number of his elect bee borne amongst his chosed flocke bee nourished with the milke of the Apostles and be made drunke with Christes blood But if after the grace of this vocation thou hast lost thine innocence of Baptisme by thy recumbencie in sin behold it pleased our Lord God to cal thee again the second third or more often times What therefore shalt thou noâ— owe vnto him How many benefits doth thys one comprehend It was a benefite that he expected thee so long a tyme that â—ee gaue then so long a time of repentance that hee suffered thee lying so long sweltered in thy sinnes mercifull bountifull not cutting down the fruitlesse tree which possessed the earth and receaued the dewe of diuine influence in vaine It was another benefite that suffring thee in such erronious sinnâ—s hee cast thee not headlong into the depth of hell in which perchance diuers are tormented for lesse crimes then thou hast committed Another is that hee instilled into thee so many holy inspirations so many good purposes yea incessantly beating at the doore of thy hart euen in the midst of thy misdeeds and continually calling thee who did nought else but offende him who called thee Another is that at length intending to impose an ende to thy rebellious and stifnecked obstinacie hee called thee with so high and powerfull a clamour that he recald thee from death to lyfe And thoâ— no otherwise then a second Laâ—â—rus issuedst from the darksome sepulcher of thy innumerable sinneâ— no more bouâ—de hande and foote 〈…〉 and deliuered from the 〈…〉 of the deuill Buâ—â—boue all theâ—e heâ—herto naâ—â—d the greatest benefite is thys thâ—t hee not onâ—ly pardoned thee 〈…〉 and offences which were past but gaue thee grace helping preseruing thee least thou shoâ—ldâ—st fall into the same againe Addâ—ng moreouer the ornaments stoole shooes and ring which the Father gaue the prodigall sonne vppon his returne when he tooke him into his fauour decked with which thou walkest like the sonne of God despising all the deceits of the deuill c pomps of the world pertaking the sweetnes of diuine things which béfore times seemed vnfauorie vnto thee What what a blessing esteemest thou it that these benefits are denied to so many men and are bestowed on thee with so much fauour that God when thou wert no lesse sinful then they were nor lesse vnworâ—hy the vocation leauing thâ—Ì„ in darknes and the state of damnation Gâ—d I say tooke thee graced thee with the lot of saluation grace with what reward with whâ—â— offices with what seruices wilâ— thou recompénce him Of what minde wilt thou be then when thou shalt heereafter by the vertue of this vocation enioy perpetuall gladnes in heauen with God and see other thy companyons acquaintance thorow defect of the same vocation and the like grace cast into eternall torments and crucified in hell But of the grace of graces and of that Sacrament of al Sacraments by which God woulde dwell amongst men and giue himselfe for daily foode vnto them and remedy also I can no wayes holde my tongue Once was there offered vppon the Crosse a Sacrifice and bloody host for our saluation but in thys Sacrament hee is daily applyed vnto vs for the remission of our sinnes When soeuer you doe thys sayth hee doe it in remembrance of me O monument of saluation ô singuler Sacrament ô gratefull mysterie bread of lyfe sweet nourishment royall banquet hauing in thee Manna the sauour of all sweetnes Who may enhaunce thee with answerable tytles Who may worthily eate thee who may honor thee with due reuerence and according to thy merrits My hart faileth wheÌ„ I thinke on thee my tongue foultreth when I speak of thee neyther can I report thy myracles according as I desire If that bountifull Lorde had bestowed thys benefite on onely innocents and those that are vntouched and chast of lyfe as yet the gyft had beene inestimable but nowe what shall I say when as to the end hee might impart himselfe vnto them hee disdayneth not to passe by the handes of many most vngodly Ministers whose soules are the dwelling houses of sathan and bodies the vessels of corruption whose lyfe is consumed in vices and the sudds of sin Moreouer that he might visit his and coÌ„fort his friends hee hath not refused to be handled with their deâ—â—â—ed and impure hands to be taken with theyr sacriligious mouth and to be buried in theyr filthy bellies The â—ody of 〈◊〉 was once sold but in thys Sacramenâ— more then a thousand â—imes yea almost daily it is sold. Once onely in thys worlde it waâ— mocked and contemned but nowe incessantly by these impure men it is contemned Onely once hung it betweene two theeues vppon the Crosse but now in this Sacrament hee is daily crucified Howe might wee woorthily honour thys Lorde who by so many wayes and meanes prouided for our saluation what shal wee render vnto him for this so admirable a nourishment If Seruaunts doe theyr Maisters seruice because they are nourished by them if Souldiours presse thorowe sworde and fire that by thys meanes they may auoyde the perrill of death what ought we not to do for this Lorde that giueth vs thys celestiall food If God in the olde Lawe required so many thanksgiuings for Manna which he rayned from heauen for the Isralites and which was a corruptible meat whâ—â— will â—e require at our hands for this diuine foode which not onely is iâ—corrâ—ptible in it selfe but maketh all those incorrupâ—ible that woorthily receaue the same If the sonâ—e of God himselfe gaue thanks vnâ—o his Father for a fewe Barly loues as it appeareth in the gospell howe great thanks-giuing ought we men to yeelde him for thys supernaturall bread thys liuing breade thys diuine bread If we are bounde to giue God thanks for the nutriment whereby our bodyes are sustained howe much owe wee him for that our well-beeing is conserued For wee prayse not a horse because hee is a horse but because hee is good nor the wine because it is wine but because it is good neyther a man because he is a man but because he is a good man If thou therefore in so many sorts art bounde vnto him who created thee a man how much more neerly art thou bounde in loue dutie vnto him because hee made thee a good man If thou art tyed vnto him so much for the dowries of thy body howe much owest thou for the gyfts of thy minde if so much for the gyfts of nature howe much for the gifts of grace To coÌ„clude if so many things are due vnto him because he made thee the sonne of Adam howe much I pray thee art thou aâ—nswerable vnto him thaâ— from the sonne of vnhappy Adam hath conâ—erted thee into the soâ—â—e of GOD For better is the day in which we are borne to eternitie aâ— Eusebius Emisenâ—â— sayth then in which wee are borne to indure the perrils of thys lyfe Behold brother behold
nor any other mans riches Wey howe vnwoorthy hee is who is chosen if you consider hiâ— quality and nature for is a miserable and mortall creature subiect to all infirmities miseries and pouertie of this life guiltie of the punishments of hell aswell for others as his owne sin also Thirdly apprehend howe excellent the election is after that thou art chosen to so hie an end then which there can be no greater that is that thou mightest be made the sonne of GOD the heyre of his kingdome and pertaker of his glorie Fourthly attend howe free thâ—â— election is when as it is as I haue said aboue all thy merâ—it of Gods onely free will and goodnesse and as the Apostle sayth by the glorie and prayse of Gods liberalitie and his especiall grace Now a benefite the more free it is by so much the more holdeth it a man obliged Fiftly the antiquity of this election is to bee considered for it began not with the constitution of the world but is more ancient then the world it selfe Yea it is of the same age that God himselfe is who as he is from all eternity so from eternity loued he his elect whom he beholdeth with his fatherly and truly benigne eyes remembring himselfe alwayes to what an excellent good he hath fore-ordained and predestinated them Sixtly the rarenes of the reward is to bee considered Since that amongst so many Nations of barbarous people and amidst so great a multitude of damned men our Lorde would vouchsafe to call thee to so blessed a lot that thou shouldest bee of the number of those which were chosen to euerlasting life and that therefore he seperated thee from the masse of corruption of mankinde coÌ„demned for sinnes and hath changed thee from the leuen of corruption into the breade of Angels In this consideration a few things shall be found which may be written and many things which may be weyed in minde that the elected may be gratefull to our Lorde God for the perticularitie of this benefit which is so much the greater by how much the number of the elect is lesser and of those which are to be damned greater the number of whom as Salomon affirmeth is infinite But if none of these things moue thee yet at least-wise let the greatnes of the expence which our most liberall Lorde had determined to make by reason of this benefite moue thee Such as is the lyfe of his onely begotten Sonne and his blood shedde in the behalfe of thys benefit who had decreed from eternitie to send him into this world that hee might be the executor of this diuine determination VVhich since it is so what time shal be more conuenient and profitable to consider so great mercie of GOD VVhat tongue shall more plainlie expresse the same What hart vvith greater affection feele and more intire sweetnes taste the same Finally with what seruices may the same bee recompenced VVith what loue may a man aunswere this diuine loue Who will bee so vngratefull as to refuse now at length to loue him of whom from eternitie hee hath beene beloued Who woulde change this friende for anie other what soeuer Wherefore since that in holie Scriptures a friend of so many yeres is so much praysed and had in estimation who woulde change the possession and grace of so great a friende for all the friendes of the worlde And if prescription or possession of time with memorie giueth him both right and authority who hath neyther what will thys eternall possession doe by which our Lorde is possessed that by the title of this friendship wee may be reputed for his By these it appeareth that there are no blessings to be founde in this world whâ—â—â—â—ay deserue to be exchanged with these neither are there so great euils which are not to bee endured for the loue of these benefites Who I pray you is he could be so dull inconsiderate that beeing taught by diuine reuelation that a certain poore begger seeking his liuing from doore to dore were after this maner predestinat by god wold not kisse the earth wheron he troad would not giue him place woulde not huÌ„bling himselfe on his knees with all humility wish him al good gratify him in this maner ô most happy ô most blessed art thou one of that happy number of the elect shalt thou reioyce amongst the blessed troopes of Angells shalt thou sing that celestial musique possesse that perpetual kingdom shaâ—â— thou beholde that shining face of Christ O happy is yâ— day in which thou wert borne but much more happy that in which thou shalt die to the worlde for then shalt thoâ— beginne to liue the life euerlasting Happy the breade which thou eatest blessed the earth which thou treadest vpon for it beareth an incomperable treasure Blessed the â—ribulations which thou sufferest the necessity that ouer-presseth thee For they open thee the way which â—eadeth thee to eternall life what cloude of calamities and tribulations shal there be so thick which shal not vanish vnder so great a hope These such like are the wordes we would vse speake to any man whoÌ„ wee certainly knew to be predestinated For if a certaine princâ— that is like to bee heire of a great kingdome passeth by any placâ— all the inhabitants there-abouts make hast to behold him they admire that blessed fortune according to the opinion of the world that thys youÌ„g man hath befaln him because he is born the heire of a kingdome Howe much more therefore ought menne to admire this blessed lot namely that a man should be born without any of his merrit chosen not to bee a temporall king in this world but to raigne in heauen with God himselfe for euer euer By these things therefore my brother thou maist easily coÌ„ceaue the great bond whereby al the elect are tied for this benefit to their Lord Elector froÌ„ which let no man suppose himselfe excluded if he will do his duty and not hinder himselfe Yea it shall be needfull as Saâ—â—â— Peter warneth in all his workes to make sure his vocation election for we are assured that he that doth this shall be saued and we knowe also that Gods grace fauour doth neuer leaue any man neyther will heereafter leaue any one destitute The Argument The benefite of Redemption exceedeth all eloquence and were rather to be adored then expressed rather men had neede of some certaine knowledge thereof Man by sinne was made like vnto the deuill GOD might haue left him in damnation like the deuill but hee would not Hee turned his wrath into mercie hee sent not an Angell but he himselfe comming after an vnspeakeable manner redeemed him Hee was admirable in his comming for that man is much indebted vnto GOD yet much more for the meanes of his redemption which comprehendeth the whole passion of Christ. Christ died not for one but for all this increaseth the debt CHAP. 10. IT is recorded
when he sayth Great is the peace of those that loue thy lawe and no blame or scandale may befall theÌ„ And in Esay would to God thou hadst kept my commaundements thy peace had been like a riuer theyr iustice like the waues of the sea But what peace this is may rather be vnderstood by the practize then speculation For the iust man knoweth howe much his hart differeth now when he serueth God from that which he bare about him when he was coÌ„uersant in the world For then in all perrill of tribulation hee was suddainlie afrayde he trembled in hart and bodie he feared But after hee left the world and translated his hart to the loue of celestiall things and planted all his hope in God he ouer-passeth all things what soeuer chance with a quiet hart subiected to Gods will All the perturbations of his minde as if dead are at rest neyther is hee prouoked by any affections The inferior part of the minde is obedient the superior gouerneth that in great peace exelent order But the wicked and sinners are alwayes in warre contention and perturbation for while on the one side they are depriued of grace which is as it were a bytte restrayning theyr passions and mortifying them on the other side so vnbrideled and disordered by their appetites and dissolute affections as they scarce know what it is to resiâ—t any vice They liue in infinite deâ—ires of diuers thinges Some of honours some of dignities som of riches some of marriage other likewise are mooued with other pleasures concupisences For the appetite is as it were a fire which neuer cryes enough or as a deuouring beast that is neuer satisfied as it were a horseleach which hath two young ones saying Bring bring This blood-sucker is the vnsatiable appetite of our hart whose two daughters are Necessitie and Cupiditie whereof the one is as it â—ere a tru thirst the other as it were a false neither dooth the one afflict lesse the the other although the one bee true necessity the other false Hence it is that neither rich nor pore if they bee wicked haue any true peace or quiet for these mens harts are solicited by desire the other with continuall necessity saying Bring bring What peace therefore can a man haue being sollicited by these two and importuned for inâ—inite thâ—nges which are not in his power What quiet can the mother haue which hath rounde about her many hungry children crying thorowe neede and asking breade and â—hee not hauing where-with to satisfie them The ninth priuiledge of vertue is because God heareth the prayers of the iust this is a most famous coÌ„fort vnto them and helpe also in all necessity and misery of this world which is so great that amongst all liuing creatures there is none more miserable theÌ„ man is who is exposed to a thousand infirmities chaunces necessities and dolors as well of the mind as of the body That which is past hee greeueth at that which is present afflicteth him that which is to come terrifieth him and that he may sustaine himselfe with a litle morsel of bread he must often labor all his life time This one thing did so much afflict those wise men in time past with so much tediousnes that among them there is one to be founde that was not afrayd to say that hee doubted whether Nature were our mother or rather our step-dame which hath subiected vs to so many miseries Which beeing so what remedy I pray you hath hee left who punished man-kind so greeuously Tel me what remedy hath a man weak and lame that sayling by sea with one misfortune looseth al his riches I know what thou wilt say if thou sayst hee hath not where-vpon to liue neither that by reason of infirmitie he can labour for his liuing it must needes be that hee must beg neyther hath a man other remedie left him then like a poore begger to cry at the gate of our Lord. But thou wilt perchance aske me whether this remedy be vniuersal for euery necessity of our life To thys since it wholy dependeth on gods wil I can aunswere nought els but that God chose vnto himselfe to this end witnesses secretaries such as are the Apostles and Prophets amongst whom one sayth There is not another so great a Nation that haue theyr gods so fauourable to them as our Lorde God is assistant to all our obsecrations When therfore we do pray although we see no man that answereth vs yet speak we not vnto the walls but god himselfe is present with vs who heareth and helpeth vs when we pray hauing coÌ„passion of our necessities and preparing the remedy What therefore more greater comfort may it be to him that praieth then to haue assurance of so certain a presence And if this be sufficient to comfort theÌ„ that pray how much shall those thinges confirme them which Christ himselfe speaketh saying Aske you shall haue seeke you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you What more precious certain figne may we haue theÌ„ that is who will call these words into question who will not be refreshed with thys sollace in all his prayers whom wil not so royall letters-patents satisfie Contrariwise of the prayers of the wicked it is said When you shal lift vp your hands I wil turne mine eyes from you and when you shall multiply your prayers I will not heare you And in the booke of Iob For what hope hath the hypocrite if he greedily take other mens goods if God deliuer not his soule Shal god heare his cry when trouble shal fall vpon him A thousand more of such like authorities might be collected from the sacred Scriptures by which may bee gathered that the godly are handled and heard like chyldren but the vngodly reuerted like enemies The tenth priuiledge of vertue is that God helpeth the righteous in whatsoeuer theyr tribulations For to the louers of vertue there is a strength and fortitude giuen that with ioy they may sustaine theyr tribulations which shall neuer fayle them in this life For we know that there is not a sea so stormie in thys world neyther an Euripus so instable as our life is For in it there is not founde any felicity so secure which is not subiect to a thousand kinde of casualties lying in waytâ— to indanger vs euery moment And it is a thing woorthy of consideration to see with howe great difference the good and euill sort doe passe ouer thys mutable Worlde For the vertuous doe assuredly knowe that they haue GOD for theyr Father and that it is hee that enioyneth them to taste thys cuppe like a certaine medicine prescribed by a most expert and cunning Phisition And that tribulation is as it were a refining or polishing which the more sharper it is so much the more pure and brighter dooth it make the soule and clenâ—eth away all corruption and
parables after the most profound misteries he wrote in the Canticles lying prostrate before Idolls and reprooued by God Let vs behold one of those seauen Deacons of the Primatiue Church fulfilled with the light power of the holy Ghost made not only an Heretique but an arch Heretique and an Author and Father of heresies We see daily many stars of the heauen fall to the earth with a miserable ruine to wallow in the durt to eate the huskes of the Hoggs who a little before sitting at Gods table were nourished with the bread of Angells And if the iust for some hidden pride negligence ingratitude were in that man nere cast out of Gods fauour hauing many yeres faithâ—ully serued him what must thou exspect who hast done naught else in thy life but offend God instantly Let vs see therfore now thou that hast liued thus is it not â—â—quisitâ— that at length thou giue ouer to heape sin on sinne or conioine dâ—bts with debts Is it not needfull that now thou begin to â—pâ—â—ase God disburthen thy soule doth not reason require that thou hold thy selfe content that the remainder of that thou hast bestowed on the worlde the flesh and the deuill bee giuen to him that gaue thee all things Is it not rightfull that after so long a time so many iniuries done vnto GOD thou at last feare the diuine iustice which by howe much the more greater patience it tollerateth thy sinnes by so much the more greeuous torments and greater iustice dooth he chastise sinners Is it not woorthily to be feared that so long a time thou hast continued in sinne so long liued in the disfauour of God to haue so mighty an aduersary who of a gracious Father is made a iudge and an enemy Is it not to be feared least that the violence of euill custome be turned into another nature and there-from arise a necessity of sinne and somewhat more Is it not to bee suspected least thou fall by little and little into greater offences and that thou be deliuered into a reprobate sence into which when a man is falne hee hath not then any reason of any thing how great soeuer it be Iacob the Patriarch sayde to his Father in lawe Laban Fourteene yeeres haue I serued thee all thy possession was in my hands I haue hetherto administred all thy domesticall affaires it is requisite therfore that at last I prouide for mine owne house And thou if thou hast serued the worlde so many yeeres were it not conuenient that now at length thou shouldest beginne to prouide for thy soule and somewhat more circumspectly then heeretofore regard the happinesse of the life to com There is not any thing more short and fraile then mans life And if thou so carefully studiest for things necessary in this so fraile lyfe why doost thou not also imploy some labour in those things which shall perpetually endure The Argument It is necessary that a man coÌ„sider him selfe and remember that hee is a Christian and firmely assent to all thinges which our fayth setteth downe whereto eyther loue or feare ought to mooue him What thing so euer is created inuiteth vs to the loue seruice of God Let a man therefore seeke wisedome and hee shall heare all the words of Christ who was crucified for his saluation CHAP. 23. ALl these beeing thus I pray thee now my brother and intreate thee by the blood of Christ to call thy selfe to account and remember that thou art a Christian and beleeue all those things which our fayth preacheth vnto thee Thys fayth sayth that thou hast an appointed Iudge before whose eyes all thy steps and moments of thy life are present bee assured that the time will one day come wherein he will call thee to account for euery act yea to the least idle word This fayth teacheth a man that when he dieth he doth not altogether perrish but that after this temporall lyfe there remaineth an eternall that our soules die not wâ—th our bodies but that our bodies buried in the earth our soules seâ—ke out another region a newe worlde where they shall haue a lot and societie aunswerable to theyr life and manners in this world Thys fayth auoweth the reward of vertue and the punishment of sinne to bee â—o high mighty that if the world were full of bookes all creatures were writers first should the Wryters be wearied and first should all â—he bookes be replenished before eyther matter wanted to discourse of them both or sufficient might be written what they containe in them â—ccording to theyr greatnes That â—ayâ—h certifieth that so great are our debts which we owe vnto God and â—o worthâ— the benefites we receaue â—t his handes that if a man shoulde 〈◊〉 so many yeres as there are sands â—n the Ocean shoares they shoulde â—eeme of small continuance if they â—eâ—e all of them consumed in the â—nely seruice of God Finally the â—ame fayth testifieth vnto thee that vertue is a thing so precious that all the treasures of this world al that which mans hart can either desire or â—magine is not any wayes to bee compared therewith If therefore such and so manie things inuite thee to vertue howe commeth it to passe that there are found so rare and few louers followers of the same If men be moued by profit what greater profit then eternall life If by feare of punishment what torture more terrible then that of hell If by reason of the debt obligation or benefits what greater debt then that wherein wee are bound vnto God as well by reason of him that is himselfe in himselfe as for those things we haue receiued of him If feare of danger moue vs what greater perrill then death whose houre is so vncertaine and reason so strict If peace libertie tranquilitie of spirit and sweetnesse of life be desired of the whole world it is manifest that all these are more aboundantly found in the life which is led according to the prescript of vertue then that which 〈◊〉 past ouer according to a mans 〈◊〉 and humane passion for a man is created reasonable not a brute beast and without reason But if all these seeme to haue but small moment to perswade vertue shall it not suffice to see God descend from heauen vpon the earth and made man and whereas in sixe dayes hee had created the whole world he consumed thirty yeeres and lost his life in reforming and redeeming man God dieth that sinne may die and we will that that liue in our harts to depriue thee of life for which the very sonne of God suffered death and what shall I say more There are many reasons in this one for I say not that Christ is to be behelde hanging on the Crosse but whether so euer we turne our eyes wee shall finde that all thinges exclaime and call vs to this goodnes for there is not a creature in this world if it be well considered that doth