this assurance vnto vs Christ sent that most sweet and comfortable embassage vnto his disciples presentlie vpon his resurrection Goe and tel my brethren that I doe ascend vnto my father and vnto your father vnto my God and vnto your God By which two wordes of Father and God the one of loue and th' other of power the one of wil the other of abilitie he tooke away al doubt of not speeding from each man that should make recourse to this merciful Lord and Father God him self also after many threates vsed by the prophet Ieremie against the people of Israel for their sinnes in the end lest they should dispaire turneth about his talke and changeth his stile assuring them of many graces and fauours if they would returne vnto him telling the house of Israel that he had loued her from the beginning and had sought to draw her vnto him by threates to the end he might take mercy vpon her and that now he intended to build her vp againe to adorne her with ioy and exultation to gather her children from al corners of the earth to refresh them with the waters and riuers of life al this saith he quia factus sum Israeli pater for that I am become now a Father to Israel And in the same place to wicked Ephraim the head citie of the rebellious kingdome of Samaria he saith Ephraim is become my honorable sonne my delicate and dearely beloued child therefore my bovvels are moued vvith compassion vpon him and in abundance of mercy vvil I take pitie of him So much attributed God to this respect of being a father vnto Israel and Ephraim and of their being his children that for this cause only notwithstanding their infinit enormous sinnes his bowelles of endles mercie were moued with loue and compassion towardes them And thes are thos tender merciful bowelles which holie Zacharie father to S. Iohn Baptist protesteth to be in almightie God towardes mankind that had offended him Thes are thos which were in that good old father mentioned in the Gospel who being not only offended but also abandoned by his yonger sonne yet after he saw him returne home againe notwithstanding he had wasted al his thrist and substance and had weried out his bodie with wicked life he was so far of from disdaining to receaue him as he came forth to meete with him sel vpō his neck and kissed him for ioy adorned him with new apparel and riche iewelles prouided a solemne banket for him inuited his friēdes to be merie with him and showed more exultation and triumph for his returne then if he had neuer departed from him By which parable our Saueour IESVS endeuored to set forth vnto vs the incomprehensible mercie of his heauenly Father towardes sinners in which respect he is truely called by his Apostle pater misericordiarum the father of mercies For that as S. Bernard wel noteth this sea Oceā of mercies doth flow peculiarly frō the hart of a father which can not be said so properly of the gulfe and depth of his iudgementes For which cause he is called in Scripture the God of iustice and reuēge and not the Father And finally this blessed name of father in God doth import vnto vs by Godes owne testimonie al sweetenes al loue al frendship al comfort al satherly prouidēce care and protection al certaintie of fauour al assurance of grace al securitie of mercie pardon and remission of our sinnes whensoeuer vnfainedly we turne vnto him And in this point his diuine Maiestie is so foreward and vehement to geue vs assurance that being not content to set forth his loue vnto vs by the loue of a fathers hart he goeth further and protesteth vnto vs that his hart is more tēder towardes vs in this behalf then the hart of any mother can be to the only child and infant of her own wombe For thus he saith to Sion which for her sinnes begā to doubt least he had forsaken her Can the mother forget her ovvainfant or can she not be merciful to the child of her ovvne vvombe if she could yet can I not forget or reiect thee behold I haue vvritten thee in the flesh of my ovvne handes And this for so much as God is called our Father Ther remaineth yet a third consideration which more setteth forth Gods inestimable loue then any of the other demonstrations before handled And this is that he gaue the life and blood of his only begotten and eternal sonne for purchasing and redeeming vs when wee were lost a price so infinite and inexplicable as no doubt his diuine wisdome would neuer haue giuen but for a thing which he had loued aboue al measure Which our Sauiour him self that was to make the paiment doth plainly signifie and therfore also seemeth as it were to wonder at such a bargaine when he saieth in the Ghosple So dearly hath God my father loued the vvorld that he hath giuen for it his only begotten sonne In which wordes he ascribeth this most wōderful dealing of his father vnto the vehemencie and exceeding aboundāce of loue as doth also his dearest disciple and Apostle S. Sohn saing In this appeareth the great loue and charitie of God towards vs that he hath sent his only begotten sonne into the world to purchase life for vs. In this I saie is made euident his exceeding charitie that we not louing him he loued vs first and gaue his owne sonne to be a ransome for our sinnes Wherunto also the holie Apostle S. Paul agreeth admiring in like maner the excessiue loue of God in thes wordes God doth maruailouslie commend and set forth his great loue vnto vs in that we being yet sinners he gaue his sonne to the death for our redemption And in an other place framing out as at were a measure of Gods mercie by this aboundance of his loue faieth thus God who is rich in mercie thorough the exceeding loue which he bore vnto vs we being dead in sinne he reuiued vs in Christ and raised vs vp euen vnto heauen making vs to sitte doune ther with him to the ende he might declare to al ages and worldes ensuing the most abundant riches of his grace and goodnes towards vs. This was the opinion of that noble Apostle S. Paul and of al his coequals Apostles Euangelistes Disciples Saints that this worke of our redemption proceeded only from the inflamed fornace of Gods immeasurable loue And therfore to make no other conclusion her of then that which S. Paul him self doth make If God haue not spared his owne proper only begotten soone but hath geuen him vp to death for gaining vs vnto him how can it be that with him he hath not geuen vnto vs al other thinges If when we were his enemies and thought not vpon him he sent to seeke vs so diligently by such a messinger as he loued so dearly allowing
holie man Iob considering and hearing but one word vttered by his friend which in his conceit did sauour of presumption against this God burst forth into thes wordes Whom wilt thou teach my friend wilt thou teach him which hath inspired breath into man which hath stretched out the heauens ouer the vacuitie of this world and hath hanged vp the earth in the aire without staie before whom hel is wide-open and ther is no couering from perdition The pillers of heauen doe tremble and quake at his only fight And if we should heare but the lest whispering of his speech who should be able to abide the thunder of his maiesties greatnes Imagine then novv my louing brother after althes testimonies that thou seest before thy face this great and mightie king sitting in his chaire of maiestie with chariottes of fire vnspeakable light and infinite millions of Angels aboute him Imagine further which also is most trew that thou seest al the creatures in the world stand in his presence and trembling at his maiestie and most carefullie attending to doe that for which he created them as the heauens to moue aboute the Sunne moone and Starres to geeue lighte and influence the earthe to bringe foorth her sustenance and euerie other creature diligently to labour for perfourmance of the dutie assigned vnto him Imagine besides that thou seest al these creatures how bigge or litle soeuer they be to hange and depende onlie of the power and vertue of this God and therby only to stande moue and consist and that there passeth from God to eche creature in the world yea to euerie parte that hath motion or being in the same some beame of his vertue euen as from the sunne we see infinite beames passe into the ayer Consider I say that no one parte of anie creature in the world as the fishe in the sea the grasse on the ground the leaues of trees or the partes of man vpon the face of the earth can grow moue or consist without some litle streame of vertue and power deriued to it continuallie from God So that thou must imagine God to stand as a most glorious and resplendent Sunne in the midle or center of al thinges created and from him to passe foorth innumerable beames and streames of vertue to all the creatures that are either in heauen earth the ayer or waters to euerie parte and particle of the same and that vpon thes beames of his deuine vertue all creatures doe depend in so much as if he should stop or diuert but any one of them al it would destroye and annihilate presentlie some creature or other This I saye if thou shalt consider touching the maiestie of God and the infinite dread that all creatures haue of him except onlie a sinner for the deuils also doe feare him as S. Iames affirmeth thou wilt not meruaile at the seuere iudgemēt appointed for his offence For sure I am that very shame of the world maketh vs to haue more regarde in offending the poorest friende we haue in this life thē a wicked man hath in offending almightie God which is an intollerable contempt of so great a maiestie such a cōtempt in deed as God him self doth account to pro ceede of plaine infidelitie For wheras at a certaine time he had declared his owne great power by the mouth of Ieremie threatened manie punishmentes to the Iewes for their wickednes thei werenothig moued therwith Wherupō he cōmaūded hī to returne againe vnto thē to say thes wordes Heare thou folishe people vvhich hast no hart you that haue eyes and see not eares and heare not And vvil ye not then feare me vvil ye not trēble in my sight vvhich haue sett the sandes for a bounde vnto the sea and haue gyuen him an eternal precept vvhich he shal not breake c. This people hath a faithles hart c. Which is as much as if he had said that this lacke of feare in the Iewes proceeded of their defect of faith For if they had belieued him to be in deed so powerful terrible ful of maiestie as the holie scripture setteth him doune they would haue conceyued more feare in offending him BVT NOVV IF VVE adioine to this contemplation of maiestie an other consideration of his benefites bestowed vpon vs our default wil grow to be far greater For that to iniury him who hath done vs good is a thinge moste detestable euen in nature itself And there was neuer yet so fearce a harte no not among brute beastes but that it might be wonne with curtesie and benefites But much more among reasonable creatures doth beneficence preuaile especiallie if it come from great personages whose loue and friendshippe declared vnto vs but in small gyftes doth greatlie by nde the hartes of the receyuers to loue them againe Consider then deare Christian the infinite good turnes and benefites which thou hast receyued at the handes of this great God therby to winne the to his loue and that thou shouldest leaue of to offende and iniurie him And albeit no tongue created either of man or Angel can expresse the one halfe of thes giftes which thow hast receyued from him or the value therof or the great loue and hartie good will wherwith he bestowed the same vpon the yet for some better helping of thy memorie stirring vp thine affection to be grateful I will repeate certaine generall and principall pointes therof wherunto the rest may be easilie referred First then cal to minde that he hath bestowed vpō thee the benefite of thy creation wherby he made the of nothing to the likenes of hymself and appointed the to so noble an ende as is to serue him in this life and to raigne with him in the life to come hauing furnished thee besides for the better attainmēt therof with the vse seruice and subiection of al his other creatures The greatnes of which benefite may partly be conceyued if thou doe imagine thy self to lacke but any one parte of thy bodie as a legge an arme an eye or the like and that one should freelie euen of pure good wil and loue supplie thy want and gyue the same vnto thee Or if thou wantest but any one of thy senses as that thou were deafe blynde or dumme and some man should restore thy sight hearing or fpeech vnto thee howe wouldest thou esteeme of this benefite how much wouldest thow professe thy self beholdig vnto him for the same And if the gyft of one of these partes onlie would seeme vnto thee so singuler a benefite how greatly oughtest thou to esteeme the free gyfte of so manie partes together Adde now hereunto as I haue sayde that he hath created the to thee lyknes of no other thing but of him self to no other ende but to be his honorable seruante in this world and his compartener in kynglie glorie for all eternitie to come and this he hath done to the
If God be vvith vs vvho vvill be against vs sayeth the Apostle God is my helper and defender saieth holie Dauid for vvhom shal I quake or treÌ„ble If whole armies should rise against me yet wil I alwaies hope to haue the victoric And what is the reason for that thou art vvith me ô Lords thou fightest on my side thou assistest me with thy grace by helpe and assistance whereof I shal haue the victorie though al the squadrons of my enemies that is of the flesh the world and the deuil should at once rise against me Nay I shal not onelie haue the victorie but I shal haue it also most easilie and with al pleasure coÌ„fort delite For thus much signifieth S. Iohn in that hauing saied that the commaundemeÌ„tes of Christ are not greeuous he inferreth presently as the cause there of Quoniam omne quod natum est ex Deo vincit mundum For that al which is borne of God ouercommeth conquereth the world that is the grace and heauenlie assistance which is deriued and sent vs from God aboue doth both conquer the world with al the difficulties and temptations therof as also make the commaundements of almightie God most easie vnto vs and al vertuous life veric sweet and pleasant But here perhappes you wil saye vnto me Christ him self confesseth it to be a yoke and burden and how then can it be so pleasant easie as you make it wherto I answer that Christ addeth also that it is a sweete yoke a light burden wherby your obiection is taken away Againe it is further signified that there is a burden which greeueth not the bearer but rather helpeth and refresheth the same like as the burden of fethers vpon a birdes back beareth vp the bird and is nothing at al greeuoê° vnto her So in like maner though it be a yoke yet is it a sweete yoke a comfortable yoke a yoke more pleasant than hony or hony combe as sayeth the Prophet And whie so because we drawe therin with a sweete yokefelow we drawe with Christ him self that is to say Christes holie grace draweth at the one end of the yoke and our endeuour at the other And because when a great oxe and a litle doe drawe together in one yoke the weight lieth al vpon the greater oxe his neeke for that he beareth vp the yoke from the other therof it cometh that we drawing in this yoke together with Christ which is infinitly stronger and greater then we are he lighteneth vnto vs the whole burden and onelie requireth that we should goe on comfortablie with him and not refuse to ioyne and perseuer vnder this sweet yoke in his companie for that the paines shal be his and the pleasure and profit ours And this him self signifieth verie expreslie in the Ghospel when he inuiteth al men that are heuelie loden to come vnto his yoke and he wil refreshe theÌ„ Wherby he declareth plainly that his calling vs to the bearing of his sweet yoke is onlie therby to disburden and ease vs and not any waye to loden or agreeue vs to disburden vs I say of the heauie loadinges packes and yokes of this world as from the burden for example of a guiltie conscience the burden of melancholie the burden of enuie hatred and malice the burden of pride the burdeÌ„ of ambition the burden of couetousnes the burden of wrath the burden of feare the burden of al wickednesse and of hel fire it self From al these burdens lodinges and miserable yokes our most louing Saucour desireth to deliuer vs by couering our neckes onelie with his yoke and burden so lightned and sweetned by his holy grace as the bearing therof is not trauailsome but most easie pleasant iocunde and comfortable And thus much of the first and principal helpe that maketh the path of vertuous life easie I meane of Gods holie grace inhereÌ„t in mans soule which is the ofspring and fountaine of al other helpes that doe insue THE SECOND thing that maketh this yoke so sweet this burden so light this waie of Gods commaundementes so pleasant to resolued men is vehemencie of loue loue I meane towards God whose commaundementes they are which we take in hand For that euery maÌ„ can easelie tel hath experienced in him self what an irresistable force the passion of loue conteineth and how it maketh most facil the verie greatest paines that are in this world What maketh for examples sake the mother to take such incessant paine in the bringing vp of her child to indure with comfort so many trauailes as she doth but onelie loue what causeth the wife to fit so attentiue at the beds side of her husbande when he is sicke but onelie loue what moueth the beastes and birdes of the ayer to spare from their owne foode and to endaunger their own liues for the feeding and defending of their litle ones but onelie the great force and puissance of loue S. Austen doth prosecute this pointe at large by many other examples as of Marchantes that refuse no aduenture of sea for loue of gaine of huntars that refuse no season of euill weather for loue of game of soldiers that refuse no danger of spoyle And he addeth in the end that if the loue of man can be so great towardes creatures here as to make great labours easie and in deede to seeme no labours but rather pleasures how much more shal the loue of good men towardes God make al their paines and trauailes comfortable which they take in his seruice This extreme loue was the cause and reason whie al the intollerable paines afflictions which our Saue our Christ suffered for our sake did seeme nothing vnto him And this loue also was the reciprocal cause why so infinit trauailes and tribulations as zelous Christians from the beginning haue suffered for their Lord and Maister seemed nothing vnto them Imprisonmentes tormentes losse of honour goodes and life haue seemed verie trifles to innumerable seruantes of God in respect of this feruent and burning loue This loue droue infinite virgines and tender children to offer them selues in time of persecution for zelous affection toward him which in the cause was persecuted This loue caused holie Apollonia of Alexandria being broght to the fire to slip out of the handes of such as ledde her and ioyfullie to runne into the same of her self This loue inforced blessed Ignatius the auncient Martir to saye being condemned to beastes and fearing least they would refuse his bodie as they had done the bodies of diuers Martirs before him that he would not permit that but would rather prouoke them to pulle and teare his bodie in peeces Thes are the effectes deare brother of feruent loue which doe make euen the thinges that in this world are most difficult and dreadful of theÌ„ selues to appeare verie facile sweete and pleasant and much more the lawes and commaundementes of almightie
cōming the Prophete Malachies wordes are Beholde our Lord shal come and vvho shal be able to abide the daie of his comming And the Prophete Esaie addeth further touching the same cōming that the verie mountaines shalmelt at that daie before his face And yet further he describeth the same in an other place thus Beholde our Lord shal come in strength and sortitude as a storme of haile and as avvhyrle vvinde breaking and throvving doune vvhat soeuer standeth in his vvaie as a rage of many vvaters that ouer-stovve and rushe together c. Wherunto the Prophet Dauid annexeth that burning fire shal runne before his face and on euery side of him a violent tempest This terrible Iudge then being set and al creatures of the world conuented before him the Scripture laieth doune vnto vs the order of that iudgment described by Daniel in thes wordes I stoode saieth he vvith attention and I savve certaine seates placed and the Auncient of yeares sate doune in iudgment Thousand thousands vvere attendant to serue him and ten hundreth thousand thousands stood vvaiting before him The iudgment vvas settled and the bookes vvere opened Thus much was reueyled to Daniel without declaration what bookes thos were But to S. Iohn the same were made manifest who expoundeth the matter thus I savve saieth he a great bright throne and one that sate vpon the same before vvhos face both heauē and earth did tremble c. And I savve al thos that vvere dead both great and smal standing before the throne And the bookes vvere ther opened and al thos that vvere dead had their iudgemēt according to the thinges vvhich vvere vvriten in thos bookes euery one according to his vvorkes By which wordes we are gyué to vnderstand that the books which at that daie shal be opened and wherby our cause must be discerned shal be the euidences of our deedes and actions in this life recorded in the testimonie of our owne consciences and in the infallible memorie of Gods inscrutable wisdome Wherūto shal gyue witnes in that place against the reprobate both heauen and earth which were created for them the Sunne and Moone with all the starres and planetes which from the beginning of the world haue serued them the elements and other creatures inordinately loued and abused by them their compagnions ther present with whom they sinned their brethern whom they afflicted the preachers and other Saints of God whom they contemned and aboue al other thinges the ensigne and standard of their redemption I meane the triumphant Crosse of Christ which shal at that daie be erected in the sight of all the world Al thes I saye with infinite other thinges shal thē beare witnes against the wicked and condemne them of intollerable ingratitude in that they offended so gratious and bountiful a Lord as by so manifold benefites allured them to loue and serue him At this daie saieth the Scripture shal the iust stand in great constancie against thos by whom they were afflicted and oppressed in this life And the wicked seeing this shal be surprised with a horrible feare and shal saie vnto the hilles fal vpō vs and hide vs from the face of him that fitteth vpon the throne and from the indignatiō of the Lambe for that the great daie of wrath is now come O merciful Lord how great a daie of wrath shal this be how truly said thy Prophete in his meditation of this daie vvho can conceyue the povver of thy vvrath or vvho is able for very scare to recount the greatnes of thine indignatiō This is that daie of thine wherof thy seruant said so long before that thy zeale and surie should spare none in this daie of reuenge nether should yeeld or be moued vvith any mans supplication nor should admit revvards for the deliuery of any man This is that most dreadful daie of thine wherof thy holy Prophete admonished vs when he said Behold the daie of our Lord shal come a cruel daie ful of indignation vvrath and surie to bring the earth into a vvildernes and to crushe in peeces the sinners therof And an other Prophete of the self same daie behold the daie of our Lord dot bcome a daie of darknes and dimnes a daie of cloudes and stormes a most terrible daie and such an one as vvas neuer from the beginning of the vvorld nor shal be after in al eternitic This is thy daie ô Lord and so properly thou wilt haue it called like as it pleaseth thy goodnes to terme the course of this present life the daie of man For that as in the time of this present world thou art content to holde thy peace and be patient and suffer sinners to doe their wil euen so at this last daie thou wilt rise vp pleade for thine owne glorie and wilt make thy self knowen to the terrour of thine enimies according as thy seruant Dauid foretold of the when he said Cognescetur Dominus iudicia faciens God wil be knowé when he shal come to doe iudgment Good God what a maruailous daie shal this be when we shal see al the children of Adam gathered together from al corners and quarters of the earth when as S. Iohn saieth the sea and land shal yeeld their dead bodies and both hel and heauenshal restore the soules which they possesse to be vnited to thos bodies What a wonderful meeting wil this be deare Christian how ioyful to the good and how lamentable doleful and terrible to the wicked The godlie and righteous being to receyue the bodies wherin they liued into the league felowship of their eternal blisse shal embrase them with al possible swetnes and delight singing with the prophet Behold hovv good pleasant a thing it is for brethern or parteners to dvvel together in unitie But the miserable damned spirites beholding the carcaies which were the instruments and occasiós of their sinne wel knowing that their inspeakable tormentes shal be encreated by their mutual coniunction and association shal abhorre and vtterly derest the same curse the daic that euer they were acquainted together inueighing most bitterly against all the partes and semes therof as against the eies for whos curious delighte so many vanities were seught the eares for whos pleasure and daliance so great varietie of sweet sounds and melodie was procured the mouth and taste for whos contentemēt and fond satisfaction so innumerable delicacies were deuised And to be short the backe and belly with other sensual partes for contentatió of whos riotous volupteoulnes both sea and land were sifted and turmoiled This shal be the most sorowful condition of thes infortunate soules at that daie but this sorowe shal not auaile them For the iudgment must passe on And then saieth the Scripture shal christ separate the sheepe frō the goates shal place his sheepe on the right hand and the goates on the lest
benefites and such other which might iustifie sufficientlie his indignation and seuere hatred against him But there is one reason aboue al the rest which openeth the verie fountaine and origine of the matter and this is the intollerable iniurie donne vnto almightie God in euerie mortall sinne that we commit which in deede is so opprobrious abhominable an iniurie as no meane worldly potentate could beare the same at his subiectes handes and much lesse God him self being the omnipotent Lord of al glorie and Maiestie may in reason tollerate an outrage so often iterated against him as is sinne daily committed by the wicked For the better vnderstanding of which iniurie we are to consider that euerie time we cōmit a mortal sinne there doth passe thorough our hart minde though we marke it not a certaine practik discourse of our vnderstandinge as there doth also in euerie other electiō whereby we lay before vs on the one side the profit of that sinne which we are tempted to commit that is to saie the pleasure which allureth vs therunto and on thother parte the offence of God which is the leesinge of his grace and friēdshippe by that sinne yf we yeeld vnto it And thus hauinge as it were the balances there before vs and setting God in one end therof and in the other the aforesaide pleasure we stand in the middest deliberatinge examininge the waight of both partes and finallie doe make choise of the pleasure and reiect almightie God that is we chuse rather to loose the fauour of God together with his grace and whatsoeuer he is worth besides then to lacke that pleasure and delectation of sinne Now then what can be more opprobrious and horrible then this what cā be more reprochful to God then to prefer a most vile pleasure before his infinite Maiestie is not this farre more intollerable then the disgrace offred to him by the Iewes when they made choise of Barrabas the murderer and reiected Iesus their Saueour surely how hamous soeuer that sinne of the Iewes were yet in two poites this doth seeme to exceede the same First in that the Iewes knew not whome they refused in their choise as we doe Secondly in that they refused Iesus but once wheras we refuse him both daily and hourly whensoeuer in our hartes we giue consent vnto mortal sinne And is it meruaile then that God dealeth so seuerely sharplye with sinners in the worlde to come whoe doe vse hym so opprobriouslie and contemptuouslie in this life Vndoubtedly the malice of a sinner is greate towardes God and he doth not onlie dishonour hym by contempt of his commaundementes and by preferring most vyle creatures before hym but also beareth a secrete hatred grudge against his maiestie and woulde if it lay in his power offer his endeuour to pull hym out of his seate or at the least wise 〈◊〉 in his hart there were no God at all to punish sinne after this present lyfe Let euerie sinner examine the botome of his conscience in this point whether he could not be content there were no immortalitie of the sowle no reckoninge after this life no iudge no punishment no hell and consequentlye no God at al to the ende he might the more securelie enioye his pleasures And because God who searcheth the harte and reynes seethe well this most vndutiful trayterous affectiō towardes hym lurking within the bowels of sinful men how smoth so euer their wordes may be here of it commeth that in the whole course of holie Scripture he denounceth them for his enimies and professeth open warre and hostilitie against them And then suppose yoa what a pitiful case thes vnfortunate men are in being but seely wormes and wretches of the earth whē they haue so puissant an enimie to fight against them as doth make the verie heauens to tremble at his looke And yet that the case is so heare what himself sayeth what he threatneth what he thundreth out against them After he had by the mouth of Esaye the Prophet re peated many sinnes abhominable in his sight as the taking of bribes oppressing of poore people and the like He defieth the doers therof as his open enymies saying This saieth the Lord God of hostes the stronge Lord of Israel Beholde I vvi be reuenged vpon mine enimies and vvill comfort my self in their destruction And the Prophet Dauid as he was a man in most high fauour with God and made preuie to his secretes aboue many other so he more than any other doth expresse this seuere meaning of God his infinite displeasure against sinners calling them his enimies vessels of his wrath and ordayned to eternal ruine and destruction and complaineth that the world will not beleeue this point An vnvvise man saieth he vvill not learne this neither vvill the foole vnderstand it And what is this ô holy Prophet it foloweth That siners and vvorkers of iniquitie after they haue appeared i the vvorld doe perishe euerlastingly And what is the reason of this he answereth immediatly because toy enimies o Lord thy enimies I saie o Lord shal perishe til they that vvoreke iniquitie shal be cosumed Wherby we see that all sinners be enimies to God and God to them as also vpō what grounde and reason But yet for the further iustifyinge of godes seueritie let vs consider in what measure his hatred is towardes sinne how great how far it proceedeth withi what boundes it is comprehended or whether it haue any limites or bondes at all or rather be infinite and without limitation And to vtter the matter as in trueth it stādeth if all the tongues in the world were made one tongue and all the vnderstandinges of all creatures I meane of Angels and men were made one vnderstandinge yet could nether this tongue expresse nor this vnderstanding conceiue the great hatred of gods harte towards euery mortall sinne which we commit And the reason hereof standeth in two pointes First for that God by how much more he is better than we are by so much more he loueth goodnes and hateth synne than we doe And for that he is infinitelie good therfore his loue to goodnes is infinite and his hatred to euil immesurable and consequentlie his rewardes to them both are infinite the one in hell with euerlasting miserie thother in heauen by eternal felicitie Secondlie we see by experience that how much more great and worthie the person is against whom an offence is cōmitted so much greater is alwayes the offence as for example the self same blow or iniurie offred to a bond-slaue and to a prince differeth greatlie in qualitie and in the nature of offence and consequentlie deserueth farre different hatred and punishment And for that euerie mortal sinne which we commit is donne directlie against the person of God hym self as hath bene declared before whose dignitie is infinite therfore the offence or guilt of euery such sinne is
diuers times he hath vsed and doth vse therby to gaine vs and our sowles vnto his eternal kingdome by stirring vs vp to abandon vitious life and to betake ourselues to his holy and swete seruice Al which most rare and excellent benefites being measured either according to their inestimable value in themselues or according to the loue of that harte from which they do proceede or els if we respect the maiestie of the giuer or meanesse of the receyuer ought in reason to moue vs most vehementlie to gratitude towardes so bountiful a benefactour And this gratitude shoulde be to resolue ourselues at length to serue him vnsaynedlie to preferre his fauour before al wordlie or mortal respectes whatsoeuer Or if we can not obtaine so much of ourselues yet at leastwise not to offende him anie more by our sinnes and wickednes There is not so fearse or cruell a nature in the world as I noted before but is mollisied allured and wōne by benefites And stories do make reporte of straunge examples in this kinde euen among brute beastes as of the gratitude of lyons dogges and other like towardes their maisters and benefactours Onliean obstinate sinner is he among all the sauuage creatures that are whom neither benefites can moue nor curtisies can mollifie nor promises can allure nor gyftes can gayne to the faithfull seruice of God his Lord and maister The greatest synner that is in the world if he geeue his seruante but twentie nobles a yeare or his tennant some litle farme to liue vpon if they for this should not serue him at a becke he crieth out of their ingratitude But if they should further malitiouslie seeke to offende him and to ioyne in amitie with his professed enimie how intollerable a matter would this seeme in his conceit And yet him self dealing much more ingratfullie and iniuriouslie with almightie God esteemath it a matter of smal consideration easely pardonable He dealeth I saie far more ingratfullie with God for that he hath receyued a thousand folde for one in respect of all the benefites that one mortal man can gyue vnto an other Seing that of God he hath receyued al in al the bread which he eateth the grounde he treadeth the light he beholdeth the aire he enioyeth and finally what so euer he possesseth ether within or without his bodie as also the minde with al her spiritual endumētes wherof eche one is more worth then ten thousand bodies Of this extreme ingratitude and iniurie God himself is enforced to complaine in diuers places of holy scripture as where he saith they repaied me euil for good And yet much more vehemētlie in an other place he calleth the heauens to witnes of this iniquitie crving out Obstupescite caeli super hoc O you heauens be you astonished at this As if he should saye by a figuratiue kinde of speech goe out of your wittes you heauens with meruaile at this incredibile iniquitie of man to wardes me For so he expoundeth the whole matter more at large in an other place Audite cals auribus percipe terra c. Harken oye heauens and thow earth bende hither thine eares I haue nourished vp children and haue exalted them and now they doe cōtemne me What a lamentable complaint is this of almightie God against most vile and base wormes of the earth But yet he amplifieth this iniquitie more vehemētly by certaine examples and comparisons The oxe saieth he knovveth his ovvner the asse knovveth the manger of his Lord and maister but yet my people knovveth not me VVoe be to this synful nation to this people loden vvith 〈◊〉 to this noughtie seede to vvicked children What complaint can be more vehement then this what threatning can be more dreadfull then this woe comming from the mouth of him which may punishe vs at his pleasure Wherfore deare brother if thou haue grace cease to be vngrateful to God any longer cease to offend him which hath by so many waies preuented the with benefites cease to render euil for good hatred for loue contempt for his father lie affection towardes the. He hath done for the al that he can he hath geeuen the al that thow art yea and in a certaine maner al that he is worth hym self and meaneth besides to make the partaker of al his glorie in the world to come and requireth no more for al this at thy handes but loue and gratitude O my louing brother why wilt thou not yelde vnto him this his desire why wilt thou not doe as much to him as thou woldest haue an other mā to doe to the for lesse then the ten thousand parte of thes benefites which thow hast receyued for I dare bouldly saye if thow haddest gyuen but an almes to a poore man at thy dore thou wooldest thike him bounde to loue the for it al beit besids this ther were nothing in the that greatly might deserue his loue But thy Lord and maister setting a parte al his giftes bestowed vpon the hath infinite causes to drawe thy loue vnto him that is to saye all the causes which any thing in the world hath in it to purchase loue and infinite more besydes For if all the perfections of thinges created both in heauen and in earth that may procure loue were ioyned together in one as al their beautie al their vertue al their wisdome al their sweetnes al their nobilitie al their goodnes and other like excellencies yet thy Lord Sauy our whom thou contemnest surpasseth all thes and that by infinite and infinite degrees for that he is not onlie all thes thinges together but morouer he is verie beautie it self vertue it self wisedome it self sweetenes it self nobilitie it self goodnes it self and the verie fountaine and welspring from which by litles peeces and parcels al thes thinges are deriued vnto his creatures Be a shamed then good Christian of this thine ingratitude to so great so good and so bountifull a Lord and resolue thy self for the tyme to come to amende thy course of life and former behauiour towardes him Say at lēgth with the Prophet hauing considered thine owne ingratitude O Lord pardon me mine offences for they are great in thy sight I know there is nothing ô Lord which doth so much displease the or drie vp the fountaine of thy mercie or so byndeth thy handes frō doinge good as doth ingratitude in the receyuers of thy benefites Wherin hitherto I haue exceeded al others But I haue done it ò Lord in mine ignorance not considering thy infinite giftes bestowed vpon me or what account thou wouldest demaunde againe of the same But now seing thou hast vouchsafed to make me woorthie of this special grace also wherby to see knowe mine owne errour default I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace to shew my self a better childe towardes the. O my God I am vāquished at lēgth with cōsideratiō of thy
may perfectly conceyue the same but he that seeleth them albeit in part some smal coniecture may be made therof by thes three general pointes ensuing wherunto the rest may be referred THE FIRST IS THE excessiue paines which commonlie mē suffer in the separation of their soules and bodies which hauing liued so longe time together vnited as two deare frendes in loue and pleasure are now most loth to parte were it not that violently they are enforced therunto This paine may partlie be conceyued if we would driue out life but from the least parte of our bodie as for example out of our litle fingar like as surgeans are wont to doe when they wil mortifie any one place to make it breake What intolerable paine doth a man suffer before this member be dead what raging greefe doth he abyde If then the mortifying of one litle parte onlie doe so much afflict vs Imagine what the violent mortifying of al the partes together wil doe For we see that first the soule is driuen by death to leaue the extreamest partes as the toes feete and fingers then the legges and armes and so consequently one parte dieth after an other vntill life be restrained onlie to the harte which holdeth out longest as the principal part but yet finallie must be also constrained to render it self though with neuer so much paine and resistance Which paine how great and stronge it is may appeare by the breaking in peeces of the verie stringes and holdes wherwith it was enuironed through the excessiue vehemencie of this deadlie torment Neuertheles before it come to this pointe of yelding no man can expresse the cruel conflict that is betwixt death and her and what distresses she abideth in the time of her agonie Imagine that a prince possessed a goodlie citie in al peace wealth and pleasure and greatlie frinded of al his neighbours round about him who promised to assiste him in al his needes and affairs that vpon the sudden his mortal enimie should come and besiege this citie and taking one holde after an other one wall after another one castell after an other should driue this prince onlie to a litle tower and besiege him therin al his other holdes being beaten doune and his men slaine in his sight what feare anguishe and miserie woold this afflicted prīnce be in How often would he looke out at the windowes loope holes of his tower to see whether his friendes and neighboures would come to help him or no And if he saw them all to abandone him and his cruel enemie euen readie to breake in vpon him would he not trow you be in a most pitiful plight Euen so then fareth it with a poore soule at the hower of death The bodie wherin she raigned like a iolie princesse in al pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and ouerthrowen by her enimie which is death the armes legges and other partes wherewith she was fortified as with walles and wardes during time of health are now surprised and beaten to the grounde and she is driuen onlie to the harte as to the last and extremest refuge wherein also she is most fearcelie assayled in such sorte as she can not possiblie hold out longe Her dearest friendes who soothed her in time of prosperitie and promised assistance as youth agilitie strength courage diet phisicke and other humane helpes doe now vtterlie abandone her the enimie wil not be pacified or make any league at al but night and daye assaulteth this Turret wherein she is retired and which now beginneth to shake and shiuer in pecees in such sort as she expecteth hourelie when her enimie in most raging dreadful maner wil burst in vpon her What thinke you is now the state of this afflicted soule It is no maruaile if a wise man become a foole or a stoute worldling most abiect in this instant of extremitie as we often see they doe in such sorte that they can dispose of nothing well either towardes God or the world at this houre The cause wherof is the extremitie of paines oppressing their mindes as S. Austē wel noteth geuing vs ther withal a most excellent fore-warning of this daie if men were so happie as to follow it When you shal be in your last sicknes deare bretheren sayeth he ò how harde and painful a thing wil it be for you to repent of your faultes committed and of good deedes omitted and why is this but onlie for that all the intentiō of your minde wil runne thither where al the force of your paine is Manie impedimentes shall let men at that day As the paine of the bodie the feare of death the sight of children for the which their fathers shall often times thinke thē selues damned the weeping of the wife the flatterie of the world the temptation of the deuil the dissimulation of phisitions for lacre sake and the like And beleeue thou ò man which readest this that thou shalt quickelie proue al this trew vpon thy self and therfore I beseech the that thou wilt doe penance before thou come vnto this last daie Dispose of thy house and make thy testament whyle thou arte whole while thou art wise while thou art thine owne man for if thou tarie vntil the last daie thou shalt be led whether thou wouldest not Hitherto are S. Austens words THE SECONDE THING which shal make death most terrible and grieuous to a worldlie man is the sudaine parting and that for euer and euer from al the thinges which he loued most dearely in this life as from his riches possessiōs honours offices faire buildinges goodlie apparel and rich iewels as also from wife and children kindred and frindes and al other earthly delightes and commodities wherewith in this life he thought him self a most happie man And now to be plucked from thes vpon the sudaine without hope euer to see or vse them againe and that often times when he least doubteth any such matter must needes be a pointe of extreme griefe especiallie if he be in the state which holie Iob describeth when he saith The vvicked man dieth vvhen he is strōge and vvhole of bodie riche happie vvhile his entrals are ful of fatte and vvhiles his bones are vvel vvatred vvith marooe O Iesu what a griping griefe how intollerable a torment vvil this be O how true an oracle is that of God which saieth O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substantiis suid O death how bitter is thy memorie vnto a man that hath peace and rest in his substance riches as who would say there is no greater bitternes or greefe in the world to such a man then to remember or only thinke on death but much more to taste and trie it himself yea and that immediately when it shal be saied vnto him as Christ reporteth it was vnto that great wealthie man in the Ghospel which had his barnes ful and was nowe
enioye al the varietie of times that delite vs here al the beautie of creatures that allure vs here al the pleasures and ioyes that content vs here In this vision of God sayeth one doctor we shal know we shal loue we shal reioice we shal praise We shal know the verie secrets and iudgements of God which are a depth vvithout bottome As also the causes natures beginnings ofsprings and ends of al creatures We shal loue incomparablie both God for the infinite causes of loue that we see in him and our brethren and companions as much as our selues for that we shal see them as much loued of God as our selues for the same cause for which we are loued whereof ensueth that our ioye shal be without measure both for that we shal haue a particular ioye for euery thing we loue ī God which are infinit and also for that we shal reioice at the felicitie of euerie one of our brethren as much as at our owne and by that meanes we shal haue so many distinct felicities as we shal haue distinct companions in our felicitie which being without number it is no maruaile though Christ sayed goe into the ioye of thy Lord and not let thy Lordes ioye enter into thee for that no one hart created cā receaue the fulnes and greatnes of this ioye And hereof finallie it doth insue that we shal praise God without end or wearines with al our hart with al our strength with al our powers with al our partes according as the scripture sayeth Happie are they that liue in they house ô Lord for they shal praise thee eternallie vvithout end Hitherto this learned doctor Of this most blessed visiō sight possession and fruitiō of almightie God wherunto in heauen th' elect are admitted the learned father S. Augustine writeth thus Our Saueour in the Gospel said vnto his Disciples Happie are the cleane of hart for they shal see God By which wordes we are let to vnderstand that ther is a sight and vision of God which is sufficient of it self to beatifie men and make them happie A visiō which nether eye hath seene in this world nor eare hath heard nor hart conceaued A vision deare brethrē that passeth al the beautie of earthlie things of gold of siluer of woodes of feeldes of sea of ayer of sunne of moone of starres of Angels for that al thes things haue their beautie from thence VVe shal see him face to face saieth his Apostle and vve shal knovv him as vve are knovven That is we shal know the power of the father we shal know the wisdome of the sonne we shal know the goodnes of the Holie Ghost we shal know the indiuisible nature of the most blessed Trinitie And this verie seing of the face of God is the ioye of Angels and of al other saints and celestial spirites in heauen This is the reward of life euerlasting this is the glorie of al blessed Cherubins their euerlasting pleasure their croune of honour their game and goal of felicitie their riche rest their beautiful quietnes their inward and outward consolation their diuine paradise their heauenlie Ierusalem their happines of life their fulnes of blisse their eternal triumphe their pretious peace of God which passeth al vnderstāding This sight of God is the ful beatitude the total glorification of man and Angels to see and behold him I say that made both heauen and earth to see and behold him deare brother that made thee that redemed thee that glorified thee For in seeing him thou shalt know him in knowing him thou shalt loue him in louing him thou shalt possesse him in possessing him thou shalt praise him and in praising him thou shal spend thie whole eternitie For he is the inheritance of his people he is the possession of their felicitie he is the reward of their expectation I vvilbe thy great revvard saieth he to Abraham O Lord thou art great and therfore no marmile if thou be a great reward The sight of thee therfore is al our hiar al our reward al our ioye felicitie that we expect seing thou hast saied that this is life euerlasting to see knovv thee our true God Iesus Christ vvhom thou hast sent Thus vttered S. Augustine his feeling in thes affairs AND NOVV HAVING thus declared the two general partes of heauēlie felicitie the one appertainīg to our soule the other to our bodie it is not hard to esteeme what excesse of ioye both of thē ioined together shal worke vnto vs i vs at the most happie day of our glorificatiō Which the forsaid holie S. Augustine conceaued and expressed in thes most zelous and affectuous wordes O ioye aboue al ioyes passing al ioyes without which there is no ioye when shal I enter into thee when shal I enioye thee to see my God that dwelleth in thee O euerlasting kingdome ô kingdome of al eternitie ô light without end ô peace of God that passeth al vnderstāding wherin the soules of Saintes doe rest with thee ô Lord and euerlasting ioye is vpon their heades and they doe possesse ioye and exultation and al paine and sorovv is fledde from them O how glorious a kingdome is thine ô Lord wherin al Saintes doe raigne with the adorned vvith light as vvith pretious apparel and haue crovvnes of pretious stones vpon their heades O kingdome of euerlasting blisse where thou art present ô Lord the hope of al Saintes and the diademe of their euerlasting glorie replenishing thē with ioy on euerie side by thy blessed sight O Lord in this kingdom of thine there is infinit Ioye and mirth without sadnesse health without sorow life without labour light without darknesse felicitie without abatement al goodnes without euil Here youth florisheth that neuer waxeth old life that knoweth no end beautie that neuer fadeth loue that neuer cooleth health that neuer diminisheth ioye that neuer coaseth Here sorow is neuer felt complaint is neuer heard matter of sadnesse is neuer seene nor euil successe is euer feared For that they possesse thee ò Lord which art the perfectiō and culme of their felicitie Hitherto blessed Augustine And now deare Christian brother if we that liue in thes dayes and doe read thes thīges would enter in deed into thes considerations as this holie man other his like did no doubt but we should be more inflamed with the loue of this heauenlie felicitie prepared for vs then we are and consequentlie should striue more to gaine it then alas we doe And to the ende thou maiest conceaue some more feeling in the matter cōsider but a litle withme what a ioiful day shal that be at thy house when hauing liued in the feare of God atchiued in his seruice the end of thy peregrination thou shalt come by the meanes of death to passe from miserie and labour co life of immortalitie and in
that passage when other men beginne to feare thou snalt lift vp thy head in hope according to thie Saueours wordes for that the time of thy saluation commeth on tel me I say what a day of ioy shal that be vnto thee whē thy soule stepping furth of prison and conducted by the Angels to the tabernacle of heauen shal be receaued there with the honorable companies and troupes of that place with al those hierarchies of blessed spirites that are mentioned in scripture as Principalities Powers Vertues Dominatiōs Thrones Angels Archangels Cherubines and Seraphines with the holie Apostles and Disciples of Christ with Patriarches Prophets Martyrs Virgines Innocentes Confessors holie Bishopes Priestes and other Saints of God Al which as they did reioice at thy conuersion from sinne so shal they triumphe now at thy coronation and glorification What ioye and iubilie wil thy soule receaue at that day deare brother whē she shal be presented by her good Angel in the presence of al thes princelie states before the seat and Maiestie of the blessed Trinitie with recital and declaration of al thy good woorkes donne trauailes sustained for the loue and seruice of almightie God when I say thos blessed spirites shal lay doune in that honorable consistorie al thy vertuous actes with their particularities al thy almes deedes al thy prayers al thy fastinges al thy innocencie of life al thy patience in bearing iniuries al thy constancie in aduersities al thy temperāce in meates and drinkes al the vertues of thy whole life when al I say shal be recounted there al commēded al rewarded shalt thou not see now the value and profite of vertuous liuing shalt thou not cōfesse now from the bottom of thy hart that gaineful and honorable is the seruice of God shalt thou not now be most ioiful and blesse the hower ten thousand times wherein first thou resoluedst thy self to leaue the slauerie of this miserable world to serue onlie so bountiful a Lord shalt thou not think thy self now beholden most deeply to him or her that persuaded thee first to make this resolution yes verily But yet more then this when thou shalt look about thee and consider into what a porte and hauen of securitie thou art arriued and shalt cast backe thin eyes vpon the daungers which thou hast passed and wherein other men are yet in hazard thy cause of ioye shal greatlie be encreased For thou shalt see euidentlie now how infinite times thou were in peril to perish in that iourney if God had not held his special hād ouer thee Thou shalt now see the daungers wherin other men are the death and damnation wherinto many of thy friends and acquaintance haue fallen the eternal paines of hel incurred by sundry that vsed to laugh and be merie with thee in the world Al which shal augment the vnspeakable felicitie of this thy so fortunate a lot And now for thy self thou maist be secure thou art out of al daunger for euer and euer There is no more need now of feare of watch of labour or of care Thou maiest now lay doune al armoure as the children of Israel did when they came into the land of promisse for there is no more enemie to assaile thee there is no more wielie serpent to beguile thee al is peace al is rest al is ioye al is securitie Good S. Paul hath no more need now to fast to watch or to punish his bodie Good old Ierome may now cease to afflict him self both night and day for the conquering of his spiritual enemie Thy onelie exercise must be now to reioice and triumphe and to sing alleluya to the Lābe which hath brought the to this felicitie and wil continue the therin for euerlasting eternitie O dear Christian and most louing brother what excessiue ioy and comfort wil it be at that day to see that holie LAMBE sitting in Maiestie vpon his seate of state If the tree wise men of the East came so farre of and so reioiced to see him lying in a Māger what wil it be to see him now triumphing in his glorie If S. Iohn Baptist did leape at his approching towardes him in his mothers wombe what shal his presence doe in this his royal and eternal kingdome It passeth al other ioye and glorie that Saintes haue in heauen sayeth blessed S. Augustine to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face and to receaue the beames of glorie from the splendour of his Maiestie And if we were to suffer tormentes euerie day yea to tolerate the verie paines of hel for a time therby to gaine the sight of Christ in heauen to be ioined in glorie to the number of his saintes it were nothing in respect of the worthines of the reward O that we made such accompt of this matter as this holie and learned man did we woulde not liue as we doe nor loose the same for such vaine trifles as most men in the world doe loose it dailie But to goe forward yet some what further in this consideratiō Imagine deare brother besides al this that hitherto hath bene said what a ioye it shal be vnto thy soule at that daye to meet with al her godlie friendes in the kingdome of heauen with father with mother with brethern with sisters with wife with husband with maister with scholers with neigboures with familiers with kinred with acquaintance the welcomes the mirth the swete embracementes that shal be there the inestimable ioy whereof the holie ancient Martyr and most blessed father and doctor S. Cyprian expresseth in thes wordes Who is ther in peregrination abrod saith he that reioiceth not exceedinglie at the verie thought of his returne to his friendes and Contrie O deare brethren heauen is our Contrie the inhabitantes of that place are our friendes and kinsfolk why make we no more haste to salute and imbrace them In heauen an infinit multitude of our parēts brethren children and acquaintance doe expect vs. What a ioy wil it be both to them and vs to meet and imbrace and solace our selues together how inestimable wil the delite of thos heauen lie kingdomes be and how extreme the felicitie wher eternitie of life shal be voide of al feare of death Thus farre S. Cyprian adding further a most vehement exhortation that we should make hast to the attaining of this meeting This then shal be a most high incomprehensible ioy but yet further adde to this the most triumphant exultation that dailie shal be in that place at the fresh arriual of new brethrē and sisters comming thither frō time to time with the spoiles of their enemies conquered vanquished in this world O what a cōfortable sight wil it be to see thos seates of Angels fallen filled vp againe with men and women of flesh frō day to day to see the crownes of glorie set vpon their heades and that in al varietie
This thing ò man that is the kingdome of heauen requireth no other price but thy selfe it is so much vvoorth as thou art vvoorth geue thy self and thou shalt haue it By which he signifieth that euery man how poore or needie soeuer he be in this world may gaine this inheritance to him self may make himself a prince a king a Monarch if he wil euen the meanest and miserabl est man I say vpon earth O most wonderful bountie and liberalitie of our Saueour ô princelie hart and vnspeakable mercie ô incredible prodigalitie in a certaine maner so to say of treasures so inestimable as are the most infinite and endlesse riches of heauen Tel me now gentle reader and most louing and deare brother why wilt thou not accept of this offer of thie Saueour why wilt thou not account of this his kingdome why wilt thou not buye this endles glorie of him for so litle a labour as he requireth for it Hear how earnestly he persuadeth thee to bargaine with him Suadco tibi emere a me saith Christ aurū ignitum probatum vt locuples sias I doe giue thee counsaile to buye of me pure and tried gold to th' end thou maiest be riche Why wilt thou not folow this counsaile deare brother especiallie of a marchant that meaneth not to deceaue thee Nothing can greeue this thie Saue our more then that men wil seek with such paines to buy straw and chaffe in Egipt wheras he wold sel vnto thē fine gold at a lower price and that they wil needes purchase pudle water with more labour and cost thē he wold require for ten times so much pure liquour out of the verie fontaine of life it self There is not the wickedst man that liueth in the world but taketh more trauaile in gaining hel as after more largelie shal be declared then doth the most painful seruant of God in purchasing of heauen and eternal blisse O folie ô madnes Follow not then ô thou careful Christian this fanatical frensie of earthelie wisdome make not thie self partaker of their errour For the day wil come when thou shalt see them doe heauie penance for their sollie at what time thie hart shal be right ioiful that thou hadst neuer any part or portion amōg them Let them goe now and bestow their time in transitorie vanities in finful pleasures and delites of this world let them build now their pleasant palaces let them purchase dignities scrape peeces paches of earth and ground together let them hunt after honours and frame castels in the aier the time wil come ere long if thou belieue Christ him self wherin thou shalt haue sinal cause to enuie their felicitie If they doe imagin and talke baselie now of the glorie and riches of God and of his Saintes in heauen not esteeming them in deed in respect of their owne or contemning them rather for that carnal pleasures are not reconed therin doe thou make litle account of their wordes for that the sensual man vnderstandeth not the things vvhich are of God If horses were promised by their maisters a good feast and banquet most euident it is that they could imagin nothing els but prouander and water to be their best cheere for that they haue no knowledge of daintier dishes so fareth it with thes men who being accustomed only to the pudle of fleshlie pleasures can mount with their mindes to no higher thig thē brutish sensualitie But I haue shewed to thee before gentle reader some waies and considerations to conceaue greater matters albeit as I haue aduertised the often we must confesse stil with S. Paul that no humane hart can conceaue the least parte therof For which cause alse it is not vnlike that S. Paul him self was forbidden to vtter the things which he had seene and heard in his most wonderful miraculous assumption vnto the third heauen Wherfore to conclude at length this whole chapter thou hast to consider my deare and louing brother that this greate Game and Goale of heauēlie blisse which hitherto I haue endeuoured to describe vnto thee is set vp onlie for them that wil runne vnto it as S. Paul wel noteth and no man is crouned in this glorie but such onelie as wil fight for it according as the same Apostle doth teach and forwarne vs. It is not euerie one that saieth to Christ Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but they onelie which shal doe the wil of Christs eternal father that is in heauen Albeit this kingdome of Christ be set out to al men yet euerie man shal not arriue to raigne with Christ but such onelie as shal be content to suffer with Christ. Though the kingdome of heauen be subject to violence as hath bene said yet no man can enter there by force but he onelie whose good deedes shal follow him to make open the gates that is except he enter as the prophet saith vvithout spot and haue vvroght iustice My meaning thē is that as I haue shewed the exceeding greatnes and worthines of this treasure gentle reader so thou being a Christian shouldest also conceaue the right way of gaining the same which is no other by the testimonie of Christ him self but onelie by holie and vertuous life in keping his commandemētes Thou art therfore to sit doune consider according to thy Saueours counsaile what thou wilt doe and determine herin whether thou haue so much spiritual money as is sufficient to build this tower and to make this heauenlie warre or no that is whether thou haue so much good wil and holie manhood in thee as to bestow the paines of a vertuous life if it be rather to be called paines then pleasure required for the gaining of this eternal kingdome This is the question this is the principal pointe this is the verie whole issue of al the matter and hitherto hath appertained whatsoeuer hath bene spoken in this booke before either of thy Creatour and creation of thie particular end or of the Maiestie bountie and iustice of thie God and Saueour as also of the account he wil demand of thee and of the punishment or rewardes laid vp for the life to come Al this I say hath bene meant by me to this onelie end and purpose that thou measuring the one part and the other shouldest finallie resolue thie self what thou wouldest doe and not to passe ouer thy time in careles negligence as manie are accustomed to doe neuer espiing their own errours vntil it be to late to amend them For the loue of God then deare Christian brother and for the loue thou bearest to thy own soule eternal welfare shake of this most dangerous securitie wherin flesh and blood is wont to lulle the careles people of this world make some earnest resolution for looking to thy state in the life to come Recalle to mind oftentimes that worthie sentence Hoc momentum
vnde pendet aeternitas This life is the momēt wherof dependeth al eternitie of weal or woe hereafter If it be but a moment deare brother and yet a moment of so great consequence and importance how is it passed ouer by earthelie men with so litle care and cogitation what reason may be alleaged of this so dangerous a negligence what cause may be assigned of so extreme a follie Al the creatures of earth heauen and hel euen from the very first to the last if thou examine them al may be argumentes and motiues vnto thee to leaue this perilous course wherin thou art al are or may be bookes lessons and sermōs vnto thee preaching and protesting some by their punishment some by their glorie some by their beautie and al by their creation that thou oughtest without delay to make resolution of an other kinde of life and that al is vanitie al is folie al is iniquitie al is miserie besides the onelie seruice of thie Lord and maker And so with this wil I make here an ende of this first part reseruing some other things to be spoken in the second for remouing of such impedimēts as our spiritual aduersarie is wont to cast against this good worke of Resolution as against the first step and degree of our saluation Our Lord God Sauiour Iesus Christ who was content to paye his own pretious blood for the purchasing of this noble inheritance of his kingdome vnto vs geue vs his holy grace to esteeme of it as the great weight of the matter requireth and not by negligence to loose our title and portion therin The end of the first part containing motiues to resolution THE SECOND PARTE WHICH TREATETH OF THE LETTES and impedimentes that hinder resolution THE PREFACE IN the former parte of this booke gentle reader ther haue bene layed doune sundry reasons and considerations wherby to stirre vp men to the firme resolution of seruing God which might be sufficient no doubt to that effect the nature of vertue being also cōsidered which of her self draweth reasonable men to loue and admiration of her were not the subtiltie of our spiritual enimie very greate and dangerous in this behalfe and his indeuours most diligent against our purpose For so it fareth that when he seeth by the former reasons and demonstrations alleaged that the iudgement of man is conuinced in the pointes which are treated and that it can no longer resist or deny but that the onlie true wisdome were in deed to breake of from the vanities and sinful life of this world and to be-take our selues to the gainful 〈◊〉 mightie God then this infernal foe 〈◊〉 able further to delude our iudgemente 〈◊〉 blynd our vnderstandings imployeth him self by al meanes possible for retaining of his pray to stay our wil from yelding consent vnto our iudgement all eaging for his dissuation either the difficultie of obtaining pardon or the paines and hardnes of vertuous life or the losse of worldlie honour and earthlie commodities or some other such like fraude or trifle wherby to let and hinder our resolution or at least wise to prolonge it so farre forth as he may be in hope that we shal neuer make it afterwards to our gaine or comfort For preuenting of which malitious and most perilous indeuour of our ghostelie aduersarie this second parte is adioined conteining the cheefe and principal impedimentes that vsuallie doe rise against resolution the remooual and confutation of which lettes and impedimentes shal bring no smal light vnto the studious reader for the true vnderstanding both of his owne estate and of the deceptes and illusions vsed towards him by his enimie Read then this parte also deare Christian brother vvith no lesse diligence then the former for that the profit therof shal be equal and thy contentement perhapes farre greater in respect of the varietie of matters handled therin and of the manifold comfortes which thy soule in perufing shal receaue therby OF THE FIRST IMPEDIMENT THAT IS WONT TO LET SINNERS from resolution VVhich is the mistrust and diffidence in Gods mercie through the multitude and grieuousnes of their offences CHAPT I. AMONG al other gricuous and most perilous cogitatiōs which in this world are accustomed to offer them selues to a mind entangled and lode with great sinnes this vsually is the first thorough the nature of sinne it self and craftie suggestion of our ghostly enemie to fal into distrust and despaire of Gods mercie Such was the cogitation of most vnhappie Cain one of the first inhabitantes of mankind vpon earth who after the murther of his owne only brother and other sinnes by him committed brust furth into that horrible and desperate speech so greatly offensiue to his Lord and Maker mine iniquitie is greater then that I may hope for pardon Such was in like maner the desperate conceit of wicked Iudas one of the first of them that were chosen to the peculiar seruice of our Redeemer who feeling his conscience oppressed with manifold enormous iniquities and most of al with the prodition of his owne Lord maister tooke no other ware of amendment or redresse but to destroie him self both in bodie and soule adioining only thos words ful of miserable distrust and desperation I haue sinned in betraying the innocent and iust blood By which wordes and most wreched ende he more grieuouslie offended and iniuried his most louing merciful Saueour then by al his former iniquities committed against him This then most louing brother is the first and greatest rocke wherat a sinful soule ouerburdened with the charge of her owne iniquities and tossed in the waues of dredful cogitations by the blastes and stormes of Gods threats against sinners doth commonlie make her shipwrake This is that most horrible depth and dungeon wher of the holie Scripture saieth The impious man vvhen he is come into the botome and prosonditie of his sinnes contemneth al. This is that remediles sore and incurable wound wherwith God him self charged Ierusalem when he said Insanabilis fractura tua Thy rupture is irremediable And the Prophet Michaeas considering the same people thorough the multitude of their wickednes to eneline now to despaire of Gods goodnes towards them brake forth into this most pitiful complaint for this vvil I vveepe and lament extremely I vvil strippe of my clothes and vvander naked I vvil rore like vnto Dragons and sound out my sorovve as Strutbious in the desert for that the vvound and maladie of my people is desperate This is that great and maine impediment that stoppeth the conduits of Gods holie grace from flowing into the soule of a sinful man This is the knif that cutteth in sunder al thos heauely blessed cordes wherwith our sweet Lord and Saneour endeuoureth to draw vnto repentance the hartes of sinners saing by his prophete I vvil pul them vnto me vvith the chaines of loue and charitie For by this meanes
euery sinful conscience commeth to answere almightie God as did Ierusalem when being admonished of her sinnes exhorted by his prophet to amendment of life she said Desperaui nequaquam faciam I ame become desperate I wil neuer thincke of any such thing To which lamentable estate when a sinful man is once arriued the next steppe he maketh is for auoiding al remorse and trouble of consciēce to engulfe him self into the depth of al detestable enormities and to abandone his soule to the verie sincke of al filth and abhominations according as S. Paul said of the Gentiles in like case that by despaire they deliuered them selues ouer to dis solute life therby to commit al maner of vncleanes Which wicked resolution of the impious is the thing as I haue noted before that most of al other offences vpon earth doth exasperate the ire of Almighty God depriuing his deuine Maiestie of that most excellent propertie wherin he cheifly deliteth and glorieth which is his infinite and vnspeacable mercie This might be declared by diuers and sondrie examples of holy writt how be it two only shal suffice for this present The first is of the people of Israel not long before their banishment to Babilon who being threatned from God by the Prophet Ieremie that manifold punishments were imminent ouer their heads for their grieuous sinnes committed against his Maiestie begāne in stead of repentance to fal to desperation and consequently resolued to take that impious course of al dissolute life alleaged before out of S. Paul for thus they answered God exhorting them by his threats to reforme their wicked liues VVe are novv grovven desperate therfore vve vvil hereafter folovve our ovvne cogitations and euerie one sulfil the vvickednes of his ovvne conceite Wherat God stormed infinitely and brake forth into this vehement interrogation Interrogate Gentes quit audiuit talia horribilia Aske and enquire of the verie Gentiles whether euer among them were heard any such horrible blasphemies And after this for more declaration of this intollerable iniurie herin offerred to his Maiestie he commaunded the Prophet Ieremie to goe forth of his owne house and to get him to a potters shope which in the village was framing his vessels vpon the wheele Which Ieremie hauing done he sawe befor his face a pot crushed and broken by the potter al in peeces vpō the wheele and thincking therby that the vessel had bene vtterly vnprofitable and to be cast away he saw the same clay ptesently framed agayne by the potter into a new vessel more excellent then before Wherat he maruailing God said vnto him Doest not thou thinck Ieremie that I can doe with the house of Israel as this potter hath done with his vessel Or is not the house of Israel in my handes as the clay is in the handes of this craftesman I wil denounce vpon the sodaine against a Nation and kingdome that I wil roote it vp and destroye it and if that nation or kingdome doe repent from their wickednes I also wil repent me of the punishment which I intended to laie vpon them And then he proceedeth foreward declaring vnto Ieremie the exceeding greif and indignation which he conceaueth that any sinner what soeuer should despaire of mercie pardon at his hands The second example is of the same people of Israel during the time of their banishment in Babilon at what time being afflicted with many miseries for their sinnes and threatned with many more to come for that they changed not the course of their former wicked conuersation they beganne to despaire of Gods mercie and to saie to the Prophet Ezechiel that liued banished among them exhorted them to amendment vpon assured hope of Gods fauour towards them Our iniquities and sinnes doe lye greeuouslie vpon vs and vve languish in them and vvhat hope of life then may vve haue At which cogitation and speech God being greatly moued appeared presently to Ezechiel said vnto him Tel this people I doe liue saieth the Lord God of hostes I vvishe not the death of the impious but rather that he should turne from his vvicked vvaies and liue VVhy vvil the house of Israel die in their sinnes rather then turne vnto me And then he maketh a large and vehement protestation that how greuously soeuer any person shal offend him how great punishments soeuer he shal denounce against him yea if he had giuen expresse sentence of death and damnation vpon him yet Si egerit paenitentiam a peccato suo seceritque iudicium iustitiam that is if he repent him self of his sinne and exercise iudgement and iustice for the time to come al his sinnes that he hath committed shal be forgiuen him saieth almightie God for that he hath done iudgment and Iustice. And this now might be sufficient albeit nothing els were spoken for remouing this first obstacle and impediment of true resolution which is the dispaire of Gods infinite goodnes and mercie Neuertheles for more euident clearing and demonstration of this matter and for the greater comfort of such as feele them selues burdened with the heauy weight of their iniquities committed against his deuine Maiestie I haue thought expedient in this place to declare more at large this aboundant subiect of Gods endles mercie towards al such as wil truly turne vnto him in what time state condition or age soeuer in this life which shal be shewed and set doune by thes foure points and partes that doe ensue FIRST OF AL by the infinite and incomprehēsible loue that almightie God beareth vnto man which loue is alwaies the mother of fauour grace and mercie If you demaund of me in what sort I doe proue that the loue of God is so exceeding great towardes man I answere as the Cosmographer is wont to doe who by the greatnes and multitude of the streames and riuers doth frame a coniecture of the fountaine frō which they flowe The proper riuers which are deriued and doe ronne forth of loue are good turnes and benefites which seing they are infinite endles and inestimable bestowed by God vpon man as in place before hath bene declared and the whole vniuersal frame of this world doth aboundantly beare witnesse it foloweth most euidently that the origine fountaine welspring of al thes fauours graces and good turnes must needs be infinite immeasurable and farre surpassing al compasse of mans vnderstanding If you require of me the cause and reason why almightie God should so wonderfully be affected towards man I can directly yeld you none at al but rather meruaile therat with holy Iob why so soueraine a Maiestie should set his hart vpon so base a subiect Notwithstanding the holy Scripture seemeth to alleage one principal reason of this loue when it saieth Nihil odistieorum quae secisti parcis omnibus quia tua sunt Domine quidiligis animas That is Thou O Lord which louest soules
sueing vnto sinners for their conuersion it followeth that we should in this third place examine some what more in particuler what certaine assurance his diuine Maiestie geueth of vndoubted pardon and ful remission of their sinnes to al such as vnfainedlie shal resolue them selues to make their refuge vnto him Which thing albeit euerie mā by that which before hath bene treated may sufficientlie conceaue yet for th' importāce of the matter it shal not be amisse in this place also to adde a word or two for more plaine and euidēt demonstration therof And this shal be donne by setting doune both the wordes and deedes that is both the promisses and perfourmāce which almightie God hath vsed and excercised in this behalf to al such as haue offended him whatsoeuer And for the first which are his promises most apparent it is as wel by the thinges which before haue bene discussed as also by the whole course bodie drift of holie scripture that the promises of mercie and pardon which his diuine Maiestie hath made to synners and wherunto by his sacred word he hath in a certaine maner obliged him self are both manifold vehement absolute resolute vniuersal VVho so euer shal depart from his vvicked vvayes and turne vnto me saith almightie God I vvil receaue him Behold the vniuersalitie of al people and persons without excluding any And then further At vvhat day soeuer an impious man shal returne vnto me from his impietie his vvickednes shal not hurt him saith the same L. God of hostes see the vniuersalitie of al times seasons without exceptiō But yet harken what God addeth besides Leaue of to doe peruerselie saith he to the Iewes c. and then doe you come and finde fault vvith me if you can For if your sinnes vvher as red as skarlet they shal be made as vvhite as snovve c. Consider the vniuersalitie of al kind of synnes be they neuer so greeuous so horrible or haynous And finallie God talking to a soule that hath oftentimes fallen most infinitelie offended him he saith thus it is a common receaued speech that if a womā depart from her husbād and doe ioine her self to an other man she may not returne to her first husband againe for that she is defiled and made contaminate And yet wheras thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication with many other louers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I wil receaue the saith almightie God By which wordes is expressed the fowerth vniuersalitie containing al states qualities and conditions of men how many waies or how oftentimes or how contemptuouslie soeuer they haue committed sinnes against his diuine Maiestie And what may be added now more vnto this was ther euer prince that made so large an offer vnto his subiectes or was ther euer father that gaue so ample and vniuersal promise of pardō vnto his children Who can now mistrust him self to be excluded from this assurance of mercie wherin al sortes of people al kindes of sinnes al times and seasons al states and qualities of sinners are comprehended O most miserable and infortunate man that excludeth him self whom God excludeth not What is ther in this general and vniuersal promises wherof anie man in the world should haue pretence to make any least doubt or question Of the meaning perhapes and intent of him that promiseth O deare brother it is onlie loue and tharitie and consequentlie can not deceaue vs. Of the truth and suertie of his promisses It is infallible and more certaine then heauen and earth put together Of the power that he hath to perfourme his promisse It is infinite and not restrained by any boundes or limitation wherof thē may we doubt or in which of thes three pointes may we not conceaue most singuler consolation heare the comfortable meditation that blessed S. Bernard made vpon thes three particulers which wee haue now mentioned Tria considero saith he in quibus tota spes mea consistit charitatem vocationis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis c. That is I doe consider three thinges saith this holie mā wherin al my hope cōsisteth wherby it is made inuincible First the exceeding loue and charitie of him that calleth me to him by repentance secondlie the infallible truth and certaintie of his promise which he maketh to me of pardon and mercie thirdlie the endles power and abilitie he hath to perfourme whatsoeuer he promiseth This is that triple or threefold rope and chaine which holie scripture saith is hardlie broken for that by this rope let donne vnto vs from heauen which is our contrie into this world that is our prison we may ascende and mount vp if we wil euen vnto the sight and possession of Gods eternal kingdom and heauēlie glorie Thus farre that blessed father But now to the second pointe if we consider how faithfullie almightie God hath put in execution thos promises of his from time to time how no one man vpon earth so many ages as the world hath continued was euer yet frustrate of his hope in making his conuersion vnto his Maiestie if he made it from his hart we shal finde further cause for vs to confide For so much as it is not probable or ī reason to be imagined that he which neuer failed in times past wil breake his promise for the time to come especially seing now in Christianitie when we haue this aduantage aboue other former times as S. Iohn doth also note that he who was and is our iudge is become also our aduouocat to pleade our cause Cast backe thine eyes then my louing deare brother and take a vew of al ages times and seasons past and gone Beginne from the first creation of the world and come donneward euen vnto this daye examine indifferentlie whether in al this wide compasse of times persons places most greeuous offences committed against his diuine Maiestie ther were euer yet any one sinner vpon earth that returned vnsay nedlie and was not receaued The sinne of our first parentes was presentelie forgeuen vnto them vpon their first signification of greefe and sorowe for the same And not onlie this but our Saueour also Iesus Christ was promissed to be sent for restoring them and their posteritie to the glorie and felicitie which by their fal they had lost After this vntil the time of Abraham and of the people of Israel as some workes of Gods iustice are recorded in holie writ that were excercised vpon irrepentant offendours so are ther many more celebrated of his mercie and onlie two persons in particuler are mentioned who notwithstanding some sorow which they seemed to haue of their offences were yet reiected the first wherof was the murderer Cain who at the beginning denied his wickednes vnto God and then being conuicted despaired of remission The second was Esau whom S. Paul calleth a profane fornicator who
them al and brake forth into this vehement inuitation with a lowd voice as S. Iohn Euangelist recordeth if any man among you be thirstie let him come vnto me he shal drinke Hereby it came to passe that his diuine Maiestie was termed commonlie Publicanorum peccatorum am cus The frend and familiar of wicked Publicans and sinners And herof finallie it did proceed that he receaued al imbraced al and forgaue al that repaired vnto him were they Scribes Pharisees Souldiars Publicans Vserers Harlotes Theeues Persecutours or whatsoeuer most grieuous offendours besides wherof particuler examples in eche kinde might be alleaged assuring vs furthermore that after his resurrection and blessed ascensiō to the right hand of his father he would be more bountiful yet in this maner of proceeding and dravv al vnto him self being at one time both our Iudge and Aduocat our king and Mediatour our God and Redeemer our Father and brother our Priest and Sacrifice and he that both pleadeth and determineth our cause together What then should not we hope at this time deare Christian brother at the handes of this our Lord and Maister which hath left vnto vs such wordes such deedes such assured euidencies of his infallible loue and abundant mercies towards vs why should not his dealinges with other men before vs geeue vs hart and corage to confide assuredlio in him for the time present and to come why should not his former most infinit mercies be vnto vs oderiferous alluring sauours and oyntmentes to make vs as the spouse did in the Canticles follow and runne after him Heare what deuout S. Bernard doth meditate vpō this passage of Christs fragrant ointmentes O sweet Iesus saith he the freshe and oderiferous smel of thie wonderful clemencie doth allure vs to runne after the when we heare saye that thou despisest not beggars nor abhorrest sinners Wee know right wel ô Lord that thou didest not reiect the theefe that confessed thee nor the sinful woman that wept vpon thee nor the Chananaean that humbled her self before thee not the wicked adulteresse brought vnto thee nor the toullar or tribut gatherer that followed thee nor the publican that repaired vnto thee nor the disciple that denied thee nor Saul that did persecute thee nor thie tormentours that did naile thie sacred bodie vpō the crosse O Lord al thes are fragrant smels and sauours of thie most sweet mercie and at the sent of thes thie ointmentes we doe follow and runne after thee Thus farre S. Bernard AND SO VVITH THIS to come to the fourth and last part of this chapter and to applie al that hath bene said of Godes mercie to our present purpose What man is ther liuing in the world that reading and beleeuing thes thinges can doubt or mistrust to receaue pardon for his sinnes If God be he that iustifieth vvho is able to condemne vs saieth the holie Apostle S. Paul If God be minded to deliuer vs who can take vs out of his hands If God protest that he wil pardon vs why should we make any doubt or questiō therof at al Why should not we ioine rather with that confident and faithful seruāt of his S. Paul who saieth vnto vs and to al other sinners liuing in his maisters name let vs repaire vnto him vvith a true hart in fulnes of faith hauing purged our hartes from an euil conscience let vs hold fast an immouable confession of our hope seing he is faithful vvhich hath giuen vnto vs his promis and let vs consider hovv one of vs may prouoke an other to charitie and good vvorkes By which wordes the holy Apostle signifieth that what sinner soeuer shal resolue with him self to purge his conscience frō wickednes for the time to come and to employ the rest of life in charetie good workes he may confidently and boldly repaire vnto almightie God with most certaine assurance to receaue pardon and remission And alas deare brother why then should anie man despaire wherfore should any man cast away his owne soule that God so much desireth to saue what a pitiful and lamentable case is it to behold so many Christians in the world to goe languishing in ther sinnes and to giue thē selues ouer to al kind of careles and dissolute sensualitie which by God him self is called desperation vpon this conceit wicked cogitation that now they are gone so farre and so deeply rooted and habituated in this kind of life as either it is impossible or in vaine for them now to thincke of change or amendements O deare Brother let thes men harken to this excellent discourse of holy Chrisostome which ensueth If thou be a wicked man saieth he thincke vpon the Publicane If thou be vncleane of life consider the harlot If thou be a murtherer remember the theef If thou be a swearer cal to mind the Blasphemer Cast thine eyes vpon Saul and Paul first a persecutour and then a preacher first a violent robber afterward a good steward and Dispenser First chaffe afterward corne first a wolfe afterward a sheppard first lead after gould first a pirate afterwards a good pilot first a dispersour afterward a gatherer first a breaker doune of Gods vineyard afterward a plāter first a destroier afterward a builder Thou hast sene manifold wickednes but now behold vnspeakable mercie Thou hast heard the pride of the seruant consider now the loue and clemencie of the Maister I wil not thou saie to me I ame a blasphemer I haue bene a persecutour I haue lead an vncleane and abhominable life and therfore I doubt lest I shal not haue pardon Saie not so vnto me for here thou hast examples to the contrarie in euerie of thes manie other sinnes Thou maiest safely fly to what port thou list and that either in the old or new Testament For in the old thou hast Dauid in the new thou hast Paul I wil not haue the therfore alleage excuses vnto me for couering thine owne cowardnes Hast thou sinned doe penance hast thou sinned a thousand times repent a thousand times vnfainedly This is the only ointment that may be poured in to an afflicted consciēce the torment wherof I doe wel knowe For the Diuel standeth by whetting his sword of desperation and saing vnto the Thou hast liued wickedly al thy youth thy former yeares thou hast mispent thou hast hanted plaies and spectacles with thy companions and hast folowed after louse and lasciuious women thou hast taken other mēs goods from them wrongfully thou hast bene couetous dissolute and effeminate thou hast foresworne thy self thou hast blasphemed committed many other hainous and enormous crimes and therfore what hope canst thou haue of saluation Truly none at al. Thou art a mere castawie and canst not now goe backe and therfore my counsaile is that now thou vse the pleasures and commodities of this world and passe ouer thy time in mirth of hart without cogitation
of the reader to reduce the whole summe vnto two general heads partes In the first wherof shal be shewed the manifold sundry helpes that almightie God doth lend to man for the faciliting of the way of his holie commandementes and in the second shal be layed doune certaine instructions admonishmentes and examples how to make our auaile of thos helpes that are lent vnto vs. The first part Of the helpes that are geuen to Christians for making vertuous life easie IT were a verie hard and difficil matter for any man to take vpon him to set forth al and euerie the particuler waies and meanes wherby our most merciful Lord and Saueour doth comfort strengthen and cherish the soule that resolueth to liue faithfullie in his seruice Ther are infinite secretes that doe passe betwene them infinit priuie tokens and significations of loue that none els can expresse or conceaue wherof the Prophet Esay hauing had a taste cried out Secretum meum mibi Secretum meum mihi My secret is to my self my secret is to my self But yet of thos publique and ordinarie waies wherby it is euident in holie write that almightie God is accustomed to worke this effect of making sweet and easie his commandementes I shal here recount the chiefe and principal for our common consolation encoragement AND FIRST OF AL other we must recon in this number the infusion of Gods most holie pretious grace into our mindes and soules wherby they are beautified and strengthened against al difficulties and temptations as S. * Paul was in particular against the tribulations and temptations of the flesh And this grace is of such efficacie and force in the soule where it once entereth that it altereth the whole state thereof making thos thinges cleare which were obscure before thos thinges pleasant which were bitter before thos thinges easie which were hard and difficult before And for this cause also it is saied in scripture that it maketh a new spirit a new hart wher it is bestowed by almightie God which his diuine Maiestie signifieth by the Prophet Ezechiel in thes wordes when he treateth of the graces that should be geuē at the comming of Christ in flesh I vvil geue vnto them a nevv hart and vvil put a nevv spirit in their bovvelles to the end they may vvalke in my preceptes and keepe my commandementes What can be spokē more effectuallie of the power of Gods holie grace to the perfourmance of good workes In like maner of the force and efficacie of the same grace to resist mortifie conquer the passions of our flesh and sensualitie which by their rebellion against vertue doe make the way of Gods commandementes vnpleasant S. Paul testifieth clearlie when he writeth thus to the Romans This vve knovv that our old man is crucified to the ende that the bodie of sinne may be destroyed vve be in bondage no more therūto In which wordes by the old man and the bodie of sinne S. Paul vnderstandeth our rebellious appetite and concupiscence which is so crucified and destroied by the most noble sacrifice of Christ our Saueour as we may by the grace purchased vnto vs in that holie sacrifice resist and conquere this appetite and so keepe our selues from the seruitude of sinne that is from any consent and guilt of mortal sinne if we wil our selues And this is that noble entire victorie which God promised so long agoe to euerie Christian soule by the meanes of Christ when he said Be not a feard for I am with thee step not aside for I thy God haue strengthened thee and haue assisted thee and the right hand of my iust MAN hath taken thy defence Behold al that fight against thee shal be confonded and put to shame thou shalt seeke thy rebelles and shalt not find thē they shal be as though they were not for that I am thy Lord and God Loe here a ful victorie promised vpon our rebelles by the helpe of the right hand of Gods iust man that is a ful cóquest vpon our disordinate passiōs and temptations by the aide of grace from IESVS Christ. And albeit thes rebelles are not here promised to be taken cleane away but onelie to be cōquered and confonded yet is it saied that they shal be as though they vvere not Wherby is signified that they shal not hinder vs in the way of our saluation but rather aduance and further the same if we wil. For as wild beastes which of their owne nature are fearse would rather hurt then profite mankind being mastred and made tame become verie cōmodious necessarie for our vses so thes rebellious passions of ours which of thē selues would vtterlie ouerthrow vs being once subdued and mortified by Gods grace and our own diligence doe stand vs in singular steade to the practise and exercise of al kinde of vertues As for exāple choler or angre to the inkendling of zeale hatred to the pursuing of sinne a hautie mind to the reiectig of the world loue to the embracing of algreat and heroical attemptes in consideration of the benefites receaued from God Besides this the verie conflict and combat it self in subduing thes passions is left vnto vs for our great good that is for our patience humilitie merite and victorie in this life and for our glorie and croune in the life to come as S. Paul affirmed of him self and coufirmed to al others by his example Now then lett the slothful Christian goe put this handes vnder his girdlie and saye There is a lyon in the vvaye and a lyonesse in the parthredie to deuoure hin for which he dare not 〈◊〉 furth of dores Let him crie It is colde and therefore he dareth not goe to plovve Let him excuse him self that it is vneasie to labour and therfore he can not purge his vineyarde of nettles and thistles nor build any vval about the same That is let him saye that his passions are strong and therfore he can not conquere them his body is delicate and therfore he dare not put it to trauayle the way of vertuous life is hard and vneasie and therfore he can not applie him self therunto Let him saye al this and much more which ydle and slothful Christians are accustomed to bring for their excuse let him alleage the same as much and as often times as he wil it is but an excuse and a false excuse and an excuse moste dishonorable and detractorie to the force of Christ holie grace purchased vnto vs by his bitter passion that now his yoke should be vnpleasant seing he hath made it sweete that now his burden should be heauie seing he hath made it light that now his commaundementes should be greeuous seing his most deuine Maiestre affirmeth the contrarie that now we should be in seruitude of our passions seing he hath by his grace deliuered vs and made vs truelie free
God which in them selues are most iust reasonable holie and easie Da amantem sayeth S. Austen speaking of this matter sentit quod dico Si autem frigido loquor nescit quid loquar Geue me a man that is in loue with God and he feeleth this to be true which I say but if I talke to a cold Christian he vnderstandeth not what I say And this is the reason whie our blessed Saueour talking of the keeping of his commandementes repeateth manie times this word LOVE as the onelie sure ground wheron their whole regard reuerēce obseruation depēdeth for want of which loue among men in this life the most part of the world neither respecteth nor keepeth them And herehence it is that in the same our Saueour vseth thes and other like speeches If you doe loue me then keepe my commandementes And againe he that hath my commandementes and keepeth them he is he that loueth me And yet further He vvhich loueth me vvil keepe my commandement and he that loueth me not keepeth not my commandementes In which last wordes some doe note that to him that loueth he sayeth his commandement in the singular number for that to such a one al his commandmentes are but one commandement according to the saying of S. Paul That loue alone is the fulfilling of al the lavv for that it comprehendeth al in al. But to him that loueth not Christ saieth his commandmentes in the plural number signifying thereby that they are both many and heauie to him for that he wanteth loue which should make them few and easie The effect of which point S. Iohn also expresseth when he sayeth this is the loue of God vvhen vve keepe his commādementes and his commandementes are not heauie That is to say they are notthing heauie to him which hath loue otherwise no maruaile though they be most heauie for that euerie thing appeareth burdenous and intollerable which we doe against our liking and so by this also deare Christian brother thou maiest make a coniecture whether the true loue of thie Lord and Saueour be in thee or not AND THESE ARE two meanes wherby the life of vertuous men is made easie in this world There folow diuers other to the end that thes negligent excusers may see how vniust vntrue their excuse is concerning the pretended hardnes of liuing in Gods seruice Which in verie deede is indued with infinit priuileges of cōfort aboue the life of most prosperous sinners euē in this world Wherof the next that I wil name for exāple sake is a certaine special and peculiar light of vnderstanding pertaining to the iust and called in scripture prudentia sanctorum the wisdome of Saintes which is nothing els but a certaine sparkle of heauenlie wisdome bestowed by singular priuilege vpō the vertuous for their direction in this life wherby they receaue most comfortable light and vnderstanding in spiritual affairs touching their owne and other mens saluation and in thinges necessarie therunto Of which knowledge the prophet Dauid meant whē he saied not as mihi fecisti vias vitae thou hast made the waies of life knowen vnto me as also whē he said of him self Super senes intellexi I haue vnderstood more then old men And againe in an other place Incerta occulta sapientiae tuae manisestasti mihi thou hast opened to me the vnknowen and hidden secretes of thy wisdome This is that most excellent light wherwith S. Iohn saieth that Christ our Saue our lighteneth his true seruantes as also that vnction of the Holie Ghost which the same Apostle teacheth to be geuen to the godlie thereby to instruct thē in al thinges behoofful for their saluation This is in like maner that writing of Gods law in mens hartes which he promised by the prophet Ieremie so long agoe to be performed in the time of grace as also the instruction of men immediatlie from God him self fortold by the prophet Esaye And finallie this is that soueraine vnderstanding in the law commandementes and iustifications of almightie God which holy Dauid so much desired and so often demānded in that most diuine Psalme which beginneth with this vehement protestatiō Blessed are the vnsputted in the vvay that is in this life and blessed are al sucb as doe vvalke in Gods lavv By this heauenlie light of vnderstanding by this supernal illumination imparted to the good for their direction the way of vertue is made very easie and passing comfortable For as in bodilie sight and in viages of this world it falleth out that he which hath good eyes and seeth perfectelie goeth on his way with far greater alacritie ioy securitie then doth an other that either lacketh that sense or hath it very dimme So in the course of our soule in this life it is of no lesse importance and comfort but rather of much more for a mā to haue this celestial vnderstānding for gouerning him self to his saluation that is to know what he doth see wher he walketh discerne wither he goeth cōceaue what he expecteth and to be in that happie state wherof S. Paul saith that a spiritual ma is able to iudge of al thinges Whereas in the meane space the carnal and sensual man as the same Apostle testifieth is so blind as he cā neither see nor conceaue tbe thinges that are of Gods spirit Of which sort of men the Prophet Esay saith in their owne person expressing their miserie vve haue groped like as blinde men doe for the vvalle and vve haue stumbled at middaye euen as if it bad bene in darkenesse By which wordes is set forth vnto vs the exceeding great calamitie of wicked men who see not wher they goe what state they are in how farr of or how neare they are to perdition but doe liue in continual darkenes and most vncomfortable blindnes which they cōfesse also in an other place of holie scripture saing the light of iustice hath not shined vnto vs and the sonne of vnderstanding hath not appeared to our eyes vve are vveried in the vvay of iniquities The lacke then of this heuenlie light is wearisome miserable vnto the wicked and consequentlie the inioying therof most comfortable to the vertuous NOVV THEN to proceed an other principal matter which maketh the waye of vertue easie and pleasant to them that walke therein is a certaine hidden and secret consolation which God-poureth into the hartes of them that trulle serue him I call it secret and hidden for that it is knowen to none but to such onelie as haue felt and receaued part therof For which cause Christ him self calleth it hidden manna knovven to them alone that doe inioye it To which effect also the Prophet Dauid said to almightie God Great is the multitude of thy svveetnes o Lord vvhich thou haste laid up and hidden for them that feare thce And againe in an other place
thou vvilt laye aside o Lord a special chosen rayne or devve for thine inheritance And almightie God him self promiseth to a denout soule by the Prophet Osee I vvil leade her a side into a vvildernesse and there vvil I talke vnto her hart that is I wil cōfort her By al which wordes of vvildernesse separating choise and hidden is signified vnto vs that this cōsolation is a secret priuilege bestowed onelie vpon the vertuous and that the carnal hartes of wicked men haue no parte or portion therin But now how exceeding great and inestimable the sweetnes of this heauenlie wine is to them that taste it no tongue of man or angels can expresse A certaine coniecture onlie may be made by the wordes of holy Dauid whoe attributeth vnto it sufficient force to make al men drunke that taste therof that is to saie to take from them al sense and delectation in terrestrial pleasures according as Peter whē he receaued but a drop or two therof vpon the mount Thabor at his Maisters transfiguratiō forgate him self presentlie and talked as a man distracted touching the building of tabernacles there and restīg in that place for euer This is torrēs voluptatis that sweet streame of pleasure according as the Prophet calleth it which comming from the mountaines of heauē watereth by secret wayes and passages the hartes and spirites of the godly and maketh them drunken with the vnspeakable ioye which it deriueth vnto them This is a kind of taste of the verie ioyes of heauen in this life bestowed vpon good men to comfort and encourage thē in their waye and to keepe them from fainting For as Marchants desirous to sel their wares are content oftē times to let you see hādle and some times also to taste the same if the nature therof so require therby the sooner to induce you to buy euen so almightie God being verie careful and willing to sel vnto vs the ioyes of heauen is content to imparte a certaine taste before hand to such as he seeth are willing to buye thereby to make them come of more roundlie with the price not to sticke to pay so much yea more labour then he requireth This is that exceding ioye and iubilie in the hartes of iust men which the Prophet meaneth when he saieth The voice of exultation and saluation is in the tabernacles of the iust And againe Blessed is that poople that knovveth iubilation That is that people which hath experienced this extreme ioye and pleasure of internal consolation S. Paul had tasted it when he wrote these wordes amiddest al his labours for Iesus Christ I am filled vvith consolation I ouerflovve and super abound in al ioye amiddest our tribulations What can be spoken deare brother more effectuallie then this to shew the diuine force of this spiritual consolation But thou wilt here aske me perhappes if this be so whie thou being a Christian as well as other hast neuer vet tasted of this sweet consolation wherunto I answere that as hath bene shewed before this is not meate for euerie mouth but a chosen moisture prouided for Gods inheritance onelie This is vvine of Gods ovvne seller layed vp for his spouse alone That is for the deuout soule dedicated vnto Gods seruice This is a teate of comfort onelie for the child to sucke as the prophet Esaye testifieth The soule that is drouned in sinful pleasures and delites of this world can not be partaker of this rare benefite neither the harte that is replenished with carnal cares and cogitations For as Gods Arcke and the idole Dagon could not stand together vpon one Aultar so can not Christ and the world stand together in one harte God sent not the pleasant Manna vnto the people of Israel so lōg as their flower and chibols of Egipt lasted nether wil he send this heauenlie consolation vnto thee deare brother vntil thou haue ridde thy self of the cogitations of vanitie He is a wise marchant though a liberal He wil not geue a taste of his treasure where he knoweth there is no wil to buye Resolue thy self once in deede to serue him and thou shalt then feele thi heauenlie ioye wherof I talke as many thousandes before thee haue done and neuer yet any man was herein deceaued Moyses first ranne out of Egipt to the hilles of Madian before God appeared vnto him and so must thy soule doe out of worldlie vanitie before she can looke for these consolations But if thou wouldest resolue thie self effectually once offer thie self througly to his diuine seruice then no doubt but thou shouldest finde most sweet and merciful intertainement aboue al expectatiō notwithstanding thy former euil life and sinnes whatsoeuer For that such is the abūdāt goodnes of his diuine Maiestie for encoraging of al mē to repaire vnto him that he alwayes sheweth more particuler and tender loue towardes them that come newlie vnto his seruice then vnto others which haue serued him of longer time Which is most euidentlie signified by the parable of the prodigal sonne whom the good father cherished with much more tendernes and sollicitude then he did the elder brother which had serued him continuallie And the causes hereof are two the one for the ioye of the new gotten seruant as is expressed by S. Luc in the Ghospel the other least he finding no consolatiō at the beginning should turne back to Egipt againe as God by a figure in the children of Israel declareth most manifestlie in these wordes VVhen Pharao had permitted the people of Israel to depart out of Egipt God brought them not by the countrie of the Philistines vvhich vvas the nearest vvaye thinking vvith him self lest perhappes it might repent them if they should see vvarres streight vvay rise against them so should returne into Egipt againe Behold here the cause whie almightie God would not presentlie permit warre and desolation to fal vpon his people after they were departed out of Egipt least they should repent them and so turne backe again What fatherlie hart can expresse more tender inflamed loue then this YET TO GOE foreward after this priuilege of internal consolation ensueth another making the seruice of God also pleasant and this is the testimonie of a good conscience wherof blessed S. Paul made so great account as he called it his glorie And the Holie Ghost saieth of it further by the mouth of the wise man Secura mens quasi iuge conuiuium a secure mind and good consciēce is as a perpetual feast Of which we may inferre that the vertuous mā hauing alwaies this secure mind and peace of conscience liueth alwaies in festiual ioye and ioiful feasting And how then is this life hard or vnpleasant as you imagine On the contrary side the wicked man hauing his cōscience vexed with the priuitie guilt of many sinnes the same is alwaies tormented with in it self
multiplied vpon them and after that they made hast to come And God saieth generallie of al good men They vvil rise betimes in the morning and come to me in their tribulation Wherfore holy king Dauid desiring the weale of certaine men and to winne them to God saieth in one of his psalmes Fil their faces o Lord vvith shame and confusion and then vvil they seeke vnto thy name And this is true as I said in the elect and chosen seruantes of God But in the reprobate this rope draweth not this yoke holdeth not nor doth this chaine of loue winne them vnto God wherof God him self complaineth saying In vaine haue I stricken your children for they haue not receaued my discipline And againe the prophet Ieremie saieth of them to God thou hast crushed them and they haue refused to receaue thy discipline they haue hardened their faces euen as a rocke and vvil not returne to thee Behold they haue rent the yoke and broken the chaines OF THIS NOVV ensueth an eight reason why God bringeth his seruantes into affliction to wit therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them For as in this world a princelie mind desireth nothing more thē to haue occasiō wherby to shew his habilitie good wil vnto his deare frend so God almightie which hath al occasions in his owne handes and passeth al his creatures together in greatnesse of loue and nobilitie of mind worketh purposely diuers occasions and opportunities wherby to shew and exercise she same So he brought the three childrē into the burning fornace therby to shew his power and loue in deliuering them So he brought Daniel into the liōs dēne Susanna vnto the point of death Iob into extreme miserie Ioseph into prison Tobie vnto blindnes therby to shew his power and loue in their deliuerance For this cause also did Christ suffer the shippe to be almost drouned before he would awake S. Peter to be almost vnder water before he would take him by the hande AND OF THIS one reason many other reasons and most comfortable causes doe appeare of Gods dealing herin As first that we being deliuered from our afflictions might take more ioy and delite thereof then if we had neuer suffered the same For as water is more grateful to the waiefaring man after a long drouth a calme more pleasant vnto passingers after a troublesome tempest so is our deliuerie more sweet after persecution or tribulation according as the scripture saieth Speciosa misericordia Dei in tempore tribulationis the mercie of God is beautiful and pleasant in time of tribulation This signified also our Sauiour whē he saied your sorovv shal be turned into ioy that is you shal reioice that euer you were sorowful This had Dauid proued when he saied thy redie o Lord and thy staffe haue comforted me that is I take great comfort that euer I was chastised with them And againe according to the multitude of my sorovves thy consolations haue made ioiful my mind That is for euery sorow that I receaued in time of afflictiō I receaue now a consolation after my deliuerance And again in an other place I vvil exult and reioice in thy mercie ô Lord. And wherfore good king wilt thou so reioice it foloweth immediatly For that thou hast respected my abasement and hast deliuered my soule frō the necessitie vvherin shee vvas and hast not left me in the handes of mine enemie This then is one most gracious meaning of our louing and merciful father in afflicting vs for a time to the end our ioy may be the greater after our deliuerance as no doubt but it was in al thos whom I haue named before deliuered by Gods mercie I meane Abrahā Ioseph Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abdenago Susanna Iob Thobias Peter and the rest who tooke much more ioy after their deliuerance then if they had neuer bene in affliction at al. When Iudith had deliuered Bethulia and returned thither with Holofernes head there was more hartie ioy in that citie then euer there would haue bene if it had not bene in distresse When S. Peter was deliuered out of prison by the Angel there was more ioy for his deliuerance in the Church then could haue bene if he had neuer bene in prison at al. OVT of this great ioy resulteth an other effect of our tribulation much pleasant to God and comfortable to our selues and that is a most hartie and earnest thankesgeuing to our Lord for our deliuerance such as the prophet vsed when he saied after his deliuerance I for my part vvil sing of thy strength and vvil exalt thy mercie betimes in the morning for that thou hast bene my aider and refuge in the daey of my tribulation Such hartie thankes and praise did the childrē of Israel yeeld to God for their deliuerance when they were passed ouer the read sea in that notable song of theirs which beginneth Cantemus domino and is registred by Moyses in Exodus From like hartie affect came also thos songes of Anna Debora and Iudith moued therunto by the remembrance of their afilictions past And finally this is one of the cheefest things that God esteemeth and desireth at our hādes as he testefieth by the prophet saying cal vpon me in the day of tribulation I vvil deliuer thee and thou shall honour me BESIDES AL thes effects God hath yet further reasons of laying persecution vpon vs as for example to the end that by suffering perceiuing in deed Gods certaine assistance and consolation therin we may come to be so hardie bold and constant in his seruice as nothing afterward can dismay vs. Euē as Moyses albeit he were first afeard of the serpent that was made of his rodd and so fled away from it yet afterwardes whē he by Gods commandement had once taken it vp by the taile he feared it no more This the prophet Dauid expresseth notablie whē he saieth God hath bene our refuge and strēgth and helper in our great tribulations and therfore vve vvil not feare if the vvhole earth should be troubled and the mountaines cast into the middest of the sea What greater considence can be imagined then this AGAINE by persecution afflictiō God bringeth his children to the exercise and perfect possession of al the holy vertues belonging to a Christian man As for example faith is exercised in time of tribulation by considering the causes of Gods permission and beleeuing most assuredlie the promises he hath made for our deliuerance Hope is exercised in conceauing assuring our selues of the rewards promised to thē that suffer patiently Charitie is exercised in considering the loue of Christ suffering for vs and therby proueketh the afflicted to suffer againe for him Obediece is exercised in cōforming our willes to the wil of Christ. Patience in bearing quietlie
his simplicitie was deliuered frō the mouth of lions And so doe you runne ouer by cogitation al generations and you shal see that al those that hope in God shal not be vanquished And doe you not seare the vvordes of a sinful man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and vvormes to daie he is great and exalted and to morovv he shal not be found for he shal returne vnto his earth againe and al his fond cogitations shal perishe Wherfore take courage vnto you my children and plaie the men in the lawe of God For ther in shal be your honour glorie Hitherto are the wordes of scripture which shal suffice for the end of this chapter THE FOVRTH AND GREATEST IMPEDIMENT THAT HINdereth resolution to witte The loue and respect vvhich men beare to the pleasures and vanities of this vvorld CHAPT IIII. AS the former impedimentes which now by Gods grace we haue remoued be in verie deed great staies to many mē from the resolutiō we talke of so this that presently we take in hand is not onely of it self a strong impediment and let but also a general cause as it were a commō ground to al other impedimentes that be or may be For if a man could touch the hidden pulse of al such as refuse or neglect or doe differre to make this resolution he should find the true cause origine therof to be the loue and respect which they beare vnto this world what soeuer other excuses they pretend besides The noble men of Iewrie pretended feare to be the cause why they could not resolue to coniesse Christ openly but S. Iohn that felt their-pulses and knew their disease vttereth the true cause to haue bene for that they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God Demas that for sooke S. Paul in his bandes euen a litle before his death pretended an other cause of his departure to Thellalonica but S. Paul saieth it was quia diligebat hoc seculū for that he loued this world So that this world is a general and vniuersal impediment and more largely dispersed in mens hartes thē outwardly appeareth for that it bringeth forth diuers other excuses therby to couer it self in the people wher it abideth This may be confirmed by that most excellent parable of our Sauiour Christ recorded by three Euangelistes concerning the three sortes of men which are to be damned and the three causes of their damnation wher of the third and last most general including as it were both the two former is the loue of this world For the first sorte of men ther mentioned are compared to a high waie wherin al seed of life that is sowen ether withereth presentlie or els is eaten vp by the birdes of the ayer which is as Christ expoundeth it by the deuils in such careles men as contemne what-soeuer is said vnto thē such are insidels heretikes and other like obstinate and contemptuous people The second sorte of damnable people are compared to rockie groundes in which for lacke of depe roote the seed that falleth continueth not and by this are signified light and vnconstant persons that now choppe in and now runne owt now are seruent and by and by keie-colde againe so in time of tēptation they are gone saith Christ. The third sorte are compared to a feild wherin the seed of life groweth vp but yet there are so many thornes about the same which one father expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries and deceinable vanities of this life as the good corne is choked vp and bringeth soorth no fruite By which last wordes lie signifieth that whersoeuer the doctrine of Christ groweth vp yet bringeth not forth due fruite that is to saie whersoeuer his faith is planted receaued and professed as among Christians it is and yet bringeth not forth vertuous life holie conuersation good workes and due seruice of God corespōdent to this seed ther the principal cause is for that it is choked with the loue and care of this present world This is a parable of maruailous greate importance as may appeare both for that Christ after the recital therof cried out with a lowde voice He that hath eares to heare let him heare As also for that he expounded it him self in secrete onelie to his Disciples And principallie for that before the exposition therof he vsed such a solemne preface saying to you it is geuen to knovv the misteries if the kingdome of heauen but to others not for that they seing doe not see and hearing doe not heare nor vnder stand Wherby Christ signifieth that the vnderstanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceauing the true misteries of the kingdome of heauen and that many are blinde which seeme to see and many deafe and ignorant that seeme to heare and know for that they vnderstand not wel the misteries of this parable For which cause also his diuine wisdome maketh this conclusion before he beginne to expound the parable Happie are your eies that see and biessed are your eares that heare After which wordes he beginneth his exposition with this admonitiō Vos ergo audite parabolam Doe you therfore heare and vnderstand this parable And for that this parable doth containe and touch so much in deede as may or is needful to be saied for remouing of this greate and dangerous impediment of worldly loue I meane to staie my self onelie vpon the explication the ros in this place and wil declare the force and truth of certaine wordes here vttered by Christ of the world and worldlie pleasures And forsome order and methodes sake I wil drawal to these six pointes folowing First how and in what sense al this whole world and commodities therof are meere vanities in them selues and of no value as Christ here signifieth and consequentlie ought not to be an impedimēt to let vs from so great a matter as the kingdome of heauen and seruing of God is Secondlie how they are not onelie vanities and trifles but also Deceptions as the wordes of Christ are that is to say deceyte and fallaces not performing to vs in deede those litle trifles which they doe promise Thirdlie how they are spinae that is pricking thornes as our Saueour affirmeth albeit they seeme to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant thinges Fourthlie how they are arumnae that is to saie miseries and afflictions Fiftlie quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke their possessours according as the sonne of God in this parable auoucheth Sixthlie how we may vse them notwithstanding without these daungers euils and to our great comfort gaine and preferment The first point of the parable AND NOVV for the first albeit I might stande vpon many reasons and demonstrations yet doe I not see how breefly pithelie it may be better declared that al the pleasures and goodlie shewes of this world are mere vanities
thurseday and friday next ensuing they cried Crucifige against him and preferred the life of Barrabas a wicked murderer before his Now my freend if they delt thus with the Saueour of the world which was a better man then euer thou wilt be and did more glorious miracles thē euer thou wilt doe to purchase name and honour with the people why doest thou so labour and beate thy self about this vanitie of vainglorie why doest thou cast thy trauailes into the wind of mens mouthes why doest thou put thy riches in the lippes of mutable men where euery flatterer may robbe the of them hast thou no better a chest to locke them vp in S. Paul was of an other mind when he said I esteeme litle to be iudged of you er of the day of man And he had reason surely For what careth he that runneth at the tilt if the ignorant people that stand by doe geue sentence against him so the Iudges geue it with him If the blind man in the way to Iericho had depended of the liking and approbation of the goers bie he had neuer receaued the benefit of his sight for that they disuaded him from running and crying so vehemently after Christ. It is a miserable thing for a man to be a windemil which grindeth not nor maketh meale but according as the blast endureth If the gale be strong he sourgeth about lustely but if the winde slake he relenteth presently So doe you praise the vainglorious man and ye make him runne if he feele not the gale blow he is out of hart He is like the Babilonians who with a litle sweete musike were made to adore any thing what soeuer The scripture saith most truely as siluer is tried in the fire by blovving to it so is a man tried in the mouth of him that praiseth For as siluer if it be good taketh no hurt therby but if it be euil it goeth al into sume so doth a vaine man by praise and commendation How many haue we seene puffed vp with mennes praises and almost put besides them selues for ioy thereof and yet afterward brought downe with a contrarie winde and driuen ful neare to desperation by cōtempt How many doe we see dailie as the prophet did in his daies commended in their sinnes and blessed in their wickednes How many palpable intolerable flateries doe we heare both vsed and accepted dailie and no mā crieth with good king Dauid avvay vvith this oile and ointment of sinners let it not come vpon my head Is not al this vanitie Is it not madnes as the scripture calleth it The glorious Angels in heauen seeke no honour vnto themselues but al vnto God and thou poore worme of the earth desirest to be glorified The foure and twentie elders in the Apocalips tooke of their crounes and cast them at the seet of the lamb and thou wouldest plucke fortie frō the lamb to thy self is thou couldest O fond creature how truely saieth the prophet homo vanitati similis factus est a man is made like vnto vanitie that is like vnto his owne vanitie as light as the verie vanities them selues which he foloweth And yet the wise man more expressely In vanitate sua appenditur peccator the sinner is weighed in his vanitie that is by the vanitie which he foloweth is seene how light and vaine a sinful man is THE SECOND vanitie that belongeth to Ambition is desire of worldly honour dignitie and promotion And this is a great matter in the sight of a worldly man this is a Iewel of rare price worthie to be bought with any labour trauaile or peril what-soeuer The loue of 〈◊〉 letted the great mē that were Christians in Iewrie from confessing Christ openly The loue of this letted Pilat from deliuering IESVS according as in consciēce he saw he was bound The loue of this letted Agrippa and Festus from making themselues Christians albeit they esteemed Paules doctrine to be true The loue of this letteth infinite men daily from embrasing the meanes of their saluation But alas thes men doe not see the vanitie hereof S. Paul saith not without iust cause Nolite esse pueri sensibus be you not Childrē in vnderstanding It is the fashiō of Children to esteeme more of a painted bable then of a riche Iewel And such is the painted dignitie of this world gotten with much labour maintained with great expenses and lost with intolerable greef and sorow For better conceauing wherof ponder a litle with thy self gentle reader any state of dignitie that thou woldest desire and think how many haue had that before the. Remēber how many mounted vp and how they descended downe againe imagine with thy self which was greater ether the ioy in getting or the sorow in leesing it Where are now al thos emperours thos kings thos princes prelats which reioised so much once at their owne aduancement where are they now I say who talketh or thinketh of them are they not forgotten and cast into their graues long agoe And doe not men boldely walke ouer their heads now whos faces might not be looked on without feare in their life what then haue their dignities done them good It is a wonderful thing to consider the vanitie of this worldly honour It is like a mans owne shadow which the more a man runneth after the more it flieth and when he flieth from it it foloweth him againe and the onely way to catche it is to fal downe to the ground vpō it So we see that thos men which desired honour in this world are now forgotten thos which most fled from it and cast them selues lowest of al mē by humilitie are now most of al honoured honoured I say most euen by the world itself whos enemies they were while they liued For who is honoured more now who is more commended and remembred then S. Paul and his like which so much despised worldly honour in this life as he made lesse accompt therof then of cōmon dūge Most vaine then is the pursute of this worldly honour which nether contenteth the minde nor easeth the pained body nor continueth with the possessour nor leaueth behind it any benefit or cōtentation THE THIRD vanitie that belōgeth to ambition or pride of life is nobilitie of flesh blood a great pearle in the eye of the world but in deed in it self and in the sight of God a meere trifle and vanitie Which holy Iob wel vnderstood whēn he wrote thes wordes I said vnto rottennesse thou art my father and vnto vvormes you are my mother and sisters He that wil behold the gentrie of his auncestours let him looke into their graues and see whether Iob saith truely or no. True nobilitie was neuer begonne but by vertue and therfore as it is a testimony of vertues in the predecessours so ought it to be a spurre to the same
probabilite had bothe sene him and heard him in his life This man then hauing liued verie long in this his charge of bishoprike being now a hundred and twentie yeares olde was in the time of Traian the Emperor S. Iohn the Euangelist being dead a litle before accused by certaine heretiques who then first as Egisippus saith who liued in the same time beganne to shew them selues openly in the world hauing liued secretly in corners before for that al the holy Apostles and others which had heard our Sauiour speake were now dead and therfore thes heretiques deuised now what new expositions vpon scriptures liked them best And for that this man was the only or cheefe piller that stood against them for defence of the Catholique faith and apostolical traditiō at that daie they caused him coningly to be apprehended and presented before Atticus then gouern our of Iurie for the Emperour Who after many allurementes and threates vsed vnto him when by no me ās he could moue him to relent from his cōstancie in Christes seruice he caused him to be beaten with whippes and to be tormented many daies together which the old man indured with most wonderful corage in so much that Atticus being astonied saith our author that one of six skore years of age could beare so many torments commanded him finally to be nailed on a crosse as his master Christ was and so he died At the very same time liued therin Asia a man of singuler name for his holines called Ignatius disciple to the apostles by them or deined bishop of Antioche after that S. Peter had lest the same This mā being accused for his faith to the gouernour of Syria and standing constant in the confession therof was condemned by him to be torne in peeces of wild beastes But for that he was a person of great marke he was sent prisoner to Rome vnder the custodie of ten soldiars to suffer ther. And albeit thes soldiars vpon the way vsed him very discurteously and kept him straite yet founde he meanes either by speech or letters to comfort al Christians as he passed by them But especially as Eusebius noteth he inculcated two pointes to be remembred of them Primum vt haereses quae tum primò emergere caeperunt maxime praecaue ēt deinde vt apostolorū traditioni 〈◊〉 adhaerescerēt first that they should aboue al other things take heed of new opinions and heresies which then first began to creepe abroad and secōdly that they should sticke and cleane most firmely to the tradition of th' Apostles for the true vnderstanding and interpretation of scriptures that is to say they should admit no other interpretation but that which al churches by general and vniforme consent had receaued from th' apostles insinuating hereby that this should be an infallible rule to guide men by vnto the worlds ende Besides this the good man got time also and opportunitie in his iourney to write diuers epistles to sandry churches which Eusebius in his storie setteth downe And among other things either he being informed or fearing of him self that the Christians in Rome hearing of his comming would make means to the Emperour to get pardon for his life and so depriue him of martyrdome he write a most earnest letter vnto them beseeching them not to doe so Out of which letter both Eusebius and S. Hieron doe cite thes most excellent words following In this my iourny saieth he from Syria to Rome I am inforced to fight day and night with ten leopards that is with ten soldiars sent to keepe me Who the more benifites I doe bestow vpon them the worse and the more cruel they are towards me But their iniquitie is my instruction and yet hereby I am not iustified Would God I were once come to inioy thos beastes that are appointed to deuoure me I desire greatly that it may be hortly that they may be stirred vp to eate me quickly least perhapes they abstaine to touch me as they haue done from the bodies of other martyrs But if they should refuse to set vpon me I wil intise them on my self Pardon me my children for I know what is good for me Now I begine to be Christs true disciple desiring nothing that is sene in this world with mans eyes but only IESVS Christ my Sauiour Fire crosse beastes breaking of my bones quartering of my members tearing and renting of my body and al th' other tormentes that the diuel can inuent let them al come vpon me only that I may inioy my IESVS Thus far doth Eusebius cite the words of his own epistle which yet is exstant And S. Irenaeus S. Ierom doe 〈◊〉 yet further that when he came to suffer and heard the roringes of the lions redy to come forth vpon him he vsed thes words I am Gods corne and the teeth of thes wild beastes must grinde me to the ende I may be pure and good bread for Christs table He suffered saith S. Ierome in th' eleuenth yeare of Traians reigne and his reliques were carried backe againe by Christians from Rome to Antioche and ther are kept without the gate called Daphnitica Here we see the feruour of this seruant of God we see his constancie his corage his comfort in suffering And how came he deare brother to this most happie and blessed estate We heare him say of him self that novv he began to be Christes true disciple vvhen he desired nothing that mans eye can behold but only his Lord and Sauiour IESVS Christ. This burning loue then of IESVS did consume in him al other loue and affection that stayeth worldly men from like resolution He was no frende or louer of this world Heare the saying of an other light and lanterne of Gods church which liued at the very same time and suffered so one after him for the same cause and spake with him in his iourney toward Rome I meane S. Policarpus who wrote thus of Ignatius presently after his martyrdome vnto the Philippenses I beseech you brethren to yeld al obedience wher it is due and to vse al patience in your afflictions according to the example which you haue seene in Ignatius and other martyrs as also in S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles assuring your selues that thos men ranne not in vaine but in faith and iustice and therfore are gone to the place which was due vnto them being now with their Lord of whos afflictions they were made partakers in this life They were no louers of this world but they loued their maister who suffered death for our loue and rose againe for our glorification Thus far Policarpus And for that we are fallen into the mention of this rare and worthie man Policarp who albeit he sawe not Christ hī self in flesh yet did he liue most familiarly with diuers of the Apostles especially with S. Iohn Euāgelist whose domestical disciple he
for God called not him self a iust iudge for nothing If the matter had bene so secure as many men by flatterie doe persuade themselues it is S. Peter would neuer haue said vnto Christians now baptized VValke you in scare during the time of this your earthely babitation Nor S. Paul to the same men VVorke your ovvne saluation in feare trembling But here perhappes some men wil aske me how then docth the same Apostle in an other place say That God hath not geuen vs the spirit of feare but of vertue loue and sobrietie to which I answere that our spirite is not a spirit of seruile feare that is to liue in feare onely for dreade of punishment without loue but it is a spirit of loue ioined with the feare of childrē wherby they feare to offend their father not onely in respect of his punishment but principally for his goodnes towardes them and benefites bestowed vpon them This S. Paul declareth plainly to the Romanes putting the differēce betwene seruile feare and the feare of children you haue not receiued againe the spirit of seruitude saith he in feare but the spirit of adoption of children vvherby vve crie to God Abba father He saith here to the Romanes you haue not receiued againe the spirit of seruitude in feare because their former spirite being gentiles was onely in seruile feare for that they honoured and adored their Idoles not for any loue they bore vnto them being so infinit as they were and such not able leudnes reported of them I meane of Iupiter Mars Venus and the like but onely for feare of hurt from them if they did not serue adore and honour them S. Peter also in one sentence expoandeth al this matter For hauing said timorem corum ne timueritis feare not their feare meaning of the seruile feare of wicked men he addeth presentlie Dominum autem Christum sanctificate in cordibus vestris c. cum modestia timore conscientiam habentes bona That is doe you sanctifie our Lord IESVS Christ in your hartes hauing a good conscience with modestie and feare So that the spirit of seruile feare which is grounded onely vpon respect of punishment is forbidden vs but the louing feare of children is commaunded And yet also about this are there two things to be noted The first that albeit the spirite of seruile feare be forbiden vs especiallie whē we are now entered into the seruice of God yet is it most profitable for sinners and for such as yet doe but beginne to serue God for that it moueth them to repētance to looke about them for which cause it is called by the wiseman the beginning of vvisdome And therfore both Ionas to the Niniuites and S. Iohn Baptist to the Iewes and al the prophets to sinners haue vsed to stirre vp this feare by threatning the daungers and punishmentes which were imminent to them if they repented not But yet afterward when men are cōuerted to God and doe goe forward in his seruice they change euery day this seruile feare into loue vntil they arriue at last vnto that state wher of S. Iohn saith that perfecti loue or charitie expelleth feare Wherupon S. Austen saieth that feare is the seruant sent before to prepare place in our hartes for his mistres which is charitie Who being once entered in and perfectly placed feare goeth out againe geueth place vnto the same But where this feare neuer entereth at al there is it impossible for charitie euer to come and dwel saieth this holy father The second thing to be noted is that albeit this feare of punishment be not in verie perfect men or at leastwise is lesse in them then in others as S. Iohn in the place before alleaged teacheth yet being ioined with loue reuerence as it ought to be it is most profitable and necessary for al common Christians whose life is not so perfect nor charitie so great as that they haue that perfection wherof S. Iohn speaketh This appeareth by that that our Sauiour Christ persuaded also this feare euen vnto his Apostles saying Feare you him vvhich after he hath slaine the bodie hath povver also to send both bodie and soule vnto hel fire this I saye vnto you feare him The same doth S. Paul to the Corinthians whoe were good Christians laying downe first the iustice of God therupō persuading thē tò feare Al vve saith he must be presēted before the tribunal seat of Christ to receiue ech man his proper desertes according as he hath done good or euil in this life And for that vve knovve this vve doe persuade he feare of our Lord vnto men Nay that which is more S. Paul testifieth that notwithstanding al his fauours receiued frō God he retained yet him self this feare of Gods iustice as appeareth by those wordes of his I doe chastise my bodie and doe bring it into seruitude least perchance vvhen I haue preached to others I become a reprobate myself Now then my frend if S. Paul stoode in awe of the iustice of God notwithstāding his Apostleshipp and that he was guiltie to him self of no one sinne or offence as he protesteth what oughtest thou to be whose conscience remaineth guiltie of so many misdeedes and wickednes This knovv you saieth S. Paul that no fornicatour vncleane person couetous man or the like can haue inheritāce in the kingdome of Christ. And immediatly after as though this had not bene sufficient he addeth for preuenting the folie of-sinners which flatter thē selues Let no man deceiue you vvith vaine vvordes for the vvrath of God commeth for thes thinges vpon the children of vnbeleef Be not you therfore partakers of them As if he should say They that flatter you say Tush God is merciful and wil pardon easily al thes and like sinnes thes mē deceiue you saith S. Paul for that the wrath and vengeance of God lighteth vpon the children of vnbeleef for thes matters that is it lighteth vpon thos which wil not beleeue Gods iustice nor his threates against sinne but presuming of his mercie doe perseuere in the same vntil vpon the sodaine Gods wrath doe rush vpon them and then is it to late to amende Wherfore saieth he if you be wise be not partakers of their folie but amend your liues presently while you haue time And this admonition of S. Paul shal be sufficient to ende this chapter against al thos that refuse or deferre their resolution of amendement vpon vaine hope of Gods pardon or tolleration THE SIXT THING THAT VSETH TO STAY AND HINDER MEN FROM MAture resolution VVhich is the deceitful hope and persuation to doe it better or vvith more ease aftervvard CHAPT VII THE reasons and authorities which hitherto haue bene alleaged might seme I doubt not sufficient in the iudgement and censure of any reasonable man to proue the necessitie of the resolution wherof we
the life to come so he might enioye thes of this life stil or should finde him self litle moued with cogitation of heauen let him reade the 12. chap. par 1. page 479. of the rewardes after this life If a man were desirous to know what state he were in with God let him reade the 5. chapter page 298. which sheweth who is a true Christian. Also the third chapter page 110. which teacheth a man to take a scantling of that matter A man that should be tempted with cogitations of desperation in respect of the multitude or wickednes of his sinnes or of his continuance therin let him reade the 1. chap. par 2. pag. 523. of Gods endles mercie If any person should find him self troubled or tempted by consideration of the contrarieties and vexations that fal out daily in Godes Churche against the Catholique faith and good mē let him reade the 5. chapter page 747. of exāples of true resolution As also the 3. chapter of Tribulation page 631. The same let them doe that finde them selues or their frindes in tribulation or doe stāde in feare therof for that they loue wel their owne ease He that findeth him self tender and delicate and feareful of the paines which a vertuous life requireth or weary of wel-doing let him reade the 2. chapter of difficulties page 570. He that thinketh him sēlf yonge or otherwise so occupied as he hath not time neede or leasure as yet to make his couersiō let him reade the 10. chapter page 419. treating of death as also the 7. chapter page 818. that handleth the manifold dangers of delaye Finallie both by this that here hath bene noted as also by consideration of the seueral chapters set downe in the beginning before the preface ech man ether yong or old poore or riche in affliction or prosperitie in sicknes or health of high or lowe degree or of what qualitie state minde constitution temperature cōdition calling habite desire or inclinatiō soeuer he be may take some what from this booke to be considered vsed and applied to his peculier commoditie or to his frind in like case Hovv the former treatises may be vsed to meditation and prayer FOR so much as mētal prayer is nothing els but an eleuation of our spirite vnto almightie God an exercise of our soule wherin she debateth ī the presence of her Creator the affaires which appertaine to her owne saluation wherunto also the treatises of this booke doe al tende I haue sorted the same out into two kindes of meditations to be vsed at seueral times twise euery daie for the space of one moneth or ther about Which being ended the reader may beginne againe and so cōtinue the perpetual memorie therof taking now of one kinde and then of an other according as he shal finde his minde most desirous or inclined And in his meditation he may obserue thes fewe rules following First that when he goeth about to meditate he thinke with him self before he beginne what and wher with whom he hath to deale and how he would stāde in the presence of a far lesse king of this world if he were to goe before him as now he is to present him self before the Maiestie of almightie God Secondly that he doe not only humble him self in hart euen vnto the ground before so great a Maiestie but also that he shew the same if he can by some external action as S. Paul and Christ did when they put them selues vpon their knces at the beginning of their praiers Thirdly hauing made the signe of the holy Crosse vpō his breast for head in the name cōfession of the blessed Trinitie let him frame some short petitiō praier such as after followeth or the like therby to demande grace to profite his soule by that meditation Fourthly this being donne let him reade with great attention distinctiō the peece or parcel assigned in the meditations following let him read it with such quiet of minde as he maye saie with the prophet Audiam quid in me loquatur Dominus I wil giue eare and be attentiue to that which it shal please our Lord to speake vnto me Fifthly when he hath reade out al the matter assigned or before if any special thing moue him as he readeth let him staie laying a side the booke or making some note wher he breaketh of let him quietly reuolue and meditate in his minde that which he hath reade and this either kneeling fitting walking or lying as he findeth most conuenient for the repose of his minde And what so euer he feeleth to affect or moue him most let him stād most vpon that and applie it earnestly to the stirring vp of him self and of his soule to doe her deutie Sixthly when he hath donne what he can to the enkendling of his affections in such good motiōs as the matter of that meditation doth minister be it of loue reuerence feare zele corage cōfidence hatred detestation of sinne or the like then let him turne to almightie God with al the vehemencie that possibly he is able demāding with great feruour what soeuer his spirit in that instāt most desireth and so he may end with the praier that after is assigned or some such like which cōmonly is to be said with deuotion vpon our knees A prayer to be vsed at the very instant vvhen vve beginne to reade any thing vvheron to meditate OEuerlasting omnipotent and most merciful Lord and father I present my self here before the face of thy diuine Maiestie most humbly crauing the assistāce of thy holy spirite for my direction instruction in this meditation that now I take in hande to the ende that my soule may receaue consolation and benefit therby in learning to know both thee her self thy sacred wil and her bounden dewtie thy iudgementes and her accomptes thy endles mercies and her infinite offences Geue vnto me ô Father of al mercie and Creator of al good spirits such a docible and tender hart as may be pearsed with the holy inspirations which it shal please thy heauenly benignitie to bestov vpon me Graunt that the holy fire of godly affections may be inkendled within my bowels by this meditatiō as it was in the hart of thy seruant Dauid by like holy excercise Make my spirit attent to thos blessed and fatherly admonitions which thou shalt please to send vnto me in this time of treatie betwene thee and me Illuminate my vnderstanding incline my wil stirre vp my affections inflame my desires confirme my memorie and continual remembrāce in al such things as it shal please thy goodnes to reueale vnto me at this instant or otherwise for my saluation Graunt al this ô my most merciful God for thy deare sonne our Saueour IESVS sake who hath assured vs that thou wilt neuer deny a good spirit to him
pa. 1. The danger therof 1. the cause therof sensualitie or vvilful obstinacie 2. 3. 4. c. vvhv men doe flye the same 9. 10. the commodities and effectes therof 14. 15. Ingratitude intolerable of men towardes God 4. 5. Iugement day see the vvhole 7. chap. 349. vvhy tvvo Iudgemantes are appointed 353. Iustice of God hovv terrible and seuere 799. L Labour appointed to man by God 336. most necessarie both in the old and nevv testament 337. Libertie and freedome of soule hovv singuler it is in good man 605. Life and conuersation of Christ vvhat it vvas 222. vvhat it ought to be in true Christians 320. at large Good life hath tvvo necessitie partes 324. Loue of God tovvardes mankinde hovv great it is hovv it may be seene 529. 530. c. at large soe also the causes and effectes therof ibid. The force of lone in good men tovvardes God 586. 587. c. M Magnanimitie and true Christian fortitude 673. Magi ther comming prophetied and the storie proued 212. hovv long they vvere in comming ibid. Maiestie of God hovv vvonderful 400. Mans final ende chap. 3. pag. 110. Martyrs of the primatiue Church hovv vvōderful 264. Mathematique only hath no proper means to proud God 35. Mercie of God infinite and aboue al sinnes vvhatsoeuer see the vvhole first chapt part 2. pag. 523. Miracles of Iesvs 223. Monastical life vvhy and vvhen it vvas begonne 339. old Monkes vvhat austeritie they vsed 331. Moral Philosophie hovv it proueth God 48. Moyses particulerly considered vvhat maner of man lre vvas 68. Moyses lavv vuperfect to be changed 163. N Natural Philosophie hovv it proueth God 36. Negligence hovv great an impedimēt to our conuersion 860. hovv it bringeth men to Atheisme 861. O Oracles of Gentile Godes hovv false and vncertaine It. vvhat they fortold of Christ before his natiuitie 181. vvhen and hovv the ceassed 268. P Passion of Christ proued 229. Peace of minde and conscience in the vertuous hovv great a matter 597. Philosophie proueth-God 35. sovver sectes of old Phllosophers confessing one God 51. Pilate hovv he died 277. Pleasures of this vvorld hovv vaine 715. Porphyrie a great enimie of Christians yet vvhat he confesseth of Christ 223. and againe 273. Presumption hovv dangerous and detestable to God see the 6. chapt part 2. pag 793. Principles to be supposed in al sciences vvithout proose 25. The prophesies of scripture hovv they proue the scripture to be of God pag. 81. vvhat manner of men our Prophetes vvere 68. 98. hovv diuels may prophetie 81. Proclamation that Christ made at his comming 250. the Proclamation or publication of the lavv of good life vvith hovv greate dread 350. Punishmentes after this life See the 11. chapt 444. Purgatorie proued vvith the greatnes of the paines therof 452. the feare that old Saintes had of the same 454. R Rabbins among the Jevves of tvvo sortes Cabalistes and Thalmudistes 157. Redemption vvhat a benefite 409. Religion vvhat it meaneth and signifieth 132. no man euer sayed but by Christian Religion from the beginning of the vvorld 134. Resisting of sinne hovv it ought to be 316. Resurrection of Christ proued 235. Revvard expected by the iust hovv great a consolation 613. Riches hovv vaine and perilous 711. The Roman Monarchie fortold 188. S Scepter of Iuda hovv it pphetied of vvhē it failed 191 Sciēces ech one proueth God 35. fovver principal Ib. Scriptures their certaintie proued by many arguments 62. 63. confirmed by Gēntiles 100. Sensualitie hovv dangerous 2. Sibyls vvhat they vvere and of their prophesies touching Christ at large 174. Sinne hovv it is to be resisted 326. sinne hath 3. degrees 327. of the nature of sinne sinners see the 8. cha 378. VVhy euery Sinne is so hateful to God deserueth infinite punishment 384. the losses that come by Sinne 390. Sloth hovv great an impediment to the true seruice of God 853 fovver euel effectes therof 854. The soules immortalitie proueth God 47. hovv many things the soule attendeth vnto at one time Spirits subdued by Christ Christians in the primatiue Church 267. Starre of the Kings forprophetied proued 213. T Temple of Hierusalem tvvise builded 192. 193. c. The prerogatiues of the 1. temple 195. of the 2. 196. Time hovv pretious vvhile it indureth 476. Tradition of learning among Ievves Gentiles from the beginning 171. The true scriptures knovven only by Tradition 273. Tribulatiō vvhat it vvorketh pag 631. good men must suffer 634. the causes hereof 641. VVhy it should be occeaued ioifully 656. VV VVickednes vvicked men hovv fullof miserie 611. VVisdome of Christians vvherin it consisteth 340. vvisdome of the vvorld 703. VVooing vvhich God vseth tovvardes a sinner 542. The vvorldes vvrong course 118. vvorldes vanitie miserie see al the 4. chap. part 2. pag. 688. VVorldlinges lament vvhen it is to late 120. VVorkes necessarie besides faith 314. the diligēce of old Christians in vvorking vvhile they had time 342. V Vaine glorie vvhat a vanitie 696. Vision of God maketh soules happie in heauen 499. Vocatiō vvhat a benefite 411. Y Yoke of Christs hovv svvet and easie 584. FINIS * 1. Of inconsideratiō * 2. That ther is a God * 3. Why mā was created * 4. Proofes of Christian religion * 5. Who is a true Christian * 6. Two partes of good life 7. Of the accompting daye 8. Of the nature of inne and inners 9. Maiestie and benefites 10. Of the day of our departure 11. Punishemētes after death 12. Of rewardes after this life * 1. Dispaire of Gods mercie 2. Against supposed difficulties 3. Feare of persecution 4. The loue of the world * 5. Exāples of true resolutiō 6. Against presumption 7. Against delay 8. Sloth Negligence obduration The reason of printing againe this first booke of Resolution Nevv additions The vvhole vvorke deuided into tvvo volumes 1. Speculatiue 2. Practive Tvvo editions of the booke of Resolution vvithout the authors knowledge M. Ed. Bany Of M. Bunies edition Fovver pointes of this preface In his preface to the reader The first occasion of setting soorth the booke of Resolution Bookes of deuotion more profitable to good life thē bookes of controuersies The description of deuotion 2. Timot. 2. Our fathers happie that builded and contended not about the foundation 1. Co. 3. Act. 10. Tvvo partes of Christian aiuinisie Speculation easier then practise The three bookes of this Christiā directorie vvith their argumentes A title giuen by M. Buny Heb. 13. An old trick of beretiques to abuse simple people vvith obscure places of scripture See Epiph. cont heres and 〈◊〉 Quod vult Deum 2. Pet. 3. My L. of yorkes armes The epistle dedicaterie In his Ep. dedicat My L. of yorkes mortificatiō and calling vpō others * His L. hostise of Doncaster Sir Robert Stapleton others The preface to the reader M Banies ignorance M. Bunies vanitie Ep. Dedicate Only Catholiques vvrite boo kes of deuotion bookes 1. Tim. 4. Tit. 3. Athanas.
of Hierusalem 〈◊〉 27. His protestation His cunctation His chiding His faire speech His complaint His kind speech His conference His svveet conclusion A consideration vpon the former treatie of God vvith Hierusalē Psal. 144. Psal. 16. Gods tender loue to Hicrusalē vvhē he vvas to destroy it Iere. 7. Iere. 7. Iere. 8. A pitiful complaint The vvonderful proceeding of God vvith Hierusalē Iere. 35. Iere. 36. The obstinacie of the Iuish nation Eze. 23. Ezec. 2. Epithetons geuē by God to the people of Israel A vvōderful point Esa. 40. VVhat ioy theris made at a sumers conuersion Esa. 30. Luc. 15. Psal. 57. THE. 3. part VVHAT assurāce God geueth to them that repent The promisses of God to sinners that repent Ezec. 18. 33. 34. 37. Esa. 1. Iere. 3. Fovver vniuersalities in Gods promisses to sinners Three pointes of great comfort Bern. ser. in verb. Psalm misericordia Domini in aeter cantab. Eccle. 4. Hovv God hath persourmed his promises to sinners that haue repented 1. Ioa. 2. Neuer sinner repēted that vvas not pardoned Gen. 3. Adam Eue. The reicetion of Cain and Esau. Heb. 12. Chris. hom 80. de paenit ad pop Antio The infinit sinnes of the Iuishe people their infinit pardons receaued frō God Th' exāple of Manasses 4. Reg. 21 2. Par. 33. The exāple of the Niniuites Ion. 1. 2. 3. 4. Cōsider this speech of almightie God Ion 23. 4. * In the first part of this chapter Examples of mercie in the nevv testament Luc. 15. Ioan. 10. 11. Rom. 5. Phil. 2. The vvonderful clemēcie of Iesus our Sauiour Math. 9. 11. Marc. 2. Luc. 5. Math. 11. Ioan. 7. Mat. 11. Ioan. 12. Great and manie causes of assured hope in IESVS Cant. 1. Bern. ser. 5. in Cant. THE. 4. part Th' application of al that hath bene said Rom. 8. Ioa. 10. Heb. 10. S. Pauls exhortatiō to confidence An excellēt discourse and exhortation of S. Chrysost. liom 2. in Psal. 50. The speech of the diuel to a sonle loden vvith sume S. Chrysostoms counsail against the diuels temptation No time to late to repent An exhoritation and ad monition of S. Augustine Ser. 58. de temp Eze. 11. 33 A similitud of the bodie to expresse the miscrie of the soule by multiplying sinne Rom. 2. Codlie mā vvordes ought to moue vs greatlie Eccle. 12. A notable discourse of S. Augustine touching our conuersion Ser. 181. de temp Esa. 54. Esa. 19. Hel not made for man Mat. 25. In this life al penāce is auailable but not after Tvvo assaultes of our ghostlie enimie 1. If vertuous life vvere hard yet vvorthie the labour Lib. de cōpunct cordis Hom. 16. ex 50. Rom. 8. 2. Pet. 2. Lue. 16. 2. The vvays of vertue is not hard in deed Mat. 12. 1. Ioh. 5. The cause of pretēdeā difficulties Ibidem 2. Co. 12. 4. Re. 6. The singuler assistāce of God for ouer cumming difficulties Rom. 8. Philip. 4. Psal. 118. A similitude A question to be demāded of pretenders of difficulties Psal. 118. Psal. 18. Ioan. 5. Rom. 5. Heb. 6. The end of Christs cōming to make the vvay easie Mat. 1. Esa. 40. Esa. 11. Et vide Ier. ibid. Amb. lib. 1. de sp 5 c. 20. S. Aug ser. 209. de temp Mat. 5. Luc. 6. Act. 4. 2. Cor. 4. Esa. 10. The summe of this chapter vvith the tvvo ge neral partes therof Esa. 24. THE. helpe GODS grace and the force therof 2. Cor. 12. This grace geuen to S. Paul Bun. striketh out for fear least by S. Pauls exāple any man should think himself aide vvith the holpe of Gods grace to resist such temptations Exo. ca. 31. 36. The force of grace in resisting tēptations Rom. 6. * So proueth S. Aug. l. 2. de pecca mer. cap. 6. Esa. 41. A similitude shevving hovv passions vvhen theyare mo derated may be prositable * Prou. 26. Excuses of slothful Christians Pro. 20. Pro. 24. Mat. 11. 1. Ioh. 5. Ioh. 8. Rom. 7. Rom. 8. Psal. 26. 27. Psal. 22. 1 Ioh. 5. Hovv Christes for nice is a yoke and burden and yet not heauie nor troblesome Psal. 118. Mat. 11. The yoke of Christ deliuereth vs from many yokes THE. 2. helpe VEHEMENcie of loue * See S. Aug. of this matter ser. 9. de verb. dom The great force of loue betvvene Christ and his seruātes Euseb. li. 6. c. 34. Ierom. in catalogo The loue of Gods commādemētes Psal. 6. 18. Mat. 11. 1. Ioh. 5. Tra. 26. in Iohan. Ioh. 14. An obseruation Rom. 13. 1. Io. 5. THE. 3. helpe PECVLIER light of vnderstāding Prou. 9. Psal. 16. Psal. 118. Psal. 50. Ioh. 1. 1. Io. 2. Iero. 31. Esa. 54. Psal. 118. The great comfort of internal light 1. Cor. 2. Esa. 65. Sap. 5. THE. 4. helpe INTERNAL consolatiō Apoc. 2. Psal. 30. Psal. 67. Osee 2. The force svveetnes of this consolation Psal. 35. 64. Mat. 17. Marc. 9. Luc. 9. Psal. 35. Esa. 29. A similitud expressing the cause vvhy God giueth this consolation Apoc 3. Psal. 117. 2. Cor. 7. The vvaye to come to spiritual cōsolation Psa. 67. Can. 1. Esa. 66. 1. Reg. 5. Io. 8. 14. 15. 16. 1. Io. 2. Exo. 16. VVorldlie consolations heauēlie stand not vvel together Exod. 2. Beginners chieflie cherished by God Luc. 15. Exo. 13. Mat. 11. THE. 5. helpe THE peace of cōlciēce 2. Cor. 1. Pro. 15. Gen. 4. 1. Mac. 6. Mat. 27. Act. 1. Marc. 〈◊〉 Sap. 7. Iob. 15. The trouble of an euil conscience The saying of S. Chrisostom of a vvicked conscience Hom. 8. ad pop an t Pro. 28. Pro. 28. THE. 6. helpe CONFIdent hope Iac. 5. Rom. 5. Heb. 6. Ephe. 6. 1. The. 5. Psal. 55. Iob. 13. Psal. 1. Pro. 10. Pro. 11. Iob 11. The vaine hope of vvicked men Iere. 17. Esa. 28. Sap. 5. Esa. 30. 36. Iere. 17. 48. Pro. 10. Iob. 8. The vvicked mans hope is not in God Mat. 7. The sal of a vvicked mans house VVicked men can not kept in God Iacob 2. Mat. 7. 1. Co. 13. 15. Rom. 1. Gal 3. Ephe. 2. 〈◊〉 3. 1. Ti. 1. 2. Austens saing of hope lib. 1. de doct chri cap. 37. In prafat Psal. 31. THE. 7. helpe FREEDOM of mind Ioh. 8. 2. Co. 3. An exāple expressing the bōdage of vvicked men giuē to sensualitie The miserie of a man ruled by sensualitie 2. Re. 11. Iud. 14. 3. Re. 11. An ambitious man A couetous man Ioh. 8. Rom. 6. 2. Pet. 2. The libertie a man hath by serning God Eze. 34. Psal. 90. Rom. 6. THE. 8. helpe PEACH of mind Psa. 75. Psa. 118. Esa. 48. 57. Psal. 13. Rom. 11. Esa. 57. Iac. 3. Tvvo causes of disquietnes in vvicked men Pro. 30. A similitude The. 2. cause Gen. 11. Psal. 54. Phil. 4. Ioh. 14. 〈◊〉 Mat. 10. THE. 9. Reason EXPEctation of revvard An example Gen. 40. 41. 43. Pro. 11. Mat. 11. The testimonie of such as haue had experience in them selues * Here Bun is inforced to