how to decke and set out themselues with fine apparel with swéete smelles with daunces and other like allurements The which to doe is no better then to wrest the heauenly light of the minde which was made to beholde God to the obedience of a most wicked bond-slaue and to make the minde being withdrawne from heauenly exercises to be subiect vnto the appetites of a most abiect hand-maide 8 Therefore whoredome is a great and intollerable tyranny ouer the minde of man And no lesse is that tyranny of Ambition For behold and see what a heauie yoke ambition layeth vpon his bondmen commanding them that al their words and workes bée wholly imployed as nets and snares to get the common praise and fame of men and it compelleth them also to creepe as it were vpon the ground and to flye through the ayre For man at the commandement of Ambition séeketh to climbe higher then all men to bée subiect to none to rule al men and yet sometime when occasion serueth he prostrateth himselfe and humbleth himselfe to al men Thus the miserable man being contrary to himselfe and deuided in himselfe outwardly preferreth humilitie and in heart pride 9 Furthermore the lawes of this most cruel tyrant are such that if a man doe receiue a litle reproache or detriment eyther by right or by wrong he thinketh that he is vtterly disgraced if hée doe not presently reuenge it and if by no other meanes then to prouoke his enemie to some singular combat and so rather to loose his soule and body then to hazard the least part of his dignitie 10 I omit the tyranny of couetousnes and of other vices which are innumerable affirming with the Prophet Dauid that all the seruants of sinne do sit in darknes and in the shadowe of death fast bound in miserie and iron For what greater blindnesse can be imagined then that man should not know himselfe that he should not know God that he should not know wherefore he liueth and seeth not his bondes his miseries his perils and his harmes 11 And what greater miserie can there be then that miserable man should haue an infinite sort of desires as it were an infinite sort of mouthes stomacks which alwayes barke alwayes craue alwayes hunger and is not able to satisfie and fill so much as one of them 12 But now let vs sée what reward sin giueth vnto her seruants for so great labors Let vs harken to the Apostle and he wil tell vs The wages of sinne saith he is death that is to say both the first and the second death For what gall is to the lips a Cockatrice to the eyes a dead carcasse to the nose and Alowes to the taste the same and more is sin to the soule of man 23 Therefore let the bond-slaues of sin and wickednes go and serue their masters let them run into all dangers let them not spare for cost nor labors let them watch day night least peraduenture they be beguiled of so great a stipend O fooles which for the wages of eternal death will willingly beare so heauie a yoke when as with much lesse labour ye might serue righteousnesse who rewardeth her seruants with eternall liâ—e in the kingdome of heauen Wicked men labor and good men labour also both suffer both sweate both delue and digge but good and godly men till that ground likewise husbandmen which is firme sound fruitfull that is to say they exercise themselues in good workes and in sound vertues whereby they rearpe in the ende euerlasting life but wicked and vngodly men plow in the sand and sowe in the flesh and of the same shall receiue the wages of sinne eternal death 14 Therefore whether yée consider the wickednesses by themselues or the wages of the same the seruice of sin must néeds be horrible and wofull But yet there is nothing which doth so much set foorth the miserie of seruitude and the excellency of libertie as the manner of our setting at liberty and the passion of the Deliuerer For God which made the world without labour and as it were with a becke onelie at his will that he might deliuer vs from bondage slauery thought it good to be borne in a stable and was content to die in sorowes and paines But what manner of sorrowes Verilie such that the onely cogitation expectation of them might haue bin able to haue brought him into a bitter agonie to sweate water and bloud plentifullie The suffering of them made the most hard stones to rent the earth to tremble and heauen it selfe to be abashed 15 If God made so great a reckoning of thy libertie that hee vouchsafed to take vpon him the forme of a seruaunt and to liue thrée and thirtie yeares in hunger and thirst in colde in nakednes in fastings in watchings in iorneys in persecutions and in the end to shead forth his most precious heart bloud vppon the Crosse rather then hée would suffer this precious gemme to be taken from out of his handes let vs then acknowledge that excéeding glorie of the sonnes of God wherevnto wée are called which is the mother of all good things which alone is able to giue true peace perfite ioye blessed rest and tranquilitie If the heathen Romains of olde time for a false and fading libertie suffered great perils and death it selfe as Quintus Mutius Scaeuola thrust into the fire his right hand the Decii vowed themselues to the death that their legions of souldiers might bée preserued and get the victory Curtius being armed at all points and mounted vpon a horse threwe himselfe willingly into a gulphe of the earth that the Cittie of Rome might be deliuered from the pestilence for so had the Oracle giuen answere that the wrath of the gods would cease if that which the Romains estéemed best were throwne into that gulph Brutus also for the preseruation of the libertie of his Countrey did not sticke to slay his owne children If the heathen I say estéemed thus of their liberty which is in no point comparable to ours how much ought we to estéeme of that most true liberty wherby we are deliuered from sinne from sathan from death and from the wrath of GOD. They sought humaine praise a thing doubtlesse vnconstant and of small force as appeareth by the saying of the Poet Virgill concerning Brutus His Countries loue him driues and greedie lust of endlesse same But our ende is to approue our selues vnto God whose iudgment cannot be deceiued and to get the prize of the kingdome of heauen and the fellowship of Angels which is set before vs as the ende of our libertie which we séeke to attaine by this Pilgrimage CHAP. X. Concerning the Imitation of Christ THe true and sound perfection of a Christian man coÌ„sisteth in this to imitate Christ so neere as possibly he can for he is the head we are his members he is the captaine we his souldiers he is the Doctor we are his disciples It is said
Lord 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnatiō because he discerneth not the Lords body c. Here the Apostle sheweth vs the danger of the vnworthy receiuing the Lordes body and blood and also the meanes how we may bée worthy receiuers of the same namely by examining our selues which examinatiō consisteth chiefly in foure pointes That is to say in Faith Kepentance Giuing of thanks to God and loue towards our neighbours First we must haue Faith that is to say a certaine and infallible assurance and firme perswasion that God is a mercifull Father vnto vs in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whom he deliuered to death for vs. Yea euery sinner must apply Christ his merites particularly vnto himselfe This Faith commeth not of vs neither is it grounded vpon vs or vpon any thing that is in vs but it commeth from God and is grounded vpon God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and vpon the promises of the Gospell confirmed inwardly within vs by the working of the holy Ghost which cryeth in our hearts Abba Rom. 8 15 Gal. 4.6 that is to say Father Furthermore this faith is nourished confirmed and increased in vs by the holy Sacraments For in the Supper God as a good father after that he had once brought vs into his Church by Baptisme nourisheth vs spiritually with the proper substance of his Sonne Iesus Christ applying and making proper vnto euery one of vs the merit of his death and passion To this ende and purpose is it that Iesus Christ himselfe giueth vs the Bread and Wine that he commandeth vs Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.21 Luke 22.19 1. Cor 11.14 to eate and drinke it that he saith that the Bread is his body which is giuen for vs and that the Wine is his blood which is shed for the remission of our sinnes by which words he giueth himselfe wholly vnto vs he will be out nourishment and spirituall life he wil dwell in vs by his holy Spirit and will that we abide in him by faith that through beliefe we may not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3 36.18 Psal 8.7 Mat. 11. Heb. 1.2 Iohn 17.12.27 and 28. whereof he is the onely heyre and giuer In like sort the breaking of the Bread of the Supper serueth to the confirmation of our Faith and sure warranting of our saluation insomuch as it assureth vs and causeth vs to see with spirituall eyes that Iesus Christ was once broken with the paines of death in Hierusalem to deliuer vs from the same and to get vs eternall life Also in that that by the Commandement of Christ Iesus we take the Bread in our hands and then the Cup moreouer in that that we eate the Bread and drinke the Wine which turne into the nourishment of our bodies we are certified that by the hands of Faith we take and imbrace Iesus Christ our Lorde for our onely Sauiour and Redéemer and that by the same Faith we eate his body spiritually and drinke his blood to the hope of eternall life Nowe euery one of vs must liue by his owne faith according as wée may make our Confession in the Beliefe which is called the Apostles in that euery man saith by himselfe I beleeue in God and saith not Wée beléeue We must not here cast our braines or thinke vpon the beléeuing or vnbeléeuing vpon the worthynesse or vnworthynesse of an other man but vpon our owne For S. Paul doth not teach vs to examine other men or that other men should examine vs but he saith namely Let a man examine himselfe Therefore let euery one of vs for his owne part be assured in his heart that Iesus Christ the true Messias is come into the world to saue sinners amongst whom hée ought to account estéeme himselfe by the example of S. Paul the chiefest Let him beleeue that Iesus Christ came downe from Heauen into earth to lift him vp from earth to heauen that he was made the Sonne of man to make him the child of God that hée was conceyued by the holy Ghost and that he was borne of the Virgin Marie to purifie and cleanse his wicked conception and birth .. Let him perswade himselfe that the Sonne of God hath ourcome the Diuel to deliuer him from the tyranny and slauish subiection of the Diuell that he hath fulfilled all the Lawe louing God his Father with all his heart strength and might and his neighbour as himselfe to get him iustice that hée appeared before Pilate an earthly Iudge and receiued as an euill doer sentence of condemnation for this life to exempt him frō appearing before the terrible iudgement seate of Gods iustice to receiue sentence of death and euerlasting damnation for that he had offended one eternal and euerlasting God Let him assure himselfe Psal 22.1 that the same Iesus Christ went downe to Hell for him that is to say that hée suffered the sorrowes and terrours of the second death and of the sincere wrath of God to deliuer him that hée died a death accursed of God in that hée was hanged on the Crosse to purchase him life and blessing before God that hée rose againe for a gage and assurance of his resurrection that he ascended into Heauen for a certaine token that hée also shall ascend thither that hée sitteth on the right hand of God his Father to be for him an euerlasting Priest Teacher King defender reconciler and aduocate to be short that he shall come at his last comming for his comfort and full redemption We must also euery one of vs for his owne part make proper vnto our selues yea and make ours all the goodnesse and all the riches that is in Iesus Christ because that in giuing himselfe to vs he giueth vs also his benefits So then in that that Iesus Christ is God it is to make vs partakers of his Diuinitie in that that he is heyre and Lord of the world it is to make vs partakers of his Lordship and inheritance and that we recouer in him the gouernment of all things which we lost in Adam in that that he is well beloued of his Father it is that we may be acceptable vnto him in that that he is rich it is to make vs partakers of his riches in that that he hath all power against the Diuel Sinne Hell Antichrist the Worlde and all our enemies it is to defend and shield vs in that that he is iust and good it is to iustifie vs and make vs good in that that he is happy and immortall it is to make vs partakers of his blessednesse and immortalitie When we shall thus particularly apply all the actions and benefites of Iesus Christ our Lord and also all his essentiall qualities vnto our selues putting our whole trust in him and in his promises and distrusting
for euer permanent if the mercy and power of our God had not plucked vs out of it by the ministery of the true Moses which is our Lord Iesus Christ who is the true Lambe which the heauenly father hath deliuered to death to deliuer vs from it and purchase vs eternall life As it is saide that God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now then séeing this good God hath done in vs so great a pleasure as to frée vs from the tyranny of the Diuel of sinne of death of hel séeing that his loue was so great that he deliuered his onely Sonne to the cruel and ignominious death of the Crosse for vs which were the seruants and bondslaues of Sathan his welbeloued for vs which were his enemies the iust and the Lambe without spotte for vs which were sinners and corrupt the onely heire of Paradice for vs which were worthily heires of hel ought we not to be rauished with admiration of this great and vnspeakeable loue of God towards vs our tongues to be for euer displayed to publish with a loud voyce the praise of the benefit of our redemption It is very reasonable and therefore we sée that Iesus Christ admonisheth vs of our dutie in this behalfe Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 speaking of the celebration of the holy Supper Doe this in remembrance of me And S. Paul expresseth what remembrance this is when he aduertiseth vs 1. Cor. 11. that as often as wée shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe wée shewe the Lords death till he come Séeing thē that God requireth of vs a true acknowledging of his benefits which wée receiue at his hands bountifulnesse by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ let vs take heede that we be not spotted with the fault of ingratitude especially if we will not incurre the wrathful displeasure of God and acknowledge him for Iudge whom we would not acknowledge for a gentle and mercifull father as Saint Paul also to this purpose threatneth the ingrate and forgetful when he saith Whosoeuer shal eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation And rightfully is the vengeance of God displayed against them which wickedly suppresse the glory of God in that that concerneth their owne saluation For if so be that a murtherer ready to be hanged for his wicked déedes casting away and reiecting his princes gratious pardon and not vouchsafing to thanke him for it deserueth worthily the gallowes or if a childe deserue the rod for not giuing once I thanke you to his father when he hath receiued at his handes great and singular benefits much more wee which for our sinfull and wicked déedes deserue to bée hanged in hell if wée contemne the grace of God our soueraigne Prince and make no count of this euerlasting benefite which our heauēly father presenteth vs withal in Iesus Christ who is offered to vs in the supper by good right and reason we are worthy to perish for our vnkindnesse vnthankfulnesse But here must we diligently marke the pointes that followe First this acknowledging must be made to one onely God by his onely sonne Iesus Christ For euen as God by his onely sonne hath created vs redéemd vs frō euerlasting death so wil he that to him alone and by him alone in whom he is well pleased we render thanks for all his benefits As we sée how S. Paul setteth this forth vnto vs in many places and precisely in the Epistle to the Ephesians where he saith Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all his spirituall blessing in Heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world but they which call vpon Saints and put their trust in them or in their merites they also which make them patrons and aduocates to GOD warde and likewise they which trust in their owne strength in their owne frée will or good workes robbe God of his glorie and cannot giue him true thankes for the benefit of redemption For we cannot giue to any creature the least ioy that may be in the matter of our saluation but we commit sacriledge against God the Creator And therefore renouncing our selues and euery liuing creature let vs say with the Apostle Vnto the king euerlasting immortall 1. Tim. 1.17 inuisible vnto God only wise be honour and glory for euer and euer Secondly thanks must be giuen not with the mouth onely but with the hart also For séeing that God is a spirit he requireth a seruice of vs that is agréeable to his nature that is to say he will be serued of vs in spirit and truth And therefore when that praysing of God for the benefit of redemption commeth in question we must haue our hearts lift vp on high and there must be a consent and mutuall agréement betwéen our inward affections and our tongues as we sée how Dauid exhorteth himselfe to the same when he saith My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within mee praise his holy name My soule I say praise thou the Lord Psa 103.1 and forget not all his benefits And the blessed Virgin singeth the selfe same in her song Luke 1.46 saying My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Now all hypocrites and wicked persons also they that sing and praise in an vnknowne tongue are here reproued For where there is no vnderstanding there is no affection nor wil and consequently no faith without which whatsoeuer we doe bee it neuer so faire and glorious before men it is but sinne and abhomination before God Let vs take héede therefore that in this behalfe we wander not and goe astray least we be condemned with the Iewish people which honoured and serued God in vaine insomuch as they came neare vnto him onely with their mouthes Esa 29.13 Mat. 15.8 and honoured him with their lips but not with their hearts Thirdly it must be done at all times and seasons Psal 34.1 that is to say aswel in affliction as in prosperity to this purpose Dauid protesteth That he will alwaies giue thanks vnto his Lord 1. Thes 5.18 and that his prayse shall be in his month continually And Saint Paul admonisheth the Thessalonians To giue thanks in all things adding For this is the wil of God in Christ Iesus But this is cleane contrarie to time seruers and to all them which in time of prosperity lawn vpon the Gospell and are wel cōtent for that time to praise God whom afterward in time of affliction they defie and set at naught The cause of this mischiefe is for that they haue not yéelded themselues to the Church of GOD for a good end and purpose as to extoll the glory of God to séeke
take away that time which passeth away when we fléep for sléeping we liue not the life of beasts when they wake much lesse of men and that time will rather séeme a liuing death then a liuely life If I say we deduct all the time of childhood and sléep that which remaineth wil scarcely amount to fortie yéeres And of these fortie yéeres we haue not one moment of time in such wise in our power that we can assuredly say that we shall not die therein For whether we eate drinke or sléepe whether we be in labor or in rest we are alwaies in perils Wherefore not without cause our Sauior crieth so often in the Gospel Watch Mar. 13. because ye knowe not the day nor the houre The which is as much as if he had more plainly said Because ye know not that hour watch euery houre and because ye knowe not that day watch euery day because yée know not the moneth and the yeare watch therefore euery moneth and yeare 16 And to make this matter more plain by a similitude If thou shouldst be requested to a feast and being set at the table seest before thée many and sundrie sortes of meate a friende of thine secretly admonisheth thée that among so many daintie dishes there is one poysoned what in this case wouldst thou doe which of them darest thou touch or tast of wouldst not thou suspect them all I think though thou were extreamely hungry thou wouldest refraine from all for feare of that one where the poyson is It is made manifest vnto thée already that in one of thy forty yeares thy death lieth hiddē from thée and thou art vtterly ignorant which that yeare shal be how then can it be but that thou must suspect them all and feare them all O that we vnderstoode the shortnesse of our life how great profit and commoditie should wée then receiue by the meditation thereof 17 The Peacock a glorious fowle when hée beheld that comely fan and circle which hée maketh of the beautifull feathers of his taile hée reioyceth he ietteth and beholdeth euery part thereof but when he looketh on his féet which he perceiueth to be black and foule he by and by with great misliking vaileth his toppe gallant and séemeth to sorrow In like manner a great many know by experience that when they sée themselues to abound in riches and honors they glory and are déepelie conceited of themselues they praise their fortune and admire themselues they make plots and appoint much for them selues to performe in many yeares to come this yeare say they we wil beare this office and the next yeare that afterward wée shall haue the rule of such a Prouince then we wil builde a pallace in such a Citie whereunto we wil adioyn such gardens of pleasure and such vineyardes and thus they make a very large reckoning afore-hand who if they did but once beholde their féete if they did but thinke vpon the shortnes of their life so transitorie and inconstant how soone would they let fall their proud feathers forsake their arrogancie and change their purposes their mindes their liues and their manners 18 And this breuitie and inconstancie of life is appointed vs before wee be borne For man is scarce conceiued when as he is condemned to death and when he commeth out of the wombe he cōmeth out of a prison not to be frée but to vndergoe the crosse And we all doe tende and hasten as it were to death some at one miles ende some at two and some at thrée and other some when they haue gone further And thus it commeth to passe that some are taken out of this life sooner and some tarry longer Since then the case standeth thus who can sufficiently wonder at our madnesse for we are going as it were to the gibbet and we dance we laugh and reioyce in the way as if we were secure from all maner of euils But we are in this error because we know not the shortnesse of our life 19 Here then we sée two wonderfull and monstrous things one is that man being scarcely borne dieth when as notwithstanstanding he hath a forme shewe of immortalitie other thinges how long they retaine their forme so long they remaine A house falleth not all the time that his forme and fashion lasteth The bruite beast dieth not except first he forgo his life which is his forme But man hath a forme which neuer is dissolued namely a mind endued with reason and yet he liueth a very short time 20 But yet there is another thing to be séene farre more monstrous in this creature that whereas hée is indued with reason and counsell and knoweth that his life is like vnto a shadowe to a dreame to a tale that is tolde to a watch in the night to smoake to chaffe which the winde scattereth to a water bubble and such like fading things and that the life to come shall neuer haue end and yet neuerthelesse setteth his whole mind most carefullie vpon this present life which is to day and to morrowe is not but of the life which is euerlasting he doeth not so much as thinke If this be not a monster I know not what may be called monstrous 21 Thus hauing séene the shortnesse and mutabilitie of mans life let vs now also sée the miserie thereof Man saith holy Iob being borne of a woman is of short continuance and full of miseries Euery word hath a great emphasis Hee is full of miserie euen from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head not onely the bodie but the mind also so long as it is captiued in the prison of the bodie Thus no place is left emptie and free from miseries 22 Mans miseries are many and great there is no member no sence no one facultie in man so long as he is here vpō earth which suffereth not his hell Nay all the elementes all liuing creatures al the diuels yea the angels God himselfe also bende themselues against man for sinne To beginne with the sence of séeing with how many kind of feauers impostumes vlcers sores and other diseases is it afflicted The volumes of Physitions are full of diseases and remedies for the same and yet for all this there are daily new diseases and new remdeies found out for them among the remedies themselues it were to be wished that there were one to be found that were not more vehement to vexe the sick then the disease it selfe Long fasting and extreame hunger is a bitter medicin the cutting of veines the incision of wounds sores the cutting off of members the searing of flesh and sinewes the pulling out of téeth are remedies for griefes diseases but yet such that many had rather choose to die then to vse these and such like remedies Furthermore immoderate heate excéeding cold one while too much drougth another while excesse of moisture doeth offende and hurt the very sence of féeling 23 The sence of
one while he laugheth another while he wéepeth now he will anon he wil not To conclude the Moone nor any other thing that is mutable sheweth not so many chaÌ„ges vnto vs as do the daily almost sodaine alterations of men And yet for all this they liue as men in a frensie which knowe not their miseries And although they cannot repose their hope and assurance in the present things of this life yet they doe not transferre and remoue the thoughts of their minde their counselles their works and endeudurs vnto the happinesse to come And if it were possible they would make the place of their exile and banishment their Countrey and inheritance But in vaine they desire this for death commeth and playeth the last Pageant shutting and finishing the life of all calamities CHAP. II. Concerning Death and the meditation thereof THe errors of al men for the most part take their originall froÌ„ hence that they forget the end of their life which they ought to haue alway before their eyes For here-hence commeth Pride Ambition too much carefulnesse for the body hereof also come these Towers which we build vpon the sand For if we did consider what wée should be after a few dayes our maner of liuing would be parrduenture more humble and temperate For who would haue a high looke and proud stomacke if hée would with the eyes of his mind behold what manner of one shortly after hee shall bée in his graue Who would then worship his belly for a God when he wayeth with himselfe that the same must in a short time be wormes meat Who would be so in loue with money that he would run like a mad man by sea land as it were through water and fire if he vnderstood that he must leaue all behinde him sauing his winding shéete If this were thought vpon all our errors would soone be corrected 2 The word of God telleth vs in many places of this vanitie to the ende we might the more earnestly séeke a better course and more happy life The Prophet desireth of God Psal 90. that he may learn to number his â—aies to the end he may applie his heart vnto wisdome For vnlesse wée thinke vpon death we cannot applie and fashion our selues to a godly life Yea we finde daily in our selues by experience that the forgetfulnes of death makes vs applie our heartes to follie and all kinde of vanity The holy men of olde time were wont in such wise to kéepe an account of their dayes that aboue all things they might apply their hearts to wisedome Of all Arithmeticall Rules this is the hardest to number our dayes Men can number their heardes and droues of oxen and of shéepe they can account the reuenues of theyr manners farmes they can with a little paines number and tell their coyne and yet they are perswaded that their dayes are infinite and innumerable and therefore doo neuer begin to number them Who saith not vpon the viewe of another surely yonder man looketh by his countenance as if he would not liue long or yonder woman is olde her dayes cannot be many Thus we can number other mens dayes and yéeres and vtterly forget our owne Therefore this is the true wisedome of mortall men to number theyr owne dayes and like skilfull Geometricians to measure all theyr actions all their studies all theyr cares all their thoughtes all theyr desires and all theyr counsells by their departure out of this life as by the end whereto they are referred as it were by a certaine rule and thereunto to direct all things and so to finish the course of our life which God hath giuen vnto vs that at the last we may come to the happy hauen of rest 3 The case standing thus we cannot nor ought not to doubt but that the diuell a most cruell enemy of mankind laboreth all that he can to take away from vs the most wholesome remembrance of death which by most euident demonstrations setteth before our eyes the breuity of our life the miserie of our flesh the deceits of the world the vanity of things present and whereunto all humane beauty and the vniuersall glory of the world shall come at the last For otherwise how could it be that we should at any time forget a thing so fearefull which by no manner of meanes we can shunne and auoid 4 If a light suspition of some losse eyther of our goods or of honour doth preuaile so greatly with vs that many times it taketh from vs our sléepe what might the meditation of most assured death doe which is more terrible then all other terrors beside 5 Wherefore as they which in open games of actiuitie as of shooting and wrestling and such like doe long before the day come thinke vpon the same and doe exercise their hand bow spending and consuming many arrowes at the marke that in the day of trial â—or the best game they may shoot néerest the marke and as Fencers which are to play their prizes of triall doe daily try their strength and exercise their weapons bending their whole minde how they may best foyle their enemies that when the day commeth they may haue honour and triumph Euen so ought we to do for whom a greater reward without all comparison is set if wée die wel and if otherwise it come to passe wee shall be punished with vnspeakeable shame and reproach 6 And this our meditation of death shal be handled in no other order then the same which our death and departure from this life bringeth with it For as they which are to runne a race do oftentimes lead their horses vp and downe the running place that they may sée be acquainted with all the stones vneuen places and other impedimentes in the same that when the day commeth they may finish the race without stay or stop Euen so wée which whether wée will or no must measure and pace the race of death shal doe very well if now in our mind and memorie we frame this race and doe diligently consider all those things which are in the same especially séeing the way is most obscure and ful of sundry impediments and is so perillous that there are very fewe which finish the same happily They which slip and stumble in it shal neuer more find any hope of saluation 7 Therefore that we may begin there where this most bloody battell hath his originall wee ought diligentlie to consider the same namely that then death doth especially come when men doe least thinke of it Herevpon the Apostle Paul salth The day of the Lorde shall come as a theefe in the night And in the Apocalips Beholde I come as a theefe And théeues haue this propertie that they breake vp houses to steale when men are most fast asléepe and when they least suspect any such thing 8 Hereupon also the Prophet Amos hath these words In that day will I cause the sun to goe downe at noone
Amos. 8. and I will darken the earth in the cleere day That is to say when men thinke it to bée the high noone of their age when they thinke that they haue yet many yéeres to liue when their minde is occupied about their gaine about theyr affaires about their honors buildings mariages and pleasures when they say vnto their soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for thée for many yeeres eate drink rest and be merrie then it shall suddenly be saide vnto them Behold death is at the doore thou foole this night shall thy life be taken away from thee Eccl. 41. and whose are then those things which thou hast gotten 9 Then death vnlooked for frustrateth all our counsels cutting off the webs of our deuises and with on stroke she casteth down and layeth flatte on the ground al those Towers builded in the ayer and then what a wound doeth the heart of the sinner receiue which loueth this present life when the Physitian saith vnto him Thou must from hēceforth thinke no more of life but of death 10 Here first of all all those things which he loued in time past offer themselues vnto him from the which he shal be pulled away and seperated by death whether he wil or no. The body shal dye once but the heart shal dye so often as the things be in number which he loued Then in very déede shal the most cléere light be turned into darkenesse because those things which were aforetime occasions of great ioy shal be now horrible vexations and torments It is a most swéete and pleasant thing to them which liue to sée their louing and faithful friendes to remember their honors to think vpon the pleasures past and to come But all these things in the time of death shal be as swords as torments and most bitter potions 11 But if it be so harde a matter to bée pulled away from those things which do not so néerely touch man how bitter I pray you will the seperation bée of the body from the life and soule For such two louing familiars which haue alwaies liued sweetly together euen from the mothers wombe cannot be seperated without great gréef If the Oxe do commonly lowe mourn when his yoke-fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken away how will euery one of vs mourn when the minde shal be seperated from the body Then wil the body and the mind with teares repeate againe and againe doest thou thus seperate bitter death O death dost thou thus seperate 12 And when the cogitation of so sharp a seperation is déeply setled in our mind then gréefes follow gréefes and sorrow commeth vpon sorrow for then it commeth presently into the minde what a miserable condition the body and soule shal be in after the seperation And first of all when a man beginneth to recount with himselfe that his body after a fewe houres shall be buried in a graue or dark tombe he cannot cease from wondring at so abiect and miserable a condition What the body that now liueth which seeth which heareth whith speaketh shal it be made after one houre in a moment blinde deaffe dumbe without sense without spirit without life Shal I haue then in stead of a large pallace a base sepulchre in stead of a soft bed the hard ground for delights rottennesse for swéete smelles stinkes and in stead of seruants and familiar fréends wormes And thus this cogitation of the graue will verie sore trouble and terrifle a man in these extremities 13 But yet notwithstanding euery man feareth much more when he beginneth to consider what condition remaineth for the soule For when he beholdeth that eternity and that new Region vnknown to all men liuing which hée then alone and naked is to enter and againe when he vnderstandeth that there is to be founde in the same both euerlasting glorie and perpetual paine and misery and knoweth not of which hée shal take his part it cannot bée tolde with how great feare with what carefulnes and with what excéeding sorrow he shal be tormented When hée perceiueth plainly that after two houres he shaibe either in eternal ioyes or in euerlasting paines Is not this a crosse farre surpassing all other crosses 14 This incertainty therefore of blisse or of a cursed estate which after two houres the sinner expecteth that remembreth his sinnes feareth the iust iudgement of God without hope of remission or faith in Christ bringeth a hell in minde not to be expressed For by how much the kingdome which hée desireth is of largenes and by how much the fierie furnace which he feareth is terrible by so much greater shal this perturbation be For from the one Angels shal come to carie the faithful vp into heauen and from the other diuels shal come to cary the wicked and infidels into hell fire 15 But there is yet a farre greater perturbation then this namely that he shal cal to mind the account which he is to make to God of all his words déedes and thoughts For of it selfe it is a horrible thing to enter into iudgement with God the which horror wil wonderfully vexe and disquiet the diuels themselues For as so long as we liue they set forth vnto vs the mercie of God and doe also commend the same and do striue all that they can to keepe vs from meditating of his iustice and iudgements Euen so now on the contrary part they extenuate and make his mercy insufficient and doe set before our eies the greatnesse and seuerity of the Lords Iustice 16 Then the sinner wil begin to tremble and to fall into desperation and wil begin to reason thus with himselfe If God for the sinnes of others spared not his onely sonne wil he spare me which am guiltie of so many sinnes If this be done in the greene tree what shal befal that which is feare and drie If the Prophets if the Apostles if the Martyres after they liued godly so many yeares entred not into the kingdome of heauen without tribulations what other place can be left for me but that of hell fire which know no good that I haue done 17 If the Scripture be true which saith He wil render to euery man according to his works I which haue done so great wickednesses what should I looke for but eternal torments If the Apostle lye not as indéede he doth not when he saith That which a man soweth that shall hee reape Gal. 6. what shal hée reape but eternall death which hath made so cursed sowing If no polluted thing shal enter into the kingdome of God how shal I which am altogether filthy and vncleane haue hope to make so happie and blessed an entrance 18 Then therefore all his sinnes which he committed with so great facility when hée liued shal violently inuade the sinful man like an hoast of his enemies Then the feare of punishment wil open the eyes which sléeping securitie in sinne before had
shut Then ambition pride thefts murthers adulteries fornications gluttonies drunkennesse lying periurie idle words vncleane thoughts and negligent slacknesse in all good workes wil come to remembrance O how heauy gréeuous wil they then séeme to bée which now séeme so light and are done with so much swéetnesse and pleasure And how greatly wil they then torment the mind of the Sinner 19 For who is able to expresse that last agonie wherein the soule fighteth with sore and paineful sicknesse with the temptations of diuels with feare of the iudgement to come and al this at one instant Then commeth that same last perturbation the failing of all the sences as the forerunner of death approaching which vehemently terrifieth at what time the breast swelleth the spéech groweth hoarse faint and hollowe the eyes sinke the nose beginneth to be sharpe the countenance waxeth pale the féet die and the Arteries send forth a colde sweat 20 These thinges which appeare outwardly are grieuous and ful of horror but they are without al comparison more gréeuous and horrible which are felt inwardly For if they as Saint Hierome writeth of blessed Hilarion which haue many yeares serued God doe feare at the time of their departure what shal they doe which many yeares haue serued the diuel and their execrable wickednesses and which haue prouoked God vnto wrath Whither shal they go whose help shal they craue what counsel shal they take If they looke vpwarde they shal sée the drawne sword of Gods Iustice if downeward they shal sée a great gulfe gaping and hel fire if the time past they shal sée al things vanished away like a shadowe if the time to come they shal beholde the eternitie of worldes which shal last without ende 21 But how I pray you shal they be able to resist and abide the assaults of the Diuels who wil then bestir them with all their might and maine What shal sinful men doe which are left in this state Returne they cannot and longer to abide in this state wil not be permitted them 22 O that we might vnderstande and knowe what manner of battel this is and what maner of burthen is to be borne in this houre we would then verily be other manner of persons then heretofore we haue bene Al these things Faith teacheth Nature proclaimeth Experience testifieth and it is euident to euery one of vs that we shal come vnto that state wherein we wil desire with all our heart that wée had brideled our selues from al wickednesse that we had exercised al the works of vertue that we had liued in all holines and not spent our time in vaine Let vs not imitate foolish men which looke vpon present things onely let vs wisely prouide for things to come so by the grace of God we shal bring to passe that the same houre which to others is the beginning of sorowes to vs shal bée the beginning of ioy and felicitie 23 Thus farre wée haue shewed what may befal a man at the point of death vntil the moment of his departure now let vs sée how the body is bestowed after the horrible seperatiō of the life from the same The soule therefore being dissolued there lyeth vppon the ground not a humane body but a dead carkasse without life without sense without strength and so feareful to looke vpon that the sight thereof may hardly be endured To be short it is little better as touching the substance then the body of a horse or a dog which lieth dead in the fieldes al that passe by stoppe their noses and make hast away that they be not annoyed with the sight and stinke thereof Such is mans body now become yea though it be the body of a monarch emperour or king Where is now that Maiestie that Excellencie that authority which it had aforetime when men trembled to beholde it and might not come in presence therof without al reuerence and obeysance where are al those things become were they a dreame or a shadow 24 After these thinges the funeral is prepared the which is al that men can carry with them of al their riches and kingdomes and this also they should not haue if in their life time they did not appoint it for their dignitie and honour Psal 49. For the Prophet Dauid saith truly Bee not thou afraid though one bee made rich or if the glory of his house be increased for hee shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth neither shal his pompe follow him 25 Here now a pitte is digged seuen or eight foote long as if it should serue for Alexander the great whom the world coulde not conteine and therin the dead carkasse is contented to dwell alone continually the which so soone as it is come the wormes doe welcome and the bones of other dead men are constrained to giue place 26 In this house of perpetuall obliuion silence the carkasse being wound in a shéet and bound hand and foote is shut vp though it néede not to haue so great labour bestowed vpon it for it would not runne away out of that prison though the hands and féet were loose 27 And now if we do but consider a little of the Tombes and Sepulchres of Princes and Noble-men whose glory and maiestie wée haue séene when they liued here in earth and doe beholde the horrible formes and shapes which they now haue shall wée not cry out as men amazed Is this that glory is this that highnes and excellencie whither now are the degrées of their waiting seruants gone where are their ornaments and ieweis where is their pompe their delicacie and nicenes Al these things are vanished away like the smoake and there is now nothing left but dust horror and stinke 28 But now leauing the body in the graue let vs consider how the soule entereth into the new world Therfore so soone as the soule of the sinner is dissolued from the flesh it beginneth to passe through a Region vnknowen where there are new Inhabitants and a new manner of liuing What then shal the miserable sinful Pilgrime do when he shal sée him selfe alone in such an vnknowen Region full of horror How and by what meanes shall he defende himselfe from those most fierce théeues and horrible monsters which in those vast desarts do assaile passengers This verily is a fearefuli iourney 29 And yet the iudgement is much more fearefull which in that place is exercised Who is able to expresse the vprightnesse of the Iudge the seueritie of the iudgement the diligence of inquisition and the multitude of witnesses 30 In this iudgement teares will not preuaile praiers will not be heard promises will not be admitted repentance will be too late and as for riches honorable titles scepters and diadems these wil profit much lesse And the Inquisition shal be so curious diligent that not one light thought nor one idle word not repented of in the life past shall be forgotten For trueth
in one part of his body as on his little finger but one houre how intollerable shal the paine of the damned be when they shal wholly burne within and without Which of you saith the Prophet Isaias can dwel with burning fire And yet our fire here is but a picture shadowe of that vnquenchable fire there in hel where one drop of colde water wil be more worth then all the iewelles of the worlde though onely to coole the tongue 35 All the sences of the body shall bee here tormented and that not with heat only but also with extreame and moste freezing colde as Gregorie affirmeth in these words In hel is intollerable colde vnquenchable heate an immortal worme a stinch not to be endured a scourge euer striking darkenesse palpable a feareful vision of diuels confusion of sinnes and a desperation of all good things 36 This endlesse miserie shal enforce them to houle cry cursed be the day wherein I was borne and let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed Cursed be the man that shewed my father saying A man child is borne vnto thée and comforted him Cursed be he that he slue me not Ier. 20. euen from the wombe or that my mother might haue bene my graue or her wombe a perpetual conception How is it that I came forth of the wombe to sée labour paine and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame 37 Thrée things among many other torments shal enforce the wicked to blasphemie and curse first that before the day of doome they daily sée the downefal of those into Hell of whose damnation they themselues haue bene the authors And for this cause Diues in Hell prayed Abraham to send Lazarus to his fathers house to forewarne his brethren that they might not come into that place of torment 38 Secondly because in Hel the waters which they could wish might serue for their refreshing shal be like to burning pitch which shal neuer be quenched the smoke whereof shal ascend for euer 39 Thirdly because they shal be gathereth together as the prisoners in the pit fagoted vp in a band like a bundel of stickes for the fire For as heauen is as touching the many maÌ„sions wherof christ speaketh is in it self infinit answering the esseÌ„ce maiesty power of God being placed aboue all orbes spheres and farre beyond all circle and compasse of mans capacitie euen so Hell is limited in a smal orbe capeable of no more than the damned and the instrumentes of their torments which cannot be very spacious in regard the whole earth is much lesse then the circumference of the Sun The straitenesse of which place shal bring to the huge heapes of the damned packt vp therein increase of torment with palpable darkenesse 40 Now if this Hell were but a temporal paine as Origen thought then hope would cheare the tormented sinner but the torments are eternal the tormented quite destitute of hope The worme of conscience is ther for euer without solace and gnashing of téeth shal be continually without gladnes Thus the torments of the damned shal continue so many worlds as there be starres in the firmament as there be graines of sand by the sea shoare and as there be droppes of water found in the sea And when these worldes are ended the paines and torments shal not cease but begin afresh and thus this whéele shal turne round without ende 41 For when the motion of the Primum Mobile and of the Heauens shall cease then shal time also cease Now in this world there is a time past now there is a time present and a time to come but then there shall bée no time past nor any time to come no wéek no moneth no yeare nor any variation of time Apoc. 10. It shalbée as the day wherof the Prophet speaketh which shal be neither day nor night This shal bée a very long daye Zach. 14. For it shal bee for euer and euer For one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares Pet. 3. and a thousand of yeares but as one daye of darkenesse and of blacknesse 42 What â—an considering these things will endure these hellish torments euerlastingly to inioy for a litle while the vain pleasures of the flesh Although a man by liuing in sin might procure vnto himselfe the wisedome of Salomon the strength of Sampson the beauty of Absolom and Susanna the riches of Cressus the power of Augustus and the yeares of Mathusalah what would all these profit at the last if after a while being in death thou canst neither deliuer thy body from wormes nor thy soule from hel fire and as our Sauiour Christ saith What doth it profit a man to win all the world and to loose his own soule If thou ofteÌ„ meditate these things thou shalt both leade a good and holy life and after a while make a blessed and happy ende of thy pilgrimage The fifth houre Concerning the small number of them that shall be saued STriue to enter in at the narrow gate for many I say vnto you wil seeke to enter in and shall not be able Luk 13.24 With what purpose and meaning ha◠〈◊〉 Lord vttered this senteÌ„ce Verily to no other end as it may be gathered by the words going before then to shewe that they are few in number which are saued and many which perish 2 For there are some which had propounded this question to the Lord saying Lord are there fewe that be saued To the which question the Lord aunswered so wisely that by his answere he taught that they were but few which would be saued and also rendreth a reason why they were but few Striue saith hée to enter in at the straight gate for many I say vnto you will striue to enter and shall not be able the which is all one as it hee had more plainely said they are but fewe which shal be saued and that for no other cause but for that the gate of life and saluation is straight and narrow 3 This thing the Lord goeth about to print in our minds wheÌ„ as he so often times repeateth Many are called but fewe are chosen And when hee cryed againe Wide and broade is the way which leadeth to perdition and many there bee which enter thereat but narrowe and straight is the way which leadeth vnto life Mat. 7.1.3 and fewe there bee which finde it 4 This thing Isaias setteth before our eyes by a very plaine and yet feareful similitude For thus he speaketh Surely thus shal it be in the middest of the earth among the people as the shaking of an Oliue tree and as the grapes when the vintage is ended Isaias Chap. 24.13 These shal lift vp their voice and shall sing praises when the Lord is glorious and magnificent that is to say how seldome doe Oliues hang vpon the tree after they are shaken and how seldom are grapes found vppon the vines after the vintage
are to challenge the benefite of Christs death and passion and the gate of Heauen is set open but the said water of life must haue his vse in time or els it helpeth not and when the yéere of Iubile is past the gate of Heauen wil be fast shut vp Euery mans life is his yéere of Iubile so that when his life is ended the Iubile is past and hée is barred from the gate of life 44 And because manie while they liue here are ouerwhelmed with the cares of this worlde and passing on in their way do promise vnto themselues a long life and a large yéere of Iubile the Lord foreséeing their perill doth after this mnaner carefully admonish them Striue yee to enter in at the straite gate as if he should say vse no delaies in the way but make haste runne apace while the yéere of Iubile lasteth while ye haue time of repentance and while the gate of saluation is open For many shall séeke to enter in but because they come too late they shall not enter They shall knocke in vaine at the gate they shall crie in vaine Lorde Lorde Math. 25. open to vs and in vaine they shall wishe to haue one day of repentance 45 And for whome I beséeche you are these thinges so often spoken Are they spoken for those that are dead and stand without knocking and saying Lorde open to vs No verily they are not spoken vnto them for they haue no profite thereby But they are spoken to vs and for vs and to him I say this is spoken The gate of heauen is nowe opened vnto you now is the time of your Iubile come now the kingdome of Heauen is offered vnto you ye are now called vpon to enter by the straite gate loose not this oportunitie for the gate will be shut much sooner then you think of euen before you be aware then shal ye be most miserable and vnhappy for euer yée shall desire but one houre to be giuen you of this most pretious time wherof now ye make so little account and it shall not be giuen vnto you 46 There is a third sort of men which séeke soone enough to enter in by the straite gate but yet being ouercome with the straits in the way doe not at last enter in To these the Lord speaketh Striue ye to enter in by the straite gate because many I say vnto you shall seeke to enter that is to say they shall make a proofe whether they can enter or not but they shal make it daungerous they shal assay whether they can enter by those straites but because they séeke not with all their strength to enter therefore in the ende they shall not enter 47 There are of this sort an innumerable multitude of men which whē they heare their sinnes wickednesses by the word of God condemned doe for a while purpose to forsake them to enter in at the straite gate of vertuous life and to forsake their drunkennesse fornication contention strifes and such like from which the Apostle commaundeth vs to abstaine So that these séeke to enter and begin to enter but soone after they returne with the dogge to his vomite and with the sow to her mire againe 48 And some many times renue their desires they oftentimes conceiue the spirit and yet neuer bring foorth But the Lord is not fed with barren desires it is not enough to haue a will to enter but we must also labour and striue to enter For I say vnto you many shal séeke to enter many shall haue a will to enter many shal haue a desire to enter many shal prooue to enter but because they wil not striue and labour with all their strength therefore they shal not enter For the kingdome of God suffereth violence and the violent draw it vnto them 49 When there is a Comicall or Tragicall play at the Theater or Curten doe yée not sée many times how men do throng and shooue with great labour to enter betimes that they may heare and behold the same for the which they think their pains their time their labour and their cost well bestowed But in the kingdome of heauen there shal be such glorious sights and so far excelling those worldly vanities and prophane delights that the beholders of them shall bée made happy with the beholding therof And we must not tarry til our seruants go before vs to prepare the way but euery man by himselfe be hée rich be he poore be hée noble or vnnoble euerie one must séeke to prepare and make his owne way and must striue labour and endeuour all that wee can if wée will bee at those delightfull and happy sights 50 These things considered which of vs will not sustaine the labour and trauell to enter in at the straite gate Who wil not willingly suffer himselfe to be pained and aflicted for a time I doubt not but that there are many which would enter but they cannot therefore they cannot because they know not how to enter For without skill we must not looke to enter by those straite and low gates If the gate belowly and thou lookest to go in without stooping with a fight vp body not once bowing downe thy heade is it not like that thou shalt hurt thy forehead and yet be stopt from entrance Euen so the gate being strait except thou know how to conforme thy selfe to the fashion of the crosse and to enter as it were stooping or side-waies thou shalt desire to enter in vaine Therfore this is that which the Lord saith heere Striue to enter in at the straite gate because many I say vnto you shall seeke to enter in and cannot and all because they cānot fashion themselues to the crosse and know not the manner of entring in by the straites Therefore thou must conforme thy selfe to the maner of the crosse that is to say thou must determine with thy selfe to endure with a valiant mind all manner of afflictions and tribulations and after this maner thou shalt easily enter 51 Thus the Lord himselfe entred For thus it behoued Christ to suffer that is to say it was requisite for Christ to be crucified and so to enter into his glorie Thus the Apostle Peter Thus the Apostle Saint Andrew and thus all the elect haue entered into the kingdome of heauen For they all following the figure of the crosse with many tribulations and with great labour haue entred into the straits of this gate 5 But now to come to the last and most vnhappy sort of men which do not onely not striue to come in but also doe not so much as thinke vpon any entrance And how many thinke you are there to be found in this number verily there are very few which are not to be reckned amōg this kind of men What man is hée that forgetteth not the feare of God and his own saluation To how many doe these words agrée Isaiah 5.12 The harpe and Viole
nature that there is nothing that we can more hardly digest then the forgiuing of iniuries For the which cause let vs vnderstand and knowe that by how much this forgiuenesse which God requireth is hard vnto vs by so much it is a greater argument vnto men that they are the sonnes of God which doe easily forgiue and forget iniuries and with their heart loue their enemies For herein they do shew foorth a certaine likenes vnto God their Father who loued vs as the Apostle saith when we were his enemies and reconciled vnto himselfe being redeemed by the death of his onely Sonne from eternall damnation Pray saith our Sauiour Christ for them that persecute you Mat 5. and say all maner of euill sayings against you that ye may be the children of your Father in heauen who suffereth his sunne to shine vpon the iust and vpon the vniust 18 The example also of our Sauiour Christ maketh this matter yet more manifest the which we ought alwaies to haue before our eyes For he hauing not so much as any suspition of sinne yet being buffeted spit vpon whipped blasphemed crowned with thornes nayled to the Crosse prayed thus for his enemies Luke 23. Father forgiue them for they wote not what they doe 19 There are many other most waightie reasons which the Fathers haue vsed to suppresse their frowardnesse which are most obstinate and wilfully bent to reuenge One is to giue him to vnderstande that hath the iniurie done vnto him that the same is not the principall cause of the iniurie which he desireth to reuenge For all those things whatsoeuer which we suffer in this life doe come from the Lord who is the author and fountaine of all righteousnes and mercie For God doth correct and chastice vs as his sonnes wherein he vseth his creatures as his ministers which can hurt vs in nothing but in those things which befall outwardly But euery man may most wickedly hurt himselfe and defile his owne mind with hatred enuy These things that most rare man Iob vnderstood who being vexed of the Sebeans Caldeans and the diuel himselfe vsed these words The Lord gaue Iob. 1.21 Gen 45. 2. Sam. 19 and the Lord hath taken Thus Ioseph forgaue the iniuries which his brethren did vnto him Thus Dauid bare patiently the iniuries which Shemei did vnto him It is great magnanimitie in a man when he hath receiued a wound not to feele or regard the harme 20 A second reason is that they which do not forgiue shall not be forgiuen of the Lord. For 1. Iohn 3. Eccle. 28. he that hateth his brother as S. Iohn saith abideth in death And Sirach saith Hee that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance of the Lord. 21 The third reason comprehendeth those incommodities into the which we then fall when we will not forgiue the iniuries that are done vnto vs. For it is most certaine that hatred is not onely a grieuous sin in it selfe but also by continuance it striketh more fast into our mindes is made greater In so much that the man which fostereth hatred in minde and desireth reuenge with hope to preuaile against his enemie at the last is so continually troubled day and night that hée neuer can put that wicked cogitation out of his minde whereby oft times it commeth to passe that the malicious man will sooner goe downe into hell then be brought to forgiue and with his whole heart to remit the iniurie Wherefore hatred is rightly compared to a wound wherein the head of the dart or arrow remaineth fast still 22 There are many other inconueniences and sinnes which are fast linked to this sinne of hatred Therefore Saint Iohn saith He which hateth his brother is in darkenesse and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darknesse hath blinded his eyes Therefore of necessitie he cannot but stumble and fall For how is it possible that a man should allowe or like eyther of his words or déeds whom he hateth Héereof therefore come rash iudgementes wrath enuie slaunderings reprochfull raylings and many such like euery one of the which bring men in danger of hel-fire wherof he is guiltie as appeareth by the testimonie of Christ which saith but so much as Thou foole Math. 5. What then doth continuall hatred and back-biting raylers and slaunderers deserue 23 Let vs therefore follow the counsell and admonition of Iesus Christ as wée tender the remission of our sinnes Forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen For as Tertullian saith most comfortably Si apud Deum deposueris iniuriam ipse vltâ—r est Si damnum restitutor est Si doloreÌ„ medicus est Si morteÌ„ resuscitator est That is to say If thou lay downe the iniurie that is done vnto thee before Gods tribunall seate he is thy reuenger If thy losse he is thy restorer If thy griefe he is thy Physition If thy death he is thy resurrection and thy life Now therefore as Gods elect put on the bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde méeknesse long suffering Coloss 3. forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any haue a quarrell to another as Christ forgaue euen so doe yée So shalt thou peaceably procéede in thy pilgrimage CHAP. VIII Concerning Blessednesse and Felicitie IT is written in the ninetie one Psalme There shal no euill happen vnto thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling These wordes of the Prophet Dauid may beare a two folde interpretation First that they which are héere in this life vnder the protection of the Almightie are frée from all euil Secondly they containe a propheticall promise concerning the life to come And wheÌ„ we be in that heauenly Tabernacle of the which it is said in another place Psal 84. O Lord of Hostes how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courtes of the Lord. And the Lord in the Gospel saith Lu. 9.16 I say vnto you make you friendes of the vnrighteous Mammon that when yee want they may receiue you into their euerlasting habitations And the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 9. Christ beeing a High Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect Tabernacle not made with handes that is not of this building neither by the blood of Goates and calues but by his owne blood entred hee in once into the Holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Also Saint Iohn in his Apocalips Beholde Apoc. 21. the Tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee their God with them And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrowe neither crying neither shall there bee any more paine for the first things are passed When I say wée bee in this heauenly Tabernacle then shal no euill happen vnto vs neither shal any plague
happie yet they all are no wher else to be found but in God For then at the last we shal be happy and blessed when we shal be like vnto God which by nature is blessed And wée shal bee like vnto God when we shal sée him as hée is As the Euangelist Saint Iohn testifieth saying Dearely beloued Iohn 3. wee are now the sonnes of God and it hath not yet appeared what wee shall be and we knowe that when we shall appeare wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is Saint Paul also putteth our felicity in séeing God face to face And therefore Saint Austine saith 1. Cor. 13. This onely sight of God is our happinesse 12 For as God is hereof blessed because he séeth and beholdeth himselfe being the first and the chiefe truth euen so wée also shal be blessed and like vnto God according to our measure namely when we shal beholde and see him as hée is the first and most principal trueth 13 Furthermore if the Moone and Stars doe receiue their light and are made like vnto the Sunne when they are opposite vnto him and doe after a sort behold him howe much more shall the pure mindes of the blessed receiue the diuine light and be made like vnto God when as they shal no more in a glasse or darke spéech but face to face behold the vncreated sunne and light of righteousnesse 14 O what a ioye shal it bée when at one view wée behold the most high and hidden mistery of the inseperable Trinity and of the loue of God therein towards vs and when wée shal see all things whatsoeuer in God For what shal not he sée who seeth him that seeth all things Then shal mans minde haue perpetual rest and peace neither shal it desire any further vnderstanding when he hath all before his eyes that may be vnderstood Then shal mans wil bée quiet when he enioyeth that felicitie wherein al other good things as in the fountaine Ocean of all happinesse are contained Then shal faith haue her perfect worke hope shal enioy that which she long desired but charity shal abide for euer Then shal be sung continual praises vnto the Lambe and the song although it be alwaies sung yet it shal be euer new 15 Therefore our true and onely blessednes consisteth in the sight of God as our Lord Christ hath testified Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God This is life euerlasting Iohn 17. that men knowe thee the true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent 16 This blessednesse though it be but one simple thing yet hath it riches power pleasure In this worlde no man is rich no man is satisfied for the heart of man is greater then all the worlde can content But in that most blessed life the soules of the blessed shal be rich and satisfied with God whom it shal possesse This abundance of all things the Lord promised saying Luke 6. Good measure and running ouer and pressed down shall men giue into your bosomes And in another place Mat. 24. Verily verily I say vnto you he shall make him ruler ouer all his substance 17 The blessed soules also shall haue their honour and power For if they shal be Princes if Kings if the sonnes of God and petty Gods and if they shall sitte in Gods throne how can it be but that they shall bee most mighty and glorious For thus saith God in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn To him that ouercommeth Apoc. 3. will I graunt to sit with me in my throne euen as I ouercame and sitte with my father in his throne O incredible glorie what labours and sorrowes wil not they forget which shall be inuested into Gods throne and haue palmes of victory put into their handes and crowns set vpon their heads by Gods owne hands before all the Princes of heauen Therefore the Apostle Paul most truely crieth out saying Rom. 8. The afflictions of this life are nothing in comparison of the glory that shall be shewed vpon vs. 2. Cor. 4. And againe Our tribulation which is momentany and light prepareth an exceeding ioy waight of glory vnto vs. c. 18 The ioy and pleasure that the soules of the blessed shall haue cannot be expressed especially when soule and body shall be vnited againe in the resurrection O ioy aboue all ioyes surmounting all ioyes and without the which there is no ioy when shall I enter into thée saith Saint Augustine when shal I enioy thee to see my God that dwelleth in thée 35 solilo quiorum O euerlasting kingdome O kingdome of all eternities O light without end O peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding in which the souls of saints do rest with thée and euerlasting ioy is vpon their heads they possesse ioy and gladnes and all paine and sorrow is fled from them O how glorious a kingdome is thine O Lord wherin all saints doe raigne with thée adorned with light as with apparell and hauing crownes of precious stones vpon their heads O kingdom of euerlasting blisse where thou O Lord the hope of all saints art and the â—adem of their perpetuall glory reioycing them on euery side with thy blessed sight In this kingdome of thine there is infinit ioy and mirth without sadnes health without sorrow life without labour light without darkenes felicity without ceasing all goodnesse without any euill Where youth florisheth that neuer waxeth old life that knoweth no end beauty that neuer fadeth loue that neuer vanisheth health that neuer diminisheth ioy that neuer endeth Wher sorrow is neuer felt complaint neuer heard matter of sadnesse is neuer séene nor euill successe is euer feared Because they possesse thée O Lord which art the perfection of their felicity 19 Let vs enter into these godly meditations with this holy maÌ„ let vs not neglect so great felicity for the loue of transitorie things which are meere vanity why doe we so earnestly labour for things of no moment and haue that most happy and blessed life offered vnto vs wherein all felicity consisteth Thebrotus when hée had read the booke of Plato of the immortality of the soule was so moued therewith that immediately hée cast downe himselfe headlong from a high wall Shall Platos heathen Philosophy so much preuaile with an Ethnicke which had no féeling of this felicitie that in hope of immortality he bereft himselfe of life and shall not the swéete and most comfortable promises of the Gospell much more perswade vs which haue the true knowledge of Christ and his heauenly kingdom to forsake these vanities and delights and pleasures of the world Remember often that worthy sentence Hoc momentum vnde pendet aeternitas that is This life is a moment of time whereof al eternity of death or life to come dependeth If it be a moment the ioyes thereof must needs be momentany and miserable is that ioy which hath
an end But the ioyes of heauen are so perfect that nothing can be added to them nor taken away from them and therefore perpetual This therefore is the moste happy and blessed place to build and set vp a Tabernacle where no manner of euill shall happen vnto vs nor any plague come neare vs. Therfore stand fast in this station against all temptation so shalt thou the more chearefully shake off all carnall burdens and recreate thy selfe in this paineful pilgrimage CHAP. IX Concerning the libertie of Gods children LIbertie is a thing very pleasant delectable and more wished for then any thing in the world in so much that we by experience sée that not only men but also beasts doe greatly desire liberty do prefer it before all other things The little birds whether it be that of Canary or the Nightingale with whose swéete tunes men are delighted being shut in cages are serued most daintily without their wonted labour to seeke their foode and yet for al this so great is the loue of liberty that many times they wil neither sing nor eate being sullen and full of sorrow and if they can they will gladly escape out of their cage more desiring to get their liuing with labour in the cold aire then to be kept captiue in Pallaces with the delightes of Kings It this desire be in beasts and birdes which are deuoide of reason what great account ought man to make of liberty who alone should be fréed yet neuertheles is ofteÌ„ times coÌ„pelled to serue most cruel maisters 2 There are two sorts of liberty The one is a true liberty the other is false The true liberty is that which we haue by regeneration by which we haue the participation of the spirite of Christ through the which wée are freed from the tyranny and inuasion of sinne and our mindes prepared vnto good workes by the power whereof the Apostle Paul saith thus I can doe all things through him that strengtheneth me And againe It is God that worketh in you both the will Philip. 4. Philip. 2. Iohn 8. and also the deed Wherfore our sauiour Christ saith If the Sonne make you free then are you free in deede 3 And although all corruption of the affections of mans minde be not taken away yet it is so maimed and weakened by the power of the holy ghost that it is not able as afore to hinder the making of a right choise and this is the true fréedome liberty which we haue by our regeneration Of this libertie Saint Augustine speaketh thus August in sententiis suis sententia 53. A good man is neuer seruant but is alway Lord of all things howsoeuer hee seemeth to bee in seruitude and bondage And contrariwise a wicked man although hee seeme to be free yet hee is a seruant and that not of one man alone but hee serueth so many maisters as hee hath sinnes 4 Then that is a false liberty which maketh the body onely frée and leaueth the minde subiect to sinne and wickednesse most miserably to serue them For I am perswaded that neither Alexander nor Caesar were frée although they commaunded the whole world so long as they most filthily serued their sins Neither can I say that Peter and Paul were seruants being imprisoned and kept in chaines and bondes when as notwithstanding in minde they went fréely throughout the world and by their letters as by a kings letters pattents deliuered and set at liberty daily an infinite sort of men For as man differeth from bruite beasts not so much in the members of his body as in the vertues of the minde euen so not the liberty of the body but the liberty of the mind is the true liberty and alone is to be called mans liberty Of the which fréedome and bondage Christ speaketh thus Euery one that doth sinne Iohn 8. is the seruant of sinne and if the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeede And the Apostle Paul in like manner saith Rom. 6. Knowe yee not that to whom so euer yee giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sin vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes when ye were the seruants of sinne ye were free from righteousnesse 5 To restore vs vnto this fréedome and libertie from the intollerable bondage and most cruell tyrannie of sinne from the horrible wages and reward thereof which is death our Sauiour Christ hath taken vpon him and vndergone that which is vnspeakable 6 What Orator is able sufficiently to vnfold and declare the tyrannie of sinne and concupiscence First of all doe but consider what a cruell tyrannie the sinne of whordom exerciseth vppon those that are in bondage thereunto And sée what an adulterous woman will doe to satisfie and fulfill the command of this tyrant Shée knoweth verie well that if her husband happily take her in her wickednes she shal without all doubt he vtterly vndone she shal beside the losse of her good name riches friendes and credite with her parents children and and kindred loose which is more her soule and whatsoeuer is both good in this worlde and in the world to come and shall leaue behinde her perpetuall matter of sorrow and griefe And yet for all this so great is the force of her affection and the tyranny of this wickednesse so insatiable that this miserable woman is constrained to incurre all these perils though very fearefull and euident and to deuoure al troubles so that shée may serue her vncleane lust What tyrant hath bene euer heard of so cruel that would haue his captiues to obey and serue him with so great perill and detriment 7 Yea this and the like wickednesses at this day do swallow men vp and so deuoure their whole time that they suffer them to do to say to thinke and to dreame vpon nothing else Wine and Women saith Syrach make wise men runnagates Because men being made drunken with the loue of carnal pleasures are no lesse witlesse to doe all other things and so farre from reason and iudgement as if they had quaffed vp an excéeding quantitie of most strong wine For reason which the fathers call Noctâ—â—am cerebri the braines Gloweworme being once extinguished what are we better then beasts Therefore such men neither the feare of God neither the pricke of conscience neither death neither iudgement neither paradice neither hell nor any other thing wil call backe to a better life And the more secure they are the more busily they endeuour and apply themselues to all manner of wickednesse And they doe constraine not onely the members of their body but also their minde and vnderstanding which by nature is the Lady and most noble part of man to watch day and night and to labour to finde out the meanes and the wayes how to satisfie the lusts of the flesh how to endite songs and Sonnets of loue full of wantonnes and deceite
crookednesse of his legge or from such like cause After the same maner a théefe stretcheth forth his hand he shaketh his sword and it is of God and is good But to kill him whom he should not is euill and commeth from the wicked wil of man which God neither cōpelleth nor mooueth nor helpeth to euill and yet neuerthelesse suffereth that to be done which he desireth Thus then we sée how farre God hath his worke in the sinnes of men in suffering them to be done And although it is in him not to suffer euil the which without his sufferance coulde not bée yet notwithstanding that I may vse Saint Augustines words hee thinketh it better to drawe that wich is good from euill then not to suffer any euill at all For God would not suffer any sinne to be if hée were not so mighty so prudent and so good that both hée knoweth how and also can and wil out of sinne worke greater good 8 What greater euill could there be then so many Prophets so many Apostles so many Martirs and Christ himselfe to be slaine Could not God haue hindred this No doubt most easily but he would not By which we sée how great glary felicity he hath brought to them that suffered how great honour and praise they haue yéelded to God for whome they suffered and how great profit and commoditie their deathes and sufferings hath brought to the whole world Neither did the Church at any time suffer the persecutions of the heathen but it was thereby made the better the more vigilant the more glorious and like gold which comming out of the furnace is more fine and pure 9 The other cause of all our calamities miseries and afflictions of this life is sinne By reason wherof so soone as we are borne wée bring with vs the sentence of death Much like vnto those sicke men of whose life the physitians hauing no hope do onely for a time maintaine life with preseruatiues that so a little while he may linger to make his testament and then depart Euen so it fareth with vs all who do not therefore eate drinke and sléepe that we may neuer dye for that cannot be but that we may prolong our life for a fewe daies and so prepare our selues to 〈◊〉 And as Pyrates which are taken at the sea by the royall ships and are brought to the shoare there to be hanged and haue no longer hope of life then there is space betweene the ship and the land euen so euery one of vs which like Roauers saile heere in the sea of this world being once taken and holden captiue by the ministers of Gods iustice when we are come to a certaine place and point of our age shall without all doubt or mercy abide there and suffer death 10 Sinne therefore hath opened the passage vnto death and the whole host of tribulations do follow death as their captaine and guide and do enter in vppon vs by the same breach of sinne And as we do read of sinne The wages of sinne is death euen so also wée reade of tribulations Miseros fucit populos peccatum That is Sin is the cause of many tribulations 11 Neither is it for one sinne of Adams that so many tribulations come vppon vs but also for an innumerable sort of sinnes which we haue added and do adde daily as the holy ghost by the mouth of the Prophet Dauid hath pronounced If their children forsake my lawe walke not in my iudgemēts if they breake my statutes and keepe not my cōmandements Psal 89. I will visit their iniquities 〈◊〉 the rod and their sins with scourges 12 God afflicted the Iewish nation one while by the Philistines another while by the Madianits another while by the Assyrians and also by the Romanes but alwaies first they sinned and prouoked God to anger as the booke of Iudges the bookes of Kings and of the Prophets do declare God also afflicted the Church of Christians by tyrants as Neroes Dioclesians and such like which most cruelly persecuted the Church the cause of all which persecutions was the sinnes and wickednesses of the Christians as appeareth by Cyprian and Eusebius 13 Thus farre concerning the causes of tribulations now wee wil speake of the effects Concerning the effect and fruit of tribulation Chap. 12. the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes writeth thus Now no chastising for the present time seemeth to bee ioyfull but grieuous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised Although therefore wée cannot plainely know the fruites of tribulation before such time as wée come to that blessed and heauenly life which is free from all misery and trouble yet notwithstanding it will be very profitable for vs to speake and thinke vppon the same diligently to desperation But as the phisitian of things venemous and hurtful maketh most healthful medicines euen so Almighty God by his wisedome out of afflictions although they be euill things bringeth forth in his electe most excellent vertues among which patience is one 17 This patience worketh experience also the which is a certaine tryal both of our selues and of our own strength and especially of the might and goodnes of God For in suffering of aduersities we learn how great the corruption of our nature is which being touched with any aduersity straight way except the holy Ghost helpe breaketh forth into murmurings grudgings and into blasphemies and complaints against the prouidence of God Whereof we haue a liuely example set forth in Iob who being deliuered by God vnto the diuel to be tried how great blasphemies powred he out in his afflictions how much complaineth he of the prouidence and iustice of God But the light of the holy Ghost had no sooner illumined him but how did he plucke vp his spirits againe Howe godly and rightly doth he iudge of God The crookednes of our nature is hidden from vs for the heart of man is vnsearcheable But looke how soone the fire is stricken out of the flint stone so soone breaketh out our peruerse nature whē tribulation oppresseth vs. This tryall as Peter saith is euen as a furnace vnto gold And therefore God answered Abraham when hée was now ready to sacrifice his Sonne Now I knowe that thou fearest God No doubt that was knowne vnto God afore But by that fact he brought to passe that this obedience was the better knowne vnto others For we are like vnto certaine spices whose swéete sauour is not felt vnlesse a man bruse them well Wée are also like to stones called Piridites which shew not forth that force which they haue to burne except when they be pressed hard with the fingers 18 The triall also before spoken of bringeth hope Whereby wée sée that God hath so disposed those instruments of his as that they should one helpe another and the one bring in the other By reason of the hope of the glory of God afflictions are not
troublesom vnto vs but God giuing vs strength wée bare them with a valiant minde And in the very suffering we haue a greater triall and proofe of the goodnes of God towards vs wherevpon wee conceiue the greater hope So hope bréedeth and bringeth in patience and patience hope For when we consider that God was present with vs in suffering our afflictions patiently we hope also that he wil hereafter be present with vs and at the length make vs blessed The sick man because he hath confidence in the Physition suffereth his impostume to be cut Afterward as hee feeleth himselfe relieued he putteth confidence more and more in the Physitian so as if néede were that his foote should be cut off also hee would nothing doubt to commit himselfe to his fidelity The diuel so much as in him lyeth driueth vs to desperation and by afflictiōs goeth about to perswade vs that God is our enemy But contrariwise the holy Ghost saith Because thou hast quietly and patiently borne affliction it may be a sure token vnto thée that God therein declareth his fauour towards thée Wherefore haue thou a good trust for he vndoubtedly wil deliuer thee 19 This confidence wil make vs to resolue with the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. that no maner of tribulation shal be able to remoue vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Neither the losse of goods of wife childien friends lands and possessions nor any thing in the world because wee are verily perswaded that his loue and bounty towards vs is such that often times he most aboundantly restoreth those things which are lost for his sake and that sometimes in the middest of tribulation and euen in the very crosse and death hée giueth to his children so much strength and consolation that in very déede it is more then a hundred folde The losse of the said worldly things is to many a great griefe but is not the winning of a hundred fold so much and the obtaining of an euerlasting kingdom a good salue for this sore If we gaine with the losse of transitore things heauenly treasures with the forsaking of worldly friends Christ to be our deare and sure friend and with the refusing father mother brother sister wife children purchase God to be our heauenly father Christ our most louing brother and to be loued of the Sonne of God as his deare dearlings and only beloued spouse what haue we lost what greater gaine can we haue or what more profitable exchange can be made This bargaine and profit hath our heauenly Father promised vnto vs by a bill of his owne hand sealed with the blood of his onely Sonne testified by the witnes of his Apostles and left with vs in our own custody to be paide at the sight whensoeuer wée shall require it Whereof this is the content Who so hath forsaken house brother sister father mother wife children or land for my names sake hee shall receiue an hundred foulde and the inheritance of euerlasting life Who will deny but that hunger cold nakednes cxtreame pouerty and want of thinges partly necessary are a heauy burden for a man to beare But the waight hereof is lightened made easie to them that with a right eye and vnfainedly do beléeue Gods promise and cast their care on him Cast thy care vpon the Lord for he careth for thée Your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue néed of al these things meate drinke and cloathes He ministreth these things in due time to the beasts of the earth the foules of the ayre the fishes of the Sea and wil he not kéepe his promise vnto vs for whose sakes he hath made these creatures and hath made vs Lords ouer thē What cause haue we to mistrust his promise rather then the byrd that flyeth forth in the morning vppon this naturall perswasion that hée shall finde foode not doubting but that hée who made him will not suffer him to starue with hunger Haue we séen such as put their trust in him starue with hunger dye with colde or perish through nakednesse It hath not béen heard of that the righteous hath béene forsaken or his séede begge wanting bread For they that know the name of the Lorde wil trust therein for he forsaketh not them that séeke after him And he hath willed vs in the day of our troubles to call vpon him adding this promise that he wil deliuer vs. Wherevnto the Prophet Dauid did so trust féeling the comfortable trueth thereof at sundry times in many and dangerous perils that he perswaded himselfe al feare set apart to vndergoe one painful danger or other whatsoeuer yea if it were to wake in the valley of the shadowe of death that hée should not haue cause to feare comforting himself with this saying which was Gods promise made vnto all For thou art with me thy rodde and thy staffe euen they shall comfort mee Psal 23. Is Gods staffe waxen so weake that wée dare not now leane too much theron least it should break Or is he now such a changeling that he wil not be with vs in our troubles according to thy promise Wil he not giue vs his staffe to stay vs by and reache vs his hand to hold vs vp as he hath béene woont to do No doubt but that he wil bée most ready in all extremitie to helpe according to his promise The Lord that made thée O Iacob and hée that fashioned thée O Israel saith thus Esay 43. feare not for I wil defend thée c. 20 He is that mightie Captaine who hauing vnder his gouernement many souldiers and seruants Math. 8. hath them so at his commandement that when he biddeth them go they go when he saith abide they abide and when he willeth them to do this or that they obey his word For paine pleasure griefe ease sicknesse health life and death are at the becke and call of God and do come and go at his appointment as the faithfull Centurion confesseth in the Gospel Math. 8. Yea hée worketh so forceably in his childrē that leane wholy vnto his promise that hée maketh to them of paine a pleasure of griefe ease of sicknesse health and of death life As contrariwise to the vnbeléeuing pleasure ease health and life is a wearie irkesome and painfull death 21 But reason and our flesh are hardly perswaded that we are beloued of GOD when we be exercised with afflictions yet the author of the epistle to the Hebrews saith That if we be not vnder chastisement Heb. 12. wherof all are partakers we are bastards and not sons Rom. 8. And S. Paul to the Romanes bringeth in the complaints of the Saintes which were tormented and afflicted before Christes time Psal 44. For thy sake are we deliuered to the death all the day long we are accounted as sheep to the slaughter They which made this complaint were as cannot be denied most deare vnto God and yet they make this sorrowfull
our selues in the like persecutions 29 When he was fled from Hierusalem and the priests were departed from him with the Arke of the Lords couenant he went vppon Mount Cliuet barefoote wept as he went had his head couered and so did all the people that were with him And he made his mone vnto the Lord saying O Iehoua how are they increased that trouble me How many are they that rise against me Howe many are they that say of my soule there is no helpe for him in his God 30 Wonder not though this good King with a heauy heart and sorrowfull cheare doth lament bewaile his dolourous estate Would it not grieue a King when hée thinketh of no such matter sodainly to be cast out of his royall seate and brought in danger of his life and that by his owne naturall sonne Can the displeasure of any enemie so much pearce the heart of a kind Father as the vnnaturall cruelty of the son to séeke his death of whom he himselfe had his life It grieued him no smal deale to perceiue such as had bin his wise counsailers whom he much trusted whose duty it had bene with the spending of their own liues to haue defended the common weale brought to good and quiet order both in matter of pollicy and of Gods true Religion to bée the supporters and maintainers of an Hipocrite who had neither respect to Gods true honour nor yet consideration of duty to his most honourable Father neither yet regard to the prosperous weale of his natiue countrey But nothing of all these grieued him so much as this one thing the remembrance and true acknowledging in himselfe that hée himielfe was the onely cause of all these euils Hée called to remembrance that these plagues fell vppon him sent from God whose worke it was and that for his sinnes which were the cause thereof and this made him wéepe and mourne For so soone as the Prophet Nathan had warned him of his offence he cried peccaui I haue sinned and afterward when he saw this grieuous and sodain change follow hée perceiued it came partly for his sin by the worke of God and therefore submitted himselfe wholly to Gods wil saying If I shal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde he will bring me againe shew me both his Arke and the Tabernacle thereof 2. Sam. 15 But and the Lord thus say I haue no lust vnto thée behold here I am let him doe with me what séemeth him good in his eyes 31 Thus the worthie man of God acknowledgeth his trobles to be of Gods hand his sinnes to be the cause therefore humbly faithfully submitteth himselfe to Gods â—ordering well content to receiue whatsoeuer should be laid vpon him He assured him selfe that when he himselfe were most weakest then God would declare his strength for his owne glories sake and after he were reduced to faithful repentance by the correction of his merciful father then the rod should be cast into the fire 32 This consideration of plagues and tribulations both to priuate men particularly and also of Realms and whole common wealthes is diligently to be weyed that as they come from God so haue they this ende that they tend partly to his own glory partly to our profit and amendment For although sinne be the general cause wherefore all mankinde was is and shal bée molested with many and sundry kindes of troubles and calamities yet the calamities and afflictions are not all kinde of men alike nor yet for one end and purpose For the wicked and reprobate are punished and whipped of God to a far other end and meaning then the godly and chosen children who are the true Church of God the liuely members of Christ and such as shall be neuer seperated from God and his louing fauour in Christ Iesus 33 These although they be neuer without trouble in this world but alwaies exercised vnder the crosse yet the cause and consideration why God will haue them thus exercised is either for the honor and glory of his owne name or the profite commodity and exceeding benefit of them whom hée thus afflicteth either else for both these considerations together for that there is no trouble that comes to Christes Church or any member thereof which appeareth not plainly to redound to Gods glory and the profit of the afflicted if it be well and iustly considered 34 Thus may you plainly sée how God hath wrought with his Church in olde time and therefore shoulde not discourage your selues for any sodaine chaunge but with Dauid acknowledge your sinnes to God declare vnto him how many they be that vexe you and rise against you naming you Hugonotes Lutherians Heretiques and the children of Belial as they named Dauid Let the wicked Idolaters boast and bragge that they will preuaile against you and ouercome you and that God hath giuen you ouer and will bée no more your God let them put their trust in Absolom with his large golden lockes and in the wisedome of Achitophel the wise counsailer yet say you with Dauid Thou O Lord art my defender and the lifter vp of my head Perswade your selues with Dauid that the Lord is your defender who hath compassed you round about and is as it were a shielde that doth couer you on euery side it is hée onely that may and will compasse you about with glory and honour It is he that wil thrust downe those proud hypocrites from their seate and exalt his lowly and méeke It is hee which will smite your enemies on the chéeke-boane and burst all their féeth in sunder hée will hang vp Absolom by his owne long haire and Achitophel through desperation shall hang himselfe the bandes shal be broken and you deliuered for this belongeth vnto the Lord to saue his from their enemies and to blesse his people that they may safely proceed in their pilgrimage to heauen without feare CHAP. XII Concerning the alterations of true Religion in all ages ALbeit Dauid his kingdome after he was annointed king ouer Gods people were exercised with many troubles during his time yet he obserued the ordinances of the Lord and kept the true Religion among his people according to the commandement of God After him Salomon had gouernance of Gods people who in the beginning of his raigne walked after his father Dauid did build Gods temple obserued the true Religion but that lasted but a while for in his latter yeares he fell to Idolatry and the seruice of false Gods so that the true seruice of God began then to be corrupted 2 After him his sonne Roboam reigned at whose beginning that realm had such a miserable change that it could neuer after recouer it selfe againe sor the kingdome was diuided and tenne tribes which were called afterward Israel fell from Roboam and from the true Religion vnto Idolatrie and false seruing of God and so continued in false superstitious Religion alwaies hating the true religion of God killing
our selues then may we boldly come to the Lords Table whereat we shall enioy Iesus Christ God and man by the benefit of faith and shall feele moreouer a great increase and augmentation of the same But we must note that it is vnpossible for vs to be vnite and made one with Christ and to be made partakers of the treasures and riches which are in him vnlesse we first renounce Antichrist and his kingdome and vnlesse we detest all Idolatrie superstition and traditions of men directly contrary to the pure seruice of God bounded and limitted out in his word For séeing that God is our onely Creator and hée giueth himselfe wholy vnto vs in the person of his Sonne IESVS CHRIST the true Isaac Gene. 17.18 in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed it is great reason that likewise by Faith wee giue vp our selues Gen. 12.18 yéelde vs wholy vnto God And thence is it that God in his Lawe doth rightfully require of his people that they haue no other Gods but him Eccle. 20.2 And that they loue him with all their heart with all their soule with all their strength and vnderstanding that is to say with all their parts aswel inward as outward And thence is it also that God doth not only rebuke and reprooue al them that halt on both sides but commandeth also 1. Reg. 18.20 Deut. 13.1 and 17.5 that they which sacrifice vnto strange Gods should be put to death And to this purpose S. Paul minding to warne the Corinthians to flée from Idolatry vseth an argument taken from the knittting together and vnion that we haue with Iesus Christ our Lord in the Supper 1. Cor. 10.16 speaking after this sort The cup of blessing which wée blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ And the bread which wée breake is it not the Commmunion of the body of Christ As if he would say that séeing the Corinthians came not to the Supper to bée partakers simply of earthly Elements but to be partakers really and in déede of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ to bée made one with him by faith and to be made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones that therefore it were too great wickednesse abhomination to be present in the assemblies of Infidels or to be partakers of their idolatrie And therefore the Apostle addeth afterward 1. Cor. 10.21 that the Corinthians cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord and of the cup of diuels and that they cannot bée partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of Diuels Whereby he signifieth that it is impossible to serue God and the diuel together and that whosoeuer doth communicate with Idolatrie doeth manifestly renounce our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore seeing that darkenesse is no more contrarie to light vice to vertue death to life Paradice to Hell then the Pope and his doctrine is contrary to our Lord Iesus Christ and to his holy Gospel it behooueth all true faithfull people to withdraw themselues wholy from Poperie and cast off without delay the yoke of that Romish Antichrist that they may giue themselues wholy to the seruice of this Sauiour and Redéemer Iesus Christ But if so be that the CoÌ„munion that we haue with the sonne of God and the promises of the heauenly Father cannot intice perswade vs to yéeld our selues wholy to God to put our trust in him onely to serue and worship him onely according to his will but that we wil yet cleaue vnto Antichrist his seruants Ministers yet at the least let the threatnings iudgements of God hinder vs and feare vs so to doe as when it is sayde Goe out of her my people that ye bee not partakers in her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And againe Apoc. 14.9 â—0 11 If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his foreheade or in his hand the same shal drink of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe And that stinke of their torment shal ascend-euermore and they shal haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name And againe The fearefull and vnbeléeuing the abhominable murtherers Apo. 21.8 whoremongers sorcerers idolatrors and all lyers shal haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Let this therefore be well printed in our hearts that we be not seduced and destroyed with the vaine seruers of this worlde which thinke it is a thing not impossible to serue God and the Diuell Iesus Christ and Antichrist to follow the commandements of God and of men and to satisfie the affections of the spirite and of the flesh all at once 2. We must haue repentance THe preparation whereof we spake before touching faith which applyed vnto euery one of vs particularly Iesus Christ with all his riches and blessings can haue no place in vs vnlesse it bring foorth also in vs a true repentance that is to say a true misliking of euill a burning loue and affection of goodnesse as we sée the example in Dauid Peter Paul and other holy men We must haue a sorrow and vnfeined grief for that we haue offended God for that wée haue before times wickedly abused our creation redemption and Baptisme for that wée haue prouoked God with all our members for that we haue abused our vnderstanding heart tongue féete and hands for that wée haue giuen and set foorth our soules and bodies which are the Temples wherein God would dwell to infidelitie idolatrie superstition filthinesse blasphemie whoredome extortion vsurie robberie gluttonie drunkennesse ambition excesse ryot other worldly vanities which is asmuch as if we would haue lodged God the father the sonne and the Ghost in a most stinking and filthy priuie Wée must therefore bée sorry for our wicked life passed vsing a true and seuere examining of our selues which may bring foorth in vs a displeasantnesse and horrour of our forepassed renting and breaking by al manner of meanes of the Lawe of God to follow the will of the Diuell of the world and of the flesh Nowe the breaking of the breade of the Supper which is omitted in the Passeouer of the Papists should cause vs to acknowledge and detest our wickednesse that is to say whatsoeuer is founde in vs contrary and repugnant to the pure and holy Lawe of GOD. For in that that the bread is broken for vs or rather in that that wée breake the bread of the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ it signifieth vnto vs that in déede it is we that it is our sinnes and iniquities which haue crucified and put to death the Lorde of life who is the very same