our sweet and sacred Sauiour Iesus Christ with perswasiue inducements thus intreates him Come vnto me I pray thee that art heauy laden and I will receiue and exonerate thee and with the mighty arme of my mercy and compassion lift off that vnsupportable loade which crusheth downe to Hell thy groaning soule Study then to liue as dead to the world that thou maist liue with God for the iust man is said neuer to liue till after death Endeuor thy selfe to march faire through this worlds Labyrinth not to squander and looke asquint vpon the Circean allurements thereof But without turning either to the right or left hand runne straight on in that Eclipticke line which will conduct thee to that celestiall Ierusalem where with that immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ thou shalt enioy pleasure without pain wealth without want rest without labour ioy without griefe and immensiue felicitie without end Moreouer the contempt of the world born of the loue of God shall at length grow to hatred of the world when that besides the vanity and misery of it he shall contemplate the mischiefe and enmitie against the Almighty vvhich there raigneth when besides that vanity which some doe lay open to the view of all hee will represent to himselfe the iniquities which are closely kept and the Treasons Adulteries Murthers which are priuately and lurkingly committed when he shall consider the vials of Gods wrath and displeasure powred generally vpon all man-kinde for in the consideration of this world it behooueth vs to leaue out no part of it but to obserue all manner of nations and people amongst which there are many Pagans which not onely by a consequent but also by expresse profession adore the deuill The East Indies dedicate their temples to him and reuerence him with all respect The West Indies are afflicted and tormented ordinarily with euill spirits In most part of the North lurking deceits and assuming strange shapes are very common among the Inhabitants Sorcery is there an ordinary profession and the Diuell reigneth without contradiction In that Countrey which did once flourish where the Apostles had planted so happily the holy Ghost the Churches are now changed into Mosques and Temples of Idolatry In the West the head of the visible Church is become an earthly Monarch and banks are erected in those places where in times past was the House of God Amongst those erroneous and enuious people are scattered the Iewes which blasphemed against Iesus Christ and hauing persecuted him in his life doe iniuriously wrong him after his death The Countrey from whence came Decrees and Orders for Religion hath in it publike Brothel-houses and Sodomy is there an vsuall custome Here it is also where doubts in Religion that concerne a mans faith are decided in the middest of corruption There onely remaineth in the world a handfull of people which serue Iesus Christ in truth and verity and they can scarce receiue breath in this ayre which is so contrary to them beeing here as fishes without water as the remainders of great Massacres as pieces of boords scattered after the breaking of a great vessell and yet neuerthelesse among these few that are substracted out of the rest of the world corruption doth increase as a Canker or Vlcer Quarrels Vanity Superfluity in Apparell Auarice Ambition Sumptuousnesse which spendeth foolishly doth infect the one part of this small troupe for GOD is ill serued in priuate families their almes are cold they pray seldome and reade neuer IN briefe a contagion of vices by conuersing with our aduersaries doth infect vs which is the first steppe to superstition for errour creeps in to vs by vice and spirituall fornication by corporall If therefore where God is most purely knowne hee bee there ill serued how much more amongst the rest of the world If vices doe harbour in the Sanctuary how much more in the body of the church and habitation of the wicked Therefore Christ doth rightly call Satan The prince of the world and Peter doth iustly write in the second of the Acts Saue your selues from that peruerse generation for Satan lieth in ambush for vs all This age is infectious vices are like vnto glue temptations strong our enemies mighty our selues feeble and ignorant and the way of saluation narrow and full of thornes And few there bee saith Christ that finde it And those which finde it doe not alwayes keepe it but many hauing knowne the trueth doe leaue it and returne to their vomit Let vs know then a place so dangerous that wee may passe by as strangers which doe not onely passe but also runne from it flying from the world to come vnto God for wee shall neuer haue repose vnlesse wee rest
our selues vpon him The heauen moueth alwayes and yet it is the place of our rest On the contrary the earth resteth alwayes and yet it is the place of our motion The Quadrants and Horologies imitate the motion of heauen but the faith of the beleeuers doth imitate the Rest which is aboue all Vlysses did more esteeme the smoake of his owne house than the flame of anothers How much more then would he esteeme the flame of his owne chimney than the smoake of anothers Wee are heere strangers this is not our house our habitation is in heauen Let vs compare the smoake of this strange house and the darkenesse of the earth with the beauty and splendor of our owne dwelling which is the in Kingdome of heauen Here is the reigne of Satan there the Kingdome of God here is a valley of teares there the height of mirth here wee sowe in sorrow there wee reape in ioy here wee see the light of the Sunne through two little holes which are called the eyes there wee receiue light from God on euery side as if wee were all eyes Therefore because God is all in all to him be honour and glory in this world and in the world to come Amen FINIS ON THE WORTHY NAME OF MY NOBLE and learned Author that excellent Diuine Monsieur PIERRE DV MOVLIN the Mirror of our age PRaise mis-bestow'd on him t' whom none belongs ILl fits the Praised and the Praiser wrongs ERror in praising may the prais'd defame RAising vp worth on an vnworthy Name REst weake-wing'd Muse striue not this worth to raise ELated by its selfe its selfe can praise DV MOVLIN'S worth I meane whose sacred skill VNder ha's brought Romes Champion to his will MY Muse bee mute forbeare his worth t' expresse O! Wrong not that by praise to make it lesse VNto the world's broad Eye what riches rest LOck't in the closet of His pious brest IS cleerely seene and specially appeares NOw more transcendent in 's Heraclits Teares Deuoted to your Vertues ABR DARCIE THE TRANSLATOR TO the vnpartiall Reader all Prosperity ALl is corrupt and naught all eu'ry where BElow high Heau'n Ther 's not a corner Cleare RIch subtill worldlings wise cramd with wealths store ARe but the fooles of Fate exceeding poore HOnor Wealth Beauty Pompe i' th' best degree ARe subiect all to change no State liues free MONARKS nor Kings the glory they liue in DEath shall deface as if th' had neuer bin ATtend faire Vertue then Vice dis-respect REbuild thy sunke foundation Architect CLimbe Heau'n braue spirits let your Teares expell IN faire Repentance showr'd the worst of hell EVer to gaine those Ioyes no tongue can tell FINIS * This Princely Dame is a blest branch of these famous Trees of Honour the most ancient House of Derby and the Noble family of the Spencers * Honorable branches of Honour sprung from the Noble House of Bridgewater * Noble Twigs of vertue issued from the Illustrious family of the Paulets Marquises of Winchester Eccles 12. 12. Pyrrus King of Epirots that valiant and victorious warriour is killed by a silly woman with a tile stone He who had filled the earth with the Trophees of his deedes and triumphs of his victories Alexander of Macedonia that most famous Monarch died impoysoned by his owne seruants The chiefe of the Greekes hauing escaped so many perils in the Troyans warres is cruelly murdered before his Castle Great Pompey hauing shunned the bloudy hand of his enemies is killed by his deare obliged friend That victorious French Monarch Henry of Bourbon the 4. of that name whose inuincible valour made Spaine quake Rome treÌ„ble is in time of peace lamentably murdred in his Coach in the midst of his Royall citie of Paris These examples do euidently shew the worlds mutability and inconstancie Eccl. 1. 14. Of Infancy Of Youth Youth compared to yong trees That Kings and Soueraignes are not more free from misery then other inferiour persons The inuenters if new Patents Enuious insatiable Courtiers Wealth inticeth men to sinne New Duels doe adde to one much reputation for as it is a shame for a man to come into the world so they hold it an honour to send him out of it Mens reward for those follies and deboistnesse committed in their Youth Magistrates and wicked Iudges A Notable adâ—ertisement for Judges and Magistrates The Author as before craues pardon of all modest Religious and vertuous women whose vertue hee doth honour and reuerence Mat. 15. 36. 6. 27. 1. Tim. 6. Couetousnes the source and originall of all wickednes and abomination Of Enuie that cruell abominable and bloudy vice which doth generaly raigne now in this our degenerate age Of Ambition the cause of our fall and ruine Bernard Ambitiosorum Arcana sunt periculosissima Maledictus superbus est tam impudens voluntartè se separeta Deo Mans felicitie and happinesse doth not depend onely vpon greatnesse and degnity for contentment exceedeth riches Take Fees with both hands gull their Clients and make them like bare-headed Vassals pray and pay soundly for their importunate bawling An excellent Simile The vanity simplicitie and folly of aged men Hee that knowes much and knowes not himselfe knowes nothing Simile Such minds incite whores rather then chaste and vertuous women With good reason S. Austin said That Man pleaseth God the best that circled with beauties in the mids of Princes magnificent Palaces could fly their alluring temptations A notable comparison to confound the folly of men who thinke to auoid temptations by rendring and making themselues Anchorites and Hermites Non quaere-Christus Iesus glariam suam omnia Igitur relinqnere debes etiam te ipsum spernere abnegare vt frauris amicitia Ihesu Christi Simile A pittifull example of Mans Wolfe-like appetite his insatiate desire of riches and vgly terror of deformiâ—y Than the Day of Death there is nothing more certaine nor nothing vncertaine * Nota. This is weighty to be obserued not ouely of the poore and inferiour persons but more to be apprehended with feare by theÌ„ most mighty Soueraignes and greatest men of this world that they may not build their happinesse vpon the deceitfull ground of their riches and transitory possessions Death is a terrour to those ignoble minds whose pride of life makes them weake timerous most vndoubted Cowards to the least obiect Death shal present The Rich vnprofitable Mizerburns in Hell for his Auarice while his sonne in the world dancing a Whore on his Lap sets all prodigally flying Tunc Post vnam voluptatem sequuntur mille dolores Simile Most worthy to be read and considered with terrour and true repentance Ver Aeternum plenisfima delitiarum quam pura es The Maiesty of God in the generall Judgement Day shall be more terrible to the impious Monarks of the earth then either the world on fire round about them Hell gaping to swallow the vgly Fiends to torture or the paines of Hell can affright them Remember Hell t is not a feined but a place most fume most fearefull Poenitentia sera raro vera How Gods incomprehensible Prouidence frustrates the designes of men making their enterprises of no validity Luke 9. 99. Consider the subtilty of Satan and mans sudden ruine Memento decimo sexto die Octobris â—â—ilo Antiquo quinto die Octob. slilo Nouo MDCXXIII Of the vaine glory of men most corruptible and transitory The iust reward of Kings proud mounting Fauorites Necessitas non habet legem Of the vanitie of humane thoughts desires and iudgements Idle most vnprofitable thoughts Read Swetons Worke. A true Simile of those that build Castles in the Castles in the ayre A principall and most worthy obseruation The profit of solitarinesse Death terrible to the foole Mans vncertainty where to rest Foolish and vaine desires Despaire animates man to hasten the destruction The strong operation of conceit The vaine and superstious follies of ignorant Idolaters Grosse errors which like a foggy mist blind and confound the sight and sense of men Adherents of the Church of Rome We must not thinke to make with our wealth and worldly riches a composition and truce with Death for Nature requires a tribute at our hands * A Simile worthy of obseruation a Wee are so rooted in this worlds abomination that we prefer a minute of worldly pleasure before heauens euerlasting ioyes incomprehensible and immutable Men ought not to be regarded not respected for their gallant and gorgeous apparell only but more for their vertues Man Iull'd in the Labyrinth of pleasures knowes not how to get out The custome of the world Marriage without loue and meanes breeds the most wofull experience of a miserable life Worldlings most wise in knowing the way to get riches but to seeke after the riches of Heauen dull Animals Omnia sub sole vanitas Happy the man that followes this blest example The world 's a Where full of deceitfulnesse There is no true friendship but among good men very scant in this Age. God in his infinite mercy ruinates the building of sinne in the body to re-build the Soule an euerlasting Mansion in Heauen The Alpes be inexasible high great Mountains which diuide France from Italy Man borne in misery most miserable euen froÌ„ his Cradle Mans life assaultod by peril I and eminent dangers No man free from sorrows miseries There is a time pre-ordained for euery thing Humilitie the Queene of Vertues Pride the Princesse of Vice * Belarmine He also by his most excelent and admirable Booke intituled The BVCKLER OF THE FAITH doth vtterly confound the Romane Church And many Iesuites in presuming to dispute with this rare Diuine are put to their Non plus vltra Yea the most famous of theÌ„ Mr. Arnoux the Iesuite is put to his Shifts and Euasions
more tormenteth those whom he doth possesse then when he knoweth that he must depart But now when Man hath passed the bitter anguish of Death where is then become his glories Where are his pomps and triumphs Where is his Voluptuousnesse and Wantonnesse Where is his Maiestie excellency and holinesse They are vanished as the shadow and it is chanced to them as to the garment that the wormes haue eaten or as the wooll that the moth hath deuoured Let vs behold Man when hee is in the graue Who euer saw a Monster more hideous then the dead carkasse of Man behold his excellency Maiestie and Dignity couered with a lumpe of earth Heere you may see him that was cherished reuerenced and honoured euen to kisse his hands and feet by a sodaine mutation become a creature most abominable and to them it happeneth as Salomon writeth in his booke of Wisedome What hath it profited saith he the pride and great aboundance of riches All these things are passed as is the Arrow shot to the white or as is the smoke that is dispersed with the winde The sole memory of Death mournfull Funerals and the reading of Inscriptions engrauen in Sepulchers doth make the very haire to stare and stand an end and strikes Man with an horrour and apprehension of it Some represent Death terrible to the aspect and depriued of flesh other consider it with compassion mixt with dread Some particular man which not long since was clad in Silke and shined with Diamonds is now assaulted with troupes of Wormes and breathes forth intolerable sents while that his heyre doth laugh in secret and enioyeth the fruit of all his labour which he himselfe neuer enioyed And neuerthelesse in this his very dust corruption doth appeare an Ambition and pride doth rest within his Tombe For then behold stately Sepulchers engraued stones that report some famous actions and proud titles vpon his Tombe set out with false Narrations to the end that Passengers by may say Here lyeth a goodly stone and a corrupted body CHAP. XIV Of the terrible Iudgement Seat of God BEing dead in this world hee must then appeare before the Iudgement Seat of God with such a terrour to those that consider it well that there is no member but trembleth It is the Day that the Lord will come like a tempest when euery ones heart shall faile them and all the world shall bee astonied for euen as Lightning which riseth from the East and extendeth to the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of Man be Tribulation shal then be so extreme and great as the like hath not beene seene since the beginning of the world till now nor euer shal be the like The Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall giue no more light the Starres shall fall from Heauen and the waues of the Sea shall rage men shall bee amazed with feare and the powers of Heauen shall moue Woe shall be in those dayes to them that are with child and to them that giue sucke For as it was in the dayes before the Flood they did eate drinke marry and were married euen vnto the day that Noah entred into the Arke and knew nothing till the Flood came and tooke them all away So shall the comming of the Lord be and then all kinreds of the earth shall mourne and shall hide themselues in Dens and Caues and in the Mountaines and shall say vnto them Fall vpon vs hide vs from the face of him that sitteth vpon the Throne Blow out the Trumpet saith the Prophet Ioel that all such as dwell in the world may tremble at it for the Day of the Lord commeth and is hard at hand a darke day a gloomy day yea and a stormy day Before him shall be a consuming fire and behinde him a burning flame Then the dead that are in the graues shall rise and come forth the bones and the other parts shall finde out their ioynts for to ioyne againe together with the body that the earth hath putrified and corrupted All those that the Beasts and Birds of the ayre haue deuoured all those that the Sea hath swallowed vp all those that are vnvapoured in the earth and all those that the fire hath consumed shall bee reduced and brought to their former estate All the bloud that Theeues Pyrats Murderers Tyrants and false Iudges haue vniustly shed shall then appeare before the Maiestie of God So that there shall not one drop of bloud bee lost from the time of Abel that was the first slaine of men vnto the last so that there shall not one haire perish If the vaile of the Temple did breake with the Earthquake the Sunne darken and change his brightnesse for the wrong that was done vnto IESVS CHRIST being on the Crosse although in nothing he did offend what countenance may the poore sinners shew that haue offended him innumemerable times who then shall abide the shining brightnesse of Gods Maiestie sitting vpon his Throne of glory It is the dreadfull houre when wicked Monarkes Kings and Princes shall giue account of their vnlawful exactions that they haue made vpon their Subiects and of the bloud that they haue wrongfully spilled It is the houre wherein Merchants and such as haue traded in the circle of the world that haue beguiled and sold by false weights and measures shall render a iust account of the least fraud that they haue committed It is the houre that couetous men and Vsurers that haue beguiled some vndone others shall pay themselues the cruell interest of that which they haue ill gotten It is the houre when Magistrates and wicked Iudges that haue corrupted violated and suspended Iustice shall be accountable for their corruption and iniquities It is the very houre wherein Widdowes Orphanes and other afflicted persons shall make their complaints before God of the wrong and oppression that haue beene shewed them It is the houre wherein the wicked shall say repenting in themselues troubled with horrible feare Behold these which in times past we had in derision infamy reproach are now accounted among the children of God whose portion is amongst the Saints It is the houre wherein foolish and dumbe persons shall be more happy then the wise eloquent Many Shepheards and Carters shall bee preferred before Philosophers many Beggers before rich Princes and Monarches and many simple and ignorant before the witty and subtile Let vs therefore that are Christians looke to our selues and take heed wee bee not counted vnder the iudgement and sentence of the most greatest miseries of all miseries The which sentence is recited in the 25. Chap. of S. Mathew where it is said Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire CHAP. XV. Of HELL MAny and great are the miseries which man suffreth in this world but yet all of them are but as Roses in respect of the Thorns which follow for the vanity and trauaile of the temporall life
is a happinesse in regard of the torments of eternall death which doth swallow the most part of men It is a large way which leadeth to perdition and few doe find the way of Saluation Death commeth here to leuy soules for Hell and doth enroll great and small learned and ignorant rich and poore yea many which are esteemed holy and liue couered vnder the cloake of Hypocrisie to the end that they might goe to Hell with the lesse noise and not be stayed by the way This Hell is a place of flames and yet there is perpetuall darknesse where soules doe waxe old and yet neuer die and where they liue continually to die Where they burn without consuming where they mourne without compassion are afflicted without repentance where torment is without end and past imagination There the vnpappy rich man which refused to giue poore Lazarus a crumme of bread doth now beg of him a drop of water although whole Riuers bee not sufficient to extinguish his heat What if the rods that God doth punish his Infants withall doe sometimes make them almost despaire and euen curse the day of their Natiuitie as Iob and Ieremy did What are those afflictions that hee doth oppresse his Aduersarie withall It is a horrible thing saith the Apostle to fall into the hands of the Liuing God For because hee saith in his anger as it is written in the 32. Chapter of Deuteromie I haue lifted my hands towards heauen and said I am the euerliuing God If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate me Praised be God which hath deliuered vs and drawne vs from that burning furnace of hell by his Sonne Iesus Christ who as S. Paul saith to the Galatians was reuiled for our sakes hath called vs our of perpetual darknes to his maruellous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. Is it possible for vs to be ignorant what that torment is not know how much he hath suffred for to retaine vs in feare and to make vs know the greatnesse of the grace of God and the excellence of our Redemptiō in Iesus Christ his Son who is also God eternally blessed This precedent discourse hath led vs through all ages and through all the most ordinary conditions of humane life yet in this voyage we haue knowne nothing but vanity and torment of spirit And it hath chiefely appeared when we haue cast our eyes vpon the diuine prouidence of God which doth from the highest Heauens view all the actions of man not as an idle spectator but as a wise Conductor and iust Iudge And there from aboue he laughes at the designes of great men frustrateth their enterprises destroyeth their tongues spirits of Babylonian builders ruineth their greatnes and breaketh their Scepters into shiuers teaching man that he is nothing but dust and his wisedome but meere blindnes to the end that hee may learne to contemne the world aud transport his hopes from earth to heauen that hauing seene some beames of this terrestriall splendour which vanisheth as Lightening he doth say with S. Peter It is good that we be here let vs make our selues heere Tabernacles Happy is that man which hauing well knowne the vantiy of this world doth retire towards God thot he beeing in a sure Hauen a farre off and that being vnder his shaddow as vnder a sure couered place may contemplate the ruine of the wicked the instability of their designes the folly of their hopes and the effects of the Iudgement of God Thereupon the Prophet Dauid in Psal 92. saith also O LORD how glorious are thy workes and thy thoughts are very deepe an vnwise man knoweth it not and a foole doth not vnderstand this When the wicked grow as the grasse and all the workes of wickednes doe flourish then they shall be destroyed for euer It behoueth vs heere to note carefully that this Psalme is intituled A Song for the Sabbath day for by it hee doth aduertise vs that this meditation requireth a quiet and resting spirit which beeing restrained from the presse of humane actions doth retire it selfe into the House of God according to that which hee saith in the 73 Psalme where he doth confesse that the prosperity of wicked men hath offended him and that hee could hardly digest it vntill that he had entred into the Sanctuary of the Almighty and considered the end of such men For to vnderstand what the true happinesse is and to vnmaske himselfe to the imaginary felicitie of this world it is not necessary to goe to Philosophicall schooles or to build his resolutions vpon the opinion of the Vulgar but to enter into the holy House of God and there learne what the difference is betweene the riches which he scattereth vpon this great multitude and that which he reserueth for his little ones what the vncertainty of this worldly prosperitie is in respect of the certainty of Gods promises But vvith what insensible chaines doth Satan lead men into perdition How doth he triumph ouer those which triumph in this world how they that thinke themselues most sure are vpon the point of their ruine and perpetuall destruction Let vs furthermore consider how vaine the glory of man is in that some one doth boast of his particular strēgth wherein it is impossible for him euer to equall a Bull. Some other doe glory in their beauty when as it is onely a superficiall colour which couereth the bloud bones and braines hideous things to see It is also a thing that age and many maladies haue power to deforme Some other doth glory of his honour and greatnesse when indeed he is possest in this state with most trouble and feare and lesse liberty besides he is mounted so high that he cannot fall but with breaking of his owne necke Some other doth glory to bee more drunke then his companions but if his belly bee greater in capacitie then others notwithstanding it will neuer exceed a Barrell These former things are generall for vanities and miseries are common to all men since that sinne hath subiected mankinde to them But notwithstanding there are some more then other which are made examples of extreme misery As poore beggers which are constrained through necessitie to lye vpon the bare pauement as Gally-slaues and as those miserable slaues which are made mercenaries The hundreth part of humane kinde doth imperiously and impiously torment the rest and those that are feeble and meane serue as preyes to the mighty Amongst the Turkes and Pagans which possesse three parts of the world men are bought and sold in the same fashion as horses in a Faire for the buyer marketh their fight maketh them shew their teeth and feeleth the sinnewes of their armes and legges Great Princes keepe millions of chained Slaues for to labour in making of Sugar in working of Mines to serue in Gallies