forgeuenesse For euery good déede ought to be done for the zeale of iustice and righteousnesse and for Godly charytie but not for feare Thereof the Apostle saied If I speake with the tonges of Angels and of men and yet haue not charytie in mée it shall nothinge profit mée For theÌ„ doe wée chiefly performe our dutyes when wée reuerence GOD not onely for feare but also for the sure trust and confidence that we haue in his loue And when zealous affection not dreade doth rayse vs vpwards to doe that is good By this dread is vnderstoode and ment the seruyle feare which onely and principally dothe respect the punishment and correction Of the which sainct Iohn sayeth There is no feare in perfect charitie Then siâ—…ce we might be enduced as hath béen beforesayde to the contempt of this world by the consideracion of death iudgement the paines of hell yet ought we much more by much stronger reason to be enduced therevnto by the consideracion contemplacion and loue of the perpetuall blessednesse glory of the chosen The which is of a certayne infinit dignitie since it is an immedyate frewition of that vnmeasurable good holy and glorious god Wherefore as this frewition is altogether supernaturall we can neuer atteyne therevnto but by supernaturall meanes As thankeful thanksgeuing Fayth Hope Charitie the other gyftes of the holy Ghost And the more perfectly and plenteously that these meanes doo dwel abyde in vs so much the more vehemently we despise all worldly temporal things plainly perceue their vanitie vylenesse doo Yea we doo so much the faster more affectionately more abundaÌ„tly more swyftly vncessantly aspyre go forewards approch or rather runne outryght towards y blessednesse of the heauenly Paradyse habitacion Embrasing executing all the helpe fauour assystance of gods holy spirit more redyly and more chearefully Wherefore let vs be moued by the desire of the felicitie and glory of the â—…lect to performe stoutly and couragiously all thinges that may please god Let vs quickly out of hande forsake the worlde yea lette vs accompt all the fraylties thereof to be as dyrt and doonge For as Augustine dooth well testifie The bewtie of ryghteousnesse and the pleasantnesse of th eternall lyght are such and so greate that although a man myght therein remayne but one onely houre in a daye yet euen for that small space vnnumerable yeares of thys lyfe béeinge full of delyghtes and flowingâ—… with temporall pleasures were worthily to be forsaken and set at naught For in the citiâ—… of God and the kingdom of the elect the lawe is charitie the king is veritie the peace is felicitie and the whoâ—…e course of lyfe is eteruitie Wherefore my welbeloued prepare thy selfe and marke narowly what a great felicitie the blessed inioy and what exceedyng delight it is to see God playnely â–ª and distinctly For the fayrer that any thing is doe we not accompt it also the more delectable to behold it playnly and perfectly Since God then of him selfe is essentially totally and vndescribably fayre holy pure and bright 〈◊〉 or rather the true and infinite beautie the 〈◊〉 substantiall forme the separate eternall perfect simple and vnmyxed comelinesse the chief fountayne originall cause and exemplare shewe of any fayrenesse comelinesse purenesse and clearenesse in all creatures the most beautifull and comely of all other beyond comparison it is therefore moste euydent that to sée and behold him face to face and in his proper person is most delightfull most delectable and moste gloryous excéedyng too too much all other delight and glory more then can be with wordes expressed For the better swéeter and perfecter that any thing is in it selfe the more delightfull and pleasaunt the fruition therof must be But our Lord God being omnipotent onely to bée adored happie and of him selfe most excelent pure vndescribable and incomprehensible goodnesse that infinite swéetenesse that so perfecte Being that whatsoeuer pertayneth to the fulnesse worthinesse and prâ—…heminence of any Being present paste or to come 〈◊〉 néedes agrée and be lyke vnto it in all perfection and excelencie it must néeds follow that the immediate fruition of it should be altogither and in all respects most pleasaunt swéete and delectable For the obtayning whereof all the ioyes honors prayses and prosperities of this worlde are infinitely and with excéedyng lothsomenesse to be dispysed Then consider in such sorte as thou mayest what ioy it would be to sée and behelde the eternall being of his diuyne maiestie How it is and hath bene from the beginning of it selfe made â—…or created by any man nor dependyng of any thing but to it selfe of it selfe by it selfe and in it selfe alwayes sufficient Consider howe much good it would doe thée playnely and face to face to beholde the vndiscribable admyrable and incomprehensible God and in his euer springing wisedome and sapyence to sée and discerne the whole order comelinesse truth and perfection of all the vniuersal world with many other most secrete treasures of gladnesse yea to inioy this vnmeasured goodnesse and treasure and wholly to possesse it And therwith to haue all that may séeme faire amyable or to be desired Agayn to be so excéedingly illustrate with the godly wisdome so abundantly replenished with the diuine goodnesse that all thy capacitie vnderstading and all thy desire might therwith be throughly filled satisfied Yea furthermore consider what excéeding pleasure it would be to taste the swéetnesse of godly peace and tranquilitie to be euen swallowed vp in the loue of thy creator to be transformed into God to be made perfectly lyke vnto him to imbrace him louingly in him selfe in such sorte that thou coulâ—…est not at any tyme be withdrawen or plucked away froÌ„ his sight loue imbrasings to sée perceiue that most blessed vision and inward contemplation of the holy Trinitie the issuing out of the same how the sonne procéedeth from y father and howe the holy ghost procéedeth from them both howe theyr persons are to be worshipped as one in being thrée in subsisting and finally to behold perceyue perfectly their mutuall well pleasing ioye imbrasing loue and glorie For the diuyne and vncreated persons doe mutually loue eche other with an vnmeasurable kynde of loue they beholde eche other with an infinite kynde of delyght they inioye eche other with an vntermynable kynde of swéetenesse and they them selues onely doe fully and comprehensiuely knowe and beholde them selues So that the chosen shall reioyse in them selues at the sight and vision of God in themselues they shall reioyce in the beautye and comelinesse of their heauenly bodies and the bodyes of their corporal creatures and in them selues they shall reioce in the glorification of the bodie and the soule As also without and about them they shall reioyce in the societie of the Angelles and blessed people of god In them shall doubtlesse bee sâ—…ne the true bryghtnesse of the sommers lyght the true
worship reuerence God in all things with the whole zeale of our hartes And let vs do as much as we are able to the honor of his name yea let vs not think that we do any thing that is worthie but let vs hartily bée sory that we are able to do no more bicause euen as he is of excéeding maiestie so is he worthie of infinite reuerence Of the enormitie of sinne by reason of the diuine presence which beholdeth all things Art. 10. THis one thing furthermore doeth increase the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes and doeth accumulate the contempt of our mynd against God that we dare be so bold as to sinne in the sight and presence of our creator sauior iudge And he our eternall most mightie God doth most plainly eternally and vnspeakably behold peize discerne all things that are past present or to come As holy Iob doth professe saying doeth not God know my way doth he not count all my steppes And again so speaking to God thou hast put sauth he my féete in fetters and hast watched marked all my pathes hast considered the 〈◊〉 of my féete Whervpon in Hieremie it is red thou most 〈◊〉 great and mightie thy name is Lord of hostes great in thy councels incomprehensible in thy thoughts whose eyes are open ouer all the sons of Adam that thou 〈◊〉 giue to euery man according to his wayes wherein he walketh 〈◊〉 not an earthly iudge or a mortal man think a great 〈◊〉 or dispight don vnto him if any of his subiects shuld in his 〈◊〉 presence transgresse his preceptes But how much greater iniurie dishonor do we coÌ„mit against the highest heauenly eternal iudge whilest we fear not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 which is truely present euerie where yea mostpresent and fulfilleth iudgeth pondereth all thinges that are done Here vpon beloued thinke alwayes vpon the diuyne presence honour the lookes of the heauenly countenaunce worship euerie where the purenesse of the diuine mynde And blushe for shame to doe that before the highest God which thou wouldest be abashed to doe before a good or honest man Nay rather tremble and quake and presume not to thinke or to desire that before the presence of his 〈◊〉 which thou wouldest be any thing at all a fearde to speake before a good or honest man For God beholdeth the 〈◊〉 of the hart that which vnto men is the speach of their mouth that which is with God is the thought of the harte And againe that which the earthly iudge before whom thou art 〈◊〉 doth gather of thine outward déedes the same the dreadfull and most iust God can iudge and determyne of thine inward desires which receiueth the intent or affection of the 〈◊〉 or déed That man is base 〈◊〉 vniust which honoureth the presence and 〈◊〉 the iudgement of men more than of god Wherfore my dearly beloued let that offence neuer be attributed 〈◊〉 thée but 〈◊〉 heare alwayes and in all places that saying of 〈◊〉 in thy 〈◊〉 The Lorde liueth in 〈◊〉 sight I stand this day And therfore as Boetius saith there is a great necessitie of wel doing commaunded vs bicause we do all things before the eyes of the iudge which séeth decerneth al things Of the enormitie of sinne by respect of him that sinneth Art. 11. HEtherto we haue treated of the enormitie of sin hauing regarde to God against whom all sinne is committed eyther directly or by meanes For although certayn sins are termed to be against god certain other agaynst the neighbour certain against our selues I mean against the sinner himself bicause that God is the nerest obiect matter most at hand vnto some sins as vnto those that are directly coÌ„trarie to the diuine vertues vnto some other the neighbor is the nerest matter and vnto some he him selfe which sinneth Neuerthelesse all sin is against God which detesteth punisheth forbiddeth all sins For by the diuine lawes al sin is forbidden or diswaded Now then it is requisite to speake somewhat of the enormitie of sin on the behalf of the sinner and that as touching men First then the enormitie of sin may be marked by our inferioritie For the lesse that any man is by comparisoÌ„ with a master or lawgiuer so much the more humble so much the more in subiection he ought to be Wherevpon the contempt séemeth to be somewhat the more gréeuous if he become rebellious to the law giuer or superior â—…im self theÌ„ if he himself were greater or if a greater theÌ„ himself did commit it For man himself doth possesse the lowest place in rank of matters or substances belonging to vnderstanding may not theÌ„ that lawgiuer the most highly exalted God holy vnmeasured to bée adored disdayne much when he séeth vs vyle litle wormes of the earth bearing clayish vessell vpon vs being compared to vanitie and ashes replenished in our bodies with infinite sinnes agaynst the soule that we doe not obey his coÌ„mauÌ„dements but dishonor his maiestie and forget his benifits yea euery houre offending him incessaÌ„tly not harkening to his exhortations which he maketh vnto vs by his ministers not regarding his own preseÌ„ce furthermore by this coÌ„sideration of our leudnesse vilenesse we ought vehemently to heape vp aggreuate detest bewaile yea to dispise reproue to correct both our selues and all our excesses against God since that we most poore most miserable most vyle creatures which shal soone die yea rather dayly dying haue so often so gréeuously dishonoured offended dispised dayly do not cease to offend our lord our most highly exalted infinite almightie most glorious and superessential god Behold we dust ashes we worms and rottennesse which lyke a flour do come forth are wâ—…thred which fly away like a shadow neuer do coÌ„tiuue in one â—…state haue so often so vnmeasurably halted dissembled so incessantly do sin against the king of kings against the Prince of all men against the creator of the world most laudable inuariable most highly exalted who is the simplest purest most bright shinyng most holy ghost Wherfore then dâ—…e we moste vaynely glorie whereof are wée most foolishe proude wherefore doe we â—…ot humble dispise bewayle and correct our selues with fastings with stripes with watching praying other fruits of repentance Therfore let vs earnestly be displeasant vnto our selues let vs moste déepely without delay hâ—…mble our selues before the most pure God dispising no bodie but our selues Secondarily the enormitie of sinne on the bâ—…halfe of the sinner is noted by the superioritie of him that sinneth as by préeâ—…inence preferment in authoritie For the more that he which sinneth be preferred in principallitie or iuditiall authoritie the more he is bound to the more ample iustice rightuousnesse charitie exeÌ„plare life Especially since the iudge or president according tâ—… the Philosopher oâ—…ght to be the liuely
whole possession of thy selfe and all that thou hast thy body and thy soule yea thyne inward thoughts and outward actions vnto the diuyne Maiestie Least abusing gods gyftes thou consequently serue the Diuill For whosoeuer doth liue vytiously he is a seruaunt of the Diuill The Prophet Esay in his lxiii Chapiter hath these words I will remember the Lord for his mercy Yea I will praise the Lord for all that he hath geuen vs and for all that hée hath bestowed vpon vs according to his goodnesse If then we would perfectly knowe how carefully we ought to séeke the way of saluation and walke therein yea and how much we ought to dispyse the vayne delights of the world Let vs héedely consider what the onely begotten Sonne of god did suffered and toke vpon him for our helth and saluation If he then through the wysdome and prouydence of God the father yea through the eternall vncreated vnbegotteÌ„ vnmesurable foresight dyd not without great cause reason take vpon him doe suffer so many thinges for vs If the onely begotten Sonne of God being perfect and oâ—…ypotent dyd for our health and saluatioÌ„ take vpon him our substaunce and nature if he were for our sake conuersaunt here on earth so many yeares if he did susteyne and endure so many trauayles labors and paynes for our enstruction and redemption finally if he suffred therefore most bitter and cruell death let vs not set lyght by our selues nor make small accoumpt of our saluation Neither let vs thynke that we can be saued by sleighte and superficyall seruing of him by cleauing vnto worldly vanyties neyther yet by lyuing carelesly and without feare For neyther is the euerlasting payne of dampnation so avoyded nor yet the heuenly kingdome is not so obteyned For Christ suffered and was crucyfied for vs that we might thereby folowe his stepes and example Then is it necessary that we be conformed vnto his passion and that we crucyfie our selues as he did For whosoeuer sayth that he remayneth in God must walke euen as he walked Where vpon the Apostle sayed If we suffer with him we shall reigne with him also And againe he sayth Be you folowers and imytators of god as his best beloued children And what els is it to be conformed vnto Christes passion to dye with him to folow his steppes but euen to mortyfie all vanyties wickednesse to coÌ„stitute our bodyes wholy in y feare of god to restrayne bridle our owne natural lyberty vnder the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of his holy lawes to submyt our willes altogether vnto his godly will for wheÌ„ we know beleue that our Lord Sauiour Jesus Christ did most patieÌ„tly suffer innumerable derysions mockes slaunders blasphemies labours and paines with all méekenesse of pouerty with all lowlynesse of minde with all perfection of charytie so as finally he suffered the most vyle kynde of death for vs let vs thynke that it were moste vndecent for the seruaunt if he should liue in delightes reioyse in worldly rytches and wallowe in earthly vanyties whose master was so busily conuersaunt afflicted kylled for the seruants sake For that seruaunt is not aboue his master And Gregory saied well Nothing is so gréeuous but that it myght bée suffered with good will if we would often call to memorye the passion of christ Harken then vnto holy Bernarde speaking to thée in the person of christ Behold O man sayth he what I suffer â—…or thée There is no payne comparable to that wherwith I am tormented I call vnto thée bicause I am afflicted for thée Behold the paynes wherewith I am tormeÌ„ted Behold the nayles wherwith I am nayled Behold howe all my body is stretched out vpon the Cross for thée And looke how greate myne outward paynes are so much that greater is mine inward greifin y I finde thee so vnthankfull If thou weigh these things welbeloued with attâ—…tiue minde thou wylt soonâ—… contempne the world and ouercome the concupyscences thereof thou wilt desire to folowe Christ abhorre all things that are worldly refuse to be coÌ„uersaunt with such as walke in vanyties For god forbyd that thou shouldest be vngratefull for such and so many benefites And yet vngratefull shouldest thou be if thou geue him not thankes for the same with thy whole hart But thankes canst thou not geue vnlesse thou doe medytate marke and acknowledge them Synce the chiefe poynt of ingratitude as Seneca sayth is forgetfulnesse Therefore cast and reuolue in thy mynde euery day what God himselfe dyd suffered for thée Yea besides this the benefites are also innumerable which god doth daily bestowe on vs So that by the consideration of them we ought of good ryght to be kyndled in loue towardes God and in a zeale to honour him with all deuotion Pea and an affection also to be alwayes geuing of thankes and so consequently to laude and praise his name incessantly For haue we not receyued froÌ„ him whatsoeuer we haue or be y goods of fortune the gyftes of nature to be to liue to féele to haue vnderstanding yea haue not we receiued of him the gyftes gf graâ—… â—…ayth hope and charytie the gyftes of the holy Ghost the sacramentes How often hath god most mercyfully spared vs when we offended how pittyfully hath he preuented vs From how many snares and peryles hath he preserued vs what greate gyftes of glorye hath he promysed vs Yea how many haue bene condempned to hell fyre which offended and sinned lesse then we haue done Let vs then not bée forgetfull of suche and so greate benesites But let vs with the Psalmist humbly and thankefully say What shall I requyte vnto the Lorde for all that hée hath geuen me I will blesse and magnyfie the Lorde at all tymes his prayses shall alwayes be in my mouth For of all other faultes ingratitude is the worste Especyally that kynde of ingratytude whereby we become vnthankefull vnto God the most lyberall and abundaunt benefactor of all other If any man should cut of thy hand or thy foote how much wouldest thou thynke thy selfe bounde vnto him which would heale it agayne and restore thée thy member If thou wert blynde deafe or lame how much wouldest y loue him which would cure thy defect how then art thou not ashamed in that thou louest not god ferueÌ„tly which hath geueÌ„ thée all those gyftes before named and hath also promysed thée farre greater then they therefore let these great benyfites and lyberaltyes of god towards thée styrre in thée a contempt of this world and enduce thée to take in hand all such thinges as may most lyuely expresse his honour and glory For as it is moste certayne that he which is by nature best dysposed vnto vertue were moste faulty if he should be blynded by the world to lyue vycyously so thou hauing good gyftes of nature it were no small cause of gréefe if thou shouldest foreslowe
thy selfe from executing the same The thinges which in this present lyfe are momeÌ„tarye and light although they be some tribulation may excéedingly worke in vs a greate maâ—…e or weight of glory in the world to come if we behold not those thinges which are séene with eye but those which cannot be séene For the thinges which are séene are temporall but the things which are not séene are eternall By these wordes of Paule it appeareth that the trybulations of the chosen although they be longe bytter and gréeuous yet by regarde of the celestyall glory and reward to come they are lyght and but of small continewaunce For the reward to come is vncomprehensible euerlasting But now is he a perfect and most pure louer of God which loueth him not by beholding this reward nor reuerenceth him not for desire of his owne profite nor worshipeth him for reward of mutuall consideration towardes himselfe But which purely for the very incomparable goodnesse loue and worthynesse of God doth all that he can to his honour with all dilygence For the better obteyning of which perfection and for the full purchasing of so great sinceritie in Gods loue let vs yet euen by the beholding of the infallible promyses of God goe stoutly forewarde to doe any thing that may be most pleasant most perfect and moste acceptable vnto him And let vs contempne the world and the gallantnesse delight pompe prosperities and vanities therof taking in hand to walke in the way of perfection in the fulfilling of Gods word and in a vertuous and right religious lyfe For since the eternall God is a most frée goodnesse a most feruent charitie and a most plentifull rewarder therfore a man of reasonable vnderstanding wil confesse that the more he refuseth and layeth aside for his sake the more sincerely that he renounce him selfe the more he dispose him selfe to the obtayning of Gods giftes and the more wholly perfectly and entyrely that he offer him self vnto him euen so much the more will God also she we him selfe the more aboundant in mercies to him the more soundly and swéetly he will breath his holy spirite into him the more familiarly he will be conuersant with him and the higher wil he exalte him in glorie multiplying his giftes of grace in this present lyfe and dooblyng his rewards of glorie in y world to come Whervpon it is written in holy scripture if a man doe direct his harte vnto God he shall drawe his breath and spirite towardes him selfe And here vpon the holy true and mercifull God hath promised not onely a blessed and excelent glorification in the heauenly kingdome but also a most plentuous and liberall reward in this present lyfe to suche as dispise the world for his sake Saying in his holy gospel Whosoeuer leaueth father mother his brethren or frends or his possessions for my names sake he shal receyue an hundreth folde shall possesse euerlasting lyfe And what meaneth he by these wordes He shall receyue an hundreth fold Marry that for the externall carnall and temporall goodes which he hath lefte he shall receyue the spirituall giftes of grace and the giftes of the holy ghost which are more then an hundreth folde better euen in this lyfe And after also shall receyue eternall lyfe and the consumation of glorie Wherefore my welbeloued if thou desyre to bee trulye and spiritually enriched and enabled contempne then for the louâ—… of God all transitorie fraile things yea and whatsoeuer worldly men which haue in déed the spirit of this world and not the spirite of Christ doe make greatest accompte off and thinke most desirable that doe thou dispyse as most vyle dyrte and myre or rather as the verie snares of the diuill If thou doe so thou shalt become the Temple of the holy Ghost the most blessed trinitie wil inhabit and replenish thy soule with all the aboundant delightes therof For this is promised by y sonne of God saying If any man loue mée he will kéepe my wordes and testimonyes and my father will loue him we will come vnto him make our abode with him O happie soule in whom those thrée so plentiously do abide Furthermore harken what Christ hath promised vnto the coÌ„temners of this world you saith he which haue forsaken all things and haue followed mée when thâ—… son of man shal sit in seat of his maiestie you shall sit also vppoÌ„ xij seats iudging y xij Tribes of Israel And this it is that Paule ment saying You know not y the saints shal iudge of this world Beholde what an vnspeakable dignitie this is how they are honored of God which for his honor do forsake all things And thervpon Gregorie sayth whosoeuer béeyng styrred with the prick or goade of godly zeale doeth forsake such things as he héere possesseth shall vndoubtedly obtayne there a height of iuditiall dignitie y he may come to iudge with y iudge bicause by consideration of the iudgement he did chasteÌ„ himself willingly with pouertie Do not therfore lose so many godly treasures which shall remayne for euer for these things which can be but smal time possessed For behold Christ saith I stand at the dore knock if therfore y opeÌ„ the dore of thy hart harkeÌ„ vnto my couÌ„sel I wil come in vnto thée enter into thy mynd thou shalt sup with me So that thou séest how God wil cherish thée with heaueÌ„ly comfort will fulfil thée with spiritual delightes thou shalt tast how swéet God is how manifold is the multitude of his delightfulnesse All which the louers of this world can not tast bicause they are not worthie to receiue y holy ghost As our sauior saide vnto his Apostles in the xiiij Chapter of Iohn I wil pray vnto my father for you he shal giue you another spirit euen y holy ghost whom the world can not receyue WhervppoÌ„ Bernard sayth The holy delectatioÌ„ doth decline him which is first occupied in seculer desires suffreth him not to mingle vanitie with veritie eternitie with frailtie spiritualtie with temporaltie nor high things with low things That thereby hée may learne what things mouÌ„t vpward toward heauen and what things draw downwards toward earth For if y mind haue wherwith to be outwardly delighted it remayneth inwardly without spiritual delight And y it is which Hierom doth so worthily say If we cut from y flesh such things as do most delight in we shaâ—…straight straight way finde in the spirit that which wil delight vs If the outward wandring be shut vp the inward accesse to God is opened for the lesse y the soule be dispersed in it self the straighter it is erected to things aboue by spiritual procéeding And therfore to the end y thou mayest by y brightnesse of y holy ghost holsomly behold that most noble worthinesse of those spiritual supernatural good things set light by these temporal vanities yeâ—… spurn from thée vtterly