contradictions and tribulations bothe within and without left vnto man in this life As for exāple within are the rebellions of his concupiscence other miseries of his minde wherwith he hath continualie to make warre if he wil saue his soule Without are the world and the deuil which doe neuer cease to assault him now by faire meanes and now by foule now by flatterie now by threates now alluring by pleasure and promotion now terrefying by affliction and persecution Against al which the good Christian hathe to resist manfullie or els he leeseth the crowne of his eternal saluation The verie same thing also may be shewed by the examples of al the most renowned saintes from the begining who were not onelie assaulted internallie with the rebellion of their owne flesh but also persecuted afflicted outwardlie by diuerse aduersities therby to confirme more manifestlie this purpose of almightie God vnto vs. This we see in Abel persecuted and slaine by his owne brother as sone as euer he begāne to serue God sincerly The same we see in Abrahā afflicted diuerslie after he was once chosen by almightie God Of the same cuppe dranke al his children and posteritie that succeded him in Gods fauour as Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moyses and al the prophetes of whom Christ him self geueth testimonie how their blood was shed most cruellie by the world The affliction also of Iob is wonderful seing the scripture affirmeth it to haue come vpon him by Gods special appointement he being a most iust man But yet more wonderful was the afflictiō of holie Tobias who among other calamities was stricken blinde by the falling doune of swallowes dung into his eyes of which the Angel Raphael tolde him afterwarde Because thou vvere a man grateful to God therefore it vvas 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 general testimonie of al the saintes of the olde testament saying That some were racked some reproched some whiped some chained some imprisoned other were stoned cut in peeces tempted and slaine with the sword some went about in heare clothe in skinnes of goates in great neede pressed and afflicted wandering and hyding them selues in wildernesses in hilles in caues and holes vnder grounde the worlde not being woorthie of them Of al which he prononceth this comfortable sentence to be noted of al men Non suscipientes redemptionem vt meliorem inuenirent resurrectionem That is God wolde not deliuer them from these afflictions in this life to the end their resurrection and rewarde in the life to come might be more glorious And this of the saintes of the olde testament But now in the new testament founded expresselie vpon the crosse the matter standeth much more plaine and that with great reason For if Christ could not goe into his glorie but by suffering as holy scripture affirmeth then by the most reasonable rule of Christ affirming that the seruant hathe not priuilege aboue his maister it must needes in reason folowe that al haue to drinke of Christes cuppe which are appointed to be partakers of his glorie And for proofe herof looke vpon the dearest frendes that euer our Sauiour had in this life see whether they had parte therof or no Of his mother old Simeon prophesied and tolde her at the beginning that the svvorde of tribulatiōs should pearce her harte signifying 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 euident that besides al their labours trauailes needes sufferinges persecutions and calamities which were infinite and in mans sight intolerable if we beleue S. Paul recoūting the same besides al this I saye God wold not be satisfied except he had their blood also spent in his seruice and so we see that he suffered none of them al to die naturallie or in his bed but onelie S. Iohn by a special priuilege particulerlie granted to him from Christ albeit if we consider what S. Iohn also suffered in so long a life as he liued being banished by Domitian to Pathmos at an other time thrust into a tonne of hoate boyling oyle at Rome as Tertulian and S. Ierome doe reporte we shal see that his parte also was no lesse then others in this cuppe of his maister I might reckō vp here infinite other exāples but it needeth not for it may suffice that Christ hathe geuen this general rule in the new testament He that taketh not vp his crosse and folovveth me is not vvoorthie of me By which is resolued plainelie that there is no saluation now to be had but onely for them that take vp that is doe beare willingly their proper crosses and therwith doe folow their captaine walking on with his crosse vpon his shoulders before them But here perhappes some man may say if this be so that no man can be saued without a crosse that is without afflictiō and tribulation how doe al thos that liue in peacible times and places where no persecution is no trouble no affliction or tribulatiō To which I answere first that if there were any such time or place the mā liuing therein should be in verie great danger according to the saying of the prophet they are not in the labours of other men nor yet vvhipped punished as others are and therfore pride possessed thē and they vvere couered vvith iniquitie and impietie and their iniquitie proceeded of their fatnesse or abundāce Besides this albeit men suffered nothing in this life yet as S. Austen largelie proueth if they died out of the state of mortal sinne they might be saued by suffering the purging fire in the next according to the saying of S. Paul that such as build not gold or siluer vpon the true foundation but wood straw or stuble shal receaue dammage thereof at the day of our Lord to be reueiled in fire but yet by that fire they shal be saued Secōdlie I answer that there is no time and place so voide of tribulation but that there is alwaies a crosse to be found for them that wil take it vp For euer is there either pouertie sicknesse slaunder enemitie iniurie contradiction or some like affliction offered continually For that thos mē neuer want in the world wherof the prophet saied They that doe render euil for good did detract me for that I folovved goodnesse At the least wise there neuer wāt thos domestical enemies of which our Sauiour Christ for warneth vs I meane ether our kinred and carnal friends who commonly resist vs if we beginne once throughly to serue almightie God or els our owne disordinate affections which are the most perilous enemies of al other for that they make vs warre vpō our own ground Again there neuer want
that passage when other men beginne to feare thou snalt lift vp thy head in hope according to thie Saueours wordes for that the time of thy saluation commeth on tel me I say what a day of ioy shal that be vnto thee whē thy soule stepping furth of prison and conducted by the Angels to the tabernacle of heauen shal be receaued there with the honorable companies and troupes of that place with al those hierarchies of blessed spirites that are mentioned in scripture as Principalities Powers Vertues Dominatiōs Thrones Angels Archangels Cherubines and Seraphines with the holie Apostles and Disciples of Christ with Patriarches Prophets Martyrs Virgines Innocentes Confessors holie Bishopes Priestes and other Saints of God Al which as they did reioice at thy conuersion from sinne so shal they triumphe now at thy coronation and glorification What ioye and iubilie wil thy soule receaue at that day deare brother whē she shal be presented by her good Angel in the presence of al thes princelie states before the seat and Maiestie of the blessed Trinitie with recital and declaration of al thy good woorkes donne trauailes sustained for the loue and seruice of almightie God when I say thos blessed spirites shal lay doune in that honorable consistorie al thy vertuous actes with their particularities al thy almes deedes al thy prayers al thy fastinges al thy innocencie of life al thy patience in bearing iniuries al thy constancie in aduersities al thy temperāce in meates and drinkes al the vertues of thy whole life when al I say shal be recounted there al commēded al rewarded shalt thou not see now the value and profite of vertuous liuing shalt thou not cōfesse now from the bottom of thy hart that gaineful and honorable is the seruice of God shalt thou not now be most ioiful and blesse the hower ten thousand times wherein first thou resoluedst thy self to leaue the slauerie of this miserable world to serue onlie so bountiful a Lord shalt thou not think thy self now beholden most deeply to him or her that persuaded thee first to make this resolution yes verily But yet more then this when thou shalt look about thee and consider into what a porte and hauen of securitie thou art arriued and shalt cast backe thin eyes vpon the daungers which thou hast passed and wherein other men are yet in hazard thy cause of ioye shal greatlie be encreased For thou shalt see euidentlie now how infinite times thou were in peril to perish in that iourney if God had not held his special hād ouer thee Thou shalt now see the daungers wherin other men are the death and damnation wherinto many of thy friends and acquaintance haue fallen the eternal paines of hel incurred by sundry that vsed to laugh and be merie with thee in the world Al which shal augment the vnspeakable felicitie of this thy so fortunate a lot And now for thy self thou maist be secure thou art out of al daunger for euer and euer There is no more need now of feare of watch of labour or of care Thou maiest now lay doune al armoure as the children of Israel did when they came into the land of promisse for there is no more enemie to assaile thee there is no more wielie serpent to beguile thee al is peace al is rest al is ioye al is securitie Good S. Paul hath no more need now to fast to watch or to punish his bodie Good old Ierome may now cease to afflict him self both night and day for the conquering of his spiritual enemie Thy onelie exercise must be now to reioice and triumphe and to sing alleluya to the Lābe which hath brought the to this felicitie and wil continue the therin for euerlasting eternitie O dear Christian and most louing brother what excessiue ioy and comfort wil it be at that day to see that holie LAMBE sitting in Maiestie vpon his seate of state If the tree wise men of the East came so farre of and so reioiced to see him lying in a Māger what wil it be to see him now triumphing in his glorie If S. Iohn Baptist did leape at his approching towardes him in his mothers wombe what shal his presence doe in this his royal and eternal kingdome It passeth al other ioye and glorie that Saintes haue in heauen sayeth blessed S. Augustine to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face and to receaue the beames of glorie from the splendour of his Maiestie And if we were to suffer tormentes euerie day yea to tolerate the verie paines of hel for a time therby to gaine the sight of Christ in heauen to be ioined in glorie to the number of his saintes it were nothing in respect of the worthines of the reward O that we made such accompt of this matter as this holie and learned man did we woulde not liue as we doe nor loose the same for such vaine trifles as most men in the world doe loose it dailie But to goe forward yet some what further in this consideratiō Imagine deare brother besides al this that hitherto hath bene said what a ioye it shal be vnto thy soule at that daye to meet with al her godlie friendes in the kingdome of heauen with father with mother with brethern with sisters with wife with husband with maister with scholers with neigboures with familiers with kinred with acquaintance the welcomes the mirth the swete embracementes that shal be there the inestimable ioy whereof the holie ancient Martyr and most blessed father and doctor S. Cyprian expresseth in thes wordes Who is ther in peregrination abrod saith he that reioiceth not exceedinglie at the verie thought of his returne to his friendes and Contrie O deare brethren heauen is our Contrie the inhabitantes of that place are our friendes and kinsfolk why make we no more haste to salute and imbrace them In heauen an infinit multitude of our parēts brethren children and acquaintance doe expect vs. What a ioy wil it be both to them and vs to meet and imbrace and solace our selues together how inestimable wil the delite of thos heauen lie kingdomes be and how extreme the felicitie wher eternitie of life shal be voide of al feare of death Thus farre S. Cyprian adding further a most vehement exhortation that we should make hast to the attaining of this meeting This then shal be a most high incomprehensible ioy but yet further adde to this the most triumphant exultation that dailie shal be in that place at the fresh arriual of new brethrē and sisters comming thither frō time to time with the spoiles of their enemies conquered vanquished in this world O what a cōfortable sight wil it be to see thos seates of Angels fallen filled vp againe with men and women of flesh frō day to day to see the crownes of glorie set vpon their heades and that in al varietie
desolation and afflictiō to haue had among them the dead bodie of him on whos only life their vniuersal hope and confidence depended The Scribes Pharisees beīg a stonished with the sudaine newes of his rising againe cōfirmed vnto them by their owne souldiars that sawe it found no other waie to resist the fame therof but onely by saying as also their posteritie doe vnto this dave that his disciples came by night and stole away his bodie whiles the souldiours were a sleepe But what likelihood or possibilitie can there be in this For first it is euident to al the world that his Apostles thēselues who were the heads of al the rest were so dismaied discomforted and deiected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the dore For which cause only thos seely women who for their sexe esteemed them selues more free from violence presumed alone to visite his Sepulcher which no one man durst for feare of the souldiours vntil by thos women they were informed that the forsaid band of souldiours were terrefied and put to flight by Christes Resurrection And how then was it likely that men so much amazed ouercome with feare should aduenture to steale a bodie from a Guarde of Souldiours that kept it Or if their hartes had serued them to aduenture so greate a daunger what hope or probabilitie had ther bene of successe especiallie consideringe the said bodie lay e in a new sepulcher of stone shutt vp and locked and fast sealed by the Magistrate How was it possible I say that his disciples should come thyther breake vp the Monument take out his bodie and carie the same away neuer after to be sene or founde without espial of some one amōgest so many that attended ther Or if this were possible as in reason it is not yet what profite what pleasure what comfort could they receaue hereby We see that thes apostles and disciples of his who were so abandoned of life and hart in his Passion after two dayes onlie they were so changed as life and death can be no more contrarie For wheras before they kept home in all feare and durst appeare no wher except amonge their owne priuate friēdes now they came foorth into the streetes and common places and auouched with all alacritie and irresistible constancie euen in the faces and hearinge of their greatest enimies that Iesus was rysen frō death to life that they had sene hym spoken with hym and enioyed his presence And that for restimonie and confirmation hereof they were most redie to spēd their liues And could all this trow you proceede onlie of a dead bodie which they had gotten by stealth into their possession Would not rather the presence and sight of such a bodie so torne mangled deformed as Iesus bodie was both vpō the Crosse and before haue rather dismayed them more then haue gyuen them cōfort Yes trulie And therfore Pilat the Gouernour considering thes circumstances and that it was vnlikelie that either the bodie should be stolne without priuitie of the Souldiars or if it had bene that it should yeeld such life hart consolation courage to the stealers beganne to gyue eare more diligentelie to the matter and calling to him the Souldiars that kept the watch vnderstoode by them the whole truth of th' accident to witt that in their sight and presence Iesus was risen out of his sepulcher to life and that at his rising ther was so dreadful an earth-quacke with trembling opening of sepulchers rounde about such skriches cries cōmotion of all elementes as they durst not abyde longer but ranne and tolde the Iuishe magistrates therof who being greatelie discontented as it seemed with th' aduertisement gaue them money to saye that while they were sleeping the bodie was stolne by his disciples frō them All this wrote Pilate presentlie to his Lord Tyberius then Emperour of Rome And he sent withal the particuler examinations and confelsions of diuers other that had sene and spoken with such as were risen from death at the same tyme and had appeared to many of their acquaintance in Hicrusalem assuring them also of the resurrection of Iesus Which informations when Tyberius th' Emperour had considered he was greatelie moued therwith proposed to the Senate that Iesus might be admitted among the rest of the Roman Godes offering his owne consent with the priuiledge of his supreme royal suffrage to that decree But the Senate in no wise would agree therunto Whervpon Tyberius being offended gaue licence to all men to beleeue in Iesus that would and forbydde vpō paine of death that anie officer or other should molest or trouble such as bare good affectiō zeale or reuerence to that name Thus much testifiethe Tertulian againste the Gentiles of his owne knowledge who liuing in Rome a learned man pleader of causes diuers years before he was a Christian which was about 180. yeares after Christes Ascension had great abilitie by reason of th' honour of his familie learning and place wherin he liued to see and know the recordes of the Romās And the same doth cōfirme also Egesippus an other Auncient writer of no lesse authoritie then Tertulian before whom he liued Neither onlie diuers Gentiles had this opinion of Iesus resurrection againe from death but also sundrye Iewes of great credite and wisdome at that tyme were inforced to beleeue it notwithstanding it pleased not God to gyue them so much grace as to become Christians This appeareth plainelie by the learned Ioiephus who writing his storie not aboue fortie years after Christs Passion tooke occasion to speake of Iesus and of his disciples And after he had shewed how he was Crucified by Pilat at th' instance of the Iewes and that for all this his disciples ceased not to loue hym still he adioyneth furth with these wordes Idcirco iliis tertio die vita resumpta denuo apparuit That is for this loue of his disciples he appeared vnto them againe the third daye whē he had resumed life vnto hym Which expresse plaine and resolute wordes we may in reason take not as the consession onlie of Iosephus but as the common iudgement opinion and sentence of all the discrete and sober men of that tyme layed downe and recorded by this Historiographer In whose dayes ther were yet manie Christians a lyue that had seene spoken with Iesus after his resurrection and infinite Iewes that had heard the same protested by their fathers brethren kinlfolke friends who had bene them selues Eye-witnesses therof AND thus hauinge declared and prooued the resurrection of our Saue our Iesus both how it was forshewed as also fulfilled there remaineth nothing more of necessitie to be said in this Section For that who soeuer seeth and acknowledgeth that Iesus beinge deade could rayse hym selfe againe to life will easilie belieue also that he was able to ascende to heauē Wherof notwithstandinge S. Luke alleageth six
may perfectly conceyue the same but he that seeleth them albeit in part some smal coniecture may be made therof by thes three general pointes ensuing wherunto the rest may be referred THE FIRST IS THE excessiue paines which commonlie mē suffer in the separation of their soules and bodies which hauing liued so longe time together vnited as two deare frendes in loue and pleasure are now most loth to parte were it not that violently they are enforced therunto This paine may partlie be conceyued if we would driue out life but from the least parte of our bodie as for example out of our litle fingar like as surgeans are wont to doe when they wil mortifie any one place to make it breake What intolerable paine doth a man suffer before this member be dead what raging greefe doth he abyde If then the mortifying of one litle parte onlie doe so much afflict vs Imagine what the violent mortifying of al the partes together wil doe For we see that first the soule is driuen by death to leaue the extreamest partes as the toes feete and fingers then the legges and armes and so consequently one parte dieth after an other vntill life be restrained onlie to the harte which holdeth out longest as the principal part but yet finallie must be also constrained to render it self though with neuer so much paine and resistance Which paine how great and stronge it is may appeare by the breaking in peeces of the verie stringes and holdes wherwith it was enuironed through the excessiue vehemencie of this deadlie torment Neuertheles before it come to this pointe of yelding no man can expresse the cruel conflict that is betwixt death and her and what distresses she abideth in the time of her agonie Imagine that a prince possessed a goodlie citie in al peace wealth and pleasure and greatlie frinded of al his neighbours round about him who promised to assiste him in al his needes and affairs that vpon the sudden his mortal enimie should come and besiege this citie and taking one holde after an other one wall after another one castell after an other should driue this prince onlie to a litle tower and besiege him therin al his other holdes being beaten doune and his men slaine in his sight what feare anguishe and miserie woold this afflicted prīnce be in How often would he looke out at the windowes loope holes of his tower to see whether his friendes and neighboures would come to help him or no And if he saw them all to abandone him and his cruel enemie euen readie to breake in vpon him would he not trow you be in a most pitiful plight Euen so then fareth it with a poore soule at the hower of death The bodie wherin she raigned like a iolie princesse in al pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and ouerthrowen by her enimie which is death the armes legges and other partes wherewith she was fortified as with walles and wardes during time of health are now surprised and beaten to the grounde and she is driuen onlie to the harte as to the last and extremest refuge wherein also she is most fearcelie assayled in such sorte as she can not possiblie hold out longe Her dearest friendes who soothed her in time of prosperitie and promised assistance as youth agilitie strength courage diet phisicke and other humane helpes doe now vtterlie abandone her the enimie wil not be pacified or make any league at al but night and daye assaulteth this Turret wherein she is retired and which now beginneth to shake and shiuer in pecees in such sort as she expecteth hourelie when her enimie in most raging dreadful maner wil burst in vpon her What thinke you is now the state of this afflicted soule It is no maruaile if a wise man become a foole or a stoute worldling most abiect in this instant of extremitie as we often see they doe in such sorte that they can dispose of nothing well either towardes God or the world at this houre The cause wherof is the extremitie of paines oppressing their mindes as S. Austē wel noteth geuing vs ther withal a most excellent fore-warning of this daie if men were so happie as to follow it When you shal be in your last sicknes deare bretheren sayeth he ò how harde and painful a thing wil it be for you to repent of your faultes committed and of good deedes omitted and why is this but onlie for that all the intentiō of your minde wil runne thither where al the force of your paine is Manie impedimentes shall let men at that day As the paine of the bodie the feare of death the sight of children for the which their fathers shall often times thinke thē selues damned the weeping of the wife the flatterie of the world the temptation of the deuil the dissimulation of phisitions for lacre sake and the like And beleeue thou ò man which readest this that thou shalt quickelie proue al this trew vpon thy self and therfore I beseech the that thou wilt doe penance before thou come vnto this last daie Dispose of thy house and make thy testament whyle thou arte whole while thou art wise while thou art thine owne man for if thou tarie vntil the last daie thou shalt be led whether thou wouldest not Hitherto are S. Austens words THE SECONDE THING which shal make death most terrible and grieuous to a worldlie man is the sudaine parting and that for euer and euer from al the thinges which he loued most dearely in this life as from his riches possessiōs honours offices faire buildinges goodlie apparel and rich iewels as also from wife and children kindred and frindes and al other earthly delightes and commodities wherewith in this life he thought him self a most happie man And now to be plucked from thes vpon the sudaine without hope euer to see or vse them againe and that often times when he least doubteth any such matter must needes be a pointe of extreme griefe especiallie if he be in the state which holie Iob describeth when he saith The vvicked man dieth vvhen he is strōge and vvhole of bodie riche happie vvhile his entrals are ful of fatte and vvhiles his bones are vvel vvatred vvith marooe O Iesu what a griping griefe how intollerable a torment vvil this be O how true an oracle is that of God which saieth O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substantiis suid O death how bitter is thy memorie vnto a man that hath peace and rest in his substance riches as who would say there is no greater bitternes or greefe in the world to such a man then to remember or only thinke on death but much more to taste and trie it himself yea and that immediately when it shal be saied vnto him as Christ reporteth it was vnto that great wealthie man in the Ghospel which had his barnes ful and was nowe
her wicked deedes shal beginne exceedingly to feare and tremble and would gladlie flie and leaue her deedes behinde her seekinge to entreate the Angels and to request but one hower space of delaye But that wil not be graunted and her euil workes crying out al together shal speake against her and save we wil not staye behinde or parte from the thou hast done vs and we are thy workes and therfore we wil follow the whether soeuer thou goest yea euen vnto the seate of iudgement This loe is the state of a sinners soule which partinge from his bodie with most horrible feare goeth onwardes to iudgemēt loden with sinnes and with infinite confusion Contrariwise the iust mans soule goeth out of his bodie with greate ioye and comforte the good Angels accompaininge her with exultation Wherefore brethren seinge these thinges are so doe you feare this terrible hower of death now to the ende you maye not feare when you come vnto it Foresee it now that then you maye be secure Thus farre S. Augustine And for that this holie father learned Doctour in Christes Church maketh mentiō in this place of good and euil Angels which are redie at the houre of death to receyue the soules of such as depart out of this life it shal not be from our purpose to note that oftentimes God doth permit the apparitions of Angels both good and euil as also of other saintes to some men lyinge on their death beddes for a tast ether of comforte or sorow touchinge that which shal ensue in the world to come And this is also one singuler priuiledge among other belonging to this passage And concerning the iust I haue shewed before an example out of S. Cyprian and S. Augustine touching one to whome Christ appeared at the hower of his death And S. Gregorie the greate hath diuers like narratiōs to that purpose i the fourth booke of his dialogues As for example sake of one Vrsinus to whom the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule appeared But as concerning euil spirites and wicked Angels which shewed thē selues vnto diuers sinners at the houre of death and denounced vnto them their eternal damnation and horrible tormentes appointed in hel we haue manie and most terrible exāples recorded in many graue aunciēt writers As among other that recorded by S. Gregorie of one Chrisorius a greate riche man but as ful of sinne as of wealth to whome lying on his death-bed the infernal fiendes in most vglie māner appeared shewing how now he was deliuered into their power and therfore would neuer depart from him vntil he dying left his soule vnto thē to be caried to eternal tormentes The like examples doth venerable Bede recount to haue happened in our countrie about his time And among other of a certaine wicked Courtier in great fauour with king Coenride to whom lying in the panges of death and being now a litle recouered both the good and euil Angels appeared visibly the one laying before him a verie smal booke of his good deedes the other a greate huge volume of his enormous crimes Which after they had caused him to reade by the permissiō of the good Angels they seazed vpō him assignig also vnto him the certaine houre of his departure according as both him selfe confessed openlie to al that came to visit him and as by his horrible desperate death ensuinge at the very hower by them appointed he manifestlie confirmed The like storie recordeth he in the chapter folowing of one whom he knew him self and as both he S. Gregorie and S. Cyprian also doe note al these such other visions were permitted for our sake which doe yet liue and maye take commoditie by the same and not for their good that died whom they nothing at al auailed Which being so deare Christian brother that is this passage of death being so terrible so daungerous yet so ineuitable as it is seing so manie mē doe perish and are ouer whelmed daylie in passing ouer this perilous gulfe as both holie scriptures and auncient fathers doe testifie by examples recordes vnto vs what man of discretion would not learne to be wise by other mens dangers or what reasonable creature would not take heede looke aboute him being warned so manifestlie and apparantlie of his owne peril if thou be a Christian and doest belieue in deede the thinges which Christiā faith doth teach the thē doest thou know an I most certainlic belieue also that of what state age strength dignitie or condition so euer thou be now yet must hy self which now in health mirth doest real this point and thinkest the same litle appertainig vnto thee one of these daies and that perhaps very shortlie after the readinge hereof come to proue al these thinge in thine owne person that is thou must with sorow and griefe beenforced to thy bed and there after al straggliges with the dartes of death thou must yelde thy bodie which thou louest now so dearly to be the baite of wormes and thy soule to the trial of iustice for her doinges in this life IMAGINE THEN my friend euē thou I saye which art so fresh and froelicke at this instant that the ten twentie or two yeres or perhaps two monethes or daies which thou hast yet to liue were now come to an ende and that thou were euen at this present stretched out vpon a bed wearied and worne with dolour and paine thy carnal frindes about the weepinge and howlinge and desiring thie goodes the phisitions departed with their fees as hauing gyuen the ouer and thou lyinge there alone mute and dumme in most pitiful agonie expecting from moment to momēt the last stroke of death to be gyuen vnto the. Tel me in this instāt what would al the pleasures and commodities of the whole earth auaile the what comfort or ease would it be vnto the now to haue bene of honour in this world to haue gathered wealth and purchassed much to haue borne office and enioyed the princes fauour to haue left thy children and kinred in aboundance to haue trodden donne thine enimies to haue stirred much and borne greate swaye in this life what pleasure I saye or benefite would it be to the to haue bene beautiful to haue bene gallant in apparel goodlie in personage glittering in golde would not al thes thinges rather afflict then profit thee at this instant No doubt but now thou shouldest wel see throughlie perceaue the vanitie of thes trifles thou shouldest proue true the saying of the wise man non proderūt diuitie in die vltionis riches wil profit nothing in the day of Gods reuēge That most excellent demaunde of holie Iob would oftentimes offer it self vnto thie remembrāce Quid ad cum pertinet de domo sua post se What hath a man to doe with his house familie or kinred after he is gone what good what comfort shal he take therby VVho vvil
men that knew wel what they saied and had often tasted of affliction them selues and therfore could say of their owne experience how infallible Gods assistance is therin To this supreme courage magnanimitie and Christian fortitude the scripture exhorteth vs when it saieth If the spirit of one that is an authoritie doe rise against thee see thou yeeld not from thy place vnto him And againe an other scripture saith striue for iustice euen to the losse of thy life and stand for equitie vnto death it self God shal ouerthrow thine enemies for thee And Christ him self yet more effectually recom nēdeth this matter in thes wordes I say vnto you my freendes be not a fearde of them vvhich kil the body and aftervvard haue nothing els to doe against you And S. Peter addeth further 〈◊〉 cōturbemini That is doe not onely not feare them but which is lesse doe not so much as be troubled for al that flesh and blood cā doe against you Christ goeth further in the Apocalips and vieth maruailous speeches to entise vs to this forticude For thes are his wordes he that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the spirit saith vnto the churches To him that shal conquere I wil geue to eate of the tree of life which is in the paradise of my God This saieth the first and the last he that was dead and now is a liue I know thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thou art riche in deed and art blasphemed by thos that say they are true Israelites and are not but are rather the Sinagogue of Satan Feare nothing of that which you are to suffer behold the deuil wil cause some of you to be thrust into prison to the end you may be tempted you shal haue tribulation for tēne daies But be faithful vnto death and I wil geue the a croune of life He that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the spirit saieth vnto the churches He that shal ouercome shal not be hurt by the second death And he that shal ouercome and shal keepe my workes vnto the end I wil geue vnto him authoritie ouer nations euen as I haue receaued it from my father and I wil geue him besides the morning starre He that shal ouercome shal be appareled in white garmentes and I wil not blot his name out of the booke of life but wil confesse his name before my father and before his Angels Behold I come quicklie hold fast that thou hast lest an other man receaue thy croune He that shal conquere I wil make him a pillar in the temple of my God he shal neuer goe foorth more and I wil write vpon him the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Ierusalem He that shal conquere I wil geue vnto him to sit with me in my throne euen as I haue conquered and doe sit with my father in his throne Hitherto are the wordes of Christ to S. Iohn And in the end of the same booke after he had described the ioyes and glorie of heauen at large he concludeth thus And he that fate on the throne said to me Write thes wordes for that they are most faithful and true Qui vicerit possidebit haec ero illi Deus ille erit mihi 〈◊〉 timidis autem incredulis c. pars illorum erit in stagna ardenti igne sulphure quod est mors secunda He that shal conquer shal possesse al the ioyes that I haue here spokē of and I wil be his God and he shal be my sonne But they which shal be fearful to sight or incredulous of thes thinges that I haue saied their portiō shal be in the lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death Here now we see both allurements threates both good and euil life death the ioyes of heauen and the burning lake of hel proposed vnto vs. We may streach out our handes vnto which we wil. If we fight and conquere as by Gods grace vve may then are we to enioy the promises laid doune before If we shew our selues ether vnbeleuing in thes promises or feareful to take the sight in hand being offered vnto vs then fal we into the danger of the contrarie threates euen as S. Iohn affirmeth in an other place that certaine noble men did amōg the Iewes who beleeued in Christ but yet durst not confesse him for feare of persecution HERE THEN must ensew an other vertue in vs most necessary to al tribulation and affliction and that is a strong firme resolution to stand and go through what opposition or contradiction soeuer we find in the world ether of fauning flatterie or of persecuting crueltie This the scripture teacheth crying vnto vs esto firmus in via domini Be firme and immouable in the way of our Lord. And againe State in side 〈◊〉 agite Stand to your faith playe the men And yet further conside in Deo mane in loco 〈◊〉 Trust in God and abide firme in thy place And finally 〈◊〉 nō dissoluantur 〈◊〉 vestrae Take courage vnto you and let not your handes be dissolued from the worke you haue begonne This resolution had the three children Sydrach Misach Abdenago when hauing heard the flattering speech and infinite threates of cruel Nabuchodonasor they answered with a quiet spirit O king we may not answere you to this long speech of yours For behold our God is able if he wil to deliuer vs from this furnace of fire which you threaten and from al that you cā doe othervvise against vs. But yet if it should not please him so to doe you must know Sir king that we doe not worshippe your goddes nor yet adore your golden Idole which you haue set vp This resolution had Peter and Iohn who being so often brought before the councel and both commanded threatned and beaten to the end they should talke no more of Christ they answered stil Obedire oportet Deo magis quam hominibus we must obey God rather then men The same had S. Paul also when being requested with teares of the Christians in Cesarea that he wold forbeare to goe to Ierusalem for that the holie Ghost had reuealed to manie the troubles which expected him there he answered what meane you to wepe thus and to afflict my hart I am not onelie readie to be in bondes for Christs name in Ierusalem but also to suffer death for the same And in his epistle to the Romanes he yet further expresseth this resolution of his when he sayeth what thē shal we saye to these thinges if God be with vs who wil be against vs who shal separate vs from the loue of Christ shal tribulation shal distresse shal hungar shal nakednes shal peril shal persecution shal the sworde I am certaine that nether death nor life nor