backe again open sinners and blasphemers to earnest repentaunce for their owne sinfulnesse and to haue a sure trust in the mercy of God and in the merit of Christs passion and death though they be euen at the departure out of this presēt life for it is neuer too late so long as life lasteth Let vs therefore with all feruentnesse call vpon them and exhort them in any wise with a good courage and a sure and vndoubful faith aske call and cry for Gods mercy for his sweet sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake and vndoubtedly they shall haue it For since the beginning of the world hitherto was there neuer one that in faith asked mercy heartely but he had it through the gratious goodnesse of our aforesaid most mercifull sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour laude and praise world without end Amen Yours at commaund to his power T. C. Giue all the honor laud and praise to God onely 1. Tim. 1. The prayer of Daniel turned into metre and applyed vnto our time Daniel IX O Lord thou high and fearefull God By whom all things do moue Thy mercies great are sure to such As thy precepts doe loue We sinfull men haue sore transgrest Against thy lawes deuine Full frowardly we haue fled backe From these precepts of thine Thy Prophets deare to speake were prest In setting forth thy name Both rich and poore as bold were bent For to gainesay the same To thee therefore thou Lord of hoastes All iustice doth belong To poure on vs such shame and griefe In this we haue no wrong Our shame is great and due to all Our flight is but in vaine To tread strange lands our sin hath sought Our shame doth still remaine But though such shame a reward iust To all in common be Yet mercy Lord and to forgiue Doth still belong to thee Indeede O Lord as for our selues No lesse confesse wee can But that thy lawes wee set at nought Much lesse haue kept them than Thy Prophets spake wee would not heare Ne of thee stand in awe Strange plagues from time to time we felt For breaking of thy lawe The force whereof so fiercely bent Was such as hath not bene For all the plagues in Moses lawe Fell on this Realme for sinne And yet to thee who made his sute His path way so to guide That flying vice might learne thy lawe And therein to abide Wwerefore thou sawest all would not helpe And couldst not hold thine hand But haste thy curse which now doth fall Vpon this sinfull land For as thou art a righteous God Thy workes doe soe appeare Consuming such as scorne doth take Thy louing voyce to heare But yet O Lord thou broughtest forth Thy flocke from Egipt land Whereby thy name was largely spread So now stretch forth thine hand But we haue sinned more then they Oh Lord yet stay thy rod. As for this land was sometime thine And thou also our God Our sinnes and eke our fathers faultes This day to passe hath brought That all which border vs about They set vs cleane at nought Now then O Lord hide not thy face Oh heare thy seruaunts cry Behold thine house sometime full rich How wast it doth nowe lie Thy truth is fled thy flock fast bound As sheepe led to be slaine Thy foes preuaile and prosper much Though mischiefe they maintaine And wilt not thou thy foes confound That thus thy workes reproue At least yet for thy great names sake Their vile intents remoue For why as for our owne deserts We can no such thing haue It is for thy great mercies sake That we such thinges doe craue Forgiue vs Lord intreated be To heare vs make no stay We beare thy name it is thy cause Oh Lord make no delay A Prayer against Despaire O Eternall God most louing and gratious father in Iesus Christ who art alwaies praysed and magnified by thy children in theyr great deliuerances and preseruation from their perils and daungers but especially when they perceiue themselues freede from the power of Satan death and hell from the which no creature can saue and deliuer them but thou onely O Lorde And because no chaine of the deuill or euill temptation is more strong to fetter the body and soule of man then despaire which is a wilfull forsaking of faith and confidence in thee O God it arising springing from fear and doubt as if thou wert not faithfull in thy promises or able in thy power to preserue vs Helpe Lord I beseech thee and free and deliuer me thy poore seruaunt from this temptation thraldome of Satan and soe strengthen I humbly pray thee my faith and confidence euer more in thee that in al my perils necessities wants sorrowes and griefe in this world I may haue a strong and stedfast hope in thee whereby I may ouercome repell and keepe backe the dangerous and subtill suggestions of Satan the world and the flesh to thy great glory and praise and my eternall and vnspeakable comfort through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Morning O Lord thou which couerest the night with darkenesse and causest man therein to take his rest and by euery day and night doest shew thy great glory in the heauens and also thy wisdome and power by gouerning and preseruing all thy creatures vpon the earth O Lord I thy poore seruaunt and creature doe most humbly thanke thee from the bottome of my heart for my sweete and comfortable rest this night past and for watching ouer mée by thine eye of prouidence and kéeping both my body and soule by thy grace from sinne and death beseeching thée O Lorde God my father Sauiour and comforter to blesse to sanctifie direct and preserue me in this thy new day and that I may become a newe creature vnto thée O God in holinesse and righteousnesse labouring faithfully and painfully in my calling that so my laboures this day may be sanctified and blessed vnto mée and mine and that I may shew forth thy praise in al my waies and declare my loue and charity vnto men in all my works that after the dayes of this my life and pilgrimage finished and ended here in this world I may liue with thee for euer in the world to come throgh Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour who liueth and reigneth with thée and the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Euening O gratious and mercifull God I am most bound vnto thy heauenly Maiesty for my preseruatiō this day because I and al men are continually subiect vnto all dangers and perils griefes sorrowes sicknesse and death yea we lie open vnles thy grace and might doe defend vs vnto the temptations tyranny of the world the flesh the deuill which daily seek and desire our hurt and confusion both of body soule for euer Wherefore O gratious and euerliuing God as thy right hand and sauing health hath bene with mée this day and thou hast directed blessed and comforted mee thy poore seruaunt in all my wayes and labours for the which I most hūbly thank thée so I most earnestly entreat thy Maiesty in thy loue and mercy for Christ Iesus sake to keepe mée and al mine in safety this night and to couer vs vnder the shadow of thy winges from all perils and dangers whatsoeuer and that our soules as well as our bodies may take their swéet and comfortable rest and ioy in thée and likewise that thou wouldest grant that whensoeuer thou shalt knocke at the doore of our hearts to call vs vnto thee O God we may with the wise Virgins be watchfull haue oyle in our lamps that we may be receiued into eternall rest through Iesus Christ thy deare sonn and our onely Sauiour Amen FINIS
the naughtie king was neither mooued with these miracles nor wondered at the vision and the foretelling of his confusion but abode hard of beliefe neither yet was punished And hitherto Gods patience was not tried but when hee had forborne him a long time at length hee vnneth corrected him not punishing the offences past but respecting the amendment to come in a word he condemned him not euerlastingly Dan. 4.33 but chastised for a little space but reformed for a fewe yeeres he got againe his former estate so that by the punishment he sustained no losse but by the amendment gat great good Such beleeue me such is the goodnes of God towards men neuer reiecting repentance if it be truely and vprightly offred although one come to the top of wickednesse Nunquam sera est ad bonos more 's via Sen. notwithstanding if he haue a desire to returne to the way of vertue he gladly receiueth and imbraceth him and doth all things wherby he may be reclaimed to his wonted condition Yea that which is more worth the noting although any be not able wholy to abandon the vre of sin he will not refuse how smal soeuer repentance in how little time soeuer vndertaken hee will take it and not suffer the least conuersion goe vnreguerdoned Is 57. Or for his sins I haue made him sory a little while c. and I haue bin sad and I haue walked heauily and I haue healed him I haue coÌ„forted him For this mee thinketh Isaiah sheweth where he speaketh after this manner of the people of the Iewes for his sinne I haue made him somewhat sory and I haue smitten him and I haue turned my face from him and he was sory and walked heauily and I healed him and comforted him But the wicked king that by reason of the naughtinesse of his wife sought a booty for his lust may be a more euident testimonie of this matter who being troubled with the hainousnesse of his sinnes repented and cloathed in sackecloth bewailed his doing and heere in so drew the mercy of God vpon him that hee pardoned all his trespasses For so it is said * 1. King 21.28.29 and the word of the Lord came to Eliah the Tishbite saying seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring that euill in his dayes Also after him againe Manasses who bare the bell from all pittilesse tyrants who ouerthrew the seruice of God and the worship of his lawes who replenished the Temple of the Lord with Idols thrusting out the worshipping of the Lord this king I say surpassing the wickednesse that euer hath beene heard of albeit repented and after was numbred among the friends of God 2. Chro. 33. Now if he or they of whom afore we mentioned pondering the vnmeasurablenesse of their transgressions had despaired of returne by conuersion and repentance doubtles they had lost all those good things which happened vnto them by amendment of life But contrariwise they beholding the mercy that cannot be vttered and God his infinite and profound goodnesse vntied from their neckes the diuelish bonds of despaire and spurring vp themselues were conuerted to the way of vertue and by withdrawing their foote from headlong ruine finished a good course And so farre of the examples of the holy men Psal 95.1 Now hearken how God by the Prophet allureth vs in words to repentance to day saith he if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts c. And in that he saith to day he meaneth all our life time euen vnto the last part if so it chaunce of our olde age Short repentance looseth not reward Ionas 3. for not the length of time but the truenes of repenting is considered or else how is it read that the Niniuites in the little space of one day not in long time purged a most grieuous sinne And the theefe also which hanged on the crosse Luk. 23. needed not a very long season to bee made fit for paradise but so much space was ynough as was spent in pronouncing one speech Insomuch that in a moment haâ—ing all his sinnes clensed he was thought worthy to enter heauen before euen the Apostles And semblably doe we not oftentimes see the martyrs in one day and percase in the space of one howre to receiue the crownes of great rewards Wherefore hardinesse is all and a boldnes conioined with pâ—ompt and ready minds that mooued as it were with a certaine wrath we be displeased with lust our inueagler and offer all our desire and loue on the altar of vertue For this is that thing that God willeth and requireth of vs he seeketh not continuance of time nor vexation of vs he respecteth true and vnfained conuersion * Seeing many that were last haue by earnest la our exceeded those that were before theÌ„ It is not then so badde to fall as after a fall to lie still be vnwilling to rise couering the vitiousnes of our ill intent taking no delight but in sin with desperate speeches For with indignation the Prophet crieth out against these Doth not heâ— rise vp that falleth and he returne that is turned away * Jere. 8. Godly men may rise by repentance after their fall Now if thou say What if one of the faithfull should fall may he be restored To this I aunswere in that we say he hath fallen wee confesse he stood before he fell for it is an absurd thing to be spoken that any man fell that hath still lien and neuer stood We will produce also out of the booke of God allegations if ought hath bene spoken of this matter either in parables or in plaine speeches or if any thing may be found in the examples of our elders What representeth that sheepe which when it wandred from the ninetie and nine Luke 15. was sought by the sheepheard and brought home on his shoulders doth it not euidently shew the sliding and the repairing of a faithfull body For it was a sheepe like as were the ninety and nine not of any other but of the selfe same flocke it had the selfe same guides it was first fed in the same pasture with the same water and the same fold contained it that did the rest But it straied not a litle and wandred through the mountaines and hils that is it went farre from the right path yet the good sheepheard suffereth it not to pine away in straying but seeketh it and calleth it againe and he calleth it home not driuing it violently neither beating it with strokes but supporting it with his owne shoulders For as all skillull Physitions by mitigation of medicine deale more nicely and tenderly with those that haue beene long vexed with infirmitie so God doth not reclaime those that haue beene long corrupt with sinne to the way of vertue with any tariance at all but by peece-meale and little and little bearing with their weakenesse
who waite vpon him and suppose our selues wretched if we bee not vouchsafed any place amongst them though we know the weaknes and instability of thâ—se terrene things somtimes for forreine warres sometimes for ciuill conterwaits and sometimes for malicious spite yet howsoeuer it bee it grieueth those that haue fallen thence How then shall it not much more vexe vs if with the highest king who holdeth the whole globe of the earth Isai 40. not a part thereof onely yea who holdeth it in his fist who measureth the heauen with an hand breadth who supporteth each thing by the word of his power who reckoneth the Gentiles as nothing yea as spettle with this I say when he bestoweth honour that shal last for euer we haue no place neither be numbred among his seruants Will it not pinch vs more then any paine But peraduenture thou sayest it will suffice vs to escape hell albeit wee bee not thought worthy of the sight of the King What more vnhappy and wretched soule is there than to which this is sufficient Supposest thou that the King wherof we speake shall come to iudge the earth carried in Chariots of Mules or in gilded waggons or with the terrible power of a diademe Nay harken how the Prophets foretold as much as might be declared to men the comming of Christ One of them saith thus Our God shall come Psal 50.3 and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuour before him and a mighty tempest shall be mooued round about him he shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people And harken how another to wit Isaiah sheweth the diuerse sorts of punishments these are his wordes Behold the day of the Lord commeth cruel with wrath Isai 13.9 and firce anger to lay the land wast and he shall destroy the sinners out of it For the starres of heauen Verse 10. and the planets thereof shall not giue their light the Sunne shall be darkened in his going forth and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Verse 11. And I will visit the wickednes vpon the world and their iniquitie vpon the wicked and I wil cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease I will make a man more precious then fine Gold Verse 12. euen a man aboue the wedge of gold of Ophir Verse 13. Therefore I will shake the heauen and the earth shall remooue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hoasts and in the day of his fierce anger And againe hee saith the windowes from on high are open Jsa 24.18 and the foundations of the earth doe shake The earth is vtterly broken downe 19. the earth is cleane dissolued the earth is exceedingly mooued The earth shall reele too and fro like a drunken man 20. and shall be remoued like a tent the iniquity thereof shal be heauy vpon it so that it shal fall and rise no more And in that day 21. shal the Lord visit the hoaâ—t aboue that is on high euen the Kings of the world that are vpon the earth and they shal be gathered together as the prisoners in the pit and they shall be shut vp in prison And the Prophet Malachies words are consonant hereto Malac. 3. Verse 1.2 Behold he shall come saith the â—ord of hoasts But who may abide the day of his comming and who shall indure when he appeareth For he is like a purging fire and like fullers sâ—pe Verse 3. And hee shall sit downe to fine and try the siluer he shall euen fine the sons of Leuie and purifie them as gold and siluer Chap. 4.1 And againe he saith for behold the day commeth that shall burne as an ouen and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall bee as stable and the day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of hoasts and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch And another of the Prophets saith Dan. 7.9 I beheld till the thrones were set vp and the auncient of daies did sit whose garment was white as snow and the haire of his head like pure wooll Verse 10 A fiery streame issued and came forth from before him the iudgement was set and the bookes opened And a little after Vers 13. as I beheld in visions by night beholde one like the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen and approached vnto the auncient of these dayes and they brought him before him And he gaue him dominion Vers 14. and honour and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and his kingdome shall neuer bee destroyed Vers 15. I Daniel was troubled in my spirit in the midst of my body and the visions of mine head made me afraid So then when these things shall begin the gates of heauen shall be opened yea rather the very heauen shall be taken away as if the couerings of a pauilion were drawne together to wit that it may be restored and transfigured into better Then all things shall be in feare amazednesse and trembling shall fill euery place Then also feare shall shake the Angels and not the Angels alone but perchance the Archangels thrones dominions rules and powers For this is signified where it is said I will shake the heauen Jsai 13.13 for they are the fellow seruants of them that must bee iudged and must giue an account of this life If when one Citie is to bee iudged by the iudges of this world other feare and shake although it be not for great danger like to insue when the vniuersal world shall come to be iudged of him that lacketh not witnesse that doth not seek arguments that doth not require an orator for the cause but all these things being remooued that doth reueale the deeds wordes and thoughts of men that placeth each thing in open sight and heweth euery fact as it wrre in a painted table before the eyes both of the transgressors and the beholders how much more shall euery creature bee mooued with feare And if then no fierie streame should issue forth neither the terrible Angels or greesely executioners should stand by but if thus onely it were that men should be called before the king and some should be praysed and honoured other some without honour cast to confusion if men did onely suffer this punishment would it not surpasse the torments of hell that when other were endowed with gifts of the king they should shamefully suffer the repulse Which paine how vntolerable it is although speech now may not declare yet then shall we cleerely perceiue it when we come to experience Furthermore besides all these anguishes of torments fet before your eyes not confusion alone and vtter shame but the way how men are drawne to fire and deliuered vp to racking Thinke vpon those cruell and vgly tortors which throw sinners downe headlong
would God our hands were idle and did not worke our owne decay Which if they doe it hath great affinitie with most manifest outrage as if for example a champion leauing his aduersary should turne his hands on his owne head and buffet himselfe The diuell hath put vs to flight and hath dashed vs in sunder we haue need then to rise and to resist him When thou art once cast downe if thou be willing not onely to lie still but to throw downe thy selfe headlong this is to assent to thine enemie and to take in defence his part Blessed Dauid fell after rhe same sort thou diddest neither so alone but in more grieuous wise for he combined murder with adultery and what did he then Did he lie so Did he not rise and resist the enemy and so ouercame him that his good deeds profited his posterity ween he was gone For when Salomon had committed that hainous crime and was deemed worthy of a thousand deaths yet for Dauids sake the Lord said he would bestow the kingdome on him longer These be the words I will surely rent the kingdome from thee 2. Ki. 11.11 and will giue it to thy seruant Notwithstanding in thy daies I will not doe it 12. because of Dauid thy father 2. Ki. 19.34 but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne Hezechiah when he was much indangered albeit he were a iust man himselfe yet for blessed Dauid the Lord promised to helpe him * Or I will defend this citie to saue it for mine own sake and for Dauid my seruantes sake I will defend this Citie for mine owne sake and for Dauid my seruants sake I will saue it See what was the strength of repentance see what power conuersion had But if he had thus thought which thou now thinkest and had said it is impossible that the Lord should now be merciful to me he hath greatly honoured me and hath endued me with the gift of prophecy he hath exalted me to a kingdome he hath deliuered me from manifold dangers how then can I promerite clemencie at the hands of God forasmuch as I haue thus fallen If Dauid had thus thought he had loâ—â— not only that went afore but that that followed also For not only the wounds of the body if they be neglected bring death but the wounds of the soule semblably Are we so sottish to put a plaister to a bodily wound and neuer attempt to cure the soule Many wounds of our body may not be cured yet we dispaire not and though the Chirurgions say the wound is vncuâ—â—able yet we earnestly and vrgently beseech them that they would mittigate some what the paine But in the wounds of the soule which are not vnsanable for the soule is not tyed to necessity neither abideth any passion we are remisse we are past hope we are pricked with no care When there is no hope our griefe of body may be healed yet we withdraw nothing from our care but here when no occasion is of desperation without vsing any labour we omit all care So you perceiue how that more ardently we loue our body then our soule knowing not that if we regard not our soule we cannot saue our body For the soule was not ordained for the body but the body for the soule and he that esteemeth not the higher but polisheth the inferiour marreth both But he that obserueth an order and garnisheth the first admitte hee doe not passe for the second by the saluation neuerthelesse of the first the seeond shall be saued The which is builded on the plot of Christ his words Feare ye not them which kill thâ—â— body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell Thinke you we haue done enough and satisfied you in this thing that no infirmity of the soule is vncureable Or else is it needfull wee should vse other reasons and confirme it yet further For although a thousand times thou dispaire of thy selfe wee will neuer dispaire of thee Neither doe we this that wee mislike in other howbeit there be ods whether one dispaire of himselfe or another of him To dispaire of another is pardonable but to dispaire of him selfe is not because he is not master of anothers mind this ruleth his owne purpose Wherefore we hope there is a returne for you to the state of your former life and to the vertues of the minde which we know are in you Besides these things this we adde The Nineuits heard the Prophet saying definitely Jon. 2.4 yet forty dayes and Nineueh shal be ouerthrown notwitstanding they were not discouraged No not when they were not certaine that the Lord would not bring to passe his words and when in mans iudgement there was no hope of forgiuenesse And as soone as that abrupt saying was ended they determined repentance saying who can tell if God will turne and repent Verse 9. 10. and turne away his fierce wrath that we perish not And God saw their workes that they turned from their euill waies and God repented of the euill that he had said he would doe vnto them and he did it not If Barbarians and ignorant folke could vnderstand so much of the mercy of God doth it not much more behoue vs to do so who are instructed in the word of God and know this example was before our time and that many more like are contained in Gods booke either in words Isai 55.8 or in acts For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord. 9. For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher theÌ„ your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Farthermore if we receiue our seruants who haue offended vs when they promise they will amend and account of them as before nay many times credit them more after reconcilement will not God much rarher deale thus with vs If he had made vs to punish vs thou mightest well despaire and doubt of thy saluation but if for his goodnes onely he made vs to enioy his euer-during blisse and rewards and doth al things from the beginning of the world till this day to this end and purpose that he may saue vs what matter of despairing what matter of misdoubting is there left We haue offended him say you more than euer any man For this cause shouldest thou more speedily and earnestly make satisfaction and be sorrowfull for thine offence and abandon those deedes with which God is offended Neither doth a grieuous iniury offende any body so much as to continue in it when there is time and opportunâ—tie of satisfaction To sinne is humane but to perseuer in sinne is diabolicall To conclude Hier. 3.7 Or and I said when she had done all this turne thou vnto me but she returned not behold how God by the Prophet mistiketh this more then that And I haue
said saith he after that she hath in all this gone a whooring be thou turned to me and she is not turned And other-where when he had rebuked the transgressions of the people by his Prophet and they had promised amendment hee sheweth how louingly he receiueth the conuersion of sinners who wil grant their heart may be so in them that they may feare me and keepe my commaundements all the daies of their life that it may be well with them and rheir children for euermore Moses likewise when he would teach the people what God requireth of men Deu. 10.12 saith thus And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule God then who is desirous that himself be beloued of vs and for this doth all things not sparing his onely begotten for our saluation and the loue he bare towards vs wold faine after what fort soeuer if I may so speake we should be reconciled to him and how can it be that he should not receiue and loue vs being penitents conuerted vnto him and that as cheerefully as he doth his children For in what respect doe you thinke spake hee by the Prophet saying Tell thou thine iniquities first that thou maist be iustified Was it not for that he coueted to reuoke vs to his loue Amantium irae amoris redintegratio est and tender affection He that loueth his friend if perchance he suffer many iniuries at his hands his loue is not for that cooled towards his beloued if in case he will let the wrongs to be opened and discouered and certes he that is iniured doth desire this for no other cause but that their renewing of loue may be of more force and validity Now if the confession of sinnes mattreth so much to attonement how much greater may be our hope of reconciliation if by workes of repenance we blot out the offences we haue committed For if God prohibited the fallen to returne to the right way either none or very few should enter the kingdom of heauen Yea the cheefe Patriarchs whom we haue in admiration after backeslides in sinnes they haue beene restored For they that were earnest in euill being turned to goodnes vse the same forwardnes knowing that their debt is great In the Gospell this is taught of the Lord when he said to Simon of a certaine woman Seest thou this woman I entred into thine house and thou gauest me no water to my feet but she hath washed my feet with teares Luke 7.44 and wiped them with the haires of her head Thou gauest me no kisse but she since the time I came in 45. hath not ceased to kisse my feete My head with oile thou didst not annoint 46. but she hath annointed my feete with oyntment Wherefore I say vnto thee 47. many sins are forgiuen her for she loued much To whom a little is forgiuen he doth loue a little 48. And he said vnto her thy sins are forgiuen thee For which cause the diuell knowing that they which haue sold themselues to worke iniquity if they reuolt are diligent and serious and as in their transgressions they were hastie so in their amendment they are heedefull because now they know what they haue done he feareth and shaketh least any of them should make the onset to repentance For if they once begin they may not be withstood but kindled with the heat of repentance as it were with fire they make their soules purer than fined gold by the remembrance of their former misdeeds and as it were by the blowing wind of their conscience hauing hope their pilot they ariue in the hauen of health And bicause of the horrours past the circumspecter they are in their iourney so that in this welnigh they may seeme to passe those that neuer faultered because experience maketh them more chary Experientia stultorum mater For I know not how we loue more entirely the things we had and haue lost then the things we haue not and desiâ—e to get Then a hard thing it is as I said to make a beginning in this lyeth all the difficulty to prepare the way to repentance For straight way at the entrance the enemy bloweth out threats menacings and in his rage driueth vs backe when we would goe forth The smokie puffes and cloude of whose terrours if thou contemne when the way is entred thou shalt see thy self corroborated and obtaining the conquest thou wilt reioyce thine enemy menaced thee and thou shalt perceiue the rest of this combate easie Go too go too in the name of God now let vs enter the path of life let vs returne to the heauenly city seeing we are appointed and inrolled citizens The gates of this Citie despaire shutteth against vs hope and confidence will open them fully the which if we cast behind vs we incurre the crime not of sloath alone but of arrogancy For sathan was made as he is by no other meanes but for that after his sinne first he despaired and n xt fell from despaire into hautines and pride So likewise the soule if it once begin to despaire of saluation it vnderstandeth not into what mischiefes it runneth fearing not to speake or doe whatsoeuer may stop saluation Commonly we see in those that are mad when once they haue lost their wit they feare naught any longer they blush at nothing but licentiously they dare speake and doe euery thing If they fall into the fire they auoid it not if they be going into a headlong place they pull not back their foote After the same manner they that are in despaire commit intollerable actes they range in all the waies of wickednes shame is no let feare hindreth nothing the things present do not refrain them the things to come do not terrifie death only it is that they cannot escape Wherefore I humbly request thee before the poison of this sin more infect thee arise and awake at the last and lay aside this deuellish drunkennes If on the sudden thou canst not gather thy wits together yet doe it leisurely although in my opinion it be the easier way at once to break off all the staies of this euill to sheere it in sunder fully and to begin repentance anew But if this be difficile vnto thee as thou wilt and art able begin a better conuersation and couet eternall life Runne therefore I pray and beseech you deare friend I beseech you for those good deeds you haue done heretofore I pray you for the liberty that first you had let me see you clime vp to the top of vertue as truely a repentant as you were before Yeeld to me thy friend yeeld to all them that are offended through thee and fall because of thy fall yeeld to all them that are in despaire because of thy despaire
that they may not surmise they cannot tread the true way vnlesse they see thee returne Regard I desire you the pensiuenesse of the whole congregation of the faithfull brethren the great ioy and triumphing of the faithlesse the vsuall by words of slouthfull youthes regard wbat authority thou art to many to wallow in the mire of riot And if so be that you returne into the way of your former vertues all these things will be turned into the contrary Our shame and confusion shall light on them we shall be ioyfull and glad For we will blaze abrode throughout the world that thou art a subduer of lust a subduer of vncleane and foolish voluptie and riot and we will brute farre and wide thy glorious triumph That victory is the greater that is gotten after a fall and that is restored after flight And you shall not onely be rewarded for your owne labour and reformation but shall receiue a meede for the safety of them who leuelling their life to thy conuersation haue without dispaire returned themselues to repentance Neither any hereafter hauing fallen howsoeuer will not be greedy by and by to rise and incontinently to be restored Despise not if you loue me these great profits neither bring our soules with sorrow to the graue but vouchsafe vs some rest and chase away the cloud of heauines which for thy sake hath ouercouered vs for loe letting passe our owne euils we bewaile thy fall But if you would a little looke vpward and be in loue with celestiall things we should be eased of this lamenting and we might be caused to consider our owne offences That men may by repentance repaire their pristine gainesse yea somtimes be made more excellent than before they were hetherto we haue confirmed out of the word of God And to coÌ„clude this point this is the cause why that harlots and Publicans inherit the kingdome of heauen and that many that were last shall be first Henceforth I will adde the things that haue beene done in our age of which thou * G. F. C. of which my selfe may bee a witnes thy selfe art a witnes * G. F. C. I know You know that yong man the sonne of Vrbanus the chiefest of that prouince whose parents died in his minority but left him very wealthy in houshold stuffe gold siluer and possessions That youth contemning at the first all pompe and pride which that age and ritches for the most part follow he left the schooles of humane artes and betooke himselfe to a base life in which putting on course and homely arayment he departed to the mountaines and desart places Where being exercised in the temperancy of true philosophy he not onely matched which is but seldome seene in those yeeres but passed too great and wonderfull men in the vertue of abstinency yea when afterward he was baptised he passingly increased in vertues At which thing all reioyced praysed the Lord that borne to so great wealth descended of such a family euen in the Aprill of his daies he troad vnder foote at once all vanity of this momentary life and had an hungry desire of eternall ioy Liuing after this sort and in this admiration among all certaine of his kindred but naughty persons at the first came to see him and after by continuance of lewd talke Euill speeches corrupt good manners drew him againe to that he hated and loathed so that all philosophy which he studied being layed apart he came from the hilles to the market place Then carried on a palfrey through the midst of the citie and guarded with footemen he vauntingly began to wander vp and downe the streetes Insomuch that the raines of chastity were also let loose because it hath no fellowshippe with dainties and ryot After this he was snarled in the baite of filthy loue and led into captiuitie by euery lust which caused all men to despaire of his saluation For swarmes of parasites enuironed this hope lost yonker the adulterous rabble compassed him in And what hope would a man thinke to be remaining Those also which were giuen very much to reprehending found fault with this likewise that in the begining he entred a course he could not continue in and had aspired to that was aboue his reach forsaking the study of learning wherein he might haue profited When these and such like things as touching his life being rumored abroad were knowne to all and we also were ashamed of his doing certaine holy men expert in this kind of hunting and who had found out by long vse and experience that naught was to be despaired putting on the armour of hope they began to watch him more narrowly And if it fortuned he were in the street they approached neere and courteously saluted him but he on horse-backe scarce greeted them againe or thought them worthy an answere when they went by his side such was his pride and wickednes But those mercifull men accounting none of these an iniury respected only that they had intended that they mâ—ght if it were possible by any meanes deliuer the lambe out of the teeth of wolues which by patience was in fine achiued For weighing they did this often and prying into his owne life with the inward eyes of his mind he blushed somewhat at their boldnesse and tendring and when he marked they came a far off he would dismount from his horse and bowing his head towards the earth he harkened diligently to their speeches and in processe of time he reuerenced them more And so reuolting by peece-meale through the grace of God and their meeke counsell and rid from all the nets of death wherin he was entangled he went againe to the wildernes to the mountaines and to the wonted exercises of philosophie and after was of such humilitie that his latter doings exceeded his wonderfull beginning He learned by proofe the occasion of his fall and the allurement of all his error That also he did which doubtlesse was agreeable to Christs commaundement in the Gospell Mat. 19.21 Selling all he had and distributing it on the poore to the end he might remooue his treasure from the earth to heauen and his heart might bee there where his treasure was But because as yet hee had somewhat left on earth his heart returned to the earth and making an estimate of all his goodes for he cared nothing for them he bestowed much on the needy that so freeing himselfe from care of mind he might take away all occasion of stumbling And thus walking in the way to heauen by amendment he is come to each accomplement of vertue so you see how this yong man fell quickly and arose speedily Another also after many labours he had sustained in the wildernes hauing onely the company of one in his life and mansion place continued an Angelicall life from his yong age to his very old daies * Good Lord how much difference is there betweene the Romish Masse-mongring Moonkes now being
that sinketh shal draw with it the worker Rewardes in the life to come of workes both good and bad If the multitude of euils shal ouer-poyse it will pull the worker to hell but if the good works shall be greater they will resist and repugne against the euils and will bring their worker to the place of the liuing euen from the gates of hell This is not phantastically imagined of my braine the diuine Scriptures disassent not from it for this the word of God speaketh Thou * Psal 62 12. Mat. 16.27 DiffereÌ„ces of ioyes plagues in the life to come Caluin Iustitu lib. 3. cap. 25. sect 10. Bulling in Comment Erasmus in Paraphras in 41 vers cap. 15. 1 Cor. rewardest euery one according to his worke For not in hell onely but in the kingdome of God there shall be many differences * Iohn 14.2 In my fathers house saith he are many dweling places And againe * 1. Cor. 15.41 There is another glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone What is more wonderfull then that he sheweth how exactly the measure of our deedes shall be weighed One starre saith he differeth from another starre in glory that by it he might shew that amongst all and euery one that shall be in that kingdome there will be a difference Therefore sith wee know all this let vs not withdraw our selus froÌ„ goodworks neither yeeld to sloth sluggardie the presence of despaire And admit we cannot attaine to the clearenesse of the Sunne or Moone yet we must desire the brightnes of a starre howbeâ—t inferior to them let vs seeke at the least for some light by our good deeds let vs labour to be sound worthy to inlarge somewhat the shining of heauen If we cannot be gold if we cannot be precious stones yet let vs be in stead of siluer onely let vs now be turned into that matter which fire may consume that we be not found to be wood hay or stubble let vs be euen the last in goodnes not the first in euill * By often adding a little there will arise a great heape as wittily said Hesiodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Small good workes conioyned with faith and repentance go not without reward And as worldly riches increase when euery small gaine is regarded so it fareth in heauenly riches in increasing the which no little good deede must be coÌ„temned Surely it is an absurdity seeing our Iudge doth not deny a reward for * Mat 10 a cup of cold water for vs to say that vnlesse wee doe great things it wil be nothing auaileable Yea this more I ad that he that despiseth not small and little things will by little and little come to great things and * Eccl. 19.1 he that contemneth small things which concordeth with the Scripture shall fall by little and little And therefore I thinke for this cause our Lord and Sauiour did ordaine for small things great rewardes For what is lesse than to visit the sicke And yet for this small worke hee hath laid vp a great reward And againe what is so easie as to giue the hungry bread the thirstie drinke the naked raiment and to seeke out him that is shut vp in prison Yet these things that be so little and small he reckneth so great as that he accounteth them ministred not to man but to himselfe and for them hath promised the celestiall kingdome Wherefore most deerely beloued enter enter the waye to eternall life and put on againe * My yoke is light my burden light This burden is not the weight of him that is loden but the winges of him that flieth For birds haue burdens of their feathers which on earth they beare of them they are borne into the heauen Augustine the yoake of Christ which is easie and his burden which is light recouer the vertues of thy mind make thine end according to thy beginning let not the treasure of spirituall graces gotten by such labour decay and they will verely perish if thou persist in euils exasperate the wrath of God against thy deedes But before thou loose much of thy treasure and before thy manured field be surrounded with hurtfull deluges if thou exclude the entrance and stop the ouerflowing of sinne thou maist bring it againe to his pristine fertility and by husbanding make it very battle Arise therefore arise and shake off the dust from thee arise from the earth and straightway beleeue mee thine enemy will be affraid For he threw thee downe as though thou shouldest neuer rise vp but if he shall see thee to rise from the earth and lift thine eyes towards the heauens incontinent thy boldnes will out-countenance him * Resist the deuil and he will flie ftom you Jam. 4.7 If one flie the deuill he is a Lion if one resist he hath for he is Belzebub that is a God of flies no more power than a weak flie according to the old verse Hostis non laedit nisi cum tentà tus obedit Est leo si cedis si stas quafi musca recedit and the more ready thou art the more fearefull he will be and the more thou presumest the more fraile and infirme thou makest him Thinke also on this that the more hardinesse God shall indue thee withall the more he will weaken both his boldnesse and might If so be thou haue affiance in my wordes me thinketh I see towards thee the mercy and aide of God but thine aduersary to be affrighted by reason of shame and confusion Me thinketh I perceiue now in my mind that with all gratefulnes and fauour euery vertue allureth thee to her hold on then earnestly labour chearefully runne forward willingly Thou shalt find no want of me in that I can but I will still reason with thee in speech I will continually exhort and stir thee vp both present with liuely voice and absent with letters Albeit I perswade my selfe if thou gladly read this I haue now written there will bee no cause why thou shouldest seeke for farther medicines Deo soli sapienti laus gloria TO THE Reader IF the wicked would earnestlie consider the terriblenes of the day of the Lord it must needes bee that they would either wholy renounce sinne or at least not so much bee delighted therewith VVhich Chrisostome right wel perceiued for that so copiously so liuely as it were with a pencile he depainteth that day and time On the other side to ponder equally the rewards that in heauen abide for them who in this life seeke chiefly the setting forth of Gods glory the benefitting of their neighbour who bewailing theyr sinnes with true and vnfayned repentance by the hand of faith lay hold on Gods promises auayleth not a little to the abandoning of sinne and iniquitie VVherefore gentle Reader in the sentences following I haue vsed this order that those which appartaine to the second comming