you and haue carried you hence had not the goodnesse and clemency of our most sweet and milde Iesus hindered withstood him who gently preserued you aliue expecting looking that you should doe pennance calling you by inward motions and inspirations and admonishing you by wholesome instructions of deuout preachers and spirituall bookes Consider wicked and forlorne sinner how great thine ingratitude hath bene against God who so earnestly desireth thy conuersion saying Conuertimini ad me turne to mee in your whole harte Ioel. 2. Turne to mee and I will turne vnto you saieth God Zach 1. Turne then speedilie vnto him as to your louing God sinners seeing that his tender mercie so kindely inuites you Wilt thou leaue him sinner to take the diuell take heed what thou doest Nunquid non ipse est Pater tuus Is not he thy Father that hath possessed thee hath not he made thee and created thee It is a nation without counsell and wisedome O that they were wise and would prouide for their last end saieth the holy scripture Deut. 32. O the blindnesse of man O the madnesse of a sinner who forsaketh his God to follow a most terrible diuell Remember well and call to minde sinner that he is thy God that hath created thee that alone hath redeemed thee with his most pretious blood Tell me I pray thee sinner whose ayre is this wherewith thou breathest Whose earth is this which sustaineth thee and houldeth thee vp The water which washeth thee the fire which warmeth thee whose I say are all these but Gods who gaue thee cloathing wherewith thou coueredst thy nakednesse hadst thou not it from God from thy Iesus Who giueth thee bread to eate water to drinke but onely thy God wilt thou then be vnthankfull vnto him who bestoweth so liberally these benefits vpon thee who affordeth thee health Who maintaineth thy life is it not God that gaue the same vnto thee My God and sweet Sauiour my benigne clement mercifull louing God what iustice and equitie is it that we should all be conuerted vnto thee It is good for mee to cleaue to God to put my hope in our Lord my God saied the holy Prophet who knew how many great good things proceeded to him from his God Psal 72. but you forlorne sinners and sillie miscreāts are so farre frō desiring to come to God who is willing able to purge and sanctifie you that willingly and with free consents you associate your selues with the diuel who will make you diuelish like vnto himselfe when as otherwise you might be made one with God by the ardor of loue and charitie Deus charitas est c. Ioan. 4. God is charitie and he that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in him saieth S. Iohn If any man loue mee he will keepe my wordes and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and make our mansion with him Ioan. 14. Delitiae meae c. My delight is to be with the sonnes of men Behould here the inexcogitable felicity of the good the ineffable miserie and calamitie of the wicked for the good shall remaine in the blessed companie of allmightie God but the wicked and trāsgressors shall for euer be shut vp amōgst the damned crew of infernall diuels To conclude assure thy selfe sinner that whether thou eatest or drinkest whether thou sitt or walke whether thou sleepe or wake or what thing soeuer thou dost thou art alwaies in the company of innumerable diuells who daily stand attending thee ready to carry thee along with thē into hell And againe perswade thy selfe that they would not be long without the prey of thy poore soule if Gods clemency and the custodie of Angels were not present to defend it from them Our Lord by the merits of S. Marie Magdalen in remembrance of whose cōuersion the church euerie yeare solemnly celebrateth her festiual day so chaunge the mindes of sinners but especially of those who are to read this little worke that vtterly forsaking the familiaritie of the wretched diuells and damned spirits they may obtaine a heauenly societie and friendship with Iesus Christ their God their Father Creator world without end Amen And I humbly beseech euery one that shall read this booke that he would pray for mee miserable sinner liuing or dead Sweet Iesus blesse vs all Amen IN THE NAME OF THE Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Of the societie which sinners haue in their death and how dangerous their state is about the houre of their death THE XXXV CHAPTER IT is an olde Prouerbe sinner well knowne vnto thee Qui malè viuit malè moritur He that liues ill dieth ill What then doest thou suppose will become of thee who hast lead so wicked a life so many yeares It may be thou wilt say with S. Paul diues est in misericordia c. Ephes 2. God is rich in mercie and wil shew singular clemencie vnto mee in death But this befalleth but to very few for although some sinners haue bene saued at the last gaspe as it happened to the good theefe yet woe to them who sinne presuming vpon such a confidence Paenitentiam in extremis nec damnamus nec approbamus we neither approue of nor condemne repentance deferred to the last end saieth S. Augustin It is only knowne to God what such mens cases shall be This is most certaine that all sinners that are saued must haue an exceeding great and perfect sorrow for all their offences and iniuries wherby they haue offended his diuine Maiestie But who is he that shall be assured to haue this consideration with himselfe how he hath formerly liued in sinne and iniquity to haue a sufficient contrition sorrow for offending God at the time of his death Let no man seduce you by idle and friuolous wordes saieth S. Paul Ephes 5. What then sinner canst thou be so foolish as once to harbour such a thought in thy mind that the diuell thine aduersary who hath bene thy companion all the course of thy life will leaue and forsake thee at thy death be wiser then so for otherwise thou wilt be farre deceaued yea rather at that time he will shew all his malice and vse the greatest care and diligence that he can to obtaine the victory so longe desired of him Then shalt thou behold the vggely shape of thy infernall cōpanion then shalt thou clearly see how horrible his coūtenance is for then God will permit thee to discerne him whom thou hast serued and to whom thou hast boūd thy selfe as slaue for so manie yeares Alas sinner what wilt thou say when the diuell boasting exulting ouer thee will terrifie thee with his fearfull deformed face If happily thou purpose to go frō him and to returne to Christ by doing pennance for thy former lewed life then he will demonstrate and lay open before thine eyes some subtill deceipts and fallacies which before he kept secret Alas
great follie in the precedent wordes of Ieremie and a little after by the mouth of the same Prophet Scito vide Ierem. 2.19 know and see that it is an euill and bitter thing to haue forsaken the Lord thy God obserue oh sinner with what pittifull wordes full of commiseration the Lord speaketh vnto thee what Adamantine harte as there soe hard that these so mercifull words can not mollifie With what pittie clemencie doeth he pronounce them he seemeth to speake with his eyes standing full of teares trickling downe his sacred cheekes Moyses considering the loue and clemencie of God towardes that wicked and vngratefull people of the Hebrews reprehendeth them in these wordes Haeccine reddis Domino popule stulte insipiens Deuter. 32.6 doest thou render these things vnto our Lord thou foolish and vnwise people is not he thy Father that hath possessed thee and thy creatour that hath fashioned thee oh charitie oh clemencie of God towards a sinner oh foolishnes oh stupiditie of a sinner towards so bountifull and louing a God! Time will not permit me to reuolue the olde and new scripture for the amplifying of this matter which is full of the benignitie of God towards a sinner and the contempt of a sinner towards his creatour neither did I determine to treat of this at large but only to insert some few thinges concerning the health and saluation of soules almost lost which lie dailie wallowing in the filth of of their accustomed vices I will only say that in the remembrance of the exceedinge great loue which God beareth towards a sinner which the Euangelist declareth in the parable of the prodigall sonne Et vidit illum à longè pater ipsius and when his Father saw him a farre off he was moued with pittie towards him and runninge vnto him he fell vpon his necke and kissed him Luc. 15.20 And which he sayeth else where of the cittie Ierusalem Videns ciuitatem fleuit super eam lookinge vpon the cittie he wept ouer it he did foresee the desolation that was to befall the cittie of Ierusalem the remembrance whereof so pierced his soule that he wept bitterlie and seing that prodigall sonne straying ragged and almost famished with hunger hauing consumed all his patrimony and substaÌ„ce in a riotous course of liuing notwithstanding all this seeing him a farre off and scarse hearing him vttering these wordes I will arise and goe to my Father forgetting all his former offences he went ioyfullie to meet him and gladly embraced him fel vpon his necke and kissed him Oh sinners sinners turne vnto our Lord with the sound of this only Trumpet consider the great affection that Christ beareth vnto you who if it were lawful so to speake is sicke with loue consumed with charitie Cantic 25. Oh louing and deare Iesu seeing thou doest soe infinitly loue a sinner mollifie that obduratnes wherewith his soule is oppressed melt and dissolue his frozen harte I beseech thee ô Iesu by that liuely blood that thou sheddest for vs by that surpassing loue wherewith thou diddest embrace vs by all the thoughtes wordes and actions thou diddest performe for vs to be mercifull to sinners Amen Of the infinite wrong wherwith a sinner by sinning doth offend the diuine Maiestie THE III. CHAPTER BVt what shal I say now of the great iniury wherewith you sinners doe offend God with what toung shall it be related with what stile shall it be exaggerated with what termes shall it be expressed For many reasons the offence is vnspeakeable by which God is dishonoured The first is in respect of the obiect against which it is committed to wit God himselfe who being infinite it necessarily foloweth that sinne also be infinite which allthough of its owne nature be not infinite but nothing as holy diuines say peccatum nihil est obiectâ—… tamen that I may vse the schoolmens phrase infinitum est sinne of it selfe is nothing but in respect of the obiect it is infinite consider oh sinner the greatnes of sinne when as it is infinite beholde how great an euill thou committest quicklie euen in a moment ponder with thy selfe what exceeding peruersitie and malice it is to oppose thy selfe against an infinite power examine well how improbous and rebellious thou art being that thou art aduerse and opposite to God whose goodnes is infinite Oh malitious and peruerse sinner what is thy impudency and audaciousnes that thou darest contest and contend with thy God and creatour The second reason is that God being by his nature presence and omnipotencie in all places in thee which offendest in the matter wherin thou offendest in the meÌ„bers wherby thou offendest him beholde how great the offence is thou being so impudent that in the diuine presence of the infinite maiestie of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost thou doest commit such vndecent and hainous crimes which thou desirest to be hidden from the eyes of so many celestial spirits of which thou thy self herafter wilt greatlie repent For whilest thou doest commit such filthy and abhominable crimes seeking obscure places that thou shouldest not be seene of men thou liest open to the all-penetrating eye of God In omni loco oculi Domini contemplaÌ„tur bonos malos Prou. 15.3 In euery place the eye of our Lord behouldeth the good the bad In a word goe whither thou wilt hide thy selfe where thou canst doe what thou mayest thou canst not auoid the all-seing eye of the diuine maiestie Consider with thy selfe if thou takest any thing God is at hand in thy soule in thy harte in thy vnderstanding in thy will in thy handes and feete in the thing it selfe which thou takest in the house which thou entrest in the way wherin thou walkest Weigh seriously with thy selfe oh blinded sinner how vnheard of the impudencie oâ— offence is of lust for whilest thou doest coÌ„mit not only lasciuious and filthy crimes but actes proper to beasts which are vnseemely to be named God is in thee in the thing in the meÌ„bers wherwith thou offendest Not by his grace but by his generall influence and concurse therfore thou sinnest in whom God is in the thinge in which God is and doest vse those partes and members to be instruments of Sathan in which God dwelleth and inhabiteth Nescitis quia membra vestra sunt templum Spiritus Sancti 1. Corin. 6.19 know yee not that your members are the temple of the holy Ghost How great therfore is thy madnes impudencie and wickednes oh sinner How infinite the abuse and wrong wherwith thou offendest and displeasest thy God and creatour But oh thou angry and malitious sinner while thou strikest killest and murderest thy neighbour oâ— enemy is not God in thee is not God I say in the members of thee of thy neighbour and of thine enemie nothing more certaine hee is in thy handes wherewith thou killest in the members of him whoÌ„ thou killest in the weapon wherwith thou killest therfore oh
wicked impious and vngodly wretch which hauing noe respect or reuerence to so great infinite a maiestie darest commit such thinges in his presence which thou wouldest feare and be ashamed to commit in the presence of an earthlie King or Prince although of meane power and authoritie The third reason is Tell mee oh yee sinners what punishment is hee worthy of who receauing many courtesies fauours from some noble man of worth as a â—ouse ornaments and clothes beseeming his qualitie when before he was ragged torne and meanly cloathed and being restored to his former dignitie wheÌ„ as before he was in great disgrace and miserie and hauing recouered his health which before was sicke infirme by his meanes made rich and wealthy which before was a begger and in great want lastly promoted and placed in the cheifest degree of honour who before was contemned vilified and despised of all if this man who is thus infinitly obliged and bound to this his friend should in stead of giuinge thankes intend and meditate snares and deceipts for the taking away of the goodes estimation and honour and laste of all the life of so great a friend and charitable benefactor and should associate him selfe in the companie of his enemies to the end that he might abuse contemne deride and kill him speake I beseech thee what penaltie shall this vngratefull wretch deserue surely the greatest that can be inuented Tell mee now oh moste wicked rebellious adulterous sinner what punishments what torments art thou worthy of when as thou doest disunite and separate thy selfe from thy God which made thee which created thee which gaue thee thy soule and body adorned thee with faculties and senses correspondent which produced thee out of nothing when as thou wert nothing and conserueth thee in this state in which thou now art and for thy vse conseruation hath ordained an infinite number of creatures visible and inuisible the heauens sunne moone starres elements mixt and composed bodies for thy sake only who also exceeding in loue and charitie for thy sake was made man visible and mortall exposinge himselfe to all wronges and difficulties when as he was impassible who last of all did offer him selfe to be killed and naked like a publique malefactour in the middest of two theeues as theire captaine crucified vpoÌ„ the wood of the crosse only that he might free thee from death sinne the diuell and hell and to bring thee to the eternall blisse of the celestiall paradise but thou on the contrary doest oppose and resist with al thy forces this so benigne a God so indulgent a Father so gentle and milde a Lord this I say so infinite and great a maiestie thou doest studie and endeauour with all thy faculties and powers of body and soule with so odious and detestable crimes to offend despise and dishonour Oh miserable and sinneful soule what punishmeÌ„t caÌ„ be thought vpon ordained worthy of thy deserts oh infinite patience and clemency of God which when as thou mightest precipitate pluÌ„ge and caste these sinners into the bottomlesse pitte of hell and deliuer them into the hand of the diuell to be carried into the abisse of perpetual darknesse thou doest not only not doe it but fauorably and patiently expect their returne calling them by thy diuine inspirations and heauenly suggestions vnto amendment repentance And also hast conserued protected and defended such cruell and malitious enemies forso many yeares together as well in thinges appertaininge to the body as the soule thou callest them thou goest to meet them thou inuitest them and doest offer thy selfe vnto them as if thou wert rauisht with loue towardes them who art so infinitly offended and greatly dishonoured by them Oh immense loue oh patience oh clemency oh mercy of God what great reason haddest thou oh holy Prophet to say Misericordias Domini in eternum cantabo Psal 88.1 Thy mercies oh Lord will I sing for euer the earth is full of thy mercies oh Lord there is no end of thy goodnes Let vs come to the fourth reason which declareth the greatnes of sinne wherwith a sinner offendeth God What doe you otherwise oh sinners when yea sinne and offend then ballance in one scale the infinite maiestie power and presence of God and your selues your vnlawfull desires and momentary pleasures in the other therefore tell mee oh sinner whither of these two is of greater excellency and worth rather to be chosen God or thy little momentary pleasure your opinion is that this your transitorie pleasure is of greater value by which meanes your Sauiour being reiected you make choise of his creature God being left in whom is the fulnes of all thinges you take that which is nothing the cheifest good beinge contemned yee doe embrace that which beareth in it selfe noe species or signe of true good but superficiall painted and transitorie oh iniurie oh offence oh wrong oh dishonour wherewith you offend so louing a God and benigne and clement a Father Let vs now proceed to the gift of reason what doth a miserable sinner by sinning but call in question and dispute whether his or Gods diuine will is better whither with more promptitude hee should obey God or his owne base desire He preferreth his own will before Gods and presently concludeth that it is more conuenient to obey his owne making himselfe an other Lucifer greater then God Oh execrable Lucifers oh wicked and accursed sinners who when as yee are base filth and dung are so swollen and puffed vp with pride that in as much as lyeth in your powers you exalt yourselues aboue God what affliction therefore shall be imposed vpon you in the world to come when you shall be deliuered and giuen vp into the handes of that proud Lucifer of whoÌ„ ye haue bene such diligent sectatours and vigilant seruants Oh my deare sinnefull Brethren I will not be more prolix in this argument because the disputation calleth mee an other way it sufficeth mee and also ought to suffice you to haue heard the sound of this our first Trumpet which with a shorte blaste I haue sounded that detesting and abhorring sinne you may be disunited from Sathan and reioyned to your sweet creatour Lord and redeemer that herafter yee may desist from offering him so great iniuries and make an end and period of so many foule and detractiue contumelies wherby yee haue in no small measure offended him Doe this I beseech you brethren which I begge and implore of you by the pretious wouÌ„des and liuely blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ lyinge prostrate at your feet vpon the earth I say vnto you oh BrethreÌ„ by the bitter passion of Iesus crucified offend him not so often with so many iniuries crucifie him not any more with such hainous crimes desist my Brethren hereafter to contemne and tread vnder foot the blood of the couenant And turning to thee oh my Iesu I say oh Iesu my only loue and ioy graunt pardon
and remission to a sinner Amen The second Trumpet of the deformity of sinne THE IV. CHAPTER ET secundus Angelus tubâ cecinit Apoc. 8. And the secōd Angel sounded the trūpet Giue eare oh sinners vnto the soūd of this secōd trumpet rowsing exciting you vp out of the sleepe of sinne behold the second Angel soundeth that he may quicken you put to flight all your inordinate dispositions that you might attētiuely heare him For what doeth Angel signify in the Greeke toūg but a messenger harbinger and legate in ours who cometh and calleth you that yee may be conuerted to your creatour returne home to your louing Father and be reconciled to your mercifull redeemer Oh my Brethren if the sound and call of the first trumpet and counsell and admonition of the first Angell will not any iot moue you when it plainely propoundeth vnto you the offence wherby yee offend almighty God which certainely should be a motiue more then sufficient at least let the deformity and filthines of sinne which this second Angell with a horrid sound denounceth vnto you be a powerfull reason to induce you without doubt brethren if you would but comprehend in your mindes and ponder with your selues the vggelines of sinne it could not be but that you would detest and loath the deformity of it as you ought to doe for so great and infinite oh Brethren is the deformity of sinne that it is ex diametro directly opposite to the beauty and claritie of God for what other thing is it in it selfe or in its owne nature but an auersion from the diuine will sinne in it selfe is nothing Et sine ipso sactum est nihil Ioan. 1.3 and without him was made nothing saith S. Iohn that is sinne whose deformity is made without God because he doth not concurre to the inordination of it although as the most subtile Doc. Scotus saith to the substance of the actiō God doth concurre yet not vnto the malice of the same for examples sake man stealeth and sinneth heere two thinges are to be considered the one is the substance of the action which is to extend put out the hand and apprehend the thing to this God concurreth for vnlesse he did giue power to the handes and feet this acte could not be performed furthermore besides this action there is an inordination which followeth this action contrary to the diuine will and law which contradicteth forbiddeth theft the same hapneth when adultery or any other sinne is committed goe to consider well how great the malice of sinne is that it is opposite and contrary to the diuine will Furthermore it is the common opinion of the Doctors that sinne is an auersion from the creatour conuersion to the creature in so much that so oft as yee commit sinne ye separate yourselues from your sweet God and ioyne your selues to the base and corruptible creature from whence it proceedeth that the eternal and infinite beauty being left you turne your selues to the extreamest deformitie and foulnes I beseech yee for Gods sake that yee doe soe noe more turne to your selues oh my my Brethren being illuminated with the resplendant beames of the sonne of righteousnes behold your blindnes and misery and separate not your selues from this so infinite a good lest you change the inestimable treasure and riches of the incomprehēsible diuinitie for the drosse of thinges temporall and transitorie Quem enim fructum habuistis c. Rom. 6.21 what fruite had yee in those things of which yee are now ashamed Furthermore if yee desire to see the foulnes of execrable and detestable sinne giue eare vnto the sequele the diuell of himselfe was moste faire and of his owne nature next vnto almighty God excelling al other thinges created in beautie and comelines Duo fecisti Domine vnum propè te aliud propé nihil Thou haste made oh God two things one neare vnto thee the other almost nothing saieth the holy Father S. Augustine that which cometh nearest vnto thee and is more perfect then all the rest is the nature of the Angels the other which is almost nothing is the first matter whose entitie being is so small that it hath giuen occasion to the philosophers to say that it is entitie only in possibilitie from whence many haue denied matter to be entitie although the subtill Doctor defendeth the contrarie contendinge that it is not placed only in possibility but is an entitie yet so little and small that take away one degree and it is nothing These I haue said not without reason that I might intimate vnto you the nature of the diuell who was created of God the moste perfect and absolute of all thinges notwithstanding with one only sinne he is made so fearfull loathsome and detestable that our holy Father S. Francis being asked of his companion Brother Aegidius concerning this matter was wont to answere that it were impossible for any man to see the diuell in his diabolicall shape and filthines but for the space of reciting the Pater noster without losse of life Therfore oh yee sinners how great must needes the deformitie of sinne be that hath so obfuscated that nature of so excellent a beautie and made it so filthy and odious oh my Brethren gather your forces together march with vndaunted spirits at the sound of this trumpett against the violence of your enemie cancell the bond wherin you haue boūd your selues as slaues vnto Sathan breake the truce which yee haue made with your aduersary the diuell But let vs proceed further that wee may more clearly behould the filthines of sinne consider our first parents Adam and Eue who were created with compleat stature and comelines of body before they had sinned because they were endued with originall iustice they were so pure and simple that like little children they were not ashamed of any thinge that they did but immediatly after that they had eaten of the forbidden fruite and transgressed the commandement of God their Father the holy scripture saith that aperti sunt oculi eorum Gen. 3.7 their eyes were opened and they perceaued thē selues to be naked they sowed together figge leaues to couer themselues neither is this all for the scripture saieth in the same place Cum audissent vocem Domini c. hearing the voyce of our Lord God walking in paradise at the coole of the day they hidd themselues in the middest of the trees for the feare of our Lord And the shame was so great that perceauing their nakednes it did not suffice them to couer their members with figge-tree leaues but they hidd themselues also in the middest of the trees and vpon this God crying vnto them Adam vbi es to whom Adam answered Domine vocem tuam audius oh Lord I heard thy voyce and was afraid because I was naked who did intimate vnto thee that thou werte naked but the sinne of disobedience by eating of the forbidden fruite oh
is a friend companion of God by how much it is intense in his worship praise and honour by so much it is gratious and acceptable vnto him from whence it cometh to passe that these great holy men when they were liuing in the worlde they were called the friendes of God Loquebatur Deus ad Moysen Exod. 13.11 God spake vnto Moyses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend and Iesus Christ saieth to his disciples Iam non dicam vos seruos Ioan. 15.15 now I will call you no more seruantes for the seruant knoweth not the minde of his Master but you haue I called friends because whatsoeuer I haue heard of my Father that I haue manifested vnto you Behold by what meanes a soule is made a friend and darling of God to witt by obeying his holy will and obseruing his diuine precepts now a sinner refuseth to doe that which is alwaies commaunded by God and in neglect of this performing the contrarie he witnesseth his malice and contempt of so omnipotent and infinite a maiestie if God saieth vnto him Non assumes nomē Domini tus in vanum Exod. 20.7 thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine he is presently breathing forth blasphemies If God saieth Obserua diem Sabath keepe holy the Saboth day he will little esteeme the prophanation of it if God saieth Honora Patrem honour thy Father and thy Mother he will be disobedient to them hence therfore ariseth a capitall emnitie betwixt the soule God Iniquitates vestrae diuiserunt inter vos Deum vestrum Isay 59.2 your iniquities haue made a diuision betwixt you and your God Oh vnfortunate soule what an inexcogitable preiudice hast thou procured which is the losse of Gods friendship and to appeare no other wayes in his diuine aspect then an abiect Reprobate and wretched enemy perhaps thou thinkest with thy selfe that thou hast lost but the fauour of some ignoble and vnworthy man or Prince Oh no no it is no lesse then the friendship of almighty God the creatour and conseruer of all thinges and redeemer of all mankinde Oh miserable soule if thou wouldest but duly consider and equally ballance thy vnheard of detrimēt what could there be inuented so pleasant or delightfull which might retaine thee in the snares of sinne what fetters and chaines of sinne so stronge that thou wouldest not shake off and breake in sunder oh what damage doe you sinners suffer when as you loose the loue fauour and friendship of so omnipotent clement and mercifull a God The holy Prophet Dauid consideringe only that he could not be present at the solemnity of the temple bewailing and lamenting he saieth Fuerunt mihi lachrimae meae c. Psal 41.4 my teares haue bene my bread day and night whilest they doe say vnto me where is thy God Quēadmodum desiderat ceruus euen as the harte panteth after the fountaines of waters so my soule desireth after thee oh God my soule hath thirsted after God the liuing water when shall I come and appeare before the face of God Si ergo inueni gratiam in conspectu tuo c. If therefore I haue found fauour in thy eyes shew mee thy fauourable cōtenāce saith Moyses to God Exod. 33.13 This is that that caused the Saints to be so vigilant and industrious in their prayers so austere in their fastinges mortifications and resignations of their proper wills and that to no other end but that they might be coūted worthy to be friendes of God for truly what other is the end center or repose of our soule but God As fire of its owne nature is carried vpward as euery ponderous and heauy thing of its nature falleth downewards euen so the soule is directed towards God and euen as the waters runne into the sea so haue our soules recourse vnto almighty God now truly from this center from this end and from this sweet repose is the soule hindred by the obstacle of sinne no other thing Oh therfore sinners enemies of God where wil you be secure To what place will you flie for refuge Where will you hide your selues from the presence of God Quò ibo à spiritu tuo Psal 138.7 whether shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I flie from thy face It was the misery of sinne that made Cayn crie out Ecce hodie eijcis me à facie terrae Gen. 4.14 behould thou doest cast me this day from the face of the earth and I shall be hid from thy face therfore euery man that seeth me may kill mee It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God saith S. Paul But do ye not tremble oh you sinners when your aduersary is so powerfull your enemy so potent wo be vnto vs if he were not clement who is so mighty Returne therfore now oh Brethren vnto him which so louingly expecteth you Humiliamini igitur sub potenti manu Dei 1. Pet. 5.6 humble your soules vnder the mighty hand of God that he might exalt you in the time of his visitation reconcile your selues vnto him and agree with your aduersary whilest you are in the way that when he shall see you at the point and laste article of your death taking your farewel of the world he may not condemne you with the damned soules and execrable diuells in hell but of his mercy extoll and place you in heauen Amen That a soule by sinne doth lose the grace of God THE X. CHAPTER GRatiam gloriam dabit Dominus Psal 83.4 Our Lord will giue grace and glorie That I may comprehend the matter in few wordes our Lord is he that in this life giueth grace and in the next glorie But you so long as yee are in mortall sinne are depriued of that grace and dying in sinne shall neuer attaine to that glory which God forbid therefore rather turne from your wicked wayes and learne to liue vnto God for our Lord saieth Nolo mortem peccatoris impij c. Ezech 33.11 I will not the death of a wicked sinner but had rather that the vniust man would leaue his iniquitie and liue Therefore Brethren consider I beseech you the exceedinge great detriment and losse that you suffer by the depriuation of grace which that with fruite and profit I may intimate demonstrate vnto you I beseech you and implore this thing of you that you would attentiuely heare and with diligence read this that followeth I haue formerly declared how a sinner looseth the friendship of God and now my intent is to make knowne vnto you how he looseth his diuine grace which grace is as it were an intermediat thing betwixt the soule and God causing it to be acceptable and gratefull vnto him for the grace of God is no other thing then a certaine ornament garment or spirituall vestment of the soule by which she is made glorious appeareth beautifull in the eyes and presence of her
vngodly maner of liuing There be two thinges sinners that God doâ—h not remember to wit sinnes and good workes if one hath liued wel thirty or fourtie yeares and hath serued God with much feruour of spirit and maceration of his body with fastings watchings disciplines or other such acts and at last should sinne and decline from his former institution and manner of liuing God blotteth out of his memorie all his former good workes and meritorious actes and if he die in such a state he is for euer plunged into the pitt of perdition On the other side if any one hath liued thirty or fourtie yeares in sinnes be they neuer so great and at the last should be penitent and sorrowfull for them God will forgett them all were they as redd as scarlett he will make them as white as snow and dying in that estate without all doubt he should be made participante of the perpetuall ioyes of heauen The former ought to strike great feare trembling and terrour into the good but the latter much confidence hope trust into the wicked Therfore I beseech you and entreat you deare Brethren sinners for Gods sake and the honour and loue of him that died for you that you would leaue sinning be conuerted vnto your clement Redeemer not any longer to abuse his mercies but to giue his diuine maiestie infinite thankes for his long suffering expecting euen vntill this instaÌ„t of your amendment and conuersion and who is alwaies prepared fatherly to receaue you if euer by amendement of life you shall returne home vnto him Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Psal 31.6 I said I will confesse against my selfe mine iniustice vnto our Lord and thou hast forgiuen the impietie of my sinne saieth the holy Prophet Dauid who is he oh BrethreÌ„ that would abuse this so great benignitie of God doe it not doe it not doe it not for Iesus Christ his loue and bitter passion who died vpon the crosse for you but turne your selues vnto so louing and fatherly a God which doth not only expect but also draw you that he might pardon free and redeeme you from sinne death and hell A lasse oh yee fooles wherefore do you any longer defer it Sweet Iesu Christ looke downe vppon these blinded wretches and infuse into their soules the light of grace which may bring them to the participation of thy glorie which for thy mercie and much suffering vouchsafe to make theÌ„ capable of that they may die to liue with thee eternally Amen That man may easily sinne but cannot of himselfe rise from thence THE XII CHAPTER SIne me nihil potestis facere Ioan. 15.5 without me yee can doe nothing and in another place Nemo potest venire ad me c. Ioan. 6.44 no man can come vnto mee vnlesse my Father who hath sent mee shall draw him therfore the spouse in the canticles cried out Draw me after thee Cantic 1.3 Now therfore oh sinner it is no smal euill that thou doest incurre by sinning seeing thou hast power to fall and that it is in thy free will to sinne or not but being once fallen canst not of thy owne forces rise againe without the assistance of diuine grace Tel mee I pray thee speaking of thy body that by all probability immediatlye after foote set vppon ground thou shouldest fall how careful wouldest thou bee in walking what diligeÌ„ce wouldest thou vse for the placing of thy feete for the auoyding of danger and if thou chance to fall how willingly wouldest thou imitate the asse which with great difficulty iâ— drawne that way where hee foâ—merly receued any hurt The case is the same oh sinner in respect of thy soule in the next moment thou art ready to fall dangerouslie in so much that thou hast not power and abilitie to rise againe what care oughtest thou to haue then in ordering thy footsteps what vnwillingnes to walke in that path againe in which formerly thou hast receaued so great hurt and danger But thou neglecting this perhaps wilt say God will helpe me True it is thou maiest hope and it is good that thou trust confide in his diuine assistance but with this hope there must be ioyned an holie feare to offend or sinne against so great a maiestie for otherwise thou shalt much aggrauate thy crime and delict and procure the displeasure of so benigne and louing a Father But who hath or can assure thee that the effectuall helpe of God will alwaies be at hand to assist thee Hee can doe or omitt this as it shall be thought fitt by his diuine prouidence and therefore thou hast great reason carefully and prudently to institute thy life to shunne and abandon all obiects and occasions that may any way distract or hinder thee from the vnion of so mighty powerfull a Lord. Furthermore wheÌ„ as God hath administred vnto thee ofteÌ„times his diuine helpe and raised thee vp againe but thou continuing in vices and still with the dogge returning to thy former vomit it may be I say then he will leaue thee as long as that sentence of thy damnation may be pronounced in heauen thou art neuer secure why therefore doest thou studie as I may say to sinne and to prouoke the diuine goodnes Leaue therfore Brother leaue I beseech thee by that life and pretious blood which Iesus Christ our Lord powred out for vs hanging vpon the holy wood of the crosse Brother sinne no more for assure thy selfe that so long as thou art polluted with the blemish of sinne thou art no other then an adulterate person and liable to eternall perdition Beholde vnfortunate soule if thou shouldest be in daunger to fal into some deepe lake or into the sea or any other depth or into the iawes of some cruel wilde beastes how vigilant and carefull wouldest thou bee for the auoyding of so great and imminent a perill and yet thou seemest nothing at all to feare or care for falling into hell out of which there is no redemption How good workes done in sinne doe perish and are of no merit THE XIII CHAPTER WHat dost thou not know that all thy good and meritorious acts and deeds shall not auaile thee any thing if thou but once sinne This only thing truly ought to be a sufficient motiue if thou wouldest admit it to thy serious cogitation to excite rouse thee vp to amendement and correction of thy life manners Vnderstand how great and ineffable the loue and benignitie of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is towards vs vngratefull soules who hath ordained decreed for the least thing soeuer done in the honor of him to giue and make vs capable of heauen for one fasting for one mortification of the body for one almes for one penny giuen for the loue of him for one submission and inflexion of the body proceeding and tending to his glory for pronouncing only of the blessed name of Iesus if it be done with due
be assumed with troupes of Angels into heauen there perpetually to enioy the heatificall vision and ineffable delightes of paradise But if thou shalt depart without penance for thy sinnes without confession or at least contrition and desire of confession and reconciliation when thou cāst attaine to the acte of confession thy soule then at the instant of her departure out of thy body presently being seazed vpon by a companie of diuels shal be thrust into the loathsome dūgeō of perpetual darknes Thinke now ô miserable and vnhappy sinner of the misery of the body which shal be left destitute of a soule frō which it receaued its forme beauty and comelines and being depriued of this coniunction and vnion it shall be deformed loathsome pale and wanne Thinke with thy selfe it beganne to be filthy and putrified euen then when it was first taken with a feauer cōsumption impostume or any other disease and from that time to wax most filthy loathsome Thinke that it doth agonize and sweat euen vntill the departure of the soule and continually doth excreate spitt forth fleam and other corrupted filth and in this state and condition weeping languisheth and decayeth consider that after the departure of the soule the eyes will remaine distorted thy teeth grinning thy mouth gaping and thy countenance which before was faire beautifull and comely shal afterwardes become most hideous and fearfull to behould consider what loathsome excrements it will cast forth and of the suddaine moste odiously will stink I haue said to rottennesse thou arte my Father my Mother and sister to the wormes Iob. 17.14 O extreame folly of man which careth for nothing but to pollish nourish adorne and make much of this putrified flesh which whether thou wilt or no must bee eaten and deuowred vpp by wormes We read of a certaine philosopher that out of curiosity did visit the toombe of Alexander the great which beinge opened he found it stinking filled and couered with wormes and two Serpents eating tearing his eyes whereupon he cried out saying O Alexāder how lately is it since the world could not satisfie and fill thy desire but now thou art contēt with three cubits of earth and a little toombe Yesterday thou diddest triumph and boast of the number of thy subiects dominions to day thou art filled with filthines wormes Yesterday thou wert worshipped and honoured of the world this day thou art of the same world left and forsaken yesterday thou diddest feed vpon exquisite meats delicate dainties this day thou thy selfe art become meate for wormes Alas o you sinners and especially you which are giuen to the sensuall desires vnlawfull pleasures of the flesh set before your eyes the last misery of your dead putrified and corrupted bodies goe and consider with your selues the misery and deformity of those dead carcases and perswade your selues that you must be like vnto them and more abhominable it may bee Behould ô you harlotts how Queenes Ladies and Mistresses doe die see ô you sinners how Kings Lords and Masters without exception perish and consider that the same yee it may be worse shall befall you Behould how men and women are buried sinners and harlots behould I say in what state they are which are now buried what they were within these few dayes and be you astonished absolutly perswading your selues that the same it may be worse shall happen vnto you And say to your selues woe Alas to me miserable N. O wretched G. O vnhappy E. Behould into what state we must also one day come Heare you what the dead man saith vnto you To me yesterday to thee to day woe vnto thee which behouldest mee saieth the dead man to euerie one that looketh on him Behould ô woman the miseries of this dead body which in former times was thy associate Behould the mouth nose and countenance of it contemplate the breasts and golden haires of which she did so greatly as thou doest at this present boast and glory cōsider what an alteration there is Behould thou proud and intēperate wretch whosoeuer thou art immerst in the pleasures of the body smel how odiouslie and grieuouslie this dead body stinketh Behould that woman ô lasciuious wanton and tell me if thou knowest her Alasse o yee madd and pertinacious sinners what is there that cā mollify your mindes cleaue in sunder your obdurate and stonie hartes if the misery of your owne bodies and consideration of the loathsome hatefull stinch of the same can no Lord he stinketh for he is now of foure dayes saieth Martha of her dead brother Ioan. 11.39 O sinner what smell can be compared to that of an humane dead carcase To what end therfore such diligence and such curiositie to what end such cost odors paintings and ornaments To what end so many delightes pleasures fancies or whatsoeuer may seeme delectable to soe corrupted and deformed a bodie I haue seene the offenders and haue pined away because they haue not kept thy law saieth the Prophet Psal 118. O my Brethren and sisters sinners you compell me to pine away with Dauid for the extremitie of griefe when I consider the opprobries offences and ignominies whereby you offend your God and the irrecuperable detriment and dammage which you procure vnto your owne soules How long shall sinners o Lord how long shall sinners glory they shall manifest and declare their iniquitie Let God arise and let his enemies be dispersed and let them that hate him flie from his face As smoake vanisheth let them vanish away as wax melteth at the presence of the fire so let sinners perish at the presence of God and let the iust make merrie and reioyce in the sight of God and let them be delighted in mirth Psal 67.2 Breake the arme of the sinner and malignant his sinne shall be sought and he shall not be found saieth the holie Prophet Psal 10.15 beinge moued with an infinite zeale of the honour of God and saluation of soules O good Lord I am not Dauid but of all sinners the most wretched of all heinous offendors the greatest of all wicked malefactours the most pernitious notwithstanding ô my God deare Iesus I am incited and mooued with such a desire of thine honor the saluation of my poore brethren that from the bowells of my harte or rather of thine I implore thy clemency and mercie in these wordes Haue mercie vpon vs ô Lord haue mercie vpon vs for wee are much filled with contempt because our soule is much filled and is made a reproach to the wealthy and despection to the proud O God haue mercie vpon vs haue mercie vppon vs for wee are all thy children thy seruantes and creatures Remember sweete Iesus my deare Lord that all poore miserable sinners are thy creatures thy seruantes thy children thy brothers thy sisters therfore my Iesus take compassion and comiseration vppon thy children and bretheren and shew mercie vpon thy daughters and sisters wee doe
of his wife the wife all the faultes of her husband euery one shal haue his vices and disordered affectiōs plainely knowne O the iustice of almighty God which will discouer that which a sinner thought would haue beene for euer concealed Call to minde sinner what shame that will be for thee to be set before the eyes of the whole world to be seene of al both within and without Alas how many shall there be who whilst they liued in this world were reputed Saints were reuerenced of all for such but then shall be knowne to be farre otherwise How many treacherous and diuellish plottes how many adulteries and robberies shall openly be declared to the eyes of the whole worlde O my sweet Iesu which seest al thinges that descriest whatsoeuer is committed in priuat pardon sinners Iesu helpe them that doing pennance they may not be confounded with that last and great shame Iesu remember that thou art our Father our Lord God therfore forsake vs not but turne thine anger from vs suffer not the fire of thy wrath to consume vs Let not that perish Lord which is altogether thine Haue mercy vpon vs crying out vnto thee I haue strayed as a sheepe that is lost seeke thy seruant because I haue not forgotten thy law He hath forsaken mee and there is none that seeketh after my soule Psal 118. Many poore afflicted soules of sinners make such lamentations releeue and succour them Lord leaue them not who are thine they wholly giue vp themselues vnto thee they flie to thee for refuge they craue and looke for helpe of thee alone Alas sinners men and women without doubt our case is most miserable vnlesse we liue well and honestly and be conuerted vnto our Lord God seeing we yet receaue helpe wherupon if we perish it is our owne faultes The Saints the Angels the church yea heauen earth and euery thing else is ready to helpe vs the Blessed Virgin Mary is ready to succour vs our sweet Iesus to releiue vs and in a word the Blessed Trinity is prepared to defend vs whose wee are of whom we are created and preserued God doth lift vs vp but we cast our selues downe procuring to our selues our owne damage and withall the infernall pitt of hell God would haue vs be saued our Lord Iesus Christ died for vs all he is the propitiation for our sinnes saith S. Iohn not only for ours but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Iohn 2. Therfore sinners if we be damned we can giue no lawfull excuse it is our owne mischiefe and we are the cause beginning of our owne destruction Alas therfore brethrē sisters let vs shunne and detest our former vices which if we cannot doe at the first for the loue of God which we ought to beare towards him as a Father yet at the least let vs doe it to auoide the shame which will otherwise befall vs before the whole world in the day of iudgement And thus doing I hope at last we shall be brought to forsake them for the loue of God ô heauenly consideration ô frutefull and profitable contemplation I could wish that thou wert engrauen in the hartes of all men for surely thou wouldest be then a great helpe to miserable and wretched soules which now are like to be damned by theire owne foolish madnes O sinnefull man what doest thou what thinkest thou whither goest thou why doest thou hasten with such speed vnto thy destruction ruine and damnation show them a way ô Lord that so great a number of them may not perish preserue Christiā soules from destruction seeing that so many Turkes heretikes and other infidels are daily damned who obstinatly refuse to acknowledge the truth of the holie Catholique church But there is a meanes found out alreadie Christian Bretheren and sisters which stil remaine in your sinnes If you will enter into life keepe the commaundements Math. 19.17 you know you are commaunded of God to lead a life worthy and beseeming Christian profession to abstaine from sinne and flie the apearance of euil to loue vertue and embrace godlines God almighty graunt that we all may performe this that our soules in the day of accompt may be saued Amen Of the fearfull sentence which Iesus Christ will pronounce at the day of iudgement blessed and happy are they who seriously ponder it in their hartes and soules for this is the most compendious way to forsake sinne and to turne vnto God THE XXVIII CHAPTER THen shall the King say to those that are on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Math. 25.34 There are two things which may moue and excite you sinners to forsake your enormous crimes and vices and with an vnfained repentāce to returne to your God One is the consideration of the blessinge which the good shall haue the other is the pondering of the fearfull sentence that Iesus Christ shal pronounce against the damned to the good he shall say Come yee blessed of my Father inheritt the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world But to the wicked Goe into euerlastinge fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angells the one shall be called to a paradise of pleasures the other shall be sent into a lake of torments Nothing is more glorious or beautifull then paradise nor any thing more horrible and loathsome then hell nothing more delightsome then heauen nothing more detestable then hell therfore sinner consider well of these two such contrarie places Thinke of heauen that forsaking sinne and doing pennance thou mayest come to enioy the vnspeakable pleasures of it Thinke of hell and learne soe to order thy life that desisting from thy former courses thou mayest escape the grieuous punishments of the same Wise sinners and blessed are they who chaunge their ill maners forsake their lewed courses and satisfy for their misdeeds for at their death they shall be saued but miserable are those who giue themselues ouer to the filthy lustes of the flesh and with greedines doe commit all sinne for they after this life shall finde no redresse Happy are those who striue here to adorne their soules with virtues for in the day of iudgement they shall finde mercy and obtaine euerlasting ioyes but wretched are they who followinge the pleasures of this world dye in their sinnes for in the great day of their visitation they shall be perpetually damned And they that haue done good saieth S. Athanasius shall go into life euerlasting they that haue done ill into euerlasting fire Happy are the good to whom God of his bounty will giue the treasures of heauen miserable the wicked whose portion shall bee with the diuells in torments of hell O hard hart which art not moued with these thinges O impietie of a sinner who doeth not thinke of these thinges and by harty cōtritiō returne vnto God! thou hast but one poore soule
of these thinges Bretheren doe you not likewise perceaue a great delight comfort when you thinke vppon God doe you not consider when you meditate vpon terrestriall and created thinges referring them to God their creatour and efficient cause that you receaue a wonderfull sweet content from them O what a meditation is here for you to contemplate the fairenesse and largenesse of the Emperiall heauen O Israell Magna est domus Domini ingens locus possessionis eius c. O Israell saieth the Prophet great is the house of our Lord and large is the place of his possession he is great and hauing no end high and mightie Baruch 3.25 In domo Patris mei mansiones multa sunt In my Fathers house there are many mansions saieth our Lord Iesus Ioh. 14.2 O how many diuerse places and seats are there in heauen which the Saints enioy What is it then that now hindereth your will what letteth you that you cannot be inhabitants of that heauenly citie I am non estis hospites aduenae c. Ephes 2.19 You are not now pilgrims and strangers but you are the citizens with the Saints and domestickes with God Our mercifull Lord Iesus Christ sinners hath reckoned vs amongst the citizens of heauen by his bitter death and passion he hath made vs heires and coheires of a kingdome haeredes quidem Dei cohaeredes autem Christi heires truly of God but as coheires of Christ. Alas miserable wretches what mischiefe is it that depriueth you of so large and faire an inheritance sinne some small puffe or blast of pride some little delight of your polluted bodies some gredie desire or thirsting after humane affaires some light passion of hatred some foolish plotts to be reuenged accursed be all those sinnes which procure such losse and damage vnto vs as to depriue vs of heauen and of the beatifical visiō of the almightie of the most pleasant sight of God the Father and of our Lord Iesus Christ and this is the portion which befalleth all the damned in hell O most louing Father O blessed Sonne of God and holy Ghost the comforter full of loue and charity for thy mercies sake suffer vs not to be depriued of those thy great and large promises permit not Lord God our mercifull Father Sonne and holie Ghost permit vs not to loose the ioyfull sight of that glory in the life to come and the comfort of thy grace in this life present Amen Of the fire of hell and the paines of sense which the damned doe suffer in the companie of diuells THE XXXI CHAPTER PRaeparata est enim ab heri Tophet c. for Tophet is prepared since yesterday of the King deepe and wide the nourishment thereof is fire much wood the breath of our Lord as a torrent of brimstone kindling it Isay 30.33 Goe to now sinner call to thy remembrance those grieuous punishments which thou shalt endure in hell vnlesse thou amend thy life And first of all consider that in hell there is a wonderful denowring fire euer burning and yet neuer consumeth those miserable damned Praeparata est ab heri It is prepared since yesterday that is from the beginning of the foundation of the world there is a place prepared which is called Tophet which signifieth a misleading or beguiling that is hell whither all the soules misled and beguiled by the world the flesh and the diuell presently resorte This Tophet and this hel God the King of Kinges hath prepared to reuenge and punish those execrable diuels all sinners together with thē Prosūdata c. It is deepe and vaste hell is large of great cōpasse saith the holy Prophet I say Nutrimentum eius c. the fuell of this place is fire wood and God with his breath doth cōtinually kindle and sett it on fire Whereupon sinners it is moste cleare that hell is a very darke place in the most inward deepest partes of the earth broade and wide and so ample that although soules should fall downe therin as fast as the raine vpon the earth yet would it neuer be filled In this place the fire allwaies burneth and without ceasing or intermission cruelly torments the diuells damned persons and will so torment and wofully burne them for euer The holy Doctors doe hould that this fire is corporall Ignem infernalem corporalem esse non ambigo saieth Saint Gregorie I doe not doubt but that the fire of hell is corporall And although no corporall thing hath power to worke on a spirituall thing naturally yet notwithstanding by the diuine power that fire which is corporall of the same nature with ours neuer ceaseth after a wonderfull manner to torment al the diuels which are pure spirits and all the damned soules which likewise are without their bodies vntill the day of iudgement then their bodies also shall burne with them for all eternity Alas miserable sinners this is the place appointed and prepared for you where you shal burne with all the accursed crue of diuells for euer except you amend your liues and by repentance turne vnto God That fire shall burne for euer and neuer be extinguished Nutrimenta eius ignis c. The nutriment therof is fire and much wood neither shall there want one daily to blow it for the breath of our Lord like a torrent of brimstone doth kindle it But you must by no means suppose or thinke that there is wood in hell necessary to encrease the fire but the sacred scripture speaketh so to this end that it may be presēted more liuely vnto our vnderstāding which better comprehends and perceaueth naturall thinges neither can wee but say the diuells and soules before iudgement and the bodies of the damned after iudgement be vnderstood by wood for euen as the wood shall be cast into the fire so the diuels and the damned spirits before the day of iudgemēt and their bodies after shal be cast into the same O wonderfull miserie and calamitie whereinto a sinner falleth seeing that he must go downe into hell where he shal burne for euer and euer and neuer be consumed Thinke with thy selfe that thou cannest not without marueilous paine hould thy fingar in this our fire for the space of one Aue Maria but according to the opinion of the Doctors this our fire being compared with the fire of hell is like a painted fire O ineffable miserie Put thy fingar a while to a painted fire and thou shalt perceaue no sensible paine but thrust it into a reall fire and thou shalt not be able to endure the same So truly stādeth the case here for so mightie and so forcible is the fire of hell and tormenteth the soule in such sort and so intolerably as that suppose any one could deliuer and take a soule out of hell fire and cast it into some burning furnace of our fire the soule would imagine it to be no other thing then a recreation or some sweet
of this life for so soone as thy soule shall leaue thy stinking and vile body presently will these cruell fiendes lay hold vpon her and entertaine her with store of tortures Consider with what fury and madnes they will take possession of thy soule Thinke what straunge kindes of torments they will inuent to punish her O there is nothing which we can excogitate so horrible as this Know for certaine that after death iudgement the diuell may dispose of thee as he listeth as well for thy body as thy soule Alas obdurate sinner cannest thou imagine that thou hast no need to doe pennance seeing that thou hast delighted thy selfe with all carnall pleasures and lasciuiousnes euen to the full Thou art deceaued wretch if thou suppose that thy body which for so many yeares together hath bene exposed to al abhominable vices shall not at last receaue recompence for its former lewednes Thou greedy glutton which Epicure-like makest a God of thy belly doest thou not expect the wages which thou hast deserued Thou bloudy companion which desirest nothing more then to be reuenged of thine enemies māgling their bodies at thy pleasure doest thou thinke to goe vnpunished or that infernall fiendes shall not in the same sorte dilacerate and disioint all the partes and members of thy body O the madnesse and blindnesse of mankinde which vnawares casteth it selfe downe headlong into hell what wilt thou doe wretched sinner when thou shalt be brought from one companie of diuells to another farre worse and more furious What wilt thou say lasciuious maide when thou shalt be tortured in one part of hell and from thence in a sudden be thrust into another where an infinite multitude of executioners expecteth thee What course will you take sinnefull men and women when you shall see your selues dailie to be punished with new and straunge deuised punishments Consider sinner that thy pleasures and pastimes are but transitorie call to minde wanton woman how that beautie will decay thy comely countenance be consumed and thy body become a prey for diuells Tell me I pray thee lewed woman hast thou neuer seene any one possessed in all thy life dost thou remember how the damned spirits tosse those miserable creatures torture their bodies in most pittifull manner Goe to then and consider how they will deale with thee when they shall get thee in their regiment when by the diuine iustice thou shalt be deliuered vp into their handes to be afflicted both in body and soule Consider seriouslie if those which the diuels possesse ar handled of them in this sorte vpon whom as yet they haue no power at all but only so farre as God doth giue thē leaue for they haue power ouer the bodie alone but nothing to do with the soule what will then become of thee when both in body and soule thou shalt be wholy deliuered vp to their cruelty which is not the same case with possessed persons because they are very seldome tormented of more diuells then one at the same time woe to you men and women which now disquiet not your thoughts with these thinges for afterwards you will feele the smarte for your negligence What sinner dost thou thinke that it will profit thee any thing if thou complaine and say Alas you afflict mee leaue off punish mee no longer and commiserate my poore case Noe noe it is otherwise yea the more thou shalt bewaile the greater blowes shall they lay vpon thee What canst thou replie that thy griefe and torments might be diminished The time wil neuer come in which these grieuous paines shall cease Ite in ignem c. goe saieth our Sauiour into eternall fire who shall reiect thee with terrible sentence and adiudge thee to these perpetuall flames What punishment will it be vnto thee when thou shalt call to minde the angry coūtenance of Christ Iesus whom after death thou didest behould in iudgement Good God Numquid qui cadit non resurget Shall not he that falleth rise againe and he that is turned away shall he not turne againe why thē is this people turned away with a cōtentious reuolting saieth the Prophet Ieremie 8.4 It is mans frailtie to fall angelicall puritie to amend and diuelish malice to perseuere in sinne as a certaine Doctour affirmeth Alas Brethren and sisters sinners be not so carelesse of the time to come returne to your God be sorry for your offences cōmitted earnestly begg pardon for thē of the diuine clemency whose property is to forgiue sinners Deus cui proprium est misereri c. God whose proprietie is to haue mercy and to spare saieth our holy Mother the church receaue our humble petitions that the pittifulnes of thy mercie may gently absolue vs and all thy seruants whom the chaines of their offences haue fast bound Returne to your Lord God and get againe into fauour with your sweet Iesus Are you afraide sinners that he will not receaue you thinke not so sinners Misericordia Domini plena est terra the earth is full of the mercy of our Lord and his tender compassions are ouer all his workes saith the holie Prophet Dauid Fidelis sermo c. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptance that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Meditate a while vpon the great loue wherwith thy God was moued to come downe from heauen and to dwell vpon the earth for thee he was made man for thee and for thy sake after thirtie-three yeares spēt in austerities contempts and reproaches he shedd his most pretious bloud vpon the crosse Alas this alone ought to be sufficient to breake in pieces your stony hartes to bring you backe againe into the right path O Iesu my loue through vertue of thy holy name conuert sinners and those that goe astray take commiseration of their sinnefull state pardon them and be reconciled with them that they may auoide and shunne the tiranny of the diuell Graunt this my sweet Iesu I hūbly beseech thee through the merits of thy death and passion through thy most pretious bloud which thou diddest shedd for mee and for all sinners vppon the holy wood of the crosse Graunt this I beseech thee for the loue of thy most sacred passion for the loue of thy moste deare and pure Mother Graunt this mercy my beloued Iesu to all sinners for thy exceeding great clemency giue them pardon and forgiuenesse in honour of thy Angels and blessed Saints Amen IN THE NAME OF THE Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS THE 1. CHAPTER THE diuision of the Seauen Trumpets The 2. Chapter The first Trumpet of Gods grieuous complaint of a sinner The 3. Chapter Of the infinite wrong wherewith a sinner by sinning doth offend the diuine Maiestie The 4. Chapter The second Trumpet of the deformitie of sinne The 5. Chapter Here followeth the same matter of the deformitie of sinne The 6.
execrable and accursed sinne how great and infinite is thy deformitie filthines and malice Here followeth the same matter of the deformitie of sinne THE V. CHAPTER SVch so great oh Brethren is the deformity of sinne that if a sinner should see his soule in a deadly sinne he would be vtterlie confounded with feare and amazement Wee read of an adulterer who after that he had committed adultery returned home whose wife and children forthwith astonished at the sight of him rāne away for he did appeare vnto them in the likenes of a diuell with fearfull and huge hornes this man beholding himselfe in a glasse and seeing himselfe to be soe deformed being stroken with an horrible feare with all expedition and haste went forth to confession and to be reconciled to almightie God the people that mett him yea the very brute beastes themselues being affrighted fled away he seemed so terrible to them in shape and figure and coming to the preist who did stand at the gate of the church saying his diuine office being espied of him to approach neare vnto the church he did so astonish him as that it caused him presently to shut the dores The miserable soule comming to the dore intimated vnto him that he was a sinner and was so deformed and of so fearfull aspect by reason of his sinne and desired him not to be afraide this being related and manifested the priest being possessed with no smal fear went out vnto him who hauing confessed being penitent and reconciled was restored to his ordinary naturall forme Oh soule soule oh vnhappy and wretched soule if thou couldest but see thy selfe being in a deadly sinne how exceedingly beyond all apprehension wouldest thou bee ashamed astonished confounded at thy selfe how great a terrour would seaze vpon thee if thou shouldest see thy selfe so deformed and vggly through sinne when as before thou wert moste faire beautifull Furthermore when yee commit any sinne lest you should be seene of any one you seeke obscure places for the performance of the same and if by fortune you be apprehended in the acte of your offence presently you are moste grieuously ashamed and perplexed and although the sinne be obscure and not reuealed yet for many yeares you dare not appeare in the presence of him who apprehended you Oh blessed soules who now rest in the fauour of God make knowne vnto these sinners what basenes and confusion yee perceaue in sinne when as some time by the diuine permissiō endued with heauenly virtues and illuminated with the celestiall beames of diuine grace you know vnderstand apprehend your former blemishes and offences and the multitude of soe great iniuries whereby formerly you haue displeased your moste gracious God I beseech you oh blessed soules demonstrate this vnto these sinners and sollicite your benigne and clement spouse for them that he would be pleased for his mercies sake to bestow some measure of those singular graces wherewith yee your selues were endued vpon these destressed desolate and miserable wretches effect this I beseeche you by the loue of him who soe dearly loueth you and whom you likewise so much reuerence honour and esteeme Doe this seeing there is nothing more acceptable vnto God then to intercead for poore sinners for the pardoning and remission of their sinnes who were redeemed and bought with so deare a price as the pretious blood death and passion of his deare sonne obtaine this therefore I intreat you while I proceed further to exaggerate the deformitie of sinne Giue eare oh my Brethren sinners sinne is so odious and abhominable that it compelled Iob to curse the houre and day in which he was borne with that fearfull speech saying Pereat dies in qua natus sum Iob. 3.3 let the day perish in which I was borne the night in which it was said a man childe is conceaued let darknes and the shadow of death obscure it let a miste possesse it let it bee wrapped vp in bitternes let a darkesome whirlewinde possesse that night let that day not be counted with the dayes of the yeare nor numbred in the monethes And a little after in the same chapter he vttereth these words full of misteries Quare non in vuluâ mortuus sum c. why perished I not in the wōbe why did the knees beare mee the brests giue me sucke what doe yee say to this oh my Brethren that such an holy perfect and iust man as Iob should say these thinges of whom God with his owne mouth gaue this testimony vnto Sathan Numquid cōsiderasti seruum meum Iob Iob. 2.3 hast thou considered my seruant Iob that there is not the like vnto him in the earth a man simple vpright fearing God retaining innocency Wherefore then and to what end should such fearfull words as the literall sence giueth proceed out of his mouth as to curse the day the night and houre of his birth surely it was only to intimate vnto vs the greuous and detestable loathsomnes of sinne in which he was conceaued Oh this wonderfull and admirable exaggeration of sinne how fully doth it represent vnto vs the filth and deformity therof God graunt that the terrible soūd of this trumpet may worke in you an abhorring and detestation of vice and kindle in your soule the fire of diuine loue that you may die daily to sinne here liue with him perpetually herafter Amen In what hatred sinne is in the sight of almighty God THE VI. CHAPTER O Dio sunt Deo impius impietas eius Wisdom 14.9 The wicked and his impietie are abhominable vnto God Soe great Brethren is the deformitie of sinne that God who is nothing but beauty splendour and goodnes hath it in great hatred and detestation and not sinne only but also the sinner The wicked and his impietie are odious alike in the sight of God saith the holy scripture By many thinges we may collect the deadlye hatred that God hath towardes sinners but most especially by two The first is that he doth soe sodenlie out of his seuere iustice punish it Lucifer and his associates sinned but God by no means enduring that insolent pride precipitated them frō the height of their former felicitie into the abisse of eternall darknes by Michael the Archangell prime minister in the celestiall paradise Our first parents Adam and Eue sinned and God forthwith expelled them out of paradise There are many examples in holy scripture which doe liuely set before our eyes the rigorous and soden execution of the iudgement and seueritie of God vpon sinners The Israeliticall people sinned adoring the golden Calfe presently the fire of Gods wrath was kindled and he said vnto Moyses Dimitte me ut irascatur furor meus contra eos Exod. 32.20 suffer mee that my fury may arise against them The same people sinned in demaunding Quailes in the wildernes Adhuc escae erant in ore ipsorum Psal 77.30 Euen when the meat was in their mouth the iudgements of