are sure to be crowned Death of it selfe to the good is not so odious but that for infinite motiues we haue rather cause to wishe it then to eschewe it and rather to desire it then to feare it Sweete sayeth S. Chrisostome is the ende to the laborers willinglye doth the trauayler question about his Inne often casteth the hirelinge when his yeare will come out the husbandman alwayes looketh for the tyme of his haruest the marchant is stil busie about his billes to know the daye of payment and the woman great with childe is euer musing vppon the tyme of her deliuerye No lesse comfort it is to Gods seruauntes to thinke of theire decease seing that there is theire hart where they haue horded their treasure For as S. Bernard noteth where the coÌ„science is cleere absque formidine mors expectatur imo et exoptatur cum dulcedine et excipitur cum deuotione Death is looked for without feare yea desired with delight accepted with deuotion To vs it killeth our most daungerous and domestical enemy it breaketh the lockes vnloseth cheynes and openeth the dore to lett vs out of a lothsome prison It vnloadeth vs of a combersome burden which oppresseth our soule Who would not willingly be out of the sway of Fortune ridd of the infinite hazards and periles of daylye casualtyes Who would not be gladd to settle his soule in securitie out of this daungerous sea wherin as S. Bernard sayeth periculum probat transentium raritas pereuntiuÌ„ multitudo The rarenesse of those that passe ouer safe and the multitude of others that perishe in their passage sufficiently proueth the perill In the Ocean sea of fower shippes not one doth miscarrye and in the Sea of this worlde of manye fowers not one is saued This world is the kingdome of Sathan what seruaunt of God can loue to liue in it It is a place of banishment and who is so vnnaturall as not willinglye to forsake it Can any choose rather alwayes to hang in hazard then once to fall for his felicitye Can anye rather desire to liue in the Gunshott of the deuils assaultes then to enioye the porte of assured securitye We are promised that here we shal-be persecuted and hated of the worlde that we shall weâ—pe and liue in sorowe that we shal be despised and put to shame and haue no reste of bodye nor perfecte contentmente of mynde We are assured on the other syde that in the nexte lyfe our rewarde is greate our repose without trouble and our comforte without crosse Our teares shal be turned into triumphe our disgrace into glorye all our miseryes into perfect felicitye Who therfore would not reioyce quickly to dye seing that death is the passage from this worlde to the nexte from all the presente agreeuances to all possible happynesse Well maye the brute beastes feare death whose ende of lyfe is the conclusion of their being Well maye the Epicure tremble who with his lyfe looketh to lose his felicitye Well may the Infidels heretickes or vnrepentant sinners quake whose death is the beginning of their damnation Such as here haue their heauen and haue made their prison their praradise those whose bellye was their god and their appetites theire guides maye with reasone rue theire death seing they haue no portion in the lande of the liuinge They haue sowne in sinne and what can they looke to reape but miserye vanityes were their traficke and griefe wil- be their gayne detestable was their life damnable wil be their decease Of suche it is verified O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substaÌ„tijs suis vere mors peccatorum pessima Sed pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius O death how bitter is thy remeÌ„brance to a man that hath planted his peace and contentment in his worldlye substaÌ„ce for in deede most miserable is the sinners decease But pretious is the death of saintes in the sight of our Lorde Here they haue their payne and in heauen they looke for their payment Here they haue sowne in teares and there they shall reape in ioye Their Iudge is he for whome they haue suffered and therefore doubtlesse wil be mercifull Their accusers are made duÌ„me by their former repentance and therfore cannot be preiudiciall Their conscience is cleered by humble confession and therfore cannot be fearfull Hope is theire staffe to keepe them from sliding rightuousnesse their safe conduite to warrant them from arrestyng grace is their guide to keepe them from erring Their woundes and sufferings in Gods cause are rewardes to assure them of comfortable intertaynment Their frayes and wrastlinges against their owne passions are badges of perfection and will finde free accesse Finallye the hell that here they haue passed will acertayne them of obtayning a crowne in heauen They are goodlye fruite more fitt for the golden plate and Kinges table then to hange longer on a rotten bough They are pleasant and sweete roses more worthye to be honoured in the Princes hande then lefte vpon a thorny stalke Yea they are glorious rubies rather to be sett in the crowne of glorye then here to be trodden vnder foote by dirtye swyne What can they see in this world to with holde them They runne sayeth Saint Chrisostome for a greate wager and not quasi in certu They regarde not whether the way be greene and pleasant or rough mierye they waye not whoe seeth them nor what they saye of them Though they be reuiled they stay not to answere Though they be stroken they stande not to reueng Though their house burne their wife coÌ„playne their children crye they turne not backe to mâ—ane them their minde is onlye on their wager if they runne not they winne not and therefore their onlye ioy is to come soonest to their goale If they looke vppon the worlde they see it lyke a Sea where manye trusting to the waues are drowned others are beaten with the billowes against the stonye rockes dyuerse laboring to attayne dyuerse shores some by healpe of a selye plancke some by some fragment of the broaken shippe They see manye forced to healpe them selues with their onlye handes and manye other ouercome with the surges to haue yelded vp the ghost and lefte a multitude of dead carcases to the waters rage Amongest others they see themselues also tyred not with the smalest stormes and their holde to be verye fickle and therfore what greater comforte can ther befall them then to be quicklye landed in a safe porte where behoulding vnder them the perilles esscaped they maye the more reioyce at theire attayned securitye Dauid describing this tedious voyage or nauigation of Gods seruauntes thorough this stormye sea sheweth howe eagre they were and desirous to be deliuered out of the same They sayethe he which descende into the sea of this lyfe in the shippes of their mortal bodyes doing their worke in manye waters of worldlye
we haue not followed On the left hand the wicked whose course we haue pursued Before vs we haue our death readye to deâ—oure vs Behynde vs our wicked lyfe readye to accuse vs Aboue vs gods iustice readye to condemne vs Vnder vs hell fire readye to swallowe vs into end lesse and euerlasting tormentes And therfore S. Damascen most fitlye compareth vs to a man that pursued by an enraged Vnicorne whyle he was swiftlye fleeinge from it fell into a well and in the fallinge gott holde by a little tree and setled his feete on a weake staye thus thought him selfe verye secure But looking a litle better about him he espyed two myse one whyte and an other blacke that continually laye gnawing a sunder the roote of the tree which he helde bye vnderneth him a terrible Dragon with open iawes ready to deuoure him at the staye of his feete he found fower adders that issued out of the wall and after all this lifting vp his eye he espyed vpon one of the bowes of the tree a litle honye He therfore vnmyndfull of all his daungers not remembringe that aboue the Vnicorne wayted to spoyle him that beneath the fierye Dragon watched to swallowe him that the tree was quicklye to be gnawen asunder that the stay of his feete was slipperye and not to truste vnto Not remembring I saye all these perils he onlye thought how he might come by that litle honye The Vnicorne is death the pitt the worlde the tree the measure and tyme of our lyfe and whyte and blacke myse the day and night the stoppe borne vp by fower adders our bodye framed of fower brittle and contrarye elementes the Dragon the Deuill the honye worldly pleasure Who therfore woulde not thincke it a madnesse in so manye dauÌ„gers rather to be eagre of vayne delight then fearefull and sadd with consideratioÌ„ of so manifold perils O blindnesse of worldlinges that loue vanitye and seeke lyes that reioyce when they haue done euill triumphe in the baddest things that haue no feare of god before them A nation without counsell or prudence O that they woulde be wyse vnderstand and prouide for their last thinges lest it fare with them as Iob sayeth They holde the drumme and citherne and reioyce at the sounde of the organe they passe their dayes in pleasure and in a moment they descende into hell Farr otherwyse ought we to doe that fore see these inconueniences and rather with sorowfull hartes crye Hei mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est Woe vnto me that my inhabitance is proloÌ„ged For vpon the fluddes of Babilon what cause haue we but layinge a syde our myrth and musicke to sitt weepe remembringe our absence out of our heauenlye Sion In the vassalage and seruilitye of Egipt where we are so daylye oppressed with vncessante afflictions filthy workes Luti et lateris of claye and bricke that is of fleshe and blood what can we doe but with the Israelites ingemiscentes propter opera vociferari lamentinge our vntollerable drudgery cry out vnto God Who consideringe him selfe a wandering straunger in this farr and foreyne countrey and a drudge in the mierye farme of this worlde inforced to feede the swyne of his earthlye appetites senses and dryuen to so extreame exigents as not to be suffered implore ventrem de siliquis quas porci manducabant To fill his bellye of the huskes that the swyne did eate Who I saye considering this would not with the prodigall soÌ„ne bitterlye morne remembringe the aboundance and plentye of his fathers house wherof he is depryued and the moste wretched plyghte into whiche through sinne he is falne We are here in a deserte pathlesse and waterlesse soyle in an obscure land couered with the fogge and shadowe of death We are here in a place of exile in an hospitall of lazars in a chanell of ordure in a dungeon of miserie in a sepulcher of dead carcases finallye in a vale of teares And who could in such a place liue without sorowe and who woulde not saye with the wyse man Risum reputaui errorem gaudio dixi quid frustra deciperis I accounted laughture errour and to ioye I sayde why arte thou in vayne deceyued For laughing shal be mingled with sorowe the endinge of our mirth shal be preuented with morninge Happye is he that sitteth solitarye in the peruse of these miseries lifteth vp himselfe aboue him selfe happye is he that carieth the yoke from his verye youth blessed are they that morne and vnderstande how much better it is to go to the house of lamentatioÌ„ then of a bancker What comforte can a man reape in a place that is gouerned by the prince of darcknesse peopled with gods and our enemyes where vice is aduaunced vertue scorned the badd rewarded the good oppressed What quiet or contentment of mynde can be enioyed where the paynes be infinite common vntollerable the pleasures few rare and damnable where frindshipp breedeth daunger to the soule enmitye vexation to the bodye where wante is miserable plentye full of perill a man on euerye syde assaulted with vnplacable aduersaries My flesh sayeth S. Bernard is of earth therfore ministreth earthlye and voluptuous the worlde vayne and curious the deuil euill and malitious thoughtes These three enemyes assayle and persecute me somtymes openlye somtimes couertlye but alwayes malitiouslye The deuill trusteth much vpon the helpe of the fleshe because a housholde enemye is apter to hurte The fleshe also hath entered league with him and conspired to my subuersion beinge borne and nourished in sinne defiled from her beginnynge but much more corrupted by euill custome Hereuppon it is that so egrelye she coueteth agaynst the spirite that so daylye she murmureth impatiente of disciplyne that she suggesteth wickednesse disobeyeth reason is not rastrayned with feare The crooked serpente enemye of mankynde to her ioyneth his force her he helpeth her he vseth and he hath no other desyre no other businesse no other studye but to cast awaye our soules This is he that alwayes endeuoreth mischiefe that speaketh subâ—ellye prompteth cunninglye and deceyueth guylfullye He insinuateth euill motions he inflameth venemous cogitations he stirreth broyles he fostereth hatredes he moueth to glotonye he procureth lust he incenseth the desires of the fleshe He prepareth occasions of sinne and ceaseth not with a thousand hurtfull traynes to assaye mens hartes He beateth vs with our owne staâ—fe he byndeth vs with our owne gyrdle labowring that our flesh which was giuen vs as a helpe mighte be rather cause of our fall and ruine A greeuous combate and great daunger it is to wrastle agaynst our domesticall foe especiallye we being strauÌ„gers and she a cityzen For she dwelleth here in her owne countrey wheras we are but pilgrimes and exiled persons Greate is also the hazarde in susteyninge the often and continuall incouÌ„ters agaynst the deuils deceiptfull
shall crye vnto me and I will heare they re cryes And my furye shall take indignation and I will stryke you with the sworde and your wyues shal be widdowes and your children orphans Yea and I will meate the enemyes of my churche with they re owne fleshe and they shall be dronken with theyr owne bloode as it were with newe wyne Remember what is sayde in the booke of wisdome Condemnat iustus mortuus viuos impios One iust man dead coÌ„demneth many wicked yet alyue They shall see sayeth Salomon the end of the wise man and shall not vnderstande what God hath determined of him and whye our Lord did protecte him They shall see and shall contemne him but our Lord shall laugh them to scorne And after these thinges they shal fall without honour with reproch amongst the dead for euer for he shal burste theÌ„ puffed vpp without voyce he shall moue theÌ„ from the very foundations shall bring them to vtter desolation And they shall grone and theyr memorye shall perish Thus hath it happened to persecutours of former tymes who haue as is shewed euen with theyr posteritye bene rooted out for they re cruelty shewed to their mother the Churche Neyther can suche stepchildren euer prosper accordinge to that saying of Christe Omnis plantatio quam non plantauit Pater meus eradicabitur And that of Salomon Spuria vitulamina non dabunt radices altas nec stabile firmamentum collocabunt All planting that my Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp And bastard slypps shal neuer take deepe roote nor be setled in any stayed suerty RemeÌ„ber that he which speaketh these things is able to ê‘forme theÌ„ doubtlesse will doe it if you wil not cease to deserue it Cap. 16. BVT Now to returne to you moste glorious Confessors remeÌ„ber who sayd vnto you Feare you not my litle flocke For the aduersaries of our Lord shal be afrayed of him more then you of them and he will thunder from heauen vppon them He wil tourne they re lyghteninges into rayne of consolation And if here he measure the waters of your short miseries with his closed fiste heauen and his eternall rewardes he will measure vnto you with his open span If here he hath made darkenesse his secrete place he will afterwarde shew himselfe vnto you clothed with lighte as with a garmente and will make the comfortlesse deserte wherin you nowe dwell as it were a place of delights and the wildernesse of your desolation as the garden of our Lorde In the meane tyme you muste be contented to saye with Iob I haue bene a brother vnto Dragons and a felowe of Ostriges taking well they re euill vsage and requitinge Dragons spite with brotherlye charitye and the vnnaturalnesse of the Ostrige that as the Scripture sayeth is hardened against her yonglinges as thoughe they were not hers with friendlye demeanour dutifull subiection Remember what S. Gregorye sayth Abel esse non potest quem Caini malitia non exercet rosa quae redolet crescit cum spina que pungit Abel he cannot be that is not exercysed by the malice of Cayne the rose whose pleasant sauour delighteth groweth with a stalke whose prickle woundeth God will not be angrye for euer neyther will he all wayes conteyn in wrath his mercyes Adhuc paululum modicumque consummabitur indignatio mea furor meus super scelus eorum Iuxta est dies perditionis adesse festinant tempora Yett a litle whyle and a verye shorte space and my wrath sayeth he shal be consummated and my rage vppon the enormitye of mine enemyes The daye of theyr destructioÌ„ is nere and the tymes hasten to be at hande And then shall the burthen be taken from your shoulders and the yoke from youre necke Then shall God afford you a crowne of glorye in stead of the ashes of your disgrace Oyle of ioye for your mourning and a garmente of prayse for the spirite of heauines Happy therfore is he that drinketh in the way of the torreÌ„t of martirdome for he shall lifte vp his heade to an vnspeakeable crowne Hapye is he that is quasi torris raptus ex incendio lyke a fyre brand snatched out of the flame of persecution because with a most fortunate vyolence is he caryed brighte with an enflamed charitye to the presence of God Happye is he that sucketh honye out of this rock and oyle out of this most harde stone For by the taste of this honye shall his eyes be opened as it hapened to Ionathaâ— and he shall see the yoake of all miserye rott awaye from the face of this oyle Finally blessed is he that with Dauid can saye my mouth sayde in my tribulation I will offer vpp vnto the holocaustes full of marow yelding himselfe with Isaac as a perfecte sacryfyce rather then our mother the Churche shold want lyuing hoastes euen of her owne children to offer when God shall appoynte it for the confirmation of his trueth For withe suche hoastes is Gods fauoure earned And seeinge that persecutioÌ„ in Gods cause is a signe that you are Sathans enemyes sith he thus pursueth you That you are Gods children sith he thus chastiseth you Seeinge that you haue Christes example to encourage you the necessarye miseryes of this world to make you willing the auoyding of greater paynes due vnto your sinnes to comforte you seing your cause is so good the estate of the persecuted so honorable in Gods Churche imprisonmente glorious martirdome pretious in it selfe profitable to the Churche and so beneficiall to the sufferers and last of all your finall rewarde so ample and greate what remayneth but for you to reioyce in somanye tytles of consolation happelye to continew that which you haue fortunatlye begonne For as S. Cyprian seyeth Parum est adipiscialiquid potu isse plus est quod adeptus es posse seruare It is a small matter to haue ben able to gett a thinge more it is to be able to keepe it when it is once gotten Now is the time that many of our forfathers haue desyred to lyue in that is when they might not only profitt the Churche by example of they re lyfe and by vertue of they re preachinge but also which they accounted most to be desyred by effusioÌ„ of their blood WheÌ„ Englande was Catholike it had manye glorious Confessors It is now for the honour and benefit of our countrye that it be also well stored with the number of Martyrs and we haue God be thanked suche martyrquellers now in authoritye as meane if they may haue they re will to make Saynctes enough to furnishe all our Churches with treasure wheÌ„ it shall please God to restore them to they re true honoures I doubte not but eyther they or they re posteritye shall see the verye prisons and places of executioÌ„ places of reuerence