from faith to faith from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from strength to strength till thou beest a perfect man in Christ Iesus Cast away the workes of darknesse and put on the armor of light walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennes neither in chambering and wantonnes nor in strife and enuying but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Be wise as the serpent be innocent as the doue Amongst diuers points of wisedome to be found in the serpent this is one namely She casteth her coate and so renouareth her age as Aristotle saith These thrée beasts Tum vere tum Autumno both in the spring as also in Autumne do cast their skinnes viz. the beast like a Lizzard called in Latin Stellio Quia habet maculas quasi stellas collo infixas because he hath spots in his necke like starres Lacertus the Lizard and the Serpent And to do this they go through some or other narrow cranny to loosen their skinnes and cast them within foure and twenty houres So shouldst thou put off the old man with all his workes and to do this thou must go Per strictam rimam poenitentiae i. Through the narrow cranny and straite gate of amendment Meditate therefore with the iust man in the law of God day and night Let the candle of faith burne cléere in the lampe of thy heart and nourish it with the oyle of loue and good workes Walke not in the counsell of the wicked Stand not in the way of sinners sit not in the seate of the scornefull but runne in the race of Line well that liuing well thou mayst dye well and after death eternally spéede well obteining that blessednesse Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. So runne that ye may obteine And that we may runne in the race of godlines one Caueat is excéeding necessary namely that we auoide wicked company which will drawe away our hearts from this race Celestiall Qui tangit picem coinquinabitur ab ca i. He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith Cum sancto sanctus eris cum peruerso peruerteris i. with the holy thou shalt be holy and with the froward thou shalt learne frowardnesse for birds of a feather will flie together It was not lawfull for a Iew to conuerse with a Samaritane if an Hebrew did eate with an Egyptian it was counted abhomination so must we count it abhomination and hold it a point of reprobation to frequent the company of damned helhounds and hellish miscreants Let vs therefore flée all occasion and euery apparition of euill Let vs delight in the company of those that feare the Lord and excell in vertue Well therefore saith Seneca Cum illis versare qui te meliorem sunt facturi vel quos meliores efficere possis i. kéepe companie with those that may make thée better or whom thou mayst make better I command you therefore brethren as saith S. Paul in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye withdrawe your selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately not after the instruction which yee receiued of me And to conclude this point I giue euery Christian this good counsell with good king Salomon My sonne if sinners doe intice thee consent thou not If they say Come with vs we wil lay wait for bloud we will swallow vp the innocent whole like a graue we shall find all pretious riches and fill our houses with spoile Cast in thy lot among vs we will haue all one purse My sonne walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foote from their path for their feete runne to euill and make hast to shed bloud O that these my words were written ô that they were written in a booke ô that they were written with an iron pen in lead or in stone for euer O that they were ingrauen in the brasse table of euery yong mans heart that so bad company may not be his destruction So runne that ye may obteine Secondly if we will runne to obteine we must runne Celeritèr seu festinantèr Swiftly and spéedily Vita breuts via longa saith S. Bernard sivis ad metam peruenire incipe celeritèr currere i. The life of man is very short the way to heauen is very long if therefore thou wilt obteine thou must runne excéeding swiftly We sée that those that runne in an earthly race and that but for a meane reward how swiftly do they streine themselues to runne according to that of the Poet Qui cupit optatam cursu contingere metam multa tulit fecitque miser sudauit alsit i. He that desireth first to touch the marke taketh much paines sweateth abundantly and runneth excéeding swiftly Euen so should we that we may obteine an euerlasting reward in heauen runne in the path of Gods commandements being shod with the shoes of the Gospell of peace like Roes excéeding swiftly The senseles creatures are a looking glasse to all Christians in this respect The Sunne as saith the Psalmist like a Gyant reioyceth to runne his race that is valiantly and swiftly swift is his motion and spéedy is his race for in the space of 24 howers he compasseth the earth round about that nothing is hidden from him and passeth from the one end of heauen to the other that nothing is wanting in him So the Lord our God hath set euery man his taske vpon earth which is to worke out his saluation with feare and trembling A great worke a short time along way from Egypt to Canaan from the gates of hell to the doore of heauen therefore like Gyants we had néede to runne swiftly lest we come too late and be shut out of heauen like the fiue foolish aforesayd virgins As the Sunne in the heauens is a looking glasse vnto vs in this regard so is also the Sonne of God Christ Iesus aboue the heauens to be imitated of vs all in this poynt Omnis Christi actio nostra debet esse instructio i. Euery action of Christ ought to be a matter of imitation to vs Christians As he was Immensus maiestate incomparabilis fortitudine so was he incomprehensibilis celeritate i. As he was great in Maiesty incomparable in fortitude so was he also incomprehensible in celerity and swiftnesse He wrought the workes of him that sent him whiles it was day without any delay in the world This bridegroome Christ Iesus euen as the Sunne went forth out of the Chamber of the highest heauens from the bosome of the Father and from the inuisibility of the Diuinitie and descended downe to the earth and became man and was like vnto man in all things sinne only excepted and valiantly in the wildernes pitched a fielde against Sathan that old serpent and roaring Lyon and ouerthrew him in the desert breaking his wily
flesh ready to dominéere ouer the spirit but by afflictions we are brought to hate that which before we loued and to imbrace that which before we loathed Well therefore sayth Gregory Aurem cordis tribulatio aperit quam saepè prosperitas huius mundi claudit i. Tribulation doth open the eare of the heart which worldly prosperity doth many times shut As Antiochus in his prosperitie thought himselfe equall with God yea aboue God but hauing a fall out of his Chariot being in aduersitie he sung a new song saying Iustum est hominem mortalem subditum esse Deo i. O it is méete requisite for mortall man to be subiect to the immortall God So Alexander being hurt with an arrow said Homines dicunt me esse filium Iouis sed sagitta haec probat me esse mortalem i. Men say that I am the sonne of Iupiter but this arrow proueth mée to be but a mortall man So Nabuchadnezzar proudly vaunted himselfe against the Lord of hosts in his prosperitie But when the Lord tooke him to taske metamorphosing this proud King into a base beast then he could say That the Lord was able to abase all those that walke in pride Thus therefore doth the Lord chasten vs in this world that wee may neither be intangled with the loue of this world Nor be condemned with this world For as the Nurse to weane her child from thirsting after her milke doth annoint her teat with Aloes or some such bitter thing Euen so our heauenly Father to weane vs from the pleasures of this wicked world doth send vs many sharp afflictions in this world Secondly the Lord suffereth vs to be afflicted thereby to draw vs to amendmēt of life Before I was troubled I went wrong but now haue I learned to keep thy Law The rod saith Salomon bringeth wisedom As the rod of Moses striking the stony rockes caused whole riuers of water to flow therefrom So the Lord striking vpon our stony hearts with the rod of affliction causeth vs to shed forth buckets of teares for our sinnes commited Aduersa corporis animae remedio sunt agritudo carnem vulnerat sed mentem curat i. The affliction of the body is wholesome physicke for the soule it killeth the flesh but cureth the spirit it woundeth the outward man but reuiueth the inward Cum infirmor tunc fortior sum i. when I am weake then am I strong Affliction therefore may bee fitly compared to a Gold-smiths Forge which trieth the pure gold from the impure drosse It is like a purgation which expelleth corrupt humours from the body It is like a Shepheards crooke whereby the Lord doth bring againe his wandring shéep to the fold It is called of the Prophet Virga vigilans i. a wathfull rod a rod that kéepeth men in continuall watchfulnesse The Prodigall child that wandred farre in the by-waies of sinne by this shéep-crooke was brought backe againe to his fathers house so the Lord by this meanes doth bring home many that haue erred from the way of truth wearied themselues in the way of wickednes For as the carefull mother cannot sée a mote amisse in her beloued child but will immediatly wash the same away So our heauenly father cannot endure y e blemish of sin vpon y e face of his déere children but he will wash it presently away with the water of affliction if thou sinnest to day he afflicteth to morrow Thirdly the Lord suffereth vs to be afflicted that we may the more earnestly call vpon him the more spéedily séeke vnto him Mala quae nos hic premunt citius ad Deum ire compellunt i. aduersitie that oppresseth vs héere in this world doth make vs swiftly and spéedily runne to the Lord. Lord in their streights they sought thee Susanna being ready to be put to death cryed out to the Lord the Prophet Ionas being in the Whales belly powred out his praiers to the Lord. Dauid in many of his Psalmes being in trouble called vpon the name of the Lord especially in the 130. Psal De profundis clamaui ad te Domine Domine exaudi vocem meam i. Out of the haue I cried vnto thée O Lord O Lord heare my voice c. So the prodigall child being in a streight sought to his father desiring him to make him but as one of his hired seruants So the Disciples when the ship was ready to suffer naufrage by reason of the tempest awaked their Master saying Lord saue vs we perish So Peter being ready to sinke cried out to Christ saying Maister saue me Therefore that men may be compelled to séeke the Lord he sendeth afflictions vpon them according to that of good S. Augustine A deo premuntur iusti vt pressiclament clamantes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent eum i. Men are therefore oppressed of God that being oppressed they may cry vnto him crying vnto him he may heare them and hearing them he may deliuer them and deliuering them may be glorified of them Fourthly the Lord doth suffer vs to be afflicted thereby to try vs whether we will depart from him in time of trouble yea or no. And thus was Iob tried of the Lord For though the Lord had permitted Satan to tempt him his enemies to vndoe him his children by sudden death to be taken from him his body to be afflicted from top to toe with biles botches and sores hauing no sound part throughout his wife to be an occasion of offence vnto him who in these his distresses should haue béene a comfort to him yet notwithstanding all this Iob sinned not against his maker yea he was so farre from mistrusting in God as he sayd though the Lord killed him yet would he put his trust in him and so farre from murmuring against him or cursing him as with admirable patience in them he blessed the Lord for them saying on this heauenly manner The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. Thus were the Apostles and holy Martyrs tryed who were so farre from recantation as they willingly chose to loose their liues in tribulation And thus were the thrée children tried in the fornace By affliction are the children of the Lord and the sonnes of Belial discerned euen as crased vessels wil breake in peeces when they come to the fire and the sound onely hold out So the wicked like counterfeits will bewray themselues when they come to the fagot and the godly onely stand to it as we reade in the Gospell of S. Luke They depart from God in the time of tribulation Many will with Peter vow to follow Christ Iesus and to sticke close to him but when they come to Pilars hall a silly maide will make them forsweare him The Lord therefore afflicteth vs to try our faith our patience our hope and other vertues Faith is exercised in affliction by considering the causes
liuing man but yet hath no life at all within it so hypocrites séeme to liue by the life of grace yet are they dead in sinne and rotted in corruption They are new vpstart Gyants hauing two faces vnder one hood they come neere vnto God with their mouthes honor the Lord with their lips but their hearts are farre remoued from him Deum laudant in tympano sed non in choro i. They praise the Lord in the Tabor but not in the dance they serue God in shew but not in truth they beare with the figge trée great store of leaues but no fruite at all But alas alas these hypocrites that thus deceiue themselues hauing their reward on earth which they through vaineglory gréedily looke for at the hands of men shall neuer obtaine a crowne of righteousnesse being altogether vnrighteous but they shall haue their portion with hypocrites where shall be weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth For the Lord abhorreth all hollow hearts and double tongues all outward oblations and burnt sacrifices all outward shew and hypocriticall worship he is a Spirit and he will spue all such out of his mouth as worship him not in spirit and truth Simulata sanctitas duplex iniquitas i. Counterfeit godlinesse is so farre from holinesse as it is double vngodlinesse I say therefore vnto thée with S. Chrysostome Aut esto quod appares aut appare quodes i. Either be as thou séemest or séeme as thou art It is not séeming but being that shal go for pay Non auditores sed factores legis iustificabuntur i. Not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall be iustified Nec candem profitentes sed eidem obedientes glorificabuntur i. Not professors but performers shall be glorified Woe therefore to all hypocriticall mock-gods that runne not in the race of Christianity as they boast themselues by profession they shall roare at the gates of heauen and say Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out diuels and by thy name done many great workes haue we not professed thy Gospell and borne the name of thine But because they did not the will of our heauenly father our Sauiour shall send them packing to hell with a Nescio vos professing on this manner vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me yee workers of iniquity O ye viperous serpents ô yee generation of vipers how shall ye escape the damnation of hell Let euery Christian therefore beware of the leauen of the Pharisées which is hypocrisie Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening wolues ye shall know them by their fruits do men gather grapes of thornes of figs of thistles Walke wisely towards them that are without redeeming the time for the dayes are very euill That you may therefore preuent the damned traditions of this diuellish brood I say vnto you as our Sauiour sayd vnto his Apostles a little before his passion Behold I haue told you before Let euery Christian therefore auoiding all counterfeit and hypocriticall profession runne in the race of godlinesse seruing the Lord with all his heart with all his soule with all his strength in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life God calleth for our hearts My son giue me thy heart The Lord as saith S. Augustine Quia totum fecit totum exigit i. Because he made all he will haue all not a péece of the heart nor a roome in thy heart but the whole hart for the Lord is a iealous God and as a iealous husband cannot endure that his wife should giue her heart or any part thereof to any other man so the Lord cannot abide that we should giue any part of our hart from him He calleth not for a stony heart nor for a double heart but for a fleshly heart a hart purged by faith in Christ Iesus bathed in the bloud of the Lambe and throughly clensed by the fire of the spirit not an old heart neither a corrupted heart but a new hart and a new spirit for which the Prophet Dauid begged create in me a new hart ô god and renew a right spirit within me Let vs therefore I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God giue vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God and let vs not fashion our selues like to this world but let vs be changed by the renewing of our minde In stead of dead beasts let vs giue vp our bodies which are liuely sacrifices and in stead of the bloud of beasts which was but a shadow and pleased not God of it selfe let vs giue vp the acceptable sacrifice of the spirituall man framed by faith to godlinesse of life Let vs sanctifie the Lord God in our harts who daily calleth for our harts let vs say with Dauid My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name Let vs praise him in his sanctuary and in the firmament of his power let vs praise him in his mighty acts and according to his excellent greatnesse let vs praise him in the sound of a trumpet vpon the viole and harpe yea let euery thing that hath breath praise the Lord And that not onely in word and in tongue but in déede and in truth not in outward shew and profession only but in our pure liues and holy conuersations that so running in the race of godlines to the ende of our liues wée may bée blessed for euer and glorifying the Lord God by our holy conuersations in this world we may be eternally glorified of the Lord our God in the world to come So runne that ye may obtaine The last thing to be obserued in this heauenly race is praemium promissum The promised reward to all those that runne lawfully So great a reward it is as should stirre vp euery Christian to runne in the race of godlinesse If the king of his princely bounty would offer a 100000. pounds to him that should first come at a miles end would not thousands hazard their liues and aduenture a surfeit willingly that they may obtaine the same But the Lord hath offered vs a kingdome yea it is the pleasure of our heauenly father to giue vs a kingdome an habitation not made with hands nor purchased with gold and siluer but with the bloud of the immaculate Lambe And shall not we labour and streine our selues with might and maine to runne the race that is appointed for vs How will men toyle and moyle for a little worldly trash how will men vse all their wits and bend all their studies to be worldly rich Alas these are as doung in respect of this reward shal we not therfore much more labour for the meate y t shall neuer perish and for this glorious reward y t shall neuer be taken frō vs The greatnesse
eyes vpon the centre of the world from whence they came hanging downe their heades to the earth like bulrushes As man therfore was created pure and vpright in soule and streight and right in body carying his head toward heauen so must he runne if euer he will obteine heauen in the streight way and right path that leadeth to heauen Many there are that séeke the Lord and find him not because they séeke amisse so many there are that runne yea all men liuing are runners yet are they farre from obteining because they runne amisse There are foure sorts of ground yet but one fructiferous there are foure wayes in the world yet but one and that a narrow one that leadeth to life Generally there are but these two the way of Godlinesse and the way of iniquity whereof the one in the Gospell of Matthew is called the broad way and the other the straite and narrow gate yet S. Iohn considering the multiplicity of this dangerous Labyrinth doth cut out this broad way into thrée maine heads into Luxury Couetousnesse and Pride saying Whatsoeuer is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eye or the pride of life Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet i. This is the Trinity which the world doth worship These wayes are wide and large and whole multitudes walke in the same Magna plenitudo hominum sed magna solitudo bonorum i. There is a great plenty of men but there is as great a scarcity of good men These wayes séeme pleasant to be walked in yet Nouissima illaerum mors est The end of these wayes is death for the diuell like a subtile fisher sheweth the baite but hideth the hooke sheweth the vnprofitable profit the vnpleasant pleasure of sinne but hideth the hooke from mens eyes which is death according to that of S. Paul Stipendium peccati mors est the wages of sin is death here hel damnation hereafter Sinne séemeth at the first to fawne vpon a man but yet in the end it will with Cains dogge plucke out the very throats of our soules In these maine roades the more is the pity doth the greatest part of mankind runne headlong to perdition without any checke of conscience remorse for their sinnes or any reclamation in the world Sinne neuer more than in these our dayes of the Gospell abounded the Diuell hath more followers than Christ the whole multitude cried Crucifie him Crucifie him But there was but one and that a silly woman that laboured to set him frée The saying of Paul to the Romanes is verified in these our dayes of sinne There is none righteous no not one There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God all haue gone out of the way all are altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Pride whoredome adultery fornication vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie couetousnes drunkennes swearing forswearing blasphemie prophanenes contempt of the word despising of Gods messengers and the like abhominations are reigning in euery angle of this our Iland yea our land is become a sinke of sinne a pit of pollution and a place of abhomination defiled with iniquity A vertice capitis vsque ad plantam pedes 1. From top to toe hauing no sound part throughout it yea our whole land is out of course and it is the great mercy of God that we are not consumed Yea these last dayes of the world are like to the dayes of Israels prouocation of the Lord in the wildernesse wherein we preferre the slauery of Egypt aboue the swéete Manna of heauenly blisse Yea that saying of the Prophet is verified of the most part of mankind That the children gather stickes the fathers made the fire and the women bake cakes for the queene of heauen That is they offered sacrifice to the Sunne and Moone and planets which they called the Quéene of heauen So the Beast of Rome with his Antichristian crue doth sacrifice to Mary making her an Idol and calling her as in their Salue regina and Regina coel◠laetare doth appeare the Quéene of heauen They make ignorance the mother of their deuotion Sir Iohn Lack-latine and Sir Anthony Ignorance are their chiefest clarkes and best Massemongers Yea the world is growne to this height of reprobation that that which is written in Iob is verified of many They say to God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes who is the Almightie that we should serue him Full little thinking that the Lord shall answer them with the like Discedite Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Thus we sée how the worldlings runne in the race of iniquity the broad way to the lake vnquenchable some in the race of Atheisme some in Papisme some in Mahumetisme some in Paganisme but few there are y t run in y e race Christianisme But thou that wouldst be saued thou that wouldst so runne that thou mayst obteine run not in any of these wayes but flie from sinne as from a stinging serpent and a a biting Cocatrice For they that doe such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God The right way therefore wherein we must runne is the way of godlinesse the way of Christianity the way of the word of God framing all our thoughts words and operations according to the precise and strict rule of the same for Factores legis iustificabuntur i. the doers of the law shall be iustified saued and glorified This way of godlinesse is a blessed way to walke in It is sweeter than hony or the hony combe Iugum Christi suaue est onus suum leue i. The yoke of Christ is easie and his burthen light Mandata eius grauia non sunt i. His Commaundements are not grieuous and his commandements are exceeding large her wayes are wayes of pleasure and all her paths prosperity It is a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our paths It is a pillar of fire to cary vs through the wildernesse of this world to the Celestiall Chanaan it is the power of God to saluation to euery beleeuer both Iew and Grecian it is able to saue our soules it is able to make vs wise to saluation it is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnesse and to make vs perfect in all good workes It is comfortable in all cases and parts of our life both in prosperity and aduersity both in life and death If we fight it is a sword if we hunger it is meate if we thirst it is drinke if we be naked it is a garment if we be in darknesse it is a light yea in a word the word of God is the high way to heauen Enter therfore in at the streight gate of amendment and runne in the same
are daily wrought and subiect to much trauell The barren trée is not beaten but the trée that is planted by the riuers side and bringeth foorth his fruit in due season is sorely shaken and yearly beaten The stones that were for Salomons temple were squared and heiuen before they were layde in the building So euery Christian who is a liuely stone in this spirituall building as saith S. Peter must be hewen with the are of affliction and squared with the saw of correction before he can be receiued into the triumphant Church whereof Christ Iesus is the head corner stone Ideo Dominus quibusdam hic parcit non feriendo vt in aeternum feriat ideo hîc ferit non parcendo vt in aeternum parcat i. The Lord spareth some for a time that he may punish them for euer and he chasteneth some for a time that he may spare them for euer Diues that was spared on earth was tormented in hell and Lazarus that was corrected on earth was spared in heauen For qui vult cum Christo conregnare in regno coelorum i. He that will reigne with Christ in the kingdome of heauen must cum Christo compati in valle lachrimarum i. must suffer with Christ in the vale of teares qui vult consequi must sequi i. he that will obteine Christ must follow Christ he that will follow Christ must take vp his crosse and follow him Christ suffered before he entred into glory so must euery Christian first suffer before he can be glorified The seruant must not be aboue his maister Si ergo compatimur conregnabimus i If we suffer with him we shall reigne with him Dulcia non meruit qui non gustauit amara i. He deserueth not to taste of the swéete that will not taste of the sower Iouinian a king hauing two vessels of wine in his pallace the one swéete wine and the other sower decréed that whosoeuer would taste of the swéete wine should first taste of the sower So whosoeuer will taste of the swéete ioyes that runne through the celestiall paradice must first with Christ sup of the cup of salt teares of affliction No maruell therefore if the Prophet in generall saith that many are the troubles of the righteous No maruell if he compareth afflictions to waues of the sea for as one waue dasheth ouer the necke of another so one affliction continually followeth another for God is not like a waspe that hauing stung once can sting no more but there is a plurality of crosses with God he can sting againe and againe as one sorrowfull messenger came to Iob after another euen so one affliction visiteth the Christian after another as the viper leapt vpon Paul and leapt off againe euen so afflictions leape vpon Gods seruants and leape off againe Those therefore that runne in the race of godlinesse must not thinke this strange neither must they thinke themselues frée from afflictions for they are hedged in on euery side with sundry kinds of troubles and haue thrée deadly enemies continually warring against them Whereupon Iob calleth the life of man a warfare vpon earth and that worthily for we fight against thrée mighty enemies the Diuell the World and the flesh The first enemy that withstandeth vs in the way to heauen is the diuell who in respect of his cruelty and might is compared to a roaring Lyon The Diuell like a roaring Lyon goeth vp and downe seeking whome hee may deuoure The second enemy is the world which is as subtill as the diuell is powerfull for by the profits and pleasures therein it draweth many to the seruice of Satan The third enemy which is the flesh is no whit inferior to either of them for Caesar being asked what was the greatest thing in the world to ouercome sayd Scipsum vincere to ouercome a mans owne selfe and his vntamed affections It doth alway rebell against the good motions of the spirit it is a Iudas to betray our soules into the hands of old Leuiathan The prophecy must be fulfilled I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman betweene thy seede and her seed Therefore the Church of God in this respect is called Ecclesia militans a warring Church a Church y e fighteth manfully vnder the banner of Christ against y e aduersaries abousaid No maruell therefore our life being a warfare if this world be called vullis lachrimarum a vale of teares for afflictions are so common that we haue alwayes cause to shed foorth a whole Ocean of teares with the Prophet Dauid who although he were a man according to Gods owne heart was a Pellicane in the wildernesse of this world whose nature is alwayes to haue teares trickling downe her bill his teares were his meate and drinke he watered his bed with salt teares and washed his couch with continuall weeping This is the state and condition of all Gods children in this life that will runne in the race of Christianity so that we may conclude with Iob and say Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance is ful of trouble Séeing then that we are borne to trauell as the bird to flying let vs arme our selues w t patience let vs possesse our soules with patience and let vs runne the race that is set before vs with patience knowing that Non sunt condignae passiones c. that the passions that we can suffer in this world are not worthy of the ioyes in the world to come And séeing we are withstood in this way by thrée mighty enemies let vs like wise souldiers put on the whole armor of God the helmet of hope the brest-plate of righteousnesse the shield of faith the girdle of sincerity the shoes of peace and let vs alway haue ready drawne the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which is able to quench all the fierie darts of Sathan and slay the dragon in the deepe Moreouer let euery Christian that runneth in the race of godlinesse know that as afflictions are by no meanes to be auoided so are they necessary for the good of Gods children All things worke for the best to them that loue God And it is good for me saith y e Prophet that I haue beene in trouble for therby haue I learned thy law For affliction to y e godly Medicina est non poena castigatio non dānatio i. is a curing medicine not a destroying punishment a profitable chastisement not a deuouring condemnation For diuerse causes therefore doth the Lord suffer his déere children to be afflicted First to weane and winne them from the loue of this wicked world for in prosperity we are ready to be forgetfull of God and of our selues also we are ready with the deafe adder to stop our eares at the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely the wéde is ready to ouergrow the corne and the
of Gods permission and by beléeuing most assuredly his promises concerning our deliuerance Hope is exercised in affliction by assuring our selues of the rewards promised to all those that suffer patiently Loue is exercised in affliction by considering the loue of Christ in suffering for vs and thereby we are prouoked to suffer for him againe Obedience is exercised in affliction by conforming our wils to the will of Christ saying with Christ Not as we will but as thou wilt ô Lord God of hosts Patience is exercised in affliction by suffering quietly willingly and chéerefully and by welcomming them sent of God for our good Humility is exercised in affliction by abasing our selues in the sight of God acknowledging that they are but as flea-bitings in respect of the torments of hell which by our lewd liues for euermore we haue deserued Fiftly the Lord suffereth vs to be afflicted in this world that the greatnesse of his power and the inâ—initenes of his mercy might be shewne in the deliuery of vs. We reade in the Gospell of Iohn that the Apostles hauing asked our Sauiour the reason why the man was borne blind he answereth them Not for his fathers nor for his owne sinne but that the workes of God should be shewne on him From which we may truly gather thus much namely that the man was borne blind especially to this end that our Sauiour might haue occasion to shew the greatnesse of his power in curing him Againe in the same gospel we reade that Lazarus died to this end that God might be glorified in raising him from death The wonderfull power of the Lord was shewne in the deliuery of the thrée children from fire of Ionas from drowning by the Whale of Susanna from death by Daniel of Daniel from the Lyons by his owne immediate power of Eliah from staruing by the rauens and of our most gratious souereigne Lord King Iames from the sword in Scotland and from the powder-treason in England by his extraordinary fauour and wonderfull loue which he had to this his gratious seruant which the Lord in mercy vouchsafe vnto him and his royall progeny for euermore Thus the Lord bringeth men into déepe afflictions that his power might be shewne in bringing them out againe Dominus deducit ad inferos reducit i. The Lord bringeth to hell and bringeth backe againe to great afflictions and out of them againe Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit The same hand that woundeth the same hand cureth Vulnerat medetur percutit sanum reddit i. He maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth his hand maketh whole So that howsoeuer many are the troubles of the righteous in their iourney to heauen yet the Lord powerfully in his good time deliuereth them out of all if he séeth it best for their good otherwise suffering for the testimony of the truth and the glory of his name they shall change this life for a better Thus haue I somwhat largely spoken of afflictions both in regard of their necessity as they cannot be shifted of any that runne in the way of godlinesse as also in regard of their conueniency being more helpe then hinderance in this spirituall iourney that so we may make good vse of them when it shall please the Lord to send them And thus much shall suffice for this third point namely for perseuerance in this course of godlinesse beséeching the Lord of his goodnesse to giue vs grace that we may not shrinke backe for feare of afflictions but wade through with patience holding out in this race to the end of our race So runne that ye may obtaine The third thing in order to be spoken of is praemium promissum i. the promised reward but before I enter into the handling thereof one thing necessarily must be obserued and that worthy of annotation The Apostle saith not here Seeme so to runne that ye may obteine or make an outward shew of running but. So runne that ye may obteine In which spéech he excludeth all hypocrisie and banisheth all counterfeit godlinesse from this Christian race For in this visible Church there are many that outwardly professe Christ but inwardly serue Belial Christians in name but reprobates in déede Saints in shew but diuels in conuersation Many hypocrites there are like painted sepulchres dissembling pharisées faire without but foule within lambes in apparition but wolues in condition Ones habitu as saith S. Bernard vulpeâ— actu crudeliâ—ate lupi i. Shéepe in shew foxes in déed and wolues in cruelty Mente sub agnina latitat mens saepè lupina i They haue lambes skins but wolues harts Yea howsoeuer they séeme to be members of Christs body courteous and kind to the stocke of Iesus zealous louers and earnest embracers of the sincere milke of the word running in the path of true godlinesse yet neuerthelesse they are a generation of vipers of whom the Euangelist speaketh ready to sucke out the very heart-blood of the saints of God and rend them in péeces like rauening wolues they haue mel in ore fel in corde i. Hony in their mouths but gall in their hearts sugred words to intrap but poysoned hearts to torment carying themselues like Iudas who saluted his maister with a kisse hauing the poyson of Aspes lying vnder his lips For Quando bonum ore faris mala corde tamen meditaris oscula quae Domino Iudas dedit haec mihi tu das i. When men speake well and thinke ill their kindnesse is treason as was the kisse of Iudas And of all other enmities in the world this is the greatest as saith Cassiodorus Grauissimum inimicitiae est genus corde aduersarios linguae simulare deuotos i. This is a most grieuous kind of enmity when men pretend much loue in tongue and beare much more malice in heart These cursed hypocrites these dissembling helhounds and these venemous vipers are the very pictures of the diuell and liuely representations of the old serpent for as the diuell lyeth coggeth counterfeiteth and dissembleth so do these The subtil serpent pretended great kindnesse to our first parents counselling them to eate of the forbidden fruit that so they might sée and be as gods but he intended their euerlasting destruction so these crafty foxes séeme to be charitable Christians and to giue good counsell wheresoeuer they become but yet they denoure widows houses and that vnder colour of long prayers The subtill serpent séemeth to be an Angell of light but yet he is a diuell of darknesse fettered with the chaines of euerlasting darknesse So these apes of the diuell do beare an outward shew of holinesse and purity yet they are wels without water and cloudes caried about with euery tempest to whom the blacke darknes is reserued for euer These hypocriticall mocke-gods may fitly be compared to Idols for as an Idoll hath an outward shape of a
of this reward is painted out vnto vs in the holy scriptures by the diuersity and greatnes of the names thereof For first it is called by the name of Regnum caelorum i. The kingdome of heauen because the saints of God do there inioy great liberty dignity honour power pleasure glory and all good things whatsoeuer Secondly it is called by the name of Regnum Dei Christi i. The kingdome of God and of Christ because that Iesus Christ hauing ouercome death hell and damnation together with all the enemies that did oppose vs in the way to heauen doth there rule and gouerne his Church triumphant with heauenly peace and euerlasting tranquillity Thirdly it is called by the name of Paradisus 1. Paradise in respect of the abundant plenty of all good and pleasant things which the saints can either wish or possibly desire Fourthly it is called by the name of Caelum tertium y e third heauen which is called Caelum Empyraeum i. igneum not in respect of fire but in respect of y e glorious light y e shineth therein for it is Situ altissimum quantitate maximum naturâ purissimum luce plenissimum capacitate amplissimum i. High in scituation great in quantity pure in nature ful of light excéeding large able to receiue ten thousand times more persoÌ„s then there are drops of water in the sea or sands lying by he shore Fiftly it is called by the name of Sancta ciuitas an holy city built with most pretious pearles because the company that dwell therein are holy and pure shining in holinesse and glistring in purity as the portals of the burnish Sunne Sixtly it is called by the name of Summa beatitudo inestimable blessednesse because the saints inioy the full presence of the blessed trinity wherein true blisse consisteth Seuenthly it is called by the name of Vita aeterna life euerlasting because there shall be no more death nor lamentation no more crying nor sorrow but the saints shall enioy these blessed ioyes so long as God shall be God which is for euerlasting This is the reward promised to all those that will runne in the race of godlines holding out to the end A large reward no man knoweth it but he that inioyeth it Adeò magna est quòd nequit numerari adio pretiosa quòd nequit comparari adeò diutina quòd nequit terminari i. So great is their reward as it cannot be numbred so pretious as it cannot be valued so lasting as it is euerlasting it is great without quantity swéet without quality infinit without number euerlasting without end So great is this reward as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard of the like neither can it be expressed of the heart of man Quod praeparauit saith S. Augustine diligentibus se Deus fide non capitur spe non attingitur charitate non comprehenditur desideria vot a transgreditur adquiri potest aestimari non potest i. That which y e Lord hath prepared for those that loue and feare his name is not fully attained to by faith neither fully retained by hope neither fully conteined by charity it far surpasseth the desires of men and angels it may in some measure be obtained but valued it can neuer be Deus saith S. Bernard Est mel in ore melos in aure inbilus in corde i. God is hony in the mouth melody in the eare and ioy in the heart Ibi nihil intus quod fastidiatur nihil foris quod appetatur ibi rex veritas lex charitas possâ—ssia aeternitas i. In heauen there is nothing that may séeme fulsome or loathsome out of heauen there is nothing that may be wished or desired for then were there no perfection in heauen for Perfectum est cui nihil addi potest i. There is perfection where can be no addition there the king is verity the law charity and possession eternity S. Augustine speaking of the ioyes of heauen saith thus Ibi laetitia sine tristitia locus sine dolore vita sine labore lux sine tenebris ibi iuuentus semper vigescit nunquaÌ„ senescit ibi dolor nunquaÌ„ sentitur nec gemitus vnquam auditur ibi tristitia nunquaÌ„ videtur sed aeternum gaudium possidetur i. There is mirth w tout inone place without paine life w tout labour light without darknesse there youth alwayes flourisheth and neuer decayeth there is no torment felt no howling heard no sorrow séene but possession of euerlasting ioyes Ibi est summa certa tranquillitas tranquilla faeticitas faelix aeternitas aeterna beatitudo beata Trinitas i. There is great tranquillity tranquill felicity happy eternity euerlasting blessednes and the blessed trinity O gaudium super gaudium vincens omne gaudium extra quod non est gaudium quando intrabo in te vt Deum meum videam qui habitat in te i O ioy aboue all ioyes far surpassing all ioyes without which there is no ioy when shall I enter into thée that I may sée my God that dwelleth in thée This holy man Augustine considering the greatnes of the ioyes of heauen saith on this maner faciliùs expont petest quid non sit in coelo quà m quid fit in coelo i. A man may sooner tel what is not in heauen then what is in heauen for the ioyes which are there are innumerable Euen as a learned Geometrician finding Hercules his footes length vpoÌ„ the high hill Olympus drew out his whole picture by the proportion of the same though farre vnequall to it so we may gesse at the greatnesse of the ioyes of heauen though farre vnequal to them As the Quéene of Sheba hauing heard the wisdome of Salomon which before she beléeued not sayd to Salomon Loe the one halfe was not told me So the saints of God inioying y e vnspeakeable ioyes of heaueÌ„ may say It is true which we haue heard concerning the ioyes of heaueÌ„ by the mouth of preching ministers but lo the thousand part of theÌ„ was not told vnto vs. The greatnesse of these ioyes do appeare in y e entertainment of the faithful seruant into ioyes by our Lord Iesus saying Enter into thy masters ioy Our Sauiour saith not Let thy maisters ioy enter into thee but Enter thou into it shewing vnto vs that the ioyes of heauen are so many as the thousand part of them cannot be contained in the soule of man Thus at large haue I spoken of this reward the more to allure al men to run in y e race of Christianity which is y e highway to this glorious reward Foure things there are that being well considered are excellent motiues to cause men to leaue the broad way of iniquity and to betake themselues to run in this race Celestiall The day of death The day of doome The ioyes of heauen and the torments of hell Let euery Christian therefore as he tendreth his euerlasting
saluation cast his eyes vpon this reward and runne in the race of godlinesse so long as life shall last that whensoeuer it shall please the Lord to call him out of this vale of teares he may hauing his name written in the booke of life be welcomed into his masters ioy with this blessed haruest song Come thou blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for thee from the beginning of the world To the which thrice blessed kingdome he bring vs that hath so déerely bought vs euen Iesus Christ the righteous who hath taken away the sins of the world To whom with God y e Father God the holy Ghost thrée perâ—â—â—s but one eternall and euerliuing God wée ascribe both now and euer as is most due all power glory dominion and thankesgiuing Amen FINIS Boetius August in libro confess Bernard Leo. Math. 10.22 Text. Iob. 7.7 Psal 109.23 Iam. 4.24 1. Pet. 1.24 Esay 40.6 Augustine Poet. Ouid. Iob 9.25 Iob 7.6 Iob 9.26 Psal 90.9 Ps 90.10 2. Cor. 6.2 Ier. 8.7 Prou. 6.8 Iob. 12.7.8 Esay 1.3 Esay 55.6 Poet. Psal 42.7 Text. Lactant. Ouid. 1. Ioh. 2.16 Poet. Gen. 4. Math. 27.19 Rom. 3.10.11.12 Gal. 5.19.20.21 Lam. 3.22 Ier. 7.8 Iob. 21.14.15 Mat. 7.23 Gal. 5.21 Hâc viâ itur ad â—â—peros Psal 19. Math. 11.30 1. Ioh. 5. â— Psal 119. Pro. 3.17 Psal 119.105 Rom. 1.16 Iam. 1.21 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17 Mat. 7.13 Rom. 13.12.13.14 Math. 10.16 Arist de nat Animal lib. 8 cap. 17. Stellio Lacertus Serpens Col. 3.9 Psal 1.2 Psal 1.1 Apoc. 14.13 Text. Eccles 13 Seneca 2. Thes 3.6 Pro. 1.10.11.12 c. Iob. 19 2â—.24 Text. Bernard Poet. Psal 19. Greg. Ioh 9. Ioh. 16.28 Ioh. 16.28 Cant. 2.8.9 Ioh. 14.6 Luk. 10. Num. 16.32 Greg. Psal 38.4 Esay 58.6 Math. 27·46 Math. 11. Heb. 12.1 Text. Math. 19. Math. 19· Math. 19.24 Poet. Math. 6.21 Ioh. 18. Mat. 6.31 1. Pet. 5.7 Math. 4. 1. King 19.20 Crates Eccles 11.1 Text. 2. Tim. 2. Math. 15. Chrysost Pro. 26.11 Mantuan Poet. 2. Pet. 2.21 2. Pet. 2.20 Mat. 12.45 2. Tim. 4.10 Ioh. 6.66 2. Tim. 1.15 Psal 18.22 Luk. 9.62 Math. 24.17.18 Phil. 3.13 Cant. 5.3 Eccles 34.26 Heb. 12.12 2. Thes 3.13 1. Cor. 16.13 2. Chron. 25.7 Apoc. 2.10 Apocal. 3.12 Hieron Remigius Ioh. 17.4 Ioh. 19.30 2. Tim. 4.7.8 The resolution of Martyrs Dan. 3.1.23 Rom. 8.35.38.39 Iob. 13.15 Ignatius Ierome Apollonia Peter Iames. Simeon Cyprian Polycarp August Ierome Ammonarion Poet. Hose 13.14 1. Cor. 15. 2. Tim. 3. â—2 Act. 14.22 Heb. 12.6.7 Apoc. 3.19 1. King 7. 1. Pet. 2.5 Greg. Luk. 16. Luk. 24. Ioh. 15.20 2. Tim. 2.12 Poet. Iouinian Psa 3â— Act. 27. 1. Pet. 5. Gen. 3.15 Psal 6. 1. Pet. 5.9 Iob. 14.1 Ephes 6. Rom. 8.28 Psal 119.71 Greg. 2. Mack 9. Dan 4.34 1. Cor. 21.32 Psal 119.67 Pro. 29. â— Deut. 8. Isod 2. Cor. 12.10 Ierem. 1. Luk. 15. Greg. Esay 26.16 Dan. 13.42 Ionas 2.1 Psal 130.1.2 Luk 15.19 Mat 14.30 August Iob. 1. Eccles 27. Luk. 8.13 Faith Hope Loue. ObedieÌ„ce Patience Humility Ioh. 9.2.3 Iohn 11. 1. Sam. 2.6 Poet. Iob. 5.18 Text. Bernard Poet. Math. 3.7 Poet. Cassiod in Psal Mat. 23.14 Apoc. 20.1 2. Pet. 2.17 Holgot in Sap. Esay 29.13 Math. 24.54 Chrysost Mat. 7.22.23 Math. 23.33 Math. 7.16.17 Col. 4.5 Math. 24.25 Prou. 23.26 August Psal 51.10 Rom. 12.1.2 1. Pet. 3.23 Psa 103.1 Text. Luk. 12. Heb. 13.14 1. Pet. 1.10 Eph. 5.21 Luk. 23. 2. Cor. 12. Apoc. 21.10 1. Cor. 2. August Bernard August August August August