Amen Soone after midnight shee sayd that shee had agreat conflict neither could wee conceiue what shee felt but soone after most comsortably He is come said she hee is come the Diuell is ouercome the world is ouercom and the slesh is ouercome Into thy hands ô father I cemmend my spirit and so fell asleep her eyes being shut and teeth set But breath being perceiued to be in her they stroue to reuiue her which was a great trouble vnto her Yet through the mercy of God shee obtained her olde comfort againe by many signes testifying her assurance to the end and departed vpon the Mun day-night quietly falling at it were into a sleepe And so shee is departed in peace and resteth in ioy with her beloued Sauior So then happy is she but woe is vs from whom she is departed we may iustly weepe and lament Her husband may lament from whom is departed a heauenly wise humble louing and obedient wife Her children may lament from whom is departed a mother by nature a mother by grace who as the Apostle laboured till Christ was formed in them The poore may lament from whom is departed a faithfull Patronesse full of good workes towards them Wee Ministers may lament from whom is departed a carefull hearer yea an helper in our labours Women may lament from whom is departed the ornament of women And al the neighbours round about may lament both men and women from whom is departed a great light a starre shining in a darke place following which wee may bee sure to see light Shee is departed but her memory diueth and shall liue for the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed Pro. 10.10 And let her memory liue in vs as long as we liue we treading in the same steps and being transformed into the same image of heauenlinesse wisdome loue and humility that when wee shall be infeebled and death shall approach we may also ioyfully dispose our selues heereunto and say Lord now lettest thou thy sevuint depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saltiation Which the Lord grant vnto vs for his mercies take in lesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee all honour and glory now and for cuermore Awen The last words of that holy and learned father Ierom who died the 96 yeere of his age Anno Dommi 422. translated out of Latin and transferred hither as most a uaileable to stir vp true Piety and to mortifi worldly Vanity and to prepare to a comfortable departure WHen the time of his death was now come through a hot burning-Feuer he willed his sonnes to come together about him whom like young-plants hee had established from their youth vp-ward Whose mourning when his graue countenaÌ„ce beheld through piety and mercy being moued a little while hereat hee sighed in his Spirit and weeping lifting vp his eies he spake thus O my sonne Euse bius why dost thou shed those vnprofitable teares is it not a vaine thing to shed teares ouer the dead What man liuing is there that shall not see the dissolution of this mortall body Darest thou speake against that which the Lord hath once spoken and thou hast heard seeing thou knowest that no man can resist his will Now I beseech thee O sonne walke not according to the flesh cease to weepe surely the weapons of our warfare are not carnall Then with a merry countenance and chearefull voice hee said vnto the rest Let sadnes cease let mourning bee put away let there be one voice of ioy amongst you all for behold the acceptable time behold the day of iubilation and of gladnesse aboue all the daies of my life in which the faithfull Lord according to his word doth open his hand that he may call backe to the supernall Countrey recouered by the pretious death of his owne sonne my soule hitherto in banishment in the prison of this deth for the guilt of my forefather Alam O most dearely beloued sonnes doe not hinder my ioy doe not seeke to keepe from the earth that which helongeth vnto it For ye ought as the Ministers and houshold Seruants and friends of God to aspire after spirituall things that yee may be an example vnto others Why doe yee that are spirituall poure out those so many vnfruitrull teares Let the remembrance of sinne make you alwaies to weepe bee as ready to weepe as you haue beene to offend Weepe if any man dieth in sinne for if when a wicked man ari seth from death by repentance the Angels reioyc in heauen surely if any man that hath bin good dyeth in sin the Angels sorrow But bewaise not me as one dying but reioyce with mee as one touching the hauen of saluation What is weaker than the miseries of this life which is compassed bout with so many troupes of sorrowes and passions as that there is almost no houre wherein any liuing man whatsoeuer may passe free from sorrow If the rich man bee pressed on euery side with feare lest hee should loose that which he doth possess if the poore man be neuer it rest that hee may get â—iches if a good man doth on this side feare the daager of the Deaill and on that side lest the ship of this mortall body should suffer shipwracke in the sea of this world and no age or sex or condition doth passe free from sorrow as long as it remaineth in the misery of this life If ye know any thing in mee an hinderance to my iourney sorrow Alas how many of those that saile through this great spacious sea in which are so many diuers kindes of enemies wrestling togither according to the quantitie of ech ones strength after much happinesse in sayling after many victories thinking euen now to obtaine their wished for end haue come in this very houre into the snare of perditict by some diabelicall suggestion Alas how many doth both life and same here recommend ouer whom by the onely consenting vnto sinne cruell death and ruine hangeth Therefore whilst yee liue feare ô brethren the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom our life is a warfare vpon earth he that ouercommeth here shall be crowned else-where Whilst wee are coucred with this skin v. e haue no complete victorie If our forefather had feared he had neuer fallen Presumption of a mans selfe is the beginning of all euils and he that feareth not doth presume vpon himselfe How can any man laden with gold goe securely amongst theeues What other thing doth our Sautour teach vs but to feare when he saith Watch for yee know not at what houre the theefe will come S. Peter saith 1 Pet. 5. Be yee sober brethren and watch bicause your aduersarie the deuill goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom hee may deuoure No man dwelleth securely amongst serpents He which is more holy and more wise let him alwaies feare more for he which is higher if he falleth receiueth the greater fall
nothing but an vncloathing a putting off of base rags that we may be cloathed with glorious apparrell 2 Cor. 5.3 We sigh desiring to be vnclothed not that wee may bee lest naked but that we may bee clothed upon that death may bee swallowed vp of life Our body wherewith wee are now cloathed is moitall the cloathing to come is immortall neuer wearing away it is heauen which is glorious and euerlasting 3. Death is nothing else but a sweet sleep after long and toylesome labour For blessed are the dead which die in the Lord they rest fro their labours saith the Spirit and their workes follow them After the hard brunt of the lewes malicious onset Steuen is said to haue falne asleepe And who is not glad when the time of rest commeth after long and painefull labour 4. Death is nothing else but a committing of the soule into the hands of holy Angels to be carried into the company of Patriarkes and Prophets to liue together in continuall feasting and ioy For when Lazarus dyed the Angels carried him into Abrahams bosome Luc. 16. and the faithfull are sayd to sit downe in the kingdome of Heauen with Abraham Luc. 13.29 Isaak and Iaacob And who would bee afrayd or grieued to go into such company to liue in so ioy full a place whatsoeuer he must forsake in this world seeing that heere many bitter morsels are mixed with our sweet bits but there is all sweet and pleasant meat without any dramme of bitternesse But it will against this bee obiected Ob. that if this be the case of the faithful then many that liue a good life and expresse greatest zeale doe shew littie signe of their faith towards their end seeing they are wonderfully vncomfortable and oftentimes loth to depart I answer that this may happen euen in the true faithfull seruants of God and yet their faith remain vnshaken First through the desire of bringing more glory to God and of heaping vp a greater treasure in Heauen Thus Hezekiah pleaded for life in his great sicknes because saith hee the liuing the liuing they shall praise thee hee hee did earnestly desire because that hee was yet young and able to liue to gloritie God more in this world Euen as the laboring man that serueth a good master if his wages be offered him before the end of the day that hee may bee dismissed hee is loth to receiue them yet because hee had rather hold out in the seruice of so bountifull a master and doe him a full dayes worke so the faithfull person though he be assured of Heauen when he dieth yet he had rather continue whilst ability serueth to doe God more seruice in this world before his dismisse that doing a full dayes worke he may partake the more of the Lords bounty Secondly this salleth out somtime through the violence or the disease the greatnesse of the pain beâ—umming the sense for a time so a that there is no feeling of comfort but great heauinesse Thus the Lord lesus himselfe in his extreaine passions was in a wonderfull agony and heauy till that the Angels came and comforted him and much more the weake members of Christ when their passions are extreame must needs bee heauy and vncomfortable and loth to come neere death for a season Euen as the Labourer in the extreame heat of the day being pained with toyle and the weather is without all comfort although he be sure of his wages at night so the faithfull soule being scorched with the heat of extreame pangs hath no feeling of comfort although hee bee assured of his reward at the last Thirdly this falleth out through Satans temptations who then assaulteth most busily when we are weakest and heerein hee often preuaileth so farre as that the patient can finde no comfort though he prayeth againe and againe Thus S. Paul when he was most highly fauored of God had the buffettings of Satan by which hee was exceedingly cast downe 2 Cor. 12. and prayed once twice thrice before that hee could receiue any comfort Euen as the manly Souldier who hauing fought valiantly and a breach being made now in the wall through which hee is entring the city is notwithstanding much daunted by the desperate Aduersary which maketh the passage very hard and painefull vnto him insomuch as for a time there is nothing but horrour before his eyes though hee seeth the resistance to bee so weake as that hee cannot possibly be kept from the spoyle So the Christian souldier sighting manfully all his life time and the breach being now made in his last sicknesse though hee seeth the riches of the new lerusalem from which he cannot be stopped yet by Satan now growing de perate hee is so resisted as that his brunt is very grieuous and hee is much dismayd It is not so euen with wie ked persons for they lie vpon their sicke beds oftentimes with more comfort and euen quietly depart out of this world but this is partly because their pangs are not so great they being spared here to bee the more tormented heereafter and partly because the Deuid hauing them in his suare is no way troublesome vnto them but rather as an Angell of light speaketh all peace and comfort till they be in the midst of his lawes As Elishahs seruant led the Syrians with hope 2 King 6. till they were taken in the midst of their enemies Wherefore let no faithfull person bee discouraged for the brunts which the godly suffer in their sicknesse neither let the wicked be incouraged for the easie passage of some of the common sort for it remaineth firme Such as see by faith their saluation shall depart in peace and none else Had wee not an instance of this in our faithfull sister Shee had brunts of temptations brunts of pangs and part of her day yet in the course of nature remaining young children amongst whom she might think profitably to spend her time to Gods glory yet howsoeuer these things might trouble her ioy yet they could not all take it from her For vpon the Saturday growing very weake and being much troubled for a time she yet professed her stedfast assurance willing one that was then about to go to a friend of hers a Gentle woman that had labored but could not finde assurance to commend her vnto her and certifie her what ioy she had saying that she vndoubtedly should rather haue the like Soone after this being through this ioy reuiued in her spirit she arose from her bed and sang most sweetly saying that it put her in minde of the singing in heauen The next day being the Lords day when she heard the family singing below in the house she sayd that she should be singing ere long in heauen That night being prayed for sundry times when mention was made of restitution to health in prayer shee seemed not to bee much mooued but when heauen was mentioned and being receiued thither shee sayd aloud
After these and other graue and comfortable speeches he vttered this heauenly praier following The Prayer of Ierome being now ready to die OHoly Iesus my virtue my resuge my taker vp my deliuerer and my praise in whom I haue hoped in whom I haue belecued and whom I haue loued my cheife sweetnesse my tower of strength and my hope euen from my youth Call me ô the Guide of my life and I will answer thee Stretch foorth the right hand of thy clemencie to the worke of thine owne hands which thou the creature of all things hast made of the mire of the earth and ioyned together with bones and nerues to whom thou dying hast giuen life and mercy Bid me come ô Lord doe not delay it is time that dust returne to the dust and that the Spirit returne to thee the Sauiour who hast sent it hither Open to me the gate of life for thou hast promised mee that thou wouldst receiue it when thou didst hang vpon the crosse for me Come my beloued let me lay hold vpon thee and not let thee go bring me into thy house Thou art my Taker vp my glorie and the lifter vp of mine head my saluation and my blessing Receiue me ô mercifull God according to the multitude of thy mercies Thou dying receiuedst the Theife vpon the Crosse running vnto thee O eternall blessednesse let me possesse thee Inlighte with the light of thine eternall sight mee blinde man crying by the way Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me O inuisible lights what ioy can I haue when I sit in darknesse and see not the light of heauen O light without which there is no truth there is no discretion no wisedome no goodnesse inlighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that my enemie say not I haue preuailed against him My soule is weary of my life I speake in the bitternesse of my soule I am sicke my life is weakned through pouertie my bones are fried as it were in a frying pan And therfore I runne to thee Lord the Phisitian Heale mee O Lord and I shall bee healed saue me ô Lord and I shall be saued and I shall not be confounded because I put my trust in thee But who am I most holy God that I should speake so boldly vnto thee I am a sinner altogether begotten borne and brought vp in sinnes I am a rotten carcase a slinking vessell euen wormes meate Woe is me ô Lord spare mee what victorie is it if fighting with me thou shouldst ouercome mee who am lesse then the stubble before the fire Forgiue all my sinnes lift mee poore Wretch out of the mire O Lord if thou wilt giue me leaue I will say that thou oughtest not to put me away comming vnto thee because thou art my God Thy flesh is of my flesh and thy bones of my bones For for this cause not leauing the right hand of the Father thou hast cleaued to my nature and becamest God and man And why didst thou this so hard and vnthought of thing but that I might come confidently vnto thee as vnto a brother and that thou mightest mercifully communicate vnto me thy diety Wherfore arise helpe mee ô Lord arise and reiect me not finally Euen as the Hart braies after the riuer of water so my soule thirsteth after thee the liuing fountaine that it may drinke waters of ioy out of the fountaine of my Sauiour and neuer thirst againe O Lord when wilt thou haue regard and restore my soule from euill deeds and my daâ—â—ing from the Lyonsâ— If my sinnes were weighed whereby I haue deserued thine anger and my calamitie were put in the ballance it would be heauier then the sande of the sea and if thou stay a little longer I shall finde tribulation and sorrow Come the ioy of my Spirit that I may delight in thee reueale vnto mee thy mercie the ioy of mine heart Let me finde thee my desire Euen as a seruant longs for the end of his worke so I long for thee O LORD Let my request come into thy sight that thy hand may saue me I haue bin a great sinner in my life time and done much euill in thy sight I haue not knowne thee I haue bin vngratefull for thy benefits I haue not praised thee as I ought I haue often coÌ„cealed thy truth when thou didst knocke at the doore of my heart I was slow to let thee in reuerently I haue loued my rotten body which goeth away like a shadow with too much affection I haue defiled my mouth with vaine words my minde hath not bin alwaies in thy testimonie I haue not turned mine eyes from beholding vanitie I haue polluted mine eares with vnprofitable words I haue not stretched out my hands oftentimes to the necessities of my neighbours I haue made hast with my feet to iniquitie What should I say more from the sole of my foote to the crowne of my head there is no whole part in me Surely vnlesse dying vpon the crosse thou hadst holpen mee my soule had dwelt in hell O holy Iesus I am part of so great a price for mee hast thou shed thy pretious blood ô reiect mee not I am the ship that haue wandred ô good Shepheard looke me vp and bring me to thy fold that thou may est be iustified in thy sayings For thou hast promised mee that at what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth he shall be saued I am greeued I know my sins and mine iniquitie are alwaies before me Truly I am not worthy to be called thy Sonne for I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Speake ioy and comfort in mine eare turne away thy face from my sinnes blot out mine iniquities according to thy great mercy Cast mee not away from thy sight neither deale with me according to my sinnes but helpe mee ô God of my saluation and for the honour of thy name deliuer me Deale benignly with me according to thy good will that I may dwell in thy house all the dayes of my life that I may praise thee togither with those that dwell there for euer and euer Arise and make haste ô the most beloued husband of my soule do not consider that it is tawney black through sinne Shew hir thy face vtter thy voice in her eares for thy voice is pleasant and thy face is comely Turne not away from me shun not thy seruant at this houre I waite vpon thee O Lord I beleeue to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing Therefore come my beloued let vs goe out togither into the field and see if the vine hath flourished Turne my mourning into ioy incline thine eare vnto mee make haste to deliuer me out of this vale of teares miseries Trinitati in vnitate Gloria
comforting in reforming and in praying was all in effect spoken by her if a register heer of had beene made And I haue made this addition the rather that all the world may know that in what faith and hope and affections and iudgements good Christians amongst vs dye now a dayes in the same faith and affections the most learned and holy seruants of God died twelue hundred yeeres agoe For let who so will look with a single eye into this Treatise and he shall plainly see that Ierom held a particular faith prayed only to God professing great boldnesse for that Christ was his brother renounced all merit of his owne workes and beleeued to passe immediately to be auen being shaken with no feare of purgatory fire with many poynts more which may easily bee gathered But I forget my self I write too long an Epistle before so briefe a worke I conclude therefore and pray the God of comfort to fill you with true heauenly comfort to the end Amen Your Worships in all duty to be commanded in the Lord. I. M. Luk. 2.29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation THese are the words of Simeon an old man that feared God who in all likely-hood by reading the Prophesie of Daniel Chap. 1.9 finding out that about this was the time of the Messiah prayed to the Lord that he might bee so happy as to see him before his death wherunto the Lord condescending promiseth that he should not die before he had seen his Sauiour And accordingly moouing him by the Spirit to goe to the Temple when his Sauiour being now a childe of fourty dayes olde was brought thither with an offering according to the Law he granted him his hearts desire and gaue him a sight of him whom for ioy he taketh into his armes and yeelds himselfe to dye in singing Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart c. In these words are two things Simeons sight and Simeons ioy His sight Mine eyes haue seene thy saluation His ioy Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to to thy Word For the first Mine eyes that is not onely the eye of my minde with which I saw him long agoe but also the eies of my body Thy saluation that is thy Sonne by whom the saluation of the Elect is wrought who for this excellency aboue other sauiours is called Saluation Doct. Hence we may obserue that some obtain so great fauour at the hands of the Lord as to see with their eies whilst they liue in this vale of miserie the Sonne of God and their eternal saluation wrought by him This fauour had Simeon and Anna and many faithfull both men and women in those daies who not onely with the eies of their minde but euen with their bodily eies also saw their saluation And all the faithfull in all ages both before and since the birth of Iesus haue beene made partakers of this fauour with their eies to see their saluation Of Abraham the the Lord saith Ioh. 8.56 Abraham desired to see my day and saw it and reioyced And of the rest S. Paul to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 11.13 They all diea in faith and obtained not the promises but saw them a farre off And since the death of Iesus all the beleeuers haue seene and haue heerein beene more blessed then they which seeing with their bodily eies beleeued According to which the Lord Iesus himselfe teacheth when Thomas would not beleeue till he had seen with his bodily eies Iesus risen againe and felt him with his hands saying O Thomas thou hast seene Ioh. 20.29 and beleeued blessed are they that haue not seene and yet beleeue So that it is a greater fauour not to see with the eyes of the bodie and yet to beleeue then to see with these eies and so to beleeue And of this fauour did this our deere sister partake whilst she liued in this world her eies did see her saluation shee did constantly heleeue in Iesus Christ and only relied vpon him for the obtaining of euerlasting life And whereas some things doe trouble the sight of the eies and some things againe do help and cleere it shee that obtained a more cleere sight by remouing the hinderances and vsing the helps most carefully The things that trouble the sight are sins and the thing that helpeth is the eye-salue of the Spirit that is the annoynting of the Holy Ghost For the Church of Laodicea liuing in sin is reproued as miserable Reu. 3.17 18. poore and blinde and for remedie is counselled to buy eye-salue of the Spirit Euen as the bodily eye saith S. Augustine which is made to behold the light Aug. Mat. Hom. 18. if dust or any offensiue thing rusheth into it it is so troubled as that it is not only not able to behold the light but must be hidden from it as not able to indure the light for that it now becommeth hurtfull to the eye so the eye of the minde by sinne is made vnable to behold the Lords Saluation yea it is rather troubled at it This excellent Saint of God knowing this did alwaies most carefully shunne all sinne keeping a most diligent watch ouer her waies and by the daily humble acknowledgement of her infirmities had her eyes cleered from the dust of sinne And as touching the annoynting this was plentifully diffused vpon her soule there being in her a most fragrant smell of all Christian graces First she was annoynted with a heauenly zeale as Mary the sister of Lazarus Luc. 10.42 who thought that one thing necessary her delight was to sit at the feet of Christ with all diligence to heare him preaching in the ministry of his holy word Neither the length of the way the cold and wet of the winter neither the businesses of the world could hinder her feet from comming to the house of God Vpon the Lords daies vpon lecture-Lecture-daies and vpon euerie occasion of preaching she was seene with the forwardest about the Lords Seruice In her priuate familie praiers morning and euening reading of the Scriptures and singing of Psalmes were neuer wanting in manie yeeres Besides that the Sermons were most carefully rehearsed seruants and children duely enstructed and manie heauenly speeches by her continually ministred to the breeding of grace in the hearers By this heauenly exercizing of her selfe then shee had her conuersation in heauen Phil. 3.20 and so could not but see her saluation there laid vp Sicut corpus quod aëris puritate perfruitur c. Euen as the bodie faith Chrysostome which liueth in pure and cleare aire Chrysost Matth. Hom. 2. enioyeth health and a more cleere sight but if in a thicke or smoakie aire it is much annoied hereby So the soule which is exercised in heauenly seeth the things of God more cleerely wheras the smokines of manifold worldly businesses much troubleth the sight Secondly
shee was annoynted with wisdome as Abigail who is sayd to be of excellent vnderstanding Shee did not lose her time in hearing reading discourse and meditation but profited more then many more ancient to apply that of Dauid vnto her Psal 119.100 I am become wiser then the ancient because I keepe thy commandements Such was her vnderstanding as that she could readily recite sit texts of Scripture for any purpose and finde them out and for harder places by singular labour she attained good skill herein She was not like the dul Hebrues Heb. 5. that were like babes in vnderstanding when by reason of the time they might haue beene Doctors but her knowledge with the time increased so as that like a teacher she was capable of great mysteries Old nature was not so in her as that she should bee blinded from perceiuing the things of God but the new Spirit gaue her an vnderstanding of all things 1 Cor. 2.14 as it is sayd The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God but the spirituall man discerueth all things She had doubtles then a cleere sight of her saluation giuen by God seeing that they which are thus inlightned 1 Cor. 2.12 haue receiued the Spirit of God whereby they know the things giuen them of God Thirdly shee was annoynted with true loue causing in her plenty of good works as in Dorcas Acts 9.35 her loue was exceeding great both toward God and towards her neighbour Of God her loue was so great as that shee burnt with the fire of earnest zeale for his glory stoutly euen beyond the strength of her sex opposing sinne and maintaining vertue in those that were about her As Dauid Psal 101.7 in setting forth his zeale so it may truely be said of her A wicked person shall not stand in my sight If any were neere in alliance or great in worldly respects yet if they were not orious for finne she tooke no delight but rather a lothing of their company 2 For the loue of God she kept a continuall watch ouer her wayes lest she should offend against his holy will no childe is more afrayd of offending the father or master then she of offending God 3 Because that notwithstanding all watches sinne cannot altogether be kept out shee was not a little troubled for her frailties and falls being alwaies glad when the Lord took the matter into his owne hands by chastizing her with sicknesse for then and in health time also shee did much complaine of her sinnes and forgetfulnesse for which it was necessary to be corrected Her continuall bewailing and often mourning euen with teares when wicked cursed speakers were in presence did plainely shew such an heart as Lots so taken vp with the loue of God as that hearing and seeing any thing against God 2 Pet. 2 8. could not but vex the hart inwardly with sorrow Of her neighbour shee had also a true loue not in word but in deed She had loue of almes-deeds which she plentifully performed to the poore as Iob Iob 31.16 17. not eating her mosells alone but the fatherlesse did eat part with her from her youth vp the poore were nou rished vp with her Vers 20. their loines blessed her for that they were kept warme with her fleeces Whilest shee liued the hungry could not goe vnfed the naked vncloathed the sicke vnuisited plentifully the Lord had dealt vnto her plentifully she gaue to the Lord againe in his poore members appointing continuall releefe to bee giuen to the sick and needy in such places of great pouerty as wherein shee liued not 2 She shewed loue by admonishing the disorderly instructing the ignorant and exhorting the backward in religion by all meanes prouoking to loue and good workes O how great was her care that her whole houshold and all her neighbours might serue the Lord that it might goe well with them for euer 3 Her loue was exceeding great towards Gods Ministers and all Saints reioycing alwaies to entertaine such and to be in their company 4 Her loue was such towards all as that shee would not giue offence to any by speaking ill of them neither did she delight as many do to heare ill reports against others Wherefore her religion was not vaine 1 Cor. 13. as all is without loue but it was a true religion her purity was in heart and in truth and blessed are the pure in heart Mat. 5.1 for they shall see God Her life was a continuall laying vp of treasure in heauen and therefore she could not but see heauen to be her dwelling place She led a right Angelicall life as Icrom truly speaketh Ieron epist 14 part 3. cap 1. Sine hac monasteria sunt tartara homines sunt damones c. Without this famlies are hels and men are diuels But with this families are paradices and men are Angel and if Angels they see their saluation Fourthly shee was annoynted with humility as Mary the blessed mother of Christ who being so highly graced by God Luc. 2.48 yet acknowledgeth herse fe his humble handmayden Although shee had something whereof others are proud as birth riches and estimation yet shee was the same lowly hand-maid of the Lord. 1 Through humility she made herselfe equall to those that bee of low degree being euen a companion of the poore ones that feare the Lord. 2 She despised the ornaments of vanity which other women so much delight in her outward habit did shew the inward lowlines and modesty of her mind 3 Shee stroue against the sharpnesse of her naturall disposition and by striuing did attaine a great measure of meeknesse and gentlenesse learning of him that sayd Matth. 11. Learne of mee that I am meeke and gentle and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules 4 Like the poore Publican shee was alwayes humbled in the sight of her sinnes in health and sicknesse neuer flattering herselfe with any thing which shee had done but alwayes bewailing her vnworthinesse and sinnes with which she sayd that she alwayes found herselfe compassed about 5 Because shee thought herselfe worthy of greater punishments she did humbly in all her sufferings submit herselfe to whatsoeuer it should please the Lord to lay vpon her verily perswading herselfe that no sicknesse or griefe came by chance but by Gods prouidence Without murmuring or impatient complaining she buckled her shoulders to to the yoke often affirming that shee respected not any sufferings heere Iam. 4.6 so that shee might goe to heauen heereafter Now to the humble it is promised that the Lord is neere though he despiseth the proud a farre off Esa 66.2 The Lord that inhabiteth eternity saith the Prophet is neere and hath respect to the humble that tremble at his word and if the Lord be neere hee is seene by the humble to bee their saluation Aug Mat Ser 5. This is the step saith Augustine whereby we ascend vp vnto God begin at the step
A choice one is the Deuils prey he careth not for taking the wicked because they are his owne already That wise man Salomon fell and his Father Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Feare O brethren againe I pray you feare on euery side for blessed is the man that feareth the Lord if tents bee pitched against him his heart shall not be afraid if warre riseth vp against him herein he shall haue hope The perfect feare of the Lord casteth vaine feare out of doores Loue hath no vaine feare loue and the feare of God are one which the Prophet considering crieth out and saith Psal 26. Settle thy feare within mee Who is there amongst you Psal 98. that desireth to see good daies let him come hither and be inlightned and his face shall not be confounded He that feareth the Lord shall doe good things and his soule shall dwell in good and his seed shall inherit the Land For the Lord is a sure stay to those that feare him and he will declare his will vnto them If ye doe any good take heed that ye feare Many do good things whose fruite the desire of the praise of men doth steale away There were tenne Virgins and yet halfe of them were shut out of heauens doore Alasse how many are at this day regenerate by holy baptisme and haue the name of Christians for whom it had beene better that they had neuer beene For the paines of hell which the Pagans shall suffer are farre lesser then the paines of wicked Christians I would to God that the greater part were not such The ship that is cuery where sound is drowned by one little hole Men haue gone out of the way in this large wildernesse some submitting their neckes to the yoake of couetousnesse others like most filthy swine being held in the filth of luxury others occupied about the wresting away of things vnprofitable whence it commeth to passe that the vse of reason being cast away they doing like brute beasts are made like vnto them and haue not found the way to the new Citie Ierusalem Such a mans way is an hundreth fould streighter then it is thought to be and yet it is large to all such as truly feare Christ promiseth to come to the Ceuturion fearing but denieth to come to the pettie-King presuming All doe not truely obey the Gospell The time shall come saith the Apostle wherein men will not suffer wholesome doctrin Many preach but all doe not preach the truth They binde the hearts of simple men in sinnes They binde heauy burthens in the least sinnes and passe ouer greatest sinnes winking with the eie There is a false Doctour a doubtfull sword on the one side he cutteth with his example and worke on the other side he smiteth and killeth with deceitfull and wicked words How should the fire gine cold and the water heate how should the stone go vpward and how should the filthy man preach chastly And if he doth preach what profit commeth hereby to the Hearers What can hee that heareth say but why dost thou preach with thy voice that which thou deniest with thy worke He that speaketh well with his tongue and liueth ill damneth himselfe Behold the Psalmist sheweth how acceptable such preaching is vnto the Lord. To the Sinner saith God Psal 50. Why dost thou declare my righteousnesse and takest my word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed Many read great things and learne hard things dispute subtilly and speake finely that they may be honoured of the people that they may be counted masters of the common sort and yet doe nothing If ye beleeue experience beleeue me the holinesse of life doth more moue the hearts of men then fine speaches Be Doers and so preach doing without preaching preuaileth Math. 7. but not preaching without doing God hath not said hee that preacheth the will of my Father but he that doth it I dispraise not preaching but onely in those that doe not the things which they preach A Teacher of subtile wordes onely and not of workes is a certaine light breathing into the eares and a smoake soone passing away without fruite Vnderstand ô brethren vnderstand what I say he doth much better that preacheth and doeth then hee that doeth and preacheth not If I onely doe good I profit my selfe alone but if I both preach and doe I profit my selfe and others also According to which it is said They which instruct others in righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for euer and euer For Preachers are a light to inlighten with their doctrine hearts dimme and blinde by reason of the cloud of sinne and that with the light of Christ that shineth in darkenes They are also for the seasoning of the word which is the food of the soule when it is ioyned with good workes The dutie of preaching is inioyned euery one that knoweth if he be a Doer Yea that I may say more hee that knoweth and doeth onely and teacheth not others shall giue accompt to the Lord therefore For seeing according to the Apostle Iohn He that hateth his brother is a murtherer and he that hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother in neede and yet shutteth vp his bowels against him hath not the loue of God in him How much more is he a Murtherer and without the loue of God who seeing his brother out of the way and oppressed with deadly sinnes and yet knowing how to doe it doth not Minister vnto him the word of doctrine Feare O ye Rectours and Teachers to whom the Lord inioyneth the duty of preaching that we should minister vnto his people the word of the Lord. For looke how many die in their sinnes through your example or negligence so many will the Lord require at your hand For by how much the higher yee be in degree by so much yee shall be tortured with the greater torments Ye are not Lords but shepheards There is one Lord and one cheife Shepheard which knoweth his sheep and will require them at your hands Alas how many are this day in the Church not Shepheards but Hirelings to whom the sheepe of Christ doe nothing pertaine Moreouer that I may speake truelie and as themselues know they are rauening Wolues which teare and disperse the sheepe Certainely nothing is worse nothing more abominable then when they scatter the sheepe which ought to keepe them Alas what is done at this day by some not shepheards of the Church but Destroiers which are not the lesser part They doe vnsatiablie deuour euen like hell the goods and labours of men and doe not onely not reforme them from their sinnes but euen they themselues doe draw them to things vnlawfull either by their owne negligence or by their most wicked instruments or by their vngodlie workes in such sort as that I must needes say if God should leaue them being such vnpunished hee should be no longer God And therefore as I haue often said my
most deare sonnes serue the Lord with feare and reioyce before him with trembling lay hold vpon his righteousnes least yee perish from the right way Taste and see how sweet the Lord is The rich haue wanted and beene hungry and such as haue slept here in their riches and pleasures haue found nothing but such as seek after the Lord doe want no good thing I haue bin yong and now am old yet neuer did I see the righteous forsaken to the end nor his seed wanting bread Be yee followers of pouerty that ye may be his followers who when he was in the likenes of God vpholding all things by the word of his power in whose house are riches and glory yet he abased himself taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and was borne poore and penurious and was more than poore and penurious all the time that hee liued here and died most poore and was buried whereupon The foxes saith he Luc. 10. haue holes and the birds of the ayre nests but the Sonne of man hath not whereupon to lay his head He also biddeth the Apostles not to carry scrip or satchell and he aduised the yong man to sell such things as he bad and to giue to the 〈◊〉 it is impossible 〈…〉 and in riches and to 〈◊〉 Christ Is there 〈◊〉 There riches be 〈…〉 is more 〈◊〉 Doe not all euils aâ—â—e out of pride as out of one roote For when a man is made rich and the glory of his house is increased doth he not wax proud and if he be proud are not his wayes euer polluted and then the rich man sitting in secret with his riches doth deuise how he may slay the innocent His eies look vpon the poore and he layeth wait in secret that he may catch him as a Lion in his den saying in his heart God hath forgotten he hath turned away his face and will neuer see But when the Lord through patience doth vse more delay in executing iudegment he is more full of anger and therefore hee is an hundreth times more to be feared when he doth patiently tolerate euils than when he doth hastily punish For God doth sometime suffer the good to be vexed of the euill and of the proud so that they make long furrowes vpon their backs continue in their wickednes But though the Lord seemeth a litle to forget the poore yet he will not euer forget to be mercifull for he is the helper of the fatherlesse and the protector of the poore he resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble He breaketh the arme of the sinner and wicked one and heareth the desire of the poore and iudgeth the cause of the fatherlesse and of the humble that the proud man vpon earth may not exalt himself any more Wherfore my most dearely beloued sonnes if ye will be poore be humbled vnder the mighty hand of God that yee may not loose those things which yee doe Pouerty is no whit acceptable vnto God without humilitie Hee chose rather to take flesh of blessed Mary for hir humilitie than for any other vertue For as out of the onely root of pride all euils do arise so out of the onely roote of humilitie all good things are bred Learne of our Sauiour who being gentle and humble in heart abased himselfe for vs becomming obedient euen to the death of the Crosse For which cause I say vnto you if ye will be humble be obedient to euery humane power for Gods cause He is not obedient but negligent who expecteth to be bidden the secoud time it is said that Peter and Andrew at the voice of one bidding left their nets and all that they had and followed the steps of the Lord. True obedience alwaies wisheth in nothing to follow a mans owne will but the will of another For Christ left this for an example vnto vs in his last supper when hauing washed the feete of his disciples he said vnto Peter that vnlesse he would yeild vnto him he should haue no part with him Wherefore my most beloued sonnes as yee haue one name so haue one wil and one will for it is a good and pleasant thing for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Let no man be greater or lesse amongst you but after the example of Christ let euery man be greatest in humility Let the greatest amongst you in humility become a fellow to the least when he doth well but when he sinneth let him lift vp himself against vice through the zeale of righteousnes Neuer make any couenant with sinne let a man be loued so as that his vice may be hated It is a great signe of loue to reproue a man in all the least offences Vaine humilitie doth oftentimes much hurt It is no true humilitie to suffer vices by holding a mans peace Cry out cease not lift vp thy voice as a trumpet saith he to Esay tell my people of their sins and I would to God that euery creature could cry out against sinne because that although the sinner doth not feare God he would yet be afraid of men The negligence and vaine humilitie of the shepheard makes that the Wolues can bee bold against the Lambes Looke not vpon the countenance of the mighty for there is no acceptance of persons before God Do in all things that which is iust ye must rather obey God than men If yee conceale the truth for feare of the mighty do yee not consider in your selues that your righteousnesse doth not exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees Do not honor a rich man more than a poore man vnlesse he be better Yea that I may speake truly honor rather a poore man for in a poore man doth shine the image of Christ in a rich man the image of the world We all come from one roote of flesh we are all bred members of one another in the same body whereof the head is Iesus Christ What honor then hath the rich and mighty man merited more than the poore man Peraduenture because he is rich and mighty but if it be thus why do wee preach that the glory of the world is to be despised Surely I thinke that no man is to be honoured for the vse of euill things If thou honourest the rich more than the poore thou preferrest the world before God and if thou louest any thing in the world more than God thou art not worthy of God Giue I pray you the things of God vnto God and the things of the world vnto the world Let goodnes euery where be honoured let wickednes be euery where disgraced But because I am speaking of those that do glory in their fading riches and of those that are proud of a certaine nobilitie of the filthy flesh which is soone to returne to ashes and of vaine and light power and dignitie for they are lifted vp by the blast of some foolish titles and doe tread others vnder feete through contempt and by this they thinke
that they obtaine that glory which the Lord hath prepared onely for the humble and for the contemners of this world what should I speake of them as it is meete woe to you that hasten to the kingdome of heauen through the way of riches seeing that it is easier for a camell to goe through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen These are not my words but the words of Christ if this sentence be reuocable Christ is no more God The heauen and the earth saith he shall passe away but my words shall not passe away Bewaile ô ye miserable Nobles and Potentates the titles of vnslable fortune because yee are blinded with the fumes of the honours and falfe dignities of this world when as the threed of your brittle life shall peraduenture be cut off this night and ye shall be tormented in hell more than others world without end liuing in continuall dying Yee are not amongst the labourers in the world yea ye do not onely not indure labour with men but ye doe not suffer the laborers to liue therfore ye shall be scourged not with men but with deuils For by how much your glory and ioy hath bin the greater in this world by so much the greater punishment is prepared for you in hell We confesse that Christ chose twelue Apostles amongst whom Bartholomew onely was of noble descent and Matthew only was rich before that he was receiued into the Apostleship the rest were poore fishermen Now heare wherfore I haue related this If Christ be true and all which I haue heard out of his mouth he true amongst such kinde of men scarse one of a thousand is to be sound fit for the kingdome of heauen But such of them as doe not beleeue mee shall after a short time feele it when they are placed in torments Yet some man blinded from the light of the truth will now maruaile to whom if hee would aske mee hereabout I would answer Do we not beleeue that a man is damned for one sinne and if it be so how can he be saued that liueth in an hundreth thousand sins But what other thing is the rich man fed with the ayre of fading honour but a rotten vessell full of all sins Where is couetousnesse where is pride Is it not in the rich in the noble in the great ones Are they not also theeues which doe violently prey vpon the hire of the poore and presse them downe and kill them who dowicked things out of the plenty of the Lords house which they haue receiued that they might giue to the poore Certainely they adde to superfluitie in dyet superfluitie in apparell hauing no regard to the poore that dye through cold nakednes They reare vp pallaces and great buildings that they may be seene when the poore dye in the streets They prouide feasts often for other rich men that they may fill their bellies with most delicate dishes when the poore perish through samine What other is their life but sinne if the belly be filled with such plenty of meate is not surfet at the doores And what should I say more when the tongue of euery man would faile in telling the thousands of sins which they do Neither do they acknowledg God vnlesse it be by dreame neither do they thinke that they shall dye as I suppose for he that thinketh that he shall dye and that God shall iudge him doth not easily fall into sinne He is verily ouer weake and miserable that hath not the remembrance of these things Therfore to speake truly if they did acknowledge God their iudge and beleeued that they heard they would at the least wise not sinne so securely Why doe these most milerable men goe to the Church to be present at diuine mysteries whether that they may behold the countenances of faire women this is their meditation preaching and knowledge of God If they looke into Gods law it is but that trauailing by sea or by land they may gather money to themselues and their children by often watches and distractions of minde that they may be the first in changing their suites through the wonderfull inuention of the workeman But miserable men what do yee doe yee not consider that you destroy your bodie before the time and slay your soule whence come weaknesses so vntimely deaths but of the much plenty of meats and of the often vse of women Doe ye thinke to mocke God yee doe certainely mocke your selues for the body yee forget the soule and ye destroy both bodie and soule before the time But delay not to do what ye do change your garments often lest your Nobilitie should decay if any man should exceede you that ye may receiue shame and confusion in hell Where shall your feasts where shall your delicare dishes then be where your costly wines mixt with honey and spices Banquet and be drunken for yee shall do no more so after death but being in hell torments yee shall with the rich man desire the least drop of water and shall not obtaine it Take your comfort in surfets fulfill your pleasures sowe in corruption that of corruption ye may reape that sentence which the iust iudge will giue in the great day of iudgement saying Goe yee cursed into heli sire prepared for the Deuill and his angels O stenle heart that dost not feare that such a doome hangeth ouer thy head for the slender comforts of this world If thou lookest for that day so terrible and cruell wherein thou shalt giue account not onely for thy surfets and vaine apparell and drunkennesse and of thy time lost but also of euery euill thought why art thou not amended Why dost thou wretch deferre from day to day to turne vnto the Lord why dost thou not now repent thee of thy sinnes Behold death maketh haste running night and day that it may teare thee in peeces behold the Deuill maketh haste to catch thee behold thy riches shall faile thee behold the wormes waite for that body which thou doest nourish so daintily that they may gnaw vpon it vntill such time as being receiued to the soule it may togither suffer endles punishments Why dost thou seeke comfort by vanities wandring in the by-waies of this world Thou canst not finde true riches and glory and pleasant things here because they are not but if thou seekest for true ioyes hasten to that heauenly glory for which thou wert made There doubtlesse are those true ioyes which the eye hath not seene nor the care heard nor the heart conceiued Let goe I pray thee fading momentanie things and seeke things euerlasting But why doe I speake of these men that will not cease from sinne through loue and feare of God or for the terror of death and torments following after but are grieued if they cannot doe the wicked things which they desire Woe woe vnto yo◠wretches that laugh here for yee shall mourne woe be to
you because yee desire these temporall ioyes yee shall suffer though most nilling the paines of hell Behold ye haue but a litle time remaining fill vp the measure of your wickednesse that all the wrath of God may come vpon you Enioy this short time in sports drunkennesse and dancings and wantonnesse let not your time bee spent without these Why delay you whilst yee liue gather for your children riches honors preferments increase your nobilitie and name that your children also may fulfill that which ye haue done that yee may altogither suffer the greater tortures in hell But some man will say the Lord is good and mercifull and receiueth in mercy euery sinner that commeth vnto him This is true indeede I confesse the Lord is better than he is thought to be he spareth as is meet euery one that commeth vnto him Is he not a most kinde God that tolerateth so great iniuries done vnto him by sinners giuing them space to amend But thou must know this that as he is kinde in forbearing so he is iust in punishing But some man perchance will say again he which hath done euill all his life becomming penitent at the very point of death obteineth pardon of the Lord. O how false an opinion and how false a meditation is this Scarce one of a hundreth thousand whose life hath bin alwaies ill hath found this fauour at the Lords hands A man begotten and altogither nourished vp in sinne which hath neither seene nor knowne God neither hath bin willing to heare of him neither taketh notice of his sins nor what repentance is being altogither bound vp in secular businesses whom the strait of forsaking his sonnes presseth whom weaknes paineth whom the sorrow of riches and temporall goods now about to be lost shaketh when he seeth that he cannot enioy them any longer can such a man make repentance acceptable vnto God who would not repent if he did thinke that he could be healed I may verily conclude truly that he which doth not feare to offend God whilst he is young and sound shall not be found worthy in death of the Lords pardon What repentance is that which a man receiueth only because he seeth that he can liue no longer who if he should recouer from his sicknesse againe would become worse than he was before I know no meane monyed men who hauing repented them in their extremide haue waxed well againe in bodie and worse in life I hold this I thinke this to be true and haue learned it by manifold experience that he atteineth no good end that hath alway led an ill life which hath not seared to sin but hath alwaies liued in the vanities of the world Pretious saith he in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and most accursed the death of the wicked And therefore my beloued sonnes gird your selues with power be ye mighty sonnes and feare not the slender power of the rich mighty here in the doing of righteousnesse For he that suffereth for righteousnesse is blessed and if he suffereth death he is more blessed If thou desirest to haue life through Christ feare not death for Christ for thou canst not indure those things for Christ which are worthy of the glory to come which shall bee reuealed when our glory which is from aboue shall appeare Let him not looke for a reward that doth not labour the name of a Christian alone doth not suffice but if thou beest a Christian imitate Christ Hee hath in vaine the name of a Christian who followeth the Deuill He is no Christian but an Antichrist according to that of Iohn Ye haue heard that Antichrist commeth now there be many Antichrists Wilt thou therefore reigne with Christ then suffer with Christ If Christ the Lord and King who hath a name aboue all names ought to suffer that he might enter into his glory what hope hast thou to enter without paines O how foolish are we and slow of heart to beleeue We will here passe our time in pleasure with the world and afterwards reigne with Christ Seeing the master entred naked shall the seruant expect to enter being laden with the superfluitie of apparell of gold and pearles He was full of fastings this man of surfets and ryotings he died vpon the crosse for him this man sleepeth vpon a delicate bed Shall seruants do that which the Lord doth not The Lord promiseth his kingdome to the sonnes of Zebedee if they could drinke the cup that he should drinke Be yee wise come hither and heare me and I will tell you the things which I haue heard and knowne It is good to cleaue to the Lord and to walke as he hath walked Euen as Christ hath laid downe his life for vs so we if need be ought to lay downe our life for the truth which is God himselfe He that loueth his life in this world shall loose it Christ hath suffered for vs leauing vnto vs an example that we should follow his steps Let him not thinke himself a Christian which doth not finde himselfe ready to die for Christ Let the minister of Christ follow Christ Answer me ô thou man which art a Christian onely in name and in word dost thou hold and preach the faith of Christ this is a good thing but where be thy workes faith without workes is dead Let mee tell thee truly thou which praisest Christ with thy word and not with thy worke doest indeed denie who if thou didst beleeue his sayings thou wouldst at the least be afraid and blush to commit sinne And if thou dost beleeue and dost euill thou art to be punished an hundreth fold more Is not the sin which is done out of malice infinitely worse than that which is done out of ignorance The Angell sinned and the man sinned the one could finde pardon the other not For what cause the Angell sinned out of malice man sinned out of the Deuils suggestion Where vpon say I thou doubtlesse canst haue none excuse if thou saist that thou sinnest by the Deuils suggestion euen as he did because thy suggestion is not like vnto his He knew not yet what the Deuils suggestion meant neither how greatly sinne would displease but thou knowest well and beleeuest as thou saist and yet cōmittest so many thousand fins And what shall I conclude they that are such Christians beleeue him in word and lye vnto him with their tongue but their heart is not right with him neither haue they faith in his testament If any man loueth Christ if any man be a true Christian specially a Priest in whom as it were in a glasse perfection doth shine he must deny himselfe that he may be altogither dead vnto the world because that vnlesse a graine of corne falling vpon the earth dieth it remaineth alone He wandreth in the way that hastens to goe by riches and delights It is a signe of manifest damnation to follow the pleasures of this world and to