wil not come out of the danger wherin they be but wil headlong cast themselves into everlasting perdition rather than by consideration of their estate recover to themselves eternal life and glorie from which deadlie obstinacie the Lord of his mercie deliver us all that belong unto him CHAP. III. Of the end for which man was created and placed in this world NOw then in the name of almightie God and with the assistance of his holie spirit let the Christian man or woman desirous of salvation first of al consider attentivelie as a good marchant-factour is wont to do when he is arrived in a strange countrie or as a captain sent by his prince to some great exploit is accustomed when he commeth to the place appointed that is to think for what cause he came thither why he was sent to what end what to attempt what to prosecute what to perform what shal be expected and required at his hands vpon his return by him that sent him thither For these cogitations no doubt shal stir him vp to attend to that which he came for and not to emploie himself in impertinent affaires The like I saie would I have a Christian to consider and to aske of himself why and to what end was he created of God and sent hither into this world what to do wherein to bestow his daies he shal finde for no other cause or end but onlie to serve God in this life This was the condition of our creation and this was the onlie consideration of our redemption prophesied by Zacharie before That we being delivered from the hands of our enimies might serve him in holines and righteousnes al the daies of our life 2 Of this it followeth first that seing the end and final cause of our being in this world is to serve God in this life that whatsoever we do or endevour or bestow our time in either contrarie or impertinent to this end which is only to the service of God though it were to gain al the kingdoms of the earth yet is it meere vanitie follie and lost labour and wil turn vs one day to greefe repentance and confusion for that it is not the matter for which we came into this life or of which we shal be asked account at the last day except it be to receave judgement for the same 3 Secondlie it foloweth of the premisses that seing our only end and busines in this world is to serve God and that al other earthly creatures are put here to serve vs to that end we should for our parts be indifferent to al these creatures as to riches or povertie to health or sicknes to honour or contempt and we should desire only so much or litle of the same as were best for vs to our said end that we intend that is to the service of God for whosoever desireth or seeketh the creatures more than this runneth from his end for the which he came hither 4 By this now may a careful Christian take some scantling of his own estate with God make a conjecture whether he be in the right way or no. For if he attend only or principally to this end for which he was sent hither that is so serve God if his cares cogitations studies endevours labours talk and other his actions run upon this matter and that he careth no more for other creatures as honor riches learning and the like then they are necessarie vnto him for this end which he pretendeth if his daies and life I say be spent in this studie of the service of God then is he dowtles a most happy and blessed man and shal at length attain to the kingdom of God 5 But if he find himself in a contrarie case that is not to attend to this matter for which only he was sent hither nor to haue in his hart and studie this service of God but rather some other vanitie of the world as promotion wealth pleasure sumptuous apparel gorgious buildings bewtie or any other thing els that pertaineth not to this end if he spend his time I say about these trifles having his cares and cogitations his talk and delight more in them than about the other great busines for which he was sent then is he in a perilous course â—eading directly to perdition except he alter â—nd change the same For most certain it is that whosoever shal not attend vnto the service he came for shal never attain to thereward promised to that service 6 And bicause the most part of the world not only of infidels but also of Christians do amisse in this point and do not attend to this thing for which they were only created and sent hither thence it is that Christ and his holy saints have alwais spoken so hardly of the smal number that are in state of salvation even among Christians and have uttered some speeches which seeme very rigorous to flesh and blood and scarce trew albeit they must be fulfilled as that It is easier for a camel to go thorough a nedels eie than for a rich man to enter into heaven The reason of which saieng and many mo standeth in this that a rich man or worldling attending to heap riches can not attend to do that which he came for into this world and consequently never attain heaven except God work a miracle and so cause him to contemn his riches and to vse them only to the service of God as som times he doth and we haue a rare example in the Gospel of Zacheus who being a very rich man presently vpon the entering of Christ into his house and much more into his hart by faith gave half his goods vnto the poore and offered withal that whom soever he had injuried to him he would make four-times so much restitution 7 But hereby now may be seene the lamentable state of manie thousand Christians in the world which are so far of from bestowing their whole time and travel in the service of God as they never almost think of the same or if they do it is with very little care or attention Good Lord how many men and women be there in the world which bearing the name of Christians scarce spend one hour of fower and twentie in the service of God! How many do beat their brains about worldlie matters and how few are troubled with this care How manie find time to eate drink sleepe disport deck and paint themselues out to the world and yet have no time to bestow in this greatest busines of all other How many spend over whole daies weeks months and yeers in hauking hunting other pastimes without making account of this matter What shall be come of these people What wil they say at the day of judgement What excuse wil they have 8 If the marchant factor which I spake of before after many yeers spent beyond the seas returning home to geeve accounts to his maister
do specially commend this unto thee the rather for that it proceedeth from those that otherwise are for divers points the greatest adversaries that we have in the cause of religion And wheras inordinate contention is not only unseemly for the church of God but also hurtful to the cause of religion a special point of wisdome it is when God hath bestowed any good gift on any of us al that others should so aesteem therof as that they make the same a mean to moderate the bitternes of their affections towards al those that gladly would live peaceably with al so much as they might as also on the other side it is very cleer that those that wil not so far as the cause of religion it selfe doth permit them may have just occasion to be ashamed and therby to finde out what kind of spirit it is that doth lead them So the substance of the booke is such as that a minde that is wel disposed may with one and the selfesame labor gather out of it both lessons of godlines unto it selfe and that which may somwhat occasion some better agreement among certain of us with such of them I mean as stand more indifferent and are content to dissent no further from us than of conscience they think that they ought The former of which wil yeeld us this fruit that we shal addresse our selves to do in som good measure our service to God the other that we shal do it with a quieter conscience our selves desirous to be at peace withal so far as conveniently may be obteined On the other side likewise bicause I found the maner and form so far foorth out of order as I have declared therfore did I indevor my selfe to help it a little as need required But as touching the transsation that they use I have altogither let them alone therwith partly to condescend so far unto them as to suffer themselves in such case to use what translation they wil and with good wil to hear them therin and partly for that divers points of the matter were so grounded therupon that the translation might not be amended unlesse the matter were altered likewise So far foorth therfore as there was no manifest error taken in withal I have left it wholy unto them though otherwise it might oft times be amended For which cause also I did the rather omit to meddle with the quotations to alledge the verse of the chapter withal bicause that in distinguishing of the verses we disagree somtimes and forbearing to obtrude ours to them unlesse I thought they would take it in good part have forborn likewise to use theirs for that we finde it not so agreeable to the truth it selfe As for those special words of theirs that the Author so praecisely useth I have used my libertie therin somtimes letting them stand as they are and somtimes altering them when they were abused or otherwise the case did so require Those other points of their proper opinions wherin we dissent from them and they no dowt from the truth it selfe I have clean left out and some of those venturous points besides togither with certain of those places likewise which he hath alledged out of others that did not so much appertain to the matter that he had in hand or not so effectually touched the same as himselfe otherwise hath done The former of which I therfore left out for that neither my selfe could allow to leave any such as to my knowledge might be any hurt or else but occasion of stumbling to others neither could I so have gotten it foorth to the use of al carrieng stil such corruption with it And this have I done so much the rather for that most of those things seem rather to be added by some that had the perusing of the booke before it might be allowed among them to come to the print than by the proper Author therof they do so little oft times agree with the argument that there he hath in hand nor with the maner of handling of it As for example in the first part of the booke and third chapter setting down the end of mans life which he saith is the service of God eight or nine times in that chapter is joined withal the gaining of heaven which notwithstanding is not agreeable to the maner of the Authors handling of that point as it may appeer in the whole discourse there and namely by his place of Zacharie in the beginning of the third and by his division in the beginning of the fourth chapter where notwithstanding the gaining of heaven is very odly put in again The other sort likewise I thought good to leave foorth for that being impertinent they might discredit some part of the rest or else but weaker than the rest might so let down the affections again which were stirred up before by the other And truly the spirit in these dais doth proceed a great deal more effectually both in doctrine and exhortation than it did in the dais of divers of those that were heer alledged Wherin if there shal be any that shal think either on the one side that I have put out too much or on the other that I have put out too little neither am I desirous to overrule their judgements nor very careful to maintain mine own if any shal come with better matter contenting my selfe only with this that I have done what seemed to me to be most expedient to the glorie of God and to the benefit of his people heer And so without any further defence of my doings therin now gentle Reader I send thee over to the booke it selfe where if thou shalt bestow a little pains though it be no more but once with advisement to read it over I dowt not but that thou wilt confesse thy labor to be wel bestowed Which when thou shalt finde then descending to the Author of it seeing himselfe desireth to be holpen by thy praiers thou shalt do wel both to thank God for him for this which is done and to solicite him with thy praiers on behalfe of him and the rest that it would please him to give them a further knowledge of the truth in Christ so far as his wisdome hath thought expedient to the setting foorth of his own glorie and to the salvation of those that are his And God give us al so many as do appertain to his kingdome his grace in that measure that both we may agree togither in the truth of religion and altogither imploy our selves in his service heer in peace and quietnes one with another And so I bid thee hartily farewel At Bolton-Percy in the ancientie or liberties of York the 9. of Iulie 1584. Thy hartie wel-willer in Christ EDMVND BVNNY The booke of Christian exercise appertaining to Resolution The contents of the first part of this booke touching the helps of resolution to serve God The first Chapter Of the end and parts of this booke with a necessarie
in another place Audite coeli auribus percipe terra Harken ye heavens and thou earth bend hither thine eares Filios enutrivi exaltavi ipsi autem spreuerunt me I have norished up children and have exalted them and now they contemn me What a pitiful complaint is this of God against most vile and base worms of the earth But yet God amplifieth this iniquitie more by certain examples and comparisons The oxe saith he knoweth his owner and the asse knoweth the manger of his Lord and maister but yet my people know not me wo be to the sinful nation to the people loden with iniquitie to this naughtie seed to wicked children What complaint can be more vehement than this What threatning can be more dreadful than this wo comming from the mouth of him which may punish us at his pleasure 19 Wherfore deer brother if thou have grace cease to be ungrateful to God any longer cease to offend him which hath by so manie wais prevented thee with benefits cease to render evil for good hatred for love contempt for his fatherly affection towards thee He hath done for thee al that he can he hath given thee al that thou art yea and in a certain maner al that he is woorth himselfe and meaneth besides to make thee partaker of al his glorie in the world to come and requireth no more for al this at thy hands but love and gratitude O deer brother why wilt thou not yeeld him this Why wilt thou not do as much to him as thou wouldest haue another man to do to thee for lesse than the ten thousand part of these benefits which thou hast receaved For I dare wel say that if thou hadst given a man but an almes at thy dore thou wouldest think him bound to love thee for it albeit thou hadst nothing in thee woorth love besides But now thy Lord besides these his gifts hath infinite causes to make thee love him that is al the causes which any thing in the world hath to purchase love and infinite more besides for if al the perfections of al things created in heaven and in earth which do procure love were put togither in one as al their beautie al their vertu al their nobilitie al their goodnes and the like yet thy Lord and Savior whom thou contemnest doth passe al this and that by many and infinite degrees for that he is not only al these things togither but also he is very beautie it selfe vertu it selfe wisdom it selfe sweetnes it selfe nobilitie it selfe goodnes it selfe and the very fountain and welspring where hence al these things are derived by litle peeces and parcels unto his creatures 20 Be ashamed then good Christian of this thy ingratitude to so great so good bountiful a Lord and resolve thy selfe for the time to come to amend thy course of life and behavior towards him Say with the prophet which had lesse cause to say so than thou Domine propitiare peccatomeo multum est enim O Lord pardon me mine offences for it is great in thy sight I know there is nothing O Lord which doth so much displease thee or dry up the fountain of thy mercy and so bindeth thy hands from dooing good as ingratitude in the receavers of thy benefits wherin hitherto I have exceeded al other but I have done it O Lord in mine ignorance not considering thy gifts unto me nor what account thou wouldest demaund again of the same But now seeing thou hast vouchsafed to make me woorthy of this grace also wherby to see and know mine own state and default I hope hereafter by direction of the same grace of thine to shew my selfe a better child towards thee O Lord I am overcome at the lenth with consideration of thy love and how can I have the hart to offend thee hereafter seeing thou hast prevented me so many wais with benefits even when I demanded not the same Can I have hands ever more to sin against thee which hast given up thine own most tender hands to be nailed on the crosse for my sins heretofore No no it is too great an injurie against thee O Lord and wo woorth me that have done it so often heretofore But by thy holy assistance I trust not to return to such iniquitie for the time to come to which O Lord I beseech thee for thy mercy sake from thy holie throne of heaven to say Amen CHAP. VIII Of what opinion and feeling we shal be touching these matters at the time of our death THe holie scriptures do teach us and experience maketh it plain that during the time of this life the commodities preferments and pleasures of the world do possesse so strongly the harts of manie men and do hold them chained with so forcible inchauntments being forsaken also upon their just deserts of the grace of God say and threaten what a man can bring against them al the whole scripture even from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalips as indeed it is al against sin and sinners yet wil it prevail nothing with them being in that lamentable case as either they beleeve not or esteem not whatsoever is said to that purpose against their setled life and resolution to the contrary Of this we have infinite examples in scripture as of Sodom and Gomorra with the cities about which could not heare the warnings that good Lot gave unto them Also of Pharao whom al that ever Moises could do either by signes or saiengs mooved nothing Also of Iudas who by no faire means or threatnings used to him by his maister would change his wicked resolution But especially the prophets sent from God from time to time to dissuade the people from their naughtie life and consequently from the plaegs hanging over them do give abundant testimonie of this complaining everie where of the hardnes of sinners harts that would not be mooved with al the exhortations preachings promises and thunderings that they could use The prophet Zacharie shal testifie for al in this matter who saith of the people of Israel a litle before their destruction Hoc ait Dominus exercituum c. This saith the Lord of hosts iudge iustly And so foorth And presentlie he addeth And they would not attend but turning their baks went away stopped their ears to the end they might not heare and they did put their harts as an adamant stone to the end they might not heare the law and the words which God did send in his spirit by the hands of the former prophets wherby Gods great indignation was stirred up 2 This then is and alwais hath been the fashion of worldlings reprobate persons to harden their harts as an adamant stone against any thing that shal be told them for the amendement of their lives and for the saving of their souls Whiles they are in helth prosperitie they wil not know God As in
another place he complaineth yet as the prophet saith God wil have his day with these men also when he wil be known And that is Cognoscetur dominus iudicia faciens God wil be known when he beginneth to do iudgment And this is at the day of death which is the next dore to judgement as the Apostle testifieth saieng It is appointed for al men once to die and after that ensueth iudgement 3 This I say is the day of God most terrible sorrowful and ful of tribulation to the wicked wherin God wil be known to be a righteous God and to restore to every man according as he hath done while he lived as Saint Paul saith or as the prophet describeth it He wil be known then to be a terrible God and such a one as taketh away the spirit of princes a terrible God to the kings of the earth At this day as there wil be a great change in al other things as mirth wil be turned into sorrow laughings into weepings pleasures into paines stoutnes into fear pride into dispaire and the like so especially wil there be a strange alteration in judgement and opinion for that the wisdom of God wherof I have spoken in the former chapters which as the scripture saith Is accounted holy of the wise of the world wil then appeere in hir likenes and as it is in very deed wil be confessed by hir greatest enimies to be only tru wisdom and al carnal wisdom of worldlings to be meer folly as God calleth it 4 This the holie scripture setteth down cleerly when it describeth the verie speeches and lamentations of the wise men of this world at the last day saieng touching the vertuous whom they despised in this life Nos insensati c. We senseles men did esteem their life to be madnes and their end to be dishonorable but look how they are now accounted among the children of God and their portion is with the saints We have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnes hath not shined before us neither hath the sun of understanding appeered unto us We have wearied out our selves in the way of iniquitie and perdition and we have walked craggy paths but the way of the Lord we have not known Hitherto are the words of scripture wherby we may perceave what great change of judgement there wil be at the last day from that which men have now of al such matters what confessing of follie what acknowledging of error what hartie sorrow for labor lost what fruitles repentance for having run awry Oh that men would consider these things now We have wearied out our selves say these miserable men in the way of iniquitie and perdition and we have walked craggie paths What a description is this of lamentable worldlings who beat their brains daily weary out themselves in pursuit of vanitie and chaf of this world for which they suffer notwithstanding more pains oftentimes than the just do in purchasing of heaven And when they arrive to at the last day wearied and worn out with troble and toile they finde that al their labor is lost al their vexation taken in vain for that the litle pelfe which they have gotten in the world and for which they have strugled so sore wil helpe them nothing but rather greatly afflict and torment them for better understanding wherof it is to be considered that three things wil principallie molest these men at the day of their death and unto these may al the rest be referred 5 The first is the excessive pains which commonly men suffer in the separation of the soul and bodie which have lived so long together as two deer frinds united in love and pleasure and therfore most loth to part now but onlie that they are inforced therunto This pain may partly be conceaved by that if we would drive out life but from the least part of our bodie as for example out of our little finger as surgeons are woont to do when they wil mortifie any place to make it break what a pain doth a man suffer before it be dead What raging greefe doth he abide And if the mortifieng of one little part onlie doth so much afflict us imagin what the violent mortifieng of al the parts together wil do For we see that first the soul is driven by death to leave the extreeme parts as the toes feet and fingers then the legs arms and so consequently one part dieth after another until life be restrained onlie to the hart which holdeth out longest as the principal part but yet must finally be constrained to render it selfe though with never so much pain and resistance which pain how great strong it is may appeer by the breaking in peeces of the very strings and holds wherwith it was environed through the excessive vehemencie of this deadly torment But yet before it come to this point to yeeld no man can expresse the cruel conflict that is betwixt death and hir and what distresses she abideth in time of hir agonie Imagin that a prince possessed a goodly citie in al peace wealth and pleasure and greatly frinded of al his neighbors about him who promise to assist him in al his needs and affairs and that upon the sudden his mortal enimie should come and besiege this citie and taking one hold after another one wal after another one castel after another should drive this prince only to a little tower and besiege him therin al his other holds being beaten down and his men slain in his sight what fear anguish and miserie would this prince be in How often would he look out at the windows and loope holes of his tower to see whether his frinds and neighbors would come to help him or no And if he saw them al to abandon him and his cruel enimie even ready to break in upon him would he not be in a pitiful plight trow you And even so fareth it with a poore soul at the hour of death The bodie wherin she raigneth like a joly princesse in al pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and overthrown by hir enimy which is death the arms legs and other parts wherwith she was fortified as with wals words during time of helth are now surprised and beaten to the ground and she is driven only to the hart as to the last and extreemest refuge where she is also most fearcely assailed in such sort as she cannot hold out long Hir deer frinds which soothed hir in time of prosperitie and promised assistance as youth physik and other humane helps do now utterly abandon hir the enimie wil not be pacified or make any leag but night and day assaulteth this turret wherin she is and which now beginneth to shake and shiver in peeces and she looketh hourly when hir enimie in most raging and dreadful maner wil enter upon hir What think
life known to me Also when he said of himselfe Super senes intellexi I have understood more than old men And again in another place Incerta occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi Thou hast opened to me the unknown and hidden secrets of thy wisdome This is that light wherwith Saint Iohn saith that Christ lighteneth his servants as also that unction of the holie Ghost which the same Apostle teacheth to be given to the godlie to instruct them in al things behooveful for their salvation In like wise this is that writing of Gods law in mens harts which he promiseth by the prophet Ieremie as also the instruction of men immediately from God himselfe promised by the prophet Esay And finally this is that sovereign understanding in the law commandements and justifications of God which holy David so much desired so often demanded in that most divine psalm which beginneth Blessed are the unspotted in the way that is in this life 14 By this light of understanding and supernatural knowledge and feeling from the holie Ghost in spiritual things the vertuous are greatly holpen in the way of righteousnes for that they are made able to discern for their own direction in matters that occur according to the saieng of S. Paul Spiritualis omnia iudicat A spiritual man iudgeth of al things Animalis autem homo non percipit quae sunt spiritus Dei But the carnal man conceiveth not the things which appertain to the spirit of God Doth not this greatly discover the privilege of a vertuous life The joy comfort and consolation of the same with the exceeding great miserie of the contrarie part For if two should walk togither the one blind and the other of perfect sight which of them were like to be wearie first Whose journey were like to be more painful Doth not a little ground wearie out a blind man Consider then in how wearisom darknes the wicked do walk Consider whether they be blind or no. Saint Paul saith in the place before alledged that they cannot conceive any spiritual knowledge is not this a great darknes Again the prophet Esay describeth their state further when he saith in the person of the wicked We have groped like blind men after the wals have stumbled at midday even as if it had been in darknes And in another place the scripture describeth the same yet more effectuously with the painfulnes therof even from the mouths of the wicked themselves in these words The light of iustice hath not shined unto us and the sun of understanding hath not appeered unto our eies we are wearied out in the way of iniquitie and perdition c. This is the talk of sinners in hel By which words appeereth not only that wicked men do live in great darknes but also that this darknes is most painful unto them and consequently that the contrarie light is a great easement to the way of the vertuous 15 Another principal matter which maketh the way of vertu easie and pleasant to them that walk therin is a certain hidden and secret consolation which GOD powreth into the harts of them that serve him I cal it secret for that it is known but of such only as have felt it for which cause Christ himselfe calleth it Hidden manna known only to them that receive it And the prophet saith of it Great is the multitude of thy sweetnes O Lord which thou hast hidden for them that fear thee And again in another place Thou shalt lay aside O Lord a special chosen rain or dew for thine inheritance And another prophet saith in the person of God talking of the devout soul that serveth him I wil lead hir aside into a wildernes and there I wil talk unto hir 〈◊〉 By al which words of Wildernes separating choise and hidden is signified that this is a secret privilege bestowed only upon the vertuous and that the carnal harts of wicked men have no part or portion therin But now how great and inestimable the sweetnes of this heavenlie consolation is no tong of man can expresse but we may conjecture by these words of David who talking of this celestial wine attributeth to it such force as to make al those dronken that tast of the same that is to take from them al sense and feeling of terrestrial matters even as Saint Peter having droonk a little of it upon the mount Thabor forgat himselfe presently and talked as a man distracted of building tabernacles there and resting in that place for ever This is that Torrens voluptatis that sweet stream of pleasure as the prophet calleth it which comming from the mountains of heaven watereth by secret wais and passages the harts and spirits of the godlie maketh them droonken with the unspeakable joy which it bringeth with it This is a little tast in this life of the very joies of heaven bestowed upon good men to comfort them withal and to incourage them to go forward For as merchants desirous to sel their wares are content to let you see and handle and somtimes also to tast the same therby to induce you to buy so God almightie willing as it were to sel us the joies of heaven is content to impart a certain tast before hand to such as he seeth are willing to buy therby to make them come off roundly with the price and not to stik in paieng so much and more as he requireth This is that exceeding joy and jubile in the harts of just men which the prophet meaneth when he saith The voice of exultation and salvation is in the tabernacles of the iust And again Blessed is that people that knoweth iubilation that is that hath experienced this extreme joy pleasure of internal consolation S. Paul had tasted it when he wrote these words amidst al his labors for Christ I am filled with consolation I overflow or exceedingly abound in al ioy amidst our tribulations What can be more effectually said or alledged to proove the service of God pleasant than this Surely good reader if thou haddest tasted once but one drop of this heavenly joy thou wouldest give the whole world to have another of the same or at the leastwise not to leese that one again 16 But thou wilt ask me Why thou being a Christian as wel as other hast yet never tasted of this consolation To which I answer that as it hath been shewed before this is not meat for every mouth but A chosen moisture laid aside for Gods inheritance only This is wine of Gods own seller laid up for his spouse As the Canticle declareth That is for the devout soul dedicated unto Gods service This is a teat of comfort only for the child to suk and fil himselfe withal as the prophet Esay testifieth The soul that is drowned in sin and pleasures of the
to God O Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant and the child of thy handmaid thou hast broken my bonds and I wil sacrifice to thee a sacrifice of praise This benefit also acknowledgeth Saint Paul when he saith that Our oldman was crucified to the end the bodie of sin might be destroied and we be no more in servitude to sin understanding by the old man and the bodie of sin our concupiscence mortified by the grace of Christ in the children of God 27 After this privilege of freedom followeth another of no lesse importance than this and that is a certain heavenly peace and tranquillitie of mind according to the saieng of the prophet Factus est in pace locus eius His place is made in peace And in another place Pax multa diligentibus legem tuam There is great peace to them which love thy law And on the contrarie side the prophet Esay repeateth this sentence often from God Non est pax impijs dicit Dominus The Lord saith There is no peace unto the wicked And another prophet saith of the same men Contrition and infelicitie is in their wais and they have not known the way of peace The reason of this difference hath been declared before in that which I have noted of the diversitie of good and evil men touching their passions For the vertuous having now by the aid of Christ his grace subdued the greatest force of their said passions do passe on their life most sweetly and calmly under the guide of his spirit without any perturbations that much troble them in the greatest occurrents of this life But the wicked men not having mortified the said passions are tossed and troubled with the same as with vehement and contrarie winds And therfore their state and condition is compared by Esay to a tempestuous sea that never is quiet and by Saint Iames to a citie or country where the inhabitants are at war and sedition among themselves And the causes heerof are two first for that the passions of concupiscence being many and almost infinit in number do lust after infinit things and are never satisfied but are like those blood-suckers which the wise man speaketh of that cry alwais Give give and never ho. As for example when is the ambitious man satisfied with honor Or the incontinent man with carnalitie Or the covetous man with money Never truly and therfore as that mother cannot but be greatly afflicted which should have many children crieng at once for meat she having no bread at al to break unto them so the wicked man being greedily called upon by almost infinit passions to yeeld them their desires must needs be vexed and pittifully tormented especially being not able to satisfie any one of their smalest demands 28 Another cause of vexation is for that these passions of disordinate concupiscence be oftentimes on contrary to the other do demand contrary things representing most lively the confusion of Babel where one tong spoke against another and that in divers and contrarie languages So we see oftentimes that the desire of honor saith Spend heer but the passion of avarice saith Hold thy hands Lecherie saith Venture heer but pride saith No it may turn to thy dishonor Anger saith Revenge thy selfe heer but ambition saith It is better to dissemble And finally heer is fulfilled that which the prophet saith Vidi iniquitatem contradictionem in civitate I have seen iniquitie and contradiction in the selfesame citie Iniquitie for that al the demands of these passions are most unjust in that they are against the word of God Contradiction for that one crieth against the other in their demands From al which miseries God hath delivered the just by giving them his Peace which passeth al understanding as the apostle saith and which the world can never give nor tast of as Christ himselfe affirmeth 29 And these many causes may be alledged now besides many others which I passe over to justifie Christs words that his yoke is sweet and easie to wit the assistance of grace the love of God the light of understanding from the holie Ghost the internal consolation of the mind the quiet of conscience the confidence therof proceeding the libertie of soul and bodie with the sweet rest of our spirits both towards God towards our neighbour and towards our selves By al which means helps privileges and singular benefits the vertuous are assisted above the wicked as hath been shewed and their way made easie light and pleasant To which also we may ad as the last but not the least comfort the expectation of reward that is of eternal glorie and felicitie to the vertuous and everlasting damnation unto the wicked O how great a matter is this to comfort the one if their life were painful in godlines and to afflict the other amidst al their great pleasure of sin The laborer when he thinketh on his good pay at night is incouraged to go thorough though it be painful to him Two that should passe togither towards their country the one to receive honor for the good service done abroad the other as prisoner to be arraigned of treasons committed in forrain dominions against his soveraign could not be like merrie in their In upon the way as it seemeth to me and though he that stood in danger should sing or make shew of courage and innocencie and set a good face upon the matter yet the other might wel think that his hart had many a cold pul within him as no dowt but al wicked men have when they think with themselves of the life to come If Ioseph Pharaos baker had known both their distinct lots in prison to wit that on such a day one should be called foorth to be made Lord of Egypt and the other to be hanged on a paire of gallows they could hardly have been equally merry whiles they lived togither in time of their imprisonment The like may be said and much more truly of vertuous and wicked men in this world For when the one doth but think upon the day of death which is to be the day of their deliverance from this prison their harts cannot but leap for very joy considering what is to insu unto them after But the other are afflicted and fal into melancholy as often as mention or remembrance of death is offred for that they are sure that it bringeth with it their bane according as the scripture saith The wicked man being dead there remaineth no more hope unto him 30 Wel then deer brethen if al these things be so what should stay thee now at length to make this resolution which I exhort thee unto Wilt thou yet say notwithstanding al this that the matter is hard and the way unpleasant Or wilt thou beleeve others that tel thee so though they know lesse of the matter than thy selfe Beleeve rather the word and
name Lo heer for that he was a chosen vessel therfore he must suffer great matters Doth not the measure of suffering go then according to the measure of Gods love unto us Surely Saint Peter knew wel how the matter went and therfore he writeth thus If you living wel do suffer with patience this is a grace or privilege before God And again a little after If you suffer reproch in the name of Christ you are happie for that the honor and glorie and power of God and of his holie spirit shal rest upon you 24 Can there be any greater reward promised or any more excellent dignitie than to be made partaker of the honor glorie and power of Christ Is it marvel now if Christ said Happie are you when men revile and persecute you Is it marvel though he said Gaudete in illa die exultate Reioice and triumph ye at that day Is it marvel though Saint Paul said I take great pleasure and do glorie in mine infirmities or afflictions in my reproches in my necessities in my persecutions in my distresses for Christ Is it marvel if Peter and Iohn being reproched and beaten at the judgment seat of the Iewes went away rejoicing that they were esteemed woorthy to suffer contumelie for the name of Iesus Is it marvel though Saint Paul accounted this such a high privilege given to the Philippians when he said It is given to you not only to beleeve in Christ but also to suffer for him and to have the same combat which you have seen in me and now hear of me Al this is no marvel I say seeing that suffering with Christ and bearing the crosse with Christ is as great preferment in the court of heaven as it should be in an earthly court for the prince to take off his own garment and to lay it on the bak of one of his servants 25 Of this now followeth another consequent of singular consolation in time of affliction and that is that tribulation especially when grace is also given to bear it patiently is a great conjecture of predestination to eternal life for so much do al those arguments before touched insinuate as also in the contrarie part to live in continual prosperitie is a dredful sign of everlasting reprobation This point is marvelously prooved by the apostle unto the Hebrews and greatly urged And Christ giveth a plain signification in S. Luke when he saith Happie are you that weep now for you shal laugh And on the other side Wo unto you that laugh now for you shal weep wo unto you rich men which have your consolation heer in this life And yet more vehemently than al this doth the saieng of Abraham to the rich man in hel or rather Christs words parabolically attributed unto Abraham confirm this matter for he saith to the rich man complaining of his torment Remember child that thou receivedst good in thy life time He doth not say as Saint Barnard wel noteth Rapuisti thou tookest them by violence but Recepisti thou receivedst them And yet this now is objected against him as we see David handleth this matter in divers places but purposely in two of his psalms and that at large and after long search and much admiration his conclusion of wicked men prospered above other in the world is this Veruntamen propter dolos posuisti eis deiecisti eos dum allevarentur Thou hast given them prosperitie O Lord to deceive them withal and thou hast indeed thrown them down by exalting them That is thou hast thrown them down to the sentence of damnation in thy secret and inscrutable determination Heer the comparison of Saint Gregorie taketh place that as the oxen appointed to the slaughter are let run a fatting at their pleasure and the other kept under daily labor of the yoke so fareth it with evil and good men In like maner the tree that beareth no fruit is never beaten as we see but only the fruitful and yet the other as Christ saith is reserved for the fire The sik man that is past al hope of life is suffered by the physician to have whatsoever he lusteth after but he whose helth is not despaired cannot have that libertie granted To conclude the stones that must serve for the glorious temple of Salomon were hewed beaten and pollished without the church at the quarrie side for that no stroke of hammer might be heard within the temple Saint Peter saith that the vertuous are chosen stones to be placed in the spiritual building of God in heaven where there is no beating no sorrow no tribulation Heer then must we be pollished hewed and made fit for that glorious temple heer I say in the quarrie of this world heer must we be fined heer must we feel the blow of the hammer and be most glad when we hear or feel the same for that it is a signe of our election to that most glorious house of Gods eternal mansion 26 Beside this matter of predestination and election there is yet another thing of no smal comfort to the godlie afflicted founded on these words of God Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in tribulation Wherby is promised the companie of God himselfe in affliction and persecution This is a singular motive saith S. Barnard to stir men up withal to imbrace tribulation seeing in this world for good company men adventure to do any thing Ioseph was carried captive into Egypt and GOD went down with him as the scripture saith yea more than that he went into the dungeon and was in chains with him Sidrach Misac and Abdenago were cast into a burning fornace and presently there was a fourth came to bear them companie of whom Nabuchodonosor saith thus Did we not put three men only bound into the fire And his servants answered Yea verily But behold saith he I see four men unbound walking in the midst of the fire and the shape of the fourth is like the Son of God Christ restored as he passed by a certain begger unto his sight which had been blind from his nativitie For which thing the man being called in question and speaking somewhat in the praise of Christ for the benefit received he was cast out of the synagog by the Pharisies Wherof Christ hearing sought him out presently and comforting his hart bestowed upon him the light of mind much more of importance than that of the bodie given him before By this and like examples it appeereth that a man is no sooner in affliction and tribulation for justice sake but streightway Christ is at hand to bear him companie and if his eies might be opened as the eies of Elizeus his disciple was to see his companions the troups of Angels I mean which attend upon their Lord in this his visitation no dowt but his hart would greatly be comforted therwith 27 But
received and imbraced as it is among al Christians and yet bringeth not foorth good life there the cause is for that it is choked with the vanities of this world 3 This is a parable of marvelous great importance as may appeer both for that Christ after the recital therof cried out with a lowd voice He that hath ears to hear let him hear as also for that he expounded it himselfe in secret only to his disciples and principally for that before the exposition therof he useth such a solemn preface saieng To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven but to others not for that they seeing do not see and hearing do not hear nor understand Wherby Christ signifieth that the understanding of this parable among others is of singular importance for conceiving the tru mysteries of the kingdome of heaven that many are blind which seem to see and many deaf and ignorant that seem to hear and know for that they understand not wel the mysteries of this parable For which cause also Christ maketh this conclusion before he beginneth to expound the parable Happy are your eies that see and blessed are your ears that hear After which words he beginneth his exposition with this admonition Vos ergo audite parabolam Do you therfore hear and understand this parable 4 And for that this parable doth contain and touch so much indeed as may or needeth be said for remooving of this great and dangerous impediment of worldly love I mean to stay my selfe only upon the explication therof in this place and wil declare the force truth of certain words heer uttered by Christ of the world and worldly pleasures and for some order and methods sake I wil draw al to these six points following First how and in what sense al the world and commodities therof are vanities of no valu as Christ heer signifieth and consequently ought not to be an impediment to let us from so great a matter as the kingdome of heaven and the serving of God is Secondly how they are not only vanities and trifles in themselves but also deceptions as Christ saith that is deceits not performing to us indeed those little trifles which they do promise Thirdly how they are Spinae that is pricking thorns as Christ saith though they seem to worldly men to be most sweet and pleasant Fourthly how they are aerumnae that is miseries and afflictions as also Christs words are Fiftly Quomodo suffocant how they strangle or choke us as Christ affirmeth Sixtly how we may use them notwithstanding without these dangers and evils and to our great comfort gain and preferment 5 And touching the first I do not see how it may be better prooved that al the pleasures and goodly shewes of this world are vanities as Christ heer saith than to alledge the testimonie of one which hath prooved them al that is of one which speaketh not of speculation but of his own proofe and practise and this is king Salomon of whom the scripture reporteth woonderful matters touching his peace prosperitie riches and glorie in this world as that al the kings of the earth desired to see his face for his wisdome and renowmed felicitie that al the princes living besides were not like him in wealth that he had six hundred sixtie and six talents of gold which is an infinite sum brought him in yeerly besides al other that he had from the kings of Arabia and other princes that silver was as plentiful with him as heaps of stones and not esteemed for the great store and abundance he had therof that his plate and jewels had no end that his seat of majestie with stooles lions to bear it up and other furniture was of gold passing al other kingly seats in the world that his pretious apparel and armor was infinite that he had al the kings from the river of the Philistians unto Egypt to serve him that he had fortie thousand horses in his stables to ride and twelve thousand chariots with horses and other furniture readie to them for his use that he had two hundred spears of gold born before him and six hundred crowns of gold bestowed in everie spear as also three hundred buklers three hundred crowns of gold bestowed in the gilding of everie bukler that he spent everie day in his house a thousand nine hundred thirtie and seven quarters of meal flower thirtie oxen with an hundred wethers beside al other flesh that he had seaven hundred wives as queenes and three hundred others as concubines Al this and much more doth scripture report of Salomons worldly wealth wisdome riches and prosperitie which he having tasted and used to his fil pronounced yet at the last this sentence of it al Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas Vanitie of vanities and al is vanitie By vanitie of vanities meaning as Saint Ierom interpreteth the greatnes of this vanitie above al other vanities that may be devised 6 Neither only doth Salomon affirm this thing but doth prove it also by examples of himself I have been king of Israel in Ierusalem saith he and I purposed with my selfe to seek out by wisdome al things I have seen that al under the sun are meer vanities affliction of spirit I said in my hart I wil go and abound in delites and in every pleasure that may be had And I saw that this was also vanitie I tooke great works in hand builded houses to my selfe planted vineyards made orchards and gardens and beset them with al kind of trees I made me fish ponds to water my trees I possessed servants and hand-maids and had a great familie great herds of cattel above any that ever were before me in Ierusalem I gathered togither gold and silver the riches of kings and provinces I appointed to my selfe singers both men and women which are the delites of the children of men fine cups also to drink wine withal and whatsoever my eies did desire I denied it not unto them neither did I let my hart from using any pleasure to delite it selfe in these things which I prepared And when I turned my selfe to al that my hands had made and to al the labors wherin I had taken such pains and sweat I saw in them al vanitie and affliction of the mind 7 This is the testimonie of Salomon upon his own proof in these matters and if he had spoken it upon his wisdome only being such as it was we ought to beleeve him but much more seeing he affirmeth it of his own experience But yet if any man be not mooved with this let us bring yet another witnes out of the new testament and such a one as was privie to the opinion of Christ heerin that is Saint Iohn the evangelist whose words are these Do not love the world nor those things that are in the world if any man love the
by to watch the same The prophet David to signifie the very same thing that is the infinite multitude of snares in this world saith God shal raign snares upon sinners That is God shal permit wicked men to fal into snares which are as plentiful in the world as are the drops of rain which fal down from heaven Every thing almost is a deadly snare unto a carnal and loose harted man Every sight that he seeth every word that he heareth every thought that he conceiveth his youth his age his frinds his enimies his honor his disgrace his riches his povertie his companie keeping his prosperitie his adversitie his meat that he eateth his apparel that he weareth al are snares to draw him to destruction that is not watchful 49 Of this then and of the blindnes declared before doth follow the last and greatest miserie of al which can be in this life and that is the facilitie wherby worldly men do run into sin For truly saith the scripture Miseros facit populos peccatum Sin is the thing that maketh people miserable And yet how easily men of the world do commit sin and how little scruple they make of the matter Iob signifieth when talking of such a man he saith Bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem He suppeth up sin as it were water That is with as great facilitie custome and ease passeth he down any kind of sin that is offered him as a mā drinketh water when he is a thirst He that wil not beleeve the saieng of Iob let him prove a little by his own experience whether the matter be so or no let him walk out in to the streets behold the doings of men view their behavior consider what is done in shops in hals in consistories in judgement seats in pallaces and in common meeting places abroad what lieng what slandering what deceiving there is He shal find that of al things wherof men take any account nothing is so little accounted of as to sin He shal see justice sold veritie wrested shame lost and equitie despised He shal see the innocent condemned the giltie delivered the wicked advanced the vertuous opressed He shal see many theves florish many usurers bear great sway many murderers extortioners reverenced honored many fools put in authoritie and divers which have nothing in them but the form of men by reason of money to be placed in great dignities for the government of others He shal hear at every mans mouth almost vanitie pride detraction envie deceit dissimulation wantonnes dissolution lieng swearing perjurie and blaspheming Finally he shal see the most part of men to govern themselves absolutely even as beasts do by the motion of their passions not by law of justice reason religion or vertu 50 Of this doth insu the fift point that Christ toucheth in his parable and which I promised heer to handle to wit that the love of this world choketh up and strangleth every man whom it possesseth from al celestial and spiritual life for that it filleth him with a plain contrarie spirit to the spirit of God The apostle saith Si quis spiritum Christi non habet hic non est eius If any man hath not the spirit of Christ this fellow belongeth not unto him Now how contrarie the spirit of Christ and the spirit of the world is may appeer by the fruits of Christs spirit rekoned up by Saint Paul unto the Galathians to wit Charitie which is the root and mother of al good works Ioy in serving God Peace or tranquillitie of mind in the storms of this world Patience in adversitie Longanimitie in expecting our reward Bonitie in hurting no man Benignitie in sweet behavior Gentlenes in occasion given of anger Faithfulnes in performing our promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from al kind of wickednes Chastitie in conserving a pure mind in a clean and unspotted bodie Against these men saith Saint Paul there is no law And in the very same chapter he expresseth the spirit of the world by the contrarie effects saieng The works of flesh are manifest which are fornication uncleannes wantonnes lecherie idolatrie poisonings enmities contentions emulations wrath strife dissention sects envie murder droonkennes gluttonie and the like of which I foretel you as I have told you before that those men which do such things shal never obtain the kingdome of heaven 51 Heer now may every man judge of the spirit of the world and the spirit of Christ and applieng it to himselfe may conjecture whether he holdeth of the one or of the other Saint Paul giveth two pretie short rules in the very same place to trie the same The first is They which are of Christ have crucified their flesh with the vices and concupiscences therof That is they have so mortified their own bodies as they strive against al the vices sins repeated before and yeeld not to serve the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is If we live in spirit then let us walk in spirit That is our walking and behavior is a sign whether we be alive or dead For if our walking be spiritual such as I have declared before by those fruits therof then do we live have life in spirit but if our works be carnal such as S. Paul now hath described then are we carnal and dead in spirit neither have we any thing to do with Christ or portion in the kingdome of heaven And for that al the world is ful of those carnal works and bringeth foorth no fruits indeed of Christs spirit nor permitteth them to grow up or prosper within hir thence is it that the scripture alwais putteth Christ and the world for opposite and open enimies 52 Christ himselfe saith that The world cannot receive the spirit of truth And again in the same Evangelist he saith that Neither he nor any of his are of the world though they live in the world And yet further in his most vehement praier unto his father Pater iuste mundus te non cognovit Iust father the world hath not known thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any man love the world the love of the father is not in him And yet further Saint Iames that Whosoever but desireth to be frind of this world is therby made an enimie to God What wil worldly men say to this Saint Paul affirmeth plainly that this world is to be damned And Christ insinuateth the same in Saint Iohns Gospel but most of al in that wonderful fact of his when praieng to his father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non pro mundo rogo saith he I do not aske mercie and pardon for the world but for those which thou hast given me out of the world Oh what a dreadful exception is this made by the savior of the world by the lamb that taketh away al sins
deceits which keepe bak from the same he runneth to this only refuge that is to persuade men that they defer a little and that in time to come they shal have better occasion and opportunitie to do it than presently they have 3 This Saint Austen prooved in his conversion as himselfe writeth For that after he was persuaded that no salvation could be unto him but by change amendement of his life yet the enimie held him for a time in delay saieng unto him Yet a little stay yet defer for a time therby as he saith to bind him more fast in the custome of sin until by the omnipotent power of Gods grace and his own most earnest endevor he brake violently from him crieng to God Why shal I longer say to-morrow to-morrow Why shal I not do it even at this instant And so he did even in his verie youth living afterward a most holie and severe Christian life 4 But if we wil discover yet further the greatnes and peril of this deceit let us consider the causes that may let our resolution and conversion at this present and we shal see them al increased and strengthened by delay and consequently the matter made more hard and difficult for the time to come than now it is For first as I have said the continuance of sin bringeth custome which once having gotten prescription upon us is so hard to remoove as by experience we proove daily in al habits that have taken roote within us Who can remoove for examples sake without great difficultie a long custome of droonkennes Of swearing Or of any other evil habit once setled upon us Secondly the longer we persist in our sinful life the more God plucketh his grace and assistance from us which is the only mean that maketh the way of vertu easie unto men Thirdly the power and kingdome of the divel is more established and confirmed in us by continuance and so the more harder to be remooved Fourthly the good inclination of our wil is more and more weakened and daunted by frequentation of sin though not extinguished Fiftly the faculties of our mind are more corrupted as the understanding is more darkened the wil more perverted the appetite more disordered Sixtly and lastly our inferior parts and passions are more stirred up and strengthened against the rule of reason and harder to be repressed by continuance of time than they were before 5 Wel then put al this togither my frind and consider indifferently within thy self whether it be more likely that thou shalt rather make this resolution heerafter than now Heerafter I say when by longer custome of sin the habit shal be more fastened in thee the divel more in possession upon thee Gods help further off from thee thy mind more infected thy judgment more weakened thy good desires extinguished thy passions confirmed thy bodie corrupted thy strength diminished and al thy whole Common-wealth more perverted 6 We see by experience that a ship which leaketh is more easily empited at the beginning than afterward We see that a ruinous pallace the longer it is let run the more charge and labor it wil require in the repairing We see that if a man drive in a nail with a hammer the mo blowes he giveth to it the more hard it is to pluk it out again How then thinkest thou to commit sin upon sin and by perseverance therin to find the redresse more easie hereafter than now That were much like as if a good fellow that having made to himselfe a great burden to carry should assay it on his bak and for that it sat uneasie and pressed him much should cast it down again and put a great deal more unto it and then begin to lift it again but when he felt it more heavie than before he should fal into a great rage and ad twise as much more to it therby to make it lighter For so do the children of the world who finding it somwhat unpleasant to resist one or two vices in the beginning do defer their conversion and do ad twentie or fortie mo unto them thinking to find the matter more easie afterward 7 Saint Austen expounding the miracle of our savior in raising Lazarus from death to life which had been dead now four dais as the evangelist saith examineth the cause why Christ wept and cried and troubled himselfe in spirit before the doing of his act wheras he raised others with greater facilitie and out of it giveth this lesson to us that as Lazarus was dead four dais and also buried so are there four degrees of a sinner the first in voluntary delectation of sin the second in consent the third in fulfilling it by work the fourth in continuance or custome therof wherin whosoever is once buried saith this holie father he is hardly raised to life again without a great miracle of God and many tears of his own part 8 The reason heerof is that which the wise man saith Languor prolixior gravat medicum An old siknes doth trouble the physition Brevem autem languorem praecidit medicus But the physition cutteth off quikly a new or fresh disease which hath indured but a litle time The very bones of an old wicked man shal be replenished with the vices of his youth saith Iob and they shal sleep with him in the dust when he goeth to the grave We read that Moises in part of punishment to the people that had sinned in adoring the golden calfe broke the same in peeces made them drink it So the vices wherin we delited during our youth are so dispersed by custom in our bodies bones that when old age doth come on we can not rid them at our pleasure without great difficultie and pain What folly then is it to defer our amendement unto our old age when we shal have more impediments and difficulties by a great deal then we have now 9 If it seem hard to thee to amend thy life now painfully to be occupied in thy calling and withal for thy better help to fast to pray and to take upon thee other exercises which the word of God prescribeth to sinners to their conversion how wilt thou do it in thine old age When thy bodie shal have more need of cherishing than of painful exercise If thou find it unpleasant to resist thy sins now and to root them out after the continuance of two three or four yeers what wil it be after twentie yeers more adjoined unto them How mad a man wouldest thou esteem him that traveling on the way and having great choise of lustie strong horses should let them al go emptie and lay al his carriage upon some one poore and lean beast that could scarse beare it selfe or much lesse stand under so many bags cast up on it And surely no lesse unreasonable is that man who passing over idlely the lusty dais and times of his life reserveth al the