these euils It is most certaine that if God should grant to thee a choyce and say all the time that thou liuest thou shalt eyther be tormented with the goute or be extreamely vexed with the tooth-ache which disease neyther night nor day shal suffer thee to take any case or rest or if thou wouldest be free from these diseases thou shalt enter into some austere and straight kinde of lyuing which thy nature can hardly brooke consider with thy selfe which of these thou wouldest choose I doe not thinke that a man can be found so foolish who for the onely loue of himselfe would not choose rather this straight kinde of liuing then that he would endure so long time these griefes and dolours Seeing that therefore the discruciatements and dolours that we speake of are infinitely more greeuous in diuturnity of time without any comparison longer and this austere and straight kinde of lyuing which God requireth of thee is much more lesse then that thy nature can brooke and beare vvhat madnes is it then to be vnwilling to vndergoe so small labours and so short troubles by which thou mayest escape those eternall torments Who doth not see that this is the greatest errour of this world and intollerable madnes But the reward and fruite will be that whilst a man will not free himselfe here from so great euils by a small labour of repentance that there he shall make euerlasting sorrow and repentance without any fruite or profit Wee haue a figure of this thing in the furnace which King Nabuchodonozer commaunded to be heated in Babilon The flame of which mounted aboue the furnace nine and fortie Cubits for the defect of one Cubit it came not to the number of fifty which signifieth the yeere of Iubily that we may vnderstand that although these eternall flames of Babilon that is of hell doe burne aboue measure and most cruelly doe torment the miserable and wretched being damned yet they shall neuer come to that to obtayne the fauour of a true Iubily O punishments without profit ô barren teares ô sharpe and bitter repentance yet voyde of all hope and solace How little of those thinges that there the damned suffer without fruite if they heere had suffered willingly and patiently might haue preserued them from these euils How easily might they haue beene deliuered and for how small paines Therefore let fountaines of teares flow out of our eyes and let sighs without ceasing be fetched from the bottome of our harts Therefore I will mourne and howle sayth the Prophet I will goe without cloathes and naked I will make lamentation like the Dragons and mourning as the Ostriches because the plagues of my people are greeuous If these things were suspected of men and if there were no credite to be giuen to these things or if they were doubtful and vncertaine after some manner it were tollerable if men fel into this error But we professing all these things most assuredly and with a most vndoubted beleefe and knowing most certainly as our Sauiour sayth That heauen and earth shal passe but not one iote or one title of these things shall scape till all things be fulfilled And saying plainely that all these things are to be holden most religiously and yet liuing securely and negligently this doth passe all wonder and admiration Tell me ô blind and witles man what thou doost finde worthy amongst the riches and goods of this world that may be compared with this price Graunt it sayth Saint Ierome that there is in thee the wisedome of Salomon the beauty of Absalon and the strength of Sampson let the yeeres and life of Enoch be promised vnto thee possesse the riches of Craesus and the power of Octauian what shall all these things profit thee if at the length thy body be giuen for meate vnto wormes and thy soule carried of deuils to hell be deliuered to euerlasting torments to be tortured with the rich Glutton Let these things suffice for the first part of our exhortation to Vertue In the next we will speake of the seuerall and perticuler prerogatiues and priuiledges of Vertue promised to the vertuous The end of the first part THE SECOND PART OF THE SINNERS GVIDE In which are handled the temporall and spirituall blessings which in this life are promised to Vertue and more particulerly the twelue more notable and famous priuiledges prerogatiues which are found in Vertue THE ELEVENTH TITLE ¶ That we are bound vnto Vertue by reason of the inestimable blessings which are promised in this present life CHAP. XI SVrely I know not what they can pretend or what excuse they can make who doe not embrace Vertue seeing there be so many reasons which doe enforce men to that study For it is no small thing for the defence of this matter to alledge that there is a God and what the studious of Vertue deserue what is giuen and what is promised vnto them on the other side what threatnings are menaced and denounced against the vicious and against those that flye from the study of Vertue Therfore not without cause may some man aske why amongst Christians who beleeue and confesse all these things there be so many found who neglect vertues doe follow vices For it is not to be meruailed at that there be many such among infidels who seeing they know not Vertue haue it in no price euen as a ditcher if he by chaunce finde a Iem doth little esteeme it because he knoweth not the vertue and price of it But that Christians who know and beleeue all these things doe liue as though they beleeued not vnmindfull of God seruants of sinne bondslaues vnto their owne passions and appetites by so much more addicted to visible things by how much more they are carelesse of inuisible things ready to all kinde of sinne no otherwise then if death were not at all neither that they should come to iudgement neither that anie glorie of heauen was to be looked for and to be briefe neither hell to be feared This I say is greater then all admiration Therfore as I said it may worthilie be demaunded whence this negligence growes and whence this stupiditie of vnderstanding and this diabolicall inchauntment if I may so call it comes vnto men This mischiefe hath not one onely roote but many and diuers Amongst others and those not the least is a certaine generall errour in which men of this worlde doe lyue supposing all that God promiseth to the louers of Vertue to be reserued to the life to come and that in this present world nothing is to be looked for Therefore seeing that man dooth so greatly desire reward and especially is ledde by profit but not vnlesse it be present and is mooned with those things which are obuious to the outward sences when he seeth nothing present he smally accounteth of that which is to come So the Ievves seeme to haue doone in the time of the Prophets For vvhen
profit let Angels vtter it and not men For what greater profit can there be then to enioy eternal glory to be freed from euerlasting paine which is the reward of Vertue If the temporall commodities of this world doe rather moue vs what commodities can be more excellent or of greater valuation then those twelue priuiledges and prerogatiues which Vertue and the vertuous doe solace and delight themselues the least of which is of more force and validity to quiet a disturbed mind then al the dignities and treasuries of this world I kow not truly what more may be put into the ballance to weigh and peise those things which are promised to Vertue and to her louers The excuses also cauillations which the men of this world are wont to bring for their defence are so ouerthrowne spoiled of vs that I doe not see where such may find a small hole or crany to escape through vnlesse perhaps of set purpose pretenced malice they shut their eyes and eares that they might not see nor heare this manifest and euident truth What remaineth but that the perfection and beauty of Vertue being seene and knowne thou say with Salomon speaking of Wisedome the companion and sister of Vertue I haue loued her and sought her from my youth I desired to marry her such loue had I vnto her beautie In that she is conuersant with God it commendeth her nobility yea the Lord of all things loueth her For shee is the Schoolemistresse of the knowledge of GOD and the chooser out of his works If riches be a possession to be desired in this lyfe vvhat is richer then wisedome that worketh all thinges For if prudence worketh what is it among all things that worketh better then shee If a man loue righteousnes her labours are vertuous for shee teacheth sobernes and prudence righteousnes and strength which are the most profitable things that men can haue in this life If a man desire great experience shee can tell the things that are past and discerne things to come she knoweth the subtisties of words and the solutions of darke sentences she fore-seeth the signes and wonders or euer they come to passe and the successe of seasons and times Therefore I purposed to take her vnto my company knowing that shee would counsaile mee good things and comfort mee in cares and greefes Hetherto the Wise-man Therefore nothing remayneth but that we conclude this matter with the words of Saint Cyprian taken out of an Epistle to a friend of his written of the contempt of this world Therfore sayth he there is one peaceable and faythfull tranquility one solide firme and perpetuall security that if any one be taken out of the whirle-winds of this turbulent world and be founded and anchored in the hauen of safety he lifteth vp his eyes from the earth to heauen and being admitted to the Lords fellowship and now being neere vnto his God in his minde whatsoeuer amongst humane things seemeth great and lofty vnto others he glorieth that it lyeth within the circumference of his conscience Now he can desire nor couet nothing of the world who is greater then the world How stable and vnfoyled a defence is it how celestiall a gard abounding with perpetuall good things to be deliuered from the snares of this entrapping and enthralling world to be purged from these earthly dregs and incorporated into the light of eternal immortality Let him consider of this and view it well ouer whom the deceitful dangerousnes of this pernicious enemy before raged tirannized we are compelled more to loue when we know and condemne what we were and see what we now are and shal be Neyther is this worke brought to passe by rewards bribes and the power of man but it is the free gift of God and easily obtayned As the sunne shineth of his owne accord the day is enlightned a fountaine streameth and a shower falleth so the heauenly spirit infuseth it selfe Afterwards the soule beholding heauen and knowing her Maker she being higher then the earth and more noble then any earthly power beginneth to be that which she beleeueth her selfe to be Onely thou whom the heauenly warfare hath appoynted a Souldier in these spirituall warres hold and keepe thy standing incorrupt and fenced with religious vertues vse continually eyther praying or reading Somtimes talke thou with God and somtimes God with thee let him instruct thee with his precepts let him haue the guiding and ordering of thee whoÌ„ he maketh rich no man shal make poore There can be no penury where the heauenly bounty hath filled and blessed Now coffers stuft with crownes now stately Pallaces and gay buildings will seeme base and vild vnto thee when as thou knowest that thou thy selfe are more beautified and adorned being a house in which the Lord sitteth as in his temple and where the holy Ghost dwelleth Let vs trimme vp this house with the ornaments of innocency let vs enlighten it with the sun-shine of righteousnes This house shall neuer decay through age neyther shall the deckings of it waxe old Whatsoeuer things are counterfet are not lasting neyther doe they yeeld any stability to the poâ—â—â—ssors which haue not the truth of possession This perpertually continueth with a colour vndecayed with honour vntaynted and with splendour vnobscured it cannot be abolished nor extinguished it may be only conuerted into further perfection the body being glorified Hetherto Cyprian Whosoeuer therfore is moued with the reasons and arguments which copiously we haue handled in this booke the grace of God and Diuine inspiration assisting without which all is done in vaine and desireth to embrace so great a blessing of Vertue let him reade the booke following which deliuereth and handleth the method and order how to come vnto Vertue The end of the first booke of the Sinners Guide the Sinners Guyde Written in the Spanish tongue by the learned and reuerend Diuine F. Lewes of Granada ¶ Since translated into Latine Italian and French And now perused and digested into English by Francis Meres Maister of Arts and student in Diuinitie Romans 12. verse 2. ¶ Fashion not your selues like vnto this vvorld but be yee changed by the renuing of your minde that yee may prooue what is the good will of GOD and acceptable and perfect AT LONDON ¶ Printed by I. R. for Iohn Flasket and Paule Linley Anno Dom. 1598. THE PROLOGVE of the second Booke IT sufficeth not to haue perswaded man to embrace Vertue vnlesse also we teach him the manner way how to come to Vertues pallace Therfore after wee haue in the former Booke deliuered many reasons and those verie forcible and perswasible to moue the harts of men to the loue of Vertue now it is meete that we come to the practise and vse of it and that we set down many counsailes and sundry documents which are profitable and which as with a hand may leade men vnto Vertue It is the first steppe vnto Vertue
that vvee should be called but he addeth that we are that the base estate and small confidence of man might euidently know the bountifulnes and liberalitie of God and that we might see that it is not a name of honour or title but rather of the deed and thing it selfe But if it be so great an euill to be hated and reprobated of God what great good will it be to be beloued of him and to remaine in his fauour This truly is an Axiome of the Phylosophers that a thing is so much the better by howe much his contrary is worser And therefore it necessarily followeth that that is the chiefest good whose opposite is the chiefest euill as we haue said that that is to be hated of GOD. But if in this world it be esteemed a matter of great moment if any man bee had in honour estimation amongst his Superiors as with the Emperour King or Prince or such great honorable estates I pray thee what will it be to haue found fauour and grace with the highest Prince the supreame Father with the most glorious excellent and noble Lord in comparison of whom al the principalities and dignities of this worlde are as though they were not Which fauour also is so much the greater by hovve much more it is freely gȳuen for it is certaine that as it is vnpossible for a man to be able to doe any thing before hee vvas created whereby he might deserue to be created for then hee was not any thing so also without all doubt is it that he can do nothing after that he is fallen into sinne whereby hee may deserue Iustification not because he is not but because he is euill and hated of God Another benefit followeth this going before that it deliuereth and freeth a man from the condemnation of euerlasting punishment of which hee was guiltie by reason of his sinnes for sinne doth make a man abhominable vnto God no man can liue without Gods fauour without his owne extreame harme Hence is it that the sinners forsaking God because they sinne and contemne him that they deserue to be contemned to be remoued out of the sight of God beeing banished from his company and from his beautifull dwellings and because they forsaking God doe loue the creatures with an inordinate loue it is meete that they should be punished in all things and be tormented with eternall payne to which visible punishments being compared they rather seeme paynted then true To this so great vnhappines that euerlasting worme doth also come which alwayes gnaweth the bowels and conscience of the wicked But what shall I say of the society of those cursed spirits and of all the damned What shall I speake of that obscure and lamentable Region full of darknes and confusion Where there is no order but where continuall horror abideth where no ioy is found no peace no rest no content no hope but perpetuall complayning and euerlasting gnashing of teeth exceeding outragiousnes and fury continuall blasphemy and eternall malediction From all these euils the Lord hath deliuered all them whom he hath iustified who after that they are reconciled to him and receaued into his fauour they are free from this wrath and from the punishment of his vengeance Behold an other benefit more spirituall which is the reformation and renouation of the inward man which was defiled and polluted through sinne For sinne doth not onely depriue the soule of God but also doth spoile and rob it of all supernaturall strength and fortitude and of all other riches and gifts of the holy Ghost with which it was adorned beautified and enriched by and by after that it is depriued of these graces it is wounded maymed and depriued also of the naturall blessings For seeing that man is a reasonable creature and sinne is a work done against reason and seeing that it is naturall that one contrary should destroy an other the consequent is that by how much more sinnes are multiplied by so much more the faculties of the soule are destroyed and disturbed not in themselues but in their aptnes to worke By these meanes sinnes doe make the soule miserable weake sluggish and instable to euery good worke but procline prompt and ready to all euill weake and feeble to resist temptations and flow to walke in the wayes of Gods commaundements They depriue her also of the true liberty and rule of the spirit and they make her the captaine of the deuill the world the flesh and of her owne appetites And by this meanes shee liueth in captiuity more hard and intollerable then that of Babilon and Aegipt Furthermore all the spirituall powers of the soule are made also sluggish and slothfull so that they doe not heare diuine inspirations and heauenly voyces they doe not see the great euils prepared for them they doe not smell the sweete fauour of Vertue nor the most beautifull paths and examples of the Saints they doe not tast how sweet the Lord is neyther doe they feele the scourgings nor acknowledge the benefits by which they are prouoked vnto his loue and besides all these they take away the peace and ioy of the conscience they doe extinguish the heate and seruour of the spirit and doe leaue a man filthy blemished deformed and abhominable in the sight of God and in the sight of all his Saints From all these euils this benefit doth deliuer vs. For so bottomlesse are the mercies of God that he is not content to haue pardoned our faults and to haue receaued man into fauour vnlesse also hee expell all these euils which sinnes bring with them reforming and renuing our inward man By this maner he healeth our wounds he washeth away our spots blemishes he breaketh the bonds of sinne destroyeth the yoake of euill concupiscences deliuereth vs from the seruitude of the deuill mitigateth and aswageth the fury and rage of our peruerse affections and perturbations and doth restore vnto vs the true liberty beauty of our soule doth giue vs the peace and ioy of a good conscience doth reuiue our inward sences doth make them prompt and fit to euerie good worke and slow to any euill Maketh them strong and valiannto resist the temptations of the deuill and doth inrich vs with all good works To be briefe he doth so absolutely renue and repaire our inward man with all his powers that the Apostle calleth such men iustified renued yea new creatures This renuing is so great that when it is made by Baptisme it is called regeneration but when by repentance it is called a resurrection and rising againe not onely because the soule is raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace but because after a certaine manner it also imitateth the beauty of the future resurrection This is so true that no tongue of man is sufficient to expresse the beauty of a iustified soule This onely knoweth that Spirit that maketh it beautifull and his Temple
It is a miserable thing to labour and to haue no fruite of the labour neither to profit any thing by it But much more greater is it to lose that is gotten by labour and when thou hast an ill night to lose also a good day All these things doe manifestly teach with what great difference good and euill men doe beare tribulations how great peace ioy and strength the good doe feele when as the wicked doe suffer so great afflictions and perturbations of the minde This was in times past excellently shadowed in that great clamor lamentation which was heard throughout the whole land of Egypt when the Lord had smitten all their first borne neither was there an house in which there was not a cry but in the land of Goshen where the chyldren of Israell dwelt there was quiet rest so that a dogge did not barke against any one But what shall I besides this peace speake of the profit which the righteous draw out of tribulations by which the wicked do reape so great losses and hurts For as Chrisostome saith from one and the selfe same fire both the gold is made bright shyning and the wood is burnt and consumed so by the fire of affliction the righteous is made more beautifull as gold but the vnrighteous as dry and vnfruitful wood is turned into coales ashes Not vnlike to this is the sentence of Augustine Vnder the same flayle sayth he the huskes are diminished and broken but the grane purged and purified neither therefore is the mother or lees confounded with the oyle because they are pressed and troden vnder the same presse or plancke so one the selfe same weight pressing the good and the badde doth try purifie and purge the good but doth damnifie consume and wast the bad Whereupon in the same affliction the wicked doe detest blaspheme God but the righteous do pray vnto him praise him So much it behoueth not what is suffered but who suffereth it For by the same motion in sifting a thing the refusse is tossed foorth and the spyce doth smell fragrantly Thys sayth hee The same thing also is prefigured by the Red-sea which not onely dyd not swallow vp the chyldren of Israell but it was a wall vnto them on theyr right hand and on theyr left But on the contrary part those waters returning to theyr course ouerwhelmed the Charrets and the horse-men of all the Armie of Pharao and drowned them in the midst of the sea The waters therefore of tribulation are for the greater protection and safegard of the good and also for the preseruation and exercise of theyr humilitie and patience But vnto the wicked they are as dangerous and deadly waters which swalloweth them into the pitte of impatience blasphemie and desperation Thou hast therefore my brother another prerogatiue by which vertue excelleth vice for which the Phylosophers loued and so greatly esteemed phylosophie supposing that it belonged onely to philosophy to make men constant in affliction But they vvere deceaued in thys as also in manie other things for as neyther true Vertue so neyther true constancie is to be found amongst Philosophers but in the schoole of that Lord who being nayled vpon the Crosse doth comfort his by his owne example and raigning in heauen doth strengthen them by his spirit and promising them eternall glory by a liuely hope doth rayse vp their minds which comforts are not to be found in humane Philosophy Of the eleuenth priuiledge of Vertue that is that the Lord doth prouide temporall blessings for the louers of Vertue CHAP. XXIII WHatsoeuer hetherto hath beene spoken pertayneth to the spirituall blessings and riches which the Lord God in this life besides the eternal glory of the life to come bestoweth vpon the louers of Vertue But these blessings are promised to the world at the comming of Christ as the Oracles of the Prophets haue fore-told Therfore rightly he is called the Sauiour of the world seeing that by him true saluation is giuen as grace wisedome peace victory and conquest ouer our passions and affections the comfort also of the holy Ghost the riches of hope and to conclude all other blessings which are required to the attaynement of this saluation of which the Prophet sayd Israel shall be saued in the Lord with an euerlasting saluation But if any man be found so carnall who more respecteth temporall blessings or the welfare of the flesh rather then spirituall blessings or the welfare of the spirit as the Iewes did let him proceede I will not that therefore there should be varience and contention betweene vs yea we will giue him longer space to deliberate of this matter then hee himselfe would desire Tell me what meaneth that of the vvise-man when directing his speach to speake of true vvisedome in which the perfection of Vertue consisteth he sayth Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory So that she hath in her hands two kinde of blessings to which she inuiteth men in one she hath eternall blessings and in the other temporall Doe not thinke that God doth forsake his so that they perish through hunger neyther is he so vnprouident or so negligent that seeing he giueth meate in due season to Ants and Wormes of the earth that he will suffer men to famish who night and day serue in his house But if thou wilt not beleeue me readâ— if it please thee the sixt Chapter of Mathew through and thou shalt see and finde the certainty and assured pledge of this promise Behold sayth the Lord the fowles of the heauen for they sow not neyther reape nor carry into the barnes yet your heauenly father feedeth them Are yee not much better then they And concluding this matter he addeth Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or where-with shall we be cloathed For after all these things seeke the Gentiles For your heauenly father knoweth that yee haue neede of all these things But seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you For this cause the kingly Prophet inuiteth vs to serue the Lord saying O feare the Lord yee that be his Saints for they that feare him lacke nothing The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they that seeke the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good And this is so certaine that the same Prophet sayth in another place I haue been young and now am old and yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread But if thou desirest a longer tractate of this matter that thou mayst see what the righteous are to looke for heare what great things God in Deuteronomy promiseth to the obseruers of his law If sayth he thou shalt harken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God and obserue and doe all his
eloquence can vtter but by certaine coniectures we may come as it were aloofe of to some knowledge of it Amongst these coniectures the first is the end of that worke for the end is one of the circumstances which are wont especially to declare the condition and excellencie of a thing The end therefore for which the Lord hath made this place is that by it he might manifest his glory For although hee hath created all things for his glory as sayth Salomon yet properly and peculierly he is sayd to haue created heauen for this end for in it after a more speciall manner his dignitie greatnes and magnificence doth shine and appeare For euen as King Assuerus that raigned from India euen vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundred and seauen and twenty prouinces made a great feast vnto all his Princes and his seruants euen the power of Persia and Media in the Citty of Susan by the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes and that with all maiesty cost and royall magnificence that hee might shew the riches and glory of his kingdome and the honour of his great maiestie So the great King of Kings determined to make a most solemne and sumptuous feast in heauen not by the space of anie time but throughout all eternity that in it he might show the vnmeasurablenes of his riches of his wisedome also of his liberality and goodnes This is that feast of which the Prophet Esay speaketh when he sayth And the Lord of Hoasts shall make to all people in this mountaine a feast of fat things euen a feast of fined wines and of fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified That is of meates most delicate most precious and most sweete If therefore the Lord God doth make that solemne feast that in it he may manifest the greatnes of his glory if his glory be so great what shall the feast be What the riches How precious all things that to this end are prepared But we shal vnderstand this better if wee consider the greatnes of the power of this Lord. His power is so great that with one word he created this admirable frame and that with one word in like manner he can destroy it againe Neyther could he haue created one vvorld with one word but infinite vvorlds in like maner againe he could haue destroyed so many with one word Furthermore whatsoeuer he doth hee doth it without labour so that with the same facility that he created a small Pismire hee could haue created the greatest Cherubin and Seraphin for he feeleth no burthen he sweateth not vnder a greater weight neyther is hee eased of a lesse For he can doe all things that he willeth and whatsoeuer he willeth he worketh by his onely will Tell mee therefore if the power of this Lord be so great and if the glory of his most holy name be so great so vnmeasurable his loue what thinkest thou will be his house the ioy the feast which he to this end hath prepared What can be wanting to this worke why it should not be absolute in euery respect There shall be no defect of his hands because he is infinitely mightie and powerfull There shall be lesse defect of his braine because he that made it is infinitely wise There shall be no defect of his will because he is infinitely good Neither shall this worke be hindered through want of riches because the maker is the Sea and Ocean of all treasure What then vvill this vvork be where there is such and so great preparation What shall that vvorke be that commeth out of that shop in which such vvorkmaisters vvorke together as are the omnipotency of the Father the vvisedome of the Sonne and the goodnes of the holy Ghost Where the goodnes vvilleth the vvisedome disposeth and ordereth the omnipotencie can doe all that vvhich the goodnes vvilleth and the vvisedome ordereth although all these are one and the same in diuers persons We haue also an other coniecture meete for this purpose not vnlike to the former For God prepared not this house onely for his owne honour but for the glory and honour also of his elect Consider therefore how carefull God is to honour his friends and to performe his promise by vvhich he promised that hee vvould honour all them that doe administer vnto him This is manifested by the effect seeing that he hath giuen to them that liue in this world dominion and rule ouer all creatures This is manifest in Iosua at whose commandement the Sun stood vnmoueable in the midst of heauē no otherwise then if hee had had in his hands the bridle of the frame of the whole world The Lord obeying as the Scripture saith the voyce of a man We see the like in Esay who gaue to King Hezekiah his wish whether he vvould that the shadow of the Sun should goe forward tenne degrees or goe back ten degrees for vvith the same facility that he could doe the one he could doe the other Is not the like power seene in Elias vvho by his vvord stayed the cloudes that they should yeeld no raine as long as hee pleased And afterwards by the vertue of his prayer hee brought backe the cloudes and obtayned raine and vvatered the earth vvith showers and dewes Not onely such things in life are graunted vnto the Elect but the Lord doth honour them so farre that hee hath giuen this power after death to their bones and ashes Who vvill not prayse God that the bones of dead Elizeus reuiued a dead man vvhose body through feare of the theeues of Moab vvas cast into the Sepulcher of the Prophet Yea he hath not onely giuen this vertue vnto the bones and ashes of his elect but also to their shadowes the shadow of Peter restored them to health whom it shadowed O admirable God ô exceeding and infinitely good who hath giuen to man what he tooke not to himselfe or which he himselfe vsed not for it is not reade of Christ that his shadow healed the diseased which notwithstanding the Scripture testifieth of Peter If God be so ready to honour his Saints yea in a time and place not ordayned nor destined for their reward but appoynted for labours and miseries how great doost thou thinke that glory will be which he hath prepared for his beloued in a place proper for reward and recompence to honour them and that he may be honoured in them Hee that so greatly desireth to bestow honour and can so easily doe it let euery one consider with himselfe how ample precious rare and magnificent those things ought to be which hee hath prepared for the honour of his Elect In this place also may be considered the incomparable liberality of this Lord in rewarding the seruices of his seruants The Lord commaunded the Patriarke Abraham to sacrifice his onely and deerely beloued sonne who beeing obedient to the commaundement and preparing
giue thanks to GOD for the Corinthians saying that in all things they were made rich Calling them absolutelie rich signifying that others were not to be called properly rich but rich in this world or rich men of thys world ¶ All this afore-said is explained by a notable sentence of the Gospell ALthough thys afore-said seemeth to be expounded and approoued plainly enough yet for the further confirmation of it I will ioyne moreouer a notable sentence taken out of the Gospell by which our Sauiour aunswereth to Saint Peter demaunding what reward he his fellow Disciples should haue who for the loue of their Maister had left and forsaken all Verily I say vnto you saith he as it is in Marke there is no man that hath forsaken house or bretheren or sisters or father or mother or vvife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receiue an hundred fold nowe at this present houses and bretheren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions in the world to come eternall life These be the words of Christ which are not lightly to be passed ouer For first thou canst not denie but that heere is made a difference and a distinction betweene a reward which is giuen in thys life and that which is in another whilst one is promised as to come the other is offered as present Thou canst also lesse denie but that these promises are ratified and certaine neither euer doe they deceiue them to whom they are promised For heauen and earth shall perrish but one iote or one title shall not escape of these things till all be fulfilled although they seeme vnpossible For euen as we beleeue that God is three and one because he said so although otherwise it seemeth vnpossible so we also must beleeue thys trueth although it passeth all vnderstanding for it hath the testimonie of the same Author who only is truth it selfe in all his sayings Tell mee therefore I pray thee what is this hundreth fold which is giuen to the righteous in this life For we see for the most part that to them is not giuen great dignities not loftie honours not large possessions nor the magnificent furniture of this world but that many of them doe liue in corners buried in the obliuion and obscurity of the world expecting their last houre in pouerty misery and calamity Which seeing that it is so how can the infallible truth of this sentence be defended vnlesse we confesse that God in this life doth giue to his those gifts and those spirituall riches which may satisfie a man without any externall pompe of this world with greater felicitie with greater ioy sufficiencie and quiet then the possession of all the goods of this world Neyther is this so much to be meruailed at For as we beleeue that it is not of any necessity to God that hee should nourish mens bodies with bread onely for he hath many other meanes to that end so is it not necessarie to him that he should satisfie soules with temporall blessings onely For he can doe this most easily without them as hee hath most certainly done in all his Saints Who were endued with that spirituall ioy and mirth and with that affection of deuotion that their prayers exercises teares and delights exceeded all the solaces and pleasures of this world And after this manner it is most certainly verefied that an hundreth fold is receaued for that little they left for they receaue for deceiptfull and apparant things those that be vndoubtedly true for things vncertaine certaine for things corporall spirituall for carefulnes security for troubles quietnes for perturbations peace and inward tranquility to conclude for a life impure vicious and abhominable they receaue a life splendent through vertues and most acceptable to God and Angels So also thou if thou shalt despise temporall good for Christ thou shalt find in him inestimable treasures if thou shalt contemne false and fayned honours thou shalt finde in him those that be true if thou shalt renounce the loue of thy father and mother for this he will delight thee with greater blandishments and cherishing and thou shalt find for a temporall father an eternall if thou shalt cast from thee those pestiferous and venomous pleasures thou shalt haue in him sweeter pleasanter and holier delights When thou shalt come to this poynt thou shalt see manifestly that all things which before did please thee are now not onely not gratefull vnto thee but that they doe bring vnto thee an hatred and dislike of them For after that heauenly light hath illuminated our eyes by and by there is begot a new face of all things and diuerse from the former and all things doe seeme to haue put on a certaine new shape by which they shew themselues to our eyes and therefore that which before seemed sweet is now bitter and that which before appeared bitter is now sweet that which before terrified vs doth now like vs that which before was beautifull now seemeth filthy and although it appeared to be such before yet now it seemeth not such neyther that it was well knowne before Therefore after this manner standeth the truth of Christes promise when for the temporall goods of the body there are giuen spirituall blessings of the soule for those goods which are called the goods of fortune there are giuen the blessings of grace which without all comparison are greater and more effectuall and forcible to enrich and satiate mans hart then all externall blessings For the more confirmation of this matter I will not omit to remember a notable and famous example taken out of the booke called The booke of famous and illustrious men When as sayth the Author Saint Bernard preached the word of God to the people in Belgia and that with a most feruent zeale conuerted the inhabitants to God amongst many other who being touched with the grace of the holy Ghost vvere conuerted to a better lyfe there vvas a certaine noble Knight famous among the Belgians called Arnulphus vvho was bound and tyed to the world with very many and mighty bonds and who was exceedingly ensnared and entangled with wordly vanities This man when at the length he bad farewell to the world and betooke himselfe to a vertuous and heauenly kinde of lyuing this holy father so reioyced at his conuersion that he sayd to them that were present that Christ was no lesse miraculous in the conuersion of Arnulphus then he was in the raysing of Lazarus seeing that Christ had raysed him being so fettered with the chaynes of so great sinnes and buried in such deepe pleasures and had brought him to newnes of life Arnulphus also was no lesse admirable in his proceeding then he was in his conuersion And because it is too long to relate here all the vertues of this man I will onely repeate that which maketh for our purpose This holy man was many times so payned
vertuous CHAP. XIIII THis fatherly prouidence of the which we haue spoken a little before is as we haue sayde as it were the fountaine and originall of all other priuiledges and benefits with which God enricheth and beautifieth his friends in this world For to this prouidence it pertayneth to prouide them of all necessaries to the obtaining of the last end which is the last perfection and blessednes by helping them in all their needes and by creating in their mindes all aptnes disposition vertue other habits which are requisite vnto that end Of the number of these the first is the grace of the holy Ghost which next to that diuine prouidence is the originall beginning of all other priuiledges and celestiall gyfts Thys was the first robe with which the prodigall childe was clothed after he was receiued into his Fathers house If thou demaundest of me what this grace is I answere that this grace according to Diuines is a participation of the Diuine nature that is of sanctitie goodnes puritie and of the noblenesse of God himselfe by whose helpe benefit man doth cast from him all the basenes vildnes and rudenes which hee tooke and receiued from Adam and is made partaker of holinesse and of the Diuine noblenesse putting off himselfe and putting on Iesus Christ. The Fathers show this by the example of yron cast into a fire which remaineth yron still yet pertaking of the nature of fire it is pulled out altogether shyning glowing as though it were fire in deede I say that the same substance of yron remaineth with the name but the heate the splendour or shyning and all other accidents are not of the yron but of the fire After the same manner grace which is an heauenly qualitie which God infuseth into the soule hath that admirable vertue and effecacie that it transformeth man into God after this manner that still remaining a man yet hee is made a partaker of the Diuine puritie and noblenesse as he was a partaker who said I doe not now liue but Christ lyueth in me Furthermore Grace is a supernaturall forme and diuine which maketh that a man leades a life cōformable to the forme from which it proceedeth which also is supernatural diuine In which thing after an admirable manner shineth the Diuine prouidence which as it willeth that man should liue a double life naturall and supernatural so hath it prouided for the same a double forme which are as it were the two soules of these lifes one by which we liue this first life another by which we liue the other For euen as from the soule which is the naturall forme all the powers and sences doe proceede by whose help we liue this naturall life so from grace which is the supernaturall forme al vertues and gyfts of the holy Ghost doe proceede by the benefit of which we liue a supernaturall life Therefore this is as the prouision of two kinde of instruments by helpe of which we labour in diuers exercises Grace is also a spirituall ornament of the soule wrought by the handes of the holy Ghost which dooth make the soule so beautifull and so acceptable in the eyes of God that he receaueth it for his daughter and for his Bride Of this ornament the Prophet glorieth saying I will reioyce in the Lorde and my soule shall be glad in my God because he hath put vpon me the vesture of saluation he hath couered me with the garment of righteousnes as a Bridegrome adorned with a crowne and as a Bride decked vvith Iewells Which are all vertues with all the gyfts of the holy Ghost with which the soule is adorned at the hands of GOD. Thys is that golden vesture wrought about with great variety with which the Queene was clothed who stoode before the King her Spouse for from grace all the colours of all vertues celestiall habits doe arise in which the beautie of the Queene consisteth Of these it is easily gathered what be the effects which grace worketh in those soules wherein it dwelleth For the speciall effect of it is to make a soule so acceptable and beautifull in the eyes of God that hee taketh her to be his daughter his spouse his temple his dwelling in which he enioyeth his delights with the sonnes of men An other effect of it is not onely to adorne the soule but also to strengthen it with those vertues which proceede from it Which are as the haires of Sampson in which consisted not onely his beautie but also his strength As well from this as from the former effect of grace the soule is praised in the Canticles where the Angels admiring the beautie of it say Who is shee that looketh foorth as the Morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an Armie with banners Wherby we know that Grace is as a shield couering the whole body or as a complete Armor which armeth a man from the head to the foote and maketh him beautifull and valiant so valiant that if we beleeue a certaine learned Schoole-man a little grace is sufficient to conquer and ouer-come all the deuills with all sinnes that raigne and rule in the world There is also a third effect of grace that it maketh the soule so acceptable and excellent in the sight of God that as manie works as it dooth deliberatiuely and aduisedly which are not sinnes are acceptable vnto him That not onely the acts of vertue but also naturall works as to eate drinke sleepe such like are acceptable before the Lord. The fourth effect is that it maketh vs the sonnes of God by adoption and heyres of the heauenly kingdome and also worthy to bee written in the booke of Life in which all the names of the righteous are written and by consequent it giueth vnto vs a lawfull claime and title to that most rich and heauenly inhearitance This is that priuiledge and prerogatiue which our Sauiour praysed so greatly in his Disciples then when they returned merily vnto him saying Lord euen the deuils are subdued vnto vs through thy Name to whom our Sauiour answered In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen For it is certaine that this is the greatest good that mans hart can thinke vpon or desire in this life But that I may speake many things in few words it is grace that maketh man fitte to all good which maketh the way to heauen plaine before vs which maketh the yoke of the Lorde easie and sweet vnto vs which leadeth man by the way of vertue which healeth our weake nature maketh all that seeme light vnto vs which while it was weake seemed intollerable it is that which after an ineffable manner reformeth and armeth all the powers and faculties of our soules that by the meanes of those vertues which proceede from it
it enlightneth the vnderstanding it inflameth our will it strengtheneth our memorie it tempereth and moderateth our part concupiscible least it runne into all euil it cōfirmeth the part irascible least it be slow too sluggish to work well Moreouer because all our natural passions which are found in these two inferiour powers of our appetite are as it were step-dames vnto vertue dores wherby deuils oftentimes enter into our soules it hath appointed as it were Sentinels in each of these parts which watch and keepe it that is a certaine infused vertue comming from aboue vvhich doth helpe man and maketh him secure in danger which ariseth by meanes of those passions So to defend the soule frō the appetite of gluttonie it sendeth Temperance to defend it frō the lust of the flesh it sendeth Chastitie and to defend it from ambition it sendeth Humilitie and so in the rest But there is one thing which exceedeth all the fore-sayde that is that grace maketh God to dwell in our soule that dwelling in it he may gouerne it defend it direct it in the heauenly way God therefore sitteth in our soule as a King in his kingdome as a Captayne among his armie as a Maister in his schoole and as a Pastour among his flocke that there he may exercise and vndergoe spiritually all these offices and administer all prouidence Goe to therefore if this precious pearle out of which so many good things come be a perpetuall companion vnto Vertue who will not willingly imitate that wise Merchant in the Gospell who sold all that he had that he might buy this alone ¶ Of the third priuiledge of Vertue which is a light and a certaine supernaturall knowledge which our Lord giueth to them who seeke after Vertue CHAP. XV. THE third priuiledge which is graunted vnto Vertue is a certaine speciall light and a certaine wisedome which our Lord doth bestow vpon them that are righteous which also proceedeth from that grace of which we haue hetherto spoken The reason is because it is a function and duty of grace to heale and recure nature beeing weake feeble and decayed Euen as therefore it healeth the appetite and will weakened through sinne so also it recureth the vnderstanding being exceedingly obscured and darkned by the same sinne that by this benefit the vnderstanding may know what it ought to doe and by the will there may be ability power to doe that which now it vnderstandeth is needefull for to be done Not vnlike to this is that Saint Gregory hath in his Morals Not to be able to fulfill that which man vnderstoode was a punishment of sinne as also that was a punishment of the same not to vnderstand that Therefore sayd the Prophet The Lord is my light against ignorance and my saluation against impotencie In one is signified what is to be desired in the other strength is giuen by which we may attaine vnto it And so as well this as that pertayneth to the same grace Hence it is that besides fayth and prudence infused which enlighten our vnderstanding that it may vnderstand what it ought to beleeue what also to doe the gifts of the holy Ghost doe increase also in vs foure of which pertaine to the vnderstanding that is the gift of wisedome which is giuen for the knowledge of high and lofty matters the gift of Science which is giuen that wee may vnderstand lower matters the gift of vnderstanding by which we come to the knowledge of the misteries of God and to the congruencie and beauty of them and the gift of counsaile and aduice by whose helpe we know the actions of this life and how to gouerne and rule whatsoeuer happeneth to vs in it All these beames come from the splendour of grace onely which therefore is called in the holy Scriptures an Annointing or Vnction For it teacheth all things as Saint Iohn speaketh Wherefore euen as oyle among all liquid substances is the fittest to preserue light and to cure wounds so this diuine Vnction doth cure the wounds of our will and doth illuminate the darknes of our vnderstanding This is that most precious oyle better then all oyle of which the kingly Prophet speaketh Thou hast annoynted mine head with oyle It is certaine that he speaketh heere not of a materiall head nor of materiall oyle but of a spirituall head that is of the superiour part of our soule in which our vnderstanding is as very well sheweth a learned man wryting vpon this place and of spirituall oyle which is the light of the holy Ghost by which our lampe is preserued that it is not put out Of the light of this holy oyle this good King had much who thus speaketh of himselfe Thou hast taught me wisedome in the secret of mine hart An other reason may be also giuen of this For seeing that it is the office of grace to make a man endued with Vertue it cannot execute this vnlesse first it moue a man to sorrow and repentance of his former life and stirre vp the feare of God in him Vnlesse before it worketh that man doth deadly hate sinne and desire heauenly blessings with great feruency and altogether contemne these worldly vanities But the will cannot obtayne these and the like vnlesse before it hath the light of vnderstanding and a knowledge proportionable by which the will may be stirred vp For the will is a blind faculty which is not mooued except the vnderstanding goe before carrying a light and shewing good and euill in all things that the affection towards them may encrease or decrease Hence it is that Thomas Aquinas sayth euen as the loue of God doth encrease in the soule of a righteous man so also encreaseth the knowledge of the goodnes fauour and beauty of the same God and that by an equall proportion that if one of them encrease an hundreth degrees so many also encreaseth the other For hee that loueth much he vnderstandeth many causes of loue in the thing beloued but he that loueth little vnderstandeth but few And that which is cleerely vnderstoode of the loue of God this also is vnderstoode of feare hope and of the hatred of sinne From which men would no more abhorre then from other things vnlesse they vnderstood that it was an euill then which nothing in this world is more worthy of horror and execration Seeing therefore that the holy Ghost willeth that these effects should be in the soule of a righteous man he willeth also that there should be causes in it from whence they may come As hee willeth that there should be diuersity of effects in the earth so also he willeth that diuers causes and celestiall influences should be wrought in it Furthermore seeing that it is true as we before haue proued that God doth dwell by grace in the soules of the righteous and that God is light Enlightning euery man that commeth into the world as Saint
the time of Achab king of Israell when Samaria was besieged by the Armie of the king of Syria we read that men did eate the dunge of Doues that thys kinde of meate was sold for a great price But thys was not so much at the length it came to that passe that mothers did kil and eate the chyldren of their owne wombe Iosephus also writeth that the same happened at the siege of Ierusalem But the slaughters and captiuities of this people together with the vtter ouerthrow of the Common-wealth and the kingdome of the Iewes are so well knowne to all that heere they neede not to be rehearsed An eleuen of theyr Tribes were made perpetuall seruants to the Kings of Assyria that one Trybe which remained a long time after beeing vanquished was brought into seruitude vnder the Romaines in which destruction exceeding great was the number of the captiues but greater was the number of those that were slaine as the same Historiographer copiously describeth Neyther let any one deceaue himselfe saying that this calamitie pertaineth onely to the Iewish nation seeing that it generally appertaineth to all men who haue knowledge of the Diuine law and doe despise it neyther will obey it as the Lord himselfe testifieth by his Prophet Haue not I brought vp Israell out of the Land of Egipt and the Philistines from Cappadocia and the Syrians from Cyrene Behold the eyes of the Lord God are vppon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth Signifying that all these changes of kingdoms whereby thys kingdome is ouerthrowne and that planted and raysed vp doth come through sinne And if any one will see that this is true let him read ouer the histories of times past he shal vnderstand how God doth chastice the froward and peruerse but especially those that haue the true law and doe not keepe it He shal see how great a part of Europe Asia and Affrica which in times past were full of Churches and of Christian people now are possessed of Infidels he shall know also what great massacres ruines and destructions the Gothes Hunnes and Vandales haue made vpon the Churches who in the time of Saint Augustine destroyed and wasted the Prouinces of Affrica and that without any mercie or compassion they sparing neyther men nor women neither old nor young neither Virgins nor married At the same time also and after the same manner the kingdome of Dalmatia was wasted with the bordering Countries as Saint Ierome showeth who was borne in that Country insomuch that he that should haue passed through trauelled those Countries should haue seene nothing but heauen and earth all things were so ruinated and ouerthrowen Yea if we will looke into our owne times we shall see what slaughters and effusion of Christian blood what desolations and euersions of Citties sinne hath caused in Fraunce Belgia and many other Countryes What mightie massacres and lamentable diuastations hath sinne brought vppon the world by the sword of the Turkes those professed enemies of Christianitie who stil brandish their swords against Christendome for the sinnes of Christians These sufficient plainly doe declare how that true vertue and sincere religion are not onely profitable to the obtayning of eternall blessings but also to gette and keepe temporall blessings that the consideration of all these may inflame our mindes with the loue of Vertue which preserueth vs from so many mischiefes bringeth with it so many good things Of the twelfth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the quiet peaceable ioyfull death of the righteous and contrarily of the wretched miserable painfull disquiet and grieuous death of sinners CHAP. XXIIII THE last priuiledge prerogatiue at the length is ioyned to the precedent that is the death and the glorious end of the righteous when they depart out of the prison of this body vnto the which end all the rest of the priuiledges are destinated and ordayned Because in the end as we are wont to say the praise is proclaimed Tell mee what is more glorious or what more delightsome then the end of the iust and righteous And contrarilie what is more wretched or vnhappy then the death of sinners Right deere and precious saith the Psalmogapher in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints but the death of sinners is vilde and exceeding euill What meaneth thys vvord Exceeding euill vttered in the Superlatiue degree Because thys is the last and greatest of all euils as well for the soule as for the body After thys manner S. Bernard doth expound this of the Psalmist The death of sinners is exceeding euill Because it is euill in losing the world worser in the seperation of the flesh but exceeding euill in that double calamitie of the worme and of the fire It is grieuous to leaue the worlde more grieuous that the soule is seperated from the body but exceeding grieuous and in no wise to be compared vnto the other to be tortured vvith the torments of hell Both these and many moe miseries shall vexe and turmoile the wicked in this houre For then before and aboue all things the accidents of thys infirmitie shall surmount the griefes of the body the terrors of the soule and the afflictions of externall things the thoughts of things to come the remembrance of sinnes past the feare to giue an account the dreadfull sentence the horrour of the graue the seperation and departure from euery thing that was too deere and imbraced with an inordinate loue that is from riches friends wife children from this light from the ayre wherein we breathe and from life it selfe All euery one of these so much the more doe afflict a man by how much they are loued For as Augustine sayth They are not lost without griefe which are possessed with loue Therefore it was very well said of a Phylosopher Hee that in his life knoweth of fewest delights least of all other feareth death But most of all in that houre the burned and feared conscience and the consideration of that which is prepared for them doth excruciate vexe the vvicked For then man beeing raised as it were out of a deepe sleepe by the presence of Death openeth hys eyes and beginneth to behold and see that which he neuer saw before Eusebius Emisseâ—â—s giueth a reason of this At what passe will man be then at sayth hee when bidding his last farewell to all worldly matters hauing death before him leauing life behind him he shal be drawn into that horrible fearefull gulfe For there shall be no preparation for victuals or care for cloathing no busines for Labourers Souldiers or Traffickers no ambition for wealth or honour but there an intollerable terror of giuing an account shall fill and possesse the minde being free from all other cares and the heauy and vnsupportable weight of iudgment shal dreadfully hang ouer the captiue sences Then man forgetteth all thinges
neyghbour the hart of a mother towards himselfe the hart and spirit of a Iudge These be the three parts of iustice or righteousnes in which the Prophet teacheth that all our good consisteth when hee sayth I will showe vnto thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to do iustly and to loue mercy and humbly to walke with thy God For of these three kindes of duties the first belongeth vnto vs namely to doe iustly the second to our neighbour to loue mercy the third to God which the words of the Prophet declare when he sayth humbly to walke with thy God Of these three kindes therefore in thys last part we will speake seeing that all our good is contayned in them Of the bond and dutie of man towards himselfe CHAP. XIIII SEeing that loue rightly ordered in man beginneth of himselfe we will begin thys matter from that member which the Prophet hath put in the first place that is To doe iustly Which pertayneth to the spirit and hart of the Iudge and this duty man oweth to himselfe It is the part of a good Iudge to haue his prouince well composed and ordered And because in man as in a little Common-wealth two principall parts are to be reformed that is the body with all his members and sences and the soule with all her affections and powers it is necessarie that these parts should be reformed and well ordered according to the rule of Vertue which we will declare in thys place And so a man shall repay and render that he oweth to himselfe ¶ Of the reforming of the body TO the reformation of the body first an orderly discipline of the exteriour man is required that that may be obserued which Saint Augustine requireth in his rule that is that there be nothing in thy gate in thy state or in thy sitting or in thy clothing that may offend any mans eyes but that all things be agreeable to thy profession Wherefore the seruant of GOD ought especially to be carefull that his conuersation amongst men be graue humble sweet and curteous that as many as do conuerse with him may alwaies be edified and may daylie be bettered through his good example The Apostle would haue vs to be a good sauour which may communicate participate hys sweet smell to euery thing that it partaketh with The hands which haue handled any fragrant and odoriferous thing participate of the smell so the wordes the deedes the iestures and the conuersation of the seruants of God ought to be such that what man soeuer vseth them familiarly may be edified and after a certaine manner be sanctified by their examples and conuersation Thys is the especiallest fruite which springeth of this modestie which is as a silent Preacher for not by the noyse of words but by the examples of vertues he inuiteth man to glorifie GOD and to embrace Vertue Wherefore also our Sauiour himselfe stirreth vs vp vnto thys when he sayth Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen To whom agreeth Esay when he sayth that the seruaunt of the Lord is like to beautifull vvood planted of God vvhich whosoeuer seeth will glorifie the Lord. We must heere obserue that a man ought not therefore to doe good workes that hee may be seene but as Saint Gregory sayth Good workes are so to be doone in publique that the intent may remaine in secret that by our good workes wee may giue an example to our neighbour and by our intent to please God onely we may alwaies wish that they may remaine secret The second fruite of thys composition and orderly disposition is that the exteriour man is the best keeper of the interior and notably preserueth deuotion for betweene eyther man there is a great confederacy and neere league that that vvhich is done of one is forthwith cōmunicated to the other and the course being altered that which this doth hee communicateth it to the other that if the spirit be wel disposed immediatly the body is well composed and contrarily if the body be ill ordered the spirit also putteth on the same habit So that one of thē is as it were the glasse of the other For euen as whatsoeuer thou doost that also the glasse opposed to thee doth imitate so also whatsoeuer eyther of these two men dooth forth-with one of them imitateth it and therefore the outward modesty and grauity much helpeth the inward and surely it is a matter of great wonder to finde a modest and a quiet spirit in an immodest vnquiet body Hence it is that Ecclesiasticus saith He that is too hastie in his gate shall offend Insinuating by this kinde of speaking that those to whom that grauitie is wanting which becommeth Christians doe often stumble and fall through many defects as they who lift vp theyr feete too lightly when they goe The thyrd fruite of this vertue is that by it a man preserueth that graue authority which is agreeable both to his person and place especially if hee be a man seated in dignity as holy Iob kept his as he testifieth of himselfe saying The light of my countenaunce did not fall to the earth And a little before When I went out to the gate euen to my iudgement seate and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete The young men saw mee and hidde themselues and the aged arose and stoode vp The Princes stayed talke and layd theyr hand on theyr mouth The voyce of Princes was hid and theyr tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth So great was their reuerence towards Iob. Which grauity that it might be free from all pride thys holy man had ioyned vnto it so great curtesie that hee sayth of himselfe that sitting in his throne as King his Princes and people standing about him he ceased not to be an eye to the blinde a foote to the lame and a father vnto the poore We must here note that as benignity and curtesie and the good carriage of the outward man is commendable so to affect company and societie too much too much to care for the furniture and accoustrements of the body too much to cherish make of the exteriour man is faulty and immoderate Wherefore Ecclesiasticus sayth A mans garment and his excessiue laughter and going declare what person he is Like to thys is that which Salomon sayd As the face of the lookers are beheld in the waters so the harts of men are manifested to the wise by exterior workes These be the commodities which this modestie bringeth with her and certainly they be very great Neyther is it a thing that should delight any man to loue too much the familiarity and company of men to be too familiar populer which many men doe that because they would not be taken for hypocrites they
these may be entertained as friends and those expelled as enemies They that are negligent and remisse in this respect doe let oftentimes those things enter into their soules which doe not only take away the deuotion and feruour of the spirit but also charity and loue in which the life of the soule consisteth Whilst Isboseth the son of Saul slept on his bed his murdering seruants came in vpon him slew him and tooke away his head In like manner when as discretion lyeth slumbering whose duty it is to purge and seuer the fruite from the chaffe that is profitable and good cogitations from the bad and hurtfull those oftentimes enter into the soule which kill it and depriue it of life This diligence is not onely conducent for the preseruation of life but to keepe silence and it much furthereth prayer For an vnquiet and a troubled imagination doth not suffer a man to pray without variety of cogitations and vagaries of the sences but that which is quiet and reduced into order very easily perseuereth in prayer ¶ Of the reforming of the vnderstanding and of the duties of wisedome AFter that we haue entreated of all the fore-sayd parts powers of man it remayneth that we speake something of the excellentest and noblest of them which is the vnderstanding which amongst other vertues is to be adorned and beautified with the most rare and beautifull vertue of discretion and wisedome The duty and office of this vertue in a spirituall life hath great proportion with that which the eyes are in the body the Pilot in a ship the King in his kingdome and the Charret-man in his Charret who holding his whip in his right hand and the raines of the bridels in his left directeth and driueth his Horses whether he will Without this vertue the spirituall life is altogether blind disordered and full of confusion For this cause a certaine excellent writer doth place this vertue in the first place as the Captayne and guide of all others Wherefore all the louers of vertue before all things ought to cast their eyes hether and diligently behold this vertue that they may proceede with greater fruite in all others This vertue not onely hath one duty and office but many and those diuers for it is not only a perticuler vertue but a generall which concurreth with the exercises of all vertues conueniently and fitly reducing and bringing them into order According to this generall duty we will heere speake of certaine actions which belong vnto it First and formost it belongeth vnto wisedome fayth and charity being presupposed to direct all our actions to God as to the last end by examining subtilly and ingeniously the intent which we haue in working and acting that we may see if we simply and purely seeke God or rather our selues For the nature of our owne selfe-loue as a certaine famous Doctour sayth is very subtill and full of fetches and seeketh it selfe in euery thing yea in the noblest exercises It is also the dutie of Wisedome to know how to conuerse with thy neighbour without quarrell or complaint to helpe him and not to offend him and scandalize him It is needfull therfore wisely to discouer euery mans vaine that is euery mans condition and of what spirit he is and to leade conduct him by those meanes which are most profitable for him It is vvisedome to know how to beare patiently other mens defects and to dissemble them not to take knowledge of them and not to search theyr wounds to the bones remembring that all humane affayres are composed of act and potentiall power that is of perfection and imperfection neyther that it can bee otherwise but that alwayes there must be infinite imperfections and defects in mans life especially after that great and grieuous lapse of nature by sinne And therefore Aristotle sayth that it is not the part of a Wiseman in euery matter to seeke for like certainty and demonstration For some things may be demonstrated and some cannot the truth and certainty of one thing may be found out which of another thing cannot In like manner it is not the part of a wise man to looke that all the affayres of man should be peysed in a like ballance neyther that any thing should bee wanting for some things can carry this and somethings cannot He that stiflie vrgeth the contrary perhaps shall more hurt those meanes that he worketh by then he shall profit by the end hee intendeth albeit the thing take effect according to his minde It is wisedome if a man know himselfe and all things within him that is all his sences cogitations euill appetites and his sinister intents to be briefe his owne ignorance and his small vertues that his soule be not puffed vp with vaine glory to presume any thing of it selfe rashly and that he may better vnderstand with what enemies he is continually to warre vntill hee hath cast them all out of the land of Promise that is out of his soule It is also vvisedome to consider with what great diligence a man ought to prosecute and attend this worke It is wisedome to be able to gouerne the tongue according to the prescript of Gods law and the circumstances before remembred To know also what is to be spoken and what to bee concealed with their due times and seasons For as Salomon sayth There is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake For it is certaine that a wise man may with greater praise hold his peace then speake at the table at bankets and at such like places and oppertunities It is wisedome also not to beleeue euery body not forth-with to poure foorth all the spirit in the beginning heate of disputation neyther to speak rashly or giue iudgment on a suddaine what he thinketh of matters for Salomon sayth A foole vttereth all his minde at once but a wise man keepeth it in till afterward He that trusteth him whom he ought not to trust shall alwayes liue in danger and shall alwayes be his slaue whō he hath trusted and concredited himselfe vnto It is wisedome if a man hath learned to fore-see a farre of dangers comming to diminish blood in the time of health and to discerne warre a farre of That is to preuent and turne away the difficulty or strife that might growe of thys or that matter and to auoyde all euill by prayers or such like remedies Thys is the counsaile of Ecclesiasticus when he sayth Before the griefe be growen vse Phisicke Therfore when thou art to goe to bankets or to any solemnitie when thou art to haue busines vvith litigious or contentious men or with those of a peruerse disposition or if thou art to goe to any other place where perhaps thou mayst be endangered alwayes come aduisedly thether and prepared for all things which may happen It is wisedome to know how to handle the body with discretion and
the end these as the meanes to the end those as health these as a medicine by benefit of which we obtaine health Those are as the spirit of Religion these as the body of it which albeit it is part of the whole yet one part is more principall then another and whose function is more especially required in working Those are as the treasury these as the keyes by which it is opened and shutte Those are the fruite of the tree these as leaues which adorne the tree and doe preserue the fruite from the iniury of the ayre Albeit in thys the comparison is lame and maimed and somewhat fayleth because the leaues of the tree although they preserue the fruite yet they are not part of the fruite but these vertues doe so preserue iustice and righteousnes that they are a part of iustice and righteousnesse This therefore my brother is the estimation which is to be made of vertues of which there hath beene made mention in this rule as we haue said in the beginning of this Chapter by benefit of which we may be free from two vicious extreamities which are in this world One is the antient one of the Pharises the other is a later one of moderne Heretikes For the Pharises as carnall and ambiâ—â—ous were altogether giuen to the obseruance of that Law which in like maner was carnall as for true righteousnes which consisteth in spirituall vertues it was in no esteeme among them as the whole history of the Euangelists dooth testifie and the Apostle saith that they had a showe of godlines but had denied the power of it Also that the Law had onely a shadow but brought not men to perfection The moderne neotericall Heretikes after a contrarie maner vnderstanding this errour and beâ—â—g willing to auoyde one extreame fall into another that is into contempt of all externall vertues according to that Charybdis gulfe who thought to haue escap'd Fell into Scyllaâ—s iâ—â—es thâ—â— widely gâ—p'd Wherefore the true and Catholicke Church of Christ condemning both extreames approoueth the truth which is the meane for attributing prerogatiue and excellencie of dignity to the internall vertues shee also allotted theyr place vnto the externall Because she accounteth of some as of the order of Senators of others as of the degree of nobles and gentlemen and other she receiueth into the number of Cittizens vvhich make one Common-wealth in which the dignity of euery one is knowen and what is due and belongeth vnto euery one is easily seene 〈◊〉 very profitable 〈◊〉 which are 〈…〉 of the precedent doctrine CHAP. XIX OVT of the precedent doctrine foure instructions doe arise very profitable and necessary for a spirituall life The first is that a perfect man and a true seruant of God ought not onely to seeke for spirituall vertues albeit they be excellent and noble bâ—â— aâ—â—o he ought to ioyne others vnto theâ— as well for the preseruation of them as for the obtaining of absolute perfection and the whole complement of Christian righteousnes Wherefore he ought to consider that as man is not only a soule nor onely a body but a soule a body together for the soule without the body maketh not a perfect man the body without the soule is no other thing then a sacke full of earth and ashes so also it is necessary that hee know that true and perfect Christianitie is not onely internall nor externall but internall and externall together For the internall alone cannot be preserued without the externall whether it be little or much according to the conueniencie of the bond of euery mans estate neither is it sufficient for the fulfilling of all righteousnes Much lesse can the externall without the internal make a man perfect as neyther the body alone without the soule can make a man Euen as therefore all the life of the body proceedeth from the soule so all the dignity and worth of the externall proceedeth from the internall but especially from Charity He therefore that will not erre from this scope and determined resolution let him thinke that as he that made man would not separate the soule from the body so he must not seuer the spirituall from the corporall that would make a perfect Christian The body is ioyned to the soule the treasure is preserued in the Arke the hedge compassing the Vineyard dooth make it safe and Vertue is defended by her Fortresses Bulwarkes defences which are her owne parts Otherwise beleeue me one will decay and perrish another For one cannot be increased nor assisted vnlesse both be ioyned together Consider how nature and Art the Ape and imitatour of Nature doe nothing which hath not eyther a barke or some couer for a fortification defence and also for an ornament of it after the same manner Grace also worketh which is the most perfect forme and most perfectly effecteth her operations Remember also that it is written He that feareth God neglecteth not any thing And Hee that setteth naught by small things shall fall by little and little Remember the example set downe in the former booke that by the want of one nayle the yron shoe is lost and the shoe beeing lost the horse falleth and the horse falling the rider perisheth Remember the dangers which hee incurreth that neglecteth small things for this is the high-way that leadeth to great errors Marke also the order of the plagues of Egipt after harmlesse and hurtlesse Frogs came lyce and great flyes Gadbees stinging Horse-flies and byting Oxe-flies Whereby it is euident that the neglect and contempt of the lesser doth prepare the way for greater for they that feare not polluting and euill-sauouring Froggs will not feare stinging Horse-flies byting Oxe-flies ¶ The second instruction BY that we learne also to what vertues we ought most especially to addict our endeuours and studies vpon which we ought to bestow greater diligence and vpon which lesser as men doe who make greater account of an heape of gold then of siluer and doe more esteeme an eye then a finger so also it is meete and requisite that with greater endeuour and diligence we should apply our selues to the woorthier vertues and vvyth lesser to the lesse worthy otherwise if we more diligently study and imploy our paines rather vppon the ignobler then the noble the whole spirituall busines will be disordered Wherefore I say that those Bishops and Pastors do very wisely that in theyr pulpits and Sermons doe often beate vpon these wordes Silence Fasting Solitarines Rites and Ceremonies and that often stand vpon and preach Charity Humility Prayer Deuotion Contemplation the Feare of God the Loue of our Neighbour and such like And this ought to be done so much the more often by how much the inward defects are more secret theÌ„ the outward and therefore rhe more dangerous For euen as men are more diligent to amend defects that are seene of them then those that are vnseene so it
some old and ruinous bridge vnder which a very deepe and a swift riuer runneth least he should fall into it and be deuoured of the water To be briefe consider what great warines they vse that goe vpon ropes least they declining to this hand or that fall downe With the same care and warines thou oughtest to walke especially in the beginning of thy conuersion that a good habit may be formed and framed in thee with a thought and an intent so exact that thou speake not a word nor thinke any thing as much as is possible which any whit strayeth from the path of vertue For this Seneca giueth vs excellent counsaile and that which is familier saying let a man that is vertuous or that would liue vprightly imagine that he doth alwayes stand and walke in the presence of some man of great authority and account and who is worthy to be reuerenced of all men this imagination being presupposed let him speake and doe all things none otherwise then he would doe and speake if he stood in his presence Besides this aduice there is another no lesse conuenient nor lesse profitable then the former let a man thinke that this is the last day of his life and therfore that all things are to be done no otherwise then if that day or that night following he were to stand before the Diuine tribunall to render an account of his life There is yet another counsaile much more excellent Alwayes so to be conuersant as much as is possible in the sight of the Lord and to haue him before his eyes as if he were present visibly and corporally as in truth he is â—â—uisibly present in all places and therfore to doe all things no otherwise then he that hath God his witnes and his Iudge seeing all things let him alwayes desire of God grace so to be conuersant that he may not be vnworthy the sight and presence of so great a Maiesty So that this care watch which we now speake of hath two proposed scopes one to looke vpon God with our harts to haue them lifted vp vnto him that we may stand before him with great reuerence by worshipping him by praysing by reuerencing by louing him by yeelding thanks vnto him and without intermission by offering vnto him the sacrifices of deuotion vpon the alters of our harts The other scope is a diligent obseruation of all our actions that we doe and speake all things with that warines that we doe not stray in the least from the tract and path of vertue So that with one eye we alwayes behold God by requesting grace of him and with the other looking to that which is conducent for our life that it may be well ordered and after this manner we shall very well bestow that light which God hath giuen vnto vs as well in Diuine things as in humane Therefore we shall stand partly attending on God and partly on that thing which we are to doe The which thing although it cannot alwayes be done yet let vs doe this that at the least we may then proceede after this manner when our intent is not hindered by corporall exercises yea our hart is free and may steale somwhat from exteriour businesses and hide it selfe in the wounds of Christ. I thought it very conuenient to handle this instruction here because it is very profitable The fourth admonition of the fortitude which is necessary for them that aspire vnto vertue CHAP. XXII THE precedent admonition hath opened our eyes that we are now able to see what we are to doe but this will reach vs an arme that is fortitude and courage that we may be strengthned and enabled to doe that which the eyes behold For seeing that in Vertue there be two difficulties one that we may well distinguish good from euill and seperate this from that the other that wee may conquer the one and proceede in the other in that we haue neede of wisedome and vigilancie in this of fortitude and diligence so that eyther of these failing the busines of Vertue remayneth vnperfect For there will be blindnes if vigilancy and fore-sight be wanting and if fortitude and courage faile man being lame and feeble shall not be able to worke This fortitude which we here speake of is not that which as a meane tempereth and moderateth audaciousnes and feare for that is one among the foure cardinall vertues but it is a certaine generall force and power profitable to ouercome all difficulties which hinder the vse of Vertue and therfore it alwayes walketh in the company and fellowship of the vertues hauing as it were a sword in her hand that she may open prepare the way for them which way so euer they goe For Vertue as the Philosophers say is a thing hard and difficult and therfore it is needfull that this fortitude alwayes march in the vauntgard of the vertues that she may lay to her helping hand to ouercome and conquer this difficulty Therfore as a stone-cutter ought alwayes to haue his mallet in his hand by reason of the hard matter which he laboureth in so a spirituall man of necessity ought alwayes to haue in a readines this fortitude as a spirituall mallet to tame and ouercome this difficulty which meeteth with vs in the way of vertue And as the stone-cutter shall doe nothing to any purpose vnlesse he hath his mallet so also the louer of Vertue without this fortitude shall sweat in vaine Tell me what instance of any vertue canst thou giue which hath not some particuler difficulty ioyned vnto it Consider of them seuerally if it please thee Looke into Prayer fasting obedience temperance poorenes of spirit patience chastity and humility These and all other are alwaies ioyned with some difficulty which comes eyther through our owne selfe-loue or the malice of the deuill or the crosnes and repugnacy of the world Wherfore if thou takest away this fortitude what can naked and vnarmed Vertue doe and therfore all other vertues doe seeme as it were bound hand and foote neyther can they performe any thing Wherfore my brother if thou desirest to warre in the tents of Vertue to bring forth fruite in them imagine that the Captaine and Emperor of Vertue doth say vnto thee as he sayd in times past vnto Moses although in another sence Take this rod in thine hand where-with thou shalt doe miracles and bring my people out of Egipt Trust doubt not as that rod was the worker of these miracles which effected so blessed and ioyfull a worke so also it is the rod of fortitude which will conquer ouercome all difficulties which may be procured and obiected eyther of selfe-loue or of any other enemies and it will strengthen and enable thee to bring the wished victory from this warre Therefore see that thou haue it alwayes in thine hand for thou canst doe no admirable thing without it In this place in my iudgement
of them is who haue not their trust in God 195 Onely hope is left vnto man ibidem Man cannot liue without a God ibidem How necessary Hope is for man 196 The punishment of fruitlesse and vaine hope ibidem The difference of the prouidence of God and of hope or trust 197 The ninteenth Chapter Of the seauenth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the true liberty which the righteous haue and reioyce in and of the misery and vnknowne seruitude and bondage in which sinners liue 197. The matters handled in this Chapter Whence this liberty springeth ibidem One kind of liberty true another false 198 Why the liberty of the soule is the true liberty ibidem Of the seruitude in which wicked â—en liue ibidem Sinne is a cruell tyrant ibidem Whose seruant a sinner is page 199 The flesh is sinne and a nourisher of sinne ibidem Fleshly desire or sensuall appetite is the cause of perturbations ibidem The soule hath two parts the superiour part and the inferiour part 201. The appetite ought to be gouerned and not to gouerne ibidem What it is to obey the appetite 202. A carnall louer is a seruant ibidem Why vicious men are not auoyded 203. How great the force is of perturbations and affections ibidem The seruitude of impure and vnchast loue page 204 Luxury is not satisfied with the thing desired 205. The seruitude of ambition 207 The punishment of a certaine ambitious man 208 The seruitude of couetousnes ibidem A couetous man is the seruant and slaue of his money 208 A sinner is not bound with one chaine alone 209 Of the liberty in which the righteous liue 210. By the grace of God we are deliuered from the seruitude of sinne 211 Men through grace raigne ouer the deuill ibidem The deuill is couetous and niggardly towards his 212 Causes from whence this liberty ariseth ibidem The first cause is the Diuine grace ibidem The second cause is the sweetnes of spirituall consolations 214. The third cause is daily vse and continuall diligence 215 The affections are taught of the Lord and doe work good vnto man 216 A Caution ibidem The yoke of sinners page 217 The twenteth Chapter Of the eyght priuiledge of Vertue that is of the blessed peace inward quietnes which the righteous enioy and of the wretched warre and continuall trouble and terrour with which the wicked are shaken and smitten in their soules page 218 The matters handled in this Chapter Three kinds of peace one with God another with our neighbour the third with our selues ibidem Of the continuall warre and inward trouble of wicked men 219 The two daughters of our appetite Necessity and Greedines ibidem The thirst of the wicked 222 Biting of conscience is the companion of carnall pleasure ibidem The impatience of the appetite 223 Whence the vnquietnes of the mind ariseth ibidem A little misery doth sowre and disturbe a great deale of felicity 224 Appetites fight one against another 225 Of the peace and inward rest in which the righteous liue 226. The change of the inward man 227 The presence of the holy Ghost is knowne discerned by the peace and tranquility of the mind page 228 The seauen first priuiledges and prerogatiues of Vertue are the first cause of this peace ibidem The second cause of this peace ariseth from the liberty of the subdued passions 229 The third cause of this peace springeth from the greatnes of spirituall consolations ibidem The fourth cause proceedeth from the testimony and inward ioy of a good conscience 230 The fift and last cause is engendered of Hope ibidem The 21. Chapter Of the ninth priuiledge of Vertue that God heareth the prayers of the righteous and reiecteth the prayers of the wicked 230. The matters handled in this Chapter A double deluge the one materiall the other spirituall ibidem Man is more miserable then any liuing creature 231. A saying of Silenus taken Captiue of Mydas out of the eleuenth booke of Ouids Metamorp page 232. Prayer the onely remedy of man ibidem How sure a remedy our prayer is 233. How farre prayer extendeth it selfe 234. What great things the Saints haue done by prayer page 235. The 22. Chapter Of the tenth priuiledge of Vertue which is the help and fauour of God which the righteous feele and tast of in their tribulations and of the impatience and torment of the wicked in carrying theirs 236 The matters handled in this Chapter Our life is a Sea stormy and tempestuous ibidem God doth temper and proportionate the tribulations according to the strength and ability of men 237. Tribulation is profitable ibidem God is present with the righteous in tribulation ibidem All vertues helpe the afflicted 239. Hope is an Anchor 241 Wherein true Christianity consisteth ibidem Of the impatience and fury of the wicked in tribulations 242 The wicked are vnfit to beare tribulations ibidem The force of impatience 243. Miseries are doubled vpon the impatient 244. Mourning doth nothing profit the impatient ibidem One and the selfe same tribulation doth profit the righteous and hurt the wiâ—ked 245. Constancy in affliction is not to be sought in Philosophy 246. The 23. Chapter Of the eleuenth priuiledge of Vertue that is that the Lord doth prouide temporall blessings for the louers and embracers of Vertue 246 The matters handled in this Chapter God doth not suffer his to be hunger-starued 247. The temporall promises of the old Testament after some manner doe also pertaine vnto the righteous of the new Testamenâ— 248. In the keeping of the law all good things are found 249. To him that keepeth the law of the Lord all things succeede and prosper well ibidem Of the scarcity and pouerty of the wicked 250. The curses set downe in the 28 of Deut. are proued by examples 253 The curses in the 28. of Deut. pertaine not onely to the Iewish Nation but also to Christians ibidem The 25. Chapter Of the twelueth priuiledge of Vertue that is of the quiet peaceable and ioyfull death of the Righteous and contrarily of the wretched miserable painfull disquiet and greeuous death of sinners 254. The matters handled in this Chapter The accidents of death 255. A wonderfull and excellent saying of Petrus Damianus of the houre of death 256 Nothing auaileth in death but Vertue page 258 Of the death of the 〈◊〉 ibidem The righteous feareth not in the houre of death page 249 In death prosperity doth nothing profit nor aduersity hurt 260 The conclusion of those things which haue been spoken of in this second part of the first booke 261 Vertue hath but one inconuenience that is that it is not well known 262 The third part of the first Booke In which aunswere is made to all those excuses by which those men are wont to excuse and defend themselues who will not embrace Vertue page 265 The Chapters of the third part The 25. Chapter Against the first excuse of those who deferre