those things of which he should haue taken and receaued greater causes of louing his Creator of those he receaued and tooke greater occasion of treason and disloyalty Therefore he was thrust out of Paradice and cast into banishment yea and was adiudged to hell fire that as hee was made a companion with the deuill in sinne so hee might be his companion in punishment The Prophet Elizeus sayd to his seruant Gehezi Thou hast receaued siluer and garments of Naaman therefore the leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and to thy seede for euer Like was the iudgement of God against man who seeing that he had affected the riches and treasure of Lucifer that is his pride and ambition it was meete that he should be infected with the leaprosie of the same Lucifer which was the punishment of his pride Behold then man made lyke vnto the deuill being a follower of his fault Therfore when man was so abhominable in Gods eyes and had incurred so great displeasure our most gracious and most mercifull Lord did not disdaine to respect vs he did not looke to the iniurie done to his supreame Maiesty but to the misfortune of our owne misery more lamenting our errour then desirous of reuenge for the contumely offered vnto him he determined to repaire man and to reconcile him vnto him his onlie begotten sonne being our Mediatour But how hath he reconciled man vnto him What humane tongue shall declare this vnto vs Christ hath procured so great friendship between vs and God that not onely God hath pardoned to man all his fault hath receaued him into his fauour hath made him one and that same with himselfe through a certaine vnion of loue but that which passeth all greatnes hath made such a likenes and similitude betweene himselfe mans nature that amongst all things created there can be found no greater conformity thē are the Deity and humanity for they are not one and the same through loue and fauour but also in person Who euer durst haue hoped that a wound so largely gaping should after this manner haue beene drawne together Who euer could haue thought that these two natures betweene which there was so great difference both of nature and of offence that euer they could haue beene so neerely ioyned together not in one house not at one table not in one loue but in one and the selfe same person What two greater contraries may be giuen then God and a sinner And what two things are now more straightly and narrowly combined together what more commixt then God and man There is nothing higher or nobler then God saith Bernard and there is nothing lower or baser then that clay of which man is formed Neuerthelesse with so great humility GOD descended vpon the earth to man and with so great sublimitie earth ascended to God that whatsoeuer God hath done earth may be said to haue done it and whatsoeuer earth hath suffered God may be sayd to haue suffered it Who would haue said to man when he was naked knew that he had incurred the wrath of God when he sought lurking holes and corners in Paradice wherein he might hide himselfe vvho I say would haue then said that the tyme should come when this vild substance should be vnited to God in one and the selfe same person Thys vnion is so neere straight and faithfull that when it was to be dissolued which was in the tyme of the Passion it would rather rent and breake then faint and forsake Death might seperate the soule from the body which was the vnion of nature but it could not pluck GOD from the soule nor frō the body for that vvas the vnion of the Diuine person For what it once apprehendeth with so strong a loue it neuer forsaketh This is that peace this is that health and saluation which wee receaue by the benefit of our Mediatour and Sauiour Although we are such and so great debtors for thys benefit that no mans tongue can vtter it yet we are not lesse bound to God for the manner of our Redemption then for the redemption it selfe O my Lord I am bound to thee in a high degree of dutie that thou hast deliuered me from hell and hast reconciled me vnto thee but much more owe I vnto thee for the manner it selfe by which thou hast deliuered me then for the liberty it selfe which thou hast giuen me All thy works are admirable in all things and although a man doth thinke when he hath considered one thing that not any thing remaineth which may be added to further admiratio◠foorth-with all that wonderment vanisheth when he turneth his eyes to contemplate an other thing O lord the glory of thy greatnes is not diminished if one wonder dooth seeme to expell and put out another but these are tokens of thy greater glory But what was the meane ô my Lord by which thou wouldest take away my euils and wickednesses There were infinite meanes by which thou couldest haue helped me and giuen me perfect saluation without labour and without any price Notwithstanding so great and so admirable is thy liberalitie that to show me more manifestly the greatnes of thy loue goodnes thou wouldest helpe me with so great dolours that the onely cogitation of them was sufficient to extract bloody sweat from all thy members thy passion a little after through dolor to cleaue a sunder the hardest Rocks O my Lord the heauens doe praise thee and the Angels sette forth thy wonders What didst thou neede our good or were our euils any preiudice vnto thee If thou sinnest sayth Iob what doost thou against him yea when thy sinnes be many what doost thou vnto him If thou be righteous what giuest thou vnto him or what receiueth he at thy hand Thys GOD so rich so voyde of all euill he whose riches whose power whose wisedome cannot increase or be greater then it is he that was neither before nor after the creation of the world greater or lesser then he is now he that is neither more illustrious or lesse glorious because Angels sing his prayse and men doe glorifie him nay if all the creatures should curse and blaspheme him thys great Lord not of necessity but of meere charitie it not hindering him that we were his enemies he dyd not disdaine to incline and bend the heauens of his maiestie and to descend into this valley of misery to be clothed with the flesh of our mortalitie and to take all our debts vpon him to cancell them to suffer and vnder-goe greater torments then euer any suffered heeretofore or shall suffer heereafter Ah my Lord for the loue of me thou wast borne in a stable and layd in a Cratch for me thou wast circumcized the eyght day for me thou flying into Egipt liuedst there in banishment seauen whole yeeres and for mee thou diddest sustaine diuers persecutions and wast molested and vexed with infinite iniuries For the loue of
and placeth his seate and mansion in it Wherefore if thou comparest all the riches and honours of this world and all naturall graces with the beauty and riches of a iustified soule all will seeme most obscure and most vild in comparison of it For as great difference as there is betweene heauen and earth betweene a spirit and a body betweene eternity and momentary time so great difference also is there found betweene the life of grace and the life of nature betweene the beauty of the soule and the body betweene the inward riches and the outward betweene the spirituall strength and the naturall For all these are circumscribed within certaine limits they are temporall and appeare onelie beautifull to the corporall eyes to which a generall comming of God is sufficient but to the other a speciall perticuler and supernaturall comming is required Neither can they be called temporall when they bring vs to eternity neyther can they be called altogether finite because they bring the infinite God to vs in whose eyes they are so precious and of such valour that by theyr beauty they prouoke God to loue vs. Furthermore when as God could haue wrought all these things by his helpe and will he would not doe it but it pleased him to adorne the soule with infused vertues and with the gifts of his holy Spirit with which not onely the very Essence of the soule but also all her powers are clothed and adorned with these diuine habites To all these diuine benefits the eternall and infinite goodnes of God doth ioyne another that is the presence and ayde of the holy Ghost and so of all the most sacred Trinity which doth turne into a iustified soule and doth come that he may dwell in her that he may teach her how to vse rightly so great riches as a good father who not content to haue giuen riches to his sonne but doth giue him also a Tutor who well knoweth how to dispose bestow them Insomuch that euen as Vipers Dragons and Serpents doe dwel in the soule of a sinner which are a multitude of ill malignant spirits who chose their habitation and abiding in such a soule as our Sauior saith in Mathew so on the cōtrary part the holy Spirit with the whole blessed Trinity doth enter into a iustified soule casting out al monsters and infernall beasts doth consecrate it for a Temple vnto himselfe and doth place his seate there as the Lord expresly testifieth in the Gospel saying If any man loueth me he will keepe my sayings my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him By the vertue of these words all the Doctors as wel Ecclesiasticall as Schoolemen confesse that the holy Ghost himselfe by a certaine speciall peculier meanes doth dwel in a iustified soule distinguishing betweene the holy Ghost his gifts saying moreouer not only these gifts to be giuen of the holy ghost but also the holy Ghost to giue himselfe who entring into this soule doth make it his Temple habitation placing his seate in it Therfore he doth purge and sanctifie it doth adorne it with his gifts that it may be an In worthy of such a guest These benefits afore-sayd doe not suffice vnlesse that admirable one come to which is that all the iustified are made the liuely members of our Sauiour which before were dead members for they did not receaue and take their influences from the head Christ. Hence others and those very great prerogatiues and dignities doe proceede for hence it is that the sonne of God loueth them as his owne members and hath no lesser care of them then of himselfe he is no lesse carefull for them then for his owne members without intermission hee poureth his vertue and grace vpon them as the head vpon his members to be briefe the eternall Father doth behold them with fauourable eyes no otherwise then the liuely members of his onely begotten Sonne vnited and incorporated with him by the participation of his spirit Of the same dignity it proceedeth that when those that are iustified doe aske for fauour and grace of God they aske it with great confidence for they know that they doe aske it not onely for themselues but also for the sonne of God himselfe who is honoured in them and with them For seeing that it may not be denied but that which the members doe the head also doth the same it followeth that seeing Christ is their head when they aske any thing for themselues they aske it also for him For if it be true that they as sayth the Apostle who offend against the members of Christ doe offend against Christ himselfe and if Christ doth say that he suffereth persecution when his members doe suffer persecution as he sayde to his Apostle persecuting his Church why doest thou meruaile my brother if I say that when the members are honoured that then Christ himselfe is also honoured Which seeing that it is so how great confidence will a righteous man haue in his prayer when he considereth that desiring fauour and grace for himselfe after a certaine manner he also desireth the same of the eternall Father for his best beloued sonne Is it not true that when fauour is done to any man for the loue of an other that it is done principally for him for whose loue it is done For wee beleeue that he that showeth mercy to a poore man for Gods sake that he not onely doth shew it to the poore man but also to God himselfe Neyther heere yet is an end of the heauenly benefits for to all these benefits afore-sayd this as last is ioyned to which all the other are appoynted and ordayned that is the right and possession of eternall life which is giuen to the iustified For as that our infinite and vnmeasurable Lord in whom together shineth all iustice and mercy adiudgeth to euerlasting payne those that doe not repent so hee taketh to eternall life all those that truly repent And when as he could haue pardoned man of all his sinnes and receaued him into his friendship and fauor with communion and participation of his glory yet he would not doe it but those to whom for his mercies sake he remitteth sinnes he also iustifieth whom he iustifieth those he maketh his sonnes whom he maketh his sonnes those also he maketh heires and pertakers of his celestiall inheritance together with his onely begotten sonne Hence ariseth that liuely hope which maketh the iustified merry and glad in all tribulation by reason of the pledge and earnest of this infinite treasure For although they see themselues brought into straights to be afflicted with infirmities to be oppressed with the miseries of this life yet they know that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto them And also they know that this light affliction which is but
very well That hee beholdeth the earth and hee maketh it to tremble he toucheth the mountaines and they smoake And that the starres and pillers of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe And it is said of him not without reason that before his maiesty those great principalities and supreame powers doe tremble not because they are not secure of their owne glory but because the greatnes of the diuine Maiesty doth strike feare and trembling into them If therfore they that be perfect be not without feare what shal they doe that are guilty and contemners of the diuine Maiesty They are those vpon whom hee wil poure out the fury of his indignation This is one of the principal reasons why the greatnes of this punishment is to be feared as S. Iohn plainely teacheth in his Reuelation where he after this manner speaketh of the scourges and torments of the Lord. Therefore shall her plagues come at one day he speaketh of Babilon death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her The Apostle also was not ignorant of the strength of this Lord and therfore he sayd It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. It is not a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of men because they are not so mighty but we may escape their violence and flye from their fury neyther haue they such authority that they can thrust the soule into hel Therfore our Sauiour sayd to his Disciples Feare not them that kill the body but cannot kill the soule but rather feare him who can cast both body and soule into hell fire These be the hands into which the holy Apostle sayth that it is a feareful thing to fall Of these things it is no hard matter to gather what is the nature of those hands of which Ecclesiasticus speaketh If we doe not repent we shall fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men By all which it is most manifest that as God is great in power in Maiestie and in all his works so he will be great in wrath in iustice and in the punishments of the wicked The same also is yet more plainly seene in examining the Diuine iustice the effects aud executions of which be these punishments Thys is after some manner knowen by the effects that is by the feareful punishments of God inflicted at diuers times vpon wicked men sundry of which are remembred in the Scriptures How terrible was the punishment of Dathan and Abiron and of all theyr complices whom the earth opening her mouth swallowed vp with theyr Tents and all their substance and they went quick into hel because they had stirred vp sedition against Moses and the Priests Who euer heard such like kind of threatnings as those that are read in Deuteronomie and they are purposed and threatned against thē who doe not obserue the Lawe of the Lord where amongst other horrible and feareful threatnings thus sayth the Lord Thou shalt be besieged in all thy Citties throughout all thy Land which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee And thou shalt eate the fruite of thy bodie euen the flesh of thy sonnes and thy daughters which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee during the siege and straightnes wherein thine enemies shall enclose thee So that the man that is tender and exceeding daintie among you shal be grieued at his brother at his wife that lieth in his bosome at the remnant of his children which he hath yet left For feare of giuing vnto any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eate because he hath nothing left him in that siedge and straightnes wherwith thine enemie shall besiedge thee in all thy Citties The tender and daintie woman among you which neuer would venter to sette the sole of her foote vpon the ground for her softnesse and tendernesse shall be grieued at her husband vvhich lieth in her bosome and at her sonne and at her daughter and at her after birth that shall come out from betweene her feete and at her children which shee shall beare for when all things lacke shee shall eate them secretlie during the siedge and straightnesse vvhere-with thine enemie shall besiedge thee in thy Citties Horrible and to be trembled at are these punishments yet both these and al other with which men haue at any time been punished in this world are no other thing then a smal shadow and a figure of those punishments which tarry for the damned in the other world for that shall bee the time in which the Diuine iustice shal shine vpon and against those that heere haue refused his mercy But if the shadow be so horrible who shal be able to sustaine the truth of the matter and the thing it selfe If now when as the Diuine iustice is as yet tempered with mercy and the cup of the wrath of the Lord is mixed with the water of his grace be so bitter what will it be when it shall be drunke pure without mercy especially of those that would shewe no mercy to theyr neighbour although the punishment will alwayes be lesse then the desert and merrit of the sinne Neyther onely dooth the greatnesse of the iustice argue the greatnes of the punishment but also the greatnes of the mercie of the goodnes of which wicked men presume so much For what is more admirable then to see GOD clothed with mans flesh and in it to suffer all kinde of torments reproches euen from his entrance into this life to his going foorth of it which he ended vpon the Crosse What greater mercy then to come into this world and to take vppon him the debts of the vvhole world that he might disburthen the world of them to shed his blood for them who shedde his blood Therefore as the works of the Diuine mercie are admirable so are the workes of the Diuine iustice to be feared for there is not in God lesser or greater but seeing that God is wholy and all that hee is in himselfe therefore as much as his mercie is so much necessarilie is his iustice in those things that pertaine vnto it For euen as by the greatnes of one arme we gather the quantity of the other so by the greatnes of the arme of the Diuine mercy we measure also the quantity of the Diuine iustice seeing that there is one and the same measure of them both Now therefore tell me I pray thee if in that time in vvhich GOD would shewe his mercy to the world hee wrought so admirable things and so incredible to the world that the world supposed them to be foolishnes when the time of hys second comming shall approch in which he determineth to shewe the greatnesse of his iustice what doost thou thinke that hee vvill doe hauing so many moe greater occasions by howe much there
thy glory and of thy greatnesse euery day Vpon which wordes Saint Augustine dooth thus comment What is this euery day Without intermission in prosperitie because thou doost comfort mee in aduersity because thou doost correct mee Before I was because thou madest mee when I was because thou gauest mee health when I dyd offend because thou pardonest me when I was conuerted because thou helpest me when I perseuered because thou crownest me So fully let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory euery day and all the day long If the sonne of God himselfe dyd gyue thankes to hys Father for a fewe Barley loafes as it is in the Gospell what great thanks ought we to giue for thys great benefit that wee are so sanctified by his holy Spirit that we are made his Temple and the dwelling and seate of the most sacred Trinitie If wee are bound to giue thanks for our nourishment whereby our Being is vpholden how great thanks are wee bound to giue him for this our well Being For we doe not prayse a horse because he is a horse but because he is a good horse nor wine because it is wine but because it is good wine nor a man because hee is a man but because he is a good man If therefore so many wayes we be bound to him who hath created vs how much more are wee bounde to him that hath made vs good If wee owe so much vnto him for the gyfts of our bodies how much more doe wee owe for the gyfts of our mindes if so much for the gyfts of nature how much more for the gyfts of grace To conclude if so great things be due vnto him because he hath made vs the sonnes of Adam how much more that he hath made vs of the vnhappy sonnes of Adam the sonnes of God For much better is the day in which wee are borne to eternitie as sayth Eusebius Emissenus then in which we are borne to the dangers of thys world Behold brother another chayne and linck which with the former benefits may binde tye thy hart to desire vertue to serue the Lord thy God THE SIXT TITLE That the inestimable benefit of the diuine Predestination doth binde vs vnto Vertue CHAP. VI. AMongst all the benefits before remembred that also of Election is numbred which pertaineth onely to them whom GOD from euerlasting hath elected to eternall life for the which benefite the Apostle as well for himselfe as for all the Elect doth giue thankes to him in these words Blessed be GOD euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will The same benefit the kinglie Prophet commendeth when he sayth Blessed is he whō thou chusest and causest to come to thee he shal dwell in thy courts Therefore woorthily thys benefit may be called a benefit of benefits and a grace of graces A grace of graces because it is gyuen before all desert of the onely infinit goodnes and liberalitie of God who dooing iniurie to none yea giuing a sufficient helpe to euery one to saluation but to some hee extendeth more largely and bountifully the greatnes of his mercy as an absolute and bountifull Lord of his riches It is also a benefit of benefits not onely because it is greater then the rest but because it is also the cause and foundation of all the rest For vvhen as man is elected vnto glory by the meanes of thys benefit by by the Lord doth bestow vpon him all other benefits which are required to the attaynement of thys glory as hee testifieth by his Prophet saying I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therfore with mercy I haue drawen thee Thou oughtest not to be ignorant that I haue called thee to my glory that by it thou maiest obtaine my glory The Apostle more plainly doth tell this when he sayth For those which he knewe before hee also predestinate to be made like to the image of his sonne that hee might be the first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom hee predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also hee iustified and whom he iustified them also hee glorified The reason of this is that the Lord disposing of all things sweetly and orderly after that hee hath vouchsafed to elect any man to his glory for that fauour he bestoweth many other vpon him for he giueth all things which pertaine to the obtaining of thāt first fauour For euen as a father who bringeth vp his sōnne that hee may bee a Minister of Gods holy word or a Doctour of hys Church doth accustome him from his young yeeres to ecclesiasticall matters and causeth him to apply his studie directeth the whole course of his life to the proposed end so our heauenly Father after that he hath elected any man to the participation of his glory hee directeth him by his fatherly care to the way of righteousnes which leadeth to that glory and hee fatherly leadeth him in it vntill he come to his wished end For this so auncient and so excellent a benefit they ought to gyue thanks to this Lord who feele in themselues some euidence of this benefite For let vs grant that thys secret is hid from mans eyes yet seeing that certaine marks and tokens of iustification are alwaies knowne certaine signes also of the diuine predestination and election may be had For as amongst the signes of iustification the amendment of life is not the least so amongst the signes of election this is the greatest a perseuerance continuing in a good life Because he that hath lyued many yeeres in the feare of the Lord and with all care and diligence escheweth sinne he may godly and religiously perswade himselfe that as the Apostle sayth the Lord will strengthen him euen to the end that hee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lorde Iesu◠Christ and that as he hath begunne so hee shall make an end Surely it is true that no man ought to be carelesse of his estate and that no man ought to be secure of his perseuerance seeing that the most wise Salomon after that he had liued many yeres godly and religiously in the end of his life failed and playd the back-slider and fell very filthily But thys is but a particuler exception from that generall vse and custome which we brought out of Paule and which Salomon himselfe teacheth in his Prouerbs saying It is a prouerbe teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it So that if hee be a dilligent follower of vertue in his youth he
and hide my commaundements within thee c. Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lorde and finde the knowledge of God for the Lord giueth wisedom out of his mouth commeth knowledge vnderstanding Thys knowledge continueth not in one the same state but daily is encreased by new lights knowledge as the same Wiseman testifieth The way of the righteous sayth he shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day that is vnto that blessed eternity in which we shall no more say with the friends of Iob A word was spoken vnto mee secretly and mine eare hath receaued a little thereof that is of her diuine and hidden inspirations but there we shall heare openly and shall see God himselfe Thys is that wisedome which the sonnes of light enioy but the wicked on the contrary doe lyue in the horrible darknes of the Egiptians which may be felt with hands A figure of which thing was that it is sayd in the Land of Goshan where the children of Israell dwelt there was light but in Egypt for three dayes space there was such thicke darknes that it might be felt which represented that obscure and darke night and blindnesse in which sinners liue as they confesse in Esay saying Wee haue waited for light but loe it is darknes for brightnes but we walke in darknes We grope for the wall like the blinde and wee grope as one without eyes we stumble at the noone day as in the twy-light we are in solitary places as dead men Tell me I pray thee what greater blindnes can be thought of or greater disorder happen then that is into which the wicked doe dailie slide What greater blindnesse or ignorance is there then to sell the right of the byrth-right that is the inhearitance of the kingdome of heauen for a little pleasure of the worlde then not to feare hell not to attaine Paradice not to haue hated sinne not to haue a regarde of the last iudgement to sette at naught the promises threatnings of the Lord not to remember death vvhich euery houre hangeth ouer theyr heads not to prepare themselues to gyue an account not to thinke that it is momentany and for a time that delighteth but for euer that tormenteth They haue not knowne saith the Prophet neyther haue they vnderstood they walke in darknes and they shall goe from darknesse into darknesse They shall goe I say from inward darknes to outward darknes from the darknes of thys life to that of the lyfe to come I suppose that I shall doe aduisedly if at the end of this matter I doe admonish thee that although all is most true vvhich hath beene spoken of this heauenly wisedome and light of the holy Ghost yet no man ought albeit he be iustified rashlie or proudly to gaine-say the iudgements of men but humbly submit himselfe to the iudgements of his elders especially to theirs whom GOD hath appointed Doctors and Pastours of his Church For who more abounded wth this light then S. Paule Who more then Moses who spake face to face with the Lord Neuerthelesse one of them went to Ierusalem that hee might conferre of the Gospell with the rest of the Apostles which hee had learned in the third heauen the other also contemned not the aduise of Iethro his Father in law although he was an heathen man and vnacquainted with the knowledge of the true God The reason of this is because the inward helps and aydes of grace do not exclude these outward of the Church For after both manners the Diuine prouidence woulde prouide for our weakenes to which both helps are necessary For euen as the naturall heate of our bodyes is helped of the exteriour heate of heauen and as nature although most carefull to preserue it selfe doth receiue much helpe of externall medicines created to that end of God so also the light and inward helpe of grace is much helped by the light and doctrine of the Church Of the fourth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the consolations and comforts of the holy Ghost which the righteous enioy in this world and which they ioy in CHAP. XVI I Could after the inward light of the holy Ghost by which the darknes of our vnderstanding is enlightned appoint for the fourth priuiledge Charitie and the loue of GOD by which our will is inflamed especially seeing that the Apostle himselfe dooth put thys in the first place among the fruites of the holy Ghost But because heere wee doe rather speake of the priuiledges and prerogatiues which vertues bring with them then of the vertues themselues Charitie being the Prince of all vertues we will not heere speake of it although it also might be referred to thys order and our purpose not as a vertue but as an admirable gyft which God is wont to giue to those that apply themselues to the studie of Vertue and that which after a certaine ineffable manner inflameth the inmost part of our will inclineth it to loue God aboue all things which may be beloued Which loue the more perfect it is the more sweet and delightsome it is For thys cause not vnfitly it may be inserted into this number as a fruite or a reward as well of other vertues as of it selfe Notwithstanding that I may not seeme an ambitious and too curious a prayser and commender of vertues of which so many and so great things may bee spoken I will sette in the fourth place the ioy of the holy Ghost which is a naturall proprietie of the same charitie and one of the especial fruits of the holy Ghost as Saint Paule testifieth writing to the Galathians For euen as we said a little before that light and knowledge which God doth bestow vpon his friends not onely doth sticke in the vnderstanding but also doth descend to the will where it doth diffuse her beames and disperse her brightnes so that the minde is made glad and reioyceth in the Lord after a certaine ineffable manner In so much as the naturall light sendeth from her heate which we feele so this light being spirituall doth beget in the soule of a righteous man that spirituall ioy of which we speake according to that of the Prophet Light is sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart This matter is so plentifull and copious that neuer too many thinges may be spoken of it But for the purpose of this booke it shall be worth the labour to show how great this ioy is for the knowledge of this greatnes is very profitable and verie forcible to draw the minds of men to the loue of Vertue For no man is ignorant that as all kinde of euils are found in vices so all kinde of good things as well honest as profitable are perfectly to be found in vertues onely pleasure excepted which naughty and wicked men deny to be in vertues Seeing that therefore mans hart desireth
that trauaileth of child and the number of yeeres is hid from the Tyrant A sounde of feare is in his eares and in his prosperitie the destroyer shal come vpon him Thys sounde is the clamors and cryes of an ill conscience which continually biteth and accuseth him in the midst of peace hee feareth the deceits of his enemies for although he lyueth peaceably and content with that hee hath yet the feare of an euill conscience is neuer absent Hee beleeueth not that he may returne out of darknes into light that is he cannot beleeue that it is possible that at any time he should be freed from the darknes of thys miserable estate in which he liueth and obtaine that peace and tranquilitie of a good conscience which as a most pleasant light reioyceth and illuminateth all the corners of the soule Hee seeth the sword on euery side of him which vvay soeuer he turneth his eyes he seeth a naked sword before hym insomuch that when he mooueth himselfe to gette his bread when he sitteth at the table where men are wont to be most merry a thousand feares are present with him for he knoweth that the day of darknes is prepared at hand that is of death iudgement and definitiue or finall sentence insomuch that Affliction and anguish shall make him afraid they shall preuaile against him as a King readie to the battell foote-men and horse-men shall hemme him about After this manner thys friend of Iob doth describe the cruell torment which those miserable and wretched men do suffer in their harts For feare as the Phylosopher sayth dooth vvaite vpon the wicked by the Diuine dispensation Not vnlike to thys is that of Salomon The wicked flieth when no man pursueth but the righteous is confident as a Lyon and without feare Saint Augustine comprehendeth all this in few words Thou hast commaunded ô Lord and truly it is so that euery inordinate soule should be a punishment vnto it selfe That for the most part is seene in all things For what is found in the vvorld inordinate or disordered which naturally is not vnquiet troubled and restlesse Bones out of ioynt remoued from theyr naturall place what griefes doe they bring That element that is without his Spheare what violence doth it suffer the humors of mans body when they exceede their quantity and naturall temperature what infirmities doe they not bring Seeing that therefore it is so proper vnto a reasonable creature to liue orderly and according to reason if hee whose life is out of order and square his nature doth suffer and is tormented Not without cause sayth Iob Who hath resisted God and hath had peace Saint Gregory hath commented vpon these words thus Hee who wonderfully hath created all things he hath ordayned that the things he hath created should agree within themselues He inferreth out of this that as often as the Creator is resisted so often that agreement of peace is dissipated and broken because sayth he they cannot be orderly who loose the disposition of the high gouernment For they that are subiect to God cannot remaine in quiet if they suffer confusion in themselues because they finde no peace in themselues they resist and contradict that which commeth from aboue from the Author of peace So that high Angelicall spirit who beeing subiect vnto God might haue continued in his high estate suffered the repulse foyle of himselfe because through the vnquietnes of his owne nature he wandred out of himselfe and out of his order So the first parent of mankinde because he resisted the precept of his founder and Author hee presently felt the contumely of his owne flesh and because he would not by obedience be subiect to his Creator he was prostrated and cast downe vnder himselfe and forth-with lost the peace of his body This saith Saint Gregory That therefore is a torment in which the wicked liue by the iust iudgement of God and it is not the least misery of those punishments which they suffer in this world Almost all the Fathers of the Church doe testifie as much and among others Saint Ambrose vvhat greater punishment sayth hee then the wound of the inward conscience Is not this more to be flyed then death then losse then banishment then sicknes then sorrow Isidore sayth A man may flie all things but his owne hart for he cannot depart or leaue himselfe for whether so euer he goeth the guiltines of his conscience doth not leaue him And in an other place No punishment is more greeuous then the punishment of conscience But wilt thou neuer be sad or heauy liue well A secure and safe minde doth lightly sustaine sadnes A good life hath alwayes ioy but a guilty conscience is alwayes in torment A guilty minde is neuer secure for an euill mind is tortured with the stings and pricks of the conscience This is so true that also the very Ethnick Philosophers not acknowledging or beleeuing the punishments by which our faith punisheth wicked men through all theyr works haue confessed the same thing Heare Seneca vvhat profiteth to hide thy selfe and flie the eyes and eares of men A good conscience calleth company together but an ill conscience is fearefull and trembleth in solitarines If the things that thou doost be honest let all men know if vnhonest what skilleth it if no man know O thou wretch and miserable if thou contemnest this witnes for thy conscience as it is in the Prouerb is a thousand witnesses The same Author sayth also in another place The greatest punishment that sinne can be punished with is to haue committed it In another place repeating the same thing Feare sayth hee no man more that knoweth of thy sinnes then thy selfe For thou mayst flie another but thy selfe thou canst neuer For wickednes is the punishment of it selfe Cicero also in a certain◠Oration reasoning of this matter sayth Great is the force of the conscience on both sides that they feare nothing which haue offended nothing and they that haue offended think alwayes that punishment is before their eyes This then is one of the torments with which the wicked and vngodly are vncessantly afflicted and tortured which beginneth in this life and shall be continued in the other for this is that immortall and neuer dying worme as sayth Esay vvhich wringeth and gnaweth without end the consciences of the wicked this is for one depth to call another depth as sayth Isidore when as sinners passe from the iudgement of their owne conscience to the iudgment of eternall damnation ¶ Of the ioy of a good conscience with which the righteous are greatly delighted FRom this scourge from this tribulation and from this little hell if I may so call it righteous and good men are freed and deliuered For they haue not these pricks and stings of the conscience but they reioyce and delight in the flowers and most sweet fruites of Vertue which the holy Ghost hath planted
things which then they estimated preiudiciall to their soules as if they were the men that had not doone that they did for the loue of God but onely for feare of the extreamitie in which at that time they were which ceasing also the effect ceaseth which thereupon followed Whereby it most manifestly appeareth that this repētance is like vnto that which Saylers make who when they are in extreamity and danger of shypwrack they promise to change their lifes to embrace vertue and I know not what protestations they make but vvhen the storme is appeased and ouer-past and a wished calme commeth and they are without ieopardy byand by they returne to theyr former vomit they laugh they trifle they blaspheme carouse and sweare and become worser then they were before making no account of their vowes and protestations yea reputing them as dreames and toyes The third reason is because the custome of sinne in vvhich the sinner hath hetherto liued will almost neuer forsake a man but euen till death waiteth vpon him and followeth him no otherwise then the shadow doth the body For custome is another nature which is not ouercome without very great difficultie And so we see by experience that many at the houre of theyr deaths are so little carefull for the saluation of their soules are so couetous so drowned in carnall and wordly things such louers of this life that they would still enioy it if at any price they might buy it so captiuated in the loue of this world so enamoured with all those things that they loued in it as if they vvere not at all at this passe or in this danger Haue you not often-times seene old men so greedy and so couetous that they haue neuer intermitted one houre nor slacked any time to hourd vp the pelfe of this worlde who notwithstanding are vnmercifull and haue theyr hands shut when they should doe any good and whose affections and appetites are very fresh and liuely in prosecuting the businesse of thys world heaping vp riches without end or meane which they must leaue in the world GOD knowes to whom but to anie good worke reprobate and dull This is a punishment not the least by which God punisheth sinne permitting it to attend vpon the offender to the graue according to that of S. Gregorie God chastiseth a sinner with this kinde of punishment that he permitteth him to forget and be vnmindfull of himselfe in the houre of death because he remembred not God in his lyfe And so one negligence or obliuion is punished by another the forgetfulnes of the fault is punished with that obliuion which is both a punishment and a fault which we see and heare verified by daily experience for how often doe we heare that many haue wished to die and haue died in the armes of theyr harlots whom they tenderly loued that as in theyr life time they would not expell them out of their houses so in death they would not forsake them because by the iust iudgement of God they are become vtterly vnmindfull obliuious both of themselues and of their soules The fourth reason of the Schoole-man is founded in the qualitie of the valour of the workes which are commonly done at that houre for euery one who hath but a sparke of Diuine light seeth plainly how farre different the works that then are done are from the works which are done of a man sound and in health he acknowledgeth I say that those much lesse please God then these That gift cannot be very acceptable to God as saith a certaine holy woman which therefore is offered because the last day so enioynes it for it is not of the right nature of a gift What I pray thee is it to pardon an iniury at that houre when not to pardon it is a great reproch Doost thou thinke it praise worthy that then thou leauest thy Concubine when thou must leaue her whether thou wilt or no neither may shee stay any longer in thine house By these reasons this subtile Doctor concludeth that a man with great difficultie in that houre truely repenteth Yea he saith that a Christian who of a set purpose deferreth his repentance to the houre of death doth very highly sinne by reason of the great iniury that he offereth to his owne soule and by reason of the great danger vnto which he exposeth his saluation Now I leaue the Reader to his owne conscience and consideration that he may see whether there is any thing more to be feared then this ¶ Certaine authorities of the holy Scripture confirming the precedent sentences of the Doctors BVt because the strength and bulwarke of all this disputation consisteth in the word of God for against this there is neyther appeale nor answere heare what it teacheth vs concerning this matter Salomon in the first chapter of his Prouerbs after he had related the words by which the eternall Wisedome calleth man to repentance hee in like manner adioyneth those wordes which shee will speake to those that doe not obey her call Because saith she I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out my hand and no man regarded But all my counsailes haue ye despised and sette my correction at naught Therefore will I also laugh at your destruction mocke you when the thing that ye feare commeth vpon you Euen when the thing that ye be afraid of falleth in suddainly like a storme and your miserie like a tempest yea when trouble and heauines commeth vpon you Then shall they call vppon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee early but they shall not finde mee And that because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. Hetherto be the wordes of Salomon or that I may speake better of God himselfe Which Saint Gregory in his Morrall bookes doth expound to be spoken of this repentance which heere we handle What can be aunswered vnto this Are not these threatnings sufficient being from God himselfe to make thee to feare and to admonish thee that betimes thou prepare thy selfe for that houre But heare also another testimony not lesse plaine then this The Lord reasoning in the Gospell of his comming to iudgement he aduiseth and counsaileth his Disciples with great instancie that they prepare themselues against that day hauing vsed many parables and similitudes to that end that by them they might vnderstand of what great weight that matter was His words be these Blessed is that seruant whom his Lord when he commeth shall finde watching But if that euill seruant shall say in his hart My Lord will be long a comming and so beginne to finite his fellowes yea and to care and drinke with the drunken The same seruants Lord shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and shall hew him in peeces and giue him his portion with the Hipocrites It is playne and euident by
not in theyr going By which figure is declared with what great alacritie of mind and with what great ioy a man ought to runne to all those things which he vnderstandeth to be according to the will of his Lord. Wherefore the readines and promptnes of will is not onely here required but also the discretion of the vnderstanding and the discretion of the spirit as we haue sayd before least we be deceaued embracing our owne will for the will of GOD yea speaking after the common manner all that ought to be suspected of vs to which at any time vvee are inclined by the guydance of our owne will and that we suppose that there is more securitie in whatsoeuer is contrarie vnto it This is the noblest and the greatest sacrifice that man can offer vnto God for in other sacrifices he offereth his but in this he offereth himselfe and the same difference which is betweene man himselfe and his goods is also found between these two kind of sacrifices In such a sacrifice that of Saint Augustine is fulfilled Although God is the Lord of all things yet it is not lawfull for all to say with Dauid O Lord I am thine but for them onely who haue put of their owne liberty and haue wholy vowed and deuoted themselues to the Diuine worship and after this manner are made his This is the most conuenient disposition and order to come to the perfection of a Christian life For seeing that our Lord God of his infinite goodnes is alwayes ready to enrich and reforme man when he resisteth not nor contradicteth his will but is wholy dedicated to his obedience he can easily worke in him whatsoeuer he pleaseth and make him as another Dauid a man according to his owne hart ¶ Of patience in aduersitie THat we may more fitly and commodiously come to that last degree of obedience the last of those nine vertues will helpe vs very much which I reckoned vp in the beginning of this Chapter that is patience in aduersity and tribulation which oftentimes is sent vnto vs of our most louing father for our exercise and greater good To this patience Salomon inuiteth vs in his Prouerbs saying My sonne refuse not the chastening of the Lord neyther faint when thou art corrected of him For whom the Lord loueth him he chasteneth and yet delighteth in him euen as a father in his owne sonne Which sentence of Salomon the Apostle more largely expresseth in his Epistle to the Hebrewes where he exhorteth vs to patience My sonne sayth he despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neyther faynt when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth If yee endure chastening God tendreth you as his sonnes for what sonne is he whom the father chasteneth not But if yee be without chastisement whereof all are pertakers then are yee bastards and not sonnes Furthermore we haue had fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shall we not then much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirits and liue All these words doe sufficiently and plainly testifie that it is the duty of a father to chastice and correct his sonne and in like manner that it is the duty of a good sonne to submit himselfe with all humility and to esteeme the scourges of his father as great benefits and signes of loâ—e and fatherly good will Thâ— only begotten sonne of the eternall father hath â—aught vs this by his owne example when he sayd to Saint Peâ—er willing to deliuer him from death Shall I 〈◊〉 drinke of the cup which my father hath giuen me As if he should haue sayd If this cup had beene proffered and giuen to me of another it might haue been that thou mightest haue hindered me to drink of it but because it commeth to me from that father who best knoweth how to helpe and can and will helpe his sonnes shal it not be drunk of yea neuer seeking further any other reason but because it is sent of my father Neuertheles there are some who in the time of peace doe seeme very subiect and submissiue vnto this father and conformable vnto his will who in the time of tribulation doe start backwards and doe show that this their conformity was false and deceitfull because in the â—â—me of neede they lost it as effeminate and cowardly Souldiers who in the time of peace and truce doe boast of their valour and prowesse but when they come to fight they cast away both their courage and Armour Therfore in the continuall conflict of this present life it behooueth vs alwayes to be armed for the warre with spirituall compleat Armour that we may preuaile and ouercome in the time of neede First therfore we must consider that the afflictions of this world are not worthy of the future glory for the ioy of that eternall light is so great that although we were to enioy it but one small houre yet for it we ought willingly to embrace all afflictions and despise all the pompe of the world For as the Apostle sayth The momâ—nt any lightnes of our tribulation prepareth an exceeding and an eternall waight of glory vnto vs. While we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Consider also that too much prosperity oftentimes doth puffe vp the mind with pride contrarily that aduersity doth purifie the hart by wholsome sorrow so that that doth swel the hart but this albeit it be swelled and puffed vp doth bring it downe and humble it In that man for the most part forgetteth â—imselfe in this he also remembreth God by that good works 〈◊〉 lost by 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 of and get pardon and the soule is 〈◊〉 â—haâ— it offeâ—d not 〈◊〉 If perhaps continuall infirmity and sicknes afflict thee thou 〈◊〉 thâ—nkâ— that the Lord God when he 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 woâ—ld â—orâ—e much mischiefe if we were in health doth clip thy 〈◊〉 and makes thee vnapt to doe things by the meanes of thâ—t sickâ—es And surely it seemes much better vnto me that a man should be sicke and broken through disâ—ases then being souâ—d should 〈◊〉 in sinne and add new offences vnto old For as the Lord sayth It is â—etter for thee to 〈◊〉 into life halt or maymed rather then thou shouldest hauing 〈…〉 o◠〈◊〉 feete 〈◊〉 câ—st iâ—to eâ—erlasting fire It is certainly knowne to euery body that our Lord most mercifull by nature is not delighted in torturing vs but doth seeke by all meanes to cure our wounds with â—â—dicines contrary to our infirmity for when as we are fallen into a disease by pleasures it is behoofeful that we be healed by sorrowes and aduersity and if our infirmity arise by vnlawfull things that we take it aâ—ay by with-drawing of things lawfull By which it
miracles was the excellentest of all other others also defended the excellencie and prerogatiue of their owne gifts Against this error and abuse there is no remedy more profitable or more effectuall thē that which Saint Paule vseth in his former Epistle sent vnto thē in which first he reduceth all graces to their beginning saying that all graces are riuers of one fountaine that is of the holy Ghost and that therefore they all participate of one equality in theyr cause although they be diuers and sundry among themselues Euen as the members of one body of any King are all members of the King being deriued from one royall blood although they be diuers among themselues so sayth the Apostle By one spirit we are baptized into one body that we may be members of one body And therefore we all participate of one and the selfe same dignity and glory seeing that we are all members of the same head Wherefore the Apostleforth-with addeth If the foote would say Because I am not the hand I am not of the body is it therfore not of the body And if the eare would say Because I am not the eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body We all therfore are made equall that among all there might be vnity and brother-hood albeit there is some diuersity betweene vs. This ariseth partly of nature partly of grace We say partly of nature for although grace is the beginning of all our spirituall Being yet grace as water receaued into diuers vessels doth put on diuers figures and shapes according to the disposition and nature of euery one For there are some men by nature modest mild and quiet and therfore very fit for a contemplatiue life Others are cholerick and delighted in practise and action and therfore more fit for an actiue life others are strong and of a sound and healthfull constitution who doe not much tender and affect themselues and these are meete for greater austerity of life In this the goodnes and mercy of God shineth after a singuler manner who willing to deuide and communicate himselfe vnto all he would not doe it onely after one manner but after many and diuers according to the variety of mans condition that the man that is not fit for some one meane and gift might be fit for another The other reason is this diuersity is grace for the holy Spirit the Authour of it would that among his there should be variety to the greater perfection and beauty of the Church For euen as diuers members diuers sences are required to the perfection and beauty of the body so also it is required for the perfection and beauty of the Church that there should be diuers vertues and graces For if all the faithfull were of one and the selfe same condition how should they be called a body If the whole body were an eye sayth Paule where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling But nowe hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the body at his owne pleasure But God would that there should be many members and yet one body that when there were a multitude conioyned in vnity there might be a proportion and an harmonious concord of many in one and hence ariseth the perfection beautie of the Church Such a like thing we see in Musick where it behoueth that there be diuersity and multitude of voces vvith vnity and agreeablenes of consent in tune so that there may be sweetnes and melody in it If all the voyces were of one qualitie and stampe they should all be either Baces or Meanes which would make neither musicke nor harmony In naturall things also it is admirable to see so great diuersitie of things as that high and almighty Work-maister hath made who hath deuided and bestowed beauty and perfection vppon all creatures in that order that although euery one of them haue somewhat in themselues in which they excell the rest yet there is no enuy amongst thē because euery one of them hath some prerogatiue which in others is not the same The Peacocke is very beautifull to the sight but maketh a ranke and an vnpleasant noyse The Nightingale singeth sweetly but is not so faire to the sight An Horse is good for the race and profitable for warre but not good for foode or fit for the table The Oxe is profitable for the table and the plough but vnprofitable for other things Fruitefull trees doe serue for the nourishment of men but are vnfit for building contrarily wilde and barren trees are fit for building but vnapt to serue for foode Therfore amongst all things there is both a certaine vnity and a diuision neither in one thing are all things found that by this meanes the variety and beauty of the Vniuerse and the forme and shapes of things might be preserued that one may loue and embrace another for that neede which one standeth of another The same beauty and order which GOD hath ordained and appointed in the works of nature he would that it should be also in the works of grace and therefore hee hath disposed by his Spirit that there should be a thousand kind of vertues graces in Church that of all them there might arise one most sweet harmony one perfect world and one beautifull bodie compounded of diuers and sundry members Hence it is that in the Church some are giuen to a contemplatiue life some to an actiue one is famous and excellent in the works of obedience another in prayer Some in singing others in studying do exercise theyr gifts that they may help further others some attend vpon the weake receaue strangers who deuide theyr goods to the poore and many other such kinde of vertuous exercises there be Therefore there be many members in one body and many voyces in one musick that by this meanes there may be comlines consonancie and proportion in the Church and therefore in one Harpe there are many strings and in one Organ many pipes that by this meanes there may be a consonancie and an harmony of many tunes This is that garment which the Patriarke Iacob commaunded to be made for hys sonne Ioseph of diuers colours These are those Curtaines which by the commaundement of God were made for the vse of the Tabernacle of wonderfull varietie and beautie That the same should be done both the order and beauty of the Church required Therefore why should one eate vp another Why should one iudge and condemne another saying Why is it not lawfull for one to doe that another doth I know not what other thing this is then to goe about to destroy the body of the Church and to teare in peeces Iosephs beauteous garment and to disturbe this heauenly musick and harmony that is to make all the members of the Church feete or hands or eyes c. which certainly were monstrous beyond
parts ibidem ¶ The Chapters of the second Booke In the second booke doctrine appertayning vnto Vertue is handled and diuers instructions are sette down which teach how a man at the length may come vnto Vertue 366 The first Chapter The first aduice and instruction which is very necessary for that man that desireth to serue God ibidem The second Chapter Of the second instruction and aduice which that man must follow who will come to the seruice of God 367 Matters handled in this Chapter Euill custome page 368 The world ibidem The deuill ibidem Moe for vs then against vs. 369 The first part of the second Booke VVhich entreateth of vices and theyr remedies 370 The thyrd Chapter Of the firme and resolute purpose which a Christian ought to haue that he may not doe any thing hereafter which is sinne ibidem The matters handled in this Chapter A firme resolution is to be planted in the soule ibidem The proposition of the second Booke page 374 The fourth chapter Of the remedies against Pride 375 The matters handled in this Chapter The definition of Pryde 376 The saying of Tigranes King of the Armenians concerning a diademe page 379 Other remedies against Pride more particuler 381 The fift chapter Of the remedies against Couetousnes 384 The matters handled in this Chapter Christ an example of pouertie ibidem How vnworthy and how vild a thing it is to lose thy soule for gold 385 Riches bring many euills and inconueniences with them ibidem Riches doe not satisfie the appetite 386 Riches are not safe ibidem Riches profit nothing in death 387 Riches are remedies and releefes of mans misery and not instruments of pleasure page 388 Rich men may be saued 389 That no man ought to detaine goods that are not his owne theyr Lord Maister being eyther against it or not knowing of it ibid. Hyrelings are not to be defrauded of theyr wages 390 Wills and testaments are speedily to be discharged ibidem It is a ioyfull and a pleasant thing not to be endangered or indebted to others 391 The sixt chapter Remedies against Luxurie page 391 The matters handled in this Chapter The combat of Chastity is difficult ibidem Luxurie polluteth the liuely Temple of God page 392 The beginning of Luxury is pleasant but the end is bitter ibidem Mischiefes ioyned to this vice 393 The chast begin an Angels life in thys life 394 Other kinde of remedies against Luxurie page 395 The outward sences are to be kept page 396 The presence of God of thy Angell and of the deuill is to bee thought vpon ibidem It is dangerous for a man alone to speake with a woman alone 397 The seauenth Chapter Remedies agaynst enuy page 398 The matters handled in this Chapter Enuy is familiar with euery age and person ibidem Enuious men are like vnto the deuill 400 We must not enuy the vertues of our neighbour ibidem By charity other mens good things are made ours 401 The mischiefes of enuy ibidem Enuy is a iust sinne and how it is meant ibidem An obiection with the aunswer 402 The eight Chapter Of the remedies against Gluttony 403 The matters handled in this Chapter Gluttony the cause of death ibidem The Abstinence of Christ. ibidem The Abstinence of the holy Fathers 404 The delight of gluttony is very short ibidem We must be wary in the refection of our bodies 405 How man is reformed 406 The ninth Chapter Remedies agaynst anger hatred and emnities which arise of anger and wrath 406 The matters handled in this Chapter Man is more wrathfull then beasts 407 Man hath no weapons giuen him of nature ibidem The anger of a certaine Lyon out of Elianus ibidem We must forbeare and pardon after the example of Christ. 408 An angry man is without the grace and fauour of God ibidem How we must reuenge 409 Selfe-loue is to be pulled vp by the rootes 410 We must doe nothing in our anger ibidem The counsaile of Athenodorus the Philosopher vnto Augustus the Emperour how to auoyde anger ibidem In the time of anger we must decree of nothing ibidem Another aduice how to auoyde anger 411 The tenth Chapter Remedies agaynst Idlenes 411 The matters handled in this Chapter The labours of Christ. 412 The labours of the Saints ibidem Nothing created to be idle ibidem Great repentance is required for sinnes 413 The saying of a godly man as concerning time mispent ibidem Without perseuerance there is no saluation 414 Very good and wholesome counsaile ibidem After victory a new warre approcheth ibidem How temptation is to be turned into good 415 The eleuenth Chapter Of other kindes of sinnes vvhich a good Christian ought to eschew 416 The matters handled in this Chapter We must not sweare by the life of another 417 Of murmuring detraction and rash iudgement ibidem Three euils spring from murmuring 418 The first euill is detraction and back-biting ibidem The second euill is that it hurts three the speaker the hearer and him whom the words are spoken of ibidem The third euill it maketh the murmurer execrable and infamous among men 419 The greatest soueraignty is to be able to rule thy tongue 420 Murmurers and detracters are not to be heard ibidem How a back-biter and a detracter is to be reproued 421 Scandall that comes by detraction ibidem Agaynst Iesters and Iibers 422 Of rash iudgement and of the precepts of the Church ibidem Foure precepts of the Church ibidem Housholders ought to looke that their families keepe the Sabaoth 423 Of other kind of sins which because they seeme small therefore the world maketh no account to commit them ibidem The hurt that the sinnes bring to the soule which we make so small account of 424 In what things these sinnes are committed ibidem The twelueth Chapter Of other shorter remedies against all kind of sinnes but most especially against the seauen capitall sinnes 424 The matters handled in this Chapter Pride obiecteth True humility answereth 426 Vayne-glory obiecteth The feare of the Lord answereth ibidem Counterfeit Religion obiecteth True Religion answereth 427 Disobedience obiecteth Blessed subiection answereth ibidem Enuy obiecteth Congratulation for thy brothers good answereth ibidem Hatred obiecteth True Charity answereth 428 Detraction obiecteth The liberty of iust and vpright correction aunswereth ibidem Anger obiecteth Patience answereth 429 Frowardnes and malapertnes obiecteth Meekenes and gentlenes aunswereth 430 Swelling loftines obiecteth Humble satisfaction which would content all answereth ibidem Sorrowfulnes obiecteth Spirituall ioy answereth ibidem Drowsines and Idlenes obiecteth The exercise of Vertue answereth 431 Dissolute wandering obiecteth Firme stability answereth ibidem Desperation obiecteth The assurance of Hope answereth 432 Couetousnes obiecteth The contempt of the world answereth 433 Gluttony obiecteth Temperance answereth ibidem Vayne foolish mirth obiecteth Moderate sadnes answereth ibidem Many words and much babling obiecteth Discrete taciturnity aunswereth 434 Luxury obiecteth Vndefiled Chastity answereth ibidem Spirituall fornication
in his 36 Sermon vppon the Canticles 1 Cor 4. Ber. in his 88. Epistle Ber. in hys 54. Sermon vpon the Canticles Greg. in his 40. homily vpon the Gospels 1 Tim 6 Christ an example pouertie How vnworthy how vilde a thing it is to lose thy soule for gold Math 6 Riches bring many euils inconueniences with them Riches doe not satisfie the appetite A similitude Aug. of the words of the Lord Riches are not safe Riches profit nothing in death A similitude Ambrose in a certaine Sermon Riches are remedies reliefes of mans misery and not instruments of pleasure 1 Tim. 6. Rich men may also be saued Ambrose in a Sermon Gregory in the 1. booke of his Register chap. 2. Hirelings are not to be defrauded of their wages Wils are speedily to be discharged A ioyfull plesaÌ„t thing not to be endangered and endebted to others 1 Tim 6. The combat of Chastity difficult Luxury polluteth the liuâ—ly temple of GOD. 1 Cor 6 The beginning of luxurie pleasant but the end bitter Prou 23 Mischiefes ioyned to this vice Luke 15 The chast beginne an Angels life in this life Bernard Epistle 42 Apoc 14 The outward sences are to be kept Ecclesi 9. Iob 31. The presence of God of thy Angell and of the deuill is to be thought vpon It is dangerous for a man alone to speake with a woman alone Dan. 13. August of the words of our Lord. Greg. in the 3 booke of his Dialogue ch 7. Enuy is familier with euery age person Gen. 37. Num. 12. Eccles. 4. Enuious men like vnto the deuill August in his booke of Christian doctrine Wee must not enuie the vertues of our neighbor By Charity other mens good things are made ours The mischiefes of Enuie A similitude Enuy is a iust sinne Gala 5 A similitude An obiection The answer Luke 21. Gluttony the cause of death The Abstinence of Christ. The abstinence of the holy fathers The delight of gluttony very short Luke 16. We must be wary in the refection of our bodies How man is reformed Aâ—lus Gâ—liâ—â— Ephe 4 Math 5 Man more wrathful then beasts Man hath no weapons giuen him of nature The anger of a certain Lyon From the example of Christ. An angry man without the grace and fauour of God Math 5 In his 8. homily vpon Ezech. How wee must reuenge Selfe-loue is to be pulld vp by the roots We must do nothing in our anger Plutarch in the Apothegs of the Romanes In the time of anger we must decree of nothing A similitude Ecclesi 19. Another aduice 1 Cor. 13. Prou 15. Math. 7. Math 24 The lobors of Christ. The labors of the Saints Nothing created to be idle Iohn 5 Great repentance is required for sinnes Luke 7 The saying of a godly man Without perseueraÌ„ce no saluation A similitude Very good and wholsome counsaile After victory a newe warre approcheth A similitude How temptation is to be turned into good Iames 5 We must not sweare by the life of another A similitude Three euils spring froÌ„ murmuring A similitude Ecclus 22 Prou 16 Ecclus 28 Ecclus 11 Ecclus. 28 Ecclus 9 The greatest soueranity to be able to rule thy tongue A similitude Psalm 55 Murmurers detractors are not to be heard Ecclus 29 Prou 25â—punc Howe a backbiter a detractour is to bee reproued A similitude Scandall that comes by detraction Math 18 Zach. 2. Against ieâ—ters and Iibers Leuit. 19. Math. 7. Foure precepts of the Church Housholders ought to looke that their families keepe the Sabaoth Eccles. 9. Eccle. 19. Aug. in his booke of the 〈…〉 Greg. in his Pastorals The hurt that the sins bring to the soule which we make so small account of In what things they are committed Aug. in his book of the conflict of vertues and vices Tom 9. Math 6. Math 23 Luke 10 Rom 13 Wisdom 2 Math 5 1 Iohn 4 Psalm 5 1 Peter 2 Math 10 1. Tim 4 2 Tim. 2 2 Tim 4 Math 5. Math. 25. Ezech. 18 Eccles. 5. Ezech. 16. A similitude 1 Iohn 16 Luke 6. â—ath 5 Iâ—b 31 Esay 46. 1 Cor. 2. The conclusion of the first part of the sâ—cond book 1 Iohn 4. The duties of iustice Note Miche 6 The parts to be reformed in maÌ„ What maner of conuâ—rsation man ought to haue The first fruit of this modesty Math 5 A caution The second fruite A similitude Ecclus 19 The third fruite Iob 29 In the same chapter Ecclâ—s 19 Prou 27 The body ought to be hâ—ndled â—usterely A similitude Rules to be obserued in eating Ecclesi 31. Bernard in his Epistles Greg. in the 2 booke of his Morals A similitude Gluttony a deceitfull pretender of yâ— which is not Epictetes The touch and the tast are the ignoblest sences The pleâ—sure of the tast short Wine immoderatly taken how dangerous Ephesi 5. In an Epistle to Eustochium of keeping virginity The Vine bringeth forth three kinde of Grapes Wine a very bad counsayler Much talke to be auoyded Prou 31 In the life of August chap 22. Ierome in an Epistle to Furia A similitude Bernard in his Epistles At the time of prayer the eyes are especially to be kept The eares are to be kept Smelling The tast Ecclus 18 Iames. 3 4. Things are to bee obserued in speaking The matter is to be obserued Ephe 4 Ephe 5 A similitude The maner is to be obserued in speaking Ecclus 32 The time Ecclus. 20. The intent of the speaker Prou 17 The euils and mischiefes of our owne will Bernard in his thyrd sermon of the resurrection of the Lord. The inferiour part of the soule is to be watched kept The difference betweene the sonnes of God the children of the world With what affections we are especially to warre Note How the superiour part of the soule is to be reformed The pouerty of spirit Seneca in his 18. Epist. Iohn 12. Prou. 29. Eccles. 33. A similitude A similitude The Imagination a wanderer and a fugiâ—iue A similitude 2 Kings 4. The duty and office of wisdom Similitudes Wisedome the Captaine and guide of other vertues The first duty of wisedome The second dutie The thyrd dutie The fourth dutie The fift dutie Eccles 3 Prou 29. Eccles 8. The 6 duty Ecclus 18. The 7. duty The 8. duty Acts 6 The 9. duty No man hurteth more then hee the hurteth vnder the show of pietie The tenth dutie Gala 1 Prou. 4. what things are required for this wisedome Foure stepdames of wisedome Vertue hateth extreames Antiquity doth not patronize nor vphold sinne This rule hath place in morality not in matters of faith Apparences of things doe often deceaue vs. In what a man ought to be circumspect Note Prou. 14. Eccles. 1. Euery opinion is not to be followed Ecclesi 13. The second part of iustice Esay 58 1 Cor 12 Colos 3 1 Tim 1 Rom 13 Ierome vpon the sixt chap. of the Epistle to the Galathians Charitie is not a naked and a bare affection 1 Iohn 3 Sixe