vnder mee and mine heeles haue not slidde By which words the Prophet would declare the difference which is betweene the way of the righteous and the wicked for these by reason of their troubled harts through feare the variable cogitations in which they liue doe goe no otherwise then a traueller who walketh among rocks and declining headlong places fearing as often as he moueth his foote least he should fall but the way of the righteous is large and safe and they goe by a way plaine and euen where there is no feare of falling The righteous vnderstand these thinges better by practise then by theorie for all they doe knowe howe farre theyr hart differeth now when they serue God from that which they carried about when as they as yet sloted in the world For then in all danger of tribulation they foorth-with were afraid quiuered and trembled in hart and body But afterwards they left the way of the world and translated their hart to the loue of eternall things placed all their felicitie and hope in God they passed through all things whatsoeuer came with an hart so merry and peaceable and so subiect to the will of God that they themselues doe often maruell at so great a transformation They seeme not to be the same they were or at the least a newe hart is giuen them for theyr old they feele so great alteration in themselues And that we may confesse the truth they are and they are not the same for they are the same according to nature and not according to grace for this alteration proceedeth from grace This is that which the Lorde promiseth by Esay saying When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee through the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neyther shall the flame kindle vpon thee What be these waters but the lakes of the tribulations of this lyfe and the flood of infinite miseries which streame continually in it And what is that fire but the heate of our flesh which is the furnace of Babilon which the seruants of Nabuchodonozer did heate that is the deuils from the which furnace the flames of our concupiscences arise and ascend Hee therefore that in the midst of these waters and in the midst of this fire in which all the world is hazared and endangered doth walke safely neyther feeleth any hurt by the water or heate can it be that hee by that should not know and acknowledge the presence of the holy Ghost the vertue of the Diuine grace This is that peace which the holy Apostle sayth exceedeth all vnderstanding that is it is so high excellent and such a supernaturall gift that the vnderstanding of man cannot vnderstand it of it selfe how the fleshly hart should be so quiet peaceable and so at rest in the midst of the misfortunes and stormy tempests of this world He that vnderstandeth this acknowledgeth and prayseth the worker of so great miracles and sayth with the Prophet Come and behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth Hee maketh warres to cease vnto the ends of the world he breaketh the bow and cutteth the speare and burneth the chariots with fire Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the Heathen and I will be exalted in the earth Seeing that these things are thus what is richer what is sweeter what is more to be wished then this tranquillity then this enlargement then this greatnes and blessed peace of the hart But if thou wilt proceede further and wilt finde out from what fountaines this heauenly gift doth flow I say that it doth flow from â—ll these priuiledges and prerogatiues of Vertue which haue â—eene hetherto remembred of vs. For as in the chayne of vices one is linked and knit to another so also in the ladder of vertues one dependeth of another after that manner that which is the higher as it bringeth forth moe fruites so it hath moe rootes from whence it springeth Blessed therefore is this peace which being one of the eleuen fruites of the holy Ghost is engendered and begotten of other fruites and priuiledges as we haue spoken yet especially it proceedeth from Vertue herselfe whose vndiuidable companion Peace is Wherefore euen as honour and outward reuerence is naturally due vnto Vertue so also the inward peace is due which in like manner is both a fruite and a reward of her The inward warre proceedeth from pride and the vnquietnes of the passions but when they are tamed and bridled by vertues whose duty and function it is so to worke then all the cause of the sedition and tumult ceaseth This is one of those things in which the felicity of the heauenly kingdome consisteth vpon earth of which the Apostle speaketh The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Where by righteousnes according to the Hebrew phrase Vertue herselfe and holines is vnderstoode of which we speake in this place in which together with these two admirable fruites that is peace and ioy in the holy Ghost consisteth the felicity and happines begun and inchoate which the righteous enioy in this world That this peace is an effect of Vertue herselfe the Lord most plainely telleth in Esay And the worke of iustice sayth he shall be peace euen the worke of iustice and quietnes and assurance for euer And my people shall dwell in the tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Wee must know that in this place by quietnes is vnderstoode the inward peace which is the tranquillity and quietnes of the passions which trouble the quiet and peace of the soule with importunate clamours and disordered and graceles appetites Secondly this peace ariseth from the liberty and rule of the subdued passions of which we haue more largely spoken in the former Chapter For euen as when a Citty is taken and the Cittizens subdued straightwayes there ariseth peace and tranquillity in it so that euery one sitteth vnder his own roofe without feare and without suspition of any hostility so 〈◊〉 after the affections of our soule are subdued and brought vnder which are the causes of all troubles on a sodaine there followeth in it an inward quietnes and a wonderfull peace in which the soule liueth quiet and free altogether from warre and from that importunate altercation and hurley burley of these perturbations And so it comes to passe that as they when they had rule ouer him and exercised their authority turmoyled him tost him hether and thether so when man is free from their tiranny doth hold them captiue there is not any thing left which may breed sorrow and trouble vnto him Thirdly the same peace ariseth of the greatnes of spyrituall consolations of which we haue also spoken before by which
eloquence can vtter but by certaine coniectures we may come as it were aloofe of to some knowledge of it Amongst these coniectures the first is the end of that worke for the end is one of the circumstances which are wont especially to declare the condition and excellencie of a thing The end therefore for which the Lord hath made this place is that by it he might manifest his glory For although hee hath created all things for his glory as sayth Salomon yet properly and peculierly he is sayd to haue created heauen for this end for in it after a more speciall manner his dignitie greatnes and magnificence doth shine and appeare For euen as King Assuerus that raigned from India euen vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundred and seauen and twenty prouinces made a great feast vnto all his Princes and his seruants euen the power of Persia and Media in the Citty of Susan by the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes and that with all maiesty cost and royall magnificence that hee might shew the riches and glory of his kingdome and the honour of his great maiestie So the great King of Kings determined to make a most solemne and sumptuous feast in heauen not by the space of anie time but throughout all eternity that in it he might show the vnmeasurablenes of his riches of his wisedome also of his liberality and goodnes This is that feast of which the Prophet Esay speaketh when he sayth And the Lord of Hoasts shall make to all people in this mountaine a feast of fat things euen a feast of fined wines and of fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified That is of meates most delicate most precious and most sweete If therefore the Lord God doth make that solemne feast that in it he may manifest the greatnes of his glory if his glory be so great what shall the feast be What the riches How precious all things that to this end are prepared But we shal vnderstand this better if wee consider the greatnes of the power of this Lord. His power is so great that with one word he created this admirable frame and that with one word in like manner he can destroy it againe Neyther could he haue created one vvorld with one word but infinite vvorlds in like maner againe he could haue destroyed so many with one word Furthermore whatsoeuer he doth hee doth it without labour so that with the same facility that he created a small Pismire hee could haue created the greatest Cherubin and Seraphin for he feeleth no burthen he sweateth not vnder a greater weight neyther is hee eased of a lesse For he can doe all things that he willeth and whatsoeuer he willeth he worketh by his onely will Tell mee therefore if the power of this Lord be so great and if the glory of his most holy name be so great so vnmeasurable his loue what thinkest thou will be his house the ioy the feast which he to this end hath prepared What can be wanting to this worke why it should not be absolute in euery respect There shall be no defect of his hands because he is infinitely mightie and powerfull There shall be lesse defect of his braine because he that made it is infinitely wise There shall be no defect of his will because he is infinitely good Neither shall this worke be hindered through want of riches because the maker is the Sea and Ocean of all treasure What then vvill this vvork be where there is such and so great preparation What shall that vvorke be that commeth out of that shop in which such vvorkmaisters vvorke together as are the omnipotency of the Father the vvisedome of the Sonne and the goodnes of the holy Ghost Where the goodnes vvilleth the vvisedome disposeth and ordereth the omnipotencie can doe all that vvhich the goodnes vvilleth and the vvisedome ordereth although all these are one and the same in diuers persons We haue also an other coniecture meete for this purpose not vnlike to the former For God prepared not this house onely for his owne honour but for the glory and honour also of his elect Consider therefore how carefull God is to honour his friends and to performe his promise by vvhich he promised that hee vvould honour all them that doe administer vnto him This is manifested by the effect seeing that he hath giuen to them that liue in this world dominion and rule ouer all creatures This is manifest in Iosua at whose commandement the Sun stood vnmoueable in the midst of heauē no otherwise then if hee had had in his hands the bridle of the frame of the whole world The Lord obeying as the Scripture saith the voyce of a man We see the like in Esay who gaue to King Hezekiah his wish whether he vvould that the shadow of the Sun should goe forward tenne degrees or goe back ten degrees for vvith the same facility that he could doe the one he could doe the other Is not the like power seene in Elias vvho by his vvord stayed the cloudes that they should yeeld no raine as long as hee pleased And afterwards by the vertue of his prayer hee brought backe the cloudes and obtayned raine and vvatered the earth vvith showers and dewes Not onely such things in life are graunted vnto the Elect but the Lord doth honour them so farre that hee hath giuen this power after death to their bones and ashes Who vvill not prayse God that the bones of dead Elizeus reuiued a dead man vvhose body through feare of the theeues of Moab vvas cast into the Sepulcher of the Prophet Yea he hath not onely giuen this vertue vnto the bones and ashes of his elect but also to their shadowes the shadow of Peter restored them to health whom it shadowed O admirable God ô exceeding and infinitely good who hath giuen to man what he tooke not to himselfe or which he himselfe vsed not for it is not reade of Christ that his shadow healed the diseased which notwithstanding the Scripture testifieth of Peter If God be so ready to honour his Saints yea in a time and place not ordayned nor destined for their reward but appoynted for labours and miseries how great doost thou thinke that glory will be which he hath prepared for his beloued in a place proper for reward and recompence to honour them and that he may be honoured in them Hee that so greatly desireth to bestow honour and can so easily doe it let euery one consider with himselfe how ample precious rare and magnificent those things ought to be which hee hath prepared for the honour of his Elect In this place also may be considered the incomparable liberality of this Lord in rewarding the seruices of his seruants The Lord commaunded the Patriarke Abraham to sacrifice his onely and deerely beloued sonne who beeing obedient to the commaundement and preparing
shall be moe and greater offences of men For the mercie of GOD had not any thing that might prouoke it or desire it seeing there was nothing in mans nature that might deserue it but the Diuine iustice shal haue so many pricks motiues and pullers on for reuengement as there hath been sinnes committed in thys world ánd of these sufficient coniectures may bee taken how great and howe terrible the Diuine iustice will be This thing Saint Bernard excellently declareth in a certaine sermon of the Natiuitie of our Lord Looke how milde gentle he was saith he in his first comming so hard and inexorable will he be in his second and as now there is no man that may not be reconciled so after a short time there shal be no man that may Because as the gentlenes and benignitie appeared beyond all hope and esteeme so we must expect the sharpnes and seueritie of the iudgement to be God is vnmeasurable infinite in iustice as he is in mercy great to pardon great to punish but mercy doth challenge the first place that if we will iustice might not be found vpon whom it should be extended This sayth Bernard By thys it sufficiently appeareth how that by the mercie of God the quantitie of his iustice may be gathered The diuine Psalmographer doth most excellently shew thē both This is our God sayth he euen the GOD that saueth vs and to the Lord God belong the issues of death Sure God wil wound the head of his enemies the hearie pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Thou seest by these my brother that the Lorde is as seuere to his enemies and to those that rebell against him as he is kinde and mercifull to his friends The same thing the Diuine pacience doth most plainly teach which hee vseth as well towards the whole world as towards all sorts of men good and euill For we see many men so disordered and dissolute and of so reprobate a life that from the first time that they begin to open theyr eyes of reason euen to the last day of theyr life doe consume and spend the greater part of theyr life in offending God and contemning his diuine commaundements hauing neither respect nor regard of the promises threatnings benefits or coūsels of God or of any other thing Neuerthelesse in al the time of theyr life the great goodnes of God wayteth for them wyth great patience not cutting off the thred of theyr life not ceasing to call them by many wayes to repentance although he see no token of amendement in them But when that long patience shal come to an end if he shal poure vpon them the store-house of his wrath whom so many yeeres by little and little he hath beene gathering into the bosome of his iustice with what force with what violence thinkest thou that they shal be ouerwhelmed What other thing would the Apostle signifie when he said Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of GOD leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thine hardnesse and hart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of vvrath of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Who will reward euerie man according to his workes What is it that he sayth thou heapest wrath vnto thy selfe but that hee may signifie that as one gathering a treasurie doth daily adde a penny to a penny doth heape riches to riches for so the masse dooth increase so the Lord doth euery day enlarge the heape of his wrath as the wicked man by his ill actions dooth increase accounts to be rendered for them Tell mee I pray thee if any man in gathering treasure should so closely and diligently sticke to it that neyther any day or houre should passe in which hee woulde not adde somewhat to it and that by the space of fiftie or sixtie yeeres if at any time afterwards he should vnlock his doore enter into his treasure house what great store of treasure should he finde there O vnhappy man doost thou not marke that neyther day nor houre passeth in which thou doost not augment the heape of Gods wrath which is reserued for thy destruction that is increased and augmented by euery sinne that thou committest For although there were no other thing but the dishonest looke of thine eyes the impure thought or vncleane desire and the hatred of thine hart the word and periurie of thy mouth these were enough alone to fill the whole world But if to these all thy other vices sinnes be ioyned meditate I pray thee what an vnmeasurable masse of the wrath of GOD thou hast heaped to thy selfe by the space of so many yeares If the ingratitude and maliciousnes of peruerse men be well searched into they will shewe vnto vs the greatnesse of the Diuine punishments That thys is true consider the goodnesse and liberalitie of GOD towards men consider moreouer that which he dyd and sayd in thys world with that which he suffered for them all Consider also the commodities and necessaries for the vse of men prepared of hym that they might liue well and all other things that he hath pardoned vnto sinners or winked at how many blessings he hath bestowed vpon them and from hovve many euils he hath deliuered them and many other kind of fauours and benefits which daily he bestoweth vpon them All these things increase and multiply the heape of Gods vvrath Moreouer call to thy minde the forgetfulnesse and negligence of men towards God and also theyr ingratitude and rebellion lastly their blasphemies and contempt as well of God himselfe as of his commaundements which are so great that not onely they looke for no gaine or profit of theyr sinning but oftentimes of onely maliciousnes they tread foolishly all that vnder theyr feete which the Lord hath commaunded He therefore that without any reuerence or shamefastnes despiseth so great a Maiestie no otherwise then if he were some Figge-tree God who so often as Paule speaketh hath troden vnder-foote the son of God and hath counted the blood of the Testament as an vnholie thing wherewith he was sanctified he that so often hath crucified him with his works worse then the works of Pagans what other thing is to be looked for of him when the houre of rendering an account shall come then that he giue the honour to God or suffer so much punishment as he hath iniured God For seeing that GOD is a iust Iudge it is his duety to bevvare that the punishments be not lesse then the iniuries done but that they be like to the sinne of him who hath beene iniurious In thys case if it be God to whom the iniurie is doone vvhat sentence shall be pronounced against the body and soule of the condemned that the iniury doone may bee recompenced by worthy punishment But if in the satisfaction of the offence done to God the
of himselfe neyther did he trust to himselfe neyther to the long experience of his good life But if this be not sufficient for thee ad also the example of Dauid who although he was a most holy man and a man according to Gods owne hart yet when he beheld a woman he fell into three most greeuous sinnes into adultery scandall and murder Thy eares also must be carefully kept least they heare obscene vnhonest speaches which if thou at any time shalt heare let them displease thee for a man is easily brought to effect that in his deede which he with ioy heareth with his eares Refraine also thy tongue that thou speake not filthy and vncleane words for euill words corrupt good manners The tongue doth discouer the hart of a man and bewrayeth his affections for the tongue speaketh out of the aboundance of the hart Let thy hart be alwayes busied with holy thoughts thy body with godly exercises for deuils cast into an idle soule dangerous thoughts sayth Bernard with which it is occupied that although the offence be not in deede yet it is in thought In euery temptation and most of all in this set before thine eyes thy Angel who is thy keeper and the deuill thine accuser who are alwayes euery where with thee and see all thy works and present them before thy Iudge who seeth all things For this cogitation will worke that in thee that thou darest not preâ—ume to doe any filthy thing in their sight For how darest thou doe that which thou blushest to doe if a wretched man see thee doe it thy keeper thine accuser and thy Iudge looking vppon it Consider also that dreadfull tribunall strict iudgement and flame of eternall torments for euery punishment is ouercommed with a punishment more greeuous none otherwise then one naile is driuen out with another And by this meanes the heate of luxury may be extinguished by the thought of hel fire Furthermore take heede that as sildome as possibly it may be thou alone speake with a woman alone especially in thy suspected yeares For as Chrisostome sayth then the deuill more boldly insulteth ouer men and women when he espieth them alone and where many feareth not the reprehendour hee is the bolder and the tempter commeth the nearer beware therfore to conuerse with women when no witnes is by for solitarines inuiteth to all mischiefe Doe not rely vpon thy strength and vertue past albeit it be auntient and stable for we know how those olde men were inflamed with the loue of Susanna who alone was seene of them in the garden How great Bishops and excellent Clarks after great combats and victories sayth Augustine haue beene knowne to haue made shipwrack with them all when they would sayle in a slender and weake ship What strong Lyons hath this one delicate infirmity which is luxurie tamed which being vild and miserable yet maketh a pray of those that be great And in another place Beleeue me assuredly I speake by experience before the Lord I lye not I haue knowne the Cedars of Libanus the guides of the flocks to haue fallen by the pestilence of luxury whose falls I did no more suspect then I suspected the shamelesse rebuke of Ambrose and Ierome Fly therefore all suspected company of women for to see them doth hurt the hart to heare them doth inflame thy mind to touch them doth prouoke thy flesh to be briefe all that that is done with women is a snare to that man that is conuersant with them This is that which Gregory admonisheth vs of Let not them presume to dwell with women who haue consecrated their bodies to continency least they deuoure the bayte before they be aware for the presence of beauty doth sodainly entrap Fly therfore the familiarities visitations and gifts of vvomen for all these be as lime-twigs by which the harts of men are ensnared as a bellowes by which the fire of concupiscence is blowne when as otherwise perhaps the flame would faile and dye If thou wishest well to any honest and deuouâ— vvoman let it be done in thy minde without often visiting too familier conuersing with her For the chiefe of this busines consisteth especiallie in flying and auoyding occasions Remedies against Enuie CHAP. VII ENuie is a greefe taken at the good of another man and an irksomnes conceaued by another mans felicity I meane at one greater then himselfe whom he enuies because he cannot be equall vnto him and at his inferiour because he thinks that he would be equall vnto him and at his equall because his degree and state doth iumpe with his So King Saule enuied Dauid and the Pharises Christ who lay in wayte for their lifes for so cruell a beast is this enuy that it cannot abide nor any way brooke those men whom it enuieth This sinne is mortall and deadly and Diameter-wise is opposed vnto Charity euen as hatred is This sinne is one of the mightiest and most dangerous and which most spaciously dominereth throughout the whole world but especially in the Courts Pallaces and houses of Kings and Princes Although also it is no stranger in Vniuersities Colledges and conuents of religious men Who therefore may defend himselfe from this monster Who is so happy that runneth not into this vice eyther by falling into another mans enuy or by enuying another man himselfe For he that considereth of the enuy which was betweene those two brethren I doe not say the founders of the Citty of Rome but the sonnes of our first parents which was so great that one slew the other or of that which was betweene the brothers of Ioseph which forced them to sell Ioseph for a seruant and a slaue or that which was betweene the very Disciples of Christ before they had receaued the holy Ghost and aboue all the enuy with which Aaron and Miriam being both elected of the Lord burned against their brother Moses He I say that readeth these examples what thinkest thou that he will thinke of other men of this world amongst whom there is not so great kindred nor so much sanctitie Assuredly this vice is one of the mightiest and most powerfull which without controuersie at this day most largely swayeth empire throughout the whole world and more cruelly and tirannously ouerthroweth and wasteth kingdomes and dominions then the other vices For it is a proper effect of enuy to persecute the good and those that are famous and held in honour for their vertues and excellent gifts Against these the enuious doe direct their poysoned and venemous arrowes as to a white wherfore it is very well sayd of Salomon I beheld all trauaile of men and all perfection of works to suffer the enuy of man Therefore it is very requisite and necessary that thou shouldest very well arme thy selfe whereby thou mayst be able to resist so powerfull an enemy by daily desiring ayd and assistance of the Lord and by impugning this
and put of from day to day the amendment of their lifes and the embracing of Vertue ibidem The matters handled in this Chapter Diuers refuges and euasions of sinners ibidem Against them that deferre their repentance 266 The state of the question handled in this Chapter 267 The iust iudgement of God 268 Causes from whence the difficulty of conuersion ariseth ibidem The first cause is an euill habit and a naughty custome of a life wickedly and vngraciously led ibidem The second cause is the power of the deuill 269 The third cause by reason God is farre of from a soule polluted with the filth of sinne ibidem The fourth cause is the corruption of the powers of our soule ibidem Whether now or hereafter it is more easie to turne vnto God ibidem The force of euill custome 272 The Allegory of Lazarus being foure dayes dead 273 The losse of tyme ibid. The sinnes which we commit we shall heereafter deplore and lament in vaine 274 The reliques of sinne remayne after the sinne is committed 27â— How absurd a thing it is to reserue repentance for old age ibidem The greatnes of the satisfaction that God requireth of sinners 276 Deferring of repentance is a certaine infidelity ibidem Repentance is not to be deferred in regard of benefits receaued at Gods hand ibidem Repentance is not be deferred in regard of predestination 277. We offer the best part of our life to the world the worst to God ibid. What we owe vnto God in respect of our redemption 278 An excellent exposition of a place in the twelueth of Ecclesiastes ibidem The conclusion of the first obiection 279 The 26. Chapter Against them that deferre theyr repentance to the houre of death 280 The matters handled in this Chapter It is dangerous to dispute of finall repentance ibidem Authorities of certayne Fathers concerning finall repentance 281 To be conuerted what it is ibidem To dye well is an Art which ought to be learned all the life long 285 The authority of Schoole Doctors concerning finall repentance 286 The conclusion of Scotus that repentance made at the poynt of death and in extreamity is sildome true which he proueth by foure reasons or arguments ibidem The first reason of the Shoole-man is the great perturbations which arise out of the greatnes of griefes sicknes and the presence of death ibidem The euill disposition and temperature of the body is an impediment of contemplation 287 The second reason of the Schoole-man is that such repentance seemeth to be brought forth not of will but of compulsion whereas repentance ought to be voluntary ibidem The third reason of the Schoole-man is drawne from the custome of sinning 289 His fourth reason is founded in the quality of the valour of the workes which are commonly done at the houre of death 290 Certayne authorities of the holy Scripture confirming the precedent sentences of the Doctors 291 Aunswers to certayne obiections 294 Many miraculous and wonderfull things reserued to the comming of Christ among which the sauing of the theefe on the Crosse was one ibidem The iudgments of God 295 An obiection of the repentance of the Niniuites with an aunswere to it page 296 The conclusion of the former disputation ibidem The 27. chapter Against them that through the hope of the diuine mercy doe continue perseuere in theyr sinnes page 298. The matters handled in this Chapter The difference betweene the true Prophets and the false 299 Whence the Diuine iustice is knowne 300 All men ought to feare ibidem Whence feare is engendered 301 Of the works of the Diuine iustice whereof mention is made in the holy Scripture ibidem The beginning of the wayes of the Lord. ibid. The fall of deuills ibid. The fall of Adam ibidem The hidden and secrete iudgements of God page 103 Of the workes of the Diuine iustice which are seene in thys world 304 The great infidelity of men 305 What it is to trust in God 312 The conclusion of all those things which haue been spoken in thys chapter ibidem The promises of God belong to the righteous and the threatnings to the vnrighteous ibidem The 28. chapter Against them that excuse themselues saying that the way of Vertue is rough sharpe and difficult page 314 The matters handled in this Chapter Vertue is a friend vnto reason ibidem How the grace giuen vs by Christ doth make the way of Vertue easie pleasant 315 From whence the difficulty of Vertue ariseth 317 An answer to certaine obiections 319 For what end the reliques of sinnes and euill appetites remaine in vs. ibid. Another obiection with the answer 320 Spirituall circumcision 321 The commaundements of God are not impossible 322 How charity maketh the way easie and pleasant which leadeth vnto heauen 323 The cheerefulnes of Saint Laurence in his martirdome page 324 Those things which are vncleane to the world are cleane to the righteous ibidem Of other things which make the way of saluation easie and sweet 325. The way of the wicked is hard and difficult 326 All the precedent matters are proued by examples to be true 328 The great changes and alterations which the hande of the highest worketh 329 Thâ— disciples of Christ were on a suddaine made learned ibidem The conuersion of Saint Cyprian 330 The conuersion of Saint Augustine 331 The 29. Chapter Against them that feare to enter into the way of Vertue for the loue of thys world page 335. The matters handled in this Chapter What euills are in the world ibidem How short the felicity of this world is 336 No felicity of the world is lasting ibidem Of the great miseries that are mingled with worldly felicities 337 Some myseries are common both to the good and bad some proper onely to the wicked 338 Euils of God page 339 Punishments are inflicted vpon the wicked by the Ministers of God 340 The euils that passions and affections bring ibidem Of the multitude of the snares and dangers of thys world ibidem Of the blindnes and darknes of thys world page 342 The blindnes of men 342 Of the multitude of sinnes that are in thys world page 343 How deceaucable the felitie of the world is 345 The conclusion of all thys aforesayd 348 What the world is ibidem The world is a hell 349 That true rest and tranquility is found in God alone 349 Obiectiue beatitude ibidem Onely God can satisfie the hart of man page 350 The nature of the Sea-mans Needle ibidem Saint Gregory deplored the losse of his quiet and sweet solitary life 351. Those things which haue beene spoken are prooued by examples ibid. No man happy in thys world 353 The world is an hypocrite 354 The conclusion of the first Booke 356 In Vertue all perfections are found 357 Vertue is loued in an enemy ibidem THE SECOND BOOKE THE Prologue of the second Booke page 365 Matters handled in the Prologue The deuision of the second booke into two
before of vs the power and force of the cause is knowne by the effects and work and by the power force the Essence is knowne What maner of power shall it be from whence so great a worke proceeded and if this power be such and so great what an one and howe incomprehensible is that Essence which is knowne by that power This contemplation without all doubt doth farre exceed all humane reach In this we must further consider that all these excellent and great workes not onely as they are but as they might haue beene are as though they were not in the viewe of that diuine power yea after an infinite manner they are lesser for that is infinitely greater to which this power doth extend it selfe Who then will not be astonished considering of the greatnes of such an Essence and of such a power which although a man cannot see with his externall eyes yet he may make a most certaine coniecture and gather of the foresaid reason how great it is how incomprehensible This wonderfull immensitie of God that great Schooleman Thomas Aquinas doth show in his Breuiarie of Diuinitie by this example We see sayth he in things corporall that by how much any thing is more excellent by so much also it is greater in quantitie for we see that the element of the water is greater then the earth and the ayre greater then the water and the fire then the ayre furthermore the first or lowest heauen is greater then the element of fire the second heauen greater thē the first and the third then the second and after the same manner by ascending euen to the tenth Spheare yea euen to that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares whose greatnes is incomparable That any one may plainly see if he haue any consideration how little the Globe and roundnes of the earth and water be if they be compared with the heauens The Astrologers also say that the whole circumference of the earth and water are but as a pricke or a poynt in comparison of heauen which they proue manifestly by their demonstrations For although the circle of the heauen be deuided into the twelue signes of the Zodiacke through which once in a yeere the Sun doth runne yet in eyther Horizon onely sixe are seene for the bignes and standing of the earth dooth take vp and possesse no more place of heauen then a leafe of paper or a tablet will being placed and sette in the Center of the world from whence the compasse of the heauen may be seene without let or impediment Seeing therefore that that heauen which is aboue all the Spheares which is the chiefest and the noblest body of the world is of such an inestimable magnitude aboue all bodies we may easily vnderstand sayth Thomas how God who is without any circumscription the chiefest greatest and best of all things as well of things corporall as spirituall who also is the maker of them ought must exceed all things with a certaine infinite magnitude not in quantitie for he is no body but in excellencie and noblenesse of his most perfect Essence But that we may returne from whence we are digressed after the same manner we may search in all other things how great and of what condition be the magnitudes perfections of this Lord. For it is necessary that they be such as his Essence is Ecclesiasticus confesseth that where he speaketh of Gods mercy According to his greatnes saith he so is his mercy of such sort are all the rest of his perfections Such is his goodnes such is his benignitie maiestie gentlenes wisedome sweetnes noblenes beautie omnipotencie and to be briefe such is his iustice He therefore is infinitely good infinitely sweet infinitely amiable and woorthy whom all creatures should obey feare and reuerence insomuch that if mans hart could containe infinite loue and feare and infinite obedience and reuerence all that should be obliged by the bond and rule of iustice to the dignitie and excellencie of this Lord. For if as euery one is more worthy more excellent so greater reuerence is due vnto him it followeth that seeing the excellencie of God is so infinite that also infinite reuerence is due vnto him Heereupon is inferred that all that which is wanting to our loue and reuerence whereby we doe not come to that measure is therefore wanting because it is indebted to a dignitie of such greatnesse Which thing seeing it is so how great I pray thee is that debt which this onelie title although there were no other doth request of vs in the loue obedience of this Lord What I pray thee will he loue who doth not loue so great a goodnesse What will hee feare who doth not feare so great a Maiestie Whom will hee serue who will not attend vpon such a Lord For what is thy will made if not to loue and embrace that which is good If then he be the chiefest good what is the cause that our will doth not loue embrace him aboue all that is called God And if it bee so heynous an euill not to loue or feare his Lord aboue all things what wil it be not to esteeme or regard him Who would haue euer supposed that the malice of man would haue come to so great impietie Neuerthelesse to that height of peruersitie they are come that for a little beastly pleasure or for a little honour or for a small gaine and filthy lucre doe offend and contemne so great a goodnesse O blindnes to be deplored ô insensiblenes more then bestiall ô deuillish rashnes and presumption What doth not he deserue who dareth such things with what punishment with what kind of torture shall the contempt of so great a maiestie be worthily satisfied It is certaine that it shall be punished with no lesser torment then that which is prepared for such an offence that is that whosoeuer hee be that contemneth God shall be tormented in hell fire euerlastingly and yet neither shall he worthily be punished This then is the first Title which bindeth vs to the loue and seruice of this Lord which bond is so great that all bonds by which by any manner of meanes in thys world we are bound to any person eyther for his excellency or for his perfection are vnworthy the name of bonds if they be compared with this For euen as the perfections of all other things being compared with the diuine are no perfections so neither the bonds which by reason of their perfections and excellencies are named such are bonds beeing compared with this as neyther all the offences made onely to the creatures cannot be called offences if they be compared to them by which the Creator himselfe is offended For which cause Dauid also in that paenitentiall Psalme sayth that he had offended the Lord onely and onely sinned against him albeit he had offended most grieuously against Vrias whō he had commaunded to be slaine being innocent and against
my maker I thy worke I giue thee thanks ô my Lord God by whom I liue and by whom all things liue I giue thee thanks ô my framer fashioner because thy hands haue made me fashioned me I yeeld thee thanks ô my light because thou hast enlightned mee and I haue found both thee and my selfe This is therfore the first of the diuine benefits and the foundation of all the other For all other doe presuppose a Being which is giuen by this benefit and so all are gotten and ioyned with this as accidents with their substance in which they haue their ground and footing that by this meanes thou mayst vnderstand how large liberall a benefit it is and how worthy it is that thou shouldest deepely and profoundly consider of it Goe too therefore if God requires so great a thanksgiuing of thee for euery one of his benefits what doest thou thinke that he will require for this alone which is the foundation of all the other Especially seeing that it is the condition of the diuine Godhead that as he is most liberall in bestowing of his benefits so is he most desirous and as it were couetous in requiring thanks for them Not because hee doth stand neede of them but because our duty doth will them For in the old Testament we reade that God did no sooner bestow one benefit vpon his people but forth-with it being scarse bestowed he commaunded that it should be had amongst them in perpetuall memorie and that for it they should giue euerlasting and immortall thanks So when he deliuered his people from the Egyptian seruitude and yoake scarsely they were gone out of that Countrey when he commaunded that euery yeere they should celebrate a solemne feast in remembrance of that benefit For that end also he slew all the first borne of the Egiptians and forthwith commaunded that all the Israelites first borne should be sanctified vnto him as well of men as of beasts which after that should be borne of them or amongst them The Lord sent the Israelites Manna from heauen where-with they might be fed and hee fed them with that kinde of meate forty yeeres in the wildernes as soone as they had begun to eate it he commaunded them to gather a certaine measure of the Manna and to put it into a pot and to lay it vp before the Testimony that all posterity might haue knowledge of this benefit Not long after that he gaue them a famous victory against the Amalekites and sayd vnto Moses Write this for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it in the eares of Iosua If therfore God be so carefull that the memory of his temporall benefits should liue for euer amongst his people what will he not require of vs for this immortall benefit seeing that our soule which he hath giuen vnto vs is immortall Heerevpon sprung that consideration which moued the holy Patriarches to build Alters that there might be monuments and remembrances as often as they receaued any particuler benefits of the Lord yea they did remember in the names of their sons receaued benefits least they shold be buried in obliuion Wherfore a certaine holy man very well concluded that man should not oftner breathe then he should be mindfull of his God For euen as he alwayes hath a Being so alwayes ought he to giue thanks to his Lord God for his immortall Being which he hath receaued of him The Bond of this obligation is so great that also it was not vnknown to the Ethnick Philosophers but there were amongst them that exhorted men that they should not be ingratefull to God Epictetus a Stoicke Philosopher was wont to say O man be not ingratefull to that high power for benefits receaued as are thy sight hearing tast c. But more for thy life which he hath giuen thee and for other things with which he nourisheth and sustaineth thee Giue thanks to him for the ripe fruites for wine for oyle and for all other things But especially thou oughtest to blesse him because he hath bestowed vpon thee the light of reason that thou mayst vse all them afore-sayd and that thou mayst know theyr valour and worth If an Heathen man shall so commend gratitude shall exact it so strictly for cōmon benefits what ought not a Christian man to doe who hath also receaued a greater light of faith and greater more excellent benefits and blessings of God But perhaps thou wilt say that these common benefits doe seeme rather to be of Nature then of God to which why therfore am I bound for the disposition or the order of thinges which are regularly done and doe obserue theyr course Alas this is not the voyce of a Christian but of an Ethnick yea rather of a Beast But that thou mayst know and acknowledge this more manifestly heare the same Philosopher chiding and correcting such men Thou wilt say perhaps that nature bestoweth these benefits vpon thee Ah thou too much ingratefull man doest thou not mark that in saying that thou doest change a name of God vvhat other thing is Nature then God who is the first and chiefest nature Not therefore ô ingratefull man art thou to be excused when thou saiest that thou art bound to Nature and not to GOD seeing that not any nature may be found without God If thou shouldest obtaine any thing of Lucius Seneca and afterwards shouldest say that thou art indebted to Lucius and not to Seneca thou dost not change thy Creditor but onely his name Another reason why we are bound to serue GOD our Lord because he is our Creator FVrthermore not onely the debt of iustice but also our own necessitie doth binde vs to haue alwaies a respect and an eye to our Creator if after that we be created we will attaine vnto felicitie and perfection For we must know that those thinges which are borne and breede after a common manner of speaking are not forthwith borne with all their perfection They haue many things perfect yet many things in them are wanting which afterwards are perfected That perfection he must adde and giue who began the worke So that it pertayneth to that cause which gaue the first Beeing to giue also the finishing and perfection Heere-vpon it is that all effects in their kinde haue recourse and looke backe to their causes that of them they may receiue their last perfections Plants do labour as much as lies in them that they may finde out the Sun and that they may send foorth theyr rootes into the earth which produced and brought them foorth Fishes also doe not goe out of that water which engendered them a Chickin being excluded out of the Egge by and by doth hatch it selfe vnder the winges of the Henne and followeth her wheresoeuer shee goeth The same doth a Lambe who after that he is brought forth presentlie hasteth to the dugges of his Damme and if there were a thousand sheepe
those things of which he should haue taken and receaued greater causes of louing his Creator of those he receaued and tooke greater occasion of treason and disloyalty Therefore he was thrust out of Paradice and cast into banishment yea and was adiudged to hell fire that as hee was made a companion with the deuill in sinne so hee might be his companion in punishment The Prophet Elizeus sayd to his seruant Gehezi Thou hast receaued siluer and garments of Naaman therefore the leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and to thy seede for euer Like was the iudgement of God against man who seeing that he had affected the riches and treasure of Lucifer that is his pride and ambition it was meete that he should be infected with the leaprosie of the same Lucifer which was the punishment of his pride Behold then man made lyke vnto the deuill being a follower of his fault Therfore when man was so abhominable in Gods eyes and had incurred so great displeasure our most gracious and most mercifull Lord did not disdaine to respect vs he did not looke to the iniurie done to his supreame Maiesty but to the misfortune of our owne misery more lamenting our errour then desirous of reuenge for the contumely offered vnto him he determined to repaire man and to reconcile him vnto him his onlie begotten sonne being our Mediatour But how hath he reconciled man vnto him What humane tongue shall declare this vnto vs Christ hath procured so great friendship between vs and God that not onely God hath pardoned to man all his fault hath receaued him into his fauour hath made him one and that same with himselfe through a certaine vnion of loue but that which passeth all greatnes hath made such a likenes and similitude betweene himselfe mans nature that amongst all things created there can be found no greater conformity thē are the Deity and humanity for they are not one and the same through loue and fauour but also in person Who euer durst haue hoped that a wound so largely gaping should after this manner haue beene drawne together Who euer could haue thought that these two natures betweene which there was so great difference both of nature and of offence that euer they could haue beene so neerely ioyned together not in one house not at one table not in one loue but in one and the selfe same person What two greater contraries may be giuen then God and a sinner And what two things are now more straightly and narrowly combined together what more commixt then God and man There is nothing higher or nobler then God saith Bernard and there is nothing lower or baser then that clay of which man is formed Neuerthelesse with so great humility GOD descended vpon the earth to man and with so great sublimitie earth ascended to God that whatsoeuer God hath done earth may be said to haue done it and whatsoeuer earth hath suffered God may be sayd to haue suffered it Who would haue said to man when he was naked knew that he had incurred the wrath of God when he sought lurking holes and corners in Paradice wherein he might hide himselfe vvho I say would haue then said that the tyme should come when this vild substance should be vnited to God in one and the selfe same person Thys vnion is so neere straight and faithfull that when it was to be dissolued which was in the tyme of the Passion it would rather rent and breake then faint and forsake Death might seperate the soule from the body which was the vnion of nature but it could not pluck GOD from the soule nor frō the body for that vvas the vnion of the Diuine person For what it once apprehendeth with so strong a loue it neuer forsaketh This is that peace this is that health and saluation which wee receaue by the benefit of our Mediatour and Sauiour Although we are such and so great debtors for thys benefit that no mans tongue can vtter it yet we are not lesse bound to God for the manner of our Redemption then for the redemption it selfe O my Lord I am bound to thee in a high degree of dutie that thou hast deliuered me from hell and hast reconciled me vnto thee but much more owe I vnto thee for the manner it selfe by which thou hast deliuered me then for the liberty it selfe which thou hast giuen me All thy works are admirable in all things and although a man doth thinke when he hath considered one thing that not any thing remaineth which may be added to further admiratio◠foorth-with all that wonderment vanisheth when he turneth his eyes to contemplate an other thing O lord the glory of thy greatnes is not diminished if one wonder dooth seeme to expell and put out another but these are tokens of thy greater glory But what was the meane ô my Lord by which thou wouldest take away my euils and wickednesses There were infinite meanes by which thou couldest haue helped me and giuen me perfect saluation without labour and without any price Notwithstanding so great and so admirable is thy liberalitie that to show me more manifestly the greatnes of thy loue goodnes thou wouldest helpe me with so great dolours that the onely cogitation of them was sufficient to extract bloody sweat from all thy members thy passion a little after through dolor to cleaue a sunder the hardest Rocks O my Lord the heauens doe praise thee and the Angels sette forth thy wonders What didst thou neede our good or were our euils any preiudice vnto thee If thou sinnest sayth Iob what doost thou against him yea when thy sinnes be many what doost thou vnto him If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him or what receiueth he at thy hand Thys GOD so rich so voyde of all euill he whose riches whose power whose wisedome cannot increase or be greater then it is he that was neither before nor after the creation of the world greater or lesser then he is now he that is neither more illustrious or lesse glorious because Angels sing his prayse and men doe glorifie him nay if all the creatures should curse and blaspheme him thys great Lord not of necessity but of meere charitie it not hindering him that we were his enemies he dyd not disdaine to incline and bend the heauens of his maiestie and to descend into this valley of misery to be clothed with the flesh of our mortalitie and to take all our debts vpon him to cancell them to suffer and vnder-goe greater torments then euer any suffered heeretofore or shall suffer heereafter Ah my Lord for the loue of me thou wast borne in a stable and layd in a Cratch for me thou wast circumcized the eyght day for me thou flying into Egipt liuedst there in banishment seauen whole yeeres and for mee thou diddest sustaine diuers persecutions and wast molested and vexed with infinite iniuries For the loue of
that vvee should be called but he addeth that we are that the base estate and small confidence of man might euidently know the bountifulnes and liberalitie of God and that we might see that it is not a name of honour or title but rather of the deed and thing it selfe But if it be so great an euill to be hated and reprobated of God what great good will it be to be beloued of him and to remaine in his fauour This truly is an Axiome of the Phylosophers that a thing is so much the better by howe much his contrary is worser And therefore it necessarily followeth that that is the chiefest good whose opposite is the chiefest euill as we haue said that that is to be hated of GOD. But if in this world it be esteemed a matter of great moment if any man bee had in honour estimation amongst his Superiors as with the Emperour King or Prince or such great honorable estates I pray thee what will it be to haue found fauour and grace with the highest Prince the supreame Father with the most glorious excellent and noble Lord in comparison of whom al the principalities and dignities of this worlde are as though they were not Which fauour also is so much the greater by hovve much more it is freely gȳuen for it is certaine that as it is vnpossible for a man to be able to doe any thing before hee vvas created whereby he might deserue to be created for then hee was not any thing so also without all doubt is it that he can do nothing after that he is fallen into sinne whereby hee may deserue Iustification not because he is not but because he is euill and hated of God Another benefit followeth this going before that it deliuereth and freeth a man from the condemnation of euerlasting punishment of which hee was guiltie by reason of his sinnes for sinne doth make a man abhominable vnto God no man can liue without Gods fauour without his owne extreame harme Hence is it that the sinners forsaking God because they sinne and contemne him that they deserue to be contemned to be remoued out of the sight of God beeing banished from his company and from his beautifull dwellings and because they forsaking God doe loue the creatures with an inordinate loue it is meete that they should be punished in all things and be tormented with eternall payne to which visible punishments being compared they rather seeme paynted then true To this so great vnhappines that euerlasting worme doth also come which alwayes gnaweth the bowels and conscience of the wicked But what shall I say of the society of those cursed spirits and of all the damned What shall I speake of that obscure and lamentable Region full of darknes and confusion Where there is no order but where continuall horror abideth where no ioy is found no peace no rest no content no hope but perpetuall complayning and euerlasting gnashing of teeth exceeding outragiousnes and fury continuall blasphemy and eternall malediction From all these euils the Lord hath deliuered all them whom he hath iustified who after that they are reconciled to him and receaued into his fauour they are free from this wrath and from the punishment of his vengeance Behold an other benefit more spirituall which is the reformation and renouation of the inward man which was defiled and polluted through sinne For sinne doth not onely depriue the soule of God but also doth spoile and rob it of all supernaturall strength and fortitude and of all other riches and gifts of the holy Ghost with which it was adorned beautified and enriched by and by after that it is depriued of these graces it is wounded maymed and depriued also of the naturall blessings For seeing that man is a reasonable creature and sinne is a work done against reason and seeing that it is naturall that one contrary should destroy an other the consequent is that by how much more sinnes are multiplied by so much more the faculties of the soule are destroyed and disturbed not in themselues but in their aptnes to worke By these meanes sinnes doe make the soule miserable weake sluggish and instable to euery good worke but procline prompt and ready to all euill weake and feeble to resist temptations and flow to walke in the wayes of Gods commaundements They depriue her also of the true liberty and rule of the spirit and they make her the captaine of the deuill the world the flesh and of her owne appetites And by this meanes shee liueth in captiuity more hard and intollerable then that of Babilon and Aegipt Furthermore all the spirituall powers of the soule are made also sluggish and slothfull so that they doe not heare diuine inspirations and heauenly voyces they doe not see the great euils prepared for them they doe not smell the sweete fauour of Vertue nor the most beautifull paths and examples of the Saints they doe not tast how sweet the Lord is neyther doe they feele the scourgings nor acknowledge the benefits by which they are prouoked vnto his loue and besides all these they take away the peace and ioy of the conscience they doe extinguish the heate and seruour of the spirit and doe leaue a man filthy blemished deformed and abhominable in the sight of God and in the sight of all his Saints From all these euils this benefit doth deliuer vs. For so bottomlesse are the mercies of God that he is not content to haue pardoned our faults and to haue receaued man into fauour vnlesse also hee expell all these euils which sinnes bring with them reforming and renuing our inward man By this maner he healeth our wounds he washeth away our spots blemishes he breaketh the bonds of sinne destroyeth the yoake of euill concupiscences deliuereth vs from the seruitude of the deuill mitigateth and aswageth the fury and rage of our peruerse affections and perturbations and doth restore vnto vs the true liberty beauty of our soule doth giue vs the peace and ioy of a good conscience doth reuiue our inward sences doth make them prompt and fit to euerie good worke and slow to any euill Maketh them strong and valiannto resist the temptations of the deuill and doth inrich vs with all good works To be briefe he doth so absolutely renue and repaire our inward man with all his powers that the Apostle calleth such men iustified renued yea new creatures This renuing is so great that when it is made by Baptisme it is called regeneration but when by repentance it is called a resurrection and rising againe not onely because the soule is raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace but because after a certaine manner it also imitateth the beauty of the future resurrection This is so true that no tongue of man is sufficient to expresse the beauty of a iustified soule This onely knoweth that Spirit that maketh it beautifull and his Temple
thy glory and of thy greatnesse euery day Vpon which wordes Saint Augustine dooth thus comment What is this euery day Without intermission in prosperitie because thou doost comfort mee in aduersity because thou doost correct mee Before I was because thou madest mee when I was because thou gauest mee health when I dyd offend because thou pardonest me when I was conuerted because thou helpest me when I perseuered because thou crownest me So fully let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory euery day and all the day long If the sonne of God himselfe dyd gyue thankes to hys Father for a fewe Barley loafes as it is in the Gospell what great thanks ought we to giue for thys great benefit that wee are so sanctified by his holy Spirit that we are made his Temple and the dwelling and seate of the most sacred Trinitie If wee are bound to giue thanks for our nourishment whereby our Being is vpholden how great thanks are wee bound to giue him for this our well Being For we doe not prayse a horse because he is a horse but because he is a good horse nor wine because it is wine but because it is good wine nor a man because hee is a man but because he is a good man If therefore so many wayes we be bound to him who hath created vs how much more are wee bounde to him that hath made vs good If wee owe so much vnto him for the gyfts of our bodies how much more doe wee owe for the gyfts of our mindes if so much for the gyfts of nature how much more for the gyfts of grace To conclude if so great things be due vnto him because he hath made vs the sonnes of Adam how much more that he hath made vs of the vnhappy sonnes of Adam the sonnes of God For much better is the day in which wee are borne to eternitie as sayth Eusebius Emissenus then in which we are borne to the dangers of thys world Behold brother another chayne and linck which with the former benefits may binde tye thy hart to desire vertue to serue the Lord thy God THE SIXT TITLE That the inestimable benefit of the diuine Predestination doth binde vs vnto Vertue CHAP. VI. AMongst all the benefits before remembred that also of Election is numbred which pertaineth onely to them whom GOD from euerlasting hath elected to eternall life for the which benefite the Apostle as well for himselfe as for all the Elect doth giue thankes to him in these words Blessed be GOD euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will The same benefit the kinglie Prophet commendeth when he sayth Blessed is he whō thou chusest and causest to come to thee he shal dwell in thy courts Therefore woorthily thys benefit may be called a benefit of benefits and a grace of graces A grace of graces because it is gyuen before all desert of the onely infinit goodnes and liberalitie of God who dooing iniurie to none yea giuing a sufficient helpe to euery one to saluation but to some hee extendeth more largely and bountifully the greatnes of his mercy as an absolute and bountifull Lord of his riches It is also a benefit of benefits not onely because it is greater then the rest but because it is also the cause and foundation of all the rest For vvhen as man is elected vnto glory by the meanes of thys benefit by by the Lord doth bestow vpon him all other benefits which are required to the attaynement of thys glory as hee testifieth by his Prophet saying I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therfore with mercy I haue drawen thee Thou oughtest not to be ignorant that I haue called thee to my glory that by it thou maiest obtaine my glory The Apostle more plainly doth tell this when he sayth For those which he knewe before hee also predestinate to be made like to the image of his sonne that hee might be the first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom hee predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also hee iustified and whom he iustified them also hee glorified The reason of this is that the Lord disposing of all things sweetly and orderly after that hee hath vouchsafed to elect any man to his glory for that fauour he bestoweth many other vpon him for he giueth all things which pertaine to the obtaining of thāt first fauour For euen as a father who bringeth vp his sōnne that hee may bee a Minister of Gods holy word or a Doctour of hys Church doth accustome him from his young yeeres to ecclesiasticall matters and causeth him to apply his studie directeth the whole course of his life to the proposed end so our heauenly Father after that he hath elected any man to the participation of his glory hee directeth him by his fatherly care to the way of righteousnes which leadeth to that glory and hee fatherly leadeth him in it vntill he come to his wished end For this so auncient and so excellent a benefit they ought to gyue thanks to this Lord who feele in themselues some euidence of this benefite For let vs grant that thys secret is hid from mans eyes yet seeing that certaine marks and tokens of iustification are alwaies knowne certaine signes also of the diuine predestination and election may be had For as amongst the signes of iustification the amendment of life is not the least so amongst the signes of election this is the greatest a perseuerance continuing in a good life Because he that hath lyued many yeeres in the feare of the Lord and with all care and diligence escheweth sinne he may godly and religiously perswade himselfe that as the Apostle sayth the Lord will strengthen him euen to the end that hee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lorde Iesu◠Christ and that as he hath begunne so hee shall make an end Surely it is true that no man ought to be carelesse of his estate and that no man ought to be secure of his perseuerance seeing that the most wise Salomon after that he had liued many yeres godly and religiously in the end of his life failed and playd the back-slider and fell very filthily But thys is but a particuler exception from that generall vse and custome which we brought out of Paule and which Salomon himselfe teacheth in his Prouerbs saying It is a prouerbe teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it So that if hee be a dilligent follower of vertue in his youth he
will be so in his old age Of these and such like coniectures which are found amongst the Doctours of the Church hee that is such an one may with humility assure himselfe of the infinite goodnes of God that he is one of the number of the Elect. For as he hopeth in the infinite goodnes of God to be saued so hee may humbly presume that he is one of their number who are to be saued seeing that the one doth presuppose the other Which seeing that it is so I pray thee consider with thy selfe ô man with how great a pledge the Lord doth hold thee bound vnto him for this vnmeasurable benefit that is that thou art written in that booke of the which our Redeemer sayth to his Apostles In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in the booke of life How vnmeasurable therefore is this benefit to be loued and to be elected from that eternity from which God was God To rest in his most sweet breast euen from the beginning of all eternity To be accounted for the adopted sonne of God then when his naturall sonne was begotten in the glory and splendour of all the Saints who were present in his diuine vnderstanding Consider therefore dilligently all the circumstances of this election and thou shalt see euery one of them to be singuler very great benefits and also to bring new bonds and obligations with them Consider first the dignity of him who hath elected thee who himselfe is God happy and infinitely rich who neyther needeth thine nor any mans riches else Consider how vnworthy he is who is elected if thou considerest his nature and quality for he is a miserable and mortall creature subiect to all the infirmities miseries and pouerty of this life guiltie of hell fire both for an other mans and also for his owne sinne Thirdly marke how excellent the election it selfe is after that thou art elected to an end so high then the which a greater cannot be that is that thou mayest be made a sonne of God an heire of his kingdome and a pertaker of his glory Consider fourthly how free this election is when it is as wee haue sayd before any merrit of thine of the onely lyking and ordinance of the diuine will and as the Apostle sayth for the glory and praise of the bounty and fauour of God But a benefit the freer it is the more it doth hold a man bound Fiftly the antiquity of this election is to be looked vnto for it did not begin when the world was made but it is much more auncient then the world it selfe yea it is of the same age with God himselfe who as he is from euerlasting so he loueth his elect from euerlasting and loueth them still and will loue them for euer whom he beholdeth with his fatherly eyes and those truly fauoring being alwayes mindfull to what an excellent good he hath ordayned and predestinated them Sixtly the rarenes of this benefit is to be considered after that among so many nations of barbarous men in such a multitude of the damned the Lord would call thee to so happy an estate that thou shouldest be in the number of them which are elected to eternall life And therefore he seperated thee from the masse of the corruption of mankind condemned for sinne out of the leauen of corruption hath changed thee into Angels food In this consideration few things are found that may be written but many things that may be considered of in the minde that thou mayest be thankfull to the Lord for the perticularity of this benefit which is so much the more by how much the number of the elect is lesser and the number of those greater that are to be damned which number as Salomon sayth is infinite But if none of these things doe moue thee at the least let the greatnes of the costs and charges moue thee which the most bountifull Lord determined to make by reason of this benefit as are the life of his onely begotten sonne and his blood shed in the cause of this benefit as who had determined from euerlasting to send him into this world that he might be the executor of this determination Which seeing that it is so can there be any time long enough and sufficient to consider of so great mercy of God What tongue can euer vtter it sufficiently What hart can perfectly feele and tast it To be briefe by what duties can he recompence it And with what loue can man answere vnto this diuine loue Who will be so ingratefull that will refuse now at the length to loue him of whom hee hath beene beloued from all eternity Who will change him for any other friend For seeing that in the holy Scriptures an auncient friend is so highly praysed and had in great estimation who would change the possession and fauour of this most auncient friend with all the friends of the world And if the possession of a thing time out of minde doth giue authority and right to him that in deede hath no right vnto it what shall this eternall possession doe by which the Lord doth possesse vs that by the title of this friendship we may be reputed his By these it is manifest that no good may be found in the world which is to be changed with this good neyther that there are any such great euils which are not to be borne for the loue of this good Who I pray thee can be so dull blockish and inconsiderate that being taught by diuine reuelation that some begger which daily in the streetes from dore to dore doth seeke his bread is predestinate of God after this maner would not kisse the earth whereon he treadeth with his feete Would not giue place vnto him And bending his knees with great humility would not wish well vnto him and gratulate him with these words ô thou happy and blessed man art thou one of the blessed number of the elect Shalt thou reioyce in that happy company of Angels Shalt thou sing that heauenly musicke Shalt thou possesse that euerlasting and eternall kingdome Shalt thou contemplate and view that bright and glorious shining face of Christ O happy is that day in which thou wast borne but much more happy is that day in which thou shalt dye to the world for then thou shalt begin to liue an eternall and immortall life Happy is the bread with which thou art fed happy is the earth which thou treadest vpon for that doth carry an incomparable treasure Blessed are the tribulations which thou sufferest and the neede which doth presse thee Because they doe open a way to thee which leadeth to eternall life What cloude of calamities or tribulations shall be so thicke which will not vanish and be expelled at so great hope These and such like are the words with which wee would moue and perswade any man whom we knew certainly to
twilight be dimme through the darknesse of it let it looke for light but haue none neyther let it see the dawning of the day Because it shut not vp the doores of my Mothers wombe nor hid sorrow from mine eyes Why dyed I not in the birth or why dyed I not when I came out of the wombe Why did the knees preuent me and why did I sucke the breastes Thys will be the musicke thys the song which the vnhappie and miserable shall sing without end O vnhappy tongues which pronounce nothing but blasphemies ô vnluckie eyes that see nothing but calamities and miseries ô miserable eares which heare nothing but complaints and gnashings of teeth ô vnhappie bodies which haue no other refreshing but burning flames What minde shal they haue there who whilst thy lyued heere triflingly bestowed their houres and spent all theyr time vpon pleasures and delights O what a long chayne of miseries haue thy short pleasures wrought made for thee O foolish and sencelesse what shall the allurements of the flesh now profit you which you then so much delighted in sith yee are now cursed to eternall mourning and bewayling vvhat is become of your riches vvhere are your treasuries vvhere are your delights vvhere are your ioyes The seauen yeeres of plentie are past and other seauen yeares of dearth and scarcity are come which haue deuoured vp al their plenty no memory or footstep being left of it Your glory is perished and your felicitie is drowned in the Sea of sorrow you are come to that scarcenes and sterilitie that a small droppe of water is not graunted vnto you by which the fierce flaming heate of your throate may be cooled which so exceedingly doth torment you Not onely your delights haue not profited you which you enioyed in this world but they shall be the causes of greater torments For then shal be fulfilled that which is written in the booke of Iob The pittifull man shall forget him the worme shall feele his sweetnes he shall bee no more remēbred the wicked shal be broken like a tree then the sweetnes of the delight of euill things shal be turned into the wormwood of sorow when the memory of fore-passed pleasures according to the exposition of Saint Gregorie shall be get greater bitternesse of present griefes they remembring what somtimes they haue been and what place they now are in and that for that so soone passed away now they suffer that which shall endure for euer Then at the length too late they shall acknowledge the deceits of the deuill and being in the midst of errours they shall begin in vaine to vtter those words of the Wiseman Wee haue erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousness hath not shined vnto vs wee haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we haue gone through dangerous wayes but we haue not knowen the way of the Lorde These shall be the complaints these shall be the lamentations this shall be the perpetuall repentance which the damned shall there make world without end when it shall profit them nothing because the time is past and gone in which they should haue brought forth fruites worthy of repentance All these and euery one of them if they be considered are pricks and motiues vnto Vertue Wherfore also Saint Chrisostome dooth vse this argument also in his Homilies that he might stirre vp the people to Vertue That thou maist prepare thy soule saith he as the dwelling and habitation of God remember that horrible and exceeding feareful day in which we all standing before the throne of Christ shall render an account of things done heere our sinnes shall be layde open before the eyes of all people our actions shal be reuealed and showne to all those that know them not where the fierie Riuer and the vnsleeping worme are where all things are naked and open Where the bookes of our harts shall be opened and our secret and hidden deedes done by day or night by ignoraunce or forgetfulnes shall be read manifestly all those things that now lie hid shal be reuealed Thinke therefore that wee must come before a Iudge that cannot be deceaued where not onely our actions but also our words and thoughts shall be iudged where wee shall receaue dreadfull and terrible paynes for those things that seeme but small vnto vs. Alwaies remember these things and neuer forget that vnquenchable flame Haue an eye to him comming to iudge the quick and the dead Thinke vpon the thousands and tenne thousands of Angels wayting vpon the Iudge nowe let thy hearing preuent the sound of the Trump and that feareful sentence of the Iudge condemning Let thine eye fore-see some cast into vtter darknes others excluded and shutte out of the gates after much labour of virginitie Consider some to be gathered as tares and to be cast into a fiery fornace and others deliuered to the vnsleeping worme and to mourning to gnashing of teeth this man to bee iudged for his vnreasonable laughter that man for iniuring his neighbour or because hee hath offended his brother this man to be condemned for faults that he hath forgot another man for an idle word this man to be damned for his ill meaning another for slaunderous rayling one for anger to suffer intollerable punishment another for ignominie some to be depriued of the knowledge of Christ and to heare Verily I say vnto you I know you not because they haue doone those things which Christ hath forbidden These things therefore beeing thus what ones ought we to be or what teares ought we to shedde and to say Oh that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night But that we may escape this dreadfull punishment Come yee let vs come before the face of the Lord with confession and with diligence and amendement of life let vs call vpon the name of our Lord God For in the pit who shal praise or confesse thy name God hath giuen all things double vnto vs two eyes two eares two hands two feete If therefore one of these be hurt by the other we comfort and relieue our necessitie But he hath giuen but one soule vnto vs if wee shall loose this with what shall we liue Therefore let vs looke to prouide for this let vs preferre nothing before the safetie of it because this is also iudged with the body and is freed and cleered together with it and together with the body dooth appeare before Christes tribunall If thou then shalt say my money allured me the Iudge will say vnto thee hast thou not heard What shal it profit a man though hee should winne the whole worlde if hee lose his owne soule If thou shalt say the deuill deceaued me he also will say vnto thee that it profited Eue nothing to say The Serpent deceaued me Therfore we remembring these things
so metrically ordered not of foure or fiue voyces as that is which wee now vse but tuned and ruled with the variety of so many numerous and harmonious voyces as there be Elect What great pleasure wil it be to heare theyr most sweet songs which S. Iohn heard in his Reuelation And they worshipped God sayth he saying Prayse and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen If the glory and pleasure be so great to heare this harmonie and consent of voyces what wil it be to see the concord of bodies and soules so conformable and vniforme But how much more admirable wil it be to behold so great vnion of men and Angels What doe I say of men and Angels Yea so great an vnion betweene man and God himselfe Aboue al these it cannot fitly be imagined how acceptable and welcome a thing it wil be to see those most spacious fields and fountaines of lyfe and those most delicate feedings vpon the mountaines of Israel What wil it be to sit at that royall table to haue a place amongst those inuited Nobles and to dip thine hand into the dish with God that is to enioy one and the same glory of God There the Saints shal rest shal reioyce sing prayse and going in and out they shal finde pastures of inestimable delight If the rewards of Vertue be so great and so precious which our Catholique faith doe promise vs who wil be so blind slothful negligent and so peruerse that is not moued to contend with his whole strength for the obtayning of a reward so copious ample and large THE TENTH TITLE That the last of those foure last things that happen vnto vs that is Hell fire doth bind vs to seeke after Vertue CHAP. X. THE least of those good things which hetherto we haue remembred ought to be sufficient to beget a loue of Vertue in our minds by which we may obtayne so great blessings Now if to this vnmeasurable glory the greatnes of the torments of hel be added which are prepared for the wicked who wil be so hard harted and of so rebellious a mind that vices being forsaken wil not hereafter willingly embrace Vertue For the vngodly and peruerse shal not comfort themselues with this voyce Be it that I am wicked vngodly what then Shal I not enter into that heauenly glory Shal I not reioyce with God In this consists al my punishment Of other things I am not careful because I shal haue neyther glory nor any other punishment O my brother thou art deceaued the matter stands not so For it is of necessity that one of these must happen vnto thee that either thou shalt raigne eternally with God or that thou shalt be tormented with the deuils in euerlasting flames For betweene these two extreames there is no meane This is excellently shadowed out vnto vs in the figure of those two baskets which the Lord shewed vnto the Prophet Ieremy before the gate of the Temple for one basket had verie good figs euen like the figs that are first ripe and the other basket had very naughty figs which could not be eaten they were so euil The Lord by this spectacle would shew vnto his Prophet two kindes of men one to whom hee would shew mercy the other that he would punish according to his iustice The estate and condition of the first kinde of men was passing good neyther can a better be giuen of the other exceeding ill then which a worse cannot be found The condition and lot of the good is to see God which is the chiefest of al blessings but the misfortune and vnhappines of the wicked shal be to be depriued foâ—â—uer of the sight of God which euil is the worst of al euils These things ought they diligently to consider and alwayes to meditate vpon who feare not to commit sinne when as they see so great a burthen and so cruel and direful punishment appoynted for sinne Porters and Cariers when they are called to carry a burthen on their shoulders first they looke diligently vpon it then they peise and lift it vp and try whether they be able to vndergoe it and whether they can carry it and thou ô miserable man to whom sinnes are so pleasing that for a little pleasure hast enthralled thy selfe to carry the burthen of it ah mad man first prooue and assay how great the waight is of the burthen that is of the punishment which thou shalt suffer for this pleasure that thou mayst vnderstand whether thou hast strength to beare it That this proofe may be made more conueniently I wil bring hether a certaine consideration by the which after some manner thou shalt be able to vnderstand the quality and greatnes of the torments of hel that thou mayst make a triall whether thou beest sufficient to beare the burthen which thou vndertakest to carry when thou sinnest Let this then be the first consideration the greatnes and infinite immensity of God who will chastice and punish sinne that wee may see what an one God is in all his works This is it that I would say that God is great and admirable in al things not onely in the sea in earth and in heauen but also in hel In so much that if the Lord be God in al his works as we see that he is he wil be God also in his wrath in his iustice and in the punishment of sinners For this cause the Lord sayth by Ieremy Feare ye not me or will ye not be afrayde at my presence which haue placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waues thereof rage yet can they not preuaile though they roare yet can they not passe ouer it That is ouer the limits appoynted of me As if he should say is it not meete that ye feare the arme of the Lord so mighty whose greatnes this admirable worke doth sufficiently shew He therfore that is great in al his works shal he not be great in punishing of sinners Hee that for one thing is worthy whom we doe reuerence and adore shal he not be worthy for an other thing that he may be feared For this cause the same Prophet although he was innocent and sanctified in his mothers wombe so greatly feared the Lord when he sayd There is none like vnto thee ô Lord thou art great and thy name is great in power Who would not feare thee ô King of Nations For to thee appertayneth the dominion for among all the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdomes there is none like thee And in an other place I kept me farre off from men because my hart was full of the feare of thy wrath Although this Prophet was certaine that this wrath was not kindled against him yet it was so great that it brought feare vpon him Therefore it was sayd
as Ezechiell by the commaundement of God did set before thē great promises or did denounce against them direfull comminations they mocked and with a certaine contempt hissed at them all saying The vision that he seeth is for many dayes to come and he prophecieth of the times that are farre of So the scornefull contemned the sayings of the Prophet Esay and said Precept must be vpon precept precept vpon precept line vnto line line vnto line there a little there a little This is one of the especiall reasons that withdrawes peruerse and froward men from the obseruance of Gods commaundements perswading themselues that there is no reward ordained for Vertue in this world but all things to be reserued for the world to come To this that great Wiseman respected when hee said Because sentence against an euill worke is not speedily executed therfore the hart of the chyldren of men is fully sette in them to doe euill The Wise-man addeth also another thing and that is the worst among all things that are done vnder the Sunne and that it doth giue great occasion to the wicked to sinne that it happeneth ill to the righteous as though they had doone the workes of the wicked and the wicked often-times doth liue so securely as if they did the works of the righteous or that all things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner hee that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Whereupon he sayth The harts of the sonnes of men are full of euill and madnes is in their harts whilst they liue and after that they goe to the dead That which Salomon heere speaketh the wicked and vngodly them selues doe confesse by the Prophet Malachie saying It is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commaundements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts Therefore we count the proude blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are sette vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered These things the wicked say and these are the things which especially hold them in impietie for they suppose it a very hard thing as Ambrose sayth to buy hope at their owne perrill that is to compasse future blessings with the losse of present and to giue those things that are in their hands for those which sometimes heereafter may be giuen To banish and expell this most pestilent errour I know not whence to take a fitter beginning then from those wordes and teares of our Sauiour with which in times past he did lament weepe ouer that miserable Cittie of Ierusalem saying O if thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hidde from thine eyes Our Sauiour did consider on the one part howe great the blessings were which were brought into the world for the vse and good of that people together with his person for all the graces and heauenlie treasures descended frō heauen together with Christ on the otherside he looked to this people offended at his lowlie humilitie and base estate and that they would not accept of his blessings and that for this sinne they should not onely lose these treasures but also their whole Common-wealth and their Cittie Therefore the Lorde exceedingly lamenting wept most aboundantly and broke forth into this short and imperfect sentence the which the shorter it is it hath the greater signification This same affection and these words may be fitly applied to our purpose For considering on the one part the beauty of Vertue and the graces and riches which attend on her and on the other part how farre these things are remoued and hid from the eyes of men drowned in earthly things and also how Vertue doth sweepe the ground and being despised in all the world cannot finde a place for her selfe doost thou not thinke that wee haue iust cause to weepe and to say with our Lord O if thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day that is ô that God would now open thine eyes that thou mightest see the treasures magnificence riches peace liberty light tranquillity delights fauours and all the good things and blessings which like Hand-maydes attend and wayte vpon Vertue in what great price and esteeme wouldest thou haue her With what great desire wouldest thou long and thirst after her With what great diligence and labour wouldest thou seeke and enquire after her But now all things are hid from carnall eyes for they not seeing any thing besides the outward bark of Vertue neuer tasting the inward sweetnes of her thinke that there is nothing in her but that which is hard sharpe and vnsauery they thinke that she is not currant in this present life but to be vsed in the other and if there be any goodnes in her that it pertayneth wholy to another world and not to this Therfore they disputing according to the flesh doe say that they will not buy hope by danger neyther that they will hazard present things for things to come So speake they that are offended at the exteriour figure of Vertue for they are ignorant of the Philosophy of Christ neyther know they that Vertue is like vnto her Maister Christ who although outwardly hee beare the shape and image of a most poore and base man yet inwardlie was the God and Lord of all creatures The selfe same thing is also reade of the faithfull and beleeuers in Christ that they are dead to the world and that their life is hid with Christ in God Therefore as the glory of Christ was hid in this world so is all theirs that imitate and follow his life We reade that in auntient times men were wont to make certaine Images which they called Sileni these were rough and vnpolished without but within they were curiously wrought with great Art So that the deformity was outward and the beauty inward Deluding on the one part the eyes of the ignorant on the other drawing into them the minds and eyes of the wise Such certainly were the life 's of the Prophets such the life 's of the Apostles and such the life 's of all good and faithfull Christians as was the life of the Lord of all Thou therefore that hast nothing more oft in thy mouth then that Vertue is conuersant about hard and difficult things oughtest to cast thine eyes vpon those helps which God hath prouided for vs to ouercome these difficulties as are vertues infused into vs gifts of the holy Ghost the Sacraments of the Gospell with many other graces diuine helps which are to vs that which oares and sayles are vnto ships in sayling and wings vnto birds in flying Thou must behold the name and essence of Vertue which
that which was lost and bring againe that which was driuen away and will binde vp that which was broken and will strengthen the weake but I will destroy the fat and the strong and I will feede them with iudgment And a little after And I will make with them a couenant of peace and will cause the euill beasts to cease out of this Land and they shall dwel safely in the wildernes and sleepe in the woods And I will set them as a blessing euen round about my mountaine and I will cause raine to come downe in due season and there shall be raine of blessing Tell me I pray thee what could our good sheepheard promise more Or how could he describe this his meaning with words more sweet more louing or more elegant For it is certaine that God speaketh heere not of a materiall flocke but of a spirituall which are men where-vpon concluding this chapter he sayth And yee my sheepe the sheepe of my pasture are men Neyther promiseth he grosse or aboundance of temporall blessings which are common to good and euill but aboundance of spirituall graces and of speciall prouidence with which the Lord doth gouerne and rule this spirituall flock as a shepheard so sayth Esay He shall feede his flocke like a sheepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and shall guide them with young What I pray thee can be spoken more louingly or more cherishingly Of the offices and benefits of a sheepheard that whole Psalme speaketh whose beginning is The Lord doth guide me for which S. Ierome translateth The Lord is my sheepheard After this beginning he proceedeth to remember all the duties of a sheepheard which in this place we will not set downe because they are in euery place found and this psalme may be reade of any one Neyther heere in like maner will I remember that as he is called a sheepheard because he doth feede so is he called a King because he doth gouerne and defend a Maister because he teacheth a Phisition because he healeth a Carier because he beareth vs in his armes a Watcher because he watcheth for our defence of which names the Scriptures are full Among all these names there is none more louing which also demonstrateth this prouidence then the name of a Bride-grome by which name in the Canticles and in other places of Scripture he is called By thys sweet and louing word hee inuiteth the soule of a sinner to call vpon him Call mee and still cry vnto me sayth he by the Prophet Thou art my Father and the guide of my youth and virginity The which name is greatly honoured of the Apostle For after those words with which he that was first formed spake to his wife Eue Therefore shall a man leaue his Father and his Mother and shall cleaue to his wife they shall be one flesh the Apostle addeth This is a great secrete but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church Which is his Bride as is euery soule of man placed in the state of grace What therefore is not to be hoped of him who hath such a name as this is especially seeing that it is vndoubtedlie true that this name is not giuen vnto him in vaine or vvithout reason But why in searching the Scriptures doe we seeke for thys name or that when as all names which promise any good doe agree to this Lorde especially seeing that whosoeuer loueth him or whosoeuer seeketh him may finde in him all good that he desireth Thys is that which Saint Ambrose saith in a certaine Sermon Christ is all vnto vs If thou desirest to heale thy woūds he is a Phisition if thou beest ouer-heated with feauers he is a fountaine to coole thee if thou beest burdened with vnrighteousnes hee is righteousnesse if thou neede helpe hee is strength if thou fearest death he is life if thou desirest heauen he is the way if thou hatest darknes he is light if thou seekest for meat he is foode See I pray thee my brother with hovve many names and titles Christ is noted and set out vnto vs who notwithstanding is one in himselfe and most simple For although he is one in himselfe yet he is all things in vs that for the releeuing of all our necessities which are innumerable There should be no end if I would recite all the authorities of the Scripture which pertaine to this matter yet I haue brought a fewe of many to the comfort of them who waite attend vpon God and that we might prouoke and allure those to his obedience which doe not serue him for it is certaine that there is no greater treasure vnder heauen then this For euen as he that hath warred in any voyage vnder an earthly King and hath gotten Letters in which great rewards are promised vnto him he keepeth them with great care he often looketh vppon them he is reioyced at them they comfort his heauy hart in tribulation and at length he commeth to the King with them desiring that was promised to him so the seruants of GOD doe keepe all these words and diuine Charters and Letter-pattents in their harts which are more certaine then the Letters of all Kings which are vpon the earth In these is theyr trust vvith these they are comforted in their labors for these they are confident in dangers and in tribulations they adde consolation vnto them to these they runne in all theyr needes these doe inflame their mindes with the loue of this Lord and binde them vnto him to lay and pay out sustaine all things for his worshyp seruice seeing that he himselfe so faythfully doth promise himselfe wholy for our vse who is all things in all In thys appeareth one of the principall foundations of a Christian life to haue knowne by experience this truth Tell me I pray thee can any thing be imagined richer precioser better or more to be desired then he Can any one think of a greater good in this life then to haue GOD a Sheepheard a Phisitian a Maister a Supporter or Caryer a strong vvall a defence a garde and to conclude a Bridegrome and all in all What can any one haue in the world that he can giue to his friend to be compared to the least of these benefits Great cause therefore haue they to reioyce and be glad who possesse so great a good neyther onely to reioyce but also to comfort themselues and to cheere vp their drooping spyrits to glory in him aboue all things Be glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord sayth that royall Singer and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in hart As if he should say Let others reioyce in the riches and honours of the world others in noblenes of birth others in the friendship and fauours of Princes others in the excellencie of theyr dignities but reioyce and glory ye in deed truth in
so great a good whose Lord is God who possesse God whose inheritance God is for by so much your good is more excellent by how much God is more excellent then the creatures This expresly confesseth the Prophet in the Psalmes saying Rescue and deliuer me ô Lord frō the hand of strangers whose mouth talketh vanity and theyr right hande is a right hand of falsehood that our sonnes may be as the plants growing vp in their youth and our daughters as the corner stones grauen after the similitude of a pallace that our corners may be full and abounding with diuers sorts and that our sheepe may bring foorth thousands and ten thousand in our streets that our Oxen may be strong to labour that there be none inuasion nor going out nor no crying in our streets Blessed are the people that be so yea blessed are the people whose GOD is the Lord. Why doost thou speake thys ô Dauid The reason is in a readines For he that possesseth GOD hee hath that good in which all goods are found which may be desired Let them glorie that will in all other things I will glory onely in the Lord my GOD. So also that holy Prophet dyd glory who said I will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation The Lorde God is my strength hee will make my feete like Hindes feete and hee will make me to walke vpon mine high places This then is the treasure this is the glory prepared for them in this world who serue the Lord. This is one and that the greatest reason which inuiteth vs to serue God and a iust complaint is it that God hath against them who will not serue him seeing that he is so good a Lord to them so faithfull a defendour and so sincere an Aduocate With this complaint in times past he sent Ieremy that he might expostulate and chide with the people saying What iniquitie haue your Fathers found in mee that they are gone farre from mee and haue walked after vanitie and are become vaine And a little after Haue I beene as a wildernesse vnto Israell or a land of darkenesse As if he should say No Seeing that this Land hath receaued of mine hands so many victories so much happines Wherefore sayth my people then Wee are Lordes wee will come no more vnto thee Can a mayde forget her ornament or a Bride her attire Yet my people haue forgotten me daies without number who am their ornament glory and beauty If God after this manner lamented in the old Lawe when as his fauours and graces vvere not so perfect what great cause hath he novve to lament seeing that his graces are so much the more excellent by hovve much they are more diuine and more spirituall Of that manner of prouidence by which God espieth out the wicked to chastise theyr maliciousnesse CHAP. XIII IF thou be not mooued with the loue of so happy and blessed a Prouidence in which the good do ioy at least let the feare of that Prouidence moue thee if it be lawfull so to call it with which God doth espy and watch ouer the wicked which is to measure them with theyr owne measure and to handle them according to the obliuion and contempt offered to the diuine Maiestie forgetting them who haue forgotten him and contemning them of whō first he was contemned But that I may speake this after a more homely manner God commanded his Prophet Hosea to take vnto him a wife of fornications that he might demonstrate the spiritual fornication of that people who had refused and put away theyr lawfull Bridegrome and Lord to play the fornicators And hee willed also that the Prophet should haue of that wife sonnes of fornications and the thyrd begotten he should call by an Hebrue name signifying Not my people that he might shew thereby seeing that they for their sinnes would not acknowledge GOD nor serue him as theyr God that he in like manner would not acknowledge them neither would haue them for his people And that he might confirme this sentence he saith by the Prophet a little below Pleade with your Mother pleade with her for shee is not my wife neyther am I her husband as if hee should say as shee hath not kept the fayth and obedience of a good wife towards me so in like manner I will not keepe that loue and prouidence which a good husband is wont to show and vse vnto a good wife See howe plainely our Lord teacheth vs heere how he dooth mete vnto euery one according to his owne measure whilst he dealeth so towards men as men deale with him Therefore the wicked doe liue as neglected and forsaken of the Lord and they are in this world as a patrimony without an heire as a schoole without a maister as a shippe without a guide and as a flock without a Pastour layd open to the deuouring greedines and voracity of Wolues After this manner he threatneth them by the mouth of his Prophet saying I will not feede you that that dyeth let it dye and that that perisheth let it perish and let the remnant eate euery one the flesh of his neighbor The same thing Moses obiecteth to Israel in his song I wil hide sayth the Lord my face from them I will see what their end shall be for they are a froward generation and children in whom is no fayth He sayth I will consider what their end shall be that is I will stand idely and will see what end their misery shall haue at length neyther will I bring any release vnto them Besides these things that haue beene spoken much more plainely speaketh Esay to the people of this kinde of prouidence vnder the name of a Vineyard in the person of the Lord against which when it had beene tilled and much cost and many benefits bestowed vpon it neyther brought forth tollerable fruites he pronounceth this sentence And now I will tell you what I will doe to my Vineyard I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten vp I will breake the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe And I will lay it wast it shall not be cut nor digged but bryers and thornes shall grow vp I will also commaund the cloudes that they raine no raine vpon it That is I will take away all the ayde and helpe with which I haue hetherto defended it which being taken away destruction and ruine will follow Doth not this kinde of prouidence seeme fearefull vnto thee Tell me what greater danger or what greater misery then to liue without the defence of the Diuine prouidence To be left and layd open to all the persecutions of the world to the iniuries and calamities of this life For seeing that the world is a tempestuous sea and as it were a wildernes full of theeues and fearefull beasts and seeing that there be so many and so great discomodities and
vertuous CHAP. XIIII THis fatherly prouidence of the which we haue spoken a little before is as we haue sayde as it were the fountaine and originall of all other priuiledges and benefits with which God enricheth and beautifieth his friends in this world For to this prouidence it pertayneth to prouide them of all necessaries to the obtaining of the last end which is the last perfection and blessednes by helping them in all their needes and by creating in their mindes all aptnes disposition vertue other habits which are requisite vnto that end Of the number of these the first is the grace of the holy Ghost which next to that diuine prouidence is the originall beginning of all other priuiledges and celestiall gyfts Thys was the first robe with which the prodigall childe was clothed after he was receiued into his Fathers house If thou demaundest of me what this grace is I answere that this grace according to Diuines is a participation of the Diuine nature that is of sanctitie goodnes puritie and of the noblenesse of God himselfe by whose helpe benefit man doth cast from him all the basenes vildnes and rudenes which hee tooke and receiued from Adam and is made partaker of holinesse and of the Diuine noblenesse putting off himselfe and putting on Iesus Christ. The Fathers show this by the example of yron cast into a fire which remaineth yron still yet pertaking of the nature of fire it is pulled out altogether shyning glowing as though it were fire in deede I say that the same substance of yron remaineth with the name but the heate the splendour or shyning and all other accidents are not of the yron but of the fire After the same manner grace which is an heauenly qualitie which God infuseth into the soule hath that admirable vertue and effecacie that it transformeth man into God after this manner that still remaining a man yet hee is made a partaker of the Diuine puritie and noblenesse as he was a partaker who said I doe not now liue but Christ lyueth in me Furthermore Grace is a supernaturall forme and diuine which maketh that a man leades a life cōformable to the forme from which it proceedeth which also is supernatural diuine In which thing after an admirable manner shineth the Diuine prouidence which as it willeth that man should liue a double life naturall and supernatural so hath it prouided for the same a double forme which are as it were the two soules of these lifes one by which we liue this first life another by which we liue the other For euen as from the soule which is the naturall forme all the powers and sences doe proceede by whose help we liue this naturall life so from grace which is the supernaturall forme al vertues and gyfts of the holy Ghost doe proceede by the benefit of which we liue a supernaturall life Therefore this is as the prouision of two kinde of instruments by helpe of which we labour in diuers exercises Grace is also a spirituall ornament of the soule wrought by the handes of the holy Ghost which dooth make the soule so beautifull and so acceptable in the eyes of God that he receaueth it for his daughter and for his Bride Of this ornament the Prophet glorieth saying I will reioyce in the Lorde and my soule shall be glad in my God because he hath put vpon me the vesture of saluation he hath couered me with the garment of righteousnes as a Bridegrome adorned with a crowne and as a Bride decked vvith Iewells Which are all vertues with all the gyfts of the holy Ghost with which the soule is adorned at the hands of GOD. Thys is that golden vesture wrought about with great variety with which the Queene was clothed who stoode before the King her Spouse for from grace all the colours of all vertues celestiall habits doe arise in which the beautie of the Queene consisteth Of these it is easily gathered what be the effects which grace worketh in those soules wherein it dwelleth For the speciall effect of it is to make a soule so acceptable and beautifull in the eyes of God that hee taketh her to be his daughter his spouse his temple his dwelling in which he enioyeth his delights with the sonnes of men An other effect of it is not onely to adorne the soule but also to strengthen it with those vertues which proceede from it Which are as the haires of Sampson in which consisted not onely his beautie but also his strength As well from this as from the former effect of grace the soule is praised in the Canticles where the Angels admiring the beautie of it say Who is shee that looketh foorth as the Morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an Armie with banners Wherby we know that Grace is as a shield couering the whole body or as a complete Armor which armeth a man from the head to the foote and maketh him beautifull and valiant so valiant that if we beleeue a certaine learned Schoole-man a little grace is sufficient to conquer and ouer-come all the deuills with all sinnes that raigne and rule in the world There is also a third effect of grace that it maketh the soule so acceptable and excellent in the sight of God that as manie works as it dooth deliberatiuely and aduisedly which are not sinnes are acceptable vnto him That not onely the acts of vertue but also naturall works as to eate drinke sleepe such like are acceptable before the Lord. The fourth effect is that it maketh vs the sonnes of God by adoption and heyres of the heauenly kingdome and also worthy to bee written in the booke of Life in which all the names of the righteous are written and by consequent it giueth vnto vs a lawfull claime and title to that most rich and heauenly inhearitance This is that priuiledge and prerogatiue which our Sauiour praysed so greatly in his Disciples then when they returned merily vnto him saying Lord euen the deuils are subdued vnto vs through thy Name to whom our Sauiour answered In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen For it is certaine that this is the greatest good that mans hart can thinke vpon or desire in this life But that I may speake many things in few words it is grace that maketh man fitte to all good which maketh the way to heauen plaine before vs which maketh the yoke of the Lorde easie and sweet vnto vs which leadeth man by the way of vertue which healeth our weake nature maketh all that seeme light vnto vs which while it was weake seemed intollerable it is that which after an ineffable manner reformeth and armeth all the powers and faculties of our soules that by the meanes of those vertues which proceede from it
a little before where wee reade The Lord is a foundation to them that feare him Ierome translateth The secrete of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding Which gift is nothing else then a great light of the vnderstanding a sweet foode of the will and a great recreation of the whole man Which knowledge the same Prophet oftentimes calleth the foode of the soule sometimes the water of refreshing a table prepared against his enemies For this cause the same Prophet in that diuine Psalme whose beginning is Blessed are those that are vpright in their way so often doth desire of God that light and that knowledge Giue me sayth hee vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole hart And a little after I am thy seruant ô Lord giue me vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies And afterwards Let my complaint come before thee ô Lorde and giue me vnderstanding according vnto thy vvord To conclude thys is that petition which hee repeateth so often which he had not craued with so great importunitie vnlesse he had very well vnderstood the force efficacie of this doctrine and the manner and meanes which God vseth in bestowing of it Which seeing that it is so what greater glory can there be what ampler dignity then to haue such a maister to frequent such a schoole where the Lord God himselfe sitting in a chaire prosesseth thys learning and heauenly philosophy If men as Saint Ierome testifieth in times past came to Rome frō the furthest coasts of Spayne and Fraunce that they might see Tytus Liuius whose eloquence was famous throughout the vvhole world And if that most excellent and famous Phylosopher Apollonius Tyaneus trauailed almost throughout the vvhole world and passed euen to the Mountaine Caucasus and to the Brachmanes Philosophers of India that he might onely heare Iarchas an Indian Philosopher in his golden throne prosessing wisedome among the small number of his schollers and disputing of the motion of the celestiall Spheares what ought not men to doe that they may heare God himselfe who sitteth in the chayre of theyr harts not teaching how the heauens are moued but how men may come to heauen But that thou maist knowe that this doctrine is not vnfruitful or common heare what the Prophet speaketh of it I haue had more vnderstanding then all my Teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation I vnderstood more then the auncient because I kept thy precepts More aboundantly yet doth the Lord promise to his by the mouth of his Prophet And the Lord thy GOD sayth he shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fatte thy bones and thou shalt be like a watred garden like a spring of vvater whose waters faile not What be these blessings with which the Lord will satisfie the soules of the righteous but knowledge of things belonging to saluation For in these he showeth how great the beauty of vertues be and howe great the filthines of vices are how great the vanity of the world is how great the dignity of grace is the greatnes of glory the sweetnes of the consolation of the holy Ghost the goodnesse of GOD the malice of deuils and to be breefe howe short the life of man is and how great and intollerable is the common errour of thē liuing in it With thys knowledge as the same Prophet testifieth a man is often lifted aboue the highnesse of all mountaines there doth contemplate of the King in his beautie and his eyes beholdeth the earth a farre off Hence it is that celestiall blessings seeme such vnto him as they are in truth because he seeth them neerely but terrestriall things seeme small for besides that they are such also hee beholdeth them a farre off The contrary happeneth to peruerse and wicked men who behold heauenly things a farre off earthly things neerly iust before theyr eyes This is the reason why they that participate of this heauenly gift are not puffed vp with vaine-glory in prosperitie neither are troubled or cast downe in ad uersitie for by the benefit of this light they see of what small moment it is that the world can eyther gyue or take away if it be compared with those things which are in the Lords power The wiseman witnesseth thys when hee sayth A man grounded in wisedome is stedfast as the Sunne as for a foole hee changeth as the Moone Which sentence Saint Ambrose expounding in a certaine Epistle saith thus For a vvise man is not broken through feare is not changed through power is not exalted in prosperitie neyther is drowned in aduersity For where there is vvisedome there is courage of minde there is constancie and fortitude A wise man therefore is one and the selfe same in minde he is not lessoned nor encreased through the change of things neyther as vnstaied doth he flote here and there to be carryed about with euery winde of doctrine but he remaineth perfect in Christ grounded in charitie an d rooted in fayth Let it not seeme strange to any that this wisedome is a thing of so great vertue for it is not earthly wisedom as we haue said it is not that puft and vaine wisedome which causeth to swell but that wich edifieth it is not that which with speculation only enlightneth the vnderstanding but that which with her heate gyueth motion to the will as it in times past moued the hart of Saint Augustine of whom it is written that through ioy hee wept as often as hee heard the Psalmody and Psalmes of the Church which sounded so sweetly the sound entred into the in most part of his hart and there through the heate of deuotion truth was resolued in his bowels and showred teares from his eyes which were to him as he saith most sweet pleasant O blessed teares happy Schoole and happy wisedome which bringeth forth such fruite what may bee compared with her Man knoweth not the price of it for it is not founde in the Land of delicate liuers The depth saith It is not in mee the sea also saith it is not with me Gold shall not be giuen for it neyther shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not be valued with the wedge of gold of Ophir nor with the precious Onix nor the Saphir The Golde nor the Christall shal bee equall vnto it nor the exchange shal be for plate of fine gold Which cōmendation of wisedome thys most holy man concludeth in these words Beholde the feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Thys therefore my brother is one of those great rewards by which thou art inuited to Vertue seeing shee hath the key of thys treasure After thys manner the Wiseman inuiteth vs vnto her in his Prouerbs My sonne sayth hee if thou wilt receiue my words
brother of the louers of God this the sleepe which they sleepe Therefore with this sweete and amiable humming and murmuring and with this acceptable and delightfull harmony of the creatures the quiet soule is brought to bed and beginneth to sleepe that sleepelesse sleepe of which is written I sleepe and my hart watcheth When as therfore this most sweet Bridegrome seeth his spouse sleeping in his armes hee keepeth and preserueth her in that lyuing and vitall sleepe and commaundeth that none doe awake her saying I charge you ô daughters of Ierusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that yee stirre not vp nor waken my loue vntill she please Tell mee what nights seeme these vnto thee What night of the children of this world can be more sweet or pleasant Who at this time walke laying snares and setting nets for the chastity of virgins and innocent Matrons that they may destroy their good names their own soules rushing both body and soule into destruction heaping and storing vp for themselues the wrath of God against the day of the wrath of God and their owne perdition ¶ Of their comforts and consolations who first begin to serue God and are Punies and Nouices in his Schoole TO all things which hetherto haue beene spoken perhaps thou wilt ahnswere with one obiection saying these consolations and blandishments which wee haue hetherto handled are not common to all but proper vnto the perfect but that one may become perfect many things are required It is true that these belong to such men yet our most kind Lord by the sweetnes of his blessing doth meete with them who first begin giuing vnto them at the first as vnto children milke and afterwards teaching them to eate bread and more solide meates Doth not that solemne day come into thy minde which the father celebrated for his prodigall child Doost thou not know of the feast and the guesse inuited Art thou ignorant of the musicke and reioycing that there was made What doe these things meane but to signifie the spirituall ioy with which the soule is delighted when she seeth her selfe brought out of Egipt and deliuered from the hand of Pharao and from the seruitude of the deuill How shall not that pleasant banquet be prepared for a seruant made free How shall hee not inuite all creatures that they may meete together and with him giue thanks to his deliuerer How shall not he sing first and thereby also inuite others saying Let vs sing vnto the Lord for hee hath triumphed gloriously the horse and him that rode vpon him hath he ouerthrowne in the Sea Which thing if it be not so where is the prouidence of God which prouideth for euery creature most perfectly according to his nature fragility age and capacity For it is certaine that men yet carnall and drowned in the world cannot tread this vnusuall and vnfrequented path neyther tread the world vnder theyr feete vnlesse the Lord stretch forth his hand and preuent them by the like sweetenes and delectablenes It pertayneth therefore to the diuine prouidence when it is determined to take man from the world to prepare this way and to make it plaine that this new trauailer may walke more easily by it those difficulties being taken away which might terrifie him and draw him backe to the world A most excellent and plaine figure of this way is that by which the Lord brought the children of Israel into the Land of promise of which way thus writeth Moses When Pharaoh had let the people goe God carried them not by the way of the Philistims Countrey though it were neerer for God sayd least the people repent when they see warre and turne againe to Egipt The same prouidence that then God vsed in bringing his people out of Egipt into the Land of promise he now vseth in bringing those to heauen whom he first taketh out of this world We must know in this place that although the comforts and delights of the perfect are very great and excellent yet so great is the goodnes and piety of our God especially towards little ones and young beginners that he respecting their pouerty he himselfe doth helpe them to build them a new house and considering that they are conuersant among many occasions of sinning and that their passions are not as yet mortified that they might carry away the victory that they might be deliuered from the violence of their flesh that they might be driuen from the milke of the world and be tyed in such straight bonds of loue that they should not returne into Egipt and to theyr fathers house he filleth them with a ioy and consolation so powerfull that although they be but beginners and that they haue made but an entrance yet they haue according to their proportion a certaine likelyhood and similitude of the delights and ioy of those that be perfect Tell mee I pray thee what other thing would God signifie by those feasts of the old Testament when hee saith that the first and last day should be of equall worship and solemnity The sixe dayes betweene were of lesse solemnity but the first the last were beyond the rest famous and had their peculier prerogatiues What other thing is this then a shadow and an image of this we speake of Vpon the first day the Lord commanded that the same solemnity should be kept which was vpon the last that wee may vnderstand that in the beginning of the conuersion and in the ende of the perfection the Lord doth celebrate a solemne feast for all his seruants in these considering their proceedings in the other their great necessity vsing towards these iustice with mercy towards the other vsing onely grace or mercy to one giuing the reward of Vertue to the other help in need When trees blosome flourish and when they haue their ripe fruite they are most faire to the eye The day wherin the spousage is contracted and wherin the marriage is solemnized and the wedding consumated are more solemne and renowned then the rest In the beginning the Lord doth affiance and betroth the soule to him but when he taketh her into his house hee maketh a feast for her at his owne cost and charges and that feast is not conformable or aunswerable to the merrits and deserts of the Bride but to the riches of the Bridegrome sending all thinges and all prouision out of his owne houses and saying Wee haue a little sister and she hath no breasts Therefore it is necessary that he nourish his owne creature with the milke of an other Wherefore the same Bride talking with her Bridegrome sayth The young damsels haue loued thee He doth not say the women or Matrons which are soules founded and rooted in vertue but hee sayth young damsels young maydes which are soules which first begin to open their eyes and to looke vpon this new light these sayth the Spouse haue loued
thee For such are wont to feele great motiues and prickes in the beginning of theyr conuersion as Thomas Aquinas sheweth in a certaine worke of his Amongst other causes of this alacrity and ioyfulnes hee sayth that this is one the nouelty of theyr estate of their loue of their light and knowledge of diuine things which then they know but did not know before For the nouelty of that knowledge doth beget in them exceeding admiration and loue ioyned with incredible sweetnes and gratitude which they exhibite vnto him of whom they haue receaued so great good things and of whom they are deliuered and freed out of so great darknes We see by experience that a man when he entreth into any famous Citty or royall Pallace the first day he walketh wondering his minde hanging in suspence by reason of the nouelty of things that there he seeth but when hee hath stayed longer in that place and hath seene the same things oftner that admiration is diminished and that pleasure lesned with which hee did see them at first The same thing happeneth to them at the first when as they enter into this new Citty of grace by reason of the nouelty of things which by little and little are vncouered and layd open in it Therfore it is not to be meruailed at if the Nouices Punies of piety doe feele greater feruours in their soules then those that be antient for the nouelty of the light knowledge of diuine things doth worke in them a greater alteration Hence it is that Saint Bernard hath very well noted that the elder sonne did not lye when hee sayd Behold so many yeeres haue I serued thee neyther euer haue I omitted thy commaundement yet neuer didst thou giue mee a Kid that I might banquet with my friends But after that this thy sonne who hath spent and consumed his substance with harlots came thou killest the fatted Calfe New loue worketh like new wine and water in a Cauldron is so long quiet vntill it beginneth to feele the heate of the fire then forth-with it boyleth swelleth and is carried aloft But afterward although the heate be more intense and augmented yet the water is more quiet and not so swelling leaping and bubling vp as it was when it first began to waxe hot The Lord most curteously and most amiably doth embrace them who first enter into his house The first day they eate with all pleasant allurements and all things are delightsome and acceptable Also the Lord doth himselfe towards these younglings and incipients as Merchants are wont who first bring out a show of their merchandize that by that the buier may estimate the whole thing and thereby be the more willing and be sooner drawne on to buy The loue with which parents embrace theyr young children although it is not greater then that by which they loue those that be elder yet it is more tender and more faire and pleasant These must walke alone the other are carried in their armes these are sent to labour and take paines the other are nourished deliciously and left to doe what they will these vnlesse they get their lyuing they often are hungry the other being idle and doing nothing are desired and entreated to eate yea meate is put into their mouthes Out of this friendship and sweete fellowship of the Lord a spirituall ioy at the length ariseth in them of which the Prophet speaketh Thou waterest aboundantly their furrowes thou multipliest their generations and their growing and braunching shall prosper and reioyce through thy dewing and dropping vpon them What generations be these What branching and growing and what dewing showring vnlesse the dew of the diuine grace by which the spirituall plants are watered which newly haue beene transplanted into the Lords Orchard Of these therefore sayth the Prophet that they are reioyced and refreshed with the dew and showers of his water which is sent from aboue that he might signifie the great ioy which they pertake in the nonage of this new visitation and celestiall benefit But least thou shouldest thinke because hee calleth this friendship or grace a dew or small showre that therefore according to the signification of the name it is little and small which is giuen to young beginners Saint Augustine sayth they drinke of the riuer of Paradice one drop of which is greater then the Ocean which alone is able to quench the thirst of the whole world The argument of them doth not ouerthrow this who say that they doe not feele these ioyes and consolations For if the palate which is corrupted and distempered by ill humors doth not tast the sweetnes of meate for that which is sweet seemeth bitter and that which is bitter sweet what meruaile is it if he that hath his soule corrupted with the worst humors of vices and inordinate affections so accustomed to the flesh-pots of Egipt that he loatheth Manna the bread of Angels Purge thy palate with the teares of repentance and that being purged thou shalt tast and see how sweete the Lord is If these things be so tell me my brother I pray thee what be the goods of this world if they be compared with these they shall not scarcely seeme durt and dung The Doctours teach that there is two kinds of blessednes one vnperfect the other perfect one present the other to come one of the way the other of the Countrey this the blessed enioy in glory the other the righteous enioy in this world What other thing is to be wished of thee then that here thou mayst begin to be happy and that thou mayst receaue in this life the pledge and earnest of the diuine espousals which there are solemnized by words for the present but heere they begin by words for the time to come O man sayth a learned Diuine seeing thou mayst liue in this Paradice enioy a treasure so inestimable goe and sell all that thou hast and purchase for thy selfe this precious and fertile possession especially seeing that it is not deare for it is Christ that selleth it yea rather which giueth it freely Doe not defer this purchase to the time to come for one minute of this time which now vainely slideth from thee is more precious then the treasures of the whole world Although this purchase at the length be giuen vnto thee yet be thou sure that with great greefe thou shalt complaine that thou hast wanted it so long and sorrowing with Saint Augustine thou wilt say I haue loued thee to late and after the time that I should ô thou beauty so auntient and so new I haue loued thee in the euening This blessed man alwayes lamented his slownes although at the length hee was not frustrated of his crowne Therefore attend thou diligently least thou at one time or other complaynest with the like sorrowing that now by thy negligence thou doost loose those blessings which the righteous enioy in this
that trauaileth of child and the number of yeeres is hid from the Tyrant A sounde of feare is in his eares and in his prosperitie the destroyer shal come vpon him Thys sounde is the clamors and cryes of an ill conscience which continually biteth and accuseth him in the midst of peace hee feareth the deceits of his enemies for although he lyueth peaceably and content with that hee hath yet the feare of an euill conscience is neuer absent Hee beleeueth not that he may returne out of darknes into light that is he cannot beleeue that it is possible that at any time he should be freed from the darknes of thys miserable estate in which he liueth and obtaine that peace and tranquilitie of a good conscience which as a most pleasant light reioyceth and illuminateth all the corners of the soule Hee seeth the sword on euery side of him which vvay soeuer he turneth his eyes he seeth a naked sword before hym insomuch that when he mooueth himselfe to gette his bread when he sitteth at the table where men are wont to be most merry a thousand feares are present with him for he knoweth that the day of darknes is prepared at hand that is of death iudgement and definitiue or finall sentence insomuch that Affliction and anguish shall make him afraid they shall preuaile against him as a King readie to the battell foote-men and horse-men shall hemme him about After this manner thys friend of Iob doth describe the cruell torment which those miserable and wretched men do suffer in their harts For feare as the Phylosopher sayth dooth vvaite vpon the wicked by the Diuine dispensation Not vnlike to thys is that of Salomon The wicked flieth when no man pursueth but the righteous is confident as a Lyon and without feare Saint Augustine comprehendeth all this in few words Thou hast commaunded ô Lord and truly it is so that euery inordinate soule should be a punishment vnto it selfe That for the most part is seene in all things For what is found in the vvorld inordinate or disordered which naturally is not vnquiet troubled and restlesse Bones out of ioynt remoued from theyr naturall place what griefes doe they bring That element that is without his Spheare what violence doth it suffer the humors of mans body when they exceede their quantity and naturall temperature what infirmities doe they not bring Seeing that therefore it is so proper vnto a reasonable creature to liue orderly and according to reason if hee whose life is out of order and square his nature doth suffer and is tormented Not without cause sayth Iob Who hath resisted God and hath had peace Saint Gregory hath commented vpon these words thus Hee who wonderfully hath created all things he hath ordayned that the things he hath created should agree within themselues He inferreth out of this that as often as the Creator is resisted so often that agreement of peace is dissipated and broken because sayth he they cannot be orderly who loose the disposition of the high gouernment For they that are subiect to God cannot remaine in quiet if they suffer confusion in themselues because they finde no peace in themselues they resist and contradict that which commeth from aboue from the Author of peace So that high Angelicall spirit who beeing subiect vnto God might haue continued in his high estate suffered the repulse foyle of himselfe because through the vnquietnes of his owne nature he wandred out of himselfe and out of his order So the first parent of mankinde because he resisted the precept of his founder and Author hee presently felt the contumely of his owne flesh and because he would not by obedience be subiect to his Creator he was prostrated and cast downe vnder himselfe and forth-with lost the peace of his body This saith Saint Gregory That therefore is a torment in which the wicked liue by the iust iudgement of God and it is not the least misery of those punishments which they suffer in this world Almost all the Fathers of the Church doe testifie as much and among others Saint Ambrose vvhat greater punishment sayth hee then the wound of the inward conscience Is not this more to be flyed then death then losse then banishment then sicknes then sorrow Isidore sayth A man may flie all things but his owne hart for he cannot depart or leaue himselfe for whether so euer he goeth the guiltines of his conscience doth not leaue him And in an other place No punishment is more greeuous then the punishment of conscience But wilt thou neuer be sad or heauy liue well A secure and safe minde doth lightly sustaine sadnes A good life hath alwayes ioy but a guilty conscience is alwayes in torment A guilty minde is neuer secure for an euill mind is tortured with the stings and pricks of the conscience This is so true that also the very Ethnick Philosophers not acknowledging or beleeuing the punishments by which our faith punisheth wicked men through all theyr works haue confessed the same thing Heare Seneca vvhat profiteth to hide thy selfe and flie the eyes and eares of men A good conscience calleth company together but an ill conscience is fearefull and trembleth in solitarines If the things that thou doost be honest let all men know if vnhonest what skilleth it if no man know O thou wretch and miserable if thou contemnest this witnes for thy conscience as it is in the Prouerb is a thousand witnesses The same Author sayth also in another place The greatest punishment that sinne can be punished with is to haue committed it In another place repeating the same thing Feare sayth hee no man more that knoweth of thy sinnes then thy selfe For thou mayst flie another but thy selfe thou canst neuer For wickednes is the punishment of it selfe Cicero also in a certain◠Oration reasoning of this matter sayth Great is the force of the conscience on both sides that they feare nothing which haue offended nothing and they that haue offended think alwayes that punishment is before their eyes This then is one of the torments with which the wicked and vngodly are vncessantly afflicted and tortured which beginneth in this life and shall be continued in the other for this is that immortall and neuer dying worme as sayth Esay vvhich wringeth and gnaweth without end the consciences of the wicked this is for one depth to call another depth as sayth Isidore when as sinners passe from the iudgement of their owne conscience to the iudgment of eternall damnation ¶ Of the ioy of a good conscience with which the righteous are greatly delighted FRom this scourge from this tribulation and from this little hell if I may so call it righteous and good men are freed and deliuered For they haue not these pricks and stings of the conscience but they reioyce and delight in the flowers and most sweet fruites of Vertue which the holy Ghost hath planted
soule in the midst of tribulations which is the effect of hope which hurleth and casteth foorth all carefulnesse and inordinate anxietie by that fauour which it expecteth of the Diuine mercie Not vnlike to thys is that of Ecclesiasticus Yee that feare the Lord beleeue in him and yee shall not be frustrated of your reward Ye that feare God hope in him and mercy shall come vnto you for pleasure Consider the old generations of men and marke them well was there euer any one confounded that put his trust in the Lorde And Salomon in his Prouerbs sayth Put thy trust in God with all thy hart and leane not vnto thine owne wit In all thy wayes acknowledge him and hee shall order thy goings Surely it is a great furtherance vnto hope to haue knowne the mercie of God not only by reading but much more by experience For a man hopeth through an assured affiance that hee will profit him who often hath profited others Hence is that of the Psalme They that know thy name will put theyr trust in thee for thou Lord hast neuer failed them that seeke thee He saith also in another psalme My trust hath beene in the Lord I will be gladde and reioyce in thy mercie The effect of thys hope the same man declareth when he sayth Who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth compasseth him on euery side Hee sayth very well embraceth and compasseth that he might signifie that it shall keepe and garde him on euery side no otherwise then a King is encompassed with his Garde that he may be the more safe In another psalme he teacheth the same thing more at large I waited patiently saith he for the Lord and he enclined vnto mee and heard my calling He brought mee also out of the horrible pitte out of the mire and Clay and sette my feete vpon the Rocke and ordered my goings And hee hath put a newe song in my mouth euen a thanks-giuing vnto our GOD. Many shall see it and feare and shall put theyr trust in the the Lord. Blessed is the man that hath set his hope in the Lorde and turned not vnto the proude and to such as goe about with lies All these be the words of the Prophet in which hee also sheweth another effect of this Vertue that is the mouth and eyes of man are opened that hee may know by experience the goodnes and fatherly prouidence of God It is also a singuler fruite of hope that wee are not onely deliuered from dangers but also that there is a new prayse and a new thanksgiuing put into our mouthes which the Prophet insinuateth when hee sayth And he hath put a new song in my mouth c. He calleth it a new song which is sung for a new deliuerance with an vnusuall and new affection of mirth We shal not easily end this matter if wee should alledge all the verses and sometimes whole Psalmes written of this matter For the ninety and one Psalm and the hundreth and fiue and twenty are wholy imployed in commending this vertue vnto vs and to describe the excellent fruites of it which they enioy and ioy in who haue theyr trust and confidence in the Lord and dwell vnder his protection Saint Bernard writing vpon the ninth verse of the former Psalme Because thou ô Lord art my hope he sayth Whatsoeuer therefore is to be done whatsoeuer is to be eschewed whatsoeuer is to be borne whatsoeuer is to be wished ô Lord thou art my hope This is the onely cause of all my promises this is the whole reason of mine expectation Let one pretend merit let him boast that he hath borne the heate of the day let him say that he hath fasted twice a weeke lastly let him brag that hee is not like other men but it is good for mee to cleaue vnto the Lord and to put my trust in my Lord God If rewards be promised me I will hope that I shall obtaine them by thee if wars rise against me if the world rageth if the wicked fret and sume if the flesh lust against the spirit yet I will trust in thee For to what end are we wise if we doe not sticke and cleaue with all feruour and deuotion of soule and spirit to this solide sound perfect and blessed hope and cast away all other miserable vaine vnprofitable and seducing hopes A little after the same mellifluous Doctour by way of Dialogue doth thus reason Fayth sayth Great and inestimable blessings are prepared of God for those that serue him Hope sayth those are kept for me Charity sayth I runne vnto them Behold my brother thou doost see how great be the fruites of this vertue and profitable for what Hope is as a safe Hauen to which the righteous direct theyr course so often as any storme of the world rageth it is as a most strong shield vpon which all the darts of our enemies are receaued without any wound it is as a Store-house for foode whether in the time of famine all the poore may come haue bread It is that tabernacle couer and shadow which the Lord doth promise in Esay that hee will be to his elect a shadow to defend them from the heate of the day and a defence from the stormy tempest and from raine That is a safegard from all the aduersity and prosperity of the world To conclude it is the medicine and common remedy of all our euils and encumbrances For it is certaine that whatsoeuer we hope for of God iustly faithfully and wisely we shall obtaine it if it be conducent and appertayning to our saluation Therfore Cyprian calleth the mercy of God a fountaine or vvell of all blessings that cannot be drawne dry and our hope and trust a bucket or vessell in which those blessings are receaued and he sayth that according to the quantity of the vessell so is the proportion of the remedy For in respect of the fountaine the water of mercy neuer fayleth The Lord sayd to the children of Israel All the places that the soles of your feete shall tread vpon haue I giuen you So also all the mercy vpon which man shall set his foote shall be his Like to this is that He that taketh his motion or is moued of the Lord hee will hope all things neyther shall he be frustrated of his hope Whereby it is manifest that this hope is an imitation of the vertue and diuine power redounding to the glory of the same God Bernard was not ignorant of this when hee sayd Nothing doth make the omnipotency of the word more cleare then that it doth make all them omnipotent who hope in him Wilt thou know that this is true did not he pertake of the omnipotency of God who being vpon the earth commaunded the Sun that it should stand still in the midst of heauen and that it should not hasten to runne his course for the space of
respectiue a regard dooth excite and stirre vp in man a great hope and an assured confidence Of the seauenth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the true libertie which the righteous haue and reioyce in and of the misery and vnknowne seruitude and bondage in which sinners liue CHAP. XIX OF all the priuiledges and prerogatiues hetherto spoken of but especially of the second fourth that is of the grace of the holy Ghost and of the Diuine cōsolation another preheminence doth arise no lesse admirable which the righteous enioy and that is the true liberty of the soule which the Sonne of God brought into this world of which priuiledge he hath obtained the name of the Redeemer of mankind Because he hath redeemed man and hath freed him from that wretched miserable seruitude in which he liued and brought him into true libertie This is one of the especiallest blessings which Christ brought into this world one of the most excellent benefits of the Gospell one of the most noble effects of the holy Ghost For where there is the Spirit of the Lord there is libertie sayth the Apostle To be briefe this is one of the richest rewards which in thys world are promised to the worshippers of the true God Thys libertie the Lord promised to certaine that were willing to serue him If saith he yee continue in my word yee are verilie my Disciples and shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free that is it shall giue vnto you true libertie They answered him Wee be Abrahams seede and were neuer bounde to any man vvhy sayest thou then ye shall be made free Iesus answered them Verily verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And the seruant abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer If the sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall be free in deede In which words the Lord plainely intimateth vnto vs that there are two kinds of liberty one false and in a show the other true and reall False liberty is proper vnto them who haue their bodies free but their soules captiuated and subiect to the tiranny of their own passions and sinnes as was the soule of great Alexander who when hee was the Lord of the whole world he was the seruant of his owne vices But true liberty is proper vnto them who haue their soules free from all these tirannies although their bodies be somtimes free and sometimes bond and captiuated as was the soule of the Apostle who although he was captiue and holden in bonds yet in spirit he mounted vp to heauen and by the doctrine of his letters he freed the whole world The reason why this liberty is called properly liberty and not that other is this because as among the two essentiall parts of man the soule is much more noble then the body yea it is as it were the whole man the body is no other thing then a matter or subiect in which the soule is included so he truly is to be called free who hath his more principall part free but hee is falsely called free who hath his soule captiue bond although he carrieth about his body freely whether so euer he pleaseth ¶ Of the seruitude in which wicked men liue IF any man shall aske me whence is this bondage of which we speake I say that it is a seruitude and captiuity vnder the most terrible most direfull and most cruell Tyrant of any that may be named that is vnder Sinne. For amongst all the most abhominable and dreadfull things that be in the world the torment of hell is most dreadfull and abhominable yet much more dreadfull and abhominable is Sinne which is the cause of this torment and also of this seruitude by which sinners are made seruants and bondslaues as you haue vnderstoode by the words of our Lord before aleadged Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne What seruitude then can be more miserable then this Neyther is he onely a seruant of sinne who committeth sinne but he is a slaue vnto the perswaders and procurers of sinne as are the deuill the world and his owne flesh corrupted of the same sinne and he is a seruant vnto all other inordinate desires which proceede of the flesh For he that is the seruant of the sonne is also a seruant of the father And it is confessed of all that these three are the fathers of sinne and therefore they are called enemies to the soule because they bring procure great mischiefe to the soule as that is that they make it a slaue a Captiue and deliuer it into the hands of this cruell Tyrant And although all these three doe conspire to this end yet they worke by diuers meanes For the two first are serued of the third which is the flesh as another Eue to deceiue Adam or as an instrument very fit to carry and draw vs into all euill For this cause the Apostle doth more manifestly call the flesh sinne putting the effect for the cause for it is it which pricketh forwards to all kind of sin For the same cause the Diuines call it the tinder touchwood of sinne that is the meate and nourishment of sinne By a common name it is called Sensuality Flesh or Concupiscence which also is called by a name more knowne Fleshly or sensuall desire whence all the perturbations of the minde spring in as much as it is corrupt and made disordered through sinne it is the motioner mouer and picker forwards to all sinne Therefore also the two other enemies take singuler aduantage of the flesh and her appetites that they may more strongly assault and wrong vs. Hence it is that Saint Basill sayth that the especiall weapons with which the deuill fighteth against vs are our owne desires For the vehemency of our affection seeketh by right and wrong to enioy those things that it lusteth after neither maketh any regard although it be forbidden by the law of God and from such an affection sinnes doe arise Such an appetite therfore is one of the most cruell Tyrants which man being a sinner is subiect vnto or as the Apostle speaketh vnder which he is sold. Hee calleth him sold vnder sinne because his sensuall appetite is made so mighty that it carrieth him as a bondslaue whether so euer it listeth But what is more lamentable then to see a man who hath a soule made to the image and likenes of God illuminated with heauenly light and an vnderstanding by which hee ascendeth aboue all things created vntill it find out God himselfe yet notwithstanding that hee should contemne and despise all this his nobility and excellency and be subiect and gouerned after a certaine furious and frantick maner of his beastly appetite to be corrupted of sin and moreouer to be led about to be moued and driuen forwards backwards of the deuill What I
men making theÌ„ vnfit to performe the worship of God cutting off theyr hands that they shoulde doe no good and theyr feete least they should come vnto him by their endeuours and desires Hee made men also to gather the fragments of meat vnder his table that is the pleasures of this world with which this Prince and Tyrant doth nourish his seruants And rightly they are called the fragments of meate and not parts or peeces for the niggardlines which the deuill vseth in deuiding his goods among his is so great that he neuer giueth them so much as will satisfie theyr gurmandizing paunches But after our Sauiour came into the world he turned the same punishment vpon the Tyrant by which he before afflicted and pnnâ—shed others cutting off his hands and his feete that is destroying all his workes and enfeebling all his strength Who properly died in Ierusalem for the Sauiour of the world there dying he slew the Prince of the world and where he was crucified there was crucified also the Prince of the world and being bound hand and foote all his power was taken from him And so presently after that most holy and sacred passion of our Sauiour men began to tryumph ouer this Tyrant and with great power to raigne ouer the deuill the world and all vices so that all the torments of the world shall not be able to driue force men to ruinate their soules ¶ Causes from which this liberty ariseth PErhaps thou wilt aske me whence this so admirable victory and liberty came I answere that this after God first proceeded from the Diuine grace as we haue before sayd Which by the mediation of vertue comming from it doth moderate and temper the fury of our appetites that they cannot preuaile against reason Wherefore euen as Sorcerers know by certaine verses how to inchaunt Serpents that they cannot hurt men so that they yet lyuing are not poysonous and hauing poyson they cannot spit nor cast it vpon others so also the Diuine grace doth after that maner enchaunt the venemous Serpents of our affections that they lyuing and being whole in our naturall essence cannot hurt vs neyther can they poyson or intoxicate our life as before they were wont This as being taught from heauen Esay sheweth very excellently in these words And the sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the Aspe and the weined child shall put his hand vppon the Cockatrice hole Then shall none hurt nor destroy in all the mountaine of mine holines for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the Sea It is certaine that the speech of the Prophet is not heere of materiall Serpents but of spirituall which are our appetites and euill inclinations for these when they are free and not hindered infect the world with their poyson neither doth he speake of corporall chyldren but of spirituall amongst whom hee is sayd to be a sucking childe who first beginneth to serue God who as yet hath neede of milke vntill hee bee further growne and he is called the weined child who hath somewhat profited and goeth on his feete and now is fedde with more solide meat as bread and other foode fit for men Therefore the Prophet speaking as well of the one as of the other saith at the first that they shall play be delighted because they see themselues liue in the midds of spirituall Serpents and yet by the vertue of the Diuine grace they doe not receiue of them any mortall hurt by consenting to sin Others after they are weined and haue profited in the way of the Lord he saith that they shall put theyr hands vpon the holes of Cockatrices as if hee shoulde say that God doth keepe them in the midst of the greatest dangers For in them is fulfilled that of the Psalmographer Thou shalt walke vpon the Lyon and Aspe the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete These are they that put their handes vppon the holes of Cockatrices neither feele any hurt For the plentie of grace which God poureth vpon the earth dooth enchaunt these Serpents after that manner that they cannot hurt the sons of GOD. This thing the Apostle declareth more perspicuously and without a metaphore when after he had spoken copiously of the tyrannie of our appetites and of our flesh at the length crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me froÌ„ the bodie of this death presently hee aunswering himselfe saith The grace of God which is giuen by Iesus Christ our Lord. In vvhich place by the body of death the Apostle vnderstandeth not a body subiect to naturall death which we all looke for but that which in another place is called the body of sinne which is an inordinate appetite ready and apt to all euill From which as from a body the members of all passions and inordinate desires doe arise and grow which draw vs to all kinde of sinne From this body as from a cruell Tyrant the grace of God hath deliuered and freed vs which is giuen through Iesus Christ as the Apostle saith After this there is another cause not of the least value that is the greatnes of the ioy spirituall consolations which the righteous enioy in this world as we haue said before For this doth so quench the thirst of all concupiscences that a man may easily ouer-come and cast from him all other affections The Fountaine of all good things beeing found foorth-with that troublesome and disquiet tast of all other delights perrisheth as our Sauiour testifieth in the Gospell hauing conference with the woman of Samaria Whosoeuer drinketh saith he of the water that I shall giue him which is the grace of God he shall ueuer be more a thirst The same thing also S. Gregorie testifieth in a certaine homilie But if any man saith he hath tasted with the mouth of his hart what is the sweetnes of heauenly rewards what be the musicall assembles of Angels and what is the incomprehensible vision and sight of the holy Trinitie to this man by hovve much that is more sweet which inwardly hee feeleth and seeth by so much that is more bitter which outwardly hee pertaketh Now he aymeth to goe beyond all those things that come into his consideration now his minde is suspended from exteriour delights and he doth search out what the inuisible blessings be he is fedde with the tast of that incircumscriptible light and being carried beyond and aboue himselfe he doth disdaine againe to be deiected and cast downe to himselfe When as nowe the vessell of our hart is full after this manner of that heauenly liquor nowe the thirst of our soule is quenched now remaineth no further any reason or cause to desire or seeke after the fraile goods and abiect things of this life Therefore our soule is free neither is it bounde any longer with the chaynes of euill appetites for
his Pallace that not onely the wals of the King but also the eyes of the King may defend him from his enemies then the which gard none can be safer so the heauenly King by the same prouidence doth defend his Hence it is that we see and reade that the Saints oftentimes being compassed with many dangers temptations haue endured them and borne them with a minde quiet and vntroubled and with â— countenance and iesture cheerefull pleasant and merry For they are assured that they haue that faithfull gard present which will neuer forsake them and then chiefely and especially to be present when the dangers come to the highest Those three young men felt this whom Nabuchodonozer commaunded at Babilon to be cast into the firy furnace among whom the Angell of the Lord walked in the midst of the fire and cast out the flame of the fire out of the furnace and made the midst of the furnace like a coole and refreshing wind and the fire touched them not neyther troubled them nor brought any greeuance vnto them And the King was astonished and sayd Did wee not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire And behold I see foure men loosed and walking in the midst of the fire And the fourth is beautifull as the sonne of God Thou seest then how the presence of our Lord is at hand in troubles That argument of this matter is not lesse which the Lord performed for that holy young man Ioseph after he was sold of his brethren For hedeliuered him from sinne as it is in the booke of Wisedome he went downe with him into the dungeon and fayled him not in the bands till he had brought him the seepter of the realme and power against those that oppressed him and them that had accused him he declared to be lyers and gaue him perpetuall glory These examples confirme that Diuine promise which is in Dauid I am with him sayth the Lord in trouble I will deliuer him and I will honour him O happy trouble which deserueth to haue such a companion Which seeing that it is so let vs all lift vp our voyces with Saint Bernard and say O Lord send me trouble that thou mayst alwayes be with mee With this the ayde and supply of all vertues doe ioyne themselues which concurre at this time that they may strengthen corroborate and rayse vp the distressed minde For euen as when the hart is distressed and afflicted all the blood from euery part runneth thether that it may releeue and comfort it that it faynt not so the soule when it is oppressed with griefe and anguish forthwith all the vertues runne vnto it and releeue it now after this manner now after that But after a more especiall maner Fayth is present bringing a cleare and plaine knowledge both of the good things and of the euill in the life to come in comparison of which all the calamities and miseries of this world are of no moment Hope commeth which maketh men patient in all their troubles and afflictions in looking for a reward The loue of God commeth with which loue they being inflamed desire with great feruentnes to beare all kinde of sorrowes and afflictions in this life Obedience and the conforming of our wils with the Diuine will runneth hasteth hether at whose hands they receaue with ioy and without murmuring whatsoeuer is giuen vnto them Patience ioyneth herselfe vnto these whose property is to strengthen the shoulders that men may be able to beare all those burthens which are layd vpon them Humility hath also heere her function and worke which bendeth the hart as a young twig shaken and tossed to and fro of the stormy wind of tribulation and maketh man to be humbled vnder the mighty hand of the Lord whilst he acknowledgeth that those things which he suffereth are much lesser then his sinnes 〈◊〉 To conclude the consideration of the labours and â—orrowes of Christ crucified and the afflictions of all the holy Saints doe exceedingly helpe in comparison of whom all our tribulations are as though they were not After this manner therfore the vertues helpe them who are in affliction and calamity euery one with their proper and peculier functions neyther onely with theyr functions but also if I may say so with their words and exhortations First of all 〈…〉 The afflictions of this present time are not woorthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Charity sayth that it is meete and reason that we should suffer and beare all things for his loue who so deerely and tenderly hath loued vs. Gratitude sayth with blessed Iob Shall we receaue good at the hand of God and not receaue euill Repentance sayth it is meet that he should suffer something against his will who so often hath wrought wickednes against the Diuine will Faythfulnes addeth that it is right and reason that he should be once found faythfull and gratefull in his life who hath receaued so great gifts and so many graces of God through the whole course of his life Patience admonisheth that tribulations are the matter of patience Or doe bring forth patience and patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Obedience sayth that there is not a greater sacrifice or more acceptable to God then in all trouble to coÌ„forme ourselues to the good pleasure of Gods will But amongst all the vertues liuely Hope helpeth man in that time after a singuler and an especiall manner and it wonderfully strengtheneth our hart in the midst of tribulations The Apostle declareth this who when hee had sayd Reioycing in hope he further addeth and patient in tribulation not being ignorant that one followeth another that is of the ioy of Hope followeth the fortitude of Patience For which cause the Apostle not vnelegantly calleth Hope an anchor for euen as when it is fastned into the earth it keepeth the shyppe safe which stayeth in the midst of the waues and maketh it that it feareth not the billowes of the raging sea so liuely Hope beeing firmly fixed vppon the heauenly promises preserueth the minde of the righteous vnremoued in the midst of the waues of this world and maketh it that it contemneth and despiseth all the storme tempest of the winds So it is reported that a certaine holy man did in times past who seeing himselfe enclosed on euery side with tribulations sayd That good that I looke for is so great that all punishment and all torment is a pleasure vnto me Therefore thou vnderstandest my brother how all vertues concurre to strengthen the mindes of the righteous when they see them in a straight And although a man be weake and fearfull yet forthwith he returneth to himselfe to his right mind and with greater affection and zeale sayth If thou shalt fayle in the time of triall when God hath determined to try proue thee where is thy liuely Fayth by which thou
It is a miserable thing to labour and to haue no fruite of the labour neither to profit any thing by it But much more greater is it to lose that is gotten by labour and when thou hast an ill night to lose also a good day All these things doe manifestly teach with what great difference good and euill men doe beare tribulations how great peace ioy and strength the good doe feele when as the wicked doe suffer so great afflictions and perturbations of the minde This was in times past excellently shadowed in that great clamor lamentation which was heard throughout the whole land of Egypt when the Lord had smitten all their first borne neither was there an house in which there was not a cry but in the land of Goshen where the chyldren of Israell dwelt there was quiet rest so that a dogge did not barke against any one But what shall I besides this peace speake of the profit which the righteous draw out of tribulations by which the wicked do reape so great losses and hurts For as Chrisostome saith from one and the selfe same fire both the gold is made bright shyning and the wood is burnt and consumed so by the fire of affliction the righteous is made more beautifull as gold but the vnrighteous as dry and vnfruitful wood is turned into coales ashes Not vnlike to this is the sentence of Augustine Vnder the same flayle sayth he the huskes are diminished and broken but the grane purged and purified neither therefore is the mother or lees confounded with the oyle because they are pressed and troden vnder the same presse or plancke so one the selfe same weight pressing the good and the badde doth try purifie and purge the good but doth damnifie consume and wast the bad Whereupon in the same affliction the wicked doe detest blaspheme God but the righteous do pray vnto him praise him So much it behoueth not what is suffered but who suffereth it For by the same motion in sifting a thing the refusse is tossed foorth and the spyce doth smell fragrantly Thys sayth hee The same thing also is prefigured by the Red-sea which not onely dyd not swallow vp the chyldren of Israell but it was a wall vnto them on theyr right hand and on theyr left But on the contrary part those waters returning to theyr course ouerwhelmed the Charrets and the horse-men of all the Armie of Pharao and drowned them in the midst of the sea The waters therefore of tribulation are for the greater protection and safegard of the good and also for the preseruation and exercise of theyr humilitie and patience But vnto the wicked they are as dangerous and deadly waters which swalloweth them into the pitte of impatience blasphemie and desperation Thou hast therefore my brother another prerogatiue by which vertue excelleth vice for which the Phylosophers loued and so greatly esteemed phylosophie supposing that it belonged onely to philosophy to make men constant in affliction But they vvere deceaued in thys as also in manie other things for as neyther true Vertue so neyther true constancie is to be found amongst Philosophers but in the schoole of that Lord who being nayled vpon the Crosse doth comfort his by his owne example and raigning in heauen doth strengthen them by his spirit and promising them eternall glory by a liuely hope doth rayse vp their minds which comforts are not to be found in humane Philosophy Of the eleuenth priuiledge of Vertue that is that the Lord doth prouide temporall blessings for the louers of Vertue CHAP. XXIII WHatsoeuer hetherto hath beene spoken pertayneth to the spirituall blessings and riches which the Lord God in this life besides the eternal glory of the life to come bestoweth vpon the louers of Vertue But these blessings are promised to the world at the comming of Christ as the Oracles of the Prophets haue fore-told Therfore rightly he is called the Sauiour of the world seeing that by him true saluation is giuen as grace wisedome peace victory and conquest ouer our passions and affections the comfort also of the holy Ghost the riches of hope and to conclude all other blessings which are required to the attaynement of this saluation of which the Prophet sayd Israel shall be saued in the Lord with an euerlasting saluation But if any man be found so carnall who more respecteth temporall blessings or the welfare of the flesh rather then spirituall blessings or the welfare of the spirit as the Iewes did let him proceede I will not that therefore there should be varience and contention betweene vs yea we will giue him longer space to deliberate of this matter then hee himselfe would desire Tell me what meaneth that of the vvise-man when directing his speach to speake of true vvisedome in which the perfection of Vertue consisteth he sayth Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory So that she hath in her hands two kinde of blessings to which she inuiteth men in one she hath eternall blessings and in the other temporall Doe not thinke that God doth forsake his so that they perish through hunger neyther is he so vnprouident or so negligent that seeing he giueth meate in due season to Ants and Wormes of the earth that he will suffer men to famish who night and day serue in his house But if thou wilt not beleeue me readâ— if it please thee the sixt Chapter of Mathew through and thou shalt see and finde the certainty and assured pledge of this promise Behold sayth the Lord the fowles of the heauen for they sow not neyther reape nor carry into the barnes yet your heauenly father feedeth them Are yee not much better then they And concluding this matter he addeth Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or where-with shall we be cloathed For after all these things seeke the Gentiles For your heauenly father knoweth that yee haue neede of all these things But seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you For this cause the kingly Prophet inuiteth vs to serue the Lord saying O feare the Lord yee that be his Saints for they that feare him lacke nothing The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they that seeke the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good And this is so certaine that the same Prophet sayth in another place I haue been young and now am old and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread But if thou desirest a longer tractate of this matter that thou mayst see what the righteous are to looke for heare what great things God in Deuteronomy promiseth to the obseruers of his law If sayth he thou shalt harken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God and obserue and doe all his
commaundements which I commaund thee this day the Lord will set thee on high aboue all nations of the earth And all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee if thou shalt harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Blessed shalt thou be in the Citty and blessed in the field Blessed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy ground and the fruite of thy cattell the encrease of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store Blessed shalt thou be when thou commest in and blessed when thou goest out The Lord shall giue ouer thine enemies that rise against thee that they may fall before thy face they shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seauen wayes The Lord shall commaund the blessing vpon thee in thy store-houses and in all that thou settest thine hand vnto and will blesse thee in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee The Lord shall make thee on holy people vnto himselfe as he hath sworne vnto thee if thou shall keepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God and walke in his wayes And all nations of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called vpon ouer thee and they shall be afrayd of thee And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods in the fruite of thy body in the fruite of thy cattell and in the fruite of thy ground in the land which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers to giue thee The Lord shall open vnto thee his good treasure the heauen to giue raine vnto thy Land in due season and to blesse all the labours of thy hand Tell mee what riches what treasures may be compared to these blessings But if thou shalt say that these promises are rather made vnto the Iewes then vnto Christians for vnto these according to Ezechiel those more excellent blessings as are the blessings of grace and of glory are promised yet as in that carnall law God did not denie to the righteous Iewes spyrituall blessings so in the spirituall law he doth not withdraw temporall prosperity from good Christians yea hee doth giue vnto them temporall blessings and that with a double commodity neyther of which the wicked haue The first is because as a skilfull Phisitian he bestoweth these blessings vpon them after that measure which their neede requireth that by this way they may be releeued and not waxe proude neyther beeing fatted and crammed kick and spurne This commodity the wicked haue not for they scrape together as much as they are able neuer regarding theyr saluation When as notwithstanding the superfluity of temporall goods is not lesse hurtfull to the soule then that meate is to the body which cannot be by any meanes digested For although it is necessary and needefull to eate for the releefe and sustentation of the body yet superfluity of meate doth very much hurt So although the life of man consisteth in the blood yet too much aboundance of blood is the cause of death and oftentimes killeth men The second commodity is because lesser pelse and a measurable and an indifferent possession of riches doth bring greater quietnes and tranquillity vnto the soule which is the end why men with such greedines desire temporall goods For whatsoeuer God can doe by second causes he can doe it yea more perfectly by himselfe without those meanes So hath hee done in all his Saints in whose name the Apostle sayth Hauing nothing and possessing all things For so little doth suffice vs that we hauing very little and being therewith content we seeme vnto our selues to be the Lords of the whole world A trauailer for his prouision in his voyage carrieth his money in gold for so he is the richer and he is troubled with lesse weight after the same manner also our Lord doth lighten his laying vpon them but easie burthens but yet sufficient and that which may content them After this manner the righteous doe goe naked yet they are content they are poore and yet they are rich But the rich when they are full of wealth yet dye for hunger and when as they sit euen vp to the lips in water yet they are slayne with thirst as the Poets in times past fabled of Tantalus For this and such like causes that great Prophet long agoe did prayse the obseruance of the Diuine law willing that in it all our meditation should be For he knew very well that in this all things were fulfilled These be his words Seate all these words in your harts and in your soules and bind them for a signe vpon your hands and they shall be as frontlets betweene your eyes And yee shall teach and rehearse them continually vnto your children and shall talke of them when yee tarry in your houses and when yee walke by the way and when yee lye downe and when yee rise vp Also thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house and vpon thy gates that thy dayes and the dayes of thy children may be multiplied in the Land which the Lord sware vnto your fathers to giue yee for euēr O holy Prophet what I pray thee hast thou found worthy of so great commendation in the keeping of the law It is not to be doubted but thou who wast so great a Prophet and a Secretary of the Diuine counsaile didst vnderstand the inestimable greatnes of this good and knewest that in it were to be found all kinde of blessings present and to come temporall and eternall corporall and spirituall and he that hath satisfied the law hath fulfilled all things Thou knewest very well that a man did not loose his time when hee was occupied in doing Gods will yea then to labour in hys owne Vineyard then to water his gardens to till his fields and to dispatch all his busines better then if he had laboured with his owne hands for he satisfying Gods will casteth all his care vpon God who finisheth all the rest For this is the law of the league and federacie which God made with man that man should keepe his commaundements and God would prouide all necessary things for him and doe his busines Neyther shall this league and couenant be euer violated of God For if man be a faythfull seruant vnto God God will be a faythfull Lord and patrone vnto man This is that one thing which the Lord sayd was necessary that is to know to loue and to serue God for this one thing being kept and obserued all the rest are well and in safety Godlines sayth Paule is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come See I pray thee how plainely heere the Apostle promiseth vnto godlines which is the worship and seruice of God not onelie the blessings of eternall life but also of this life as much as are conducent to obtayne the other But we
must note heere that labour is not excluded for man must also labour and doe that lyeth in him according to the quality of his estate and condition ¶ Of the scarsitie and pouerty of the wicked BVt if any man on the contrary part would know how great the aduersities calamities and pouerties of the wicked be let him reade the eight and twenty Chapter of Deuteronomie and there he shall finde those things that both will make him wonder and tremble Amongst many other things thus speaketh the Scripture But if thou will not harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commaundements and his ordinances which I commaund thee this day all these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the Citty and cursed in the field Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy Land and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe Cursed shalt thou be when thou goest in and cursed when thou goest out The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing destruction and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand to and that thou doest vntill he destroy thee and bring thee to naught quickly because of the wickednes of thine inuentions and because thou hast forsaken me The Lord shal make the pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill hee haue consumed thee from of the Land whether thou goest to enioy it The Lord shall smite thee vvith swelling with feauers heate burning and with the sword with blasting and mildeaw and they shall follow thee vntill thou perrish And the heauen that is ouer thy head shal be brasse and the earth that is vnder thee shal be yron The Lord shall turne the raine of the Lande into powder and dust from heauen shal they come downe vpon thee vntill thou be brought to naught And the Lorde shall cause thee to fall before thine enemies thou shalt come out one way against them and flee seauen wayes before them and shalt be scattered among all the kingdomes of the earth And thy carkasse shal be meate vnto all manner of foules of the ayre and vnto the beasts of the earth and no man shal fray them away The Lorde will smite thee with the botch of Egipt and the Emerods scab and itch that thou maist not be healed thereof And the Lord shall smite thee with madnes blindnes and dazing of hart Thou shalt grope at noone dayes as the blind gropeth in darknes and shalt not prosper in thy waies Thou shalt be oppressed with wrong and be polled euermore and no man shall succour thee Thou shalt be betrothed vnto a wife and another man shall lye with her thou shalt build an house and not dwell therein thou shalt also plant a vineyard shalt not gather the grapes Thine Oxe shal be slaine before thine eyes thou shalt not eate thereof thine Asse shall bee violently taken away before thy face and shall not be restored to thee againe thy sheepe shal be giuen vnto thine enemies no man shall rescue them Thy sonnes and thy daughters shall be giuen vnto another Nation thine eyes shall see it daze vpon theÌ„ all the day long and there shall be no might in thine hand The fruite of thy Land and all thy labours shall a Nation which thou knowest not eate vp thou shalt continually suffer violence be oppressed alway so that thou shalt be cleane beside thy selfe for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see The Lorde shall smite thee in the knees legs with a mischieuous botch that cannot be healed froÌ„ the sole of thy foote vnto the toppe of thy head The Lord shall bring thee thy King which thou shalt sette ouer thee vnto a Nation vvhich neither thou nor thy Fathers haue knowne that there thou mayest serue strange Gods wood stone And thou shalt be wondered at spoken of and iested at among all Nations whether the Lorde shall carry thee At the length after many and horrible curses he addeth saying And all these curses shal come vpon thee ouertake thee till thou be destroyed because thou harkenedst not vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe his commaundements and his ordinaunces which he commanded thee And they shall be vpon thee for signes wonders vpon thy seede for euer because thou serâ—edst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse with a good hart wheÌ„ thou haddest aboundance of all things Therefore shalt thou serue thine enemy which the Lord shall send vpon thee in hunger thirst in nakednesse and in neede of all things he shal put a yoke of yron vpon thy necke vntil he haue brought thee to naught And the Lord shall bring a Nations vpon thee from farre from the end of the world as swift as an Eagle flieth a Nation whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstand A nation of a shamelesse cruell countenaunce which shall not regard the person of the old nor haue compassion on the young The same shall eate the fruite of thy cattell and the fruite of thy land vntill he haue destroyed thee shall leaue thee neither Corne Wine nor Oyle neyther the increase of thy Kine nor the flocks of thy sheepe vntill he haue brought thee to naught And he shal keepe thee in in all thy Citties vntil he haue cast downe thy hie walles and strong holds wherein thou trustedst throughout all thy â—and hee shall besiege thee in all thy Citties throughout all thy â—and which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee And thou shalt eate the fruite of thine owne body the flesh of thy sonnes and of thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee in that straightnes siege wherewith thine enemies shall enclose thee All these be the words of the holy Scripture but there are many moe in the same Chapter which we doe now leaue of to remember Which if they be read with attention diligence they will make a man whatsoeuer hee be to be amazed and to faint and die in courage for the horrour of so dreadfull fearfull things And he that shall read peraduenture shall open his eyes and shall begin somwhat to vnderstand the rigour of the Diuine iustice and the cruell maliciousnes of sinners and of the great hate that the Lord beareth towards sinne seeing that hee doth punish it in this world with such horrible punishments whence we may easily coniecture what is to bee looked for in the world to come Furthermore it may irke the wicked of their insensablenesse and calamitie because they liue as though they were blind neyther doe they see what is referued for theÌ„ or what punishments are prepared Neyther think that these threatnings are in vaine onely words and speeches inuented to terrifie men for as they are threatnings so are they true prophecies of the calamities into which the people should fall For in
present which he must forsake and beginneth to thinke vpon future things which he must expect Behold shall he say all delights and pleasures haue passed away as a shadow but reproches and faults remaine still The same Doctour also in another homily prosecuting this matter sayth Let vs consider what a lamentable estate a dissolute soule shall be in departing frō this body what streights shall it be brought into what horror and darknes will there be when as the conscience all about beset with faults and sinnes shall appeare first of all the number of our aduersaries For it all other proofes and witnesses set apart shall bring that to light and to our eyes that the proofe of it shall conuince vs and the knowledge of it shall confound vs. Neyther may any one couer or keepe secret any thing or deny any thing when as the accuser or witnes is not to be produced from farre or from another place but is to be fetched from within vs. Hetherto he Another learned and holy man doth handle this same matter more largely and more mistically when hee sayth Let vs consider with speciall attention when the soule of a sinner is departing out of the prison of the flesh with what terrible feare it is shaken and smitten and with how many pricks of a pearcing conscience it is goared and thrust through It remembreth sinnes past which it hath committed it seeth the Diuine commaundements which it hath contemned it greeueth that the time of repentance hath beene so ill and lewdly ouerpast it is afflicted because it seeth the ineuitable houre approch of rendering an account and of the Diuine vengeance it would tarrie still but it is constrayned to depart it would recouer that is past but time is not graunted If it looke behind it seeth the course and race of the whole life led as a moment of time If it looke before it beholdeth the infinite space of eternity which expecteth it It sorroweth and sobbeth because it hath lost the ioy of euerlasting eternity which it might haue obtayned in so short a time it tormenteth it selfe because it hath lost the ineffable sweetnes of perpetuall delight for one sensuall carnall and momentany pleasure It blusheth considering that for that substance which is wormes meate it hath despised that which Angels price so highly And weighing the glory of those immortall riches it is confounded that it hath changed them for the basenes and vildnes of temporall things But when it casteth the eyes vpon things below and seeth the darke and obscure valley of this world and beholdeth aboue it the shyning brightnes of eternall light then it confesseth that all that it loued in this world was black night and vgly darknes O then if such a soule could obtayne a space of repentance and a time to recall it selfe how austere and seuere a life would it embrace What difficult and great matters would it promise vnto what great vowes prayers and other exercises would it bind it selfe But whilst it meditateth and consulteth of these things with it selfe the fore-runners and harbengers of death begin to approach that is the eyes waxe dim the breast swelleth and panteth the voyce sayleth and foltreth the members grow colde the teeth waxe blacke the mouth is filled with humors and the countenance waxeth pale and wan In the meane time come the Officers and Sargiants which attend vpon Death now at hand and they present vnto the wretched soule all the works speaches and cogitations of the life past bearing bad and dangerous witnes against theyr mistres and although she would not see them yet she is compelled to see them By and by commeth an horrible flocke of yelling deuils and there also a sacred company of holy Angels doe present themseules And there they begin to dispute betweene themselues to whether part this miserable pray must happen For if fayth in Christ vertues and works of piety and godlines be found in her straightwayes she is comforted with the sweete speaches and consolations of Angels But if the enormity of sinnes and a life wickedly led doe require another thing alas sodainly she trembleth and is terrified with an intollerable dread and feare and trembling doe terribly assault her Forthwith the deuils assayle her and take her and violently pluck her from the miserable flesh and cast her headlong into torments neuer to be ended but to continue for euer and euer All these be the words of this holy and learned man Tell me if thou wilt confesse this to be true and that each thing proceedeth after this order what other thing is required if so any sparke of wisedome or vnderstanding be left in vs that we may know how detestable and wretched the condition of sinners is seeing that the end prepared for them is so greeuous and vnhappy and which neuer shall haue end And if the delights and pleasures of this life at that time could bring any help or comfort as they were wont to doe this mischiefe were more tollerable but honours will not there helpe neyther riches defend friends heere cannot preuaile nor seruants giue theyr attendance neyther can families nor the noblenes of descent profit any thing in riches there is no hope all the helpe for one that lies a dying is in Christ in Vertue and in innocencie of life For the vvise-man testifieth that Riches helpe not in the day of vengeance but righteousnes that is Vertue deliuereth from death Seeing therefore that a sinner is found so naked poore and destitute of all helpe and ayde how can he not but feare and be afflicted when as he seeth himselfe left alone forsaken and desolate neyther hauing any hope or confidence in that Diuine iudgement ¶ Of the death of the righteous BVt the death of the righteous is farre off from these miseries and calamities For euen as at that time the wicked receaue the punishment of theyr iniquity so the righteous receaue the wages of their vprightnes according to that of Ecclesiasticus Who so feareth the Lord it shall goe well with him at the last and in the day of his death he shall be blessed That is he shall be enriched and shall receaue the reward of his labours Saint Iohn in his Reuelation doth insinuate the same thing more manifestly when he sayth that he heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto him Write The words which he was commaunded to write were Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord. Euen so sayth the Spirit that they may rest from theyr labour and their works follow them How can he be discouraged in that houre that heareth this of the Lord when he now seeth himselfe hasten thether where he shall receaue that which he desired all the time of his life Therefore of the righteous it is reade in the booke of Iob And thine age shall appeare more cleare then the noone day thou shalt shine and be as the morning Which words Saint Gregory expounding
worlde for his sake shall receaue an hundreth fold heere and shall inherite euerlasting life Behold therefore my brother what an excellent good it is that hetherto I haue shewed thee behold to what I inuite thee consider whether any will say that thou art deceaued if for the loue of it thou shalt forsake the world and all things which are therein Onely one inconuenience this good hath if so that it may be called an incoÌ„uenience why it is not esteemed amongst wicked men that is because it is not knowen vnto them For this cause our Sauiour said That the kingdome of heauen was like vnto a treasure hid for this good is indeede a treasure but hid not to these that possesse it but to others That Prophet very well knew of the price of this treasure who said My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe Hee regarded not whether others knew of his treasure or no for this good is not of the nature of other goods which are not good vnlesse they be known of others vvherefore they are not good of themselues but only in the estimation of the world and therefore it is necessarie that they be knowen vnto him of whom they are so called But thys good maketh his possesser good and happy and doth noe lesse warme heate his hart when he knoweth of it alone then when the whole world knoweth it But my tongue is not the key of the Casket of this secret and much lesse of all those things which hetherto haue been spoken for whatsoeuer mans tongue can vtter is much lesse theÌ„ the truth of the thing it selfe The Diuine light experience and vse is the key of vertues I would that thou shouldest desire thys key of GOD that thou mayst finde this treasure yea God himselfe in whoÌ„ thou shalt finde all things and thou shalt see with what great reason the Prophet said Blessed is the people whose GOD the Lorde is For what can be wanting vnto him who possesseth this good It is written in the bookes of the Kings that Elcana the Father of Samuell said to his wife sorrowing because shee vvas barren and had no chyldren Anna why weepest thou and why catest thou not and why is thine hart troubled Am not I better to thee then tenne sonnes If a good husband who is to day and to morrow is not be better to his wife then tenne sonnes what thinkest thou of God what will hee be to that soule that possesseth him O men what doe ye whether looke ye what doe ye regard why doe ye leaue the fountaine of Paradice drinke of the muddy Cesterns of thys world Why doe ye not follow the good counsaile of the Prophet who saith O tast see how gracious and sweet the Lord is Why doe we not once assay thys Fourd why doe wee not once tast of these bankets Haue trust to the words of the Lord and beginne and he shal deliuer thee from all danger Terrible and fearefull seemed that Serpent a farre off into which Moses rodde was turned but when it was handled it returned to the old forme againe Not without cause saide Salomon It is naught it is naught saith he that buyâ—th but when hee commeth to his owne house then hee boasteth of his penny-worth Thys hapneth daily to men in this busines For not knowing at the beginning the value of this merchandize because they theÌ„selues are not spirituall neither know they of what esteeme it is and vnderstanding what is requested for it because they are carnall they thinke it is too deere and not worth the price But when they once beginne to tast how sweet the Lord is foorthwith they boast of their merchandize and they confesse that no price is too high or too much to be giuen for this incomparable good Consider how the Merchant in the Gospel cheerfully sold all that he had that he might buy the field in which the treasure was hid Therfore for what cause doth not a Christian man this name being heard contend to know what it is Certainly it is a matter of wonder if any tatler or tale-bearer should tell thee that in thy house there is treasure hidde thou wouldest not rest to digge and delue and to seeke and try whether it were true or no that hee had said But when the Lorde himselfe affirmeth that within thee in thy soule thou hast an inestimable treasure hid canst thou not be brought to seek for it O how soone shouldest thou sinde this treasure if thou onelie knewest how nigh the Lord is vnto them that call vpon him in truth How many men haue their beene in this world vvho considering of their sinnes and perseuering in prayer and desiring remission of them haue in lesse time then a weeke opened the earth or that I may speake better haue found a new heauen and a newe earth and haue begunne to feele in them the kingdome of God How great is it which that Lord doth who saith At what tyme soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes I will put them out of my remembrance How great was that which that good Father did who scarcely that short prayer of the Prodigall beeing ended could no longer containe himselfe but he must needes embrace him and receaue him into his house with great mirth and feasting Returne therefore my brother to thys gracious fauourable Father and whilst it is time lift vp thy hart vnto him and cease not for some fewe dayes vncessantly to call and knock at the gates of his mercy and assuredly beleeue mee if thou shalt perseuer with humilitie at the length the Lord shall make aunswere vnto thee and shall show thee the hid treasure of his loue which when thou shalt haue tasted and assaied thou wilt say with the Spouse in the Canticles If a man woulde giue all the good of his house for loue he should count it nothing The end of the second part THE THIRD PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which aunswere is made to all those excuses by which those men are wont to excuse and defend themselues who will not embrace Vertue Against the first excuse of those who deferre and put off from day to day the amendment of their lifes and the embracing of Vertue CHAP. XXV I Thinke that no man can deny but that those things are sufficient which hetherto haue beene spoken of vs yea and that they sufficientlie and plentifully doe approoue our principall purpose and intent which wee promised at the beginning to discourse aâ—d dispute of That is that we might moue the harts of men Gods grace being first presupposed to the loue and study of Vertue But although we may be thought to haue satisfied and performed our promise yet the malitiousnes of men haue excuses which haue a show of truth by which they defend their lingering and loytering negligence and still comfort and please themselues in their wickednes as Ecclesiasticus intimateth and insinuateth
this that the Lord very well knew of the counsailes inuentions and excuses of the wicked which they finde out to excuse and bolster out their bad matters and therefore he doth preuent them and shut the way before them and admonisheth them how their wickednes shall prosper with them and what euent their hope shall haue What do these things differ from theÌ„ which here we handle What other things doe we speake here but those that the Lord himselfe speaketh Thou art that euill seruant who meditatest in thine hart such like things as he did thou delayest thy repentance and thinkest that there is time enough left for thee thou eatest drinkest and perseuerest in thy sinnes Doest thou not feare these threatnings which he threatneth who is no lesse able to effect them then to speake them Who is of might to execute all things that he speaketh sooner more readily then to speake them He himselfe speaketh vnto thee he reasoneth the matter with thee he calleth thee he hath busines with thee he sayth vnto thee Watch miserable man and whilst thou hast time prepare thy selfe least thou miserably perishest in that houre of Gods iust iudgement But I seeme to bestow too much time and labour vpon a matter so manifest But what shall I doe when I see the greater part of the world couer their sinne and error vnder this cloake But that thou mayest more manifestly know the greatnes of this danger heare another testimony of the same Lord Then shall the kingdome of heauen be likened vnto tenne Virgines c. Then when shall that then be When the Iudge shall come when the houre of iudgement shall approch as well generall for all men as particuler for euery one For in this euery one shall finde his last day in this the last day of the world shal ouertake euery one because as euery one dyeth so he shall be iudged in this day as sayth Augustine At that time therfore saith our Sauiour it shall happen vnto vs as vnto the tenne Virgins fiue of which were fooles and fiue wise which taking theyr Lamps went out to meete the Bridegrome The wise whilst they had time tooke oyle in their vessels But the foolish as it oftentimes happeneth had no care nor regard of any oyle At midnight when men sleepe soundlie or when they are most negligent and voyde of care and least thinke of the day of iudgment a cry was made Behold the Bridegrome commeth goe yee out to meete him Then all those Virgins arose and prepared their Lamps And those that were ready went in with the Bridegrome to the mariage the dore was shut vp But those that were not ready at that time began to prouide and prepare themselues and at length came saying Lord Lord open to vs. But he aunswering sayd Verily I say vnto you I know you not And the Lord concluding this parable sayth Watch therfore for yee know neyther the day nor the houre As if he should say Ye haue seene how happy the euent was of these wise Virgins who were ready and how vnhappy the foolish Virgins were who wanted oyle Seeing that therefore yee know not the day nor the houre of the comming of the Bridegrome and seeing the busines of your saluation dependeth only of this preparation watch and be ye ready at all times least that day finde you vnprepared as it found these fiue Virgins and the dore be shut against you and yee be excluded from the marriage as they were excluded This is the litterall sence of this parable as a learned man doth expound this place saying Let vs take heede to our selues if it were but onely for this respect that the repentance which is deferred vnto death when that voyce is heard which sayth Behold the Bridegrome commeth is not safe yea as it is described in this â—arable it is as though it were not true At the length he speaking of the end of this similitude sayth The conclusion of this doctrine is that we may vnderstand how these fiue Virgins were reprobated and refused because they were not ready at the comming of the Bridegrome But the other fiue were admitted and let in because they had prouided Therfore it is necessary that we be alwayes prouidâ—d because we know not at what houre the Bridegrome will come Tell me I pray thee what could be spoken more manifestly for the illustration of our purpose Therefore I doe greatly wonder that after so cleare a testimony men dare yet trust to a hope so weake and vncertaine For before this testimony was brought forth I did not so much meruaile if they did perswade themselues the contrary or if they desired willingly to deceaue themselues But after that this heauenly Doctor and Teacher hath determined this question when as the Iudge himselfe hath manifested vnto vs the order and manner of his iudgement by so many examples who is so extreamely impudent or shamelesse without wit or reason that will thinke that it shall happen otherwise then hee hath foretold who himselfe shall pronounce the sentence ¶ Aunswers to certaine obiections BVt because thou mayest obiect against these things which we haue spoken How vvas not the theese yeelding vp the ghost saued by one onely word Wee aunswere vnto this that this worke was no lesse miraculous then the other miracles of Christ which worke and miracle was reserued to the comming of our Sauiour being the sonne of God into this world and for a testimony of his glory And therefore it was necessary that in that very houre when the Lord suffered that both things celestiall and terrestriall should be disturbed that light should be mingled with night and that the very elements should be shaken That the earth shaken in her very foundations which could scarcely support and vphold God on the Crosse should tremble and quake That the day the light being fled should assume a lamentable robe and after the manner of bewayling mourners should be cloathed with the sable habit of black heauines That the graues of the dead should be opened and that the dead should arise For all these miraculous wonderments were reserued as testimonies of the glory of his Person among the number of which was the saluation of this theefe In which worke his confession was no lesse admirable and miraculous then his saluation for his Nouell and Puny new sprung fayth acknowledged that which his Disciples gayne-sayed At that time the guilty theefe beleeued that which the elect denied The impiety of the persecutours raged the wickednes of the blasphemers exceeded the stripes and wounds shewed Christ onely to be but a man and the Apostles despayring after so many Diuine miracles onely this theefe resteth not nor stayed in the scandale of his crosse and death onely he is the witnes of his Maiesty who was a companion of his distres and heauines Seeing that therefore these wonderfull and miraculous things belong to the dignity of this Lord and to the
them in thy minde by little and little thou shalt feele this feare wrought in thee ¶ Of the workes of the Diuine iustice whereof mention is made in the holy Scripture THE first worke of the Diuine iustice which the holy Scripture remembreth is the damnation of Angels The beginning of the wayes of the Lord was that terrible bloudy beast the Prince of deuils as it is written in the booke of Iob. For seeing that all the waies of the Lord are mercy and iustice vntill this first sinne the iustice of GOD was not yet reuealed which was hid in the bosome of the Lord as a sword in a scabberd This first sinne was the cause why this sword was vnsheathed Consider now how grieuous and terrible this first plague and punishment was lift vp thine eyes and thou shalt behold wonderfull things thou shalt see I say the most precious iewel of the house of God thou shalt see the chiefest beauty of heauen thou shalt see that Image in which the Diuine beauty shyned so cleerly this I say thou shalt see falling from heauen like an arrow and that for the onely thought of pride The Prince of all the Angels is made the Prince of deuils of most beautifull he is made most horrible and deformed of most glorious he is made most vilde and disgracious of one most acceptable gracious of all those creatures which God had made or euer would make he is made the greatest the most malicious enemie What astonishment thinkest thou and what admiration was this to the heauenly Spirits who know from whence and whether this so noble a creature fell With what feare did they all pronounce that of Esay Howe art thou fallen from heauen ô Lucifer sonne of the Morning Descend afterward a little lower to the earthly Paradice and there thou shalt see a case no lesse feareful vnlesse there had been a remedy vsed for this mischiefe For that the Angels should fall it was needfull that they all should actually offend But what hath the creature which is borne actually offended in why he should be borne the child of wrath It is not needfull that he should haue actuall sinne it sufficeth onely that he be borne of that man that had offended and by offending had corrupted the common roote of all mankind which was in him this I say is sufficient why he is borne in sinne The glory and Maiesty of God is so great that when as one onely creature had offended him the whole kinde deserued so seuerely to be punished For if it was not sufficient to Haman that great friend of King Assuerus that he might reuenge himselfe of Mardocheus of whom he supposed that he had receaued an iniury not only to punish Mardocheus but for the greatnes of his honour to cut off the whole nation of the Iewes for the deniall as he iudged of a small reuerence why doest thou meruaile if the glory and maiesty of God which is infinite requireth like punishment Behold therfore the first man is banished out of Paradice for a bit of an apple for which euen to this day the whole world is punished And after so many thousand yeares the sonne that is borne bringeth with him out of his mothers wombe the staine and blemish of his father and not when he can offend himselfe by reason of age but in his very natiuity he is borne the child of wrath and that as I haue sayd after so many thousand yeares After so long time this iniury could not be buried in obliuion being deuided among so many thousand thousands of men and punished with so many scourges Yea all the torments which men haue suffered from the beginning of the world to this day all the deaths which they haue vndergone and all the soules which burne and shall burne in hell euerlastingly are sparks which haue originally proceeded from that first sinne all which are arguments and testimonies of the Diuine iustice And all these things are also done and brought vpon vs after the redemption of mankind wrought and made by the blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Which remedy if it had not beene wrought there had been no difference betweene men and deuils for of themselues there had beene as little remedy and hope of saluation to the one as to the other What doest thou think of this punishment I thinke that it is a reasonable sound argument of the Diuine iustice But because this heauy and greeuous yoke is not taken away from the sonnes of Adam new and moe kinds of punishments haue sprung from it for other sinnes which haue beene deriued from that first All the world was drowned with the waters of the deluge The Lord rayned from heauen fire and brimstone vpon those fiue polluted and sinfull Citties The earth swallowed vp Dathan and Abiron aliue for a certaine contention that was betweene them and Moses A fire went out from the Lord and deuoured the two sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu because they had not obserued the right and due ceremonies in the sacrifice neyther did the dignity of their priesthood profit them any thing nor the holines of their father nor that familiarity which theyr Vncle Moses had with the Lord. Ananias and Saphira in the new Testament because they lyed vnto S. Peter which seemed to be but a small matter fell downe dead and sodainly yeelded vp the ghost But what shall we say of the hidden and secret iudgements of God Salomon who was the wisest of all men and whom God so tenderly loued that he was sayd to be the Lords beloued by the hidden and secret iudgement of God came to that extreame abhomination and that most abhominable sinne that he fell into Idolatry What is more fearefull then this But if thou shouldest know of moe iudgements of this kinde which daily happen in the Church perhaps thou wouldest no lesse feare these then thou dreadest that Because thou shouldest see many starres falling from heauen to the earth thou shouldest see many who did eate the bread of Angels vpon the Lords table to fall and slip into such calamities that they rather desire to fill their bellies with the drasse and swash of Swine thou shouldest see many whose chastity was purer and more beautifull then a Porphirite to be blacker then a cole The causes of whose lapse were their sinnes But what greater signe of the Diuine iustice canst thou desire thē that God for the iniury done vnto him wold not be satisfied but with the death of his onely begotten sonne before he would receaue the world to his fauour What manner of words I pray thee were they which the Lord spake to the women which followed him lamenting and bewayling Daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children For behold the dayes will come when men shall say Blessed are the barren and the wombs that neuer bare and the paps
for his defence vntill his eyes were opened by the prayer of the Prophet of God then he saw that there were moe defenders then offenders Of the same kinde and semblance is the errour of them of whom we now speake for when as they perceaue and feele in themselues the difficulty of Vertue and not hauing felt the graces and helpes that God fendeth for the attainement of Vertue and piety they pull back their foote and shrink away from Vertue Tell me if the way of Vertue be so difficult why doth the Prophet say I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches And in another place The iudgements of the Lord are truth they are righteous altogether and more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then bonny and the honny-combe So that the Prophet not onely granteth that that all we yeeld vnto Vertue that is admirable excellency and dignitie but also that which the world denieth that is sweetnesse pleasantnes and delectation For thys cause not without good reason thou mayst perswade thy selfe that those who doe so aggrauate and exaggerate this burthen and doe imagine to themselues that it is so heauy and so vnsupportable although they be Christians and liue vnder the couenaunt of grace yet they haue not tasted of thys misterie O thou wretched man thou that sayest thou art a Christian tell me why Christ came into the world Why he shedde his blood why he ordained his Sacraments why he sent his holy Spirit into the world what is meant by the word Gospell what by the word Grace and what is the meaning of this most famous and excellent name IESVS If thou knowest not enquire of the Euangelist and he will tell thee Thou shalt call his Name IESVS for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes What other thing meaneth the name of Sauiour Deliuerer What other thing to be saued and deliuered from sinnes then to obtaine pardon for vs for our sinnes past grace to eschew those to come For what other cause came the Sauiour into the world but that he might helpe thee and further thy saluation Why would he dye vppon the Crosse but that he might kill sinne Why would he rise from the dead but that he might raise thee and might make thee to walke in newnesse of lyfe Why did he shed his blood but that he might make a medicine or a plaister to heale and cure thy woundes For what other cause did he institute ordaine Sacraments in his Church but to strengthen thee in the progresse of righteousnesse What other is the fruite of his most bitter passion and comming into this world but that he might make the way to heauen plaine smooth which before was sharpe and rough with thornes and that he might make it passable and easie to be iourneyed This is that which Esay fore-told should come that in the dayes of the Messias Euery valley should be exalted and euery mountaine hill should be made low and the crooked should be strait the rough places playne To be briefe besides all these why was the holie Ghost sent from heauen but that thy flesh might be turned into spirit And why did he send him in the forme of fire but that he might inflame thee as fire and illuminate thee and transforme thee into himselfe and lift thee on high from whence he himselfe first came To what end profiteth grace all the vertues which proceede from it but that they may make easie and light the yoke of the Lord that they might make his seruice tollerable that they might make men couragious in tribulations to hope in perrils and ouercome in temptations This is the beginning thys the middle and this the end of the Gospell It is necessary also to know that as Adam an earthly man a sinner made all men earthly and sinners so Christ a heauenly man and a righteous made all men heauenly and righteous What other thing haue the Euangelists written What other thing be the promises sent vnto vs from the Prophets what other thing haue the Apostles preached This is the summe of all Christian Diuinitie thys is that abreuiated worde which the Lord made vpon the earth Thys is that consummation and abreuiation which Esay sayth he heard of the Lord vppon which followed so great riches of righteousnes vertues in the world But let vs declare a little more plainly those things which we haue spoken I demaund of thee from whence thinkest thou that this difficulty ariseth which is found in Vertue Thou wilt say from the wicked inclination of the hart and from our flesh conceaued in sinne for the flesh gainesayeth the spirit and the spirit resisteth the flesh as two contraries between themselues Let vs imagine that God calleth thee and saith vnto thee Man come hether I will take from thee that hart thou hast and will giue thee a new one I will giue thee strength also by vvhich thou shalt be able to represse and hold vnder thy appetites and euill concupiscences If God promise this vnto thee shall the way of Vertue yet seeme difficult vnto thee It is certaine that it shall not I pray thee what other thing is it that God so often hath promised vnto thee that he hath so often auerred in the holy Scriptures Heare what the Lord spake in times past by his Prophet Ezechiell speaking especially to them vvho lyue vnder the couenaunt of grace And I will giue them sath he a new hart and I will put a new spirit within theyr bowels and I vvill take the stony hart out of their bodies will giue them a hart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements execute them and they shall be my people and I will bee their GOD. Hetherto the Prophet Why then doost thou doubt ô man Is not God sufficient to performe his promise And if he shall performe his promise and keepe his credite with thee shalt thou not be able with his helpe and ayde to walke in his statutes If thou shalt deny the first thou wilt make God a rash and false promiser and that is exceeding great blasphemie but if thou shalt say that thou are not yet with all his helpe able to walke in his statutes and obserue his iudgements thou makest GOD an impotent prouider and fore-seer whilst he would haue man to sweare to that he is not able to doe by giuing him a remedie vnsufficient which in like manner is false What other doubt then is there Why should not Vertue haue force to mortifie these euill inclinations which fight with thee and which make the way of Vertue seeme difficult Thys is one of the chiefest fruites of the tree of Lyfe vvhich the Lorde hath sanctified by his blood The Apostle confirmeth this when he saith Our old man is crucified with Christ that the body
of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth wee should not serue sinne The Apostle in thys place by the old man and the body of sinne vnderstandeth our sensuall appetite with all the euill inclinations that proceede from it Hee sayth that thys together with Christ is crucified-vppon the Crosse for by thys most noble and excellent sacrifice we haue obtayned grace and strength to weaken and debilitate this Tyrant so that wee are free from the seruitude of sinne as before I haue shewed Thys is that great victorie that great benefit which the Lord promiseth by Esay saying Feare thou not for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee 〈◊〉 I will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perrish Thou shalt seeke them and shalt not finde them to wit the men of thy strife for they shall be as nothing and the men that warre against thee as a thing of naught For I the Lord thy God wilâ— hold thy right hand saying vnto thee Feare not I will helpe thee Thys sayth Esay Tell me who shall faile hauing such an helper Who will be faint-harted and discouraged who will feare or dread his owne wicked passions seeing that grace doth thus vanquish and ouercome them ¶ An aunswer to certaine obiections IF thou shalt say vnto me that alwayes some reliques remaine in a man which accuse him and doe beare witnes against the righteous as we reade in the booke of Iob. The same Prophet answereth vnto this saying They shall be as though they were not For although they remaine they remaine onely for our exercise and not to our ruine they remaine that they may stirre vs vp not intangle vs in the snares of sinnes they remaine that they may yeeld vs occasion to attaine a crowne and not to ouerthrow vs and cast vs downe they remaine for our tryumph not for theyr conquest to be briefe they remaine so to profit vs that they are for our tryall humiliation that we may know our selues and our owne weakenes that thereby wee may acknowledge the glory and grace of God so that thys remainder doth redound to our commodity Whereupon euen as wilde beasts according to theyr nature are hurtfull vnto men and yet when they are tamed doe them good seruice so when as the purturbations of our soule are gouerned and moderated they helpe vs in many exercises of vertue Goe to then tell me If God doth thus strengthen and defend thee who vpon the earth shal be able to hurt thee if God be for thee who is against thee The Lord is my light sith the Prophet and my saluation whom shall I feare the Lorde is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid When the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes came vpon me to eate vp my flesh they stumbled and fell Though an host pitched against mee myne hart should not be afraid though warre be raised against me I will trust in this Truely my brother if thou beest not mooued by thys promise to serue God thou art very slothfull and vild I will not say vncleane and corrupt And if these words are not of credite with thee thou art a very Infidell It is God who saith vnto thee that he will giue thee a new essence and will make thy stony hart fleshy and will mortifie thine affections and that he will so change thine estate that thou shalt not know thy selfe when thou seekest for thine affections and passions thou shalt not finde them he shall make them so weake and infirme What could he promise more what canst thou further expect and hope for what is wanting vnto thee but a liuely Fayth and aliuely Hope that thou mayst trust in God shroud thy selfe vnder his almighty arme Surely I thinke that thou canst aunswer nothing at all vnto these things except perhaps thou wilt say that thy sinnes are many and great and therefore this grace is denied vnto thee Vnto this I aunswer that thou canst not offer greater iniury vnto God then to say so seeing that by these words thou doest signifie that there is somthing for which God eyther will not or cannot helpe his creature when as he is conuerted vnto him and desireth mercy and pardon at his hands I would not that thou shouldest credite me credite that holy Prophet who then seemed mindfull of thee and was willing to helpe thee meete with thine infirmities when he writ these things saying Now when all these things shall come vpon thee eyther the blessing or the curse which I haue set before thee and thou shalt turne into thine hart among all the nations whether the Lord thy God hath driuen thee and shalt returne vnto the Lord thy God and obey his voyce in all that I commaund thee this day thou and thy children with all thine hart and with all thy soule then the Lord thy God will cause thy captiues to returne and haue compassion vpon thee and will returne to gather thee out of all the people where the Lord thy God had scattered thee and will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possesse it And a little after The Lord thy God will circumcise thine hart and the hart of thy seede that thou â—ayst loue the Lord thy God with all thine hart and with all thy soule that thou mayst liue O that the Lord would now circumcise thine eyes and take thee out of this darknes that thou mightest clearely see this manner of circumcision Be not so ignorant and rude that thou shouldest deeme this circumcision to be corporall for of such a circumcision our hart is not capable What circumcision then is this which the Lord here promiseth Surely it is the superfluity of our affections and of our euill appetites which springeth from our hart and bringeth great hinderance to our Diuine loue He promiseth therfore that he will circumcise and lop off all the barren and hurtfull branches with the knife of his grace that our hart being so pruned and circumcised may imploy and bestow all his strength vpon the branch of the Diuine loue Then thou shalt be a true Israelite then thou shalt be circumcised of the Lord when hee shall take away and cut out from thy soule the loue of this world and shall let nothing remayne in it besides the entire loue of God I would haue thee diligently to marke that that which God in this place promiseth to doe that he doth commaund thee to doe in another place that when thou art conuerted vnto him thou shouldest doe it thy selfe saying Circumcise the foreskinne of your hart c. And how Lord that which thou promisest to doe thy selfe now thou commaundest that I should doe it my selfe if I must doe it how
doest thou promise that thou thy selfe wilt performe it This question is aunswerrd by the words of Augustine who sayth Lord giue that thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt So that he be the same vvho commaundeth me what I ought to doe and he that giueth me grace to doe it Therfore in one and the selfe same thing both the commaundement and the promise are found and God and man doe one and the selfe same thing he as the principall and chiefest cause but man as a cause lesse principall So that God in this busines carrieth himselfe to man as a Paynter who guideth the pencill in the hand of his Scholler and so maketh a perfect picture two perfit this worke but more honour belongeth to the one then to the other So also God worketh with vs in this busines after an absolute manner man hath not wherein to glory but to glory with the Prophet and say Lord thou workest all our works in vs. Therefore be thou mindfull of these words for by them thou mayst interpret all the commaundements of God For all that he commaundeth thee to doe he promiseth also that he will doe it with thee When as therfore he commaundeth thee to circumcise thine hart he sayth also that he will circumcise it so when he commaundeth thee that thou shouldest loue him aboue all things he bestoweth grace vpon thee that thou mayst be able so to loue him Hence it is that the yoke of the Lord is sayd to be sweete For there be two that draw it God man and so that which seemed and was difficult vnto nature the Diuine grace doth make it light and sweet Wherefore the Prophet after the fore-sayd words doth proceede further and say This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hid from thee neyther is it farre of It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp for vs to heauen and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it Neyther is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the Sea for vs and bring it us and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But the word is very neere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine hart for to doe it In which words the holy Prophet would altogether take away that difficulty which carnall men imagine to be in the precepts of the Lord for they onely looking to the law of the Lord without the Gospell that is to those things that are commaunded and not to the grace which is giuen to obey and walk in those commaundements they accuse the law of difficulty saying that it is greeuous heauy difficult not considering that they expresly contradict Saint Iohn who sayth For this is the loue of God that we keepe his commaundements his commaundements are not greeuous for all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world That is all they that haue conceaued the spyrit of God in their soules by meanes of whom they are regenerated and made his sonnes whose spirit they haue receaued all these haue God in them who dwelleth in them by grace and they can doe more then all that that is not God and so neyther the world nor the deuill nor all the power of hell can hurt them And here-vpon it followeth that although the yoke of Gods commaundements be heauy and burthenous yet that newe strength and fortitude which is giuen by grace doth make it light and tollerable ¶ How Charity also maketh the way easie and pleasant which leadeth vnto heauen WHat wilt thou think if to all these precedent another help be ioyned which is deriued in vs from Charity For it is certaine that it is one of the most principall conditions of Charity to make the yoke of the Diuine law most sweet Wherfore as Saint Augustine sayth by no manner of meanes the labours of louers are burthenous or combersome but are delightfull and pleasurable as the labours of Hunters Fowlers and Fishers For in that which is loued eyther there is no labour or the labour is loued And in another place He that loueth sayth he laboureth not For all labour is contrary vnto them that doe not loue It is onely loue that blusheth at the name of difficulty What is it that maketh that a mother doth not feele the continuall labours and troubles which she hath in bringing vp her children but onely loue What is it that maketh an honest and a good vvife to attend night and day vpon her weake and sickly husband but onely loue What doth moue beasts also that they are so carefull to bring vp and foster their young ones and to giue them meate from their owne mouthes that theyr yong may haue to eate what doth moue them I say so to trouble and torment themselues that they may liue safely and what doth moue them so strongly to defend them endangering their owne lifes but true loue What is the cause why Saint Paule sayd with so magnanimous a spirit Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuertheles in all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What is the cause why the holy Martyrs of Christ so feruently desired martirdome as the hart desireth the water brookes but true loue What is the cause why Saint Lawrence lying vpon the Gridiron in the midst of his torments sayde cheerefully that the flames did comfort and refresh his limbs but that great desire by which he longed for martirdom which was kindled with the flames of this loue For true loue thinketh nothing hard nothing bitter nothing greeuous nothing deadly as Petrus Rauennas sayth What sword what wounds what paynes what death can preuaile against perfect and true loue Loue is an impenetrable coate offence it resisteth darts it beateth backe the sword it tryumpheth ouer dangers it scorneth death if it be loue it ouercommeth all things Therefore ô man loue God loue him wholy that thou mayst ouercome and subdue all sinnes without labour The warre is pleasant and the combat delicate onely by loue to carry the victory ouer all crimes and vices This sayth he Neyther is true loue content if it conquer all labours and troubles but the very nature of loue desireth to sustaine moe labours and troubles for his sake whom it affecteth Hence ariseth that ardent desire of martyrdome which righteous and truly religious men haue that is to shed and poure forth
weepe in the very bitternes of my hart These and other things being past finished which he remembreth forth-with the light of security being infused into his hart the darknes of al doubt fled away The Lord so changed his mind that afterwards he neyther desired any carnall vices nor any other vanity in this world And being losed from these chaynes he beginneth at the entrance of the booke following to giue thanks to God his deliuerer saying Lord I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thine Hand-mayde Thou hast broken my bonds I will sacrifice vnto thee the sacrifice of prayse My hart and my tongue doe prayse thee and all my bones doe say Lord who is like vnto thee Let them say so and Lord aunswer me and say to my soule I am thy saluation Who then am I and what an one What euill am I not Or was it my deedes or if not my deedes was it my words or if not my words was it my will But thou Lord art good and mercifull and thy right hand respected the profundity of my death and thou drewest the depth of corruption from the bottome of my hart And this was wholy that vnwillingnes which thou willedst and that willingnes which thou wouldest not But where was all this long time my wil to doe wel and from vvhat bottome and deepe Abysse didst thou in a moment call it forth vvhereby I might submit my necke vnder thine easie yoke and my shoulders vnder thy light burthen ô Christ Iesus my helper and onely redeemer How sweete on a sodaine was it for me to want the sweetnes of trifles and which I was afrayd to lose now it was a ioy vnto me to lose them For thou being the true and chiefest sweetnes didst cast them from mee thou didst cast them away and for them entredst in thy selfe being sweeter then any pleasure but not to flesh blood and brighter then any light but to the inward secret man and higher then all honour but not to those that are high in themselues Hetherto are the words of Saint Augustine Tell me now if the matter standeth thus if the vertue and efficacie of the Diuine grace be so powerfull what is it that holdeth thee captiue vvhereby thou canst not doe that vvhich they haue done If thou beleeuest that these things are true that the grace of God is effectuall to worke so admirable a change if it be denied to no man that with all his hart desireth it because now also he is the same God vvhich he vvas then vvithout respect of persons vvhat doth hinder thee vvhy thou goest not out of this wretched seruitude and embracest that chiefest good vvhich freely is offered thee Why hadst thou rather vvith one hell to gayne another then vvith one Paradice to gayne another Paradice Be not negligent or vvithout hope Assay once his busines and trust in God vvhich vvhen thou shalt scarcely begin to doe behold he vvill come to meete thee as the father met his prodigall child with open armes Certainly it is a matter of wonder astonishment That if some cosener should promise thee the Art of Alcumy vvhereby thou mightest extract gold out of brasse thou vvouldest not cease although it vvere very chargeable vnto thee vntil thou hadst tried and experimented it and heere the vvord of the Lord teacheth thee to make heauen of earth spirit of flesh and an Angel of a man and vvilt thou not assay and make trial And when as in the end eyther later or sooner eyther in this life or in that to come at the length thou shalt know the truth of this matter I desire thee that with attention thou wouldest consider how thou shalt finde thy selfe deceaued in the day of rendering an account when thou shalt see thy selfe damned because thou didst forsake the way of Vertue because thou imaginedst to thy selfe that it was hard and difficult And there thou shalt know most manifestly that this way is much more sweet and pleasant then the way of vices and pleasures which leade thee onely to earthly delights of which then there shall not be any footsteps or reliques left Against them that feare to enter into the way of Vertue for the loue of this world CHAP. XXIX IF we should feele the pulse and life vaine of all them who feare to enter into the way of vertue perhaps wee should finde many so slothfull and sluggish because the loue of this world hath infatuated them and made them fooles I say that it hath infatuated them for this loue is a false glasse and an apparance of good things which in truth are not good vvhich false glasse maketh all worldly things to be in so great price amongst the ignorant Whereupon beasts which feare shadowes flie all shadowie things as hurtfull dangerous when in deed they are not So these men on the contrary part doe loue and embrace the things of this world supposing estimating them to be louely and delectable when in deed they are not Therefore as they that would bring beasts from their shadowie idle imagination doe often leade them through those places which they feare that they may see that that is but a vaine shadowe which they feared So now it is necessary that we leade these men through the shadowes of earthly things who so ordinarily doe loue them that we may make them to behold them vvith other eyes that they may plainly see how great a vanitie and a shadow all that is which they so greatly admire and loue and that as those dangers are not worthy that they should be feared so also these good things are not worthy that they should be desired or loued He therefore that shall diligently and seriously consider of the world with all the felicities in it shall finde sixe euils and mischiefes in it which no man can denie as are shortnesse miserie dangers blindnes sinnes and deceipts vvith which the felicitie of the world is alwaies mingled by which it may plainly be seene who and what it is Euery one of these wee will handle in that which followeth yet briefely and in order ¶ How short the felicity of this world is GOe to thou canst not denie to me beginning to dispute of this worldly felicitie but that all the felicitie and sweetnes of this world or by what name so euer els thou wilt call it is short and of small continuance For this felicitie cannot endure beyond a mans life But how long the life of man is we haue before declared seeing that it reacheath scarcely to an hundred yeeres But how many be there that come to an hundred yeres I haue seene diuers Bishops and Cardinals who haue scarcelie liued two moneths in theyr dignitie others elected Popes who haue scarce sit one month I haue seene others that haue married wiues louing beautifull rich and vertuous so that nothing seemed to be wanting in them who haue not enioyed them one week
that God as hee gouerneth the world by his generall prouidence so also he swayeth and ruleth euery one by his speciall prouidence and as we daily see that the greater the store of sinners is the greater is the aboundance of punishments as are famine warre pestilence heresies and such like calamities so also oftentimes according to the number of the sinnes of men so is the number of the punishments Therefore God sayd to Caine If thou doe well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doost not well sinne lyeth at thy doore that is the plagâ—e and punishment of sinne In Deuteronomie also Moses sayth vnto the people And thou shalt know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth couenant mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements euen to a thousand generations And rewardeth them to theyr face that hate him to bring them to destruction he will not deferre to reward him that hateth him to his face Marke here how often this Prophet repeateth the word to his face or such like significatioÌ„ that thou mayst vnderstand that besides the punishments which are reserued for the life to come that the wicked are oftentimes also punished in this life seeing that the Scripture so often remembreth here that their punishments shal not be deferred Whence many calamities proceede and many scourges of sinners for without intermission they as a wheele are rouled froÌ„ one trouble and sorrance into another from one necessity anxietie and tribulation into another which although they very well feele yet they know not whence and from whom they are sent and therefore they ascribe them rather to the condition of nature then to their sinnes For euen as they doe not account the blessings of nature to be the gifts of God neyther doe they giue thanks to God for them so neyther doe they acknowledge the scourges of his wrath to be for the punishment of their sinnes neyther doe they amend themselues Some punishments also are brought vpon them by Gods Ministers and Iusticers vvho are the executioners of the Diuine iustice who oftentimes meet with malefactors and doe persecute and afflict them vvith imprisonments banishments penalties persecutions and with manie other kind of punishments by which is brought to passe that the insatiable appetites of sinners seemeth bitter vnto them and doe afflict theÌ„ also in this life There be also other afflictions which flow out of their owne affections and the perturbations of their soules and from the inordinate appetites of their harts For what good I pray thee may be hoped for of a superfluous and an excessiue affection of vaine feare of a distrustful hope and of an inordinate desire nothing but offences irksomnes and troubles which disturbe the peace and liberty of the hart of which wee haue spoken before they make the life vnquiet they allure and entice to sinne they hinder the prayers take away sleepe and doe comber all the dayes of the life with loathing and tediousnes All these miseries are ingendered of man himselfe that is of his inordinate appetites and of these thou seest what is to be looked for of other seeing that man hath these of himselfe and consider what peace he can haue with others who hath so great warre with himselfe ¶ Of the multitude of the snares and dangers of this world IF in the world besides the punishments and afflictions of the body no other euil were to be found the feare were so much the lesser buâ—â—n it there are not onely the euils of the body but also the greatest dangers of the soule of which greater regard is to be had because they concerne the better and more principall part of man and doe more hurt it And they be so many that the Prophet sayth God shall rayne snares vpon sinners How great I pray thee is the number of the snares in the world which are resembled to the drops of water which fall from heauen and he saith specially and perticulerly Vpon sinners For they hauing so little care of their hart and sences and lesser to fly the occasions of sinne and so little regard of spirituall remedies and besides all this seeing that they walke through the heate of this world how can it be but that they must walke amidst a thousand dangers He sayth that it shall rayne snares vpon sinners snares in their youth snares in their old age snares in riches in pouerty in honour in reproches in friendship snares when they company with men and when they are alone snares in prosperity and in aduersity to be briefe snares in all the sences of man which are so many that the Prophet cryeth out Snares vpon the inhabitants of the earth And surely if the Lord would open thine eyes a little as hee in times past opened the eyes of Saint Anthony thou shouldest see the whole world full of snares touching one another and thou wouldest cry out with him saying O Lord who shall escape all these snares Hence it is that so many soules perish daily that Saint Bernard feareth not to say that of tenne ships which are in the Sea scarcely one perisheth and of tenne soules which floate vpon the Sea of this vvorld scarce one is saued Tell me then I pray thee how is it that thou fearest not the vvorld being so dangerous that thou studiest not to escape so many snares vvho amongst so many Serpents dare walke bare-footed or march vnarmed among so many enemies or liue securely and inconsideratly amongst so many occasions of sinnes and conuerse amongst so many deadly and mortal diseases without medicines Who would not labour to depart out of this Egypt vvho would not fly out of this Babilon vvho would not desire to be deliuered from the fire of Sodome and Gomorrha Seeing therfore that the world is beset with so many snares and so many downfals and breake-necks are in the way and the flame of vices doe so burne vs who at any time shall be secure and safe Well therefore sayde the vvise-man Can a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Or can a man goe vpon coales and his feete not be burnt He that toucheth pitch sayth another shall be defiled with it and he that is familiar with the proud shall be like vnto him ¶ Of the blindnes and darknes of this vvorld ANother miserie ioyneth it selfe vnto these multitudes of snares and dangers which maketh them to be farre moe and much greater that is the blindnes and wordly darknes which most fitly is shadowed by that darknes of Egypt which was so grosse and thicke that it might be felt with hands and the whole three dayes that it lasted no man remoued himselfe out of his place neyther saw his neighbour that stoode by him Such in deede or rather greater is the darknes in which the world now sitteth and which now hath possessed the vvorld But if thou doost not beleeue me
dangerous blind sinfull and deceiueable and according to these what other thing is the world but as a certaine Phylosopher was wont so say a Casket of sorrowes and grieuances a Schoole of vanitie a Laborinth of errours a dungeon of darknes a market place of cousenages a way beset with theeues a ditch full of mud and a sea continually tost and troubled with stormes and tempests What other thing is the world but a barren Land a fielde full of thistles weedes a vvood full of thornes a florishing garden but bringing foorth no fruite What is the world but a riuer of teares a fountaine of cares a sweet poyson a tragedy pleasantly framed and a delightfull phrensie What good things I pray thee are found in the world which are not counterfeit and what euills which are not so in deed The worlds rest hath labour the securitie of it is without ground the feare of it is without cause the labours of it vvithout fruite the teares without purpose and the purposes vvithout successe the hope of it is vaine the ioy fained and the sorrow true By all which it is no difficult matter to see how great the kindred is between the world and hell for hell is no other thing but a place of punishments and sinnes and what other thing els is seene in this world The Prophet testifieth this whē he saith Day and night iniquitie goeth about it vpon the walls therof both wickednes mischiefe are in the midst of it These be the fruites of the world these the merchandize this is the traffique of it which at all times and in euery place is exercised so that thou seest that the world may iustly be termed hell In thys account Saint Bernard had thys world when he said But for that hope which we haue of the life to come thys world did not much differ from hell ¶ That true rest and tranquilitie is found in God alone NOW wee haue declared and showen how miserable and deceitfull the felicity of this world is it remaineth now that we proue that true felicity tranquility as it is not to be found in the world so it is onely to be found in GOD alone which demonstration if it were rightly vnderstood of the men of thys world they vvould not be so carefull for it nor so tied and fettered ynto it as they are And therefore I thinke that it vvill be worth the labour if I shall adde this manifest truth vnto the precedent and establish it not so much by the authority and testimonies of fayth as by reasons Therfore first we must know that no creature can perfectly rest and be at quiet so long as he commeth not to his last end which is his last perfection agreeable vnto his nature For so long as he commeth not thether he must of necessity be vnquiet as that creature that suffereth violence by reason of some defect Doost thou then demaund what and who is the last end of man in whose hand his felicity is placed vvhat is that that the Diuines call the obiectiue beatitude I cannot deny but that it is God who as he is the first beginning of man so is he also his last end And as it cannot be that there should be two first beginnings so it is imposibble that there should be two last ends For this were to make two Gods Furthermore if God be the last end of man he is also his last beatitude and felicity but it is impossible that there should be two last ends or two felicities Therfore it cannot be that without God there should any felicity be found For euen as a Gloue is made for the vse of the hand and a scaberd that a sword may be sheathed in it So also the hart of man is created for the vse of God neyther without him can any rest be found The reason is because seeing that the principall subiect of felicity is in the vnderstanding and will of man so long as these two faculties are not quiet so long cannot man be quiet But because it is without controuersie that these two faculties cannot be quiet but onely in God therfore these two faculties are neuer at quiet vntill they finde out some vniuersall obiect wherein are all good things Which when it is once knowne and loued then there is nothing further that the vnderstanding desireth to know or the will to loue Hence it is that nothing created although it be the empire and rule of the vniuersall vvorld can satisfie the hart of man he onely being excepted for whom it was created that is God alone Plutarch reporteth of a certaine Souldier who through many degrees of dignity at the length came to be made Emperour Now when he had attayned so great honour and found not that quiet and peace in it which before he promised to himselfe to be in this estate he sayd I haue runned through al the degrees of all dignities but I haue not found quietnes and tranquillity in any of them Neyther is it any meruaile because that which is created for God without him cannot finde any quiet or rest But that thou mayst vnderstand this the better and more manifestly behold the Sea-mans needle and it will teach thee this so necessary Philosophy It is the nature of that Iron that in what part it hath touched the load-stone that that part alwayes looketh towards the North. For God who hath created this stone hath bestowed vpon it this naturall inclination Thou seest the experience of the thing teaching thee how that needle runneth and turneth to and fro and with great vnquietnes moueth to euery corner vntill it hath found that poole then it resteth and standeth vnmoueable no otherwise then if it was fastened downe with a nayle So hath God created man and hath infused into him a certaine naturall inclination and readines that he should alwayes looke to his maker as to the poole and his last end Therefore so long as he is without him like that needle he is vnquiet yea if he was the Lord of the whole vvorld But turning and directing his hart to God forth-with he resteth and as that needle standeth vnmoueable for in him he findeth rest Of this is followeth that he is onely happy who possesseth God and that he commeth the nearer vnto happines who goeth the lesser way from God But because the righteous in this life are the nearer vnto God therefore they are the more happy albeit the world knoweth not their felicity The reason is because this felicity consisteth not in a sensible and corporall pleasure as the Epicures sayde and after them the Moores of Mahometistes and after them the wicked and vngodly Christians who with their mouthes deny the law of Mahomet but in their lifes follow it and diligently obserue it neither seeke for any other Paradice in this life then that of the Saracens Therefore true felicity consisteth not eyther in the body or in
profit let Angels vtter it and not men For what greater profit can there be then to enioy eternal glory to be freed from euerlasting paine which is the reward of Vertue If the temporall commodities of this world doe rather moue vs what commodities can be more excellent or of greater valuation then those twelue priuiledges and prerogatiues which Vertue and the vertuous doe solace and delight themselues the least of which is of more force and validity to quiet a disturbed mind then al the dignities and treasuries of this world I kow not truly what more may be put into the ballance to weigh and peise those things which are promised to Vertue and to her louers The excuses also cauillations which the men of this world are wont to bring for their defence are so ouerthrowne spoiled of vs that I doe not see where such may find a small hole or crany to escape through vnlesse perhaps of set purpose pretenced malice they shut their eyes and eares that they might not see nor heare this manifest and euident truth What remaineth but that the perfection and beauty of Vertue being seene and knowne thou say with Salomon speaking of Wisedome the companion and sister of Vertue I haue loued her and sought her from my youth I desired to marry her such loue had I vnto her beautie In that she is conuersant with God it commendeth her nobility yea the Lord of all things loueth her For shee is the Schoolemistresse of the knowledge of GOD and the chooser out of his works If riches be a possession to be desired in this lyfe vvhat is richer then wisedome that worketh all thinges For if prudence worketh what is it among all things that worketh better then shee If a man loue righteousnes her labours are vertuous for shee teacheth sobernes and prudence righteousnes and strength which are the most profitable things that men can haue in this life If a man desire great experience shee can tell the things that are past and discerne things to come she knoweth the subtisties of words and the solutions of darke sentences she fore-seeth the signes and wonders or euer they come to passe and the successe of seasons and times Therefore I purposed to take her vnto my company knowing that shee would counsaile mee good things and comfort mee in cares and greefes Hetherto the Wise-man Therefore nothing remayneth but that we conclude this matter with the words of Saint Cyprian taken out of an Epistle to a friend of his written of the contempt of this world Therfore sayth he there is one peaceable and faythfull tranquility one solide firme and perpetuall security that if any one be taken out of the whirle-winds of this turbulent world and be founded and anchored in the hauen of safety he lifteth vp his eyes from the earth to heauen and being admitted to the Lords fellowship and now being neere vnto his God in his minde whatsoeuer amongst humane things seemeth great and lofty vnto others he glorieth that it lyeth within the circumference of his conscience Now he can desire nor couet nothing of the world who is greater then the world How stable and vnfoyled a defence is it how celestiall a gard abounding with perpetuall good things to be deliuered from the snares of this entrapping and enthralling world to be purged from these earthly dregs and incorporated into the light of eternal immortality Let him consider of this and view it well ouer whom the deceitful dangerousnes of this pernicious enemy before raged tirannized we are compelled more to loue when we know and condemne what we were and see what we now are and shal be Neyther is this worke brought to passe by rewards bribes and the power of man but it is the free gift of God and easily obtayned As the sunne shineth of his owne accord the day is enlightned a fountaine streameth and a shower falleth so the heauenly spirit infuseth it selfe Afterwards the soule beholding heauen and knowing her Maker she being higher then the earth and more noble then any earthly power beginneth to be that which she beleeueth her selfe to be Onely thou whom the heauenly warfare hath appoynted a Souldier in these spirituall warres hold and keepe thy standing incorrupt and fenced with religious vertues vse continually eyther praying or reading Somtimes talke thou with God and somtimes God with thee let him instruct thee with his precepts let him haue the guiding and ordering of thee whoÌ„ he maketh rich no man shal make poore There can be no penury where the heauenly bounty hath filled and blessed Now coffers stuft with crownes now stately Pallaces and gay buildings will seeme base and vild vnto thee when as thou knowest that thou thy selfe are more beautified and adorned being a house in which the Lord sitteth as in his temple and where the holy Ghost dwelleth Let vs trimme vp this house with the ornaments of innocency let vs enlighten it with the sun-shine of righteousnes This house shall neuer decay through age neyther shall the deckings of it waxe old Whatsoeuer things are counterfet are not lasting neyther doe they yeeld any stability to the poâ—â—â—ssors which haue not the truth of possession This perpertually continueth with a colour vndecayed with honour vntaynted and with splendour vnobscured it cannot be abolished nor extinguished it may be only conuerted into further perfection the body being glorified Hetherto Cyprian Whosoeuer therfore is moued with the reasons and arguments which copiously we haue handled in this booke the grace of God and Diuine inspiration assisting without which all is done in vaine and desireth to embrace so great a blessing of Vertue let him reade the booke following which deliuereth and handleth the method and order how to come vnto Vertue The end of the first booke of the Sinners Guide the Sinners Guyde Written in the Spanish tongue by the learned and reuerend Diuine F. Lewes of Granada ¶ Since translated into Latine Italian and French And now perused and digested into English by Francis Meres Maister of Arts and student in Diuinitie Romans 12. verse 2. ¶ Fashion not your selues like vnto this vvorld but be yee changed by the renuing of your minde that yee may prooue what is the good will of GOD and acceptable and perfect AT LONDON ¶ Printed by I. R. for Iohn Flasket and Paule Linley Anno Dom. 1598. THE PROLOGVE of the second Booke IT sufficeth not to haue perswaded man to embrace Vertue vnlesse also we teach him the manner way how to come to Vertues pallace Therfore after wee haue in the former Booke deliuered many reasons and those verie forcible and perswasible to moue the harts of men to the loue of Vertue now it is meete that we come to the practise and vse of it and that we set down many counsailes and sundry documents which are profitable and which as with a hand may leade men vnto Vertue It is the first steppe vnto Vertue
lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all euill The naughtines and malignitie of this vice cannot be described more cunningly or curiously For it is manifest by these words that that vnhappy man who is subiect to this euill is the seruaunt and slaue of all other sinnes Wherfore wheÌ„ this vice doth assault thine hart thou shalt defend thy selfe with these weapons following First therefore ô thou couetous man consider that vvhen the Lord and thy GOD descended from the highest heauen to the earth he would not possesse riches which thou so greatly desirest yea he loued pouerty so wel that he would take flesh of a Virgin most poore and lowly and not of a Queene rich mighty When he was borne he would not lodge in a stately and wealthy pallace he would not lye vppon a soft bed he refused dainty swadling-clothes embraced for his cradle a hard Cratch So long as he lyued in the world he alwayes loued pouerty and contemned riches He chose his Apostles and his Embassadours not Princes and great men but base and abiect Fishers What preposterous order then is this that the most vild worme should seeke riches which the Lord of al the world and of all creatures contemned for his cause Consider furthermore the exceeding great basenes of thine hart that when as thy soule is created according to the image similitude of God and redeemed by his owne blood in comparison of which all the world is nothing yet thou art not ashamed to lose it for so small a gaine God would not haue gyuen his life for the whole world which notwithstanding he willingly layd downe for the soule of man Therefore thy soule is worthier and of more price then the whole world True riches are not gold nor siluer nor precious stones but they are found in Vertue which a good conscience bringeth with it Relinquish the false opinion of men and thou shalt see that gold and siluer are no other things but yellow and white earth which through the errour of men is crept into so great credit That which hath been despised by all the Phylosophers of the world doost thou beeing a disciple of Christ so much esteeme it that thou shouldest make thy selfe a seruant and slaue vnto it For as S. Ierome saith he is a seruant vnto riches who keepeth and tendeth them as a seruant but he who hath cast off that yoke deuideth them as a Lord. Consider also what the Lord sayth in the Gospell No man can serue two Maister God and Mammon that is riches The soule cannot freely serue God if it follow and hunt after riches so greedily and with so open a mouth Spirituall delights doe shunne a hart busied and occupied about earthly matters neyther doe things counterfeit and true agree together nor things hie and low temporall and eternall spirituall and carnall neyther can any man reioyce and recreate himselfe in them both together Consider in like manner that by howe much more prosperously earthly matters succeede with thee by so much perhaps thou art more miserable by reason of that pledge which here is giuen vnto thee that thou maist relye vpon vaine felicity which heere is offered vnto thee Ah that thou knewest what great euils and how many inconueniences thys small prosperity bringeth with it thou shouldest see the loue of riches more to afflict by desire then to delight by vse For it enwrappeth the soule in diuers temptations and bindeth it in infinite cares it allureth it with sundry delights prouoketh it to sinne and disturbeth the quiet no lesse of the body then of the soule And that vvhich is greater riches are neuer gotten without trouble nor possessed without care nor lost without griefe and that which is worser they are sildome gathered without sin and offence to God Hence is that prouerbe A rich man is eyther a wicked man or the heâ—re of a wicked man Consider moreouer how great an errour it is without intermission to desire those things which albeit they be most plentifull yet they can neuer satisfie the desire of man yea they prouoke it and inflame it more as drinke in a Dropsie is the cause of greater thirst so that although thou hast yet thou alwaies couetest that which thou wantest and alwaies couetest more and more So that the miserable and wretched hart wandering through all the things of this world is wearied but neuer satisfied it drinketh but the thirst is not quenched for it esteemeth not those things which it hath vnlesse also it possesse in like manner those things which further it may haue and there is no lesse trouble for things which it compasseth not theÌ„ there is pleasure in things which it possesseth neyther is the heart more satisfied with gold then the body with wind or ayre Wherefore not without cause Saint Augustine maruelleth saying What greedines sayth hee of desire is this seeing that the beastes haue a meane For then they rauine when they are hungry but they spare the pray when they feele fulnes Onely the couetousnes of riches is vnfatiable it alwayes raueneth and is neuer satisfied neyther feareth GOD nor reuerenceth man neyther spareth Father nor acknowledgeth Mother neyther yeeldeth vnto brother nor keepeth fayth with friend Consider that where much riches is there are many that eate and deuoure them many that couet them and many that lye in waite to steale them What hath the richest man of this world more of all his riches then whereof he may necessarily lyue of thys yrksome care thou maist disburthen thy selfe if thou wilt cast thy care vpon God and commit thy selfe to his prouidence for God neuer confoundeth them that trust in him For whom God made he will not suffer to die through hunger He that feedeth the foules of heauen and clotheth the Lillyes of the field how is it possible that he should forsake man especially seeing that so small a thing sufficeth the necessity of man The life is short death followeth at our heeles what need is there then of so great prouision for so short a iourney What wilt thou doe with so much riches especially seeing that the lesse thou hast the more lightly and freely thou mayest walke and when thou shalt come to the end of thy pilgrimage if thou beest poore thy estate shall not be worser then rich mens who are loaden with much gold Yea it shall be much better for thou shalt feele lesser griefe in forsaking this trash and pelfe of the world and a smaller account is to be rendered before God On the contrary part rich men in the end of their iourney leaue their mountaines of gold not without great griefe of hart which they adored as GOD neyther without exceeding great danger and hazard vnto them an account is to be rendered of those things they possessed Consider also ô thou couetous man for whom thou gatherest so
It with-draweth man from all honest studies and exercises and drowneth him in the sea of carnal pleasures so that miserable man dare not presume nor offer to speake o f +any other thing then of dishonest and carnall delights It maketh young men foolish and reprochful and exposeth old men to the scorne of men Neither is this vice content thus to haue plunged men vnlesse also it ouerthrow and squander abrode his riches and substance There are no riches so aboundant no treasures so infinite which luxury will not exhaust consume in a short time For the belly and the instruments of lust are neere neighbours and very well agree betweene themselues and are faythfull complices confederates in this work Hence it is that men giuen to luxurie are for the most part prodigall and lauishers and delight in banquets and drunkennesse and riches are chiefely consumed through gluttony and sumptuosnesse of apparell Thys also is common to all luxurious persons vnhonest women are neuer satisfied neyther euer cry they hoe albeit very many ouches tablets iewels precious stones rings and such like be giuen them and they take more delight to be honoured with such things then with theyr wretched louers who giue these vnto them All these are proued to be true by the example of the prodigall chyld who spent all his substance by liuing riotously and luxuriously Remember that the oftner thou gyuest thy thoughts thy body for a pray to carnall lust thou shalt finde the lesser satietie in them For the delight doth not bring satietie vnto them but doth procure and increase a further thirst for the loue between a man and a woman is neuer altogether extinguished yea the flame when it is supposed extinct on a suddaine reuiueth and burneth more fiercely Consider moreouer diligently that the pleasure which is reaped of thys vice is short and momentany but the punishment which followeth is eternall Surely this change is too vnequall that for so filthy a pleasure of so short continuance thou shouldest lose in this lyfe the ioy of a good conscience and in that to come euerlasting glory besides to suffer paines vvhich neuer shall haue end Therefore very well said Saint Gregory It is momentany and short sayth he that delighteth but eternal that tormenteth Looke vpon the price of virginity and the dignity of that purity which perisheth and is violated by this filthy vice and thou shalt see that virgins in thys life doe begin to leade an Angels life and by the singuler priuiledge of this purity to be like vnto celestiall spirits For to liue in the flesh without sensual carnality this is to liue rather an Angels life then an humane lyfe Thys is that which Bernard sayth It is onely chastity that in this place and tyme of mortality representeth a certaine state of immortall glory For amongst the solemnities of marriage it onely chalengeth the custome of that blessed Country wherein they doe neyther marry nor are marryed shewing on the earth after a certaine manner an experience of that heauenly conuersation For this cause that singuler priuiledge is giuen to virgins in heauen of which S. Iohn writeth in his Reuelation These are they sayth he which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe whether soeuer he goeth And because they haue performed better things in the world then others following the Lord Iesus Christ in pure virginity therefore in the world to come they shal come more neere vnto him and shall more familiarly conuerse with him and shall singulerly be delighted with the purity of theyr bodyes Thys vertue maketh men not onely like vnto Christ but also temples of the holy Ghost For the holy Spirit being a louer of purity as hee detesteth the pollution of luxurie more then other vices albeit all vices displease him so in nothing more willingly or with greater ioy he resteth then in a soule pure and cleane from all carnall pleasure Wherefore the sonne of GOD conceaued by the holy Ghost so loued and priced virginity that for the loue of it he did this stupendious miracle that is he would be borne of a Mother being a Virgine But if thou hast lost thy virginitie at least after shipwracke feare the dangers which now thou hast tried and thou who wouldest not keepe the benefit of nature vncorrupted now it is corrupted stryue to repaire it by conuerting thy selfe vnto the Lord and so much the more diligently turne thy good workes vnto God by how much for thy sins thou hast iudged thy selfe woorthy of greater punishment For often-times saith Saint Gregory it commeth to passe that the soule after sinne is more feruent which in the state of greater inn ocencie was luke-warme and altogether negligent And because GOD hath preserued thee albeit thou hast committed so enormous sinnes and offences commit them nowe no more least God chastise thee together both for thy sinnes past and also for those present and so the last errour be worse then the first With these and such like considerations man ought to arme himselfe against this sinne And these be the remedies of the first kinde which we haue gyuen against this sinne of Luxurie ¶ Other kind of remedies against Luxurie BEsides those remedies which commonly are wont to be deliuered against thys vice there are others also more effectuall and more particuler of which wee will also speake in thys place Let thys therefore be the first stay the beginnings kill the Serpent when it is young for if the enemy be not repelled at the first onset he increaseth and becommeth stronger For as Saint Gregory sayth after the desire of pleasure is kindled and encreaseth in the hart it suffereth a man to thinke on nothing els but on filthy pleasures and vncleane lusts Forthwith therefore the motiues of vices must be killed in the mind whilst they are yet but onely in thought for euen as wood preserueth fire so the thought preserueth and nourisheth desires concupiscences and if the thoughts be good they doe kindle the fire of charitie if they be euill they stirre vp the flame of lust It is needfull also that all the outward sences but especially the sight or the eyes be most diligently kept least they see that which may procure danger for oftentimes a man simply seeth that which when it is seene woundeth the soule Therefore vnaduisedly to looke on women eyther peruerteth or weakeneth the constancy of the beholder Therefore Ecclesiasticus doth giue thee very good counsaile Gaze not on a Mayde that thou fall not by that that is precious in her Goe not about gazing in the streetes of the Citty neyther wander thou in the secret places thereof Turne away thine eye from a beautifull woman and looke not vpon others beauty To perswade this that doctrine of holy Iob ought to be sufficient who although he was a most iust man yet neuerthelesse he did keepe his eyes most diligently as he speaketh
Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire And in another place admonishing vs to liue circumspectly and carefully which is opposite to this vice he sayth Be yee ready watch and pray for in the houre that yee thinke not of will the sonne of man come Therefore when this slothfull and idle vice tempteth thine hart thou mayst arme thy selfe with these considerations following First consider what great labours and troubles Christ from the beginning of his life suffered for thee howe he continued whole nights in prayer for thee how he ran vp and downe froÌ„ one country to another teaching healing men how he was alwayes busied about those things which belong vnto our saluation and aboue all these things howe at the time of his passion he bare that heauy crosse being wearied martired through many stripes and whippings If therefore the Lord of maiestie suffered so many labours and sorrowes for the saluation safetie of others how much more meete is it that thou shouldest doe and suffer some thing for thine owne That most immaculate Lambe suffered so great things to deliuer thee from thy sinnes and wilt thou not suffer a little while and a small thing for his loue Consider also what the Apostles haue suffered when trauailing throughout all the world they preached the Gospell and what the Martyrs Confessors and Virgins haue suffered with those holy Fathers that liued in most vast and solitary wildernesses farre remote from any humane resort To be briefe coÌ„sider of all the labours and trauailes of the Saints who now tryumph with the Lord in heauen by whose labours toyles the Church of God to this day enioyeth many notable blessings Contemplate moreouer how nothing is created to be idle for the heauenly Armies cease not to praise the Lorde The Sunne the Moone the starres and all the celestiall bodies are euery day once turned about the vniuersall Orbe for our commodity hearbes plants and trees from small bodies encrease to theyr iust magnitude Ants in sommer gather theyr graynâ— which they may liue of in winter Bees make their Honey-combes with all diligence persecute the Drone Thou shalt finde the same thing to haue place in all if thou shalt run thorow all the kindes of liuing creatures Therefore ô thou man capable of reason let it shame thee of idlenes which all creatures detest and that onely by the instinct of nature Behold how great paynes and trauailes those doe sustaine who gather earthly riches together which shall perrish vvhich are gotten with great labour are possessed with grâ—â—ter cares and dangers what oughtest not thou rather to do who dealest for heauenly matters who laborest for celestiall treasures which endure for euer Beware that now when thou art sounde and strong and hast time that thou walke not idely least somthing be wanting vnto thee which hereafter thou canst not labor for and yet wouldest faine haue Which we see to happen to many The tyme of our life is short and full of a thousand miseries therefore whilst thou hast fitte time to worke take heede that it slide not away vainely in idlenes For the night shall come in which no man can worke Remember that the multitude of thine enormous sinnes do aske great repentance Saint Peter denyed the Lord thrice and he mourned for this sinne all the daies of his life although it was already forgiuen him Mary Magdalen deplored her sinnes to her dying day which shee had committed before her conuersion albeit she had heard those sweet words of Christ Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee But because I labour to be briefe I cease to rehearse moe examples of thys sort of those who in like manner haue ended theyr repentance with theyr life many of whom had committed both fewer and lesser sinnes then thou hast But thou who daily heapest sinnes to sinnes how darest thou say that it seemeth a thing too hard and difficult vnto thee to doe necessary labours by which thou mayst flie sinnes Therefore in the time of grace and mercy endeuour with thy ful strength that thou maist bring forth fruite worthy of repentance And sette before thine eyes that example of a certaine godly man who as often as the clocke made a report of a passed houre was wont to say O Lord GOD behold novve another houre of them is already past which thou hast allotted vnto my life for which how shall I be able to render thee an account If at any time we be wearied in our godly exercises and labours let vs forth-with consider by how many tribulations and troubles we must enter into the kingdome of heauen and that hee shall not be crowned that hath not lawfully contended And if thou thinkest that thou hast laboured inough already and that no further paynes is to be endured remember that he onely shall be sâ—â—ed who continueth and perseuereth to the end For withou◠〈◊〉 all perseuerance neyther the course is worthy of reward nor of the small fauour of the Lord. For this cause the Lord would not descend from the Crosse when the Iewes willed him because he would not leaue the worke of our redemption vnperfect If therefore we will follow our head it is necessary that we should labour with all diligence till death because the reward of our Sauiour endureth for euer Let vs not leaue of continuall repentance let vs not be weary in bearing the Crosse of the Lord by following Christ otherwise what shall it profit to haue sayled succesfully and prosperously a long voyage if at length we make shipwrack in the Hauen Thou oughtest not to feare the difficulty of fighting God who sendeth thee to the warre doth promise thee helpe to ouercome he is a present beholder of thy fight and doth ayde and succour thee with a fresh supply when thou art eÌ„ndangered or when thy strength faileth but crowneth thee when thou hast ouercome When thou art wearied through tediousnes of trauaile thus resolue with thy selfe Doe not compare the labours of Vertue with the sweetnes and delight of the contrary vice but conferre the sorrow and anguish which thou now feelest in Vertue with the sorrow and disquietnes which thou shalt feele after thou hast sinned and the ioy which thou feelest in sinning with the ioy which for vertue remaineth for thee in the glory to come and thou shalt presently see how much better the condition of vertue is then of vice When thou shalt come Victour from one warre be not idle be not voyde of care for often-times as a certaine Wiseman sayth after victory the conqueror casteth away all care yea alwayes stand vpon the watch for by and by thine enemy wil approch againe and his trumpet will giue a signe of a new onset and a new assault will begin For the Sea cannot be vvithout vvaues and billowes nor this lyfe vvithout tribulation and temptation For he
that which the Lord sayd The vvorld shall reioyce and yee shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Or hath it slipt out of thy memory which the same Lord sayth in aâ—other place Wâ—e be to you that now laugh for yee shall 〈…〉 weepe Many words and much babling sayth He is not faulty that speaketh many words so they be good 〈◊〉 he that speaketh few and those ill Discreet 〈◊〉 answereth It is true that thou sayst but whilst many good wordes are vttered it often happeneth that the speech begunne of good words often endeth in ill Thys the holy Scripture telleth In 〈◊〉 â—â—rds there cannot want iniquâ—ty Is it possible that in many words there should be none faulty But can idle and vnprofitable words be auoyded of which thou art sure to render an accouâ—t hereafter Luxury sayth Why doost thou not wallow thy selfe in pleasure seeing that thou knowest not what will become of thee Therefore thou oughtest not to lose the time alotted vnto thee in want because thou knowest not how soone it may fade away For if GOD would not haue had man no take his pleasure with woman at the beginning hee would haue onely created male and not female Undefiled Chastitie answereth I would not haue thee to sayne thy selfe ignorant what shall become of thee after thys lyfe For if thou liuest religiously and chastly thy ioy shall be without end but if thou leadest thy life irreligiously and luxuriously thou shalt be tortured with eternall paynes Spirituall fornication sayth Doth he doe any thing damnable who consenteth to lust in his hart and doth not effect the deede of his desired lust Cleannes and purity of hart aunswereth He offendeth very deeply that keepeth not purely the cleannes and chastity of his hart Wher-vpon the Author of cleannes and chastity saith in the Gospell Whosoeuer looketh on a wâ—mâ—n to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already iâ— his hart To auoyde this holy Iob saith I made a couenant 〈◊〉 â—iâ—e eyes that I should not thinke on a mayde The loue of this world sayth VVhat can be more beautifull honest or delectable then that we daily behold in this present life O how admirable iâ— the glorious vaute of heauen in the tralucent ayre in the light of the Sunne in the increase and decrease of the Moone in the variety and course of the starres how delightfull is the earth in the flowers and flourish of vvoods in the sweetnes of fruites in the pleasantnes of meddowes and riuers in the ripenes plenty of corne in the fruitfulnes of Vineyards loaden with clusters of Grapes in the shades and chaces of woods in the running and coursing of Horses and Doggs in the skippings and iumpings of Harts and Goates in the flying of Hawkes in the necks and feathers of Peacocks Doues and Turtles in the paynted walls and carued roofes of houses in the sweet and pleasing sounds and tunes of Organes and all musicke in the beautifull aspects of vvomen in their fore-heads in their hayre in their eyes and cheekes in their lips and necks in their nose and hands and especially if they be beautified and adorned with gold and precious stones with Bracelets Ouches Carcanâ—ts and Tablets and such other Ornaments which I cannot in any wise reckon The loue of the heauenly Countrey aunswereth If these things delight thee which are vnder heauen if the prison be so beautifull what is the Countrey the Citty and the house If they be such and so excellent which the strangers enioy what be they which the children possesse If they that be mortall and miserable be so rewarded in this lyfe how are they that be immortall and blessed inriched in that life Wherefore let the loue of this present world goe where none is so borne that he doth not dye and let the loue of the future world come in the place where all so liue and are reuiued that they dye no more Where no aduersity disturbeth no necessity pincheth no greefe disquieteth but euerlasting ioy raigneth and remayneth for euer and euer If thou demaundest what is there where there is such and so great felicity it cannot be aunswered otherwise but that whatsoeuer good is that is there and whatsoeuer euill is that is not there Thou askest what that good is Why doost thou aske me It is aunswered thee of a Prophet and of an Apostle The things which eye hath not seene neyther eare hath heard â—eyther hâ—th entrâ—d intâ— mâ—ns hart hath God prepâ—red for them that loue him VVhatsoeuer hath hetherto beene spoken of vs hath this â—yme that it may moue vs to haue alwayes our spirituall weapons in a readines which are necessary for vs in this warfare for the attaynement of the first part of vertue which is the flying and eschewing of vices and to defend this fraile house of ours in which God hath placed vs least it should be surprized of enemies For if we shall faithfully keepe this Mansion and Habitacle there is no doubt but that heauenly guest will turne in vnto it and will lodge and dwell in it Seeing that Saint Iohn sayth God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him But he dwelleth in loue who doth nothing contrary to loue and the opposition and contrary to loue is onely sinne And against this sinne all that fighteth and warreth vvhich hetherto hath beene spoken of vs. ¶ The end of the first part of the second Booke THE SECOND PART OF THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE SINNERS GVYDE In which wee entreate of the exercise of Vertues Of the three kinde of Vertues in which the vvhole summe of Christian righteousnesse is contained CHAP. XIII SEeing that in the former part of thys Booke wee haue spoken largely and sufficiently of sinnes by contagion of which our soules are polluted and obscured now we wil intreat of Vertues which beautifie them with spirituall graces and adorne them with the ornaments of righteousnesse making them seeme fayre and beauteous in the sight of the Diuine Maiestie Euen as it pertaineth vnto iustice to giue to euery one that is his owne belongs vnto him that is to God to our neighbour to our selues so also there are three kindes of vertues pertayning to righteousnes and iustice and which concurre to the effecting and perfecting of it One is by which we render to GOD that which is due vnto him the second is by which wee giue to our neighbour that which is his and the third by which man is bound vnto himselfe When man hath attained these three kindes of vertues nothing is further required to fulfill all that righteousnes vvhich he professeth But if thou wouldest learne in fewe words and very summarily howe thys may be brought to passe I will tell thee by thys triple duty and bond man shall repay most exactly all his debt that is if towards GOD he hath the hart of a sonne towards his
neyghbour the hart of a mother towards himselfe the hart and spirit of a Iudge These be the three parts of iustice or righteousnes in which the Prophet teacheth that all our good consisteth when hee sayth I will showe vnto thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to do iustly and to loue mercy and humbly to walke with thy God For of these three kindes of duties the first belongeth vnto vs namely to doe iustly the second to our neighbour to loue mercy the third to God which the words of the Prophet declare when he sayth humbly to walke with thy God Of these three kindes therefore in thys last part we will speake seeing that all our good is contayned in them Of the bond and dutie of man towards himselfe CHAP. XIIII SEeing that loue rightly ordered in man beginneth of himselfe we will begin thys matter from that member which the Prophet hath put in the first place that is To doe iustly Which pertayneth to the spirit and hart of the Iudge and this duty man oweth to himselfe It is the part of a good Iudge to haue his prouince well composed and ordered And because in man as in a little Common-wealth two principall parts are to be reformed that is the body with all his members and sences and the soule with all her affections and powers it is necessarie that these parts should be reformed and well ordered according to the rule of Vertue which we will declare in thys place And so a man shall repay and render that he oweth to himselfe ¶ Of the reforming of the body TO the reformation of the body first an orderly discipline of the exteriour man is required that that may be obserued which Saint Augustine requireth in his rule that is that there be nothing in thy gate in thy state or in thy sitting or in thy clothing that may offend any mans eyes but that all things be agreeable to thy profession Wherefore the seruant of GOD ought especially to be carefull that his conuersation amongst men be graue humble sweet and curteous that as many as do conuerse with him may alwaies be edified and may daylie be bettered through his good example The Apostle would haue vs to be a good sauour which may communicate participate hys sweet smell to euery thing that it partaketh with The hands which haue handled any fragrant and odoriferous thing participate of the smell so the wordes the deedes the iestures and the conuersation of the seruants of God ought to be such that what man soeuer vseth them familiarly may be edified and after a certaine manner be sanctified by their examples and conuersation Thys is the especiallest fruite which springeth of this modestie which is as a silent Preacher for not by the noyse of words but by the examples of vertues he inuiteth man to glorifie GOD and to embrace Vertue Wherefore also our Sauiour himselfe stirreth vs vp vnto thys when he sayth Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen To whom agreeth Esay when he sayth that the seruaunt of the Lord is like to beautifull vvood planted of God vvhich whosoeuer seeth will glorifie the Lord. We must heere obserue that a man ought not therefore to doe good workes that hee may be seene but as Saint Gregory sayth Good workes are so to be doone in publique that the intent may remaine in secret that by our good workes wee may giue an example to our neighbour and by our intent to please God onely we may alwaies wish that they may remaine secret The second fruite of thys composition and orderly disposition is that the exteriour man is the best keeper of the interior and notably preserueth deuotion for betweene eyther man there is a great confederacy and neere league that that vvhich is done of one is forthwith cōmunicated to the other and the course being altered that which this doth hee communicateth it to the other that if the spirit be wel disposed immediatly the body is well composed and contrarily if the body be ill ordered the spirit also putteth on the same habit So that one of thē is as it were the glasse of the other For euen as whatsoeuer thou doost that also the glasse opposed to thee doth imitate so also whatsoeuer eyther of these two men dooth forth-with one of them imitateth it and therefore the outward modesty and grauity much helpeth the inward and surely it is a matter of great wonder to finde a modest and a quiet spirit in an immodest vnquiet body Hence it is that Ecclesiasticus saith He that is too hastie in his gate shall offend Insinuating by this kinde of speaking that those to whom that grauitie is wanting which becommeth Christians doe often stumble and fall through many defects as they who lift vp theyr feete too lightly when they goe The thyrd fruite of this vertue is that by it a man preserueth that graue authority which is agreeable both to his person and place especially if hee be a man seated in dignity as holy Iob kept his as he testifieth of himselfe saying The light of my countenaunce did not fall to the earth And a little before When I went out to the gate euen to my iudgement seate and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete The young men saw mee and hidde themselues and the aged arose and stoode vp The Princes stayed talke and layd theyr hand on theyr mouth The voyce of Princes was hid and theyr tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth So great was their reuerence towards Iob. Which grauity that it might be free from all pride thys holy man had ioyned vnto it so great curtesie that hee sayth of himselfe that sitting in his throne as King his Princes and people standing about him he ceased not to be an eye to the blinde a foote to the lame and a father vnto the poore We must here note that as benignity and curtesie and the good carriage of the outward man is commendable so to affect company and societie too much too much to care for the furniture and accoustrements of the body too much to cherish make of the exteriour man is faulty and immoderate Wherefore Ecclesiasticus sayth A mans garment and his excessiue laughter and going declare what person he is Like to thys is that which Salomon sayd As the face of the lookers are beheld in the waters so the harts of men are manifested to the wise by exterior workes These be the commodities which this modestie bringeth with her and certainly they be very great Neyther is it a thing that should delight any man to loue too much the familiarity and company of men to be too familiar populer which many men doe that because they would not be taken for hypocrites they
not in theyr going By which figure is declared with what great alacritie of mind and with what great ioy a man ought to runne to all those things which he vnderstandeth to be according to the will of his Lord. Wherefore the readines and promptnes of will is not onely here required but also the discretion of the vnderstanding and the discretion of the spirit as we haue sayd before least we be deceaued embracing our owne will for the will of GOD yea speaking after the common manner all that ought to be suspected of vs to which at any time vvee are inclined by the guydance of our owne will and that we suppose that there is more securitie in whatsoeuer is contrarie vnto it This is the noblest and the greatest sacrifice that man can offer vnto God for in other sacrifices he offereth his but in this he offereth himselfe and the same difference which is betweene man himselfe and his goods is also found between these two kind of sacrifices In such a sacrifice that of Saint Augustine is fulfilled Although God is the Lord of all things yet it is not lawfull for all to say with Dauid O Lord I am thine but for them onely who haue put of their owne liberty and haue wholy vowed and deuoted themselues to the Diuine worship and after this manner are made his This is the most conuenient disposition and order to come to the perfection of a Christian life For seeing that our Lord God of his infinite goodnes is alwayes ready to enrich and reforme man when he resisteth not nor contradicteth his will but is wholy dedicated to his obedience he can easily worke in him whatsoeuer he pleaseth and make him as another Dauid a man according to his owne hart ¶ Of patience in aduersitie THat we may more fitly and commodiously come to that last degree of obedience the last of those nine vertues will helpe vs very much which I reckoned vp in the beginning of this Chapter that is patience in aduersity and tribulation which oftentimes is sent vnto vs of our most louing father for our exercise and greater good To this patience Salomon inuiteth vs in his Prouerbs saying My sonne refuse not the chastening of the Lord neyther faint when thou art corrected of him For whom the Lord loueth him he chasteneth and yet delighteth in him euen as a father in his owne sonne Which sentence of Salomon the Apostle more largely expresseth in his Epistle to the Hebrewes where he exhorteth vs to patience My sonne sayth he despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neyther faynt when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth If yee endure chastening God tendreth you as his sonnes for what sonne is he whom the father chasteneth not But if yee be without chastisement whereof all are pertakers then are yee bastards and not sonnes Furthermore we haue had fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shall we not then much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirits and liue All these words doe sufficiently and plainly testifie that it is the duty of a father to chastice and correct his sonne and in like manner that it is the duty of a good sonne to submit himselfe with all humility and to esteeme the scourges of his father as great benefits and signes of loâ—e and fatherly good will Thâ— only begotten sonne of the eternall father hath â—aught vs this by his owne example when he sayd to Saint Peâ—er willing to deliuer him from death Shall I 〈◊〉 drinke of the cup which my father hath giuen me As if he should haue sayd If this cup had beene proffered and giuen to me of another it might haue been that thou mightest haue hindered me to drink of it but because it commeth to me from that father who best knoweth how to helpe and can and will helpe his sonnes shal it not be drunk of yea neuer seeking further any other reason but because it is sent of my father Neuertheles there are some who in the time of peace doe seeme very subiect and submissiue vnto this father and conformable vnto his will who in the time of tribulation doe start backwards and doe show that this their conformity was false and deceitfull because in the â—â—me of neede they lost it as effeminate and cowardly Souldiers who in the time of peace and truce doe boast of their valour and prowesse but when they come to fight they cast away both their courage and Armour Therfore in the continuall conflict of this present life it behooueth vs alwayes to be armed for the warre with spirituall compleat Armour that we may preuaile and ouercome in the time of neede First therfore we must consider that the afflictions of this world are not worthy of the future glory for the ioy of that eternall light is so great that although we were to enioy it but one small houre yet for it we ought willingly to embrace all afflictions and despise all the pompe of the world For as the Apostle sayth The momâ—nt any lightnes of our tribulation prepareth an exceeding and an eternall waight of glory vnto vs. While we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Consider also that too much prosperity oftentimes doth puffe vp the mind with pride contrarily that aduersity doth purifie the hart by wholsome sorrow so that that doth swel the hart but this albeit it be swelled and puffed vp doth bring it downe and humble it In that man for the most part forgetteth â—imselfe in this he also remembreth God by that good works 〈◊〉 lost by 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 of and get pardon and the soule is 〈◊〉 â—haâ— it offeâ—d not 〈◊〉 If perhaps continuall infirmity and sicknes afflict thee thou 〈◊〉 thâ—nkâ— that the Lord God when he 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 woâ—ld â—orâ—e much mischiefe if we were in health doth clip thy 〈◊〉 and makes thee vnapt to doe things by the meanes of thâ—t sickâ—es And surely it seemes much better vnto me that a man should be sicke and broken through disâ—ases then being souâ—d should 〈◊〉 in sinne and add new offences vnto old For as the Lord sayth It is â—etter for thee to 〈◊〉 into life halt or maymed rather then thou shouldest hauing 〈…〉 o◠〈◊〉 feete 〈◊〉 câ—st iâ—to eâ—erlasting fire It is certainly knowne to euery body that our Lord most mercifull by nature is not delighted in torturing vs but doth seeke by all meanes to cure our wounds with â—â—dicines contrary to our infirmity for when as we are fallen into a disease by pleasures it is behoofeful that we be healed by sorrowes and aduersity and if our infirmity arise by vnlawfull things that we take it aâ—ay by with-drawing of things lawfull By which it
measure By this it manifestly appeareth how great wickednes it is to speak ill of or enuie our neighbor because he hath that I haue not or because he is not apt for that function I am Surely the body should be in ill case if the eyes should contemne the feete because they see not and the feete should murmure against the eyes because they walke not and should oppose themselues against the whole body because the burden of the body is imposed vpon them It is altogether necessary that the feete should be weary with going but that the eyes should rest that the feete should be polluted with durt and mire but that the eyes should be kept cleane and pure from all dust and moates neyther doe the eyes lesse in being at rest then the feete in walking neither doth the Pilot lesse sitting and holding the sterne in his hand neither is lesse necessary for the shyppe then all the other Marriners which eyther climbe the mast or hoyse vp the sailes or labour at the pumpe yea albeit hee seemeth to doe the least of all yet he dooth the most of all for the excellency of a thing is not to be esteemed by labours but by the profit and necessity vnlesse we will say that an husband-man who diggeth and tylleth the ground is of better esteeme in a Common-wealth then a vvise-man that gouerneth the Common-wealth by his aduice and wisedome He therfore that well considereth these things will leaue his vocation and calling to euery man that is that a foote may continue a foote and a hand a hand neyther vvill the foote desire that all the members might be feete neither the hand that all should be hands This is that which in that most large disputation the Apostle would teach in the Epistle cited a little before the same thing he also admonisheth whē he saith Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth For he that eateth perhaps hath neede to eate yet he may be indued with more excellent vertues then he that fasteth For euen as in song the notes in the space are are valuable as those in the line so in the harmony of the spirituall musick of the Church he is no lesse valuable that eateth then he that eateth not and he that is at quiet and rest no lesse acceptable then he that is occupied or he that in his leysure laboureth to edifie his neighbour The same thing vvith great vehemencie S. Bernard teacheth commaunding that no man should curiously looke into or search their lifes who are placed in offices to censure and try others or doe execute functions of Iudges and Rulers neyther that any man should iudge of another mans life or compare his life with anothers The third admonition is of the care and watch which a religious man ought to haue ouer his actions CHAP. XXI LEt thys be the third admonition Seeing that in this rule sundry kindes of vertues and instructions are to be remembred which pertaine to the right ordering and framing of the life and our vnderstanding being not capable to entertayne all together and at once I thinke that I shall not doe amisse if I now ioyne to the former a certaine generall vertue which contayneth all the rest and which as much as may be supplieth the place of all the rest Thys is a continuall care and a watch and perpetuall examining of those things which are to be done or spoken that all things may be directed by the guydance of reason That as an Embassadour being to speak in the assembly of an honourable Senate at one and the selfe-same time standeth carefully thinking of the matters he is to speake of and of the words by which he is to vtter them and of the order vvhich he is to obserue in speaking and also of the gesture of his body of other things necessary for this action so the seruant of God ought diligently carefully circumspectly to watch ouer him selfe and ouer all his actions in speaking in silence in demaunding in aunswering in trafficking in sitting at table in the market in the Church in the house and without the house as holding a compasse in his hand measuring and moderating all his actions works and thoughts that he may proceed in all things according to the prescript of the diuine law according to the rule of reason and the decencie of his person For albeit there is very great difference betweene good and euill yet God hath infused and imprinted a certaine light and knowledge of either in our soules so that a man can scarcely be found albeit hee be rude and simple who if he diligently attend that he dooth but he may vnderstand what he ought to doe in euery thing And this care and consideration is profitable to all the documents instructions of this rule and of many other This care is that which is commended of the holy Ghost when he saith Keepe therefore your soules carefully and diligently And this is that third part of righteousnes and iustice which the Prophet Micheas insinuateth saying Walke humbly carefully and circumspectly with thy God This is nothing else then a perpetuall care and a continuall thought that thou doe not any thing which is contrary to the Diuine will This is that which that multitude of eyes in those misticall creatures of Ezechiell doe signifie which intimateth vnto vs the greatnes of attention and circumspection which a Christian Souldier ought to haue against so many and so terrible enemies with which he is to fight The same thing those threescore strong and valiant men of Israell doe signifie who compasse the bed of Salomon who al handle the sword and are expert in warre For in this the same care and vigilancy is signified in which an armed man ought to be who is compassed cirkled about with the troups of so many enemies endangered with hands of so great cruelty The cause of this care besides many other dangers is the greatnes and waight of this busines especiall in them that aspire to the perfection of a spirituall life For to liue and conuerse worthily with God is to keepe himselfe cleane and pure from all the spots of this world to liue in this flesh without any signe of carnall worke or affection and to walke without offence vntill the day of the Lord as the Apostle sayth These things are so hard and so supernaturall that all things are required heere yea God himselfe with his grace and helpe Behold the care and circumspection which a man hath when he doth any special peece of work but much greater is the worke of saluation Therefore what care is here required Consider with what great care a man beareth any vessell brim full of precious liquor or oyle least it should be spilld Consider with what great care a man goeth ouer any narrow peece of timber or
constancie But what shall I speake of the arts and inuentions vvhich that ingenious and witty cruelty I say not of men but of deuils hath deuised to ouer-throw and confound with corporall tortures fayth courage fortitude Some of them after they were most cruelly martyred and theyr flesh all to be-torne and rent were cast vpon a floare all sette with goades and prickes that theyr bodies all at once might be goared and 〈◊〉 with a thousand woundes and that they might feele a generall greefe throughout all theyr members that theyr intollerable payne might striue for victory with their faith Others beeing condemned were commaunded to walke vpon hote burning coales with their naked feete Others beeing tyed to the tayles of horses were drawne ouer thornes and bryers and rough places Others were condemned to wheeles stucke all round about with sharpe kniues that theyr bodies being put vppon them whilst they turned about might be cutte small peeces Others were stretched vpon Racks and their bodyes beeing harrowed and furrowed from top to toe with yron crookes and peircers did openly show their naked bowels the flesh being puld of and their ribs lying bare What shall I say more seeing that the barbarous and more then beastly cruelty of Tyrants not being contented with these torments hath found out a certaine new kind of cruelty With certaine instruments they so brought together two high sturdie trees that their tops touched one the other to one of these tops they bound the right foote of the Martyr to the other the left Then losing the Trees to their old scope they carried the body with them and violently tare it in peeces and each tree carryed with it his part into the ayre In Nicomedia among other innumerable Martyrs one was beaten so long till his white ribbs appeared through his bloody wounds for the scourges and whippings had peece-meale puld away the flesh then they washed his whole body with most strong vinegar after vinegar stuffed all his wounds ful of salt The Tyrants not yet satisfied with these dire discruciatements and extreame tortures when they saw that the Martyr yet breathed they cast his halfe dead body vpon a gridyron vnder which they made a fierce scorching fire haling the gridyron this way and that with their yron hookes vntil the body being fully rosted the sanctified pure-purged soule passed to the Lord. And thus those most barbarous inhumane butcherly murtherers inuented tortures more cruel thē death which notwithstanding was wont to be termed the terriblest of all dreadful things For they sought not so much to kill as to slay with vnheard of torments without any deadly wound by a lingering death and with intollerable greatnesse of dolours and sorrowes Surely these Martyrs had not bodies vnlike to ours or which were of another substance their flesh was as our flesh and theyr complexion was the same with ours neyther had they another God for theyr helper besides our God neyther did looke for another glory then that wee looke for Proceede therefore if they haue obtayned eternall life by so violent death why should we feare for the same cause at the least to mortifie the euill concupiscences of our flesh If they died through hunger wilt not thou fast one day If they with their mangled bodies perseuered in prayer why wilt not thou being sound and in health with bended knees continue a little in prayer If they were so patient that without resisting or contradiction they suffered their members to be maymed and detruncate and theyr flesh to be torne in peeces why wilt not thou abide that thine appetites and thine vnruly affections should be circumcised and mortified If they many yeares and many moneths sat imprisoned in darke dungeons why wilt not thou a little be contayned and shut vp in thy chamber If they haue not refused to haue their shoulders furrowed and mangled with whips and scourges why wilt not thou chastice thine If these examples doe not suffice thee lift vp thine eyes to the Crosse of Christ and behold who is he that hanging vppon it suffered so great and so cruell things for the loue of thee The Apostle sayth Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners least yee should be wearied and faint in your minds This is a fearefull and a dreadfull example what way so euer thou shalt consider of it For if thou lookest vppon the torments there can be no greater If thou respectest the person who suffereth a more excellent cannot be giuen If thou examinest the cause for which he suffereth not for his owne offence for he is innocency it selfe neyther suffereth he of compulsion for he is the Creatour and Lord of all creatures but of his mere goodnes and free loue Yet for all this he suffered so great torments not only in his body but also in his soule that the torments of all Martyrs of all men that euer haue been in the world are not to be compared with these This was such a spectacle that the heauens were astonished the earth trembled rocks claue in sunder and all the insencible creatures felt the indignity of the thing How therefore commeth it to passe that man should be so insencible blockish that he should not feele that which the brute elements haue felt with what face can he be so ingratefull that he should not study somewhat to imitate him who hath done and suffered so great things that he might leaue vs an example For euen so as the Lord himselfe affirmeth Christ ought to haue suffered and so to enter into his glory For seeing that he came into the world that he might teach that heauen is not to be cōpassed by any other way then by the Crosse it was necessary that the Lord himselfe should first be crucified that a courage might be put into his Souldiers seeing their Captaine to be so cruelly and inhumanely handled and intreated Who then will be so ingratefull wicked proud and impudent who seeing the Lord of Maiesty with all his friends and chosen ones to walke such difficult wayes and yet he himselfe will be caried in an Horse-litter and on a bed of Downe led his life in deliciousnes King Dauid commaunded Vrias whom he had called from warre to goe into his owne house to sup sleepe with his wife but the good seruant answered The Arke and Israell and Iuda dwell in tents and my Lord Ioab and the seruants of my Lord abide in the open fields shall I then goe into mine house to eate and drink and lye with my wife by thy life by the life of thy soule I will not doe this thing O good and faithfull seruant who by so much is worthier of prayse by how much he is vnworthier of death And thou ô Christian seeing thy Lord lying vpon an hard Crosse hast thou no respect of him neyther doost thou yeeld honour reuerence vnto him The Arke of God made of incorruptible Ceder wood
man page 55 What mischiefe sinnes worke to the soule ibidem The beauty of a iustified soule page 56 By iustification God dwelleth in vs page 57 Iustification doth make vs the liuely members of Christ ibidem Confidence in prayer page 58 Christ is honoured when a righteous man is honoured ibid. By iustification eternall life is giuen ibidem Iustification is of greater value then creation 59 How to know whether we be iustified or not ibidem Of many effects which the holy Ghost worketh in a iustified soule 60 Graces wayting vpon the holy Ghost ibidem After what manner the holy Ghost sitteth in the soule of a righteous man and what he doth there ibidem The holy Ghost is fire a doue a cloud a wind ibidem page 61. The sixt Chapter The sixt Title That the inestimable benefit of the Diuine predestination doth bind vs vnto Vertue page 63. The matters handled in this Chapter Election is the foundation of all benefits page 64. Perseuerance in goodnes is a signe of election ibidem The circumstances in election are to be considered page 65. An Apostrophe to a begger but elected page 67. The seauenth Chapter The seauenth Title That man is bound to follow and embrace Vertue by reason of the first of those foure last things which happen vnto him which is death page 69. The matters handled in this Chapter A rehearsal of the foure last things that happen vnto man to wit Death Iudgement Heauen and Hell Ibidem A terrible and fearefull history out of Climacus 70 Death certaine but the houre of death vncertaine 71 Th◠danger in which he that dieth is 74 Feare the mightiest perturbation of the mind 75 The Sunne goeth downe at noone to the wicked ibidem The things that before seemed pleasant in death are bitter ibidem The accout that shall be required of vs. 76. The history of Arsenius out of the life 's of the Fathers 77 The history of Agathon out of the same booke ibidem A fearefull example of one Stephanus that led a solitary life out of Climacus ibidem Why the Saints doe feare in death 79. Nothing is of force in the houre of death 80 The lamentation of a sinner at the houre of death page 81 The eight Chapter The eyght Title That man is bound to desire Vertue by reason of that second last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the last iudgement page 82 The matters handled in this Chapter The shame of sinners in the last iudgement page 84 How fearefull the sentence of the Iudge is ibidem The paines of the damned 85 The blasphemies of the damned ibidem For what sinnes men are damned 88 Certaine excellent comparisons that agrauate the paines of the damned and the terrour of the last iudgement page 90 Repentance too late ibidem Our accusers in the last iudgement ibidem The ninth Chapter The ninth Title That man is bound to the exercise of Vertue by reason of the third last thing that happeneth vnto him which is the glory of heauen page 91 The matters handled in this Chapter What things are handled in this Chapter to wit the reward of the vertuous which is the glory of heauen in which two things are to be looked vnto the beauty of the place and the dignity of the King ibidem The beauty of heauen is gathered by coniectures ibidem The first coniecture is from the end why heauen was made 92 The second coniecture that it was not onely made for Gods honour but also for the honour of his elect page 93. The thyrd coniecture the price by which it was purchased by the death of God page 95 The fourth coniecture the situation and height of the place 97 The fift coniecture the proportion of the three kinde of places 98. The sixt coniecture the inhabitants dwelling in heauen 99 The power of the Lord. page 92 Reasons why Heauen should be absolute and perfect 93 All things obey the righteous euen in this world ibid. Christ gaue more to his Saints then he vsed himselfe page 94 The price that must be giuen for the celestiall glory 95 The quantitie and quality of the glory of heauen is argued by the greatnes of the place page 97 The beauty of the earth ibidem Three kind of places appointed to men of God 98 From the noblenes of the inhabitants wee may gesse of the glory of heauen page 99 Essentiall glory ibidem God is the perfection of all things 100 God is all in all ibidem The mistery of Circumcision 101 All things are to be suffered for the heauenly glory 102 The tenth Chapter The tenth Title That the last of those foure last things that happen vnto vs that is Hell-fire doth binde vs to seeke after Vertue 104 The matters handled in this Chapter There are but two wayes ibidem The greatnes of the punishment in hell by reason of the greatnes of God page 105. The greatnes of the iustice of God 107 The greatnes of the punishmens of hell is gathered by the punishments of thys lyfe ibidem Of the mercy of God the greatnes of the punishment is gathered 108 The two commings of Christ compared 109 The punishment ought to be like to the sinne page 111 From the person of the executioner that is of the deuill the greatnesse of the punishment is gathered page 112 A fearefull and horrible example of one Theodorus out of S. Gregories Dialogues ibidem A description of the deuils power page 114 The Conclusion page 115 Of the eternity of these punishments 116 A fearefull saying of the eternity of the punishments in hell ibid. A notable Allegory of the Furnace which King Nabuchodonozer commaunded to be heate in Babilon 118 ¶ The second part of the first booke In this second part are handle◠the temporal and spirituall blessings which in this lyfe are promised to Vertue and more particularly the twelue more notable and famous priuiledges prerogatiues which are found in Vertue page 120 The Chapters of the second part of the first booke The eleuenth Chapter The eleuenth Title That we are bounde vnto Vertue by reason of the inestimable blessings which are promised in this present life ibid. The matters handled in this Chapter It is a wonder that among Christians so many men are found wicked and vicious ibidem Whence this negligence of men is page 121 All things happen a like to the good and euill ibidem Men are ignorant of those good things that are in Vertue page 123 Vertue like vnto Christ. ibidem Helpes of God by which we ouercome the difficulty of Vertue 124 Vertue is an habite ibidem A comparison of the life of good men and ill men 125 Diuine blandishments with which the righteous are cherished 126 Good men are truly rich 127 All thys afore-sayd is explaned by a notable sentence of the Gospel ibid. What Christ meaneth by the hundreth fold in the tenth of Marke 128 What goods be those that God bestoweth vpon the good ibidem To the
vertuous those things are vnpleasant which before did please 129 A notable example of a noble Knight called Arnulphus taken out of the Booke called the booke of famous and illustrious men ibidem The righteous haue comfort and a sweet tast yea in theyr greatest griefes and sorrowes page 130 The twelfth Chapter The twelfth Title That the first priuiledge or prerogatiue of Vertue doth binde vs vnto her which is the speciall Prouidence by which God directeth all good men to all good and chastiseth the iniquity of the wicked page 132 The matters handled in this Chapter The prouidence of God is the fountaine of all good things ibidem Two things are to be considered of in euery place of Scripture the Commaundement and the Promise ibidem Testimonies of the diuine prouidence 133 The Angels doe keepe vs. page 134 God turneth euills into good to those whom he loueth 135 God is not onely good and gracious to the righteous but also to their familie 136 God blesseth a wicked Maister for the sake of a good seruant ibidem Of the names that are attributed vnto the Lord in the holy Scripture by reason of thys prouidence ibid. God is called a Father ibidem God is more then a Mother page 137 We are the sonnes of God and so are we called 138 God is a Pastor or a Sheepheard ibidem Diuers names of God 139. God is called a Bridegrome 140 God is all in all ibidem How pleasant the promises of the Diuine prouidence bee vnto a righteous soule 141 The prouidence of GOD dooth yeeld great matter of reioycing to the good ibidem An expostulation of God with man 142 The thirteenth Chapter Of that manner of prouidence by which God espâ—eth out the vvicked to chastise theyr maliciousnes 143 The matters handled in this Chapter The vvicked are neglected of the Lord. ibidem How dangerous a thing it is to liue in thys world without the diuine help 144 God doth not onely permit euills but also he sendeth them 145 A fearefull place in the ninth of Amos ibidem In how great danger a man lyueth hauing God his enemy angry with him page 146 What the soule is without God 147 The fourteenth Chapter Of the second priuiledge or prerogatiue of Vertue that is of the grace of the holy Ghost which is giuen to the vertuous 147. The matters handled in this Chapter After the diuine prouidence the grace of the holy Ghost is the beginning of all blessings 148 What the grace of the holy Ghost is ibidem Grace doth deifie ibidem Grace is a supernaturall forme ibidem Two soules of man ibidem Grace is a spirituall ornament page 149 The worke of grace maketh a man acceptable to God ibidem Grace strengtheneth man ibidem Grace maketh our works acceptable vnto God 150 Grace adopteth vs to be the sonnes of God ibidem The forrest of the effects of grace ibidem Grace maketh our soules the dwelling and Temple of God 151 The fifteenth Chapter Of the thyrd priuiledge of Vertue which is a light and a certaine supernaturall knowledge which our Lord giueth to them who seeke after Vertue page 151 The matters handled in this Chapter Thys supernaturall knowledge doth proceede from grace ibidem It is a property of grace to illuminate the vnderstanding ibidem Foure gyfts of the holy Ghost belong to the vnderstanding 152 Grace why it is called an vnction ibidem The vvill is a blinde faculty 153 God is the glasse of a purified soule ibid. God hath giuen knowledge to beastes to flie hurtfull things and to embrace wholesome page 154 What thys supernaturall knowledge is ibid. Testimonies of the Scripture as concerning this knowledge 155 The dignity of thys doctrine 157 For what thys wisedome is profitable 158 The dignity of thys wisedome 159 The vnderstanding of the righteous encreaseth ibidem The darknes of the wicked ibidem Other mens sentences and iudgements are to be heard 160 The sixteenth chapter Of the fourth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the consolations and comforts of the holy Ghost which the righteous enioy in thys worlde and which they ioy in page 161 The matters handled in this Chapter Euill men thinke that there is no pleasure in Vertue 162 The flesh also of the righteous reioyceth 163 How great the spirituall ioy is 164 God as he is great in iustice so is he great in mercy ibidem How great the force is of the sweenes of the heauenly wine 165 Spirituall languorment page 166 Coniectures of the greatnes of the spirituall delights ibidem Vertue hath her delights 167 How the righteous are refreshed in theyr prayers after a singuler manner with these diuine consolations page 168 The pleasure of the righteous is felt in theyr prayers ibidem Of the chast wedlocke of the Word and of the soule 169 The change of the righteous 170 How a long night is to be passed ibidem Of theyr comforts and consolations who first begin to serue God and are Punies and Nouices in his schoole 171 The entrance and beginnings of conuersion haue their pleasures 172 In the beginning and in the end of the conuersion there is a soleme feast page 173 Whence ioy and cheerefulnes ariseth in the nouices of Christ 174. Why the wicked doe not feele the sweetnes of God page 175 Blessednes two-fold 176. Time is very precious ibidem The 17 Chapter Of the fift priuiledge of Vertue which is the tranquility and peace of a good conscience which the righteous enioy and of the torment and inward biting with which the wicked and vngodly are tortured 177 The matters handled in this Chapter In what thing consisteth the perfection of man ibidem The conscience is the maister and teacher of good men but a tormenter and torturer of the wicked 178 The first thorne of the conscience is the filthines of sinne The second thorne is an inimy done to another The third thorne is infanâ—y which followeth sinne 179 Certaine other thornes ibidem The feare of an euill conscience ibidem All disordered things are euill page 180. Of the ioy of a good conscience with which the righteous are greatly delighted page 182 A peaceable and a quiet conscience is a Paradice 183 The testimony of a good conscience hath feare mingled with it 185 The eyghteenth Chapter Of the fixt priuiledge of Vertue which is the confidence and hope of the Diuine mercy which the righteous reioyce in and of the miserable and vaine trust and repose in which the wicked liue 186. The matters contayned in this Chapter Hope two-fold ibidem The effects of true hope 187 A Catalogue of the effects of hope 190 Hope maketh men omnipotent 181 Of the vaine hope of the wicked 192 The hope of the righteous is spirit but of the wicked flesh 193 To him that trusteth in the Creatour all things happen succesfully and prosperously but to him that trusteth in the creatures all things fall out vnluckily 194. Where the world is planted ibidem How vnhappy the estate
Martyrs 521 The cruell Martyrdome of constant and religious Corona 522 An horrible kind of Martyrdome in Nicomedia ibidem FINIS Onely his Meditations in English done by ANONYMVS And his Manuell in the Germane tonge translated by Philippus Doberniner Exod. 3. The deuision of the Booke Two things required to pietie A similitude 1. Iohn 5 Cicero in the first booke of his offices Math 16. Honestie Profit are to be considered of in euery action GOD is that he is Epicures teach that God is to be serued A similitude Apoc. 19. The kingdome of God is not by succession Bernard in his 83. Sermon vpon the Canticles Why men are lesse moued with the perfection of God In the contemplation of God we must turne our eyes froÌ„ al creatures Exod 24. 1. Kings 19 Ess 6 A similitude Psal. 18 1 Tim. 6. A similitude Iob 5. In the 27 Booke of his Morals cap. 36. In his mistâ—call Theologie 〈◊〉 1. Psal 65. In his book of Soliloquies Cap. 1 Three things are to be marked in euery thing the Being the Ability and the Worke. Eccle. 11. Psalm 50 Honour is due to God because he is our father Mal. 1. Dâ—ut 32. By the consideration of the creation man doth come to the knowledge of his Creator Ezech. 29. Augustine in one of his Soliloquies ca. 31. Exod 12 Exod. 13. Exod. 16. GOD requireth of vs gratefulnes and thanksgiuing Exod. 17. Gen. 41. Epictetus That the benefits of nature are of God All things that are borne are not by and by perfect A similitude Psalm 119. Prou 13. All things without God are nothing A similitude In his mysticall Theologie ca. 4. All things created for the vse of man The expostulation of the elemeÌ„ts with man The creatures do cal vpon vs with three words The saying of Epictetus Rom. 12. A similitude Men like vnto swine A similitude See Aulus Gellius in the 5. booke 14. chap. The notable gratitude of a Lyon Plinie lib 8. cap. 17. The like to this is reported of Henricus Leo Duke of Saxonie See Krantius in his Saxonie lib. 6. cap. 34. The gratitude of horses Plinie lib. 8 cap. 42. The gratitude of doggs Plinie lib. 8. cap. 40. Ditmarus in the first booke of his Chronicle Diuers degrees of ingratitude A similitude A similitude Men doe abuse the gifts of God to the iniurie of the giuer Iob 34. A similitude The beginning of mans perdition 4 Kings 5. The admirable misterie of the incarnation Wee are bound to God not onely for our RedeÌ„ption but for the manner of it Iob 35 The means by which we are redeemed The Angels were astonished at the passion of our Lord Exod. 34. 3. Reg. 19. The Lord suffered not onely for all in generall but also for euery one in particuler For three things man oweth himselfe vnto GOD. The hardnes of mans hart Iohn 12. Ose. 11. Gâ—n 39. All things are giuen vs of God 1 Cor. 3. By how many wayes god is ours In the sixt booke of his Hexaemeron A dogge bewrayeth a murtherer Our sinnes nayled the Lord to the Crosse. A similitude What iustification is No man can be iustified by his own streÌ„gth Iohn 6. A similitude Iustification what great blessings it bringeth with it 1. It reconcileth man to GOD. Psalme 5. It maketh vs the sons of God 1. Iohn 3. 2 By iustification man is freed from eternall punishment 3. Iustification doth renue a man What mischiefe sins work to the soule The beauty of a iustified soule 4. By iustification God dwelleth in vs. A similitude Math. 12. Luke 11. Iohn 14. 5. Iustification doth make vs the liuely members of Christ. Confidence in prayer Christ is honoured wheÌ„ a righteous man is honored Act. 9. 6. By iustification eternal life is giuen Rom. 8. 2 Cor. 4. Iustification of greater value then creation Augustine vpon Iohn Howe to know whether we be iustified or not Graces waiting vpon the holie Ghost After what manner the holy Ghost sitteth in yâ— soule of a righteous man and what hee doth there The holy Ghost is fire A Doue A cloude A wind Psalm 118 Psalm 119 Augustine vpon the 144. psalme Gene 42 In his 8. homilie of the Passeouer To a certaine Virgine Psalme 71 Augustine vpon the 71. psalme Iohn 6 Ephe. 1. Psalm 65 Election is the foundation of all benefits Iere 31 Rom. 8. A similitude Perseuerance in good a signe of election 1 Cor. 1. Prouerbs 22. Luke 10. The circumstances in election are to be considered An Apostrophe to a begger but elected A similitude 2 Pet. 1. The â—â—â—â—bring rehearsall of those things that he will speake of Ecclus 7. In his lâ—dder to Paradice in the 6. staire A terrible feareful historie Ecclus 7â— Death certaine but the houre of deaâ—h vncertaine A similitude The danger in which he that dyeth is Amos. 8. Feare the mightiest perturbation of the minde When the sunne goeth downe at noone to the wicked Those thinges which before seemed pleasant in death are bitter Ecclesiasticus 43. The account that shall be required of vs. Psalm 143. Arsenius In the life 's of the fathers Part 2 §. 153. Agathon in the sâ—me booke §. 51 In his ladder to Paradice in the 7 staire A fearefull example of one Stephanus that led a solitarie life Why the Saints doe feare in death In the 4. booke of his Morrals chap. 2. In the 11. booke of his Morrals chap. 21. In the 24. booke of his Morrals chap. 7. Note 1 Peter 4. 3 Reg. 25. Nothing is of force in the houre of death Prou 11 The lamentation of a sinner Psalm 18. 2 Cor. 5. Iob. 13. Iob. 14. Math. 12. The shame of sinners in the last iudgment Ose. 10. How fearefull the sentence of the Iudge is Math. 25. Iob 26. Iob 21. Apoc. 18 The paines of the damned The blasphemies of the damned Iob 3. Iob 24. Wisdom 5. In the 22. homily to the people of Antioch For what sinnes men are damned Math 15. Ierem. 9. Psalm 95. Psalm 6 Math 16 Gene 3 Mala 3. Exod 19 Psalm 49 Luke 16. Certaine excellent comparisons Repentance too late Our accusers Ambroâ—e vpon Luke VVhat things are handled in this chapter The beauty of heauen is gathered by coniectures The first coniecture is the end Prouer 16. Esther 1. Esay 25. The power of the Lord. Reasons why heauen should be absolute perfect The second coniecture Iohn 12. All things obey the righteous euen in this world Iosua 10. 4 Kings 20. 3 Kings 17 18. 4 Kings 13. Acts 5. Christ gaue more to his Saints then hee vsâ—d himselfe Gen. 22. 2 Reg 7. The 3. coniecture The price that must be giuen for the celestiall glory Apoc. 21 The fourth coniecture The quantity qualitie of the glory by the greatnes of the place Psalm 26. The beauty of the earth The 5. coniecture Three kind of places appointed to men of GOD. The 6 coniecture From the noblenes of the inhabitants Psal. 83. Essentiall glory God is the
perfection of al things God all in all The mistery of Circumcision Augustine in the 17 chapter of his Manuel Apoc 21. Dan. 12. Esay 64.1 Cor. 2. Augustine in the 15. chapter of his Manuel All things to be suffered for the heauenly glory Apoc. 4. Apoc. 7. There are but two wayes Ieremy 24. A similitude The greatnes of the punishment by reason of the greatnes of God Ieremy 5. Ierem. 10. Psal. 105. Iob 26. Apoc. 18. Heb. 10. Math. 10. Ecclesi 2. The greatnes of the iustice of GOD. Numb 16. Deut 28 The husbaÌ„d without the knowledge of his wife shal eate his sons and so shall the wife without the priuitie of the man that they might eate alone Of the mercie of God the greatnes of the punishment is gathered A similitude The two coÌ„minâ—s of Christ coÌ„pared In his first Sermon of the Natiuitie of our Lord. Psalm 68. Rom 2 Heb. 10. The punishment ought to be like to the sin From the person of the executioner that is of the deuill the greatnes of the punishment is gathered Iob 1. In the 4. booke of his Dialogâ— chap. 37. A fearefull horrible example Apoc 9. A description of the deuils power Exod 8. The conclusion A fearfull saying Esay 33. Dan. 3 A notable Allegory Mich. 1. Math. 5. It is a wonder that among Christians so many men are found wicked and vicious A similitude Whence this negligence is Ezech 12 Esay 28 Eccle. 8. All things happen a like to the good and euill Eccle. 9. Mala. 3. Luke 19 Men are ignorant of those good things that are in Vertue Vertue like vnto Christ. Colos. 3. A similitude Helpes of God by which we ouercome the difficulty of Vertue Vertue is an habit Psalm 84. Mala. 3. A comparing of the life of good men and ill men Esay 66. Diuine bládishments with which the righteous are cherished Prou 8. Good men truely rich 1. Cor. 1. Marke 10. What this hundreth fold is what goods be those that God bestoweth vpon the good To the vertuous those things are vnpleasant which before did please A notable example The sweetnes and pleasure of the righteous yea in their greatest greefes and sorrowes The proposition The prouidence of God is the fountaine of all good things Two things are to bee considered of in euery place of Scripture the Commaundement and the Promise Psalm 41. Psalm 34 Testimonies of the diuine prouidence Ecclus. cap. 15. 34. Psalm 37 Psalm 34 Luke 12 21. Zach 2. The Angels do keepe vs. Psalm 91 Luke 16 Psalm 34 4. Reg. 6. Cant 6. Cant. 3 God turturneth euils into good to those whoÌ„ he loueth Rom 8. He is not onely good and gracious to the righteous but also to their family Exod. 20. Gen. 17 and the 24. God blesseth a wicked maister for the sake of a good seruant God is called a father Psal. 103 Esay 63. God is more then a mother Esay 49. Deut. 32. Deut. 1. We are the sonnes of God and so are we called Ier 31. God a Pastour or sheepheard Ezechiel 34 Esay 40. Diuers names of God God is called a Bridegrome Ierem 3. Gene 2. Ephe 5. God all in all Ambrose of virginitie A similitude How pleasant are the promises of the diuine prouidence vnto a righteous soule The prouidence of God doth yeeld great matter of reioycing to the good Psalm 32 Psalm 144 Abac. 3. An expostulation of God with man Ierem. 2 The wicked are neglected of the lord Hosea 1. Hosea 2 Zach. 11. Deut. 32. Esay 5. How dangerous a thing it is to liue in this world without the diuine help God doth not onely permit euils but also he sendeth them Amos 5. Hosea 5. Amos 9. A fearefull place In howe great danger a man liueth hauing God his enemy and angry with him Iob 9. Psal. 8. Hosea 4. A similitude What the soule is without God After the diuine prouidence the grace of the holy Ghost is the beginning of all blessings What the grace of the holy Ghost is A similitude Grace doth deifie Gala 2. Grace is a supernatural forme Two soules of man Grace is a spirituall ornament Esay 6 Psalm 44. 1. The worke of grace maketh a man acceptable to God 2. It strengtheneth man Cant. 6 3. It maketh our works acceptable vnto God 4 It adopteth vs to be the sonnes of God Luke 10. The Forrest of the effects of grace Grace maketh our soules the dwelling temple of God This knowledge doth proceede from grace The first reason It is a property of grace to illuminate the vnderstanding Psal 27. Foure gifts of the holy Ghost belong to the vnderstanding Grace why it is called an Vnction Psal. 23. Psal 51. The second reason The will is a blind faculty Iohn 1. God is the Glasse of a purified soule God hath giueÌ„ knowledge to beasts to flie hurtfull things to embrace wholsome What thys supernaturall knowledge is Cant 5. Heb. 4 Testimonies of the Scripture as coÌ„cerning this knowledge Iohn 14. Iohn 6 Ierem. 31 Esay 54. Esay 4â— Prou. 9. In the first booke of his great Morals chap. 34. Psal. 37. Psal. 25. Psal. 94. Psal. 25. Ierome Psal. 119. The dignity of this doctrine See S. Ierome more at large in his 103. Epist to Paulinus c. 1. Philostratus in the life of Apollonius Tyaneus Psal 119 Esay 58 For what this wisedom is profitable Ecclus 27. Ambrose to Simplicianus Epist. 7. The dignitie of that wisedome Iob 28. Prou 2. The vnderstanding of the righteous increaseth Prou 4. Iob 4 The darknes of the wicked Exod 10 Esay 59 Psalm 9 Other mens sentences iudgemeÌ„ts are to be heard Gala 1 Exod 18 A similitude Psal. 97. Euill men thinke that there is no pleasure in Vertue Psal. 31. Psal. 35. The flesh also of the righteous reioyceth Psal 118. Psal. 68. Psal. 36. A similitude Psal. 89. How great the spiritual ioy is God as he is great in iustice so is he great in mercy Cant. 1. How great the force is of the sweetnes of the heauenly wine Holy Effrem A similitude Spirituall languorment Cant 5. Iohn 11 Coniectures of the greatnes of the spiritual delights 1. Psalm 18 Esay 64 1 Cor 2. Vertue hath her delights Psalm 37 Psalm 84 Cant 1 Apoc 17 Esay 56 The pleasure of the righteous is felt in their praiers Of the chast wedlock of the Worde and of the soule c. 22. Iohn 17. Gene 32 Math 17. Cant 2 Cant 8 Psalm 34 Psalm 73. The change of the righteous How a long night is to be passed Cant. 5. Cant. 2. Luke 15. Exod. 15. The entrance and beginnings of conuersion haue their pleasures Exod 13. Lâ—uit 23. Num. 28. In the beginning and in the end of the conuersion ther is a solemne feast Cant 8. Cant. 1. WheÌ„ce ioy and carefulnes ariseth in the nouices of Christ. A similitude Luke 15. A similitude Psal 65 Why the wicked doe not feele the sweetnes of God Blessednes two fold Time is very precious In the
solitary and monasticall lyues A wonderfull and excellent saying of Petrus Damianus of the oureof death Nothing auaileth in death but vertue Prou. 11. Ecclesiast 1. Apoc. 14. Iob. 11. In the 10. booke of his Morals Cap. 21. Prou. 14. The righteous feareth not in the houre of death Paulinus in the life of Ambrose In death prosperity doth nothing profit nor aduersity hurt A similitude Apoc 22 Math 19 Vertue hath one inconuenience Math 13 Esay 14 Psalm 144. â— Kings 1. Psalm 34 Prou 20 Cant 8 Ecclesi 32. Prou. 18. Diuers refuges of sinners Againt theÌ„ that defer their repentance August in the 8 booke of his confessions the 5. chap. The stâ—te of the question Gregory in an homily Luke 12. Apoc. â— The iust iudgement of God Ecclesi 5. Causes froÌ„ whence the difficulty of conuersion ariseth Ierome vnto Celantia Chap. 4. Bernard Luke 11 Esay 62 Osea 7 and the 9. Apoc 11 A similitude A similitude Whether nowâ— or hereafter it is more easie to turne vnto God A similitude Ecclus 10 The force of euillcustome A similitude The Allegory of Lazarus foure dayes dead The losse of time A similitude See August his tenne strings The sinnes which wee nowe commit wee heereafter shal deplore lament in vaine Psal. 6. A similitude The reliques of sinne remaine after the sinne How absurd a thing it is to reserue thy repeÌ„tance for old age A similitude Seneca in his book of the shortnes of life The greatnes of the satisfaction Deferring of repentance a certaine infidelity Greg. in his Morals Repentance is not to be deferred in regard of benefits receaued at Gods hand Ecclesi 18. Not to be deferred in regard of predestination We offer the best part to the world the worst to God Seneca in his 109. Epi. Mal. 1. Deut. 25. What we owe vnto God in respect of our redemtion Eccles. 12. An excellent exposition of this place of Eccles. The conclusion of the first obiection Ecclus 25 Ecclus 17. Iohn 5. Psalm 95 It is dangerous to dispute of finall repentance Ezech. 35 Augustine of true and false repentance ca 17 In the same place To be conuerted what it is In his exhortation to repentaÌ„ce which forthwith foloweth in his second booke of repentance The iudgement of Isidore In the ninth tome of Plantynes edition a little before the end Greg in his 18 book of his Morals chap. 5. Iob. 27. Prou. 28. Math. 25. The conclusion of the Schoole man The first reason of the Schoole man The euill disposition and temperature of the body is an impediment of coÌ„templation The 2 reason of the Schole-man Aug. in hys booke of true false repentance chap 17. 2 Kings 16 2 Kings 19 3 Kings 2. A similitude The thyrd reason of the Schole-man The fourth reason of the School-man Prou â— Math 24 Math. 25. August in an Epistle to Dios. Many miraculous and wonderful things reserued to the comming of Christ. Euseb. Emiss of the good theefe A similitude 2 Cor. 11. Psal. 62. The iudgements of God A similitude Eccles. 3. An obiection of the repentance of the Niniuites Heb 12 2 Macha 9 Hester 4 Deut 32 Esay 55 Psalm 129 The difference between the true Prophets and the false Ierem 37 Psalm 90 Whence the Diuine iustice is knowne A similitude All men ought to feare Whence feare is in-gendered The beginning of the wayes of the Lord. The fall of deuills Esay 14 The fall of Adam Gen. 7. Gen. 19. Numb 16. Leuit. 10 Acts 5. The hidden and secret iudgements of God Luke 23. The great infidelity of men 2 Kings 2. Ierem 5 Chap 8 In the foresaid chap. Esay 61 2 Reg 24 Ecclus 23 Psalm 69 Saint Augustine Psalm 147 Luke 13 Math 7 1 Pet 3. Eccles 1 Math 26 A similitude 1 Tim. 2. What it is to trust in God Ecclesi 5. The promises of God belong to the righteous and the thretnings to the vnrighteous Psal. 11. Esd. 8. Psal. 37. Psal. 4. August in his 11. homily among his 50. Bernard in his 56. Sermon amongst his small ones Vertue a friend vnto reason Gal 5. Rom 7. 4 Kings 6. Psal. 119. Psalm 19 Math 1 Esay 40 Esay 10 FroÌ„ whence the difficultie of vertue ariseth Ezech 11. Rom 4. Esay 41 For what end the reliques of sins euill appetites remaine in vs. Psalm 27 Another obiection with the answer Deut. 30. Spirituall circumcisioÌ„ Deut. 10. Augustine A similitude Esay 26. The commaundements of God are not impossible Deut. 30. 2 Iohn 5. August of holy widdowhood In the 13. book of his coÌ„fessions Rom. 8. Petrus Rauennas vppon that Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God c. Those things which are vncleane to the world are cleane to the righteous Exod. 8. Acts 5 Bernard in his small Sermons chap. 30. A similitude Prou 4 The way of the wicked hard and difficult Psalm 119 Psalm 17 Psalm 119 Math 11 Osea 11 Exod 3 2 Cor 4 Esay 40 The great changes â—lterations which the hand of the highest worketh The disciples of Christ were on a suddaine made learned Cyprian in his 2 book and 2 Epist. Augustine in the 8 book of his Confessions Chap. 11. Chap. 11. In the 9 book of his Confessions chap. 1. What euils are in the world No felicitie of the world lasting Eccles 11 Wisdom 5 Esay 29 Baruch 3 Some miseries are coÌ„mon both to the good and euill some proper onely to the wicked Wisdom 5 Euils of GOD. Gene 4 Deut 7. PunishmeÌ„ts inflicted vpon the wicked by the Ministers of God The euils that passions bring Psal. 11. Athanasius in the life of Saint Anthony Prou. 6. Ecclesi 13. The blindnes of men See Cyprian in his 2 booke and 2 Epistle Psal. 14. Hosea 4. Ierem 9 Psalm 55 Gene 25 What the world is Psalm 55. S. Bernard The world a hell Obiectiue beatitude A similitude Onely God can satisfie the hart of man The nature of the Seamans needle Psal. 45. S. Gregory deplored the losse of his quiet sweet solitary life Aug. of the manners of the Church 1. booke 3. chap. No man happy in this world Eccle 1 Psalm 4. Psalm 31. The world an hypocrite S. Augustine In vertue all perfections are found Plato Prou 3. Psal. 112. Psal. 9. Cicero in Loeli A similitude Vertue is loued in an enemy Rom. 8. Gen. 31. Psalm 119. In the same Psalm Wisdom 8. Cyprian in his 2 book and 2 Epist. Baruch 3 Ierem 9 Euill cuâ—toâ—e A similitude The world The deuill Ecclesiast 2 Moe for vs then against vs. A firme resolution is to be planted in the soule A similitude Iorome in the life of Paule the Hermite A similitude The proposition of this Booke Ezech â— A similitude 1 Iohn 2 Tob 4. August to a certaine Earle Bernard in a certaine Sermon Bernard in a Sermon 1 Cor 15. Wisdom 6. A saying of Tigranes King of the Armenians 1 Peter 5. Greg. in the 9. book of his Morals Chap. 11 Iob 9. See Bernard
in his 36 Sermon vppon the Canticles 1 Cor 4. Ber. in his 88. Epistle Ber. in hys 54. Sermon vpon the Canticles Greg. in his 40. homily vpon the Gospels 1 Tim 6 Christ an example pouertie How vnworthy how vilde a thing it is to lose thy soule for gold Math 6 Riches bring many euils inconueniences with them Riches doe not satisfie the appetite A similitude Aug. of the words of the Lord Riches are not safe Riches profit nothing in death A similitude Ambrose in a certaine Sermon Riches are remedies reliefes of mans misery and not instruments of pleasure 1 Tim. 6. Rich men may also be saued Ambrose in a Sermon Gregory in the 1. booke of his Register chap. 2. Hirelings are not to be defrauded of their wages Wils are speedily to be discharged A ioyfull plesaÌ„t thing not to be endangered and endebted to others 1 Tim 6. The combat of Chastity difficult Luxury polluteth the liuâ—ly temple of GOD. 1 Cor 6 The beginning of luxurie pleasant but the end bitter Prou 23 Mischiefes ioyned to this vice Luke 15 The chast beginne an Angels life in this life Bernard Epistle 42 Apoc 14 The outward sences are to be kept Ecclesi 9. Iob 31. The presence of God of thy Angell and of the deuill is to be thought vpon It is dangerous for a man alone to speake with a woman alone Dan. 13. August of the words of our Lord. Greg. in the 3 booke of his Dialogue ch 7. Enuy is familier with euery age person Gen. 37. Num. 12. Eccles. 4. Enuious men like vnto the deuill August in his booke of Christian doctrine Wee must not enuie the vertues of our neighbor By Charity other mens good things are made ours The mischiefes of Enuie A similitude Enuy is a iust sinne Gala 5 A similitude An obiection The answer Luke 21. Gluttony the cause of death The Abstinence of Christ. The abstinence of the holy fathers The delight of gluttony very short Luke 16. We must be wary in the refection of our bodies How man is reformed Aâ—lus Gâ—liâ—â— Ephe 4 Math 5 Man more wrathful then beasts Man hath no weapons giuen him of nature The anger of a certain Lyon From the example of Christ. An angry man without the grace and fauour of God Math 5 In his 8. homily vpon Ezech. How wee must reuenge Selfe-loue is to be pulld vp by the roots We must do nothing in our anger Plutarch in the Apothegs of the Romanes In the time of anger we must decree of nothing A similitude Ecclesi 19. Another aduice 1 Cor. 13. Prou 15. Math. 7. Math 24 The lobors of Christ. The labors of the Saints Nothing created to be idle Iohn 5 Great repentance is required for sinnes Luke 7 The saying of a godly man Without perseueraÌ„ce no saluation A similitude Very good and wholsome counsaile After victory a newe warre approcheth A similitude How temptation is to be turned into good Iames 5 We must not sweare by the life of another A similitude Three euils spring froÌ„ murmuring A similitude Ecclus 22 Prou 16 Ecclus 28 Ecclus 11 Ecclus. 28 Ecclus 9 The greatest soueranity to be able to rule thy tongue A similitude Psalm 55 Murmurers detractors are not to be heard Ecclus 29 Prou 25â—punc Howe a backbiter a detractour is to bee reproued A similitude Scandall that comes by detraction Math 18 Zach. 2. Against ieâ—ters and Iibers Leuit. 19. Math. 7. Foure precepts of the Church Housholders ought to looke that their families keepe the Sabaoth Eccles. 9. Eccle. 19. Aug. in his booke of the 〈…〉 Greg. in his Pastorals The hurt that the sins bring to the soule which we make so small account of In what things they are committed Aug. in his book of the conflict of vertues and vices Tom 9. Math 6. Math 23 Luke 10 Rom 13 Wisdom 2 Math 5 1 Iohn 4 Psalm 5 1 Peter 2 Math 10 1. Tim 4 2 Tim. 2 2 Tim 4 Math 5. Math. 25. Ezech. 18 Eccles. 5. Ezech. 16. A similitude 1 Iohn 16 Luke 6. â—ath 5 Iâ—b 31 Esay 46. 1 Cor. 2. The conclusion of the first part of the sâ—cond book 1 Iohn 4. The duties of iustice Note Miche 6 The parts to be reformed in maÌ„ What maner of conuâ—rsation man ought to haue The first fruit of this modesty Math 5 A caution The second fruite A similitude Ecclus 19 The third fruite Iob 29 In the same chapter Ecclâ—s 19 Prou 27 The body ought to be hâ—ndled â—usterely A similitude Rules to be obserued in eating Ecclesi 31. Bernard in his Epistles Greg. in the 2 booke of his Morals A similitude Gluttony a deceitfull pretender of yâ— which is not Epictetes The touch and the tast are the ignoblest sences The pleâ—sure of the tast short Wine immoderatly taken how dangerous Ephesi 5. In an Epistle to Eustochium of keeping virginity The Vine bringeth forth three kinde of Grapes Wine a very bad counsayler Much talke to be auoyded Prou 31 In the life of August chap 22. Ierome in an Epistle to Furia A similitude Bernard in his Epistles At the time of prayer the eyes are especially to be kept The eares are to be kept Smelling The tast Ecclus 18 Iames. 3 4. Things are to bee obserued in speaking The matter is to be obserued Ephe 4 Ephe 5 A similitude The maner is to be obserued in speaking Ecclus 32 The time Ecclus. 20. The intent of the speaker Prou 17 The euils and mischiefes of our owne will Bernard in his thyrd sermon of the resurrection of the Lord. The inferiour part of the soule is to be watched kept The difference betweene the sonnes of God the children of the world With what affections we are especially to warre Note How the superiour part of the soule is to be reformed The pouerty of spirit Seneca in his 18. Epist. Iohn 12. Prou. 29. Eccles. 33. A similitude A similitude The Imagination a wanderer and a fugiâ—iue A similitude 2 Kings 4. The duty and office of wisdom Similitudes Wisedome the Captaine and guide of other vertues The first duty of wisedome The second dutie The thyrd dutie The fourth dutie The fift dutie Eccles 3 Prou 29. Eccles 8. The 6 duty Ecclus 18. The 7. duty The 8. duty Acts 6 The 9. duty No man hurteth more then hee the hurteth vnder the show of pietie The tenth dutie Gala 1 Prou. 4. what things are required for this wisedome Foure stepdames of wisedome Vertue hateth extreames Antiquity doth not patronize nor vphold sinne This rule hath place in morality not in matters of faith Apparences of things doe often deceaue vs. In what a man ought to be circumspect Note Prou. 14. Eccles. 1. Euery opinion is not to be followed Ecclesi 13. The second part of iustice Esay 58 1 Cor 12 Colos 3 1 Tim 1 Rom 13 Ierome vpon the sixt chap. of the Epistle to the Galathians Charitie is not a naked and a bare affection 1 Iohn 3 Sixe