not of stone this will moue his affection We reade of Galen a profane and verie irreligious Phisitian who as hymself confesseth in a certaine place taking vpō hym to consider of the partes of mans bodie and fynding much wisdom in the order vse and dispositiō of the same sought first to gyue the praise and glorie therof to nature or to some other cause then to God But I processe of tyme being oppressed as it were with th' ey ceding greate wisdome cunning and prouidēce which he discouered in euerie least parcell and particle of mans bodie wherin nothing was redundāt nothing defectiue nothing possible to be added altered or better deuised he brake foorth into thes wordes Compono hic profecto cāticum in Creatoris nostri laudem quòd vltrà res suas ornare voluit melius quia vlla arte possent Here trulie doe I make a song in the praise of our Creator for that of his owne accorde it hath pleased hym to adorne and bewtifie his thinges better then by any arte possible it could be immagined Hereby then doth the Metaphisique gather and conclude most euidentlie that there is a God a Creator a most wise and powerfull artificer that made all thinges Such a one as exceedeth all boundes of nature and of humane habilitie For if all the world should ioyne together they could not make the least creature which we see in this world He concludeth also that the forsight and prouidence of this Creator is infinite for thinges to come in all eternitie finallie that his wisdome and cogitatiōs are inscrutable And albeit some tyme he reueile vnto vs some parte therof yet often againe we erre therin For which cause a wise heathē Platonick concludeth thus after long search aboute thes affaires I will praise God saith he in those thinges I vnderstand and I will admire hym in those which I vnderstande not For I see that my self oftentymes doe thinges wher in my seruantes are blinde and cōceaue no reason As also I haue sene litle children cast into the syar Iewels of greate price and their fathers writinges of greate learning and wisdome for that they were not of capacitie to vnderstāde the valure and worthines of the thing One argument more will I alleage of the Methaphisique grounded vpon th' immortalitie of mans soule which immortalitie is proued with one consent of all learned men as Plato alleageth for that it is a spirite and immaterial substance whose nature dependeth not of the state of our mortal bodie for so by experience we see daylie that in olde mē and withered sicklie bodies the minde and soule is more quicke cleere pregnant and liuelie then it was in youth when the bodie was most lustie The same also is proued by the vnquēcheable desyre which our mynde hath of learning knowledge wisdome other suche spiritual and immaterial thinges wheri her thirst by nature is so greate as it can not be satisfyed in this lýfe nether can the obiectes of sense and bodilie pleasures or any other commoditie or delight of this material world content or satiate the restles desyre of this im naterial crea ture Which is an euident argument to the Philosopher that some other obiect and contentatiō is prepared for her in an other world and that of such excellencie and supereminent perfectiō as it shall haue in it all wisdome all learnig all knowledg all bewtie ' and all other causes of loue ioye and contentation wherin our soule may rest for euer This being so saith the Philosopher that the soule and mynde of mā is immortall of necessitie it mast insue that an immortall Creator sent the same into our bodies and that to hym againe it must returne after her departure from this life here This was the true meaning in deede how soeuer some later interpreters haue misvnderstood the same of that aunciēt doctrine of old philosophers which Plutarche alleagethe out of Pythagoras and Plato afirming that all particuler soules of men came sent from one general and common soule of the whole world as sparcles from the fyar and beames from the common sunne and that after their separatiō from their bodies they shall returne againe to that general soule called Anima mundi the soule of the world for that it gyueth lyfe being to the world and so to remaine with that general soule eternallie This was the doctrine of olde philosophers which seemeth in deede to haue bene nothing els though deliueredi other wordes but that which Salomō hym self affirmeth in plainer spech spiritus redibit ad Deum qui dedit illum and our soule or spirit shall returne to God that gaue it vnto vs. And this may suffice for a taste of that which the Metaphysique or Supernatural philosopher can say for proof that there is a God THERE REMAINETH yet a third parte of humane wisdome or philosophie called Moral whose reasons and arguments for proofe of this veritie I haue of purpose referred to the last place for that they be more plaine and easie thē the former and more sensible to the capacitie of euerie simple and vnlearned reader For first of all he obserueth in the verie naturall inclination of man be his manners otherwise neuer so euel that there is a certaine propension and disposition to confesse some God or Deitie as by example he proueth in all nations were they neuer so fearce or barbarous yet alwayes cōfessed they some God by nature though no man did teach or instruct them therin The same is confirmed by the common vse of all heathens in lifting vp their eyes and handes to heauen in anie suddaine distresse that commeth vpon thē Which importeth that nature her self hath ingrated this feeling that there is a God Yea further he alleageth that by experience of all ages it hath bene proued that Atheistes them selues that is suche men as in their health and prosperitie for more libertie of sinful life would striue against the being of anie God when they came to die or fall into great miserie they of all other men would shew them selues most fearful of this God as Seneca declareth and as Suetonius sheweth in th' exāple of Calligula Whiche is a token that their conscience inforced them to beleeue a Godhead Nay Zeno the Philosopher was wont to saye that it seemed to hym a more substantial proofe of this veritie to heare an Atheist at his dying daye preache God frō a payre of galloes or other such place of miserie when he asketh God and nature forgyuenes thē to heare all the philosophers in the world dispute the poite for that at this instāte of death miserie it is lyke that suche good fellowes doe speake in earnest and sobrietie of spirite who before in their wantonesse impugned God ether of vanitie ambition sensualitie or dissimulation Now then when the Moral Philosopher hath proued by this natural inclination of
gyue vp his accomptes of so much tyme and monie spent in singinge so much in daunsinge so muche in fencinge so much in Courtig who would not laugh at so fond a recoÌ„ning but being further demauÌ„ded of his master what tyme he had bestowed vpon the marchandise and affaires for which he was sent if the man should answer that he had not leasure to thinke vpon that thing for the great occupation whiche he had in th' other who would not esteeme hym worthie of all punishement and confusioÌ„ And much more shame and confusion no doubt shall they sustaine at the last dreadfull day in the face and presence of God and all his Angels who being sent into this world to traffique so riche a marchaÌ„dise as is the kingdome of heauen haue neglected the same and haue bestowed their studdies vpoÌ„ the moste vaine tryfles and follies of this world without cogitation or care of th' other O ye children of Adam saith the spirit of God whie loue you so vanitie and seeke after lies Whie leaue you the fouÌ„taine and seeke after Cesternes If a goldeÌ„ Game of inestimable value should be proposed to suche as would ruÌ„ne and could winne the same and when the course or rase were begunne if some should steppe asyde and follow flies or fethers that passed in th' ayer without regarde of the price Goule proposed who would not maruaile and take pittie of their follie Euen so is it with men of this world if we belieue S. Paul who affirmeth that we are all placed together in a Course or rase and that heauen is propounded vnto vs for the Game or Price But euerie man saith he arriueth not thyther and why for that most men doe steppe a syde and leaue the marcke Most men doe runne awrie and doe followe fethers vp and downe in th' ayer most men doe pursue vanities and doe wearie them selues oute in the pursute therof vntill they can nether runne nor goe nor moue their limmes anie further and then for the most parte it is to late to amende their follie Will you heare the lamentations of suche vnfortunate men These are their owne wordes recorded by scripture We are wearied out in the waye of iniquitie and perdition and the waye of God we haue not knowen What profitt haue we receyued of all our pompe pride and vaunting riches what good haue they donne vs They are now past awaye as a shadoe and as a messenger that rideth in post and we are consumed in our owne iniquities This is the lamentable complainte of such men as ranne awrie and followed a wronge course in their actions of this life Thes are they who pursued riches honour pompe and like vanities and forgate the busines for which they were sent Thes are they who were esteemed happie men in this world and thought to runne a most fortunat course in that they heaped much riches together aduaunced them selues and their families to greate dignities became gorgeous glorious and dreadful to others and finallie obtained what so euer their lust and concupiscence desyred This made them seeme blessed to earthelie cogitations and the waye wherin they ráne to be most prosperous and happie And I make no doubt by experience of thes our tymes but they had admirours and enuiours in great abundance who burned in desire to obtaine the same course And yet when I heare their complainte in this place and their owne confession wherin they saye expresselie vve senseles men did erre from the vvay of truth when I consider also th' addition of scripture Taliadixerunt in inferno they spake thes thinges when they were in hell I can not but esteeme their course for most miserable and condemne wholy the iudgement of flesh in this affaire Wherfore my brother if thou be wise yelde not to this decept of worldlie lippes and tongues that vse to blesse sanctific such as are in most daunger and nearest to perdition Leane rather to the sincere councel of S. Paul who willeth the to examine vprightlie thy owne workes and wayes and so to iudge of thie selfe without decepte If thou walke the waye of Babylon most certaine it is that thou shalt neuer arriue at the gates of Hierusalem except thou chaunge thie course O my brother what a gryese will it be vnto thee when after longe labour and much toyle thou shalt finde thie self to haue gone a wrie if a man had trauailed but one whole daye and therby made wearie should vnderstande at night that all his labour were lost that his whole iourney was out of the waye it would be a marueloê° afflictioÌ„ vnto hym no doubt albeit no other incoÌ„uenieÌ„ce were therin but onlie the losse of that dayes trauaile which might be recouered and recompenced in the next But if besides this his busines were great if it laye vpon his life to be at the place whether he goeth at a certaine hower if the losse of his waye were irrecouerable if the punishment of his errour must be death and confusion and hym self were so wearie that he could stirre no one foote further imagine then what a gryeuous message this would be vnto hym to heare one say Sir you are amisse and haue ridden wholie besides your way So then wil it be vnto the my soule at the daye of death and separation from my bodie if in this life thou attende not to thy saluation for which thou were created but shalt passe ouer thy dayes in followinge of vanities Thou shalt finde thy self a straye at th' ende of thy iournei thou shalt finde thy self wearie and inforced to saye withe those miserable damned spirites I haue vvalked hard and craggie vvayes for that in deede the waye of wickednes is full of thornes and stones though in shew it be couered with faire grasse manie flowers Thou shalt finde at that daye that thou hast lost thy labour lost thy tyme lost all opportunitie of thy owne commoditie Thou shalt finde thie errour to be irrecouerable thie dauÌ„ger vnauoydable thie punishement insupportable thie repentance vnprofitable and thie griefe and sorrow and calamitie inconsolable Oh he that could beholde and feele th' inwarde cogitations of a worldlie mans hart at that instant after all his honours and pleasures were past no doubt but he should finde hym of an other iudgement and opinion in thinges then he was in the ruffe and heate of his ioylitie He doth well perceyue then the fondnes of those triffles which he followed in this life albeit it were to make hym self a Monarche If a man did know the cogitations that Alexander the Great had when of poison he came to die after all his victories and incredible prosperitie if we knew the thoughtes of Iuliê° Caesar at the day of his murder in the Senate house after the conquest of all his enimies and subiection of the whole world to his owne onlie obedieÌ„ce we should well perceiue
what maruelous and dreadful maiestie feare terrour thunder and sound of trumpets the ten commandements of God which containe the perfect forme of a vertuous life were pronounced by Angels vnto the people of Israel Which terrour and maiestie S. Paul applieth expressie to this meaning that we should greatly tremble to violate or transgresse this law which was deliuered with such circumstance of dread and horrour seing that the lawes of great princes potentates are exacted commonly and executed vpon the offendours with much more terrour then they were proclaimed Secondly the same in part may be conceyued if we consider what Iudge or Auditour we shal haue in this accompt Which S. Paul declareth plainly in thes words VVe must al be sommoned before the tribunal seate of Christ and euerie man receyue either good or euil according as he hath behaued him self vvbiles he liued vpon earth Which thing Christ hym self confirmeth in diuers parables when he promiseth to take accompt of al his talents lent vnto his seruants in this world And in S. Mathews Ghospel he expresseth the particuler maner of that accompt saing The Sonne of man shal come vvith his Angels in the glorie of his Father to take an accompt and then shal he giue vnto euerie man according to his vvorkes And yet more particularly and seuerely of the same matter and daie I saie vnto you that euerie idle vvord that men shal speake they shal giue accompt therof in the daie of iudgment By which speech of our Saueour we are admonished not only that we shal giue an accompt of our doinges but also that we shal yeeld the same to him self who saieth in an other place Ego sum Iudex testis I am both Iudge and witnes in this accompt We are instructed also that this accompt shal be most exact and exquisite not omitting the least errours and offenses that haue passed in our life That particuler reward or punishment shal be assigned to eche mā cōfourme to the qualitie of his accompt And finally that this accompt or day of reconning for declaration of the terrour maiestie that shal be vsed therin is called here by Christ a iudgment and tribunal wherin sentence of life or death is to be pronounced Of which iudgmente or accompting daye the scripture noteth vnto vs two kindes The first wherof is called a particuler iudgment for that it is exercised vpon euerie soule immediately after her departure from the bodie according to the wordes of holie S. Paul It is appointed for euery man once to die and after that to haue his iudgment The second is called a general iudgment for that it shal be executed vpō al the world together at the last daie when mankinde shal be translated from this terrestrial habitation And of this iudgement are to be vnderstood aswel thos former wordes of Christ touching his cōming in glorie as also infinite other places and passages of Scripture which doe forewarne and admonish vs of this most dreadful daie And albeit in the first particuler iudgment eche soule that departeth hence receyueth an irrevocable sentence either of life or death eternal as may appeare by the examples of Lazarus and of the riche glutton wherof the one was determined to euerlasting repose and the other to eternal torments immediatly vpon their separation from this world yet are ther alleaged by the holie Saintes of God diuers most cleare facile and euident reasons why his diuine wisdome besides that first priuate and particuler daie of trial hath ordained also this second which shal be publicke manifest and vniuersal The first wherof is that the bodie of man rising from his sepulcher at that daie may be partaker of eternal punishment or glorie with the soule euen as in this life it was participant of the vertues or vices which the soule did exercise The second reason is for that as Christ was contemptible in this world and dishonoured publiquily and put to confusion with his Saints after him in the sight of al men so was it conuenient that once in this world he should shewe his power and maiestie and that in the sight of al his creatures together but especially of his wicked enimies who after that daie are neuer to see or beholde him more The third is that both wicked sinners blessed Saītes of God might receyue their rewardes and final paimentes openly in the sight and hearing of eche other to the more hart breake and confusion of the impious and triumphāt ioye of the vertuous who commonly in this world were contemned ouerborne and troden doune by the other The fourth and last is for that men when they die doe not commonly cary with them al the good or euil which they haue wrought hauing left behinde them diuers thinges which may encrease their merite or demerite after their deathes as are their examples their instructions gyuen to other their temporal faculties or abilities bookes preachings exhortatiōs other like meanes wherby good or euil may proceede after their departure The reward wherof can not so conueniently be assigned vnto thē whiles this world endureth for that their ioyes or punishmentes in the places wher they are may daily be augmented by the hurt or good that may be wrought in the world by thos meanes which they left behind them So diuines doe holde for examples sake that the glorie of S. Paul is encreased daily in heauen and shal be vnto the worlds ende by reason of them that daily doe profite by his writing and rare examplar life vpon earth as also on the contrarie part that the tormentes of Arrius Sabellius and other wicked heretiques are continually augmented by the numbers of thē who frō time to time are corrupted with their seditious and pestilent writiges The like they holde of dissolute Poets and other loose writers which haue left behind them lasciuious wantō and carnal deuises as also of negligent parents maisters or teachers who by their rechelesnes and euil examples gaue occasion to corrupte the children cholers or seruants committed to their gouerment and instruction But after this general daie of iudgment once past their shal be no more place of meriting either good or euil for that the world then and ther shal receyue an ende and a final sentence be pronounced of what soeuer hath passed from the first foundation and establishment therof Of this last and general iudgment then which containeth a confirmation or ratefying of the particuler going before as also a final conclusion clearing and knitting vp of al accomptes and reckonings with mākinde for his trafique stewardship in this worldlie pilgrimage The holie Scripture of God amoni heth vs most carefully to haue continual remembrance and consideration as of the greatest and most important busines that euer we shal deale in and as the forceblest means to restraine vs from sinne that possiblie may be deuised among 〈◊〉
foote not able once to moue as the scripture expressie noteth The third gift and qualitie is supernatural strength wherewith the glorified bodie shal so abound as Anselmê° saieth that he shal be able to moue the whole earth if he wold and contrariwise the damned body shal be so weake and impotent as he shal not be able to remoue the verie wormes frome his owne face and eyes The fourth qualitie is penetrabilitie or free power of passage whereby the glorified bodie shal be inabled to pearse and penetrate any other bodies what soeuer as walles doores the earth or firmament without any resistance quite contrarie to the nature of a corruptible bodie So we see that Christs bodie glorified after his resurrection entered the house wher his disciples were the dores being shut and pearsed also the heauens at his AscensioÌ„ The fift rare qualitie is most absolute health whereby the glorified body shal be deliuered from al diseases paines of this life and from al troubles encombrances belonging to the same as are eating drinking sleeping and other like and shal be set in a most perfect and florishing state of health and freedome neuer decayable again whereas the damned bodie in contrarie maner shal be filled and stuffed with innumerable diseases paines and torments which no tongue of man is able to expresse The sixt perfection is delite and pleasure wherewith the glorified bodie aboue al measure shal be replenished al his senses together finding now their peculier and proper obiects in much more excellencie then euer they could in this world Now I say euerie part sense meÌ„ber and ioint shal be filled with exceeding delectation and pleasure according as in the damned ech part and sense shal contrariwise be afflicted and tormented I wil alleage S. Anselmus his wordes for that they expresse vnto vs this matter most liuelie Al the whole glorified body layeth he shal be filled with abundance of al kind of comfort the eyes the eares the nose the mouth the hands the throte the lungs the hart the stomacke the backe the bones the marowe and the very-entrales them selues and euery part thereof shal be replenished with such vnspeakable swetenesse and pleasure that truelie it may be sayed that the whole man is made t drinke of the riuer of Gods diuine delites and made-dronke vvith the abundance of Gods house In contrarie wise the damned bodie shal be tormented in al his partes and members eueÌ„ as if you saw a man that had a burning yron thrust into his eyes an other into his mouth an other into his brest an other into his ribbes and so through al the ioints partes and members of his bodie Would you not thinke him miserable and the other man happie The seuenth and last excellencie of a glorified body is called perpetuitie or securitie of life wherby it is made assured neuer to die or alter more from his felicitie according to the saying of holie scripture the iust shal liue for euer And this is one of the chiefest prerogatiues most excellent dignities of a glorified bodie wherby al care doubt and feare is taken away al danger of hurt and noyance For if al the world should fal together vpon such a bodie it could not hurt or harme it any thing at al where as the damned bodie lieth alway in dying and is subiect to the griefe of euery blow and tormeÌ„t laied vpon it so must remain for al eternitieÌ„ Thes seuen most excellent qualities prerogatiues dignities and preemineÌ„cies shal adorne and beautifie or rather deifie in a certaine sorte the bodies of the iust in the life to come And albeit this vniuersal happinesse be but accidental as I haue sayed and nothing in deed to the essential felicitie of the Queene mistres her self that is our soule yet is it a matter of no smal importance as you see but such as if any bodie in this life had but any one iote of the least part therof we should esteeme it most happie And to obtaine so much in this world many men wold aduenture farre whereas to get theÌ„ al together in the life to come no man almost wil moue his fingar But now to leaue this to come to the most excelleÌ„t essential point of this felicitie that is to the part which pertaineth to the soule it is to be vnderstood that albeit there be many things that doe coÌ„curre in this felicitie for the accoÌ„plishment perfection of ful happinesse Yet the fontaine of al is but one onelie thing called by diuines Visio dei beatifica the sight or visioÌ„ of god that maketh vs happie Haec sola est summuÌ„ bonuÌ„ nostruÌ„ sayeth S. Augustin this onelie sight of god is our intire happinesse Which Christ also affirmeth wheÌ„ he sayeth to his father this is life euerlasting that men knovv the true god and Iesus Christ vvhome thou hast seut S. Paul also putteth our felicitie in seing god face to face And S. Iohn in seing god as he is And the reason of al this is for that al the pleasures delites and coÌ„tentations of this world wherin mortal meÌ„ doe solace them selues being nothing els but litle peeces crummes of Gods incomprehensible felicitie the same are coÌ„tained much more perfectlie and excellentlie in god him self from whom they are deriued then they are in their owne natures imparted vnto man as also al the perfections of Gods creatures are more fullie in him theÌ„ in them selues Whereof it foloweth that who soeuer is admitted to the visioÌ„ presence of almightie God the Creatour and fontaine of al delites he shal ther finde al the goodnesse and perfections of worldlie thinges compact and vnited together and presented vnto him at once So that whatsoeuer may delite either bodie or soule there he shal enioye it wholie knit vp together as it were in one bundle and with the presence thereof shal be rauished in al partes both of mind and bodie in such sort as he shal not be able to imagine think or wish for anie one ioye whatsoeuer but there he shal finde the same in his ful perfectioÌ„ There he shal finde al knowledge al wisedome al beautie al riches al nobilitie al goodnes al pleasure and whatsoeuer besides may deserue either loue or admiration or woorkethanie pleasure or contentation vnto man Al the powers of our mind shal be filled with this sight presence and fruition of God al the senses of our bodie shal be satisfied passinglie contented with the same God shal be the vniuersal felicitie of al his saints containing in him self alone al particular felicities without end number or measure He shal be a glasse to our eyes musike to our eares honie to our mouthes most swete pleasant balme to our smel He shal be light to our vnderstaÌ„ding contentation to our wil continuation of eternitie to our memorie In him shal we
could not be donne by beastes or vnreasonable creatures euē so in the vew and consideration of this world If we cast our eyes vpon the heauens we remaine astonished with the miracles that we behold but who made them we see the skyes of exceedīg huge highenes distinguished with colours and bewtie most admirable adorned with starres and planetes innumerable and thes so qualified with theyr diuers and different and vnequal motiōs as albeit they neuer moue or goe together yet doe they neuer gyue lett or hynderance th' one to th' other nor chāge there course out of order or season Quis enarrabit caelorum rationem concentum caeli quis dormire faciet Who is able to declare the reason of thes heauēs or who can make cease or sleepe the vniforme course of theyr motion saith God to Iob As who would say that because no man or mortal creature can doe this therfore may we imagine of what power and perfection their maker is Which king Dauid had donne when he pronounced caeli enarrant gloriam Dei opera manuum eius annunciat firmamentum The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament doth preache the workes of his handes vnto vs. If we pull downe our eyes from heauen to earth we behold the same of an infinite bignesse distinguished with hills and dales woodes pastures couered with all varietie of grasse herbes flowers and leaues moistened with riuers as a bodie with veines inhabited by creatures of innumerable kindes and qualities inriched with inestimable and endeles treasures and yet it self standing or hanging rather with all this weighte and poise in the middest of the ayer as a litle balle without proppe or pillar At which deuise and most wonderful miracle God hym self as it were glorying said vnto Iob. VVhere vvere thou vvhen I layed the foundations of th' earth Tell me if thou haue vnderstanding vvho measured it out or drevv his lyne vpon the same VVheruppon are fastened the pillars of his foundation or vvho layed the first corner stone therof If we looke nether vp nor downe but cast our countenance onlie a side we espie the sea on eche hand of vs that invironeth rounde about the lande A vaste crcature that conteineth more wonders theu mans tongne can expresse A bottemlesse gulfe that without running ouer receaueth all riuers which perpetuallie doe flow A resteles fight turmoile of waters that neuer repose netherday nor night A dreadful raging and furious elemēt that swelleth and roareth threateneth the lade as though it would deuoure it all at once And albeit in situation it be higher then the earth as the philosopher sheweth doe make assaultes daylie towardes the same with most terrible cries and waues mounted euen to the skie yet when it draweth neere to the lande and to his appointed borders it stayeth vpon the suddaine though nothing be there to let it is inforced to recoile backe againe mur muring as it were for that it is not permitted to passe any further Of which restrainte God asketh Iob this question VVho hath shutt vp the sea vvith gates vvhen he breaketh forth in rage as from his mothers vvombe Wherunto no man being able to gyue answer God ansuereth hym self in thes wordes I haue limited hym vvith my boundes I haue set hym both a dove and a barre and haue said vnto hym hytherto shalt thou come and shalt not passe further here shalt thou breake thie svvelling vvaues This in summe is of thinges without vs. But if we should leaue thes and enter to seeke God within our owne selues whether we consider our bodies or our soules or any one parte therof we shall finde so manie straūge thinges or rather so manie seas of miracles and wonders that preach and teach their maker vnto vs as we shall not onlie perceaue and see God most euidentlie but rather as a certaine old heathen hath writen we shall feele and handle hym in his workes Which kinde of speech also S. Paul hym self doubteth not to vse affirming that God hath geuen space to euery man in this life to seeke hym siforte attractent cum aut inueniat if perhappes they would handle hym or finde hym oute Which maner of wordes doe siguifie that by consideration of gods creatures and especiallie of the wonders in man hym self we may come to see and perceaue the Creator so cleerlie that in a sorte we may be said to feele and handle hym So iointelie doe all thinges concurre to the manifestatiō of their maker So manifestelie and effectuallie doe they teach and demonstrate and painte out God vnto vs nothing being so lyttle that declareth not his greatnes nothing so greate which acknowdlegeth not his soueraitie nothing so low that leadeth vs not vp to behold his maiestie nothing so highe that descendeth not to teach vs this veritie It were a labour without ende to goe about in this place to alleage what might he saide in the profe of this principle that there is a God seing there was neuer yet learned man in the world ether Gentile or other that acknowledged and confirmed not the same being dryuen therunto by the manifest euidencie of the truth it selfe If you obiect against me Diagoras Protagoras Theodorus Cyrenensis Bion Borysthines Epicurus and some few others that were open Atheistes denied God I answer that some of thes were vtterly vnlearned and rather sensual beastes then reasonable men and consequentlie might deny any thing according to the saying of holie Dauid the foole said in his hart there is no God Others that had some smacke of learning rather iested at the falshode of their owne Panisme idoles then denied the being of one true God But the most parte of thes mē in deede and such others as in old tymes were accompted Atheistes denyed not God so much in words as in life factes such as S. Paul called Atheistes in his dayes that obeyed their bellies and followed their pleasures in sinne sensualitie not vouchsafing to thinke of God in this life such was the Epicure and manie other are at this daye of his profession but yet as Lactantius well noteth when the same men came to be sober speake of iudgement as at their death or other tyme of distresse and miserie they were as redye to cōfesse God as any other what soeuer But for learned men and people of diseretion sobrietie and iudgement there was neuer yet any were he Iewe or were he Gentile that doubted in this veritie but had meanes of probation to confirme the same as more particulerlie in the rest of this chapter shal be declared Hovv the heathens proued there vvas a God Sect. 2. AMONG the Gētiles or heathē people those men were all wayes of most credite and estimation that professed the loue of wisdome for that respect were termed philosophers Who being deuided into diuers sortes sectes
thing vvhich is by participation must be reduced and referred to some other thing that is not by participation but of it self And he calleth a thing by participation which is not in the fullest or highest degree of perfection in his kinde but may haue additiō made vnto it As for exaple water or anie thing els that is heated by the fiar is hoate by participatiō and not of it self for that it maye alvvayes be hoater and haue addition of heate made vnto it But fiar is hoate of it self and not by participation for that it hath heate in the highest degree and in that kinde can receyue no additiō wherfore the heate of all other things which are hoate by participation of fiar are reduced concerning their heate to the heate of fiar as to their original Now then sayeth the Metaphisique we see by experiēce that all the creatures and partes of this worlde are things by participation onlie for that they are finite in nature and haue limitations in all their perfections and may receaue additions to the same and consequentelie they must of necessitie be referred to some higher cause that is infinite in perfection and consisteth of it self alone without participation from others and this is God who being absolute endeles and without all limitation of perfection in hym selfe deriueth from his owne incomprehensible infinitenes certaine limited natures and perfectiōs to euerie creature which perfections in creatures are nothing els but litle particles and participations of the bottōles sea of perfectiōs in the Creator wherunto they are to be referred and reduced as the beame to the sunne and the brooke to the fountaine A second argument vseth the Metaphisique grounded vppon certaine rules of vnitie wherof one principale is that euerie multitude or distinction of things proceedeth from some vnitie as from his fountaine This he sheweth by manie examples of things in this world For we see by experiēce that the diuers motions or mouinges of the lower sphers or bodies celestial doe proceede of the mouing of one highest sphere are to be referred to the same as to their foūtaine Many riuers are reduced to one well or ofspring innumerable beames to one sunne all the boughes a of tree to one stocke In the bodie of mā which for his beautie and varietie is called the little vvorld the veynes which are without number haue all one beginning in the liuer the arteres ī the harte the sinowes in the braine And that which is more the infinite actions of life sense and reason in mā as generatiōs corruptions nourishementes digestions alterations Eeeling smelling tasting seing hearing mouing speaking thinking remembring discoursing and ten hundred thousand particuler actions operations and motions besides which are excercised in mans bodie vnder thes or other such names and appellations all thes I say being infinite in number most admirable in order and distincte in euerie their office and operation doe receaue not withstanding their beginning from one most simple vnitie and indiuisible substance called the soule which produceth gouerneth and directeth them all to so innu nerable differēt and contrarie functions By this concludeth the Metaphisique that as among the creatures we finde this most excellente order and connexion of thinges wherby one bringeth furth manie and euerie maltitude is referred to his vnitie so much more in al reason must the whole frame of creatures conteined in this world wherein there are so manie milliōs of multitudes with their vnities be referred to one most simple abstract vnitie that gaue beginning to them all and this is God A thirde argument vseth the Metaphisique deriued from the subordination of creatures ī this world which subordination is such and so wonderfull as we see no creature by nature serueth itself but an other and all together doe cōspire in seruing the common We see the heauens doe moue aboute continuallie without ceasing and this not to serue them selues but inferior creatures lesse excellent then them selues We see that water moystneth the ground the aver cooleth openneth and cherysheth the same the Sunne heateth and quic keneth it the Moone and Starres powre foorth their influēce the windes refreshe it and all this not for them selues but for other The earth againe that receaueth thes seruices vseth not the same for her self or for her owne commoditie but to bring foorthe grasse wherewith to feede cattaile and they feede not for them selues but to gyue nourishement vnto man Now then sayeth the Metaphisique if a man that stoode a farreof vppon a mountaine should see in a field vnder hym a great huge maine armie of souldiars most excellent well appointed ech one in order agreing with th' other deuided into Rancks Squadrōs Companies offices subordinate th' one to th' other by degrees and yet all tending one waye all their faces bent vppon one place all mouinge marching and turning together all indeuoringe with allacritie towardes the perfourmance of one common seruice bymutual assistance without dissention discorde difference or clamour he that should see this sayeth the metaphisique as he could not but imagine some general high Capitaine to be among thes soldiars whom all obeyed and from whose supreme commandement and order this most excellent subordination agreement and vnion proceeded so much more vpon consideration of the former coherence consent and miraculous subordination of creatures amōg them seiues in their operations must we inferre that they haue some general cómaunder cuer thē all by whose supreme dispcsition eche creature hath his charge peculier taske appointed which he must perfourme for the cōman and vniuersal seruice of the whole The fouerth reason or argument alleaged by the supernatural philosopher is of the marueilous prouidence arte and wisdome discouered in the making of euery least creature within the world For seing there is nothing so litle nothing so base or cōtemptible within the compasse of this heauen that couereth vs but if you consider it you fynde both arte order proportion bewtie and excellēcie in the same this can not proceede of fortune as foolishe Lucretius and some other would haue it for that fortune is casualtie without order rule or certaintie and therfore needes it must come frō the wisdome and prouidence of some omnipotēt Creator If you take a flye or a flea or a leafe fró a tree or any other the least creature that is extant in the worlde and consider the same attentiuelie you shall fynde more miracles thē partes therin you shal fynd suche proportion of members such varietie of colours such distinctiō of offices such correspondence of instrumentes and those so fit so well framed so coherent so subordinate as the more you contemplate the more shall ye maruaile nether is ther anie one thing in the world more effectual to draw a man to the loue and admiration of his Creator then to excercise hym self often in this contemplation for if his harte be
compasse of denial or coÌ„tradiction And truly no one thing in al this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of his being the true Messias then that Iohn Baptiste whos wisdome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessed and recorded by the writings of al our aduersaries should refuse the honour of Messias offred to hym self and lay it vpoÌ„ Iesus as also should direct thos disciples that depended of hym to the only folowing and embrasing of Iesus doctrine Which is most euideÌ„tly prooued that he did for that fo so many folowers and disciples as hym self had no one appeared euer after that was not a ChristiaÌ„ WHEN Iesus was baptised he beganne to preache his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of his Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tended all to this one ground and principle thou shalt loue thy Lord vvith all thy soule and thy neyghbour as thy self It was plaine easie perspicuous and euideÌ„t though it treated of most high mysteries It had nether poÌ„pe nor pride of Rhetorical wordes nor flattering of mans wickednes as the doctrine of manie Philosophers had Neither consisted it of vnpro ficable externall ceremonies is the later obseruations of the Iewishe laye did nor was it fraught with carnalitie and spirit of this world as the Turkishe Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicitie all was spirit all was trueth all was honestie all was humilitie all was charitie It tooke awaye or disanulled no one perfecte or spirituall point of Moyses lawe but rather reuiued interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For wheras that commannded external obseruance this added also internall obedience Whereas that said loue your frieÌ„des this adioyned loue also your enemies Wheras that commaunded we should not kill this further commaundeth to speake no angrie wordes Wheras that prohibeted to committ actual adulterie this also forbiddeth to couet in minde Wheras that said take no interest or vsurie of a Iewe that is thy couÌ„trie-man this saieth take it of no man what soeuer Wheras that accoumpted euerie Iewe only to be thy neyghbour this teacheth euery person liuing to be thy brother Wheras that taught thee to offer vp a calse or a sheepe or an oxe for thy finnes this instructeth thee to offer vp a contrite harte in the blood of hym that died for all with a firme purpose of amendement of life And finallie this doctrine tendeth whollie to the true sincere perfect seruice of God thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to th' exaltatioÌ„ of his onlie name power goodnes and glorie to the depression of mans pride by discouering his miserie to the contempt of this world and vaine pompe therof to the mortification and subdueing of our sensuall appetit to the true loue and vnfeigned charitie of our neighbour to the stirring vp of our spirit to celestiall cogitations to peace of conscience tranquilitie of mynde puritie of bodie consolation of our soule And in one word to reduce mankvnd againe to a certaine estate of innocencie simplicitie and Angelicall sanctitie vpon earth with his eye fixed onlie in th' eternall inheretaunce of Gods kingdome in heauen THIS was the doctrine deliuered by Iesus which is the same that Gods Prophets fortolde should be deliuered by the Messias And as for his life and conuersation by the testimony of his greatest aduersaries it was more admirable then his doctrine his life being a most liuely table wherin the perfection of al his doctrine was expressed A man of such grauitie as neuer in his life he was noted to laugh of such humilitie as being the sonne of God he scarse vsed in this world the dignitie of a seruaÌ„t of such sweet and mylde behauiour as al the iniuries of his ennemies neuer wreested from him one angry word Finally he was such an one as he was described by Esaie so many ages before he was borne in thes wordes he shal not crye nor contend nor shal any nan heare his voice in the streete he shal not crush a broken reade nor tread out a litle flaxe that lieth smoking on the grounde And an other Prophet not long after hym brake foorth into this speech vpoÌ„ consideratioÌ„ of the behaueour that should be in the Messias Reioyse thou daughter of Sion trjumphe thou daughter of Ierusalem for beholde thy king shal come vnto the thy iust sauiour he is poore and humble c. And as thes Prophets did foretel the vertue sanctetie of the Messias so the deuils theÌ„ selues could not but confesse the same to haue bene fulfilled in the person of Iesus as is most euident by the testimony of Porphyrie a professed enemie of the Christian name Who after consideration of diuers Oracles vttered by his Idoles touching Iesus he breaketh into this confession It is exceeding vvonderful vvhat testimonie the Gods doe gyue of the singuler pietie and sanctitie of Iesus for vvhich they auovvch hym revvarded vvith iÌ„mortalitie but yet thes ChristiaÌ„s are deceyued in calling him God Thus muche writeth Porphyrie And last of al Iosephê° the Iewe that was borne imediatlie after hym writeth of hym thus Ther vvas at this tyme one Iesus a vvise man if it be laufull to cal hym a man a vvorker of most vvonderful miracles and a Maister and teacher of al such men as vvillingly vvere content to embrase the truth IN WHICH testimonie of Iosephus we see mention also of Iesus miracles which is the next thing wherof we are to consider And as Iosephus in this place being a Iewe beareth witnes that Iesus performed many straunge miracles so most apparantly and according to the interpretation of Iosephus in this place were the same miracles fortolde by the Prophetes of God that they should be done by the true Messias So Esaie in his 35. chapter describeth at large how the Messias at his coming shal declare his commission by gyuing sight to the blind hearing to the deafe speech to the dombe agilitie of body to the Lame CrippleÌ„ And that which is more maruailous God reuealed this point very particularly to the Gentiles by the Sibyles among who one of them wrote thus of Christ to come as Lactantius recordeth He shal doe al by his only vvord he shal cure al infirmities he shal raise the dead he shal make the lame to runne skippe the deafe shal heare the blind shal see the dombe speake In fiue loaues and tvvo fishes fiue thousand persons shalve satisfied and the fragmentes shal fil tvvelue baskets to the hope of many He shal commande the vvindes and vvalke vpoÌ„ the furious sea vvith his feete of peace And after diuers other greeke verses to this purpose she coÌ„cludeth in thes wordes MeÌ„ shal saie that I am a madde and lying Prophetesse but vvhen at thes things shal come to passe then remember mee for then shal no man say more that I vvas a liar but rather the
them selues their successours to the worlds end this I say being once brought to passe and the litle stone that was cut out of a hill without handes being now made a huge mountaine that had spreed it self ouer the whole face of the earth according to Daniels prophetie thē thos holy and sage Apostles for preuenting of al new doctrines and false errours that might afterwardes arise as by reuelation from Iesus they vnderstood there should doe many most earnestly exhorted and with al possible vehemēcie called vpon the people to stand fast in the documents and traditions then receaued to holde firmly the faith and doctrine already deliuered as a Depositum and treasure committed to be safely kept vntil the last daie And aboue all other thinges they most diligently forewarned them to beware newfangled teachers whom they called Herctiques who should breake from the vnitie of this vniuersal bodie already made and knit together and should deuise new gloses exposition and interpretations of Scripture bring in new senses doctrines opinions diuisions to the renting of Gods Church and Citie now builded and to the perdition of infinite soules For discerning of which kinde of most pernicious people as S. Austen and other holie fathers doe note for more perfecte distinction betwene them and true Christians the said Apostles inuented the name Catholique and set doune in their cōmon Creede that clause or article I beleeue the Holie Catholike Church By whiche word Catholike that signifieth vniuersal they gaue to vnderstand to al posteritie that whatsoeuer doctrine or opinion should be raised afterward among Christians disagreeing from the general consent doctrine and tradition of the vniuersal Church was to be reputed as errour heresie and vtterly to be reiected And that the only Anckor staie and securitie of a Christian mans my nde in matters of beleefe for his saluation was to be a Catholike that is as all aunciēt fathers doe interprete the same one who layīg aside al particuler opinions and imaginations both of hym self and others doth subiect his iudgment to the determination of Christes vniuersal visible and knowen Church vpon earth embrasing whatsoeuer that beleeueth and abādoning whatsoeuer that reiecteth And this is that plaine direct sure and infallible waye among Christians whereof we spake out of Esaie and other prophetes and Saintes of God before wherin no man can erre though neuer so simple but only of wilful and obstinate malice which is declared in this maner followinge The Ghospel of Christ being once preached and receyued vniformely ouer al the world and Churches of Christianitie erected throughout all Countries Prouinces and Nations in the Apostles time as hath bene said it is to be considered that this vniuersal church bodie or kingdome so gathered foūded established was to continue visibly not for one or two ages but vnto the worlds ende For so it was foreshewed and promissed most perspicuouslie by Daniel when he foretelling the soure great Monarchies that after him should ensue adioineth thes euident wordes of the church and kingdome of Christ In the daies of thes kingdomes shal God raise vp a Celestial kingdome vvhich shal indure for euer vvithout subuersiō that kingdome shal not be deliuered ouer to any other people By which last wordes as also by diuers promisses of Christ hym self in the Ghospel we are acertained that the very same visible congregatiō Church bodie common weale gouernment and kingdome which was established by the Apostles in their time should endure and continue by succession of folowers vnto the worlds ende neither should it passe ouer or be deliuered to any other people that is no new teachers or later doctrines dissenting from the first should euer finallie preuaile against it Which prophetie to haue bene fulfilled frō that day vnto this is made euident and most apparant by the recordes of al ages wherin albeit diuers errours and heresies haue sprong vp and made great blustering and disturbance for a time yet haue they bene repressed and beate doune againe by the same Church and her visible pillars in the ende For examples sake in the first age there rose vp certaine seditious fellowes amōg the Iewes making some cōtention about their ceremonies as also did Simon Magus Nicolaus Cerinthus Ebion and Menander that were heretiques Against whō besides the Apostles stoode ī defence of that which was published before their Disciples S. Martialis S. Dionisius Areopagita Ignatius Policarpus others In the secōd age rose vp Basilides Cerdon Marcion Valentinus Tacianus Apelles Montanus and diuers others against whom stoode in the battaile Iustinus Martyr Dionisius bishop of Corinth Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertulian and their equals And so douneward frō age to age vnto our daies whatsoeuer heresie or different opinion hath bene raised contrary to the general consent of this vniuersal bodie it hath bene checked and controlled by the watchmē pastours chief gouernours of this bodie and finally hath bene condemned and anathematized by their general assemblies consent and councelles gathered from time to time as occasions serued in al partes of the world Wherby it is most manifest that he who relieth vpon this general consent of Christes Church in earth and adhereth to nothing against the iudgmēt of the same cā not possibly erre in matters of beleefe but walketh in that sure secure and infallible path wherin Esaye sayeth that a very foole can not goe amisse Wherfore to conclude this first parte of our present speech cōcerning the trial of our faith and beleefe he that is a true Catholique and holdeth hym self within th' obedience of this general and vniuersal Church which hath descended by succession from Christ and his Apostles that is as olde Vincentius said eleuen hundred years agoe in his most excellent treatise against innouations of heretiques he that Ioueth the Churche and bodie of Iesus Christ so much as he preferreth nothinge in the world before the Catholique and vniuersal doctrine therof not any priuat mans authoritie loue wit or eloquence not reasons of nature or pretēce of scriptures against that which before hym was beleeued by all men he that followeth vniuersalitie antiquitie and consent in his beleefe and standeth firmelie to that faith which hath bene held from time to time in al places in al seasons by al or the most parte of Bishopes Priestes and Doctours in Christianitie he that cā say with S. Augustine that he trulie followeth that vniuersal Church which had her beginninge by the enteringe in of Natiōs got authoritie by miracles was increased by charitie and established by continuance which hath her succession of bishopes from the Chaire of Peter vntil our time that Church whiche is knowen in the worlde by the name of Catholique not onlie to her friendes but also among her enimies for that euen heretiques in common speech doe terme her so hauinge no other meanes to distinguishe them-selues and their followers from
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
O most dreadful separation what would Alexander Caesar Pompeie and other such potentates of the earth giue at that daie to haue but the lowest roome amōg them of the right hand They I saie who had al the roome of this world at their pleasure al dignities vnder their owne commandrie would now make more accompt of the meanest place and corner among Gods elect then of al the pompe and brauerie of ten thousand worldes if they were to liue againe their cogitatiōs at this daie being farre different from that they were vpon earth and their iudgmēts wholy contrary But alas ther is no time of alteration or amendment now They must stand to that which is past and according to their former demeanours they must receyue their doome They haue a Iudge present whose power they can not auoide whos wisdome they can not deceyue whos equitie they can not bowe whos seueritie they can not mollefie whos indignation they can not appease whos determination they can not alter and from whose sentence they can not possiblie appeale O my deare and louing brother no tongue of man beleeue me can expresse what a singuler treasure a good consciēce wil be at this daie when thou shalt see al the Princes and Monarches of this world stand ther naked trembling appalled being vtterly destitute of an answere to the whole multitude of their most secret sinnes displaied openly before their faces An vnspottel conscience I say at this instant shal be a greater consolation then al the dignities or pleasures of a thousand worldes For wealth wil not help the iudge wil take no giftes our owne submission wil not be admitted intreatie of friēdes wil not preuaile intercession of Angels and other Saintes shal haue no place for that their glorie shal be at this daie as the prophete saieth to binde kings in fetters noble princes in yron manacles to execute vpon them the iudgement prescribed Alas what wil al thos delicate and daintie people doe at this instāt who liue now in ease and pleasures and can take no paine in the seruice of God nor abide to heare the naming of this daye what shift I saie wil they finde out ī thos extremities whether wil they tur ne thē whos help wil they craue They shal see al things crie vengeance round about thē al things yeeld them cause of feare and horrour but nothing any one sparcle of hope or consolation Aboue them they shal beholde their Iudge offended with their wickednes beneath them hel open and the cruel fornace redie boiling to recevue them to torment On the right hād shal be their sinnes accusing them on the left hād the Diuels redie to execute Gods eternal sentēce vpon them Within them shal lye their conscience gnawing without them al damned soules bewailing on euery side the whole world burning O merciful Iesus which art to behold this ruful spectacle what a passage shal this be what wil the wretched sinner doe saie or thincke when he shal be enuironed with thes inexplicable miseries how wil his hart susteine thes anguishes what waie wil he take To goe backe is impossible to goe foreward is intollerable to stand ther stil is not permitted what then shal he doe but as thou O Lord with thy sacred mouth hast foretold that he shal drie and wither vp for verie feare seeke death and death shal flie from him crie and beseech the hilles and mountaines to fal doune and couer him and they refusing to doe him that releefe or afford him so great a comfort he shal stand ther as a most desperate forlorne and miserable catise vntil he receyue that dreadful and irreuocable sentēce of thine Goe yee accur sed into euerlasting fire THIS SHALBE THE LAST act and conclusiō of this woful tragedie For so it is recorded by the Iudge him self Then shal the sonne of man saie to thos on his right hand Come yee blessed of my father and possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world I was hungrie and you gaue me to eate I was a straūger and you gaue me harbour I was naked and you clothed me I was sicke and you visited me I was in prison and you came to comfort me And to them on his left hand he shal saie Depart from me yee accursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuil and his Angels for I was hungrie and you fedde me not I was a straunger and you harboured me not I was naked and you clothed me not I was sicke and in prison and you visited me not Then shal they saie vnto him O Lord when haue we sene the hungrie thirstie or a straunger or naked or sicke or in prison and did not minister vnto the And he shal answere I tel you for that you haue not done thes thinges to one of thes lesser your brethern you haue not done them to me And then thes wicked shal goe into eternal punishment and the iust into life euerlasting Hitherto are the wordes of Christ him self In which may be noted first that in recounting the causes of thes miserable mens damnation our Saueour alleageth not lacke of beleef or that they were not faithful wherof the reason may be that which him self vttereth in an other place of Infidels saying he that beleeueth not is alredy iudged And S. Paul of an heretique that he is condemned by his ovvne proper iudgmēt Secondly he obiecteth against them not any actual enormous sinnes wherof per haps maie be assigned for a reason which S. Iohn doth insinuate and signifie that such kinde of manifest deadlie sinners are now euidently appertaining to the dominion of Satan Wherfore Christ vrgeth only agaīst thes reprobates certaine omissions of good workes and charitable deeds commended vnto vs by the rule of Christiā perfectiō And for thes he pronounceth against them his most dreadful sentence of euerlasting damnation Which sentence being once passed the Iudges mouth and recevued in the eares of al that infinite assemblie ther present imagine thou my soule what an vniuersal shoute and outcrie will therupon straight ensue the saued reioysing and singing eternal praises in the glorie of their Saueour the damned bewailing blaspheming and cursing the daie of their natiuitie the Angels commending and extolling the equitie of that iudgment against which the parties that are conuicted shal not be able to finde any lest exceptiō Cōsider the intollerable vpbrading of thos most insolent infernal spirites against the miserable condemned soules that are deliuered to their praie with how bitter scoffes and tantes wil they traile them to their torments with what intollerable insultation wil they execute the sentence of God against them Consider the eternal separation that now must be made of Fathers and children of mothers and daughters friendes and companions the one to glorie the other to miserie without any hope euer to heare or see
any more the one the other And that which shall be as great a grief as any of the rest the sonne or daughter going to rest and ioye shal not take pitie of their owne parents or friends that are caried to calamities but rather shall reioice therat for that it redoundeth to Gods glorie for execution of his Iustice O my soule which now art here considering of thes thinges a farre of and thē shalt be present to see them actuallie before thine eyes what a doleful separation wil this be what a fare-wel what a parting whos hart would not breake at that daie to abide this intollerable seuering if a hart could then breake therby make some ende of his paines But so much ease wil not be permitted O yee children and louers of this world wher will al your delights recreations and vanities be at this daie Al your pleasant pastimes al your pride and brauerie in apparel your glistering in gold your sweet sauours of perfumes your honours of cappe and knee your adulation of flatterers your delicate faire and daintie dishes your musike your wanton daliances and pleasant entertainments Wher are all your good friēdes and merie compagniōs accustomed to laugh and disport the time with you Are al now gone O vanitie of vanities now when you haue most need of them they are furthest of from you and the remēbrāce therof shal doe nothing but tormēt you O my deare brethern how soure wil al the pleasures past of this world seeme at that howre How doleful wil the cogitation therof be vnto vs how friuolous a thing wil al our dignities riches offices and other preferments appeare wherin we take such excessiue delight now and doe weary out our spirites for gaining the same And on the contrarie side how ioyful wil that man be at this instant who hath attended to lead a vertuous life in resisting of finne doing good works albeit it were with much paine and contempt in this world Most happie creature shal he be that euer he was borne and ouer-whelmed with al ioye that euer he tooke that path in hād and no tongue but Gods can expresse his happines Wherfore here my louing brother to make an ende and to frame no other cōclusion of al this whole declaratiō but only that which Christ himself doth make vnto vs who being the chief actour that shal deale in this affaire knoweth best of al other what counsail to giue let vs cósider with our selues euē in the very bottō of our hartes how easie a matter it is now in this life with a litle paine and diligéce to auoide the danger of this most dreadful daie For which cause also it is most certaine that the same is foretolde vs and so often vrged in holy write to our remembrance as in like manner so particulerly described by our most merciful iudge Saueour to the ende we should by thes seuere earnest admonishmits be stirred vp to prepare our selues for it So Christ himself doth most euidentlie declare whē after al his former threatniges he cōcludeth in thes most sweete wordes of exhortation Looke about your selues watch and praie for you knowe not whé the time shal be But as I saie to you so I saie to al men be watchful And yet further in an other place he adioineth Attēd vnto your selues that your hartes be not ouercome with eating and drincking with the cares of this life and so that daio ouertake you vpon the suddaine c. Be you therfore watchful and alwayes praye that you may be worthie to escape althes thinges which are to come and to stand confidently before the sonne of mā at that daye Thes are the words and forewarnings of thy Iudge and Saueour vnto thee my soule And what more friendly and fatherly exhortation couldest thou desire Canst thou plead ignorance in this affaire hereafter If thou thincke so heare yet a further admonishment of his chief Apostle The daie of our Lord saieth he shal come as a theef when men thincke not of it In which the heauens and elemēts shal be dissolued and al the earth with her inhabitants shal be consumed with fire Which being so what maner of men ought we to be in holie conuersation and pietie expecting and going on to meet with this daie of our Lord c. In which wordes of S. Peter is diligently to be noted that this meeting with the daie of Iudgment wherunto he exhorteth vs is nothing els but the due examination of our present perilous estate and the speedie amendment of our life to the workes of pietie and holy conuersation which in deed is that onlie soueraine remedie wherof the wise man forwarneth vs when he saieth Prouide a medecine before the maladie and examine thy self before iudgment and so shalt thou finde fauour in the sight of God Wherunto S. Paul wel agreeth saying If vve vvould iudge our selues vve should not be iudged But for that no man entreth into this due iudgemét of himself his life state and actions here of it cōmeth that so few dot preuent this dangerous daie so few prepare themselues so fewe doe accept of the good counsaile of Christ so feweare watchful and so infinite doe fal a sleepe in the ignorance of their owne peril to their remediles destruction and vnauoidable damnation Our blessed Lord giue vs his holie grace to looke better about vs. OF THE NATVRE OF SINNE AND OF THE VNVVORTHINES OF HIM that committeth the same For iustifyinge the seueritie of gods iudgement setdoune and declared in the chapter going before CHAPT VIII TO THE ende that no man may iustly complaine of the seuere accoumpte whiche God is to take of vs at the last daye or of the rigour of his iudgemēt set doune in the chapter before it shal not be amisse to cōsider in this place the cause why God doth shew such seueritie against sinne and sinners as both by that which hath bene saide may appeare that he doth as also by the whole course of holy scripture where in euerie place almost he denounceth his extreme hatred wrath and indignatiō against the same as where it is sayed of hym that he hateth al those that vvorke īiquitie And againe that both the vvicked mā and his vvickednes are hateful in his sight And finallie that the whole life of sinners their thoughts wordes yea and their good actions also are abominations vnto him whiles they liue i sinne And that which yet is more he can not abide nor permit the sinner to praise him or to name his testament with his mouth as the Holie Ghost testifieth and therfore no meruaile if he shew such seueritie against him at the last daye whom he so extremelie hateth abhorreth in this life Of which great hatred there might be manie reasons alleaged as the vndutiful transgressiō cōtēpt of godes cōmandementes the great ingratitude of a sinner in respect of his diuine
being only a peece of earth or claye before Now ymagine then of what sea of loue al this proceeded But yet adde further how he hath created all this magnificēt world for the and all the creatures therof to serue thee in this busines the heauens to gouerne the and to geeue the light the earth ayer and water to minister most infinite varietie of creatures for thy behoof and sustenance and of al thes hath made the Lord maister to vse them for thine auaile and benefite in his seruice Which giftes being so manifold and magnificent as they are I appeale to thine owne cōscience good Christian brother how intollerable an ingratitude it is so greatly to dishonour iniurie the giuer as to applie thes giftes to his offence which he bestowed vpon the for his seruice Next after this ensueth the benefite of thy redemption much more excellent and bountiful thē the former the effect wherof is that wheras thou hadst lost al those former giftes and benefites and hadst made thy self guiltie by sinne of eternal punishmēt and damnation wherunto the Angels were now deliuered for their sinne committed before God chose to redeeme the and not the Angels and for satisfying of thine enormous fault vouchsafed to deliuer his owne only soone to the most opprobrious death of the Crosse O Lord God what hart can possibly conceyue the greatnes of this benefite Suppose with thy self gentle Christian for better vnderstanding of this benefite that thou being a poore and abiect person vnder the dominion of some great mightie Emperour hadst with some of his principal Peres committed grieuous crimes against his Emperial Maiestie thou oftentimes and they but once and being both by law conuicted and redie to suster Iustice for the same so singulerly should the Emperours fauour extend it self in thy behalf as deliuerig ouer thos other great princes to execution for their demerites he conceyued a desire to saue and pardon thee And finding no other conuenient meanes in respect of his Iustice how to doe the same should vpon his only sonne and heire of al his Empire laie the paines shame and tormēts of death due vnto thy trespasses Tel me now if being so abiect and cōtemptible a creature thou shouldst receyue so great a grace of a mightie Emperour who had for fewer offences euen in thy sight put to death greate and glorious princes as God did thos principal Angels how wonderfully wouldest thou thincke thy self bound and beholden vnto him for the same But if further this sonne and heire of this noble Monarch refusing to speake one word for thos great princes should not only accept willingly this dishonour and punishment laid vpon him by his father for thy sake but also should offer himself therunto and craue most instantly that he might by his death make satisfaction for thine offences and not only this but also to deriue vnto thee the participatiō of his inheritāce making thee of a bondslaue heire apparant to so Puissant an Emperour coheire to him self could thy hart possibly conceyue so great a benefite were it possible that thy powers of bodie soule should not dissolue in the cogitation of so inspeakable a grace would not thy bowels burst in sunder with the vehemencie of loue towards such a benefactour Or can any mā of reason euer imagine that thou wouldest willingly for a thousand worlds offend any more so gratious a Lord And yet is this benefite of thy redemption deare brother by infinite degrees surpassing both this and al other temporal graces that mans wit can imagine in al and euery circumstance that before hath bene mentioned In the third place doe come to be considered two other benefites named vocation and Iustification The first wherof is that wherby God of his infinite depth of mercies hath called vs from infidelitie to the state of Christians and therby made vs partakers of this our redemption last mentioned which infidels are not For albeit he payed the ransome for al in general yet hath he not imparted the benefite therof to al but to such onlie as best it pleased his diuine goodnes to bestow it vpon After which grace of vocation and our acceptance therof insued immediatlie our iustification wherby we were not onlie set sree from al our sinnes committed before and from al paine and punishement dew to the same but also our soules were beutified and enriched by the infusion of his holie grace inherent accompanied with the vertues theological as faith hope and charitie with the most pretious giftes of the Holie Ghost and by this grace wee were made iust and righteous in the sight of God and entitled to the most blessed inheritance of the kingdome of heauen the worthines of which gift no tongue of man or Angels can expresse After these doe ensue a greate number of benefites together apperteining properly to such as are made the children and true frendes of God euery one wherof in it self is of most infinite price and valew Among which are in the first place to be nombred the holie Sacraments of Christs Church left vnto vs for our comfort and preseruation after we be entred into the bosome therof They being nothing els in deed but certaine sacred cōduits to cōuaie vnto vs the holie grace of God especially thos two which appertaine to al men in general I meane the holy Sacraments of penance and of the blessed bodie and blood of our Sauyour wherof the first is to purge our sowles from sin so often as she falleth the seconde to feede and comforte the same after she is purged The first is as a bathe made of Christs owne pretious bloode to washe and clēse our woundes therein the secōde as a most comfortable and riche garment to couer our soule after she is washed In the first Christ hath left with his spouse the Church al his authoritie which he hath in heauē or earth to remit sinnes in the secōd he hath left him self his owne flesh and bloode to be a pretious foode wherwith to seede and cherish our soule after her sinnes be remitted Besides al thes ther yet remaineth an other benefite which we cal the benefite of Preseruation wherby God hath kept and preserued vs from infinite dangers wherūto many others before vs haue fallen and into which our selues had fallen in like maner if gods-holie hande had not stayed vs as from heresie and infidelitie and manie other greeuous sinnes but especially frō death damnation which longe a goe by our wickednes we deserued to haue bene executed vpon vs. Wherunto maie be annexed also the most singuler benefites of godlie inspirations and admonitions wherby God hath often both knocked inwardlie at the dore of our conscience and warned vs outwardly by so many wayes and meanes as are good bookes good sermons good exhortations good companie good exāple of others a thousand other most merciful means besides which at
come to the highest top of his felicitie Thou soole euen this night thy soule shal be taken from the and then vvho shal enioy al that vvhich thou so painfully hast scraped together O deare Christiā it is impossible for any mortal tōgue to expresse the doleful state of a worldlie man in this instāt of death when nothing of al that he hath gathered together with so much labour and toile and wherin he was wont to repose so great affiance wil now auaile him any longer but rather afflict his soule with the memorie therof cōsidering that now he must leaue al to others goe him self to gyue accounte for the gathering and vsing of the same and that perhaps to his eternal damnation whiles in the meane time other companions in the world doe liue merilie and pleasantlie vpon that he hath gotten litle remembringe and lesse caring for him that perhaps lieth burning in vnquēcheable fire for thos riches vnrighteously heaped and left vnto them This vndoubtedly is a most woful and lamentable point which shal bring manie a man to greate sorow and anguishe of harte at the last daye when al earthlie ioyes must be left al pleasures and commodities foreuer abandoned O what a doleful daye of partinge wil this be what wilt thou saie my frende at this daye when al thy glorie al thy welth al thy pompe is come to an ende What art thou the better now to haue liued in credit with the world in fauour of princes exalted of men feared reuerenced and honoured of al sortes seing at this instant al thy iolitie pride and pompe is at an ende al thy former felicitie is arriued now to her euerlasting periode BVT NOVV BESIDES al this there is a third thing which more then al the rest wil make this daie of death to be most dreadful miserable vnto a worldlie man to witt the consideration what shall become of him both in bodie and soule And as for his bodie it wil be no smal horrour to thinke vpon that saying of holie scripture the end of the vvicked 〈◊〉 fleshe shal be fire and vermine and his inheritāce shal be serpentes beastes and vvormes that is it must be throwen out to be the foode of vermine That bodie I meane which was before so delicatelie entertained with al varietie of meates softe pillowes and beddes of doune so trimlie set forth in apparel and other ornamentes wherevpon the winde might not be su fred to blow nor the sunne to shine that bodie I saye of whose beautie there was so much pride taken and wherby so great vanitie and sinne was dayly commited that bodie which in this world was accustomed to all pampering and nicenes might abide no austeritie or discipline at al must now be forlorne and abandoned of all men and left only for apraie to be deuoured of wormes Now the time is come when thos wordes of God must be fulfilled which he vttered by his Prophet against delicate people In that day God shal pul of al ornamentes chaines braselets ringes Iuels pomanders c. and then shal be in steed of svveet sauours stinch ī place of rich girdles 〈◊〉 for could heare 〈◊〉 c. Al which bodilie disgrace and miserie albeit it can not but breed much horrour in the hart of him that lieth a dying yet is this nothing in respect of the dreadful cogitations which he shal haue touching his soule to wit what shal become therof whether it shal goe after her departure out of the bodie And then considering that she must appeare before the iudgement seate of almightie God and there receyue sentence either of vnspeakeable glorie or insupportable paines he falleth to consider more in particuler the daunger therof by comparing godes iustice and threates set doune in holy write against sinners with his owne life he begineth to examine the witues which is his conscience and findeth the same readie to laye infinite accusations against him when he commeth to the place of iustice And now deare Christian brother beginneth in deed the inexplicable miserie of this poore afflicted man now doe al the multitude of his sinnes present thē selues before his face now doth he in deed see verified that sentence of sacred Scripture In fine hominis denudatio operum The workes of euery man are laid open at his ende Now doe master before his eyes all Gods threats against wicked liuers nether is ther any one seuere saying of holy writ pronounced against sinners which now doth not offer it self vnto his minde Our ghostlie enimie which in this life laboured to keepe al these thinges frō our cōsideration therby the more easely to entertaine vs in sinne and pleasure wil now laye al and more before our face amplifying and vrging euerie point to the vttermost and alleaging our conscience in euery thing for his witnes Which when the poore soule in dying can not deny she must needs therby most vehemently be terrefied and so we see it daily come to passe euen in many most vertuous and holie men whereof S. Ierome reporteth a verie memorable example of blessed S. Hilarion whos soule being greatly frighted with thes confiderations and exceeding loth to depart from his bodie at length after long conflict he tooke hart said goe forth my soule goe forth vvhy art thou so sore affraid thou hast serued Christ almost threescore ten yeres art thou novv so fearful to depart To like effect also the holie martyr of god S. Cyprian telleth of avertuous and godlie bishoppe which dyinge in his time was greatlie terrified at the houre of death notwithstanding he had liued verie vettuouslie vntil at length Christ appearing vnto him in the forme of a goodlie yong man rebuked him in thes wordes you are affraid to suffer and out of this life you vvil not goe vvhat thē shal I doe vnto you which wordes and example S. Austen did often vse to recount talking of this matter as his scholar Possidonius recordeth in his life Now then if good men and saintes are so a fearde at this passage yea such as had serued God with al puritie of life perfect zeale for the space of three score and ten yeres together what shal they be which scarcely haue serued him in deed one daye in al their liues but rather haue spent their yeres in sinne and vanitie of this world shal not these mē trow you be in greate extremitie at this passage Surely S. Augustine describeth the same verie effectuously in one of his sermons and according to his manner doth gyue a notable exhortation vpon the same If you wil know dearlie beloued saith he with how greate feare paine the soule of man doth passe from the bodie marke diligently what I shal saie vnto you The Angels at that hower shal come to take the soule and bring her before the iudgement seate of a most dreadful iudge and then she callinge to minde
her wicked deedes shal beginne exceedingly to feare and tremble and would gladlie flie and leaue her deedes behinde her seekinge to entreate the Angels and to request but one hower space of delaye But that wil not be graunted and her euil workes crying out al together shal speake against her and save we wil not staye behinde or parte from the thou hast done vs and we are thy workes and therfore we wil follow the whether soeuer thou goest yea euen vnto the seate of iudgement This loe is the state of a sinners soule which partinge from his bodie with most horrible feare goeth onwardes to iudgemēt loden with sinnes and with infinite confusion Contrariwise the iust mans soule goeth out of his bodie with greate ioye and comforte the good Angels accompaininge her with exultation Wherefore brethren seinge these thinges are so doe you feare this terrible hower of death now to the ende you maye not feare when you come vnto it Foresee it now that then you maye be secure Thus farre S. Augustine And for that this holie father learned Doctour in Christes Church maketh mentiō in this place of good and euil Angels which are redie at the houre of death to receyue the soules of such as depart out of this life it shal not be from our purpose to note that oftentimes God doth permit the apparitions of Angels both good and euil as also of other saintes to some men lyinge on their death beddes for a tast ether of comforte or sorow touchinge that which shal ensue in the world to come And this is also one singuler priuiledge among other belonging to this passage And concerning the iust I haue shewed before an example out of S. Cyprian and S. Augustine touching one to whome Christ appeared at the hower of his death And S. Gregorie the greate hath diuers like narratiōs to that purpose i the fourth booke of his dialogues As for example sake of one Vrsinus to whom the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule appeared But as concerning euil spirites and wicked Angels which shewed thē selues vnto diuers sinners at the houre of death and denounced vnto them their eternal damnation and horrible tormentes appointed in hel we haue manie and most terrible exāples recorded in many graue aunciēt writers As among other that recorded by S. Gregorie of one Chrisorius a greate riche man but as ful of sinne as of wealth to whome lying on his death-bed the infernal fiendes in most vglie māner appeared shewing how now he was deliuered into their power and therfore would neuer depart from him vntil he dying left his soule vnto thē to be caried to eternal tormentes The like examples doth venerable Bede recount to haue happened in our countrie about his time And among other of a certaine wicked Courtier in great fauour with king Coenride to whom lying in the panges of death and being now a litle recouered both the good and euil Angels appeared visibly the one laying before him a verie smal booke of his good deedes the other a greate huge volume of his enormous crimes Which after they had caused him to reade by the permissiō of the good Angels they seazed vpō him assignig also vnto him the certaine houre of his departure according as both him selfe confessed openlie to al that came to visit him and as by his horrible desperate death ensuinge at the very hower by them appointed he manifestlie confirmed The like storie recordeth he in the chapter folowing of one whom he knew him self and as both he S. Gregorie and S. Cyprian also doe note al these such other visions were permitted for our sake which doe yet liue and maye take commoditie by the same and not for their good that died whom they nothing at al auailed Which being so deare Christian brother that is this passage of death being so terrible so daungerous yet so ineuitable as it is seing so manie mē doe perish and are ouer whelmed daylie in passing ouer this perilous gulfe as both holie scriptures and auncient fathers doe testifie by examples recordes vnto vs what man of discretion would not learne to be wise by other mens dangers or what reasonable creature would not take heede looke aboute him being warned so manifestlie and apparantlie of his owne peril if thou be a Christian and doest belieue in deede the thinges which Christiā faith doth teach the thē doest thou know an I most certainlic belieue also that of what state age strength dignitie or condition so euer thou be now yet must hy self which now in health mirth doest real this point and thinkest the same litle appertainig vnto thee one of these daies and that perhaps very shortlie after the readinge hereof come to proue al these thinge in thine owne person that is thou must with sorow and griefe beenforced to thy bed and there after al straggliges with the dartes of death thou must yelde thy bodie which thou louest now so dearly to be the baite of wormes and thy soule to the trial of iustice for her doinges in this life IMAGINE THEN my friend euē thou I saye which art so fresh and froelicke at this instant that the ten twentie or two yeres or perhaps two monethes or daies which thou hast yet to liue were now come to an ende and that thou were euen at this present stretched out vpon a bed wearied and worne with dolour and paine thy carnal frindes about the weepinge and howlinge and desiring thie goodes the phisitions departed with their fees as hauing gyuen the ouer and thou lyinge there alone mute and dumme in most pitiful agonie expecting from moment to momēt the last stroke of death to be gyuen vnto the. Tel me in this instāt what would al the pleasures and commodities of the whole earth auaile the what comfort or ease would it be vnto the now to haue bene of honour in this world to haue gathered wealth and purchassed much to haue borne office and enioyed the princes fauour to haue left thy children and kinred in aboundance to haue trodden donne thine enimies to haue stirred much and borne greate swaye in this life what pleasure I saye or benefite would it be to the to haue bene beautiful to haue bene gallant in apparel goodlie in personage glittering in golde would not al thes thinges rather afflict then profit thee at this instant No doubt but now thou shouldest wel see throughlie perceaue the vanitie of thes trifles thou shouldest proue true the saying of the wise man non proderūt diuitie in die vltionis riches wil profit nothing in the day of Gods reuēge That most excellent demaunde of holie Iob would oftentimes offer it self vnto thie remembrāce Quid ad cum pertinet de domo sua post se What hath a man to doe with his house familie or kinred after he is gone what good what comfort shal he take therby VVho vvil
placed to be despised and not to be honoured How great honour was that trow you which he did to Abraham in the sight of so many kings and princes of the earth as of Pharao Abimelech Melchiseedech and others How great honour was that he did to Moyses in the face of Pharao and of al his court by the wonderful signes that he wrought by him What excessiue honour was that he did to holie Iosue when in the sight of al his armie he stayed the sunne and Moone in the middest of the firmament at Iosues appointement obeying therein as the scripture saieth to the voice of a man what honour was that he did to Esay in the preface sight of king Ezechias whē he made the sunne to goe backe tenne degrees in the heauens what honour was that he did to helias in the sight of wicked Achab when he yelded the heauens into his hands and willed him to say that neither raine nor dew should fal vpon the ground for certain yeres but by the wordes of his mouth onely what honour was that he did to Elizeus in the sight of Naaman the noble Syrian whom he cured onelie by his word from the leprosie whos bones also after his death raised vp by onelie touching the dead to life inallie not to alleage more examples herein what singular honour was that he gaue to al the Apostles of his sonne that as many as euer they laid handes on were healed from al infirmities as S. Luke affirmeth Nay which is yet more the verie girdles and napkins of S. Paul did the same effect and yet more then that also so many as came within the onelie shadow of S. Peter were healed from their diseases Is not this maruailous honour euen in this life was there euer Monarch prince or potentate of the world that could vaunt of such points of honor And if Christ did this to his seruantes euen in this world whereof notwithstanding he saith his kingdome was not what honour shal we think he hath resesued for the life to come where his kingdome shal be in al fulnes and where al his seruants shal be crouned as eternal kings with him Lastlie for some further declaration of this matter and for expressing th' incomparable excellencie of heauenlie blisse some diuines doe vse a consideration of the three different places wherunto man by his creation is ordained albeit in al pointes it be not necessarie to hold the same iust proportion The first of which places is our mothers wombe the second this present world the third is coelum Empireum which is the place of blisse in the life to come Now in these three places say the learned we must hold some like proportion by al reason betwene the third and second place as we see sensiblie to be obserued betwene the second and first So that in what proportion the second doeth differ from the first in like measure must the third be different from the second on rather much more for that eternal and heauēly thinges doe exceede al comparison of trāsitorie thinges amōg themselues By this proportion then we must say for exāple sake that as farre as the whole world doth passe the wombe of one priuate woman so much in al beautie delites and Maiestie doth the place of heauēlie blisse passe al this whole world with the ornamentes therof And as much as a man liuing in the world doth exceede a child in his mothers bellie for strength of bodie beautie wit vnderstāding learning and knowledge so much and farre more doth a Saint in heauen passe al men of this world in al these excellencies and infinite more besides And looke how great horrour a mā of perfect age would conceaue to returne into his mothers wombe againe so much and farre greater would a glorified soule haue to come back from that eternal blisse into this vale of miserie The nine moneths also of life in the mothers wombe are not so litle in respect of any mans age in the world as is the longest life vpon earth in respect of euerlasting life in heauen Nor the blindenesse ignorance and other miseries of the child in his mothers wombe are any way to be compared to the cecitie darknes folie other calamities of this life in respect of the cleare light most excellent knowledge deuine vnderstāding other singuler prerogatiues of the Saints in heauen So that by al thes reasons laid together ther may a general coniecture be framed of the most infinit and incomprehensible excellencie of this reward wherof we treate BVT NOVV TO CONSIDER the same thing somewhat more in particular it is to be noted that this reward or glorie of heauen shal comprehend in it self two partes or members the one called essential belonging to the soule the other termed accidental belonging to the bodie The essential part consisteth in the vision or sight of God as afterward shal be shewed The accidental consisteth in the change and glorification of our flesh after the general resurrectiō wherby this corruptible bodie of ours shal put on incorruption as S. Paul sayeth and of mortal become immortal Al this flesh I say of ours that now is so combersom and aggreeueth the minde that now is infested with so many inconueniences subiect to so many mutations vexed with so many diseases defiled with so many corruptiōs replenished with so infinit miseries and calamities shal then be made glorious most perfect to endure for euer without change or mutation and to raigne with our soule euerlastinglie And for this purpose as diuines doe proue the same shal be endued with certaine excelles qualities and giftes from God which S. Anselm whom in this matter I wil folow doth reckon to be seuen to wit beautie agilitie fortitude penetrabilitie health pleasure perpetuitie Al which excellencies either doe want in the damned bodies or else their contraries are found therin And first of al concerning the priuiledge and high excellencie of beautie how singuler it shal be in the bodies glorified our Saueour him self in some part declareth when he sayeth At that daie shal the Iust shine as the sunne in the kingdome of their father A maruailouse speech and in humane sense almost incredible that our putrefied bodies should shine and become as cleare as the sunne Whereas in the contrarie part the bodies of the damned shal be as black and vglie as filth it self The second prerogatiue assigned to the bodies of the iust is agilitie or velocitie whereby their flesh is deliuered from al lumpish heuinesse wherwith it was pestered in this life and made as light as the Angels them selues which are spirits and doe passe from place to place with infinit swiftnesse as also doe ascend and descend of them selues against the nature of corruptible bodies whereas in the meane space the damned bodies shal be bound both hand
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
of other affaires Thes are the wordes of the Deuil louing brother Thes are the counsailes persuasions of our enemie But mine are contrarie If thou haue fallen thou maiest rise againe If thou haue bene a lost companion yet thou maiest be saued If thou haue committed fornication and adulterie in time past thou maiest be continent for the time to come If thou haue hanted playes games thou maiest drawe backe thy foot from hence forth If thou haue delighted in leud and euil companie thou maiest herafter acquaint thy self with good Thou hast free wil to chuse ether part This only is necessarie that thou beginne thy conuersion out of hand that thou repent and take in hand to reforme thy self though it be at the first but a litle Let thine eies beginne but to shed forth one teare enter into thy conscience consider thy self but indifferently examine thine actions and what they deserue lay before thy face the daie of Iudgment with the torments of hel on the one side and the ioyes of heauen on the other Repēt confesse amend thy life seeke a medicine for thy wound out of hand while thou art in this life in what state or condition soeuer thou be Yea if thou be vpon thy death-bed ready to breath out thy soule and spirit feare not to repent for that Gods mercie is not restrayned by the shortnes of time Which I speake vnto you my deare brethren not to make you hereby the more negligent but only to stirre you vp to the confidence of Gods mercie and thereby to auoyde the most dangerous gulfe of desperation Hitherto are the wordes of this holie and learned Father In which long and large discourse of his we are to note that together with most excellent encoragement which he geueth to al sinners of what state and cōdition soeuer they be in al times and seasons to confide in Gods mercie and neuer to despaire he geueth also an holsome admonishment that we should not by this confidence become more necligent in reforming our liues but rather do it out of hand without al delay or procrastinatiō Whereunto in like maner the holy father S. Augustine in a like exhortation against despaire doth endeuour most vehemently to stirre vs vp in these wordes Let no man after a hundred sinnes nor after a thousand despaire of Gods mercie but yet so let him not despaire as he seeke presently without al stay to recōcile him self to God by amendment of life least perhaps after that by custome he hath gotten a habit of sinne he be not able to deliuer him self from the snares of the Diuel albeit he would And in the very same sermon he discourseth yet further of the same matter in manner folowing Not euery man that hath sinned but he that perseuereth in sinne is hateful and abominable in the sight of God For that no man must distrust of Gods mercie towards him that wil amend and leaue his sinnes For that God him self as a most sweete comforter hath said by his Prophet that the impietie of a vvicked man shal not hurt him at vvhat day soeuer he shal turne from the same But yet this great mercie of our Lord is thē only profitable vnto vs if we delay not our conuersion nor doe multiplie sinnes vpon sinnes Which I wil declare vnto you by th' example of woundes and ruptures of our bodie by which th' infirmities also of our mind and soule may be conceaued Thus then we see if a mās foote leg or arme be broken with how great paine the same is restored to his accustomed strength But if any member of our body should be broken twise or three times or more often in one and the self same place your charitie cā imagin how hard a thing it were for that part to recouer her perfit health againe So fareth it deare brethrē in the woundes and ruptures of our soule If a man doe commit sinne once or twise and doe vnsainedly without dissimulatiō make his refuge to the medicine of perāce he doth out of hand obtaine health againe and that sometimes without any skar or blemish of the disease past But if he begin to adde sinnes vpō sinnes in such sort that the woundes of his soule doe rather putrifie within him by couering and defending them then heale by repentance and confession it is to be feared least that heauy speach of th' Apostle be fulfilled in him to whom he saith dost thou not knovv that the benignitie of God is vsed to bring thee to repentance but thou by the obdurate and irrepētant hart dost heape to thy self vvrath in the day of vengeance and of the reuelation of Gods iust iudgement Thus far S. Augustine But now deare Christian brother what can be spoken more effectually either to 〈◊〉 vs to hope and confidence in Gods mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presumption in delaying our amendment thē here hath bene vttered by these noble pillars and fathers of Christes Church and most excellent instrumentes and temples of his holie Spirit The diuine wisdome of almightie God i a certaine place saith that the wordes of wise men ought to be spurres vnto vs and as it were nailes driuen into the depth of our hartes meaning thereby that we should be stirred vp and most vehemently moued when we heare such wise men as the holie Ghost there meaneth which in deede are only they that haue the knowledge and true feare of God make such exhortations vnto vs and ue vs such holsom admonishmentes as thes godlie fathers in this great affaire haue donne And how is it then deare brother that we are nothing stirred vp thereby nothing quickned nothing awaked Wel I wil conclude this whole chapter and treatise with an other exhortation and admonition of S. Augustine for that besides the graue authoritie of the mā which ought to moue vs much I thinke nothing can be spoken more excellently or more agreeing to our peculiar purpose Thus then he saith Almightie God doth neuer despise the repentance of any mā if it be offered vnto him sincerely simply nay he accepteth the same most willingly embraceth the penitent and endeuoreth to reduce him to his former state wherein he was before he fel. And that which is yet more if a man be not able to fulfil the whole order of his satisfaction yet doth not God refuse the least penance that is though it be dōne in neuer so short a space Neither doth he suffer the reward to perish of any litle conuersion And this doth the prophet Esaie seeme to me to signifie when he faith in Gods person to the people of Israel I haue contristed thee a litle for thy sinne I haue striken thee and haue turned my face from thee thou hast bene sad and hast walked in sorow and I haue cōforted thee againe These examples then of penance deare brethren we hauing before our eyes let vs not perseuer in our wickednes nor despaire
they heape riches together but onelie to serue their sensualitie her desirs wherfore do they beate their braines but onelie to satisfie this cruel tyrant and her passions And if you wil see in deed how cruel and pitiful this seruitude is consider only some particular examples of the same Take a man whom she ouerruleth in any passion as for example in the lust of the flesh what paines taketh he for her how doeth he labour how doeth he drudge in this seruitude how potent and strong doeth he feele her tyraÌ„nie Remember the strength of Samson the wisdome of Salomon the sanctitie of Dauid ouerthrowen by this tyrannie Iupiter Mars and Hercules who for their valiaÌ„t actes otherwise were accounted godes of the Panimes were they not ouercome and made slaues by the enchantement of this tyrant And if you wil yet further see of what streÌ„gth she is and how cruellie she executeth the same vpon those that Christ hath not deliuered from her bondage consider for examples sake in this kinde the pitiful case of some disloyal wife who though she know that by committing adulterie she runneth into a thousand dangers and inconueniences as the losse of Gods fauour the hatred of her husband the danger of punishment the offence of her friendes the vtter dishonour of her persone if it be knowen and finallie the ruine and peril of bodie and soule yet to satisfie this tyrant she wil venture to commit the sinne notwithstanding any dangers or perilles whatsoeuer Nether is it onelie in this one point of carnal lust wherin sensuality hath such tiraÌ„nical dominatioÌ„ ouer theÌ„ that enthral théselues vnto her but also in euery other passioÌ„ Looke vpon an ambitious or vain-glorious man see how he serueth this mistresse with what care diligence he attendeth her commaundementes which is no other but to folowe after a litle wynde of mens mouthes to pursue a litle fether flying before him in the ayer You shal see that he omitteth no one thing no one time no one circuÌ„stance for gayning therof He riseth early goeth late to bedd trotteth by daye studieth by night here he flattereth there he dissembleth here he stoupeth there he looketh bigge here he maketh freends there he preuenteth enemies and to this onely end he referreth al his actions and applieth al his other matters al his order of life his coÌ„panie keeping his sutes of apparell his house his table his horses his seruantes his talke his behauiour his iestes his lookes his verie going in the streete In like wise he that serueth this Beldame in the passioÌ„ of couetousnesse what a miserable slauerie doth he abyde his harte being so mured in prison with money as he must onelie thinke thereof talke therof dreame therof and imagin onelie new waies to get the same and nothing else If you should see a Christian man in slauerie vnder the great Turke tyed in a galley by the legg with chaines there to serue by rowing for euer you could not but take compassion of his case And what then shal we doe of the miserie of this man whoe standeth in captiuitie to a more base creature than is a Turke or anie other reasonable creature that is to a peece of metal in whose prison he lieth bound not onelie by the feete in suche sort as he may not goe anie where against the commoditie and commaundement of the same but also by the handes by the mouthe by the eyes by the eares and by the harte so as he may nether doe speake see heare or thinke any thing but in seruice of the same Was there euer seruitude so greate as this doeth not Christ saye truely now qui facit peecatuÌ„ seruus est peccati He that committeth sinne is a slaue vnto sinne doeth not S. Peter say wel A quo quis superatus est huius seruus est A man is a flaue to that wherby he is conquered From this slauerie then are the vertuous deliuered by the power of Christ and by his assistance in so muche as they rule ouer their passions and sensualite and are not ruled thereby This God promised by the prophet Ezechiel saing And they sbal knovv that I am their Lord vvhen I shal breake the chaines of their yoke and shal deliuer them from the povver of those that ouerruled them before And this benefit holie Dauid ackowleged in himself when he vsed these moste affectuous wordes to almightie God O Lorde I am thy seruant I am thy seruant the childe of thy hand-mayde thou hast broken my bandes and I vvil sacrifice to the a sacrifice of praise This benefit also acknowledged S. Paul when he sayed that our olde man was crucified to the end the bodie of sinne might be destroyed we be no more in seruitude to sinne vnderstanding by the olde man and the bodie of sinne our concupiscence mortified by the grace of Christ in the vertuous AFTER THIS priuilege of freedome foloweth an other of no lesse importance then this and that is a certaine heauenlie peace serenitie and tranquilitie of minde according to the saying of the prophet Factus est in pace locus eius his place is made in peace And in an other place Pax multa diligentibus legem tuam there is great peace to them that loue thy law And on the coÌ„trary side the prophet Esay repeateth this senteÌ„ce oftètimes from the mouth of almightie God him self Non est pax impijs dicit dominê° Our Lord God auoucheth that there is no peace vnto the wicked And an other prophet saieth of the same men Contrition and infelicitie is in their vvaies and they haue not knovven the vvay of peace The reason of this difference hath bene declared heretofore wheras I set downe the diuersitie of good and euil men touching their passions For the vertuous hauing now by the aide of Christs holy grace subdued their said passions doe passe on their life most sweetly and calmely vnder the guide of reason without any perturbatiòs that indanger them in the greatest occurrents of this miserable life But the wicked not hauing mortified any part of the said passions are tossed and tombled with the same as with vehement and contrary windes And therfore their state is compared by Esay to a tempestuous sea that neuer is quiet and by S. Iames to a citie or countrie where the inhabitantes are at warre and sedition among them selues And the causes here of are two first for that thes passions of coÌ„cupiscence being many and almost infinit in number doe lust after infinit thinges and are neuer satisfied but are like thos bloodsuckers which the wise man speaketh of that crie alwaies Geeue Geeue and neuer say Hoe As for example tel me when is the ambitious man satisfied with honour or the incontinent man with carnalitie or the couetous man with money neuer truelie and therfore as that mother can not but be greatlie afflicted
thus who euer would haue beleeued me saith he if I had called riches thornes as Christ here doth seing thornes doe pricke and riches are so pleasant And yet truly are they called thornes for that with the prickes of their careful cogitations they teare and make bloodie the mindes of worldly meÌ„ By which words this holy father signifieth that euen as a mans naked body tossed tumbled amoÌ„g many thornes can not be but much rent and torne and made bloodie with the prickes therof so a worldly mans soule beaten with the cares and cogitations of this life can not but be vexed with restles pricking of the same and wounded also with many temptations of sinne which doe occurre This doth Salomon in the places before alleged signifie when he doth not onely cal the riches and pleasures of this world vanitie of vanities that is the greatest vanitie of al other vanities but also affliction of spirit geuing vs therby to vnderstand that where thes vanities are and the loue of them once entered there is no more the peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding there is no longer rest or quiet of mind but warre of desires vexation of thoughtes tribulation of feares pricking of cares vnquietnes of soule which is in deed a most miserable pitiful affliction of spirit And the reason here of is that as a clocke can neuer stand stil from running so long as the peazes doe haÌ„g therat so a worldly man hauing infinite cares cogitatioÌ„s and anxieties hanging vpoÌ„ his mind as peazes vpoÌ„ the clocke can neuer haue rest or repose day or night but is inforced to beat his braines when other men sleepe for the compassing of thos trifles wherwith he is incombred O how many riche meÌ„ in the world do feele to be true that I now say how many ambitious men doe proue it daily and yet wil not deliuer theÌ„ selues out of so miserable imbroilments Of al the plagues sent vnto Egypt that of the flies was one of the most troublesome and fastidious For they neuer suffered men to rest but the more they were beaten of the more they came vpon them So of al the miseries and vexations that God laieth vpon worldlinges this is not the least to be tormented with the cares of that thing which they esteeme their greatest felicitie and can not beat them of by any meanes they can deuise They rush vpon them in the morning as sone as they awake they accompany them in the day they forsake them not at night they folow them to bedde they let them from their sleepes they afflict theÌ„ in their dreames and finally they are thos importune and vnmerciful tyraÌ„ts which God threatneth to wicked men by Ieremie the prophet qui nocte ac die non dabiÌ„et requiem which shal geue no rest either by day or by night And the cause hereof which God alleageth in the same chapter is quia abstuli pacem meam a populo isto 〈◊〉 dominus misericordiam miserationes For that I haue takeÌ„ away my peace from this kind of people saith God I haue taken away my mercie and my commiserations A very heauie senteÌ„ce to al them that lie vnder the yoke and bondage of thos miserable vanities But yet the prophet Esay hath a much more terrible description of these mens estate They put their trust in thinges of nothing saith he and doe talke vanities They conceaue labour and bring foorth iniquitie They breake the egges of serpentes and vveaue the vvebbes of spiders He that shal eate of their egges shal die that vvhich is hatched theÌ„ce shal be a Cocatrice Their vvebbes shal not make cloth to couer them for that their vvorkes are vnprofitable the vvorke of iniquitie is in their bandes Thes are the wordes of the ê“phet Esay declaring vnto vs by most significaÌ„nt similitudes how daungerous thornes the riches and pleasures of this world are And first he saith they put their hope in thinges of nothing and doe talke vanities to signifie that he meaneth of the vanities and vaine men of this world who commonlie doe talke of the things which they loue best wherin they place their greatest affiance Secondlie he saith they conceaue labour and bring forth iniquitie alluding herin to the childbirth of women who first doe conceaue in their wombes and then after a great deale of trauaile doe bring forth their infant euen so worldlie men after a great time of trauaile and labour in vanities doe bring foorth no other fruite then sinne and iniquitie For that is the effect of these vanities as he speaketh in the same chapter crying out to such kind of men VVoe be vnto you vvhich doe dravv iniquitie in the ropes of vanitie But yet to expresse this matter more forciblie he vseth two other similitudes saying they breake the egges of serpentes doe vveake the vvebbes of spiders Signifying by the one they vanitie of thes worldly cares and by th other the daunger therof The spider we see taketh great paines and labour many daies together to weaue vnto her self a webbe and in the end when al is done coÌ„meth a puffe of winde or some other litle chaunce and breaketh al in peeces EueÌ„ as he in the gospel which had taken great trauaile and care in heaping riches together in plucking down his olde barnes and building vp of new and when he was come to saie to his soule Novv be merie that night his soule was takeÌ„ from him and al his labour lost Therfore Esaie saith in this place that the vvebbes of these vvcauers shal not make them clothe to couer them selues vvith al for that their vvorkes are vnprofitable Th' other comparison containeth matter of great daunger and feare For as the bird that fitteth vpon the egges of serpeÌ„tes by breaking and hatching them bringeth forth aperilous brood to her owne destructioÌ„ so thos that sit as it were on brood vpoÌ„ thes vanities of the world doe hatch at last their own destruction The reason wherof is as Esay saith for that the vvorke of iniquitie is in their handes stil harping vpon this string that a man can not loue and folow thes vanities or intangle him self with their ropes as his former phrase is but that he must in deede draw on much iniquitie therwith that is he must mingle much sinne and offence of God with the same Which effect of sinne because it killeth the soule that coÌ„senteth vnto it therfore Esay compareth it vnto the brood of serpentes that killeth the bird which bringeth them forth into the world And finallie Moyses vseth the like similitudes when he saith of vaine and wicked men Their vineyard is the vineyard of Sodomites their grape is the grape of gaule and their clusters of grapes are most bitter their vvine is the gaul of dragons and the poison of cocatrices vncurable By which dreadful and lothesome comparisons he would geue vs to vnderstand that the sweete
pleasures of this world are ī deede deceitful thornes and wil proue in the end most bitter and daungerous The 4. point of the parable THE FOVRTH point that we haue to consider is how this word aerumna that is miserie and calamitie may be verified of the world and of the felicitie therof Which thing albeit it may appeare sufficientlie by that which hath bene said before yet wil I for promise sake discusse it a litle further in this place by some particulars And among many miseries which I might here recount the first and one of the greatest is the breuitie and vncertaintie of al worldlie prosperitie O how great a miserie is this vnto a worldlie man that would haue his pleasures cōstant and perpetual O death hovv bitter is thy remembrance saieth the scripture vnto a ma that hath peace in his riches we haue seene many men aduanced not endured two monethes in their prosperitie we haue heard of diuers maried in great ioye and not to haue liued six daies in their selicitie we haue read of straunge matters happened out in thes kindes and we see with our eyes no few exāples dailie What a greefe was it thinke you to Alexander the great that hauīg subdewed in twelue yeres the most part of al the world should be then enforced to die when he was most desirous to liue and when he was to take most ioye and comsort of his victories What a sorow was it to the riche mā in the gospel to heare vpon the suddaine hac nocte euen this night thou must die What a misery wil this be to many wordlings when it commeth who now build palaces purchasse lāds heape riches procure dignities make mariages ioyne kinredes as though there were neuer any end of al thes matters What a dolful day wil this be to them I saie when they must be turned of no otherwise then princes mules are wont to be at the end of a iourney that is their treasure taken frō them and their gauld backes onelie left vnto them selues For as we see thes mules of princes goe al the daie long loaden with treasure and couered with faire clothes but at night shaken of into some sorie stable much brused and gauled with the cariage of those treasures so riche men that passe through this world lodened with gold and siluer and doe gaule greatlie their soulesi cariage therof are despoiled of their burden at the daie of death and are turned of with their wounded cōsciēces to the lothesome stable of hel and damuation An other miserie ioined to the prosperitie of this world is the greuous counterpeare of discontentemētes that euerie worldlie pleasure hath with it Runne ouer euerie delite and solace in this life and see what sauce it hath adioined Aske them that haue had most proofe therof whether they remaine contented or no The possession of riches is accompanied with so many feares and cares as hath bene shewed The aduācemēt of honours is subiect to al miserable scruitude that may be deuised The pleasure of the flesh though it be lauful and honest yet is it accompanied as S. Paul saith vvith tribulation of the flesh But if it be with sinne tēne thou and times more is it enuironed with al kind of miseries Who can recken vp the calamities of our bodie so many diseases so manie infirmities so many mischances so many dangers who can tel the passions of our minde that doe afflict vs now with sorowe now with enuie now with furie who can recount the aduersities and misfortunes that come by our goodes who can number the hurtes and discontentations that dailie ensewe vpon vs frō our neighbours one calleth vs into law for our goods an other pursueth vs for our life a third by slaunder impugneth our good name One afflicteth vs by hatred an other by enuie an other by flatterie an other by deceite an other by reuenge an other by false witnes an other by opē armes There are not so many daies nor houres in our liues as there are miseries and contrarieties in the same And further thē this the euil hath this prerogatiue aboue the good in our life that one defect onelie ouerwhelmeth and drowneth a great nūber of pleasures together As if a man had al the felicities heaped together which this world could yeld and yet had but one toothe out of tune al th' other pleasures would not make him merie Herof you haue a cleare example in Amā cheefe counsailer of king Assuerus who for that Mardochaeus the Iew did not rise to him when he went by nor did honour him as other men did he said to his wife freēdes that al his other felicities were nothing in respect of this one affliction Adde now to this the miserie of darknes and blindnes wherin wordlie men liue as in parte I haue touched before most fitlie prefigured by the palpable darknes of Egypte wherin no man could see his neighbour no man could see his worke no man could see his way such is the darknes wherin woridlie men walke They haue eyes but they see not saith Christ that is though they haue eyes to see the matters of this world yet they are blinde for that they see not the thigs they should see in deed The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light But that is onelie in matters of this world in matters of darknes not in matters of light wherof they are no children for that the carnal man vnderstandeth not the things which are of God Walke ouer the world and you shal finde men as sharp eyed as Egles in things of earth but the same men as blind as beetles in matters of heauen Her of ensue thos lamentable effects that we see daily of mans lawes so carefully respected and Gods commaundemétes so cōtemptuously reiected of earthly goods sought for and heauenly goods not thought vpon of so much trauaile taken for the body and so litle care vsed for the soule Finally if you wil see in what great blindnes the world doth liue remember that S. Paul comming from a worldling to be a good Christian had skales takē from his eyes by Ananias which couered his sight before when he was in his pride and ruffe of the world Besides al thes miseries there is yet an other miserie greater in some respect thē the former and that is the infinit number of temptations of snares of intisementes in the world wherby men are drawen to perdition daily Athanasius writeth of S. Anthonie the heremite that God reuealed vnto him one day the state of the world and he sawe it al hanged ful of nettes in euery corner and deuilles fitting by to watch the same The prophet Dauid to signifie the verie same thing that is the infinit multitude of snares in this world saieth God shal raine snares vpon sinful
who was chaffe Many lost their soules saith he in this combat many got them eternal crounes The edict was executed with al rigour and fury throughout al Prouinces at once and diuers were the issues of such as came into trial But the infinit glorie of such as conquered surpassed far the infamie of such as fel. And the ennemy in the end being vtterly confounded would gladly haue seemed to haue brought that to passe which he neither did nor could For whē by force he had drawen Christians vnto the tēples of the Idols he would haue had it seeme that they came voluntarily whē men would not sacrifice he was desirous at least-wise that they should permit him to say publish that they had sacrificed others being beaten doune with clubbes vpon their knees were reported to haue kneeled of their owne wils for adoring the Godes wherof some cried opēly notwithstanding that they neither had nor euer would doe so for any torment that could be laid vpon thē But the more resolute sorte they were dealt with in al most cruel and barbarous maner without measure reason or order Wherof you may reade both many and strange examples in the eight and ninth bookes of Eusebius who wrote the things as he saw them passe and when our Sauiour permitted al thes extremities to fal vpon his Church then was the time neerest that he had determined to beautifie her in earth with greatest peace rest riches and glorie euen as he did immediatly after by conuerting Constantine to be so zelous a Christian. AND HERE NOVV doth end the storie of Eusebius which conteinēth the conflictes of the first three hundred yeares after Christes departure But the ecclesiastical writers that doe ensue after him ech man in his age doe declare that after the times of Constantine the Catholique Church inioyed not longe her temporal peace but had her exercise from time to time albeit in an other sorte then before that is to saie not by Pagans but by such as some times had bene her owne childrē a far more lothesome odious cruel and dangerous afflictiō then the former For as soone as Constantine was deade and had left the Romane Empire diuided vnto his sonnes one of them which gouerned al the east being corrupted by his wife became an Arrian By whom and other Princes infected afterward with the same heresies the Church of God susteined incredible distresses for many yeares together And then againe after al the children of Costantine were dead one Iulian that had bene brought vp in Christian religiō came to haue the whole Empire to him self and falling from Christ became an Apostata of whom Ruffinus that liued at the same time writeth thus He was a more conning persecutour then the 〈◊〉 and consequently cruel proceeding not so much by force and tormentes a by rewardes honours flatteries 〈◊〉 and deceit By which meanes he ouerthrew more soules thē if he had proceeded altogether by violence The worthie father S. Gregorie Nazianzenus writeth two large 〈◊〉 this mans doings and sheweth that in his youth both he S. Basile were acquainted with Iulian in the grammer schole At what time he saith they wel fore saw great signes of wickednes in him notwithstánding at that time he seemed verie deuout and for deuotions sake though he were a great Prince he would needes take vpon him the office of lectorship in the Catholique Church and besides that saith S. Gregorie began to build Churches also to christian Martyrs But when he came to be Emperour he washed of his baptisme with bloud and profaned his hands of purpose saith S. Gregorie wher with before he had touched the most pure vnbloudy sacrifice of the aulter by vvhich vve are made partakers of the passion and diuinitie of our Saueour After this he made an edict for the spoiling and profaning saith this Sainct of al Church-stuffe mony sacred ornaments and holy vestements that were to be had for defiling of aulters for deshonoring preestes deacons and Virgins but principally for breaking downe of Martyrs sepulchres and for the distroying their Churches In respect wherof this holy father writeth vnto him thus Thou persecutour after Herod thou traitour after Iudas thou murderer of Christ after Pilat thou ennemy of God after the Iewes dost thou not reuerence those holie sacricrifices slaine for Christ Doest thou not feare those noble champions Iohn Peter Paul and others that past thorough fier sword beastes tyrantes and what other cruelties so euer might be denounced against them with a mery hart Doest thou not feare thē to whom now are assigned so great honours and to whom festiual daies are ordeined vpon earth by whom deuils ar driuen away and disseafes are cured and whose onely bodies ar able to doe the same miracles now which their holy soules did when they were vpon earth Their bodies I say when they are handled by vs honoured yea the only apparitions and predictions the onely dropes of bloud of thes bodies doe as great miracles as the bodies them selues Thes bodies therfore doest thou not worship c Thus far S. Gregorie Naziāzene But now after the death of wicked Iulian albeit some times good Emperors were sent by God yet indured they not long but the Arriā heretiques came in gouernmēt againe so did beare the swaie for diuers ages after afflicting persecuting most extremely the Catholiks as may appeare by al the ecclesiastical writers that are extāt of that time And for a better coniecture what was done and suffered in the whole world abrod I would wish thee gentle reader but to vew that which remaineth writé of one parte only and that for the space of few years I meane of the persecution of the Arrian Vandals in Africa which began not long before S. Augustins death and indured diuers years after and is recorded in three seueral bookes by the holy man Victor bishope of Vtica that was one of the sufferers The storie is strange and most worthie the reading for that it hath very many things which set foorth the perfect forme of times that haue insued since and yet doe indure Possidius that liued with S. Augustin after writ the storie of his life reporteth in the same that when the holy man saw but the beginninges of this persecution he was wonderfully afflicted with compassion in his minde For saieth he he saw now alredy Catholique Churches destitute of their priestes sacred Virgins and others that liued continent to be dissipated and cast out the Hymnes and praises of God to haue ceased in most Churches the buildings of Churches burned the solemne seruice due vnto almightie God to be no more vsed in their proper places the diuine sacrifices and sacramentes either not to be sought for any longer or els that ther were not easily found priestes to minister the same vnto such as sought them Hitherto are the wordes of
of Iewes whom we see dispersed ouer al the world at this daie in bondage both of bodie soule Which worke of Gods Iustice though it be most terrible yet was his mercie greater to thē as appeareth by Christs wordes if they had not reiected the same Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this life by geuing them freewil and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing thē inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluring thē outwardlie with exhortatiōs promisses examples of others as also by sicknes aduersities and other gentle corrections By geuing them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same By threatning thē eternal death if they repented not Al which thinges being effectes of mercie and goodnes towardes them they must needes confesse amiddest their greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no waies to be cōpared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet saieth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue met together Iustice and peace haue kissed on an other We see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of him self I vvil sing vnto thee mercie and iudgement ô Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I wil not so presume of thy mercie as I wil not feare thy iudgement nor yet wil I so feare thy iudgement as I wil euer despaire of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwaies to be ioined with our confidence in Gods mercie yea in verie Saintes them selues as Dauid saith But what feare that feare trulie which the scripture describeth whē it saith the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth al euil He that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God wil turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God wil doe good woorkes They which feare God wil not be incredulous to that which he saith but wil keepe his waies and seeke out the things that are pleasant vnto him They wil prepare their hartes sanctifie their soules in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God set downe by holie scripture This is the description of that feare which is so much commended and commanded in euerie part and parcel of Gods worde Of that feare I saie which is called Fons vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientiae gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of life the roote of prudence the crowne and fulnes of wisdome the glorie and gloriation of a Christian man a happie gift Of him that hath this feare the scripture saith happie is the man vvhich feareth our Lord for he vvil place his minde vpon his comman lementes And againe the man that feareth God shal be happie at the last end and shal be blessed at the day of his death Finally of such as haue this feare the scripture saith that God is their foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hath purchased them an inheritance God is as merciful to them as the father is merciful vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timentium se faciet God wil doe the wil of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob when he said to God I feared al my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that tbovv sparest not him that offendeth thee This feare lacked the other of whō the prophet saieth The sinner hath exasperated God by saying that God wil not take accompt of his doings in the multitude of wrath Thy iudgementes ò Lord are remoued from his sight And againe vvherfore hath the vvicked man stirred vp God against him self by saying God vvil not take account of my doings It is a great exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of Gods nature from him which is so make him merciful without iustice and to liue so as though God wold take no account of our life wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie saying that he is like a hard and couetous man which wil not be contēt to receiue his owne againe but also wil haue vsurie for the lone that he wil haue a straite reckoning of al his goodes lent vs that he wil haue fruite for al his labours bestowed vpon vs finallie that he wil haue account for euery word that we haue spoken Our Sauiour Christ in the three score and eight psalme which in sundrie places of the gospel he interpreteth to be writen of himself among other dreadful curses which he setteth down against the reprobate he hath these let their eyes be daseled in such sorte as they may not see povvre out thy vvrath my Father vpō thē let the furie of thy vengeance take hād fast on thē Adde iniquity vpō their miquitie let him not enter into thy iustice Let them be blotted out of the booke of life let them not be enrolled together vvith the iust Here loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting out of the booke of life is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into cōsideration of his iustice For which cause also this confident kinde of sinning vpon hope of Gods mercie is accounted by diuines for the first of the six greuous sinnes against the holie Ghost which our Sauiour in the gospel signifieth to be so hardlie pardoned vnto men by his Father And the reason why they cal this a sinne against the holie Ghost is for that it reiecteth wilfullie one of the principal meanes left by the holie Ghost to retire vs from sinne which is the feare and respect of Gods iustice vpon sinners Wherfore to conclude this matter of presumption me thinkes we may vse the same kinde of argumēt touching the feare of Gods iustice as S. Paul vseth to the Romanes of the feare of Gods ministers which are temporal princes Wouldest thou not feare the power of a temporal prince saith he doe wel then and thou shalt not onelie not feare but also receiue laude and praise therfore But if thou doe euil then feare for he beareth not the sword without a cause In like sort may we saye to those good felowes which make God so merciful as no man ought to feare his iustice Would ye not feare my brethrē the iustice of God in punishmēt liue vertuouslie then and you shal be as voide of feare as lions are saieth the wiseman For that perfect charitie expelleth feare But if you liue wickedlie then haue you cause to feare
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
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