of worldlie wealthe profitt or comfort thee at that hower whē it shal be sayed to thee as Christ sayed to thy lyke in the ghospell when hee was nowe come to the topp of his worldly felicitie thovv foole this nyght shall they take avvaye thy soule and then vvhoe shall haue the thinges vvhich thou haste gotten together Beleue me deare brother for I tell the no vntrewth one howre bestowed in the seruice of God will more comforte the at that tyme than a hundrede yeares bestowed in aduauncinge thy selfe thy familie in the world And yf thou mightest feele nowe the case wherein thy poore harte shal be then for omittinge of this thinge whiche it should most haue thought vppon thow wouldest take from thy sleepe and from thy meate alsoo to recompence thy negligence for the tyme past The difference betwyxt a wyse man and a foole is this that the one prouidethe for a mischeef whyle tyme serueth but the other when it is to late Resolue thy self therfore good Christian whyle thow hast tyme. Resolue thy selfe without delay to take in hande presentlye to applye for the tyme to come the great and weyghtie busines for which thow wast sent hither which onely in deede is wayghtie of importance and all other are meere tryfles and vanities but onely so far furthe as they concerne this Beleeue not the world whiche for runninge a wrie in this pointe is detested by thy Sauiour and euery frend therof pronounced an enemye to hym by his Appostle Saye at lenght vnto thy Sauyour I doe confesse vnto the o Lorde I doe confesse and can not denye that I haue not hitherto attended to the thinge for which I was created redeemed and placed here by thee I doe see my error I can not dissemble my greeuous faulte and I doe thancke the ten thowsande tymes that thou hast geeuen me the grace to see it whyles I maye yet amend it which by thy holye grace I meane to doe wthout delaye to alter my course beseechinge thy diuine maiestie that as thou hast geeuen me this light of vnderstandinge to see my daunger this good motiō to reforme the same So thow wilt continew towardes me thy blessed assistance for performance of the same to thy honour and my soules healthe Amen Of the ende of man more in particuler and of tvvo speciall thinges required at his handes in this lyfe CHAP. IIII. HAuinge spoken of the ende of man in generall in the former chapter shevved that it is to serue God in this lyfe therby to gayne heauen in the next it semethe cōuenient for that the matter is of greate and singuler importāce to treate some vvhat more in particuler vvherin this seruice of God do the consist that therby a Christian may iudge of him selfe whether he performe the same or no cōsequentlye whether he doe the thinge for whiche he was sent into this worlde First therfore it is to be vnderstood that the whole seruice whiche God requireth at a Christian mans handes in this lyfe consisteth in tvvo thinges The one to flye euill thother to doe good And albeit thes two thinges were required of vs also before our redemption by Christ as appeareth by Dauid whose commaundement is generall declyne from euill and doe good and by Esay the prophet whose wordes are leaue to doe peruerslie and learne to do well yet muche more particulerlye and with farr greater reason are they demauuded at the handes of Christian people whoe by the death and passion of their redemer doe receaue grace force to be able to performe thes two thinges which the old lawe did not gyue albeit it commaunded the same But novve vve beinge redeemed by Christ and receauinge from him not onlye the renevvinge of the same cōmaundement for the performance of thes tvvo thinges but also force and habilitie by his grace wherby we are made able to doe the same vve remayne more bounde therto in reason and dewtie thā before for that this was the fruite and effect of Christ his holye passion as S. Peter sayeth that vve beinge dead to sime shoulde liue to iustice Or as S. Paule more plainelye declareth the same when he sayeth the grace of God our Saueour hath appeared to all men instructinge vs to this end that we renouncinge all wickednes and seculer 〈◊〉 should liue soberlye iustlye and godlye in this worlde Thes two thinges then are the seruice of God for whiche we were sent into this world the one to resist sinne the other to follow good woorkes In respect of the first we are called souldiers our lyfe a warfare vppon the earthe For that as souldiers doe alwaies lye in waite to resist theire enimies so ought we to resist sinne and the temptations therof And in respect of the seconde we are called labourers sowers workemen marchantes bankers stewardes farmers and the like for that as thes men attende diligentlye to their gayne increace of substāce in this lyfe so should we to good workes for the encrease of our treasure in the world to come Thes tvvo thinges are the pointes vvhich a Christian man should meditate vppon the exercises vvherin he should be occupied the tvvo legges vvhervppon he muste vvalke towardes his countrie the two armes vvhervvith he must apprehende and lay holde on gods eternall kingdome and fynally the tvvo vvynges vvherby he must flie and mounte to heauen And vvhosoeuer vvanteth any one of thes though he had the other yet can he not ascend to heauen no more than a byrde can flye lackinge one of her vvynges I say that nether innocencie is sufficient vvith out good vvoorkes nor good vvorkes anye thing auaileable vvhere innocēcie frō sinne is not the latter is euident by the people of Israell vvhose sacrifices oblatios prayers and other good vvorkes commended aud commaunded by God hym selfe vvere often tymes abhominable to God for that the doers thereof lyued in sinne and vvickednes as at large the prophet Esaye declareth the former also is made apparent by the parable of the foolishe virgines vvhoe albeit they vvere innocent from sinne yet because they lacked the oyle of good vvorkes they vvere shutt ovvt of doores And at the last daye of iudgement Christ shall saye to the damned because you clothed me not fed me not and did not other deedes of charitie appointed to your vocatiō therfore goe you to euerlastinge fire et ce Bothe thes poyntes then are necessarie to a Christian for his saluation and so necessarie as one vvithout the other auayleth not as I haue sayed And tovvchinge the first vvhiche is resistinge of sinne vve are vvilled to doe it by S. Paule euen vnto deathe and vvith the last of our blood yf it vvere neede and in diuers other places of scripture the holie ghost vvilleth vs most diligentlye to prepare our selues to resist the deuill
this labour now taken againe He hathe suffered much sence for the cause of his conscience and is at this present vnder indurāce for the same and by that meanes so muche the more in disposition to receaue fruite by thy prayer by howe muche the more he hathe suffered for righteousnes sake and is nearer ioined to God by his separation from the world Our lorde blesse him and the allso good reader and sende vs all his holy grace to doe his will in this woorld that we maye raigne with him in the world to come Amen Thy hartie welwiller and seruant in Christ. R. P. AN INDVCTION TO THE three bookes follovvinge AL Christian diuinitie good reader that is all the busines that man hath withe God in this lyfe standethe in two poyntes The one to knowe the other to doe This first parte containeth principally our beleefe set forth to vs in our Creede and other declarations abowt our faith deliuered vs by the Catholique churche to know and beleeue onlie The other parte containethe the ten cōmaundementes the vses of holye Sacramentes and the like prescribed vnto Christians not onlye to knowe or beleeue but allso to exercise and execute in this lyfe The first of thes two partes is called theorike or speculatyue because it consisteth in speculation that is in vnderstandinge and discourse of the minde wherby a man comprehendeth the thinges he hath to knowe and beleeue The second parte is called practique or actiue because it standeth not onlye in knowledge but also in action and execution of those thinges whiche by the first parte he hath conceaued and vnderstoode In the first parte there is lesse labour and difficultie a greate deale than in the seconde Because it is easier to know then to doe to beleeue aright then to lyue accordinglie and the thinges that a man hathe to beleeue are muche fewer than the thinges he hathe to doe and therfore Christ in the Ghospels and the Apoostles in their writinges spake muche more of thinges to be donne than of thinges to be knowen of good lyuinge than of right 〈◊〉 And amongest Christians few are damned for lacke of knowledge which commonlye all men baptised haue sufficient except in tymes of heresies but many thowsandes for euill life dailye VVherfore Christ in the Ghospell tellinge the reason of suche as shoulde be damned putteth lacke of good lyfe as the reason of their damnation Departe from me saieth he into euerlastinge fire I vvas Hungrie and you gaue me not to eate et ce And the reason of this is for that the thinges which a man is bounde to beleeue as I saide before are fewe in respect of the thinges whiche a man hathe to doe or the vices that he hath to auoyed Againe the partes in man whiche appertaine to vnderstandinge and knowledge were not so hurte by the fall of Adam as the partes appertayninge to action whereby it commeth that a man hath lesse difficultie payne and resistance in hym selfe to knowledge than to good lyfe where our owne corrupt affections make warre against vs and so doe make the matter vnpleasant for a tyme vntill they be conquered For whiche cause we see manie greate lerned men not to be the best lyuers for that to know muche is a pleasure to thē but to doe muche is a payne For thes causes not onlye the scriptures as I noted before but allso the auncient holye fathers haue made greate and longe discourses ample volumes manye bookes about this second parte of Christian diuinitie whiche consisteth in action owt of whose worckes thes three bookes followinge for the most parte are gathered containinge a perfect and exact instruction or direction for all thē that meane to leade a trew Christian life as also diuers helpes for them which haue not yet fullye that determination For what so euer is necessarie to a Christian after he hathe once receaued the faithe is contained in this worcke And to speake in particuler three thinges are necessarie The first is a firme resolution to serue God for the time to come and to leaue vice The second is how to begynne to doe this The third is how to perseuer and continew vnto the ende These three thinges whoe so euer hath no doubt but he shall bothe lyue and dye a good Christian and enioye euerlastinge life in the world to come And for lacke of all or some one of thes thinges manie thowsandes the more is the pittie doe perishe daylie For some men are ether so carelesse or so carnallie geeuen as they neuer resolue them selues to lyue in deed well and to forsake wickednes and thes are farof from the state of saluation Other resolue them selues often but they neuer beginne or a least way they beginne not as they shoulde doe wherby they neuer come to any perfection Other doe both resolue and begyn well but they perseuer not vnto the ende 〈◊〉 for lacke of instruction or helpes necessarie to the same and thes also can not attayne to lyfe euerlastinge but rather doe leese their labour for that Christ hath not promised saluation but onlie to such as perseruer to the ende For helpinge therfore Christians in thes three poyntes this worcke is deuided into three bookes In the first booke there are shewed manye meanes and helpes wherby to bringe a man to this necessarie resolution of leauinge vanities to serue God with a Christian lyfe accordinge to his profession In the second booke is declared in particuler how a man shall begin to putt this resolution in practise and without errour to begyn a new trade of lyfe In the third booke are layed downe the meanes and helpes to perseuerāce vnto the ende The which beinge done there remaineth nothinge but the reapinge of glorie in the lyfe to come which we shal be able to doe without instructions yf it be our good happe to come to it which God graunte and send vs his grace that we mave be as well cōtent to labour for it in this lyfe as we will be ioyfull to possesse it in the next and to auoyde the dreadfull tormentes vvhich those must needes fall into vvho for flovvth pleasure or negligence omitt in this vvorlde to procure the kyngdome prepared for godes seruantes in the next THE FIRST BOOKE AND FIRST PARTE Of the end and partes of this booke withe a necessarie aduertissement to the reader CHAP. I. THe first booke as I haue shewed before hathe for his proper end to perswade a Christian by name to become a trewe Christian in deed at the leaste in resolution of mynde And for that there be two principall thinges necessarie to this effect therfore this first booke shal be deuided into two partes And in the first shal be declared important reasons and strong motyues to prouoke a man to this resolution In the second shal be refuted all the impedimentes whiche our spirituall enymies the fleshe the world the deuyll
your children thes thinges that they maye meditate in their hartes vppon them The lyke commandement vvas geeuen by God hym selfe to Iosue at his first election to gouerne the people to vvitt that he should meditate vpon the lavve of Moyses bothe daye and night to the ende he might keepe and performe the thinges vvriten therein And God addethe presetlie the cōmoditie he should reape therof For then saythe he shalt thou direct thy vvaye aryght and shalt vnderstand the same Signifyinge that vvithout this meditation a man goethe bothe amysse and also blyndlye not knovvnge hym selfe vvhether Saint Paule hauinge discribed vnto his scholler Tymothye the perfect devvtye of a prelate addethe this aduertisement in the ende haec meditare Meditate ponder and cōsider vppon this And finallie vvhensoeuer the holye scripture describethe a vvyse happy or iuste man for all these are one in scripture for that iustice is onlye 〈◊〉 vvisdome and felicitie one cheefe pointe is this He vvill meditate vpon the lavve of God bothe daye and night And for examples in the scripture howe good men dyd vse to meditate in tymes past I might here rekon vpp great store as that of Isaac vvhoe vvas vvonte to goe forth into the feeldes tovvardes night to meditate also that of Ezechias the kynge vvhoe as the scripture sayeth dyd meditate lyke a doue that is in silence vvithe his harte onely vvithout noyse of vvordes But aboue all other the example of holye Dauid is singuler herein vvho euery vvhere almoste makethe mentiō of his continuall exercise in meditation sayeng to God I dyd meditare vppon thy commandementes vvhiche I loued And agayne I vvill meaitate vppon the in the morninges And agayne O lorde hovve haue I loued thy lavve it is my meditation all the daye long And vvith vvhat feruoure and vehemencie he vsed to make these his meditations he shevveth vvhen he saythe of hym selfe my harte dyd vvaxe hoote vvithin me and fire dyd kyndle in my meditations This is recorded by the holy ghoste of these annuncient good men to confounde vs vvhich are Christians whoe beynge farr more bounde to feruour than they by reason of the greater benefytes vve haue receyued yet doe vve lyue so lazelye for the most parte of vs as vve neuer almoste enter into the meditation and carneste consideration of godes lavves and cōmaundementes of the mysteries of our faithe of the lyfe and deathe of our Sauyour or of our devvtye tovvardes hym and muche lesse do vve make it our dayly studdye and cogitation as those holy kinges dyd notvvithstandinge all their great busines in the commen vvealthe VVhoe is there of vs novv a dayes which makethe the lavves and commandementes or instifications of God as the scriptures learnethe hym his dayly meditations as kinge Dauid dyd neyther onelye in the daye tyme dyd he this but also by night in his harte as in an other place he testy fiethe of hym selfe Hovve many of vs doe passe ouer vvhole dayes and monethes vvithout euer entringe into theise meditatiōs nay God graunte there be not manye Christiās in the worlde vvhich knovve not vvhat these meditatiōs doe meane VVe beleeue in grosse the mysteryes of our Christiane faythe as that there is a hell a heauen a revvarde for vertue a punyshement for vice a iudgemēt to come an accōpt to be made the lyke but for that vve chue them not vvell by depe consideratiō nor doe not disgest them vvell in our hartes by the heate of meditation they helpe vs litle to good lyfe no more than a preseruatiue putt in a mans pockett can helpe his healthe VVhat man in the vvorld vvould aduēture so easelye vpon mortall synne as commonlye men doe vvhich drynk them vpp as easely as beastes drynk vvater yf he dyd consider in particuler the greate daunger and losse that commethe by the same as the losse of grace the losse of gods fauour and purchassinge his eternall vvrathe also the deathe of gods ovvne sonne sustayned for sinne the inestymable tormentes of hell for the euerlastinge punishemēt of the same vvhich albeit euerye Christian in summe doethe beleyue yet because the moste parte doe neuer cōsider thē vvithe due circunstances in their hartes therefore they are not moued vvithe the same but doe beare the knovveledge thereof locked vppe in their breastes vvithout any sense or feelinge euen as a man carryethe fyre aboute hym in a flynte stone vvithoute heate or perfumes in a pommāder vvithoute smell except the one be beaten and the other be chafed And novv to come neare our matter vvhiche vve meane to handle in this boke vvhat man lyuinge vvould not resolue hym selfe thorovvlye to serue God in deede and to leaue all vanities of the vvorld yf he dyd consider as he should doe the vvayghtie reasons he hathe to moue hym therunto the revvarde he shall receyue for it and his infinitie daunger yf he doe it 〈◊〉 but because as I haue saide scarce one among a thousande doethe enter into these consideratiōs or yf he doe it is vvith lesse attention or contynuance than so greate a matter requirethe her eof it commethe that so many men peryshe dayly and so fevve are saued for that by lack of consideration they neuer resolue them selues to lyue as they should doe and as the vocation of a Christian man requirethe So that vve maye also complayne vvithe holy Ieremie alleaged in the 〈◊〉 that our earthe also of Christianitie is brought to desolation for that men doe not deepely consider in their hartes Consideration is the keye vvhiche openethe the doore to the closet of our harte vvhere all our bookes of accompte doelye It is the lookinge glasse or rather the very eye of our soule vvherby shee seethe her selfe and lookethe into all her vvhole estate her riches her debtes her duetyes her neglīgences her good gyftes her defectes her safftie her daunger her vvaye she vvalkethe in her pase shee holdeth and finallye the place and ende vvhich shee dravvethe vnto And vvithout this consideration shee runnethe on blindlye into a thousande brakes and bryers stumblinge at euery steppe into some one inconuenience or other and continualie in perill of some great deadlie mischiefe And it is a vvounderfull matter to thincke that in other busines of this lyfe men bothe see and cōfesse that nothinge can be eyther begonne prosecuted or vvell ended vvithout consideration and yet in this greate busines of the kyngedome of heauen no man almoste vsethe or thinkethe the same necessarie If a man had to make a iourneye but from Englāde to Cōstātinople albe it he had made the same once or tvvyse before yet vvould he not passe it ouer vvithe oute greate often consideration especially vvhether he vvere right and in the vvaye or no vvhat pase he helde hovve neere he vvas to his vvayes ende and the lyke And thinkest thou my deare brother to passe frome earthe to heauen and
seruice of God thoughe it were to gayne all the kyngdomes of the earthe yet is it meere vanitie follie lost labour will turne vs one daye to grefe repentāce and confusion for that it is not the matter for whiche we came into this lyfe or of whiche we shal be asked accompt at the last daye except it be to receaue Iudgement for the same Secondlie it folowethe of the premisses that seinge our onely ende busines in this worlde is to serue God that all other earthelye creatures are putt here to serue vs to that ende we should for our partes be indifferent to all these creatures as to riches or pouertie to healthe or sicknes to honour or contempt and we should desire onely so muche or litle of the same as were best for vs to our sayd ende that we entende that is to the seruice of God for whoe soeuer desiethe or seekethe thes creatures more than this runnethe from his ende for the which he came hither By this nowe maye a carefull Christian take some scantelinge of his owne estate withe God and make a coniecture whether he be in the right waye or no For yff he attende onely or principallye to this ende for whiche he was sent hither that is to serue God and gayne heauen yf his cares cogitations studies endeuours labours talke and other his actiōs runne vpon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honour riches learninge the lyke then they are necessarie vnto hym for this ende whiche he pretendethe If his dayes and lyfe I saye be spent in this studie of the seruice of God and procuringe his saluation in feare and tremblinge as the Appostle willethe vs then is he doubtles a most happye blessede man and shall at lengthe attayne to the kyngedome whiche he lookethe for But yf he finde hym selff in a contrarie ease that is not to attende to this matter for which onelye he was sent hither nor to hane in his harte studie this seruice of God and gayninge of heauen but rather some other vanitie of the world as promotion wealthe pleasure sumptuous apparell gorgious buyldinges bewtie or any other thinge els that partaynethe not to this ende yf he spende his tyme I saye abowt these tryfles hauinge his cares cogitations his talke delight more in thes then about the other great busines of gayninge heauen for which he was sent Then is he in a perilouse course leadinge directlie to perdition except he alter and change the same For most certaine it is that who soeuer shall not attende vnto the seruice he came for shall neuer attayne to the rewarde promised to that seruice And because the most parte of the world not only of infidels but also of Christiās doe amisse in this pointe and doe not attende to this thinge for which they were onely created and sent hyther Hence it is that Christ his holye saintes haue alwayes spoken so hardly of the small number that shal be saued euen amonge Christians and haue vttered some speeches which seeme very rigorous to fleshe and bloode and scarce trewe albe it they must be fulfilled as that it is easier for a camell to goe thorovvghe a needles eye then for a riche man to enter into heauen The reason of which sayenge and many more standethe in this that a riche man or worldlinge attēdinge to heape riches can not attende to doe that whiche he came for into this worlde and consequenetly neuer attayne heauen except God worke a miracle so cause hym to contemne his riches and to vse thē onely to the seruice of God as some tymes he dothe and we haue a rare example in the gospell zacheus whoe beinge a very riche man presently vpon the enteringe of Christ into his house muche more into his harte gaue half his goodes vnto the poore and whome so euer he hadd iniuried to hym he made fower tymes so muche restitutiō And so entered into heauen whiche otherwyse he hadd not done But hereby now maye be seene the lamentable state of manye a thowsande Christians in the world which are so farrof from bestowinge winge there hole tyme trauell in the seruice of God and the gayninge of heauen as they neuer almost thincke of the same or yf they doe it is with very litle care or attētiō Good Lorde howe manye men and women be there in the world which bearinge the name of Christians scarse spende one houre of fower and twentie in the seruice of God howe manye doe beate their braynes about wordly matters and how fewe are troubled withe this care howe manye finde tyme to eate drinke sleepe disporte deck painte thē selues out to the worlde and yet haue no tyme to bestowe in this greatest busines of all other howe manye spend ouer whole dayes weekes monethes and yeares in hauking hunting and other pastymes without any care or earnest cogitation of these thinges Other in ambition promotiō without makinge accounte or regrade of the matter what shal be come of these people what will they saye at the daye of iudgment what excuse will they haue If the marchand factour which I spake of before after manye yeares spent beyond the seas returninge home to geeue accountes to his maister should yeald a reconninge of so muche tyme spent in singinge so much in daunsinge so muche in courtinge and the lyke who would not laughe at his accountes but beinge further asked by his maister what tyme he bestowed on his marchandise which he sent hym for yf he should answere none at all nor that he euer thought or studyed vppon that matter whoe wold not thynke hym worthie of all shame and punishemene and surelve withe muche more shame and confusion shall they stande at the daye of iudgemēt whoe beinge placed here to so great a busines as is the seruice of almightie God the gayninge of his eternall kyngdome of heauē haue not withstādinge neglected the same bestowinge their studdies labours and cogitations in the vaine trifles of this world which is as muche from the purpose as yf men beinge placed in a course to runne at a golden game of infinite price as we are all placed to runne at heauen as S. Paule sayeth they should leaue their marke 〈◊〉 steppe a side after flyes or fethers in the ayre and some other stande styll gatheringe vpp the dunge of the grounde and how were these men worthie trowe you to receaue so greate arewarde as was proposed to them VVherfore deare Christian yf thow be wyse consider thy case whyle thou haste tyme. Followe the Apostles counsaile examine thy owne worke wayes and deceyue not thy selfe Yet thowe maiste reforme thy selfe because the daye tyme of lyfe yet remayneth The dreadfull night of deathe will ouertake thee shortly whē there wil be no more tyme of reformation VVhat will all thy labour toyle in procurynge
hower to goe in with hym would not know them when they came after and finallie he promiseth to damne all those without exception which shall worke iniquitie as S. Mathew restisieth Moreouer beinge asked by a certaine prince on a tyme how he might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woold geeue hym no other hope though he were a prince but onlye this yf thovv vvilt enter into lyfe keepe the cōmaundements of God And talkinge with his Disciples at an other tyme of the same matter he geeueth them no other comfort but this yf ye loue me keepe my commaundements As whoe should saye if you were neuer so much my Disciples and yf ye breake my cōmaundements there is no more loue nor frēdshippe betwixt vs. And S. Iohn which best of all other knew his meaninge herein expoundeth it in this sense when he saythe if a man sayeth he knovveth God and yet keepeth not his commaundementes he is a lyar and the trueth is not in him And more yet to take awaye all hope or expectation from his disciples of any other waye of saluation than by keepinge his commaundementes he saieth in an other place that he came not to take avvaye the lavv but to fulfill it streight waie he inferreth vppon the same vvhoe soeuer therfore shall breake one of the least of thes commaundementes shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen For whiche cause at his departure out of the worlde the verie last wordes that he spake to his Apostles were these that they should teach men to obserue all his commaundementes vvhat soeuer By which appeareth the seuere meaninge that Christ had to wchinge our accounte for the keepinge of his commaundementes in this lyfe The whiche also may be gathered by that beinge asked whether the number were small of them that should be saued he aunswereth yea and counsaileth men to stryue to goe into the straite gate for that manie should be shut out yea euen of them which had eaten and 〈◊〉 whith him and had enioyed the corporall presence of his blessed bodye but had not lyued as he commaunded them In whiche case he signifieth that no respect or frindsnippe must take place with hym at the last day For whiche cause he saide to the man whome he had healed at the fishepools side in Ierusalē beholde novv thovv art hole seethovv synne no more least vvorse happen to the than before And generallye he warneth vs in S. Mathews ghospell that we agree with our aduersaries and make our accountes streight in this lyfe othervvise vve shall paye the vttermost fardinge in the life to come And yet more seuerelye he sayth in an other place that vve shall render account at the daye of iudgement for euerie ydle vvorde vvhiche vve haue spoken VVhiche daie of iudgement he vvarneth vs of before and foretelleth the rigour and daunger in sundrie places of holye scripture to the end vve should preuent the same and so direct our lyues vvhile vve haue time in this vvorld as vve may present our selues at that daye vvithout feare daunger or rather vvith greate ioye and cōfort when so manie thowsands of vvhicked people shall appeare there to their eternall confusion And because there is nothinge which so fitlye shevveth the seueritie of Christ in taking our accountc at the last daye as the order and maner of this iudgemēt described most diligētlie by the holye scripture it selfe it shall make muche for our purpose to consider the same And first of all it is to be noted that there be two iudgementes appointed after death the one called particuler wherby eche man presentlie vpon his departure from this worlde receaueth particuler sentence ether of punishement or of glorie accordinge to his deedes in this life as Christes owne words are wherof we haue examples in Lazarus and the riche gloutton whoe were presentlie caried the one to payne thother to rest as S. Luke testifieth And to doubt of this were obstinacie as S. Austen affirmeth The other iudgement is called generall for that it shal be of all men together in the end of the vvorld where shall a finall sentence be pronounced eyther of reward or punishment vpon all men that euer liued accordinge to the workes which they haue done good or bad in this life and afterward neuer more question be made of alteringe their estate that is of easinge the paine of the one or endinge the glorie of the other Now as towchinge the first of these two iudgements albeit the holye auncient fathers especiallie S. Austen doe gather and consider diuers particulers of greate seueritie and feare as the passage of our soule from the bodye to the tribunall seate of God vnder the custodie both of good and euill Angels the feare she hath of them the sodeine straungenes of the place where she is the terror of gods presence the strayte examination she must abyde and the lyke yet for that the moste of thes thinges are to be considered also in the seconde indgemēt which is generall I will passe ouer to the same notinge onlye certaine reasons yealded by the holye fathers why God after the first iudgement wherin he had assigned to eche man accordinge to his desertes in particuler would appoint moreouer this second generall iudgemēt VVherof the first is for that the bodie of man rysinge from his sepulcher might be partaker of the eternall punishement or glorie of the sowle euen as it hath bene partaker with the same eyther in vertue or vice in this lyfe The seconde is that as Christ was dishonored and put to confusion heere in the vvorld publikelye so muche more he might shevv his maiestie and power at that daye in the sight of all creatures and especiallie of his enimyes The third is that both the vvicked and good might receaue theire revvarde openlye to more confusion and harte greefe of the one and triumphe of the other vvhoe commonlie in this vvorld haue ben ouerborne by the vvicked The fourth is for that euill men vvhen they dye do not cōmonlie carie with them all theire demerite and euill for that they leaue behynde them ether theire euill example or theire children and familiars corrupted by them or els bookes and meanes vvhich maie in time corrupt other All vvhich beinge not yet done but comminge to passe after theire death they can not so conuenientlie receaue their iudgemēt for the same presentlie but as the euill falleth out so their paines are to be encreased The like may be saied of the good So that for examples sake S. Paules glorie is increased dailie and shal be vnto the vvorldes ende by reason of them that daylye profit by his vvritinges and exāple and the paines of the vvicked are for the lyke reason dailye augmented But at the last daye of iudgement shal be an end of all meryt and demerit and then it shal be seene euidentlye vvhat eche
the for it albeit thow haddest nothinge in thee worthe loue besydes But now thy lorde besydes thes his gyftes hath infinite causes to make the loue hym that is all the causes which any thinge in the worlde hath to puchase loue and infiinte more besydes For yf all the perfections of all thinges created in heauē and in earth which doe procure loue were put together in one as all their bewtie all their vertue all their wisedome all their sweetnes all their nobilitie all their goodnes and the lyke yet thy lorde Sauycur whome thow contēnest doth passo all this and that by infinite and infinite 〈◊〉 for that he is not onlie all thes thinges together but also he is verie bewtie it selfe vertue it selfe wisedome it selfe sweetenes it selfe nobilitie it selff goodnes it selff and the verie fountaine and welspringe where hence all thes thinges are deriued by litle peeces and parcels vnto his creatures Be a shamed then good Christian of this thy ingratitudo to so greate so good beuntifull a Lord and resolue thy selfe for the tyme to come to amende thy course of lyfe and behauyour towardes hym Say with the prophet which had lesse cause to saye so then thow Domine propitiaro peccato meo multum est enim O lord pardon me myne offence for it is greate in thy sight I know there is nothinge o lorde which dothe so muche displease the or drye vpp the fountaine of thy mercye so byndeth thy handes from doinge good as ingratitude in the receyuers of thy benefites wherin hetherto I haue exceeded all others but I haue done it o lord in myne ignorance not conslderinge thy gyftes vnto me nor what accounte thow wouldest demaunde againe of the same But now seinge thow hast vouchsafed to make me woorthie of this grace also wherby to see and knowe myne owne state and defaut I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace of thyne to shew my selfe a better childe towardes the. O lord I am ouercome at the lēgthe with cōsideratiō of thy loue and how can I haue the harte to offend thee hereafter seinge thow hast preuented me so manye wayes with benefites euē when I demaunded not the same can I haue handes euermore to sinne against thee whiche hast geeuen vpp thyne owne most tender handes to be nayled on the crosse for my synnes heretofore no no it is to greate an iniurie against thee o lord woe worth me that haue donne it so often heretofore But by thy holye assistance I trust not to returne to suche iniquitie for the tyme to come to which o lord I beseeche the for thy mercie sake from thy holie throne of heauen to saie amen Of vvhat opinion and feelinge vve shal be to vvchinge these matters at the tyme of our deathe CHAP. VIII THe holy scriptures doe teach vs and experience maketh it plaine that duringe the tyme of this lyfe the commodities preferments and pleasures of the worlde doe possesse so stronglye the hartes of manye men and doe holde them chayned with so forcible enchauntmentes beinge forsaken also vpon their iust desertes of the grace of God saye and threaten what a man can and bringe against them all the whole scripture euen from the begynninge of genesis to the end of the Apocalips as in deede it is all against synne and synners yet will it preuaile nothinge with them beinge in that lamentable case as other they beleeue not or esteeme not what so euer is saide to that purpose against their setled lyfe aud resolution to the contrarye Of this we haue infinite examples in scripture as of Sodome and Gomorra with the cities aboute which could not heare the war ninges that good Lot gaue vnto them Also of Pharao whome all that euer Moyses could doe ether by signes or sayinges moued nothinge Also of Iudas whoe by no faire meanes or threatninges vsed to him by his maister would change his wicked resolution But especialye the prophets sent from God from tyme to tyme to disswade the people from their naughtie lyfe and consequentlye from the plagues hanginge ouer them doe geeue abundant testimonie of this complainiage euerie where of the hardnes of synners hartes that wold not be moued with all the exhortations preachings promisses allurementes exclamations threatnings thunderinges that they could vse The prophet zacharie shall testifie for all in this matter whoe saieth of the people of Israell a litle before theire destruction Hoc ait do minus exercituum et ce This sayeth the Lorde of hostes iudge iustlie and so forthe And presentlie he addeth And they vvould not attende but turninge their backes uvent auvaye and stopped their eares to the ende they might not heare and they did put their hartes as an adamant stone to the end they might not heare the lavve and the vuordes vvhich God did send in his spirite by the handes of the former prophetes vvherby godes greate indignation vvas sturred vpp This then is and alwayes hath ben the fashion of worldlinges reprobate persons to harden their hartes as an adamant stone against anye thinge that shal be tolde thē for the amendement of their liues and for the sauinge of their soules VVhyles they are in healthe and prosperitie they will not know God as in an other place he complaineth Marye yet as the prophet saieth God will haue his daye withe thes men also when he wil be knowen And that is cognoscetur dominus iudicia faciens God vvill è knovven uvhen he begynneth to doe iudgment and this is at the daye of deathe which is the next dore to iudgement as S. Paule testifieth sayinge it is appointed for euill men once to dye and after that ensewe 〈◊〉 This I saye is the day of God most terrible sorowfull and full of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be knowen to be a righteous God and to restore to euerye man accordinge as he hath donne vvhile he liued As S. Panle sayeth or as the prophet describeth it he vvilbe knovven then to be a terrible God and such a one as taketh avvaye the spirite of princes a terrible God to the kynges of the 〈◊〉 At this daye as there wil be a greate change in all other thinges as mirth wil be turned into sorow laughinges into weepinges pleasures into paynes stoutnes into feare pryde into dispaire and the like so especiallie will there be a straunge alteration in iudgemēt and opinion for that the wisedome of God wherof I haue spoken in the former chapters and which as the scripture saieth is accounted folye of the wise of the vvorld will then appeare in her likenes as it is in verie deede wil be confessed by her greatest enimyes to be onlietrew wisedome and all carnall wisdome of worldlinges to be meere folye as God callethe it This the holye scripture setteth downe clerelye when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this
purging of gods seruants in the lyfe to come But now touching the reprobate such as for their wickednesse haue to die euerlastinglie we must Imagine that the case standeth much more hardlye for to that purpose soundeth Christs sayeing to the good wemen of Ierusalem when he was goeing to his passiō Yf they doe these things to grene vvood vvhat shalbecome of that vvhich is drye which woordes S. Peter seemeth in some parte to expōde when he sayeth Yf the Iudgement of God 〈◊〉 vvith vs vvhich are his seruāts vvhat shall the end of vvrcked men be As who wold say that in all reason their ende must be intollerable For more particular cōceauing whereof be cause the matter is of great importāce for all Christians to know it suall not be perhaps amisse to consider breeflie what the holie scriptures and auncient fathers of the Catholique ehurche directed no doubt by the holie Ghost haue reuealed vnto vs concerning this punishement And first of all to wchinge the place of punishement appointed for the dāned cōmonlie called hell the scripture in diuerse languages vseth diuerse names but all tending to expresse the greeuousnesse of punishement there suffered As in latyn it is called Infernus a place beneathe or vnder ground as most of the old fathers doe interprete But whether it be vnder ground or no most certaine it is that it is a place most opposit to heauen which is sayd to be aboue and from which lucifer was throwne downe And this name is vsed to signifie the miserable suppressing and hurling downe of the damned to be troden vnder the feet not onlie of God but also of good men for euer For so sayeth the scripture Beholde the daye of the lorde cometh burning like a fornace and all proud and vvicked men shall be stravv to that fornace and you that feare my name shall tread them dovven they shal be as burnt ashes vnder the soles of your feet in that 〈◊〉 And this shal be one of the greatest miseries that can happen to the prowde and stowte potentates of the worlde to be thrown doune with suche contēpt and to be troden vnder feet of them whome they so muche despised in this worlde The Hebrew woord whiche the scripture vseth for hell is Seol whiche fignifieth a great ditche or dungeon In whiche sense it is also called in the Apocalips lacus irae dei the lake of the wrathe of God And again Stagnum ardens igne sulphure a poole burning with fyre and brimstone In greek the scripture vseth three woordes for the same place The fyrst is Hades vsed in the gospell whiche as plutarche noteth signifieth a place where no light is The second is zophos in S. Peter which signifieth darknes it selfe In whiche sense it is called also of Iob terra tenebrosa operta mortis caligine A darke land and ouer whelmed with deadlie obscuritie Also in the gospell tenebra exteriores vtter darkness The thirde greek woorde is tartaros vsed also by S. Peter whiche woorde being deriued of the verbe tarasso which signifieth to terrifye trouble vexe importeth an horrible confusion of tormentors in that place euen as Iob sayeth of it ibi nullus ordo sed sempiternus horror inhabitat there dwelleth no order but euerlastinge horrour The chaldie woorde which is also vsed in hebrew and translated to the greke is gehenna First of all vsed by Christ for the place of them whiche are damned as S. Ierom noteth vpon the tenth chapiter of S. Mathewes gospell And this woord being compounded of gee and hinnom signifieth a valley nighe to Ierusalem called the valley of hinnom in whiche the olde Idolatrous Iewes were wont to burne alyue their owne children in the honour of the deuill and to sownd with trūpets tymprills other lowd instruments whiles they were doeinge therof that the childerens voyces and cryes might not be heard whiche place was afterward vsed also for the receipt of all filthines as of doung dead carions the like And it is moste probable that our Sauiour vsed this woorde aboue all other for hell thereby to signifie the miserable burninge of soules in that place the pitifull clamours and cries of the tormēted the confuse and barbarous no yse of the tormentors together with the moste lothesom sillthynesse of the place which is otherwise described in the scriptures by the names of adders snakes 〈◊〉 scorpions other venemouse creatures as shal be afterwards declared Hauing declared the names of this place and thereby also in some part the nature yt remaineth now that we consider what maner of paines men suffer there For declaration whereof we must note that as heauen and hell are contrary assigned to contrary persones for contrary causes so haue they in all respectes contrarye properties cōditions and effects in suche sorte as what soeuer is spoken of the felicitye of the one may serue to inferre the contrary of the other As when S. Paule sayeth that no eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hart conceaued the ioyes that God hathe prepared for them that shal be saued VVe may inferre that the payns of the damned must be as great Again when the scripture saithe that the felicitie of them in heauen is a perfect felicitie cōtaining omne bonum all goodnesse So that no one kinde of pleasure can be imagined whiche they haue not we must thinke on the contrary part that the miserie of the damned must be also a perfect miserie contayning all afflictions that may be without wanting any So that as the happines of the good is infinite and vniuersall so also is the calamitie of the wicked infinite and vniuersall Now in this lyfe all the miseries pains which fall vpon man are but particular and not vniuersall As for example we see one man pained in his eyes an other in his teeth an other in his stomak an other in his back whiche particular pains notwithstandinge some times are so extreame as lyfe is not able to resist them a man wolde not suffer thē long for the gayning of many worldes to gether But suppose now a man were tormēted in all the parts of his bodye at once as in his head his eyes his tongue his teeth his throote his stomak his bellie his back his hart his sides his thighes and in all the ioynts of his bodye besides suppose I say he were moste cruellie tormented with extreme paines in all these parts together without ease or intermission VVhat thing could be more miserable than this what sight more lamentable Yf thou shouldest see a dogge lye in the strete so afflicted I know thou couldest not but take cōpassion vpon him VVell then cōsider what difference there is betwene abydinge these pains for a week or for all eternitie in suffering them vpon a soft bedde or vpon a burning grydyron boyling fornace among a mans
transitorie worlde whiche is but a cotage to his owh eternall habitatiō what power what magnificence what Maiestie hath he shewed what heauens and how wounderfull hath he created what infinit starres and other lights hath he deuised what elements hath he framed and how maruailouslie hathe he cōpacte thē together The seas tossing and tumbling without rest and replenished with infinite sortes of fishe the ryuers running incessantlie through the earth like veins in the bodie and yet neuer to be emptie nor ouerflow the same the earthe it selfe so furnished with all varietie of creatures as the hundredth part thereof is not employed by man but onelie remaineth to shew the full hand and strong arme of the creator And all this as I saied was done in an instant with one woord onelie and that for the vse of a small time in respect of the eternitie to come VVhat then shall we imagin that the habitatiō prepared for that eterni tie shall be yf the cotage of his meanest seruant that made onelie for a time to bearof as it were a shower of rayne be so princelie so gorgeouse so magnificet so Maiesticall as we see this worlde is what must we think that the kings palace it selfe is appointed for all eternitie for hym and his freends to raigne together VVe must needs think it to be as great as the power and wisdome of the maker could reache vnto to perfourme and that is incomparablie and aboue all measure infinite The greate king Assuerus which raigned in Asia ouer a hundred twentie and seuen prouinces to discouer his power and riches to his subiects made a feast as the scripture sayeth in his citie of Susa to all princes states and potentates of his dominiōs for a hundred and fovverscore dayes together Esay the prophet sayeth that our God and lorde of hoosts vvill make a solemne banquet to all his people vpon the hill and mount of heauen and that a haruest banquet of fatt meates pure vvines And this bāquet shal be so solemne as the very sonne of God hym selfe cheefe Lorde of the feast shal be contēt to gyrd hym selfe and to serue in the same as by his ovvn vvoordes he promiseth VVhat maner of banquet then shall this be hovv magnificent hovv maiesticall especiallie seing it hath not onely to endure a hundred and fower score dayes as that of Assuerus dyd but more than a hundred and fourscore millions of ages not serued by men as assuerus feaste was but by angels the verie sōne of God hym selfe not to open the povver and riches of a hundred tvventie and seuen prouinces but of God hym selfe king of kings lorde of lordes vvhose povver and riches are vvithout end and greater than all his creatures together can conceaue Hovv gloriouse a banquet 〈◊〉 this be then hovv triumphāt a ioy of this festiuall day o miserable foolish childeren of men that are borne to so rare and singular a dignitie and yet can not be brought to cousider loue or esteeme of the same Other such considerations there be to shew the greatnesse of this felicitie as that yf God hathe geuen so many pleasures cōfortable gyfts in this lyfe as we see are in the worlde being a place notwthstanding of banishment a place of sinners a vale of miserie and the time of repenting weeping and wayling what will he doe in the lyfe to come to the iust to his freends in the time of ioye and mariage of his sonne This was a moste forcible consideration with good S. Augustin whoe in the secret speeche of his soule with god said thus O Lord yf thou for this vile bodie of oures geue vs so great and Innumerable benefites from the firmament from the ayer from the earth from the sea by light by darkenesse by heate by shadow by dewes by showers by windes by raines by byrds by fishes by beasts by trees by multitu de of hearbes varietie of plants by the ministerie of all thy creatures O sweet lorde what maner of things how great how good and how innumerable are those which thou haste prepared in our heauenlie countrie vvhere vve shall see thee face to face yf thou doe so greate things for vs in our priso vvhat vvilt thou geue vs in our palace yf thou geuest so many things in this vvorld to good euill men together vvhat hast thou layd vp for onelie good men in the vvorld to come yf thine enemies and freends together are so vvell prouided for in this lyfe vvhat shall thy onelie freends receaue in the lyfe to come yf there be so great solaces in these dayes of teares vvhat ioye shall there be in that day of Mariage yf our iayle cōtain so great matters vvhat shall our countrie and kingdome doo O my lord God thou art a great God and great is the multitude of thy magnificence and sweetnesse And as there is no end of thy greatnes nor nūber of thy wisdom nor measure of thy benignitie so is there nether end number nor measure of thy rewardes towards them that loue and fight for thee Hither to S. Augustin An other way to coniecture of this felicitie is to consider the great promises whiche God maketh in the scriptures to honour and glorifie man in the lyfe to come VVho so euer shall honor me sayeth God I vvill glorifie hym And the prophet Dauid as it were complaineth ioyfullie that Gods freends were to muche honoured by hym VVhiche he might with muche more cause haue sayd yf he had liued in the new testament and had heard that promisse of Christ whereof I spake before that his seruants should sitt down banquet that him selfe wolde serue minister vnto them in the kingdome of his father Vvhat vnderstanding can cōceaue how great this honour shall be But yet ī some part it may be gessed by that he sayeth that they shall sitt in iudgement with hym and as S. Paul addeth shall be Iudges not onelie of men but also of Angels It may also be coniectured by the exceedinge greate honour whiche god at certain times hathe done to his seruants euen in this lyfe VVherin notwithstanding they are placed to be despised not to be honoured VVhat great honour was that he dyd to Abraham in the sight of so many kings of the earth as of pharao Abimalech Melchiseedech and the like Vvhat honour was that he dyd to Moyses Aaron in the face of Pharao all his court by the wōderfull signes that they wrought VVhat excessiue honour was that he dyd to holie Iosue when in the sight of all his armie he stayed the sunne and Moone in the middest of the firmament at Iosue his appointement obeyng therein as the scripture sayeth to the voice of a man what honour was that he dyd to Esay in the sight of kinge Ezechias when he made the sunne to goe backe tenne
as we may by the grace purchased vs in that sacrifice resist and conquer this appetite and so keepe our selues from seruitude of sinne that is from any consent or taste of sinne yf we will our selues And this is that noble and intire victorie whiche God promised so long agoe to euerie Christian soule by the meanes of Christ when he sayd Be not a feard for I am with thee stepp not aside for I thy God haue strengthened thee and haue assisted thee and the right hand of my iust man hathe taken thy defence Beholde all that fight against thee shal be confounded and put to shame thow shalt seeke thy rebelles shalt not find thē they shal be as thoughe they were not for that I am thy Lord and God Loe heere a full victorie promised vpon our rebelles by the helpe of the right hād of gods iust man that is vpon our disordinate passions by the ayde of grace fro Iesus Christ. And albeit these rebelles are not heere promised to be taken cleane awaye but onelye to be conquered and confounded yet is it sayed that they shal be as thoughe they vvere not VVherby is signified that they shall not hynder vs in the way of our saluation but rather further the same yf we will For as wilde beastes which of nature are fearse and wold rather hurt thā profitt mankinde being maistred and tamed become verie cōmodiouse necessarie for our vses so these rebelliouse passions of ours whiche of them selues wold vtterlie ouerthrowe vs being once subdued and mortified by gods graces and our owne diligence doe stand vs in singular steade to the practise and exercise of all kynde of vertues as choler or angre to the inkyndeling of zeale hatred to the pursewinge of sinne a hautie mynde to the reiecting of the world loue to the embracing of all great and heroicall attemptes in consideration of the benefites receaued from God Beside this the verie conflict and combate it selfe in subdewing these passions is left vnto vs for our greate good that is for our patience humilitie and victorie in this lyfe and for our merit glorie and croune in the lyfe to come as S. Paul affirmed of hym selfe and cōfirmed to all others by sexample Now then lest slothefull Christian goe putt his handes vnder his gyrdle as the scripture dayeth and saye There is a lyon in the 〈◊〉 and a lyonesse in the pathe redie to dououre hym that he dare not goe furthe of doors Let hym saye It is colde and therefore he dareth not goe to plovve Let hym saye it is vneasie to labour therfure he can not purge his vyneyarde of nettles and thystles nor buyld any wall about the same That is let hym saye his passions are strong therfore he can not conquere them his body is delicate and therfore he dare not put it to trauayle the way of vertuouse lyfe is hard and vneasie and therfore he can not applye hym selfe therunto Let hym saye all this and muche more which ydle and slothefull Christians doe vse to bryng for their excuse let hym alleage it I say as muche and as often as he will it is but an excuse and a false excuse and an excuse moste dishonorable detractorie to the force of Christ his grace purchased vs by his bytter passion that now his yoke should be vnpleasant seing he hathe made it sweete that now his burden shoulde be heauie seing he hathe made it light that now his commaundementes should be greeuous seinge the holie ghoste affirmeth the contrarie that now we should be in seruitude of our passions seinge he hathe by his grace delyuered vs and made vs truelie free If God be vvith vs vvhoe vuill be against vs sayeth the Apostle God is my helper and defender saveth holie Dauid vvhome shall I feare or tremble If whole armies should rise against me yet will I allway hope to haue the victorie And what is the reason for that thouv are uvith me o lord thow fyghtest on my syde thou assistest me with thy grace by helpe whereof I shall haue the victorie thoghe all the squadrones of my enemies that is of the fleshe the world and the deuill should ryse against me at once and I shall not onelie haue the victorie but also shall haue it easilie and with pleasure and delite For so muche signifieth S. Iohn in that hauing saide that the commaundementes of Christ are not greeuous he in ferreth presētlie as the cause thereof Quoniam omne quod natum est ex deo vincit mundum For that all whiche is borne of God conquerith the worlde that is his grace and heauenlie assistance sent vs from God doeth bothe cōquer the world with all difficulties and temptations therof and also maketh the commaundements of God easie and vertuous lyfe most pleasant and sweete But perhappes you will saye Christ him selfe confesseth it to be a yoke and a burden how then can it be so pleasant and easie as you make yt I answer that Christ addeth that it is a sweete yoke and a light burden VVherby your obiection is taken away and also is signified further that there is a burden whiche greeueth not the bearer but rather helpeth and refresheth the same as the burden of fethers vppon a byrdes backe beareth vpp the byrd and is nothinge at all greeuous vnto her So also thoghe it be a yoke yet is it a sweete yoke a comfortable yoke a yoke more pleasant than hony or hony combe as sayeth the prophet And whie so because we drawe therin with a sweete companion we drawe with Christ that is his grace at one end and our endeuour at the other And because when a great oxe a litle doe drawe together the weight lyeth all vppon the greater oxe his necke for that he beareth vp quite the yoke from the other therof it cometh that we draweing in this yoke together with Christ whiche is greater than we are he lighteneth vs of the whole burden onelie requireth that we should goe on with hym comfortablie and not refuse to enter vnder the yoke with hym for that the payne shal be his and the pleasure oures This he signifieth expresselie when he sayeth come you to me all that labour and are heauie loden and I will refreshe you Heere you see that he moueth vs to this yoke onelie therby to refreshe and disburden vs to disburden vs I saye and to refreshe vs and not any waye to loade or agreeue vs to disburden vs of the heauye loadinges and yokes of this world as from the burden of a guiltie conscience the burden of care the burden of melancholie the burden of enuye hatred and malice the burden of pryde the burden of ambition the burden of couetousnes the burden of wrathe the burden of feare the burden of wickednesse and hell fire it selfe From all these burdens and miserable yokes Christ wold delyuer
vs by coueringe our neckes onelie with his yoke and burden so lightned and sweetned by his holy grace as the bearinge therof is not trauailsome but most easie pleasant and confortable as hathe bene shewed An other cause why this yoke is so sweete this burden so light and this vvaie of gods commaundemētes so pleasant to good men is loue loue I meane tovvards God whose commaundementes they are for euery man can tell and hathe experienced in hym selfe what a strong passion the passion of loue is and how it maketh easie the verie greatest paynes that are in this world VVhat maketh the mother to take suche paynes in the bringing vpp of her child but onelie loue what causeth the wyfe to sytt so attentyue at the bedde syde of her sycke husbande but onelie loue what moueth the beastes and byrdes of the ayer to spare from their owne foode and to endaunger their own lyues for the feedinge and defendinge of their litle ones but onelie the force of loue S. Austen doeth prosecute this pointe at large by many other examples as of Marchantes that refuse no aduenture of sea for loue of gayne of huntars that refuse no season of euill weather for loue of game of soldiers that refuse no daunger of deathe for loue of spoyle And he addeth in the end that yf the loue of man can be so greate towardes creatures heere as to make labour easie ī deede to seeme no labour but rather pleasure how muche more shall the loue of good men towardes god make all their labour comfortable whiche they take in his seruice This extreme loue was the cause whie all the paynes afflictiōs which Christ suffered for vs seemed nothing vnto hym And this loue also was the cause why all the trauailes tormentes whiche many Christianes haue suffered for Christ seemed nothing vnto them Imprisonmēntes tormentes losse of honour goodes and lyfe seemed tryfles to diuers seruantes of God in respect of this burning loue This loue droue infinite virgines and tender children to offer them selues in tyme of persecutiō for the loue of him which in the cause was persecuted This loue caused holye Apollonia of Alexandria beinge broght to the fyre to be burned for Christ to slypp out of the handes of suche as ledde her ioyfullie to runne into the fire of her selfe This loue moued Ignatius the auncient Martyre to saye being condemned to beastes 〈◊〉 leste they wolde refuse his bodie as they had done of diuers Martyres before that he wolde not permitt them so to doe but wolde prouoke and styrre them to come vpō hym and to take his lyfe from hym by tearing his body in peeces These are the effectes then of feruent loue which maketh euen the thinges that are most difficult and dreadfull of them selues to appeare sweete and pleasant and much more the lawes and commaundementes of God whiche in them selues are moste iust reasonable holye and easie Da amantem sayeth S. Austen speaking of this 〈◊〉 sentit quod dico S. autem srigido loquor nescit quid loquar Geue me a man that is in loue with God and he feeleth this to be true whiche I saye but yf I talke to a colde Christian he vnderstandeth not what I saye And this is the cause whie Christ talking of the keeping of his cōmaundementes repeateth so often this woorde loue as the onelye sure cause of keeping the same for wāt whereof in the world the world keepeth them not as there he sheweth If you loue me keepe my commaundementes sayeth he and againe He that hathe my commaundementes and keepeth them he is he that loueth me Agayne He which loueth me will keepe my commaundement and he that loueth me not keepeth not my comaundemētes In which last woordes is to be noted that to the louer he sayeth his cōmaundement in the singular number for that to suche a one all his commaundementes are but one commaundement according to the sayeing of S. Paul That loue is the fullnesse of the lauve For that it comprehendeth all But to hym that loueth not Christ sayeth his commaundementes in the plurall number signifyeing thereby that they are bothe many and heauie to hym for that he wanteth loue whiche should make them easie VVhiche S. Iohn also expresseth when he sayeth this is the loue of God when we keepe his commaundementes and his commaundementes are not heauie That is they are not heauye to hym whiche hathe the loue of God otherwyse no maruaile thoughe they be moste heauie For that euerie thing feemeth heauie whiche we doe against our lyking And so by this also gentle reader thow mayest gesse whether the loue of God be in thee or no. And these are two meanes now wherby the lyfe of good men is made easie in this worlde There folow diuers other to the end that these negligent excusers may see how vniust and vntrue this excuse of theyrs is cōcerninge the pretended hardnes of vertuous lyuing whiche in verie deede is indewed with infinite priuileges of comfort aboue the lyfe of wicked men euen in this world And the next that I will name for example sake after the former is a certaine speciall and peculiar light of vnderstanding pertayning to the iust and called in scripture prudentia sanctorum The wisdome of Saintes which is nothing eles but a certayne sparkle of heauenlie wisdome bestowed by singular priuilege vpon the vertuouse in this lyfe wherby they receyue moste comfortable light and vnderstanding in spirituall matters especiallie towching their owne saluation thinges necessarie therunto Of whiche the prophet Dauid meant when he sayed notas mihi fecisti vias vitae Thow hast made the wayes of lyfe knowen to me Also when he sayde of hym selfe Super senes intellexi I haue vnderstoode more than olde men And agayne in an other place Incerta occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi Thow hast opened to me the vnknowen and hydden secretes of thy wisedome This is that light wherwith S. Iohn sayeth that Christ lighteneth his seruantes as also that vnction of the holye ghoste whiche the same Apostle teacheth to be geuen to the godlie to instructe them in all thinges behoofefull for their saluation In like wyse this is that writing of gods lawe in mennes hartes whiche he promiseth by the prophet Ieremie as also the instruction of men immediatlye from God him selfe promised by the prophet Esaye And finallie this is that soueraigne vnderstanding in the lawe commaundementes and iustificationes of God whiche holy Dauid so muche desired and so often demaunded in that most diuine psalme whiche begynneth Blessed are the unspotted in the uvaye That is in this lyfe By this light of vnderstandinge supernaturall knowlege feeling from the holie ghost in spirituall thinges the vertuouse are greatlie holpen in the waye of rightetousnes for that they are made able to
before he come to ioye Also by the infinite contradictions and tribulations bothe within and without left vnto man in this lyfe as for exāple within are the rebellions of his concupiscence and other miseries of his mynde wherewith he hath cōtinualie to make warre yf he will saue his soule VVithout are the world and the deuil whiche doe neuer cease to assault hym nowe by fayre meanes now by foule now by flatterie now by threates now alluring by pleasure and promotion now terrifieinge by affliction and persecutiō Against all which the good Christian hathe to resist māfullie or els he leeseth the crowne of his eternall saluation The verie same also may beshewed by the examples of all the moste renowmed saintes from the begyning whoe were not onelie assaulted internallye withe the rebellyon of their owne fleshe but also persecuted and afflicted outwardlye therby to confirme more many festlye this purpose of God As we see in Abell persecuted and slayne by his owne brother as sone as euer he beganne to serue God Also in Abraham afflicted diuerslye after he was once chosen by God moste of all by makyng hym yeeld to the kylling of his owne deare and onelie child Of the same cuppe dranke all his children posteritie that succeded him in gods fauour as Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moyses and all the prophetes of whiche Christ hym selfe geueth testimonie how their blood was shed most cruellye by the world the afflictiō also of Iob is woūderfull seing the scripture affirmeth it to haue come vpon hym by gods speciall appoyntmēt he beyng a moste iust man But yet more woūderful was the afflictiō of holie Tobias whoe among other calamities was strycken blynde by the falling doune of swallowes dung into his eyes of whiche the Angell Raphael tolde hym afterwarde Because thou vvere a man gratefull to God it uvas of necessitie that this tentation should proue thee Beholde the necessitie of afflictions to good men I might adde to this the example of Dauid and others but that S. Paul geueth a generall testimonie of all the saintes of the olde testamét sayeing That some were racked some reproched some whipped some chained some imprisoned other were stoned cutt in peeces rempted slayne with the swoorde some went about in heare clothe in skynnes of goates in great neede pressed afflicted wandering and hyding them selues in wildernesses in hilles in caues and holes vnder grounde the worlde not beynge woorthie of them Of all whiche he pronounceth this comfortable sentence to be noted of all men Non suscipientes redemptionem vt meliorem inuenirent resurrectionem That is God wolde not delyuer them from these afflictiōs in this lyfe to the end their resurrection rewarde in the lyfe to come might be more glorious And this of the saintes of the olde testament But now in the new testamēt founded expresselie vpon the crosse the matter standeth much more playne that with great reason For yf Christ could not goe into this glorie but by suffering as the scripture sayeth then by the moste reasonable rule of Christ affirming that the seruante hathe not priuilege aboue his maister It must nedes folowe that all haue to drinke of Christes cuppe whiche are appointed to be partakers of his glorie And for proofe hereof looke vpō the dearest frēendes that euer Christ had in this life and see whether they had parte therof or no Of his mother old Simeon prophesied and tolde her at the beginning that the svuoorde of tribulations should passe her harte signifieing therby the extreme afflictions that she felt afterward in the death of her sonne and other miseries heaped vpon her Of the Apostles it is euidēt that besyde all the laboures trauailes needes sufferinges persecutions and calamities ' which were infinite and in mans sight intolerable yf we beleeue S. Paul recoūting the same beside all this I saye God wold not be satisfied except he had their blood also and so wee see that he suffered none of the to dye naturallie but onelye S. Iohn by a speciall priuilege by name graunted him frome Christ albeyt yf we consider what Iohn also suffered in so long a lyfe as he lyued beynge banished by domitian to pathmos and at an other tyme thrust into a tonne of heate oyle at Rome as Tertulian and S. Ierome doe reporte we shall see that his parte was no lesse thā others in this cuppe of his maister I might reckon vp heere infinite other examples but it needeth not for it may suffice that Christ hathe geuen this generall rule in the new testament He that taketh not vp his crosse and folovveth me is not vvoorthie of me By which is resolued playnelie that there is no saluatiō now to be had but onelye for them that take vp that is doe beare willinglie theyr propper crosses and therwith doe folowe theyr captaine walking on with his crosse on his shoulders before them But heere perhappes some man may saye yf this be so that no man can be saued without a crosse that is vvithout affliction and tribulation hovv doe all those that lyue in peacible tymes and places where no persecution is no trouble no affliction or tribulation To which I answere first that yf there were anye such time or place the men lyuing therein should be in great daunger according to the sayeing of the prophet they are not in the laboure of other men nor yet uvhipped and punished as others are And therfore pryde possessed them and they vvere couered vvith iniquitie and impietie and their iniquitie proceeded of their fatnesse or abūdance Beside this thoghe men suffered nothing in this lyfe yet as saint Austen largelye proueth yf they dyed out of the state of mortall sinne they might be saued by suffering the purgyng fire in the next according to the sayeing of Saint Paul that such as build not golde or siluer vppon the foundatiō but woode stravve or stuble shall receaue dammage thereof at the daye of our Lorde to be reueyled in fire but yet by that fire they shall be saued Second ie I ansvver that there is no suche tyme place so voyde of tribulation but that there is allvvayes a crosse to be foūde for them that vvill take yt vp For ether is there pouertie siknesse slaunder enemitie iniurie contradiction or some lyke affliction offered continually For that those men neuer want in the vvorld wherof the prophet sayed These that doe render euill for good dyd detract from me for that I folouved goodnesse At the leastwyse there neuer want those domesticall enemyes of which Christ speaketh I meane ether our kynred carnall freends whiche commonlie resist vs yf we beginne once throughlie to serue God or els our owne disordinate affections whiche are the moste perylouse enemies of all for that they make vs warre vpō oure owne grounde Agayn there
that they made haste to come And God sayeth generallie of all good men They vvill ryse betimes in the morninge and come to me in their tribulation VVherfore holy kyng Dauid desiring to doe certayne men good and to wynne them to God sayeth in one of his psalmes Fyll theyr faces o lorde vvith shame and confusion and thē vvill they seek vnto thy name And this is true as I sayde in the elect and chosen seruantes of God but in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not nor dothe this chayne of loue wynne them vnto God wherof God hym selfe complaineth sayeing In vayne haue I strycken your children for they haue not receaued my discipline And agayne the prophet Ieremie sayethe of them to God thovv hast crushed them and they haue refused to receaue thy discipline they haue hardened theyr faces euen as a rocke and vvill not returne to thee Beholde they haue rent the yoke and broken the chaynes Of this now enseueth an eigthe reason why God bringeth his seruātes into 〈◊〉 to wytt therby to shew his power and loue in delyuering them For as in this worlde a princelye mynde desireth nothing more than to haue occasion wherby to shew his abilitie and good will vnto his deare freend so God which hathe all occasions in his owne hādes passeth all his creatures together in greatnesse of loue and nobilitie of mynde woorketh purposelye diuers occasions oportunities wherby to shew exercise the same So he broght the three children into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them So he broght Daniel into the lyons denne Susanna vnto the point of death Iob into extreeme miserie Ioseph into prison Tobye vnto blyndenes therby to shevv his power loue in their deliue rāce For this cause also dyd Christ suffer the shyppe to be almoste drowned before he would awake and S. Peter to be almoste vnder water before he wolde take hym by the hande And of this one reason many other reasones and moste comfortable causes doe appeare of gods dealyng heerein As first that we being deliuered from our afflictiōs might take more ioye and delite thereof than yf we had neuer suffered the same For as water is more gratefull to the vvayefayring man after a long drythe and a calme more pleasant vnto passingers after a troublesome tempest so is our delyuerie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture sayeth Speciosa misericordia dei in tempore tribulationis The mercie of God is beautyfull pleasant in tyme of tribulation This signified also Christ when he sayed your sorovve shal be turned into ioye That is you shall reioyse that euer you were sorowfull This had Dauid proued vvhen he sayed thy rodde o Lorde and thy staffe haue comforted me that is I take great cōfort that euer I was chastyned with them And agayne according to the multitude of my sorovves thy consolations haue made ioyfull my mynde That is for euery sorow that I receaued in tyme of affliction I receaue now a cōsolation after my delyuerance And agayn in an other plaee I vuill exult and reioyse in thy mercye o Lord. And wherfore good kyng wilt thou so reioyse yt foloweth immediatlie For that thou hast respected my abasement and hast delyuered my foule from the necessitie vuherin soee vvas nor hast not left me in the handes of myne enemye This then is one most graciouse meaning of our louyng and mercifull father in afflicting vs for a tymee to the end our ioye may be the greater after our delyuerance as no doubt but it was in all those whome I haue named before deliuered by gods mercie I mean Abraham Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Thobias peter and the rest whoe tooke more ioye after their deliuerance than yf they had neuer bene in afflictiō at all VVhen Iudith had delyuered Bethulia and returned thyther with Holofernes heade there was more hartie ioye in that citie than euer there wolde haue bene yf it had not bene in distresse VVhen S. Peter was dolyuered out of prison by the Angel there was more ioye for his deliuerance in the churche then coulde haue bene yf he had neuer bene in prison at all Out of this great ioye resulteth an other effect of our tribulation muche pleasant to God and comfortable to our selues and that is a moste hartie and earnest thankes geuing to God for our deliuerance suche as the prophet vsed when he saied after his deliuerāce I for my part vvill syng of thy strengthe and vvill exalt thy merice betymes in the morning for that thou hast bene my ayder and refuge in the daye of my tribulation Suche hartie thankes prayse dyd the children of Israel yeelde to God for their delyuerance when they vvere passed ouer the read sea in that notable song of theirs whiche begynneth Cantemus domino And is regestred by Moyses in Exodus From lyke hartie affect came also those songes of Anna Debora and Iudith mowed therunto by the remembrance of their afflictions past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth desireth at our handes as he testifieth by the prophet sayeing call vpon me in the daye of tribulation I vvill deliuer thee and thou shall honoure me Besides all these God hathe yet further reasones of layeing persecution vpon vs as for example for that by suffering and perceyuing in deede gods assistance and consolation therin we come to be so hardie bolde and constant in his seruice as nothing afterwarde can dismaye vs euen as Moyses thoghe he were first a feard of the serpent made of his rodd fledd awaye from it yet after by gods commandemente he had once taken yt by the tayle he feared it no more This the prophet Dauid expresseth notablie when he sayeth God hathe bene our refuge strengthe and helper in our great tribulations and therfore we will not feare yf the whole earthe should be troubled the mountaines cast into the middest of the sea what greater confidence can be imagined than this Agayne by persecution affliction God bringeth his children to the exercise perfect possession of all the vertues belonging to a Christian man As for example faythe is exercised in tyme of tribulation in considering the causes of gods permissiō beleeuīg moste assuredlie the promises he hathe made for our deliuerāce Hope is exercised in conceauing assuring her selfe of the rewarde promised to them that suffer patiently Charitie is exercised in considering the loue of Christ suffering for vs and therby prouoketh the afflicted to suffer againe for hym Obedience is exercised in conforming our willes to the will of Christ. Patience in bearing quietlye Humilitie in abasing our selues in the sight of God And so lykewise all other vertues
you that vve perish here As whoe wolde saye are not we your Disciples and seruantes are not you our I orde and Maister is not the cause yours is not all our trust and hope in you how chaunceth it then that you sleepe and suffer vs to be thus tossed and tombled as yf we appertained nothing vnto you with this affection prayed Esaye when he sayed Attend o Lord from heauen looke hither from the holie habitation of thy glorie where is thy zeale where is thy fortitude where is the multitude of thy mercifull bowelles Haue they shutt thē selues vp nowe towardes me thow art our father Abraham hathe not knowen vs and Israel hathe bene ignorant of vs thow art our father o lord turne thy selfe about for thy seruantes sake for loue of the trybe of thyne inheritance Thus I say we must call vpon God thus we must awaken hym when he seemeth to sleepe in our miseries with earnest with deuoute with continuall prayer allwayes hauing in our mynde that moste comfortable parable of Christ wherin he sayeth that yf we should come to our neighboures dore and knocke at mydnyght to boro we some bread when he were in bedde with his children moste 〈◊〉 the to ryse yet yf we perseuer in asking beating at his dore still thoughe he were not our freend yet woulde he ryse at lengthe and geeue vs our demaunde therby at least to be rydde of our cryeing And how much more will God doe this sayeth Christ who bothe louethe vs and tenderethe our case moste mercyfullye But yet heere is one thing to be noted in this matter and that is that Christ suffered the shyppe almoste to be couered with waues as the Euangelist sayeth before he wold awake therby to signifie that the measure of temptationes is to be left onelie vnto hym selfe yt is sufficient for vs to rest vpon the Apostles woordes He is faithfull and therfore he vvill not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our flrengthe VVe may not examine or mistruste his doeyngs Wee maye not inquire why doth he this or why suffereth he that or how long will he permitt these euills to raygne God is a great God in all his doeyngs and when he fendeth tribulation he sendeth a great deale together to the ende he maye shewe his great power in deliueringe vs and recompence it after with greate measure of cōfort His tēptatiōs often times doe goe very deepe therby to trye the verie hartes and reynes of men He wet farre with Elias when he caused hym to flye into a mountaine and there moste desirous of deathe to saye They haue kylled all thy prophettes o Lord and I am left alone and novv they seek to kyll me also He went farre with Dauid when he made hym crie out why doest thou turne thy face away from me o Lorde whye doest thou forget my pouertic and tribulation And in an other place againe I sayed withe my selfe in the excesse of my minde I am cast out from the face of thy eyes o Lord. God went farre with the Apostles when he enforced one of them to vvryte we will not haue you ignorant brethren of our tribulatiō in Asia wherein we were oppressed aboue all measure aboue all strengthe in so much as it lothed vs to lyue any longer But yet aboue all others he went furthest with his owne deare sonne when he constrayned hym to vtter those pityfull and moste lamentable woordes vpon the crosse My God my God vvhy hast thou for saken me VVho can now complayne of any proofe or temptation what soeuer layd vpō hym seing God vvolde goe so farre with his owne deare onelie sonne Heereof then enseweth the thyrd thing necessarie vnto vs in tribulation whiche is magnanimitie grounded vpon astrong and inuincible faithe of gods assistāce and of our 〈◊〉 deliuerance how long soeuer he delay the matter how terrible soeuer the storme doe seeme for the tyme. This God requireth at our handes as maye be seene by the example of the disciples whoe cried not vve perishe before the waues had couered the ship as S. Mathew writeth and yet Christ sayed vnto them vbi est fides vestra where is your faithe S. Peter also was not a fearde vntill he was almoste vndet water as the same Euangelist recordeth and yet Christ reprehended him sayeing thou man of litle faythe vvhy diddest thou doubte VVhat then must vve doe in this case deare brother surelie we must putt on that magnanimous faithe of valiant king Dauid whoe vpō the moste assured trust he had of gods assistāce sayed In deo meo transgrediar murum In the helpe of my God I vvill goe throughe a vvall Of which inuincible faithe S. Paul was also when he sayed Omnia possum in eo qui me 〈◊〉 I can doe all thinges in hym that comforteh and strengtheneth me Nothing is vnpossible nothing is to harde for me by his assistance VVe must be as the scripture sayeth quasi leo confidens absque terrore Lyke a bolde and confident lion whiche is without terrour that is we must not be astonyed at anye tempest anye tribulation anye aduersitie we must saye withe the prophet Dauid experienced in these matters I will not feare many thousandes of people that shoulde enuirone or beseyge me together If I shoulde walke amyddest the shadowe of deathe I will not feare If whole armies should stand agaynst me yet my harte should not tremble My hope is in God and therfore I vvill not feare what man can doe vnto me God is my ayder and I will not feare what fleshe can doe vnto me God is my helper and protector and therfore I will despise and contemne myne enemyes And an other prophet in lyke sense Beholde God is my sauioure and therfore vvill I deale confidentlie vvill not feare These were the speeches of holye prophettes of men that knew well what they sayed and had often tasted of affliction them selues and therfore coulde saye of their owne experience how infallible gods assistance is therin To this supreme courage magnanimitie and Christian fortitude the scripture exhorteth vs when it sayeth Yf the spirite of one that is in authoritie doe ryse againste thee see thou yeelde not from thy place vnto hym And agayn an other scripture saithe striue for iustice euen to the losse of thy lyfe and stand for equitie vnto deathe it selfe and God shall euerthrow thyne enemyes for thee And Christ hym selfe yet more effectuallie recōmendeth this matter in these woordes I saye vnto you my freendes be not a fearde of them which kyll the body and afterwarde haue nothing els to doe against you And S. Peter addeth further neque conturbemini That is doe not onelie not feare them but whiche is lesse doe not so muche as be troubled for all that fleshe bloode can doe agaynst you Christ goeth further
authoritie Christ myght haue sayed to Peter when he sent hym to take his tribute from owte of the fyshes mouthe take so muche more as will suffice your necessarie expences as you trauayle the coūtrie But he wolde not nor yet diminishe the great afflictiōs whiche I haue shewed before thoughe he loued them as dearelie as euer he loued hys owne sowle All whiche was done as S. Peter interpreteth to geue vs example what to folo we what to looke for what to desire what to comfort our selues in amyddest the greatest of all our tribulations Saint paul vseth this as a principall consiration when he writeth thus to the hebrewes vppon the recitall of the sufferinges of other saintes before them wherfore we also bretheren hauing so great a multitude of witnesses that haue suffered before vs lett vs laye of all burdens of sinne hanging vpon vs and lett vs runne by patience vnto the battaile offered vs fyxing our eyes vpon the authour of our faith and fulfiller of the same Iesus who putting the ioyes of heauen before his eyes sustayned patientlie the crosse contemning the shame and confusion therof and therfore now sitteth at the right hand of the seate of God Thinke vpōhym I saye which sustayned suche a cōtradictiō against hym selfe at the handes of sinners and be not wearie nor fainte not in courage For you haue not yet resisted against sinne vnto bloode and you haue forgotten perhapps that comfortable sayeing whiche speaketh vnto you as vnto children My sonne doe not 〈◊〉 the discipliue of our Lorde and be not 〈◊〉 vuhen thou art chastened of hym For whome God loueth he chasteneth and he whippeth euery sonne whome he receauethe Perseuer therefore in the correction layed vpon you God offerethe hym selfe to you as to his children For what childe is there whome the father correcteth not yf you be out of correction wherof all his children are made partakers then are bastardes and not children All correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth vnpleasant and sorowfull but yet after it bringeth foorthe most quiet fruite of iustice vnto thē that are exercised by yt VVherfore strengthēn vpp your wearie handes and loosed knees make waye to your feete c. That is take courage vnto you and goe forwarde valiantlye vnder the crosse laied vpō you This was the exhortation of this holie captayne vnto his countrie mē souldyers of lesus Christ the Ievves Saint Iames the brother of our Lorde vseth an other exhortation in his Catho like epistle to all Catholikes not muche differēt from this Be you therfore patient my brethrē say the he vntill the cōming of our lord Beholde the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruite of the earthe so pretious vnto hym bearing patientlie vntill he may receaue the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your hartes for that the cōmyng of our lorde will shortlie draw neere Be not sadde and complayne not one of an other Beholde the Iudge is euen at the gate Take the prophetes for an example of labour and patience whiche spake vnto vs in the name of God Beholde we account thē blessed which haue suffered You haue hearde of the sufferance of Iob you haue seen the end of our lord withe him you haue seen I saye that our lord is mercifull and full of compassion I might heere alleage many thinges more owt of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is moste copious heerin and in verie deed yf it should all be melted and poured owt yt wolde yeelde vs nothing els almoste but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulation in this lyfe But I must end for that this chapiter ryseth to be long as the other before dyd And therfore I will onelye for my conclusion sett downe the confession and moste excellent exhortation of olde Mathathias in the tyme of the cruell persecution of Antiochus against the Iewes The storie is thus reported in the scripture At that tyme the officers of Antiochus sayd vnto Mathathias thow art a prince and of greatest estate in this citie adorned with children and bretheren come thow therfore first and doe the kinges commaundement as other men haue done in Iuda and Ierusalem and thow and thy children shal be the kynges freends and enryched with golde and syluer and many guyftes from hym VVherto Mathathias answered with a lowde voyce yf all nations should obey Antiochus to departe from the obedience of the lawes of theyr auncestours yet I and my childredn and bretheren will folowe the lawes of our fathers Let God be mercifull vnto vs at his pleasure c. And the dayes came of Mathathias his dethe and then he sayed vnto his children Now is the tyme that pryde is in her strengthe Now is the tyme of chastisement towardes vs of euersion and indignatiō come Now therfore o children be you zelous in the lawe of God yeeld vpp your lyues for the testaments of your fathers remember the woorkes of your auncestours what they haue done in theyr generations and so shall you receaue greate glorie and eternall name VVas not Abraham fownde faythefull in time of temptation and yt was reputed vnto hym for iustice Ioseph in tyme of his didistresse kept gods commaundementes and was made Lord ouer all Egypt Phinees our father for his zeale towardes the lawe of God receaued the testament of an euerlasting preesthode Iosue for that he fullfilled gods woord was made a captayne ouer all Israel Caleb for that he testifyed in the churche receaued an inheritance Dauid for his mercie obteyned the seat of an eternall kyngdome Elias for that he was zealous in zeale of the lawe was taken vp to heauen Ananias Azarias and Misael throughe their beleefe were delyuered from the flame of the fyre Daniel for his simplicitie was deliuered frō the mouthe of lyons And so doe you runne ouer by cogitation all generations and you shall see that all those that hope in God shall not be vanquyshed And doe you not feare the woordes of a synfull man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and wormes to daye he is great and exalted and to morow he shal not be fownde for he shall returne vnto his earthe agayne and all his fond cogitations shall perishe VVherfore take courage vnto you my children and playe the men in the lawe of God For therin shal be your honour and glorie Hitherto are the wordes of scripture which shall suffice for the end of this chapter Of the thyrd impediment that letteth men from resolution vvhiche is the loue of the uuorlde CHAP. III. AS the two impedimentes remoued before be in deede great stayes to many men from the resolution we talke of so this that now I take in hande is not onelie of it selfe a strong impediment but also a greate cause and common grounde as it were to all the other impedimentes that be For
ouer withe vayne delytes neuer thinking whence we came nor whether we goe A wyse trauailer passyng by hys Inne thoughe he see pleasant meates offered hym yet he forbeareth vppon consideration of the price and the iourney he hathe to make and taketh in nothing but so muche as he knowethe well how to discharge the next morning at his departure But a foole Laycthe handes on euerie delicate bayte that ys presented to his sight playeth the prince for a night or two Marie when it comethe to the reckening he wisheth that he had lyued onelie with breade and drynke rather than to be so troubled as he is for the payment The custome of goods churche is to fast the euen of euerye feast and then to make merye the next daye that is vpon the feastiuall daye it selfe which representethe the abstinent lyfe of good men in this world therby to be merye in the world to come But the fashion of the world is contrarie that is to eate and drincke merilie first at the tauerne And after to lett the hoste brynge in his reckening They eate drynke and laughe the hoste he skoreth vpp all in the mean space And when the time cometh that they must paye many a harte is sadde that was pleasant before This the scripture affirmethe also of the pleasures of this world Risus dolore miscebitur extrema gaudii luctus occupat Laughter shal be myngled with sorowe and mourning shal ensue at the hynder end of myrthe The deuill that playeth the hoste in this world and will serue you withe what delyte or pleasure you desyre wrytethe vp all in his booke and at the daye of your departure that is at your deathe will he bring the whole reckening and charge you withe it all and thē shall folow that whiche God promiseth to worldlinges by the prophet Amos Your mirthe shal be turned into mourning and lamentation Yea and more than this if you he not able to discharge the re kening you may chaunce to heare that other dreadfull sentence of Christ in the Apocalips quantum in delitiis fuit tantum date illi tormentum Looke how muche he hathe bene in hys delites so much torment doe you lay vpon hym VVherfore to conclude this point and ther withall this first parte touching 〈◊〉 truelie may we saie with the prephet Dauid of a wordlye minded man 〈◊〉 vanitas omnis homo viuens The lyfe of suche men contayneth all kynde of vanitie That is vanitie in ambition vanitie in riches vanitie in pleasures vanitie in all thinges whiche they 〈◊〉 esteeme And therfore I may well ende with the woordes of God by the prophet Esay vae vobis qui 〈◊〉 iniquitatem in funlculis vanicatis VVo be vnto you whiche doe draw wickednes in the ropes of vanitie These ropes are those vanities of vainglorie pmotiō dignitie nobilitie beautie riches deiites and other before touched which allwayes draw with them some iniquitie sinne For which cause Dauid saythe vnto God Thovv hatest o Lord obseruers of superfluous vanities And the scripture reporting the cause why God destroyed vtterlye the famylye and linage of Baasa kyng of Israel say the yt was For that they had prouoked God in their vanities And lastlye for this cause the holie ghoste pronounceth generallie of all men Beatus vir qui non respexit in vanitates insanias falsas Blessed is that man whiche hathe not respected vanities and the false madnes of this world Now come I then to the second part proposed in this chapiter to shew how this world with the commodities therof are not onelie vanities but also deceytes as Christ termeth them for that in deede they performe not vnto their folowers those ydle vanities which they doe promise VVherin the world may be compared to that wreched and vngratefull deceyuer Laban whoe made poore Iacob to serue hym seauen yeeres for fayre Rachell and in the end deceyued hym with fowle Lia. VVhat false promises dothe the world make daylye to one it promisethe long lyfe and healthe and cutteth hym of in the myddest of his dayes To an other it promiseth great wealthe promotion and after long seruice performeth no parte therof to an other it promiseth great honour by large expences but vnder-hande it castethe hym into contempt by beggarie to an other it assureth great aduauncement by mariage but yet neuer geueth hym abilitie to come to his desire Go you ouer the whole world beholde countries vewe prouinces looke into cities hearken at the doores and windowes of pri uate houses of princes palaces of secrete chābers and you shall see and heare nothing but lamentable complaintes one for that he hathe lost an other for that he hathe not wonne a thyrd for that he is not satisfied tenne thowsand for that they are deceyued Can there be a greater deceite for exāples sake than to promis renowme and memorie as the world dothe to her folowers and yet to forget them as soone as they are deade who dothe remember now one of fortie thowsand iolye felowes in this worlde captaines souldiars counsaillers Dukes Erles princes prelates and Emperoures kynges quenes Lordes and ladyes whoe remembrethe them I say who once thynkethe or speakethe of them now hathe not their memorie perished with their sounde as the prophet saythe did not Iob promise truelye that their remēbrance shoulde be as ashes troden vnder foote And Dauid That they shoulde be as dust blovvne abrode vvith the vvynde S. Paul the first heremite hydd hym selfe fowerskore and tenne yeeres in a wyldernesse without knowing or speaking with any man or once shewing or reuealing hym selfe to the world And yet now the world bothe remēbreth honoreth his memorie But many a kyng Emperour haue stryued laboured all their lyfe to be knowne in the world and yet are now forgottē So that the world is like in this pointe as one saythe vnto a couetouse forgetfull hoste who yf he see his olde gest come bye in beggarlie estate all his money beyng spent he maketh semblāce not to knowe hym And yf the gest meruayle thereat and saye that he hathe come often that waye and spent muche money in the house the other answereth yt may be so for there passe this waye so manye as we vse not to keepe accompt therof But what is the waye to make this hoste to remembre you saythe this Anthor the waye is saythe he to vse hym euill as you passe by beate hym well or doe some other notable iniurie vnto hym as Paul and his lyke did vnto the world and he will remember you as long as he lyueth and many tymes will talke of you when you are farre of from hym Infinite are the deceytes and dissimulations of the world It seemeth goodlye fayre and gorgeous in vtter shew but when it cometh to handling it is nothing but a fether when it cometh to
sight it is nothing but a shadow when it cometh to weight it is nothing but smoke whē it cometh to opening it is nothing but an image of playster woork full of olde ragges paches within To know the miseries of the world you must goe a litle out from yt For as they whiche walke in a myst doe not see it so well as they which stand vpon a hyll from yt so fareth it in discerning the world whose propertie is to blynde them that come to it to the ende they may not see theyr owne estate euen as a Rauen first of all strykethe owte the poore shepes eyes to the ende she may not see the waye to escape from his tyranie After the worlde hathe once bereft the worldlyng of his spirituall syght that he can iudge no longer betwene good and euell vanitie and veritie then it rockethe him a sleepe at ease and pleasure it byndethe hym sweetelie it deceyuethe hym pleasantlie it tormētethe him in great peace and rest it hathe a prowde spirite streightwayes to place him in the pinnacle of greedie ambition and there hence to shew hym all the dignities prefermentes of the world it hathe twentie false marchantes to shew him in the darke the first and former endes of fayre and precious clothes Marie he may not looke into the whole peeces nor carie them to the light It hathe fower hundred false prophettes to flatter hym as Achab had whiche must keepe him from the hearing of Micheas his counsayle that is from the remorse of his owne conscience which telleth him truethe It hathe a thowsād cunning fishers to laye before him pleasant baytes but all furnyshed withe daungerous hookes within It hathe infinite strumpettes of Babilon to offer him drinke in golden cuppes but all myngled withe moste deadlie poison It hathe in euerie doore an alluring Iahel to entise hym into the milke of pleasures and delites but all haue their hammers and nayles in their handes to murder him in the brayne when he fallethe a sleepe It hathe in euerie corner a flattering Ioab to embrace withe one arme and kill withe the other A false Iudas to geue a kisse and therwith to betraye Finallie it hathe all the deceites all the dissimulations all the flatteries all the treasons that possiblie may be deuised It hateth them that loue yt deceiueth them that trust it afflicteth them that serue yt reprocheth them that honour it damneth them that folow it and moste of all forgetteth them that labour and trauaile moste of all for it And to be breefe in this matter doe you what you can for this worlde and loue it and adore it as muche as you vvill yet in the ende you shall finde yt a right Nabal vvho after many benefits receyued from Dauid yet vvhen Dauid came to haue neede of hym he ansvvered uvhoe is Dauid or vvho is the sonne of Isay that I should knovve him vpon greate cause then sayd the prophet Dauid O you childrē of men hovue long vvill you be so dull harted VVhie doe you loue vanitie and seeke after a lye He callethe the vvorld not a lyar but a lie it selfe for the exceeding great fraude and deceit vvhiche yt vseth The third name or propertie that Christ ascribethe vnto the pleasures and riches of the world is that they are thornes of whiche S. Gregorie writethe thus who euer wolde haue beleeued me yf I had called riches thornes as Christ heere dothe seyng thornes doe pricke and riches are so pleasant And yet surelie they are thornes for that with the prickes of their carefull cogitations they teare and make bloodye the myndes of wordlye men By whiche wordes this holye father signifieth that euen as a mans naked bodye tossed and tumbled among many thornes can not be but much rent and torne and made bloudie with the prickes therof so a worldly mans soule beaten with the cares and cogitations of this lyfe can not but be vexed with restles pricking of the same wounded also with many temptations of sinne which doe occurre This dothe Salomō in the places before alleged signifie whē he dothe not onelie call the riches and pleasures of this world vanitie of vanities that is the greatest vanitie of all other vanities but also afflictiō of spirite Geuing vs to vnderstand that where these vanities are the loue of thē once entered there is no more the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstanding there is no longer rest or quiet of mynde but warre of desires vexation of thoughtes tribulation of feares pricking of cares vnquietnes of soule which is in deede a moste miserable and pityfull affliction of spirite And the reason hereof is that as a clocke can neuer stand still from runnynge so long as the peazes doe hang therat so a worldlie man hauing infinite cares cogitations and anxieties hanging vpon his mynde as peazes vpon the clocke can neuer haue rest or repose daye or night but is inforced to beat his braynes when other men sleepe for the cōpassing of those trifles where with he is incombred Oh how many riche men in the world do feele to be true that I now saye how many ambitious mē doe proue it daylie and yet will not deliuer them selues owt of the same Of all the plagues sent vnto Egypt that of the flyes was one of the most trouble some and fastidious For they neuer suffered men to rest but the more they were beaten of the more they came vppon hym So of all the miseries and vexations that God layeth vpon worldlinges this is not the least to be tormēted with the cares of that which they esteeme theire greatest felicitie and can not beat them of by anye meanes they can deuise They rushe vpon them in the morning as sone as they a wake they accompanye them in the daye they forsake them not at night they folow them to bedde they lett them from their sleepe they aflict them in their dreames and sinallie they are those importune and vnmercyfull tyrantes whiche God threatnethe to wicked men by Ieremie the prophet qui nocte ac die non 〈◊〉 requiem which shal geue them no rest eyther by daye or night And the cause hereof whiche God alleageth in the same chapter is quia abst ili pacem meā a populo isto dicit dominu nisericordiam miserationes For that I haue takē away my peace from this kynde of people saythe God I hau taken away my mercie cōmiseratiōs a verie heauie sentence to all them that lye vnder the yoke and bondage of these miserable vanities But yet the prophet Esaye hathe a muche more terrible description of these mens estate They put their trust in thinges of nothing and doe talke vanities They cōceaue laboure bring foorthe iniquitie they breake the egges of serpentes vveaue the vvebbes of spyders he that shall eate of theyr egges shall dye and that vvhiche is hached
thence shal be a Cocatrice their vvebbes shall not make clothe to couer them for that their vvoorkes are vnprofitable and the vvorke of iniquitie is in their handes These are the woordes of Esay declaring vnto vs by most significant similitudes how daungerous thornes the riches and pleasures of this world are And first he saythe they put theyr hope in thinges of nothing and doe talke vanities To signifie that he meanethe of the vanities and vayne men of this worlde whoe commonlie doe talke of the thinges whiche they loue best and wherin they place their greatest affiance Secondlie he saythe they conceaue labour and bringfoorthe iniquitie alluding herein to the chyldbyrthe of women whoe fyrst doe conce aue in their wombe and after a greate deale of trauaile doe bring foorthe their infant so worldlie men after a greate tyme of trauaile and laboure in vanities doe bring foorthe no other fruite than sinne and iniquitie For that is the effect of those vanities as he speaketh in the same chapiter crieinge owte to suche kynde of men VVoe be vnto voas vvhich doe 〈◊〉 iniquitie in the ropes of vanitie But yet to expresse this matter more forciblye he vsethe two other similitudes sayeing they breake the egges of serpentes and doe vveaue the vvebbes of spiders Signifieing by the one the vanitie of these worldlie cares and by the other the daunger therof The spider we see takethe great paynes and labour many dayes together to weaue her selfe a webbe and in the ende when all is done cometh a puffe of wynde or some other litle chaunce and breaketh all in peeces euen as he in the gospel which had takeÌ„ great trauayle care in heaping riches together in plucking down his olde barnes and buylding vp of now and when he was come to saye to his soule Novv be merie That night his soule was taken from him all his labour lost Therfore Esay saithe in this place that the vvebbes of these vveauers shall not make them clothe to couer them vvith all for that their vvoorkes are vnprofitable The other comparison contayneth matter of great daunger and feare For as the bird that sitteth vpon the egges of serpentes by breaking hatching them bringeth foorthe a perilous broode to her owne destruction so those that sytt a broode vppon these vanities of the worlde saythe Esay doe hatche at last their owne destruction The reason wherof is as he saythe for that the vvorke of iniquitie is in their hande Still harping vppon this stringe that a man can not loue and folow these vanities or intangle hym selfe with their ropes as his phrase is but that he must in deede drawe on muche iniquitie there with that is he must mingle muche sinne and offence of God with the same whiche effect of sinne because it kylleth the soule that consenteth vnto it therfore Esay compareth it vnto the broode of serpeÌ„tes that kylleth the byrd which bringeth theÌ„ foorthe to the world And finallie Moyses vsethe the lyke similitudes when he saythe of vayne and wicked men Their vineyard is the vineyarde of Sodomites their grape is the grape of gaule and their clusters of grapes are moste bytter their vvyne is the gaul of dragons and the poyson of cocatrices vncurable By which dreadfull lothesome comparisons he wolde geue vs to vnderstand that the sweete pleasures of this worlde are in deede deceytes and will proue them selues one daye most bytter and daungerous The fowerth point that we haue to consider is how this woorde aerumna that is miserie and calamitie may be verified of the world and the felicitie therof VVhiche thing thoghe it may appeare sufficientlie by that whiche hathe bene sayd before yet will I for promise sake discusse it a litle further in this place by some particulars And among many miseries which I might heere recount the first and one of the greatest is the breuitie aud vncertaintie of all worldlie prosperitie Oh how greate a miserye is this vnto a worldlie man that wolde haue his pleasures constant and perpetuall O deathe hovve bytter is thy remembrance sayethe the scripture â—…nto a man that hathe peace in his riches we haue seene many men aduanced and not endured two monethes in their prosperitie we haue heard of diuers maryed in greate ioye and not haue lyued six dayes in their felicitie we haue read of straunge matters happened owt in this kynde and we see with our eyes no few exaÌ„ples daylie VVhat a greefe was it think you to Alexander the greate that hauing subdewed in twelue yeeres the moste part of all the world shoulde be then enforced to dye when he was moste desirous to lyue and when he was to take moste ioye and coÌ„fort of his victories what a sorowe was it to the ryche man in the gospell to heare vppon the suddayne hac nocte Euen this night thou must dye what a miserie will this be to many wordlings whan it cometh whoe now buyld palaces purchase lands heape riches procure dignities make mariages ioyne kynredes as though there were neuer an ende of these matters what a doolefull daye will this be to them I saye wheÌ„ they must forgoe all these things which they so muche loue when they must be turned of as princes mules are wont to be at the iourneys ende that is their treasure taken from them and their gauld backes onelie left vnto them selues for as we see these mules of princes goe all the daye long loaden with treasure and couered with fayre clothes but at night shaken of into a sorie stable much brused gauled with the cariage of those treasures so riche men that passe through this world loaden with golde and siluer and doe gaul greatlie their soules in cariage therof are despoyled of their burden at the daye of deathe and are turned of with their wounded consciences to the lothesome stable of hell and damnation An other miserie ioyned to the prosperitie of this world is the greuous counterpeaze of discontentemeÌ„tes that euerie worldlie pleasure hathe with it Runne ouer euerie pleasure in this lyfe and see what sawce it hath adioyned Aske them that haue had moste proofe therof whether they remayne contented or no The possession of riches is accompanyed with so many feares and cares as hathe bene shewed The aduauncement of honoures is subiecte to all miserable seruitude that may be deuised The pleasure of the fleshe thoughe yt be laufull and honest yet is it called by S. Paul tribulation of the fleshe But yf it be with sinne tenne thousand times more is it enuironed with all kynde of miseries VVhoe can recken vp the calamities of our bodye so many diseases so manie infirmities so many mischances so many dangers whoe can tell the passions of our mynde that doe afflict vs now with angar now with sorowe nowe with enuie nowe with furie who can recounte the aduersities and misfortunes that come by our goodes whoe can
as S. Paul teacheth and hym selfe protesteth when he sayeth I vvill not the deathe of a sinner but rather that he turne from hys uvickednes and lyue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he coÌ„playneth greeuouslie that men vvill not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your uvicked vvayes saythe he vvhye uvill ye dye you hovvse of Isreal By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to all but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were constrained therunto hy our obstinate behauioure This Christ signifieth more plainlie when he sayth to Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem whiche kyllest the prophetes and stonest them to deathe that are sent vnto thee how often wolde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickyns vndernethe her wynges but thou woldest not beholde thy howse for this cause shal be made desert and left withoute children Heere you see thee mercie of God ofteÌ„ offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction desolatioÌ„ vpon them which he fullsilled within fortie or fiftie yeeres after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie discomfaited the citie of IerusaleÌ„ whole nation of Iewes whome we see dispersed ouer the world at this daye in bondage bothe of bodie soule VVhiche worke of gods Iustice thoghe it be moste terrible yet was his mercie greater to them as appeareth by Christs woordes yf they had not reiected the sonne Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his Iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this lyfe by geuing them freewill and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing them inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluringe them owtwardlie with exhortatioÌ„s promisses exaÌ„ples of other as also by sickenes aduersities other gentle corrections by geuinge them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same by threatning them eternall deathe yf they repented not All whiche thinges beinge effectes of mercie and goodnes towarde them they must needes confesse amyddest theyr greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no wayes to be compared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet sayeth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue mett together Iustice and peace haâ—…e kyssed them selues VVe see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of hym selfe I vvill sing vnto thee mercie iudgemeÌ„t o Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I will not so presume of thy mercie as I will not feare thy iudgement nor will I so feare of thy iudgement as I will euer despayre of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwayes to be ioyned with our confidence in gods mercie yea in verye saintes them selues as Dauid sayeth But what feare that feare trulie whiche the scripture describeth when it sayeth the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth all euill he that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God will turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God will doe good woorkes They whiche feare God will not be incredulous to that whiche he saye 〈◊〉 but will keepe his wayes and seeke owt the things that are pleasant vnto hym They will prepare theyr 〈◊〉 and sanctifie their sowles in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God sett downe by the scripture This is the descriptioÌ„ of that feare which is so much commended and coÌ„maunded in euerye part and parcell of gods woorde Of that feare I saye which is called 〈◊〉 vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientia gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of lyfe the roote of prudeÌ„ce the crowne fulnes of wisedome the glorie gloriation of a Christian man a happie gyft Of hym that hathe this feare the scripture saythe happie is the man vuhiche feareth our Lorde for he vvill place his mynde vpon his coÌ„maundementes And againe the man that feareth god shal be happie at the last ende and shal be blessed at the daye of hys deathe Finallie of suche as haue this feare the scripture saythe that God is theyr foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hathe purchased them an inheritance God is as mercyfull to them as the father is mercifull vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timeÌ„tium se faciet God will doe the will of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob wheÌ„ he sayd to god I feared all my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that thovv sparest not hym that offendeth thee This feare backed the other of whome the prophet sayeth The sinner hathe exaspered God by sayeing that god will not take accoÌ„pte of his doeings in the multitude of wrathe Thy iudgementes o Lord are remoued from his sight And againe wherfore hathe the wicked man styrred vp god against hym selfe by sayeing god will not take account of my doeyngs yt is a great wickednes no dowt and a greate exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of gods nature from hym whiche is to make hym mercifull without iustice and to lyue so as though God wolde take no accouÌ„t of our lyfe wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie sayeing that he is a hard and eouetous man whiche will not be coÌ„teÌ„t to receyue his owne againe but also will haue vsurie that he will haue a reckening of all hys goodes lent vs that he will haue fruite for all his labours bestowed vppon vs finallie that he will haue account for euery woorde that we haue spoken Christ in the three score eight psalme which in sundrye places of the gospell he interpreteth to be writen of him selfe amonge other dreadfull curses whiche he setteth downe against the reprobate he hath these lett theyr eyes be daseled in suche sorte as they may not see powre owte thy wrathe my father vpon them lett the furie of thy vengeaÌ„ce take hand fast on them add inquitie vpon their iniquitie and lett hym not enter into thy iustice Lett them be blotted owt of the booke of lyfe and lett them not be inrolled together with the iust Heer loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting owt of the booke of lyfe is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into consideration of hys iustice For whiche cause also this coÌ„fident kynde of sinning vpon hope of gods
especiallie the third and fowerth entreating of the causes for which we were sent into this woorld as also the siueth of the account which we must yeeld to God of our time here speÌ„t and he shall there by vnderstand I dowt not the errour and daunger he standeth in by this damnable negligeÌ„ce wherein he sleepeth attending onelye to those thinges which are meere vanities and for whiche he came not into this world and passing ouer other matters without care or cogitation whiche onelye are of importance and to haue bene studyed and thought vpon by hym The third and last impediment that I purpose to handle in this booke is a certainâ—… 〈◊〉 or euill disposition in some men called by the scriptures hardnesse of harte or in other woordes 〈◊〉 of minde VVher by a man is setled in 〈◊〉 neuer to yeeld from the state of sinne wherein he lyueth what so euer shall or may be sayd agaynst the same And I haue reserued this impediment for the last place in this booke for that it is the last and worst of all other impedimentes discouered before contayning all the euillin it selfe that any of the other before rehearsed haue and adding besides a most willfull and malitious resolution of sinne quyte contrarie to that resolution whiche we so muche endeuour to induce men vnto This hardnes of harte hathe diuerse degrees in diuers men and in some muche more greeuous than in other For some are arriued to that hyghe and cheefe obduration which I named before in such sort as albeit they well know that they are amysse yet for some worldlye respect or other they will not yeeld nor chaunge their course Such was the obduratioÌ„ of Pilate though he knew that he condeÌ„ned Christ wroÌ„gfullie yet not to leese the fauour of the Iewes or incurre displeasure with his prince he proceeded gaue sentence against hym This also was the obduration of Pharao whoe thoghe he sawe the miracles of Moyses Aaron felt the strong hand of God vpon his kyngdome yet not to seeme to be ouercome by suche simple people as they were nor that men should thynk he wold be enforced by any meanes to relent he perseuered still in his willfull wickednes vntill his last and vtter destruction came vppon hym This hardnes of hart was also in kyng Agrippa and foelix gouuernour of Iewrie whoe thoghe in their owne coÌ„science they thoght that S. Paul spake trueth vnto them yet not to hazard their credit in the world they continued still and perished in their owne vanities And commonlie this obduration is in all persecutors of vertus and vertuouse men whome thoghe they see euidentlie to be innocent and to haue equitie on their side yet to maintayne their estate credite fauoure in the world they persist without ether mercie or release vntill God cutt them of in the middest of their malice and furious cogitations Others there are whoe haue not this obduration in so hygh a degree as to persist in wickednes directly against their owne knowleige but yet they haue it in an other sorte for that they are setled in firme purpose to folow the trade which all redie they haue begunne and will not vnderstand the daungers therof but doe seeke rather meanes to persuade them selues and quiet their consciences therein and nothing is so offensiue vnto theÌ„ as to heare any thing against the same Of these men holye Iob sayeth Dixerunt deo recede a nobis scientiaÌ„ viarum tuarum nolumus They say to God departe from vs we will not haue the knovvlege of thy wayes And the prophet Dauid yet more expresselye Their furie is lyke the furie of serpentes lyke vnto cocatrices that stoppe their eares will not heare the voyce of the inchaunter By this inchaunter he meaneth the holy ghoste whiche seeketh by all meanes possible to charme theÌ„ from the bewitching wherein they staÌ„d called by the wyse maÌ„ fascinatio nugacitatis The bewitching of vanitie but as the prophet sayeth they vvill not heare they turne their backes they stoppe their eares to the ende they may not vnderstand they put their hartes as an AdamaÌ„s stone leste perhappes they should heare gods lavve beconuerted The nation of lewes is peculiarlie noted to haue bene alwayes geuen to this great sinne as S. Stephen 〈◊〉 when he sayed vnto their owne faces You styffe necked Ievves you haue allvvayes resisted the holye ghoste meaning therby as Christ declareth more at large that they resisted the propheres Saintes of god in whome the holie ghoste spake vnto them from tyme to tyme for amendement of their lyfe and for that through the lyght of knowlege which they had by hearing of gods lawe they could not in truthe or shew condemne the things which were sayd or auoyde the iust reprehensions vsed towarde them yet resolued with them selues not to obey or chaunge custome of theiÌ„r proceedings therfore fell they in fine to persecute sharplye their reprehendors wherof the onelie cause was hardnes of harte Indurauerunt facies suas supra petram noluerunt reuerti sayeth God by the mouthe of Ieremie they haue hardened their faces aboue the hardnes of a rocke they will not turne to me And in an other place of the same prophet he complayneth greeuouslie of this peruersenes Quare ergo auersus est populus iste in Ierusalem auerstone contentiosa And why then is this people in Ierusalem reuolted from me by so contentious and peruerse an alienation as they will not heare me any more c And yet againe in an other place Quare moriemini domus Israel why will you dye you house of Israel why will you damne your selues why are you so obstinate as not to heare so peruerse as not to learne so cruell to your selues as you will not know the daungers wherin you lyue nor vnderstand the miserie that hangeth ouer you Doe'st thou not ymagine deare brother that God vseth this kynde of speeche not onelye to the Iewes but also to many thousand Christians and perhappes also vnto thy selfe many tymes euerie daye for that thou refusest his good motions and other meanes sent from hym to draw thee to his seruice thou being resolued not to yeeld ther vnto but to folow thy pursuite what soeuer persuasions shall come to the contrarie Alas how many Christians be there whoe saye to God daylie as they dyd whome I haue named before deparie from vs vve vvill not haue the knovvlege of thy uuayes How many be there which abhorre to heare good counsayle feare and tremble to reade good bookes flye and detest the frequentation of godlie coÌ„panie lest perhappes by suche occasions they might be touched in conscience conuerted saued how many be there whiche saye with those most vnfortunate hard harted men wherof the prophet speaketh Percustimus foedus cum morte cum inferno fecimus pactum VVe haue stricken