a good paye for so litle paynes king Dauid one night beganne to thinke with hym selfe that he had now a howse of Cedar and the arcke of God lay but vnder a tent and therfore resolued to build a house for the sayd Arcke VVhiche onelie cogitation God tooke in so good parte as he sent Nathan the prophet vnto hym presentlie to refuse the thing but yet to tell hym that for so muche as he had determined such a matter God wolde build a house or rather a kingdome to hym and his posteritie whiche should last for euer and from whiche he wold neuer take away his mercie what sinnes or offences so euer they committed VVhiche promisse we see now fullfilled in Christ his Churche raysed out of that familie VVhat shoulde I recite many like exāples Christ geueth a generall note hereof when he calleth the workemen and payeth to eche man his wages so duelie as also when he sayeth of him selfe beholde I come quicklie and my revvarde is with me By which places is euident that God suffereth no labour in his seruice to be lost or vnpayed And albeit as after in place conuenient shal be shewed he payeth also and that abundantlie in this lyfe yet as by these two texts appeareth he deferreth his cheefe paye vnto his cōming in the end of the day that is after this lyfe in the resurrection of the iust as hym selfe sayeth in an other place Of this payment then reserued for gods seruants in the lyfe to come we are now to consider what and what maner a thing it is and whether it be woorthe so muche labour and trauail as the seruice of God requireth or no. And first of all yf we will belecue the holie scripture calling it a kingdome a heauenlie kingdome an eternall kingdome a most blessed kingdome we must nedes confesse it to be a maruailous great rewarde for that wordlie princes doe not vse to geue kingdomes to their seruants for recompence of their labours And yf they did or were hable to doe it yet could it be nether heauenlie nor eternall nor blessed kingdome Secondlie yf we credit that which S. Paul saieth of it that nether eye hath seene nor 〈◊〉 heard nor hart of man conceaued how great a matter it is then must we yet admitt a greater opinion thereof For that we haue seen many wounderfull things in our dayes we haue heard more wounderfull we may conceaue moste wounderfull and almost infinite How then shall we come to vnderstand the greatnesse and value of this rewarde surelie no tongue created ether of man or Angell can expresse the same no imagination conceaue no vnderstanding comprehend it Christ hym selfe hathe sayd nemo scit nisi qui accipit No man knoweth it but he that enioyeth yt And therfore he calleth it hidden manna in the same place Notwithstanding as it is reported of a learned Geometrician that fynding the lengthe of Hercules foote vpō the hill Olimpus drewe out his whole bodie by the proportion of that one parte so wee by some things sett downe in scripture and by some other circumstances agreing thereunto may frame a coniecture of the matter thought it come farre behinde the thing it selfe I haue shewed before how the scripture calleth it heauenlie euerlasting most blessed kingdome VVhereby is signified that all must be kinges that are admitted thither To like effect it is called in other places a 〈◊〉 of glorie a throne of maiestie a paradise or place of pleasure a lyfe euerlasting S. Iohn the Euangelist beinge in his banifnement by speciall priuilege made pryuie to some knowlege and feeling thereof aswell for his own comfort as for ouers taketh in hand to describe it by cōparison of a citie Affirming that the whole citie was of pure golde with a great highe wall of the pretiouse stone called Iaspis This wall had also twelue foundations made of twelue distinct pretiouse stones which he there nameth also twelue gates made of twelue riche stones called margarits and euerie gate was an entire margarit The streetes of the citie were paued with golde interlayed also with pearls and pretiouse stones The light of the citie was the clearenesse shinyng of Christ hym selfe sitting in the middest thereof from whose seat proceded a riuer of water as cleare as cristall to refresh the citie on bothe sides of the bankes there grew the tree of lyfe geuing out continuall and perpetuall fruit there was no night in that citie nor any defiled thing entered there but they which are within shall raigne sayeth he for euer and euer By this deseription of the moste riche pretiouse things that this worlde hathe S. Iohn wolde geue vs to vnderstād the infinite value glorie Maiestie of this felicitie prepared for vs in heauen though as I haue noted before it being the princelie inheritance of our Sauiour Christ the kingdome of his father the eternall habitatiō of the holie Trinitie prepared before all worldes to sett out the glorie expresse the power of hym that hath no end or measure ether in power or glorie we may verie well thinke with S. Paul that nether tongue can declare it not hart imagin it VVhen God shall take vpon hym to doe a thing for the vttermoste declaration in a certain sorte of his power wisdome and Maiestie imagine you what a thing it wil be It pleased hym at a certain time to make certain creatures to serue hym in his presence and to be witnesses of his glorie and thereupon with a woorde created the Angels bothe for numberand perfection so straunge and wounderfull as maketh mans vnderstanding astonished to think of it For as for their number they were almost infinite passing the number of all the creatures of this inferiour woorlde as diuers learned men and some auncient fathers doe think though Daniel according to the fashion of the scripture doe putt a certain number for an vncertain when he sayeth of Angels a thovvsand thovvsands dyd minister vnto hym that is vnto God tenn thovvsand tymes a hundreed thovvsand dyd stand abovvt hym to assist And for their perfection of nature it is suche being as the scripture sayeth spirits and like burning fire as they farre surpasse all inferiour creatures in naturall knowledge power and the like wherein one Angel doeth exceede all men in t̄he worlde put together VVhat an infinit Maiestie doeth this argue in the creator After this when many of these Angels were fallen it pleased God to creat an other creature farre inferiour to this for to fill vp the places of such as had fallen there vpon created man of a peece of claye as you know appointing hym to lyue a certain time in a place distant from heauen created for this purpose which is this worlde a place of entertainmet triall for a tyme which afterwarde is to be destroyed againe But yet in creating of this
is the cheefest for that men feele the disease of concupiscence in their bodies but doe not consider the strengthe of the medicine geuen vs against the same they erye with S. Paul that they fynde a law in their members repugning to the lavv of their mynde whiche is the rebellion of concupiscence left in our flesh by originall synne but they confesse not or cōsider not with the same S. Paul that the grace of God by Iesus Christ shall delyuer them from the same They remember not the comfortable sayeing of Christ to S. Paul in his greatest tēptations Sufficittibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient to strengthen thee against them all These men doe as Helizeus his disciple dyd whoe casting his eyes onelye vpon his enemies that is vpon the huge armie of Syrians redie to assault hym thought hym selfe lost vnpossible to stand in their sight vntill by the prayers of the holye prophet he was permitted from God to see the Angels that stoode there present to fyght on his syde then he well perceaued that his parte was the stronger So these men beholding onelye our miseries infirmities of nature wherby daylie tentations do ryse against vs doe account the battaill paynfull and the victorie vnpossible hauing not tasted in deed nor euer proued through their own negligence the manifold helpes of grace and spirituall succours which God allwayes sendeth to them who are content for his sake to take this conflict in hand S. Paul had well tasted that ayde whiche hauing reckned vp all the hardest matters that coulde be addeth Sed in his omnibus superamus propter eum qui dilexit nos But we ouercome in all these combates by his assistance that loueth vs. And then falleth he to that wounderful protestatiō that nether death nor lyfe nor Angels nor the lyke should separate him all this vpon the cōfidence of spirituall ayd ftō Christ wherby he sticketh not to avouch that he could doe all things Dauid also had proued the force of this assistance whoe sayde I dyd runne the uvay of thy cōmaudemētes vvhen thou dyddest enlarge my hart This enlargemēt of hart was by spirituall consolation of internall vnction wherby the hart drawen together by anguishe is opened and enlarged when grace is powred in euen as a drye purse ys softened and enlarged by annoynting it with oyle VVhich grace being present Dauid sayed he dyd not onelye walke the way of gods commaundements easilie but that he ranne them Euen as a carte wheele whiche crieth and cōpleyneth vnder a small burden being drye runneth merilye and without noyse whē a litle oyle is put vnto it VVhich thinge aptlye expresseth our state and condition whoe without gods help are able to doe nothing but with the ayde thereof are hable to conquere and ouercome any thing And surelie I wolde aske these men that imagine the waye of Gods law to be so hard and full of difficultie how the prophet could saye I haue taken pleasure o lord in the vvaye of thy commaundementes as in all the riches of the vvorlde And in an other place That they vvere more pleasant and to be desyred than golde or pretious stone and more svveter than hony or the hony combe by which woordes he yeeldeth to vertuouse lyfe not onely due estimation aboue all treasures in the world but also pleasure delyte and sweetnesse therby to confound all those that abandone and forsike the same vpon ydle pretensed and feyned difficulties And yf Dauid could say this muche in the olde law how muche more iustlie may we say so now in the new when grace is geuen more abundantlie as the scripture sayeth And thow poore Christian whiche deceauest thy selfe with this imagination tell me whye came Christ into this worlde whye laboured hee and tooke he so much paines heere whie shed he his bloode whie praied he to his father so oftē for thee whie appointed he the sacramētes as cōduites of grace whie sent he the holye ghoste into the worlde what signifieth gospell or good tydings what meaneth the woord grace and mercie broght with him what importeth the cōfortable name of Iesus is not all this to delyuer vs frō sinne frō sinne past I say by his onlye deathe frō sinne to come by the same deathe and by the assistance of his holy grace bestowed on vs more abundantlie than before by all these meanes was not this one of the principall effectes of Christ his coming as the prophet noted that craggie vuayes should be made streight and hard vuayes playne was not this the cause whie he indewed his chur che with the seuen blessed gyftes of the holie ghoste and with the vertues infused to make the yookeof his seruice sweete the exercise of good lyfe easye the walking in his commaundementes pleasant in such sort as men might now sing in tribulations haue confidence in periles securitie in afflictions and asseurance of victorie in all tēptations is not this the begynnyng mydle ende of the gospell were not these the promises of the prophetes the tydinges of the euāgelistes the preachinges of the Apostles the doctrine beleefe and practise of all saincts and finallie is not this verbum abbreuiatum The woord of God abbreuiated wherein doe consist all the riches and treasures of Christiantie If any man will be contentiouse and aske me how God doeth this maruailous woorke I answere hym as I haue done before that he doeth it by the assistance of his holie grace poured into the soule of man wherby it is beautified and strengthened against all temptations as S. Paul was in particular against temptations of the fleshe And this grace is of suche efficacie and force in the soule where it entereth that it altereth the whole state thereof making those thinges cleare which were obscure before those thinges pleasant which were bytter before those thinges easie which were hard difficult before And for this cause also it is sayed in scripture to make a new spirit and a new hart As where Ezechiel talking of this matter sayeth in the persone of God I vvill geue vnto them a nevv hart and vvill put a nevu spirit in their bovvelles that they may vualke in my preceptes and keepe my commaundementes Can any thing in the worlde bespoken more playnlie Now for mortifyeing and conquering of our passions whiche by robellion doe make the vvay of gods commaundementes vnpleasant S. Paul testifieth clearlie that abundāt grace is geeuē to vs also by the deathe of Christ to doe the same for so he sayeth This uve know that our olde man is crucified also to the ende that the bodie of sinne may be destroyed and vve serue no more vnto sinne By the olde man and the bodie of Sinne S. Paul vnderstandeth our rebellious appetite and concupiscence which is so crucified and destroyed by the most noble sacrifice of Christ
man hathe deserued Te speake then of this second iudgement generall and common for all the vvorlde vvherin as the scripture saith God shall bringe into iudgement euerie errour vvhich hath bene committed there are diuers circunstances to be considered and diuers men doe set dovvne the same diuerslye but in myne opinion no better playner or more effectuall declaration can be made therof than the verye scricture maketh it selfe settinge furthe vnto vs in most signifieant vvordes all the maner order and circunstances vvith the preparation therunto as follovveth At that daye there shal be signes in the Sunne and in the moone and in the starres the Sunne shal be darckened the moone shall geeue no light the starres shall fall from the skyes all the powers of heauen shal be moued the firmament shall leaue his situation with a greate violence the elementes shal be dissolued vvith heate and the earth vvith all that is in it shal be consumed vvith fire the earthe also snall moue of her place and shall flye like a litle deare or sheepe The pressures of nations vpon the earthe shal be greate by reason of the confusion of the noyse of the sea and fluddes and men shall vvither a vvaye for feare and expectation of thes thinges that then shall come vpon the vvhole vvorld Then shall the signe of the Sonne of man appeare in the skye and then shall all the tribes of the earthe mourne and vvayle and they shall see the sonne of man comminge in the clovvdes of heauen vvith muche power and glorie great authoritie and maiestie And then in a moment in the twynklynge of an eye he shall send his Angels vvith a trumpet and vvith a greate crie at midnight and they shall gather together his elect frō the fovver partes of the vvorld from heauen to earth All must be presented before the tribunall of Christ vvhoe vvill bringe to light those thinges vvhich vvere hidden in darcknes vvill make manifest the thoughtes of mens hartes and vvhat soeuer hath bene spoken in chambers in the eare shal be preached vpon the house toppe Accounte shal be asked of eueryeydle vvorde and he shall iudge our verie righteousnes it selfe Then shall the iust stando in greate constancie against those vvhich haue afflicted them in this lyfe And the vvicked seeinge that shlbe trovvbled vvith a horrible feare and shall saye to the hilles fall vppon vs and hyde vs from the face of hym that sitteth vppon the throne and from the angre of the lambe for that the greate daye of vvrath is come Then shall Christ separate the sheepe from the goates and shall put the sheepe on his right hande and the goates on the left and shall saye to those on the right hand come ye blessed of my father possesse the kindome prepared for you from the beginninge of the vvorlde I vvas Humgry and you gaue me to eate I vvas a straunger and you gaue me harboure I vvas naked and you clothed me I vvas sycke and you visited me I vvas in prison you came to me Then shall the iust saye o lorde vvhen haue vve donne thes tainges for the and the kinge shall aunswere trewlye vvhen you dyd them to the least of my brothers you did it to me Then shall he saye to them on his left hand departe from me you accursed into euerlastinge fyre prepared for the deuill and his angels for I vvas Hungrie and you fed me not I vvas a straunger and you harboured me not I vvas naked and you clothed me not I vvas sicke and in prison and you visited me not Then shall they saye o lorde vvhen haue vve seene thee hungrie or thirstio or a straunger or naked or sicke or in pryson and did not minister vnto the and he shall aunswere verylye I tell you seeinge you haue not donne it to one of thes lesser you haue not done it to me And then thes men shall goe into eternall punishment and the iust into lyfe euerlastinge Tell me vvhat a dreadfull preparation is heere layed doune how manye circumstāces of feare horrour it shal be saythe the scripture at midnight when commonlie men are a sleepe it shal be with hydeous noyse of trumpetts sounde of waters motion of all the elementes VVhat a night vvill that bee trowest thovv to see the earthe shake the hilles and dales moued from their places the moone darckened the starrs fall dovvne from heauen the whole element shiuered in peeces and all the vvorld in a flaminge fire Sainct Iohn savve it in vision and was maruailous a feard I saw faithe he when the lambe had opened one of the seuen seales I harde one of the fower beastes saye lyke the voyce of a thunder come and see and I sawe and beholde a white horse and one that satte vpon him had a bowe and he went out to conquere Then went there furthe a blacke horse he that sate vpon him had a payre of balāces in his hand then went there forthe a pale horse and he that satte vpon hym was named death and hell folowed behynde hym and he had authoritie geeuen hym to kyll by sworde by death and by beastes of the earth The earth did snake the sunne grew blacke lyke a sacke the moone like bloode the starres fell from heauen the skye doubled it selfe like a folded booke euerie hyll and Ilande was moued from his place the kynges of the earth and princes and tribunes and the the riche stoute hid them selues in dennes and in the rockes of hylles Then appeared there seuen Angels will seuen trumpettes and eche one prepared hym selfe to blovv his blast at the first blast came there hayle and fyre mixt vvith bloode At the secōd blast came there a vvhole mountaine of burnynge fyre into the sea and the thyrd part of the sea vvas made bloode At the thyrd blast fell there a greate starre from heauen named absinthium burninge like a torche and infected the ryuers and fountaines At the fourth blast vvas striken doune the third parte of the sunne moone and starres and an egle flewe in the element cryeinge vvith a hydeous voice vvoe vvoe woe to all them that dvvell vppon the earth At the fyfthe blast fell a starre frō heauen vvhich had the keye of the pytt of hell and he opened the pitt and there arose a smoke as from a greate furnace and there came forth besydes certaine Locustes lyke scorpions to torment them that had not the marcke of god in their foreheades And at thes dayes men shall seeke deathe and shall not fynde it And these Locustes vvere like barbed horses with crownes on their heades Their faces like men their heare lyke vvemen their teeth lyke lyons and the noyse of their wynges lyke the noyse of manye chariottes running together their tayles like scorpions and they re stinges were in their tayles their kynge was an Angel of hell named Abbadon whiche
worlde at the last daye sayinge 〈◊〉 the vertuous whome they despised in this life Nos insensati etc. vve senseles mē did esteeme their lyfe to be madnes and their end to be dishonorable but looke howe they are now accounted amonge the children of God and their portion is with the sainctes VVe haue erred from the waye of trewfh and the light of righteousnes hath not shyned before vs necher hath the sonne of vnderstandinge appeared vnto vs. VVe haue weried out our seues in the waye of iniquitie and perdition and we haue walked craggye pathes but the waye of our lord we haue not knowen Hytherto are the wordes of scripture wherby we may perceyue what greate chaunge of iudgement there wil be at the last daye from that which men haue now of matters what confessinge of folye what acknowledginge of errour what hartie sorow for laboure lost what fruiteles repentance for hauinge runne a-wrie Oh that men would consider these thinges now VVe haue vveried out our selues saye thee miserable men in the vvaye of 〈◊〉 and perdition and vve haue vvalked craggie pathes VVhat a description is this of lamentable wordlinges whoe beate their braynes 〈◊〉 and wearie out them selues in pursuyte of vanitie chaffe of this worlde for which they suffer notwith standinge more paine ofte times thā the iust doe in purchasinge of heauen and when they arriue to at the last daie werly ed and worne owt with trouble and toyle they sinde that all their laboure is lost all their vexatioh taken in vaine For that the litle pelfe which they haugotten in the worlde and for which they haue strugled so sore will helpe them nothinge but rather greatly afflicte and torment them For better vnderstandinge wherof it is to be considered that three thinges will principallie molest these men at the daye of their death and vnto these maye all the rest be referred The first is the excessyue paynes whiche commonlye men suffer in the seperation of the sowle and bodie which haue lyued so longe together as two deare frendes vnited in loue and pleasure and therfore most lothe to parte now but onlye that they are enforced therunto This payne may partlye be conceaued by that yf we would dryue out lyfe but from the least parte of our bodye as for example owt of our litle singer as surgeans are wont to doe when they will mortifye any place to make it breacke what a payne doth a man suffer before he be dead what raginge greefe dothe he abyde and yf the mortyfyinge of one litle parte onlye dothe so muche afflicte vs Imagine what the violent mortyfiinge of all the partes together will doe For we see that first the sowle i ̄s driuen by death to leaue the extreamest partes as the toes feete and fyngers then the legges and armes and so consequentlye one parte dyeth after an other vntill lyfe be restrained onlye to the harte which holdeth out longest as the principall parte but yet must finallye be constrained to render it selfe though with neuer so much payne and resistance which paine how greate and strōge it is may appeare by the breakinge in peeces of the verye stringes and holdes wherwith it was enuyroned thorough the excessyue vehemencie of this deadlye torment Marye yet before it come to this pointe to yelde no man can expresse the cruell conflict that is betwixt death and her and what distresses she abydeth in tyme of her agonie Imagyne that a prince possessed a goodlye citie in all peace wealth and pleasure and greatlie frinded of all his neighbours aboute hym whoe promise to assiste hym in all his needes and affayrs and that vpon the sudden his mortall enymie should come and besyege this citie and takinge one holde after an other one wall after another one castell after an other should dryue this prince onlye to a litle tower besiege him therin all his other holdes beinge beaten downe and his men slaine in his sight what feare anguishe and miserie woold this prince be in how often would he looke owt at the windowes and loope holes of his tower to see whether his friendes neighboures would come to help hym or no and yf he saw them all to abandone hym and his cruell enemye euen readie to breake in vpon hym would he not be in a pityfull plight trow you And euen so fareth it with a poore soule at the hower of death The bodye wherin she raigned lyke a iolye princesse in all pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and ouerthrowen by her enemye which is death the armes legges other partes where with she was fortified as with walles and wardes duringe tyme of health are now surprised beaten to the grounde and she is driuen onlye to the harte as to the last extremest refuge wheresne is also most fearcelye assayled in suche sorte as she can not hold owt lōge Her deare frendes which soothed her in tyme of prosperitie and promised assistance as yowth phisicke and other humane helpes doe now vtterlye abandone her the enemye will not be pacified or make any league but night and daye assaulteth this turret where in she is and whiche now begynneth to snake and shiuer in peeces and she looketh howerlye when her enemye in most raginge dreadfull maner will enter vpon her VVhat thinke you is now the state of this afflicted sowle It is no maruaile yf a wise man become a foole or a stowte vvorldlinge most abiect in this instant of extremitie as vve often see they doe in such sorte as they can dispose of nothinge vvell ether tovvardes God or the world at this hower the cause is the extremitie of paines oppressinge their myndes as S. Austen also proueth and geeueth vs therwithall a most 〈◊〉 forevvarninge yf men vvere so happie as to follovv it VVhen you shal be in your last sicknes deare bretheren sayeth he o hovv harde painfull a thinge vvill it be for you to repent of your faultes comitted of good deedes omitted vvhye is this but onlye for that all the intention of your mynde vvil runne thither vvhere all the force of your paine is Manie impedimeates shall let men at that day As the payne of the bodye the feare of deathe the sight of children for the which their fathers shall often tymes thinke them selues often damned the weepinge of the wife the flatterie of the world the temptation of the deuill the dissimulation of phisitions for lucre sake and the lyke and beleeue thow 〈◊〉 which readest this that thow 〈◊〉 quickelye proue all this trew vppon thy selfe and therfore I beseeche the that thow wilt doe penance before thow come vnto this last daye dispose of thy house and make thy testament whyle thow arte whole while thow art wise while thow art thyne owne man for if thowtarye vntill the last date thow shalt be ledd whether thow wouldest not Hitherto are S. Austens woords The seconde thinge whiche shall make death terrible
and greeuous to a worldlye man is the sudden partinge and that for euer and euer from all the thinges which he loued most dearely in this lyfe as from his 〈◊〉 possessios honours offices fayre buildinges with their commodities goodlye apparell with 〈◊〉 iewels from wyfe and children kyndred and frindes and the lyke where with he thought hym selfe a blessed man in this lyfe and now to be plucked from them vppon the sudden without euer hope to see or vse them agayne oh what a greefe what a torment will this be for which cause the holye scripture saieth O mors quam amara est memoriatua homini pacem habenti in substantiis suis O deathe how bytter is thy memorie vnto a man that hath peace and rest in his substaunce and riches as whoe would saye there is no more bytternes or greefe in the world to such a man than to remember or thinke on death onlye but muche more to goe to it hym selfe and that owt of hande when it shal be saied vnto hym as Christ reporteth it was to the greate wealthie man in the ghospell whiche had his barnes full and was come now to the hyghest topp of felicitie Siulte hac nocte animam tuam repetunt a te quae autem parafti ouius erunt thow foole euen this night they will take thy sowle from the and then whoe shall haue all that thow hast scraped together It is vnpossible I saye for anye tongue to expresse the dolefull state of a worldlye man in this instant of death when nothinge that euer he hath gathered together with so muche labour and 〈◊〉 and wherin he was went to haue so much confidence will now doe hym good any longer but rather afflict hym with the memorie therof consideringe that he must leaue all to other goe hym selfe to geeue accounte for the gettynge and vsinge of the same perhaps to his eternall dānation whiles in the meane tyme other men in the world do lyue merylye and plesantlie vppon that he hath gotten litle remembringe and lesse caringe for hym which lyeth perhapps burninge in vnquencheable fyre for the ryches left vnto them This is a wofull and lamentable point which is to bringe manie a man to greate sorow and anguyshe of harte at the last daye when all earthlie ioyes must be left all pleasures and commodities for euer abandoned Oh what a dolefull daye of partinge will this be what wilt thow saie my frende at this daye whē all thy glorye all thy welth all thy pompe is come to an ende VVhat art thow the better now to haue liued in credit with the world in fauour of princes exalted of men feared reuerenced and aduaunced seinge now all is ended and that thow canst vse these thinges no more But yet there is a third thinge whiche more then all the rest vvill make this daie of deathe to be trovvblesome and miserable vnto a vvorldlye man and that is the consideration vvhat shall become of him both in bodye and sovvle and for his bodie it vvilbe no small horrour to thinke that it must inherite serpentes beastes and vvormes as the scripture saieth that is it must be cast out to serue for the foode of vermen that bodie I meane vvhich vvas so delicatelie handled before vvith varietie of meates pillovves and beddes of dovvne so trymlye set foorthe in apparell and other ornamentes vvhere vppon the vvynde might not blovv nor the sunne shyne that bodye I saye of vvhose beavvtie there vvas so muche pride taken and vvherby so greate vanitie and sinne vvas committed that bodie vvhich in this vvorld vvas accustomed to all pamperinge could abide no austeritie or discipline must now come to be abandoned of all men left onlye to be deuoured of vvormes VVhīche thing albeit it can not but breede much horrour in the hart of hym that lyeth a dyinge yet is it nothinge in respect of the dreadfull cogitations vvhich he shall haue to vvchinge his sovvle as vvhat shalbecome of it vvhether it shall goe after her departure out of the bodie and then consideringe that it must goe to the iudgement seate of God and there to receyue sentence ether of vnspeakeable glorye or insupportable paynes he falleth to cs̄ider more in particuler the daunger therof by comparinge godes iustice and threates set dovvne in scripture against sinners vvith his ovvne lyfe he begynneth to examine the vvitnes vvhich is his conscience and he findeth it readie to laye infinite accusations against hym vvhen he commeth to the place of iustice And novv deare brother begynneth the miserie of this man For there is not a seuere saynge of God in all the scripture vvhiche commeth not novv to his mynde to terrify hym vvithall at this instant as if thovv vvilt enter into lyfe keepe the commaundementes He that sayeth he knovveth God and keepeth not his commaundementes is a liar manie shall saie vnto me at that daye Lord Lord c. not the hearers of the lavv but the doers of the lavve shal be iustifyed goe from me all vvorkers of iniquitie into euerlastinge fyar doe not you knovv that vvicked men shall not possesse the kyngdome of God be not deceyued for nether fornicatours nor Idolatours nor adulterers nor vncleane handlers of theire ovvne bodies nor Sodomites nor theeues nor couetous men nor dronkardes nor backbyters nor extorsioners shal euer possesse the kingdome of God yf you lyue accordinge to the fleshe you shall dye and the vvorkes of the fleshe are manifest as fornication vncleannes vvantonnes luxurie poyseninges enimities contentions emulations hatred stryfe dissentions sectes enuie murder dronkenes glouttonie and the lyke VVherof I foretell you as I haue tolde you before that they vvhiche doe thes thinges shall neuer attaine to the kyngdome of god VVe must all be presented before he tribunall of Christ and euerie man roceyue particularlie accordinge as he hathe donne in this lyfe good or euill euerye man shall receyue accordinge to his vvoorkes God spared not the Angels vvhen they sinned You shall geeue accounte of euerye idle vvorde at the daye of iudgement if the iuste shall scarce be saued vvhere shall the vvicked man and synner 〈◊〉 fevv are saued and a riche man shall hardlie enter into the kyndome of heauen All these thinges I saye and a thowsand more towchinge the seueritie of godes iustice the accounte which shal be demaunded at that daye will come into his mind that lieth a dyinge our ghostlye enimie which in this lyfe laboured to keepe these thinges from our eyes therby the easier to draw vs to sinne will now laye all and more too before our face amplyfiynge vrginge euerie pointe to the vttermost alleaginge alvvayes our conscience for his witnes VVhich when the poore sowle in dieinge can not deny it must needes terrifie her greatlie for so we see that it dothe daylie euen manie good and vertuous men S. Iereme reported of
freendes comforting hym or among the furies of hell whipping and tormentinge hym Consider this I say gentle reader and yf thou woldest take a greate deale of labour rather than abyde the one in this lyfe be content to sustain a litle pain rather than to incurre the other in the lyfe to come But to consider these things yet further not onelie all these partes of the body which haue bene instruments to sinne shal be tormented together but also euerie sense bothe externall and internall for the same cause shal be afflicted with this particular tormēt contrarie to the obiect wherein it delited moste and tooke pleasure in this worlde As for example the lasciuiouse eyes shal be afflicted with the vglie and fearefull sight of deuills the delicate eares with the horrible noyse of damned spirits the nyse smell with poysoned stenche of brimstone and other vnsupportable filthe the dainty taste with most rauynouse hungar thirst all the sensible partes of the body with burning fire Again the Imaginatiō shal be tormēted with the apprehension of paines present to come the memorie withe the remēbrāce of pleasures past the vnderstāding with cōsideratiō of the felicitie lost and the miserie now come on O poore Christian what wilt thou doe amiddest the multitude of so greuouse calamites It is a wounderfull matter able as one father sayeth to make a reasonable man goe out of his wittes to consider what God hathe reueyled vnto vs in the scriptures of the dreadfull circumstances of this punishment and yet to see how litle the rechelesse men of the worlde doe feare it For first touching the vniuersalitie varietie and greatnesse of the payne not onely the reasons before alleaged but also diuerse other considerations in the scriptures do declare As where it is sayed of the damned cruciabuntur die nocte they shal be tormented day and night And again Date illi tormentum geue her torment speaking of babilon in hell by whiche is signified that the paines in hell are exercised not for punishemēt but for torment of the parties And torments commonlie we see in this worlde to be as great and as extreame as the witt of man can reache to deuise Imagin then when God shall lay his head to deuise torments as he hathe done in hell what maner of tormēts will they be Yf creating an elemēt heere for our comfort I mean the fire he could create the same so terrible as it is in such sorte as a man wolde not holde his onelie hād in it one daye for to gayne a kingdome what a fire think you hathe he prouided for hell which is not created for cōfort but onelie for torment of the parties Our fire hathe a thousand differēces frō that and therefore is truelie sayd of the holy fathers to be but a painted and fained fire in respect of that For our fire was made to cōfort as I haue sayd that to torment Our fire hathe neede to be fedde cōtinuallie with wood or els it goeth oute that burneth cōtinuallie without feeding Our geueth light that geueth none Our is out of his naturall place and therfore shifteth to ascend to get from vs as wee see but that is in the naturall place where it was created and therefore it abydeth there perpetuallie Our consumeth the matter layed in it so quickelie dispatcheth the payne that tormenteth but consumeth not to the ende the paine may be euerlasting Our fire is extinguished with water and greatlie abated by the coldenesse of the ayer about it that hathe no such abatemēt or qualificatiō Finallie what a straunge incredible kynde of fire that is appeareth by these woordes of our Sauiour so often repeated There shal be vveeping gnashing of teeth VVee ping is to be referred to the effect of extreme burning in that fire for that the torment of scalding and burning enforceth tears sooner than any other tormēt as appeareth in them which vpon the sodain doe put a hote thing in to their mouthe or skalde any other parte of their body And gnashing of teeth as euery man knoweth proceedeth onelie of great extreme colde Imagin then what a fire this is which hathe suche extreme effects bothe of heate and colde O mightie Lorde what a straunge God art thow how wonderfull terrible in all thy woorkes and inuentiōs how bountifull art thow to those that loue and serue the and how seuere to them whiche contemne thy commaundements Hast thow deuised a way how they whiche lieeee burning in a lake of fire and brimstone shall also be tormented with extreame colde what vnderstandinge of man can conceaue how this may be but thy Iudgemēts o lorde are a depthe vvithout bottom and therefore I leaue this to thy onelie prouidence praysing the eternallye for the same Besides these generall paynes commō to all that be in that place the scripture signifieth also that there shall be particular tormēts peculiar bothe in qualitie and quantitie to the sinnes and offences of eache offender For to that ende sayeth the prophet Esay to God thou uviltiudge in measure against measure And God saieth of hym selfe I vvill exercise Iudgement in vveight and Iustics in measure And that is the meaning of all those threates of God to sinners vvhere he sayeth that he vvill paie them home accordinge to their particular vvoorkes and according to the inuentions of their ovvne harts In this sese it is saied in the Apocalipse of Babylon novv throvven dovvne in to the lake Looke hovv muche she hathe glorified her selfe and hathe liued in delites so muche torment and affliction geue her VVhere of the holy fathers haue gathered the varietie of tormēts that shal be in that place As there be differēces of sinnes so shall there be varietie of torments sayeth olde Ephraem for the adulterer shall haue one kynde of torment the murderer an other the theefe an other the drunkarde an other the lyar an other And so he folovveth on shevveinge hovv the provvde man shall be 〈◊〉 vnder feet to recompence his pryde the gloutton suffer inestimable hungar the drunkards extreme thirst the delitiouse mouthe filled vp with gaule and the delicate bodie seared with hote burning yrons The holie Ghoste signifieth such a thingwhen he sayeth in the scriptures of the wicked worldling His breade in his belly shal be turned in to the gaul of serpents he shall be constrayned to spue out again the riches vvhich he hathe deuoured Nay God shall pull them out of his belly again he shall be constrayned to sucke the gaules of cocatrices and tongue of an adder shall kill hym he shall pay svvetelie for all that euer he bathe done and yet shall he not be consumed but shall suffer according to the multitude of all his deuises vtter darkenesse lyeth in vvayt for hym fire vvhich needeth no kindling shall eate hym vp this
by the vvisdome of God maye be deuised The sixthe qualitie is pleasure vvherevvith the glorisied bodie aboue all measure shal be replenished all their senses together finding novv their proper obiects in muche more excellencie than euer they could in this vvorlde as shal be shevved after Novv I say euerie parte sense member and ioint shall be filled vvith exceeding pleasure euen as the same shall be tormēted in the damned I vvill heere alleage Anselmus his vvoordes for that they expresse liuelie this matter All the glorifyed body sayeth he shall be filled vvith abundance of all kynde of pleasure the eyes the eares the nose the mouth the hands the throote the lungs the hart the stomacke the back the boones the marovve the entrales them selues euery parte thereof shal be replenished vvith suche vnspeakable svvetenesse and pleasure that truelie it may be sayed that the vvhole man is made to drinke of the riuer of Gods diuine pleasures and made dronken vvith the abundance of Gods house In contrarie vvyse the damned bodie shal be tormented in all his partes and members euē as yf you savve a man that had a burning yrō thrust in to his eyes an other into his mouth an other into his breest an other into his ribbes and so through all the ioints partes and members of his bodie VVolde you not thinke hym miserable and the other man happie The last qualitie is perpetuitie of lyfe whereby the bodie is made sure novv neuer to die or alter from his felicitie according to the sayeing of scripture that the iust shall liue for euer this is one of the cheefest prerogatiues of a glorified bodye For by this all care and feare is taken away all daunger of hurt and noyance for if all the worlde should fall vppon a glorified bodie it could not hurt or harme it any thing at all wherē as the damned bodie lyeth alway in dyeing and is subiect to the greefe of euery blow and tormēt layed vpō it and so must remayn world without end These seuen qualities then doe make a glorified bodie happie And albeit this happynesse be but accidentall as I haue sayed and nothing in deede to the essentiall felicitie of the soule yet is it no small matter as you see but suche as yf any bodie in this lyfe had but one of these seauen qualities we should thinke him moste happie rather a God than a man And to obtayne one of them in this woalde many men wolde spēd muche and aduenture farre whereas to gett them all in the lyfe to come none allmoste will take any paynes But now to come to the essentiall poynt of this felicitie which pertayneth to the soule as the principall parte it is to be vnderstoode that albeit there be many things that doe concurre in this felicitie for the accomplishment perfection of happinesse Yet the fontaine of all is but one onelie thing called by diuines Visi dei beatifica the syght of god that maketh vs happie Hec sola est summum bonum nostrum sayeth S. Auguston this onelie syght of god is our happynesse Vvhich Christ also affirmeth when he sayeth to his father this is lyfe euerlasting that men knovv the true god Iesus Christ uvhome thou hast sent S. Paul also putteth our felicitie in seing god face to face And S. Iohn in seing god as he is And the reason of this is for that all the pleasures cōtētatiōs in the world being onlie litle sparkles parcells sent out from god they are all contayned muche more perfectlie excellentlie in god hym selfe than they are in their owne natures created as also all the perfections of his creatures are more fullie in hym han in them selues VVhereof it foloweth that whoe soeuer is admitted to the vision presence of god he hathe all the goodnesse and perfections of creatures in the worlde vnited together and presented vnto hym at once So that what soeuer deliteth ether bodie or soule there he enioyeth it wholye knit vp together as it were in one bundle with the presence thereof is rauished in all partes bothe of mynde and bodie as he can not imagine thinke or wishe for auie ioye what soeuer but there he findeth it in his perfectiō there he 〈◊〉 all knowlege all wisedome all beautie all riches all no bitie all goodnesse all delite and what so euer boside deserueth ether loue and admiration or woorketh ether pleasure or contentation All the powers of the mynde shal be filled with this sight presence and fruition of God all the senses of our bodie 〈◊〉 satisfied God shal be the vniuersall felicitie of all his saints contaning in hym selfe all particular felicities without end number or measure He shal be aglasse to our eyes musike to our eares honie to our mowthes moste sweete and pleasaunt balme to our smell he shal be light to our vnderstanding contentation to our will continuation of eternitie to our memorie In hym shall we enioye all the varietie of times that delite vs heer all the beautie of creatures that allure vs heer all the pleasures and Ioyes that cōtent vs heer In this vision of God sayeth one doctor wee shall know we shall loue we shall reioyse we shall prayse VVe shall know the verie secrets and iudgements of God which are a depthe vuithóut bottome Also the causes natures beginnings ofsprings and ends of all creatures VVell all loue incōpatablie bothe God for the infinitie canses of loue that we see in hym and oure companions as much as our seluos for that we shall see them as muche loued of God as our selues and that also for the same for which we are loued whereof enseweth that our ioye shal be without measure bothe for that we shall haue a particular ioye for euery thing we loue in God which are infinite and also for that we shall reloyse at the felicitie of 〈◊〉 of our companions as much as at our owne and by that meanes we shall haue so many distinct felicities as we shall haue distinct cōpanions in our felicitie which being without nuber it is no maruaile thoughe Christ sayed goe in to the ioye of they Lord and not let the lordes ioye enter in to thee for that no one hart created can receyue the fullnesse and greatnesse of this ioye Hereof it foloweth lastlie that we shall prayse God without end or wearinesse with all our harte with all our strengthe with all our powers with all our partes according as the scripture sayeth Happie are they that liue in thy house o lord for they shall prayse the 〈◊〉 rnallye vvithout end Of this moste blessed vision of God the liolie father S. Austen writeth thus Happie are the cleene of harte For they shall see God sayeth our sauiour then is there a visiō of God deare bretheren which maketh vs happie A vision I say whiche nether eye hath seene in this world nor
oures in these matters whoe will now maruayle of the wisdome of the world iudged folie by God and of the wysdome of god iudged foly by the worlde Oh children of men sayeth the prophet vvhy doe ye loue vanitie and seeke after a lye why doe you embrace strawe cōtemne golde strawe I say and most vile chaffe and such as finally will set your own howse on fyre be your ruyne and eternall perdition But now to drawe towardes an end in this matter though there be no end in the thing it selfe lett the Christian consider wherto he is borne and whereof he is in possibilitie yf he will He is borne heyre apparet to the kyngdome of heauen a kyngdome without end a kyngdome without measure a kingdome of blysse the kyngdome of God him selfe he is borne to be ioynt heyre with Iesus Christ the sonne of God to raigne with hym to triumph with hym to sitt in Iudgement of Maiestie with hym to iudge the very Angeles of heauē with hym VVhat more glorie can be thought vpon except it were to become God hym selfe All the ioyes all the riches all the glorie that heauen contayneth shall be poured out vppon hym And to make this honour yet more the gloriouse lambe that sitteth on the throne of Maiestie with his eyes lyke fyre his feet lyke burning copper and all his face more shynyng than preciouse stone from whose seat there procedeth thunder and lightening without end and at whose feet the fower twētie elders lay downe their erownes this lambe I say shall ryse and honour him with his own seruice VVhoe will not esteeme of this royall inheritance especiallie seing the gayning therof by the benefit of our redemption and grace pnrchased to vs therin is brought novv to be in our own handes The kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence sayeth Christ and men lay handes now on it by force That is by force of gods couenāt made with Christians that lyuing vertuouslre they shall haue the same VVhat soeuer Christian then doeth good woorkes and lyueth vertuouslie taketh heauen by force as it were and by violence The matter is put in the power of the doer sayeth S. Austen for that the kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence This thing o man that is the kingdome of heauen requireth no other price but thy selfe yt is so muche vvoorthe as thou art vvoorthe geue thy selfe and thou shalt haue it By whiche he signifieth that euery man how poore or needye soeuer he be in this world may gayne this ā heritāce to him selfe may make hym selfe a prince a king a Monarche yf he will euen the moanest and miserablest man in the wourlde O wunderfull bountie and liberalitie of our Sauiour o princelie hart and vnspeakable mercie o incredible prodigalitie as I may saye of God in treasures so inestimable as are his infinite and endlesse riches Tell me now gentle reade why wilt thou not accept of this his offer why wilt thou not account of this his kyngdome why wilt thou not buye this glorie of hym for so litle a labour as he requireth Suadeo tibi emere a me aurum ignitum probatum vt locuples fies sayeth Christ. I counsaile the to buye pure and tried golde of me to the end thou mayest be riche VVhy wilt thou not folow this counsaile deare brother sepecialie of a marchāt that meaneth not to deceaue thee Nothing greeueth this our Sauiour more than that men will seek with such paynes to buy straw in Egypt whereas he wolde sell them fyne gold at a lower price and that they will purchase pudle water with more labour than he wolde require for ten tymes as muche pure liquor out of the verie sontaine it selfe There is not the whickedest man in the world but taketh more trauaile in gayning of hell as after shall be shewed than the moste paynfull seruant of God in purchasing of heauen Folow thow not their folie then deare brother for thow shalt see them doe heauy penance for it one day when thy harte shal be full glad thow hast no parte among them Let them goe now and bestow their time in vanitie in pleasures in delites of the world Lett them buyld palaces purchase dignities add peeces and paches of ground together let them hunt after honours and buyld castells in the ayer the daye will come yf thow beleeue Christ hym selfe wherin thow shalt haue small cause to enuye their felicitie Yf they talke baselie of the glorie and riches of Saintes in heauē not esteeming them in deede in respect of their owne or contemnyng them for that carnall pleasures are not reckonned therein make litle account of theyr woordes For that the sensuall man vnderstandeth not the things vvhiche are of God Yf horses were promised by their maisters a good banquet they could imagin nothing els but prouander and water to be their best cheere for that they haue no know lege of dayntier dishes so these men accustomed to the pudle of their fleshlie pleasures can mount with their mynde no higher than the same But I haue shewed thee before gentle reader some wayes and considerations to conceaue greater matters albeit as I haue aduertised the often we must confesse still with S. Paul that no humaine hart can conceaue the least parte therof for whiche cause also it is not vnlike that S. Paul him selfe was forbidden to vtter the thinges whiche he had seene and heard in his miraculouse assumption vnto the third heauen To conclude then this game and gole is sett vpp for them that will runne as S. Paul noteth and no man is crowned in this glorie but suche onelie as will fight as the same Apostle teacheth It is not euerie one that sayeth to Christ lord lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but they onelie which shall doe the will of Christ his father in heauē Thoughe this kingdome of Christ be sett out to all yet euerye man shall not come to raigne with Christ but such onelie as shal be contēt to suffer with Christ. Thoughe the kingdome of heauen be subiect to violence yet no man can enter there by force but he onelie whose good deedes goe with hym to helpe open the gates that is except he enter vvithout spott and hathe vvroght iustice as the prophet testifyeth My meaning is that as I haue shewed the greatnesse and woorthynesse of this treasure gentle reader so thow shouldest also conceaue the right way of gayning the same whiche is no other but onelie by holie and vertuouse lyfe as God hym selfe hathe assured the. Thow art therfore to sitt downe and consider according to thy Sauiours counsaile what thou wilt doe whether thow haue so muche spirituall money as is sufficient to buyld this tower and make this warre
number of suche my selfe to my singular comfort in beholding the strong hand and exceeding bountifullnesse of gods sweetnes towardes them in this case Oh deare brother no tongue can expresse what I haue seene herein and yet savve I not the least parte of that whiche they felte But yet this maye I saye that those which attend in the Catholique Curche to deale with soules in the holie sacrament of cōfession are in deede those wherof the prophet sayeth that they voorke in multitudes of vvaters doe see the maruailes of God in the depthe In tho depthe I saye of mens consciences vttered with infinite multitudes of teares when God toucheth the same with his holy grace Beleeue me good reader for I speake in trueth before our Lord I esus I haue seene so great and exceeding consolations in diuers great synners after their conuersion as no harte can almoste conceaue and the hartes which receaued them were hardlie able to contayno the same so abundantlie stylled downe that heanenlie dewe from the moste liberall and bowntefull hand of God And that this may not seme straunge vnto thee thou must knowe that it is recorded of one holy man called Effrem that he had so maruailous great consolations after his conuersion as he was often constrayned to crye owt to God O Lord retyre thy hand from me a litle for that my hart is not able to receaue so extreeme ioye And the lyke is wrytten of S. Barnard whoe for a certayne tyme after his conuersion from the world remayned as is it were depriued of his senses by the excessiue consolations he had from God But yet yf all this can not moue thee but that thou wilt still remayne in thy distrust heare the testimonie of one whome I am sure thou wilt not discredit especiallie speaking of his owne experience in him selfe And this is the holye martyr and doctor S. Cyprian who writing of the verie same matter to a secret freend of hys called Donatus cōfesseth that he was before his cōuersion of the same opinion that thou art of to witt that it was impossible for hym to chaunge his maners and to fynde such comfort in a vertuous lyfe as after he dyd being accustomed before to all kynde of loose behauiour Therfore he begynneth his narration to his freend in this sort Accipe quod sentitur anteque discitur c. Take that which is first felte before yt be lear ned so foloweth on with a large discourso sheweing that he proued now by experiēce which he coulde neuer beleeue before his conuersion thoghe God had promised the same The lyke writeth S. Austen of him selfe in his bookes of confession shewing that his passions wold needes persuade hym before his conuersion that he should neuer be able to abyde the austeritie of a vertuous lyfe especiallie touching the sinnes of the flesh wherin he had lyued wantonlie vntil that tyme it seemed vnpossible that he coulde euer abandon the same lyue chaste which notwithstanding he fownd bothe easie pleasant and without all difficultye afterward For whiche he breaketh into these woordes to God my God lett me remember and confesse thy mercyes to wardes me lett my verie bones reioyse and saye vnto thee O lord vvho is lyke vnto thee thow hast broken my chaynes and I will sacrifice to thee a sacrifice of thankesgeuing These chaines were the chaines of cōcupiscence wherby he stoode bounden in captiuitie before his conuersion as he there cōfesseth but presentlie therevpon he was delyuered of the same by the blessed helpe of gods moste holye grace My counsaile should be therfore gentle reader that seyng thou hast so manye testimonies examples reasones and promises of this matter thow shouldest at least proue once by thyne owne experience whether this thing be true or no especiallie seying it is a matter of so great importance so worthie thy triall that is cōcerning so neare thy eternall saluation as it dothe If a meane felowe should come vnto thee and offer for hazarding of one crowne of golde to make thee a thowsād by Alchymie thogh thou shouldest suspect hym for a cousiner yet the hope of gayne being so great and the aduenture of so small losse thou woldest goe nighe for once to proue the matter And how muche more shouldest thow doe it in this case where by proofe thow canste leese nothinge and if thow speede well thow mayest gayne as muche as the euerlastinge ioye of heauen is woorthe But yet heere by the way I may not lett passe to admonishe thee of one thing which the auncient fathers and saintes of God that haue passed ouer this ryuer before thee I meane the ryuer deuiding betwene gods seruice and the world doe affirme of their owne experience and that is that as soone as thow takest this worke or resolution in hand thow must expect great encounters strong impedimentes sharpe contradictions and fearce temptations thow must expect assaultes combates and open warre within thy selfe This S. Cyprian S. Austen S. Gregorie and S. Barnard doe affirme vppon their owne proofe This doe Cyrill and Origen shew in diuers places at large This dothe S. Hillarie prooue bothe by reasones and exāples This dothe the scripture it selfe forewarne thee of sayeinge My sonne vvhen thovv art to come to the seruice of God stand fast in iustice and in feare and prepare thy mynde unto temptation And the reason of this is for that the deuill possessing quietlie thy soule before laye still and sought onelie meanes to cotent the same by putting in new and new delites and pleasures of the fleshe But when he seeth thow offerest to goe from hym he begynneth streight to rage and to moue sedition within thee to tosse vp and downe bothe heauen and earthe before he will leese his kyngdome in thy soule This is euident by the example of hym whome Christ coming downe from the hyll after his transfiguration delyuered from a deafe and dumme spirite For albeyt this deuill wolde seeme nether to heare nor speake while he possessed that bodye quietlie yet when Christ cōmaunded hym to goe out he bothe hearde and cryed out and dyd so teare and rent that poore bodie before he departed as all the standers by thought it in deede to be deade This also in figure was shewed by the storie of Laban who neuer persecuted his sonne in law Iacob vntill he wolde depart from hym And yet more was this expressed in the doeinges of Pharao whoe after once he perceaued that the people of Israel meant to departe hys kyngdome neuer ceassed greeuouslie to afflict thē as Moyses testifieth vntill God had vtterlie delyuered them out of his handes with the ruyne and destruction of all their enemies VVhiche euent all the holie doctors and saintes in gods churche haue expounded to be a playnfigure of the deliuerie of soules from the tyrannie of the deuill And now yf
other as concubynes All this and muche more dothe scripture report of Salomons worldlye wealthe wisdome ryches and prosperitie whiche he hauing tasted vsed to hys fyll pronounced yet at the last this sentence of it all Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie by vanitie of vanities meaning as S. Ierome interpreteth the greatenesse of this vanitie aboue all other vanyties that maye be deuised Nether onelye dothe Salomon affirme this thing but dothe proue it also by examples of hym selfe I haue bene kyng of Israel in Ierusalem saithe he and I purposed with my selfe to seeke owt by wisdome all thynges And I haue seene that all vnder the sunne are meere vanities and affliction of spirit I sayd in my harte I will goe and abounde in delites and in euery pleasure that maye be had and I saw that this was also vanitie I toke great woorkes in hande buylded howses to my selfe planted vineyardes made orchardes and gardens and besett them withe all kynde of trees I made me fyshe pondes to water my trees I possessed seruantes and hand maydes and had a great familie great heardes of cattell aboue any that euer were before me in Ierusalem I gathered together golde and syluer the riches of kynges and prouinces I appointed to my selfe syngars bothe men and women whiche are the delytes of the children of men fyne cuppes also to drynke wyne with all and what soeuer my eyes dyd desire I denied it not vnto them nether dyd I lett my harte from vsing any pleasure to delite it selfe in these thinges whiche I had prepared And when I turned my selfe to all that my handes had made and to all the labours wherein I had taken suche paynes and sweate I sawe in thē all vanitie and affliction of the mynde This is the testimonie of Salomon vpon his owne proofe in these matters and yf he had spoken yt vppon his wisedome onelye being suche as yt was we ought to beleeue hym but muche more seyng he affirm eth yt of his owne experience But yet yf any man be not moued withe thys lett vs bryng yet an other wyitnesse owte of the new testament and suche an one as was pryuie to the opinion of Christ heerin that is S. Iohn the Euangelist whose woordes are these Doe not loue the vvorld nor those thinges that are in the vvorld yf any man loue the vvorld the loue of god the father ys not in hym For that all vvhiche is in the vvorld is ether concupiscence of the fleshe or concupiscence of the eyes or pryde of lyfe In whiche woordes S. Iohn besyde his threate agaynst fuche as loue and folow the world reduceth all the vanities therof vnto three generall pointes or braunches that is to concupiscēce of the fleshe wherein he comprehendeth all carnall pleasures to concupiscence of the eyes wherein he contayneth all matters of riches and to pryde of lyfe wherby he signifiethe the humour and disease of wordly ambition These then are the three generall and principall vanities of this lyfe wherin woorldlye men doe wearie owte them selues Ambition couetousnes carnall pleasure wherunto all other vanities are addressed as to theyr superiours And therfore it shall not be amisse to consider of these three in this place And first to Ambition or pryde of lyfe belongeth vainglorie that is a certaine disordinate desire to be well thoght of well spoken of praysed and glorified of men and this is as greate a vanitie thoghe yt be common to manye as yf a man should funne vp and doune the streetes after a fether 〈◊〉 in the ayer tossed hyther and thyther with the blastes of infinite mennes mouthes For as this man might wearie 〈◊〉 hym selfe before he gatt the thing whiche he folowed and yet when he had yt he had gotten but a fether so a vainglorious man maye labour a good whyle before he attaine to the prayse whiche he desirethe and when he hathe it it is not woorthe three chyppes being but the breathe of a fewe mennes mouthes that altereth vpon euerye lyght occasiō and now maketh hym greate nowe litle now nothing at all Christ hym selfe may be an example of this who was tossed to and fro in the speeche of men some sayd he was a Samaritan and had the deuill other sayd he was a prophet other sayde he could not be a prophet or of God for that he kept not the Sabboth daye others asked yf he were not of God how he coulde doe so many miracles So that there was a schisme or diuisiō amonge them abowte this matter as S. Iohn affirmeth Finallie vppon Palme sundaye they receaued hym into Ierusalem withe triumphe of hosan na casting their apparell vnder his feete But the thursedaye and frydaye next ensueing they cried Crueifige against hym and preferred the lyfe of Barrabas a wicked murderer before his Now my freend yf they delt thus withe Christ whiche was a better man than euer thou wilt be dyd more glorious miracles than euer thou wilt doe to purchase the name and honour withe the people whie doest thou so labour and beate thy selfe about this vanitie of vainglorie whye doest thou cast thy trauailes into the wynde of mens mouthes whye doest thou put thy riches in the lyppes of mutable men where euerie flatterer may robbe the of them hast thou no better a cheest to locke them vp in S. Paul was of an other mynde when he sayde I esteeme litle to be iudged of you or of the daye of man And he had reason surelye For what carethe he that runneth at tylt yf the ignorant people geue sentēce against hym so the Iudges geue yt with hym If the blynde man in the waye to Iericho had depended of the lyking and approbation of the goers bye he had neuer receaued the benefit of his sight for that they disuaded hym from runnyng and cryeing so vehementlie after Christ. It is a miserable thyng for a man to be a wyndemill whiche makethe no meale but according as the blast endurethe If the gale bestrong he sourgeth about lustelye But yf the winde slake he relentethe presentlie So prayse the waynglorious man and ye make hym runne yf he feele not the gale blowe he is owte of harte he is lyke the Babilonians whoe withe a litle sweete musike vvere made to adore any thing what soeuer The scripture saythe moste truelye As siluer is tryed in the fyre by blovveing to it so is a man tryed in the mouthe of hym that prayseth For as siluer yf it be good taketh no hurt therby but yf it be euill it goethe all into fume so a vaine man by prayse and cōmendation How manye haue we seene puffed vp withe mennes prayses and almoste put beside them selues for ioye therof and yet after warde brought downe with a contrarye wynde and dryuen full neare to desperation by contempt how
nakednes and other īfirmities cōtracted by that fall VVherfore we that take pryde and glorie in apparell doe as muche as yf a beggar should glorie and take pride of the olde cloutes that do couer his sores S. Paul sayd vnto a byshope Yf vve haue vvhervuithall to couer our selues lett vs be content And Christ touched deeplie the daunger of nyce apparell when he cōmended so muche S. Iohn Baptist for his austere attire adding for the contradictorie Qui mollibus vestiuntur in domibus regni sunt They which are apparelled in soft and delicate apparell are in kynges courtes In kynges courtes of this world but not in the kynges court of heauen For which cause in the descriptiō of the riche man damned this is not omitted by Christ That he vvas apparelled in purple and sylke It is a wounderfull thing to consider the different proceeding of God and the world heerin God was the first tayler that euer made apparell in the world and he made it for the most noble of all our auncestous in paradise yet he made it but of beasts skynnes And S. Paul testifiethe of the noblest saintes of the olde testament that they were couered onelye withe goates skynnes and with the heares of Camelles VVhat vanitie is it then for vs to be so curious in apparell and to take suche pryde therein as we doe we robbe and spoyle all creatures almoste in the worlde to couer our backes and adorne our bodies withall From one we take his woolle from an other his skynne from an other his furro and from some other their verie excrementes as the silk which is nothinge els but the excremētes of wormes Nor cōtēt with this we come to fishes doe begge of them certaine pearles to hang about vs. VVe goe doune into the grounde for golde and siluer turne vp the sandes of the sea for pretious stones and hauing borowed all this of other creatures we iett vp and doune prouoking men to looke vpon vs as yf all this nowe were our owne VVhen the stone shyneth vppon our fingar we will seeme forsoothe therby to shyne VVhen the siluer and silkes doe glyster on our backes we looke bigge as yf all that beautie came from vs. And so as the prophet saythe we passe ouer our dayes in vanitie doe not perceaue our owne extreme folie The second generall braunche whiche S. Iohn appointeth vnto the vanitie of this lyfe is concupiscence of the eyes wherunto the auncient fathers haue referred all vanities of riches and wealthe of this world Of this S. Paul writeth to Timothie Geue commaundemēt to the riche mē of this vvorld not to be highe mynded nor to put hope in the vncertaintie of their riches The reason of which speeche is vttered by the scripture in an other place when it sayeth Riches shall not profitt a man in the daye of reuenge That is at the daye of deathe Ludgement which thing the riche men of this world doe cōfesse them selues thoghe to late when they crye diuitiarum iactantia quid nobis contulit what hathe the brauerie of our riches profited vst All whiche dothe euidentlie declare the great vanitie of worldlye riches whiche can doe the possessoure no good at all when he hathe most reed of their help Riche men haue slept theyr sleepe saythe the prophet and haue found nothing in theyr handes that is riche men haue passed ouer this lyfe as men doe passe ouer a sleepe imaginyng them selues to haue golden mountaines and treasures and when they a wake at the daye of their deathe they fynde themselues to haue nothinge in theyr handes In respect wherof the prophet Baruch asketh this question VVhere are they novu vvhiche heaped together golde and syluer and vvhiche made no end of their scrapyng together And he answereth hym selfe immediatlie Exterminati sunt ad inferos descenderūt They are now rooted owte and are gone downe vnto hell To lyke effect saythe S. Iames. Now goe to you riche men weepe and howle in your miseries that come vpon you your riches are rotten and your golde and syluer is rustie the rust therof shall be in testimonie against you it shall feede on your fleshe as fire you haue hoarded vpp wrathe for your selues in the last daye If wealthe of this world be not onelie so vaine but also so perilous as here is affirmed what vanitie then is yt for men to sett their myndes vpon it as they doe S. Paul sayeth of him selfe that he esteemed it all but as dung And he had great reasō surely to say so seing in deed they are but dung that is the verie excrementes of the earthe fownde onelie in the moste barraine places thereof as they can tell which haue seene their mines VVhat a base matter is this then for a man to tye his loue vnto God commaunded in the olde law that what soeuer dyd goe with his breast vpon the ground should be vnto vs in abhomination How muche more then a reasonable man that hathe glewed his hart and soule vnto a peece of earthe VVe came in naked vnto this vvorld naked vve must goe foorthe again saycthe Iob. The mylle wheele stirrethe much aboute and beateth it selfe from daye to daye and yet at the yeres end it is in the same place as it was in the begynning so riche men let them toyle and labour what they can yet at their deathe must they be as poore as at the first daye wherein they were borne VVhen the riche man dyeth say the Iob he shall take nothing with hym but shall close vp his eyes and finde nothing Pouertie shall laye handes vpon hym and a tempest shall oppresse hym in the night a burning wynde shall take hym awaye a hurle wynde shall 〈◊〉 hym from his place yt shall rushe vpon hym shall not spare hym it shall bynde his handes vpon hym and shall hysse ouer hym For that it seeth his place whether he must goe The prophet Dauid in lyke wyse forewarneth vs of the same in these woordes be not afeard when thou seest a man made riche and the glorie of his house multiplied For when he dyeth he shall take nothing with hym nor shall his glorie descend to the place whether he goeth he shall passe into the progenies of his auncestoures that is he shall goe to the place where they are who haue liued as he hathe done and world without end he shall see no more light All this and muche more is spoken by the holie ghoste to signifie the dangerous vanitie of worldlie weal the and the folie of those men who laboure so muche to procure the same with the eternall peril of their soules as the scripture assureth vs. If so many phisitions as I haue heere alleaged scriptures should agree together that suche or suche meates were vencomus perillsome I think fewe wold geue the aduenture
promises Modestie without arrogancie Continencie from all kynde of wickednes Chastitie in conseruing a pure minde in a cleane and vnspotted bodie Against these men saithe S. Paul there is no lavve And in the verie same chapiter he expresseth the spirite of the world by the contrarie effectes sayeing the worckes of fleshe are manifest whiche are fornicatioÌ„ vncleannes wantoÌ„nes lecherie Idolatrie poysonninges enemities contentions emulatioÌ„s wrathe strife dissention sectes enuie murder dronkennes gluttonie and the like of whiche I foretell you as I haue tolde you before that those men whiche doe suche thinges shall neuer obteyne the kyngdome of heauen Heere now may euery man iudge of the spirit of the world and the spirit of Christ and applieing it to him selfe may coniecture whether he holdeth of the one or of the other S. Paul geeueth two pretie shorte rules in the very same place to trye the same The first ys They vvhiche are of Christ haue crucified their fleshe uvithe the vices and concupisceÌ„ces therof That is they haue so mortified their owne bodies as they committ none of the vices and sinnes repeated before nor yeeld not vnto the concupiscences or temptations therof The second rule is yfvve lyue in spirite then let vs vvalke in spirit That is our vvalking and behauioure is a signe vvhether vve be alyue or dead For yf our vvalking be spirituall suche as I haue declared before by the tvvelue fruites therof then doe vve lyue and haue life in spirite but yf our vvorkes be carnall suche as S. Paul novv hathe described then are vve carnall and dead in spirite nor haue vve any thing to doe vvith Christ or portion in the kingdome of heauen And for that all the vvorlde is full of those carnull vvorkes and bringeth foorthe no fruites in deede of Christs spirit nor permittethe them to grovv or prosper vvithin her thence is yt that the scripture alvvayes putteth Christ and the vvorld for opposite opeÌ„ enemies Christ hym selfe saveth that the vvorlde can not receaus the spirit of trueth And againe in the same EuaÌ„gelist he sayeth that nether he nor anye of his are of the vvorlde thoughe they liue in the vvorld And yet further in his moste vehement prayer vnto his father pater iuste mundus te non cognouit Iust father the world hathe not knowen thee For which cause S. Iohn writeth If any maÌ„ loue the vvorld the loue of the father is not in hym And yet further S. Iames that vvho soeuer but desireth to be freend of this vvorld is therby made an enemye to God VVhat will worldly men saye to this S. Paul affirmeth plainlie that this world is to be damned And Christ insinuateth the same in S. Iohns gospell but moste of all in that wonderfull fact of his when prayeing to his father for other matters he excepteth the world by name Non pro mundo rogo saithe he I doe not aske mercie and perdone for the world But for those whiche thow hast geuen me owt of the worlde Oh what a dreadfull exception is this made by the Sauioure of the world by the lambe that taketh awaye all sinnes by hym that asked perdone euen for his tourmentoures and crucifiers to except now the world by name from his mercie Oh that worldlie men wold consider but this one point onelie they wolde not I think liue so voyde of feare as they doe Can any man maruayle now why S. Paul cryeth so carefullie to vs nolite conformari huic saeculo coÌ„forme not your selfes to this world agayne that we should renounce vtterlie all secular desires can anye maruayle whye S. Iohn whiche was moste priuie aboue all other to Christs holie meaning here in sayeth to vs in suche earnest sorte Nolite diligere muÌ„dum neque ea quae in mundo sunt Doe not loue the world nor any thing that is in the world If we maye nether loue it nor so muche as conforme our selues vnto it vnder so greate paynes as are before rehearsed of the enemitie of God and eternall damnation what shall become of those men that doe not onelye conforme them selues vnto it and the vanities therof but also doe folowe it seeke after it rest in it and doe bestowe all theyr labours and trauailes vpon it If you aske me the cause whye Christ so hateth and abhorreth this world S Iohn telleth you 〈◊〉 mundus totus in maligno posius est for that all the whole worlde is set on naughtynes for that it hathe a spirite contrarie to the spirite of Christ as hathe bene shewed for that it teacheth pryde vainglorie ambition enuie reuenge malice with pleasures of the fleshe and all kynde of vanities And Christ on the contrarie side humilitie meekenes perdonyng of enemyes abstin ce chastitie sufferance mortisicatioÌ„ bearing the crosse with contempt of all earthelye pleasures for the kyngdome of heauen for that it persecuteth the good aduanceth the euill for that it rooteth owt vertue and planteth all vice And finalie for that it shutteth the doores against Christ when he knocketh strangleth the harte that once it possessethe VVherfore to conclude this parte seyng this world is suche a thing as it is so vaine so deceytfull so troublesome so daungerâ—…us seyng it is a professed enemye to Christ excoÌ„municated and damned to the pitt of hell seyng it is as one father sayeth an arcke of trauaile a schoole of vanities a feare of deceite a labirin the of errour seing it is nothing els but a barraine wildernes a stonye fyeld a durtye Stye a tempestuous sea seing it is a groue full of thornes a medowe full of scorpions a flourishing garden without fruite a caue full of poysoned and deadlie basiliskes seyng it is finallie as I haue shewed a fountaine of miseries a ryuer of teares a faigned fable a delectable frensie seyng as S. Austen sayeth the ioy of this world hathe nothing els but faise delyte true asperitie certaine sorowe vncertaine pleasure trauailsome labour fearfull rest greeuous miserie vayne hope of selicitie seyng it hathe nothing in it as S. Chrisostome saythe but teares shame repentance reproche sadnes negligences labours terrours sicknes sinne and deathe it selfe seyng the worlds repose is full of anguishe his securitie without foundation his feare without cause his trauailes without fruite his sorowe without profitt his desires without successe his hope without rewarde his myrthe without continuance his miseries without remedies seyng these and a thousande euills more are in it and no one good thing can be had from it who will be deceyued with this visard or allured with this vanitie hereafter who will be stayed from the noble seruice of God by the loue of so fond a trifle as is this world And this to a reasonable man may be sufficient to declare the insufficencie of this third impediment But yet for the satissieing of my promisse in
thou shall enioye it the next weeke or no. The holye prophet beginnyng his seuentithe and second Psalme of the daungerous prosperitie of worldlie men vseth these woordes of admiration Hovu good a God is the God of Israel vnto them that be of a ryght hart And yet in all that Psalme he dothe nothing els but shewe the heauie iustice of God towardes the wicked euen when he geueth the moste prosperities and worldlie wealth and his conclusion is beholde o Lord they shall perishe uvhich departe from thee thou hast destroyed all those that haue broken theyr faythe of vvedlocke vuith the. By which is signified that how good soeuer God be vnto the iust yet that pertayneth nothing to the releefe of the wicked whoe are to receyue iust vengeance at his handes amyddest the greatest mercies bestowed vpon the godlie The eyes of our Lorde are vpon the iust sayeth the same prophet and his eares are bent to heare their praeyers but the face of our Lord is vpon them that doe euill to destroye theyr memorie from ovvt the earthe It was an olde practise of deceyuing prophettes resisted stronglie by the prophettes of God to crye peace peace vnto wicked mē when in deed theyr was nothing towardes them but daunger swoord and destruction as the true prophetes fortolde and as the euent proued VVherfore the prophet Dauid geueth vs a notable and sure rule to gouerne our hope and confidence withall sacrificate sacrificium iustitiae sperate in domino doe you sacrifice vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnes and then trust in hym VVherwith S. Iohn agreeth when he sayeth yf our harte or conscience doe not reprehend vs for wicked lyfe then haue vve confidence vvith God as whoe wolde saye yf our conscience be guyltie of lewde and wicked lyfe and we resolued to dwell continue therin then in vaine haue we confidence in the mercyes of God vnto whose iust iudgement we stand subiect for our wickednes It is most wounderfull and dreadfull to consider how God hath vsed him selfe towardes his best beloued in this worlde vppon offence geuen by occasion of sinne how easelye he hath chaunged countenāce how soone he hath brocken of frendshype how straitlie he hath taken accompt and how seuerelye he hath punished The Angells that he created with so greate care and loue to whome he imparted so singular priuileges of all kinde of perfections as he made them almost verie goddes in a certaine maner committed but onelie one sinne of pride against his maiestie and that onelie in thought as diuines doe holde and yet presentlie all that good will and fauour was chaunged into iustice and that also so seuere as they were throwen downe to eternall tormentes without redemption chayned for euer to abyde the rigoure of hell fire and intollerable darkenes After this God made hym selfe an other newe freēde of fleshe and bloode which was our father Adam in paradise where God conuersed with hym so freendlie and familiarlie as is most wounderfull to considere he called hym he talked with hym he made all creatures in the world subiect vnto him he brought them all before hym to the ende that he and not God should geue them their names he made a mate and companion for hym he blessed them bothe and finallie shewed all possible tokens of loue that might be But what ensewed Adam cōmitted but one sinne and that at the entisement of an other and that also a sinne of small importāce as it may seeme to mans reason beyng but the eating of an aple forbidden And yet the matter was no soner done but all frendship was broken betwene God and hym he was thrust owt of paradise condemned to perpetuell miserie and all his prosperitie to eternall damnatiō together with him selfe yf he had not repented And how seuerelie this greuous sentence was executed afterwarde maye appeare by the infinite millions that went to hell for this sinne for the space of sower thousand yeres that passed before it was ransomed whiche finallie could not be done but by the cōming downe of gods owne sonne the second persone in Trinitie into this fleshe and by his intollerable sufferinges deathe in the same The two miracles of the world Moyses and Aaron were of singular authoritie and fauour with God in so muche as they coulde obtayne any thyng at his handes for other men And yet when they offended God once them selues at the waters of contradiction in the desert of Sin for that they dowted somewhat of the miracle promised to them from God and therby dyd dishonoure his maiestie before the people as he sayeth they were presentlie rebuked moste sharpelye for the same and thoghe they repented hartilye that offence and so obtayned remissiō of the fault or guilt yet was there layd vpon them a greuous punishement for the same and that was that they should not enter them selues into the land of promise but should dye when they came within the sight therof And albeit they entreated God moste earnestlie for the release of this penance yet could they neuer obtayne the same at his handes but alwayes he answered them seing you haue dishonoured me before the people you shall dye for it shall not enter into the land of promise In what speciall great fauour was Saul with God when he chose hym to be the first kyng of his people caused Samuel the prophet so muche to honour hym and to anoynt hym prince vppon gods owne inheritance as he calleth it when he commended hym so muche and tooke suche tender care ouer him An yet afterwad for that he bracke gods commaundement in reseruing certaine spoyles of warre whiche he should haue destroyed yea thoughe he reserued them to honour God withall as he pretended yet was he presentlie cast of by God degraded of his dignitie geuen ouer to the handes of an euell spirite brought to infinite miseries thoghe he shifted owt for a tyme and finallie so forsaken and abandoned by God as he slew hym selfe his sonnes were crucified on a crosse by his enemies and all his familie and linage extinguished for euer Dauid was the chosen and deare freend of God and honoured with the tytle of one that vvas according to gods ovvne hart But yet as soone as he had sinned the prophet Nathan was sent to denounce gods heauie displeasure and punishement vpon hym And so it ensued not withstanding his greate and voluntarie penance that him selfe added for the pacifieing of gods wrathe by fasting prayer weeping wearing of sacke eating of ashes the lyke By which is euident that how great gods mercie is to the that feare hym so great is his iustice to them that offend hym The scripture hath infinite examples of this matter as the reiection of Cain and his posteritie streight vpon his murder The pitifull drowning of the whole worlde in
a league with deathe and haue made a bargayne with hell it selfe whiche is as muche to saye as if they had sayde trouble vs not moleste vs not with thy persuations spend not thy woordes and labour in vayne talke vnto others whoe are not yet setled lett them take heauen that take it will we for our partes are resolued we are at a pointe we haue made a league that must be kept we haue made a bargaine that must be perfourmed yea thoghe it be with hell and death euerlasting It is a wounderfull furie the obduratioÌ„ of a hard hart and not without cause compared by the prophet as I haue shewed before to the willfull furie rage of serpentes And an other place of scripture describeth it thus Durus es neruus ferreus ceruix tua froÌ„s tua aerea Thou art hard harted and thy neck is a sinowe of yron and thy forehead is of brasse VVhat can be more vehementlie spoken to expresse the hardnesse of this mettall but yet S. Barnard expresseth it more at large in these woordes Quid ergo cor durum and what is theÌ„ a hard harte and he answereth immediatlie A hard hart is that whiche is nether cutt by compunction nor softened by godlynes nor moued with prayers nor yeeldeth to threatning nor is any thing holpen but rather hardyned by chastening A hard hart is that whiche is ingreatefull to gods benefites disobedient to his counsails made cruell by his iudgementes dissolute by his allurementes vnshamefast to filthines feareles to perils vncourteous in humane affaires recheles in matters pertayning to God forgetfull of things past negligent in things present improuident for things to come By this description of S. Barnard it appeareth that a hard harte is almost a desperate and remedyles disease where it falleth For what will you doe sayeth this good father to amend it yf you laye the greuousnes of his sinnes before hym he is not touched with compunction Ys you alleage hym all the reasons in the world why we ought to serue god and why we ought not to offend and dishonoure hym he is not mollified by this consideration of piotie Yf you wold request hym and beseeche hym with teares euen on your knees he is not moued Yf you threaten gods wrathe against hym he yeeldeth nothing therunto Yf God scourge hym in deede he waxeth furious becoÌ„meth much more hard tha before If God bestowe benefites on hym he is vngratefull Yf he counsaile hym for his saluation he obeyeth not Yf you tell hym of gods secrete seuere iudgemeÌ„tes it dryueth hym to desperation and to more crueltie Yf you allure hym with gods mercie it maketh him dissolute If you tell him of his owne filthines he blusheth not If you admonishe him of his perils he feareth not If he deale in matters towardes meÌ„ he is prowde vncurteous If he deale in matters towardes God he is rashe light and contemptuous Finallie he forgetteth what soeuer hath passed before him towardes other men ether in rewarde of godlines or in punishement of sinners For the time present he neglecteth it nor maketh any account of vsing it to his benefite And of things to come ether of blisse or miserie he is vtterlie vnprouident nor will esteeme therof laye you them neuer so ofteÌ„ or vehementlie before his face And what waye is there then to doe this man good Not without greate cause surelie dyd the wyse man pray so hartilie to God Animae irreuerenti infrumitae ne tradas me delyuer me not ouer o Lord vnto a shamelesse vnrulie foule that is vnto a hard and obstinate harte VVherof he geueth the reason in an other place of the same booke Cor enim durum habebit male in nouissimo for that a hard 〈◊〉 shal be in an euill caâ—…e at the last daye Oh that all hard harted people wolde note this reason of the scripture But S. Barnard goeth on and openeth the terrour heerof more fullie when he sayeth Nemo duri cordis salutem vnque adeptus est nisi quem forte miserans deus abstulit ab eo iuxta prophetam cor lapideum dedit cor carneum There vvas neuer yet hard harted man saued except perchaunce God by his mercie dyd take awaye his stonye harte geue hym a harte of fleshe according to the prophet By whiche vvoordes S. Bernard signifieth and proueth ovvt of the prophet that there are two kyndes of hartes in men the one a fleshie hart vvhich bleedeth yf you but prick it that is it falleth to contrition repentance teares vpon neuer so small a checke for sinne The other is a stony hart vvhich yf you beate and buffet neuer so muche vvith hammers you may as soone breake it in peeces as ether beÌ„d it or make it bleede And of these two hartes in this lyfe dependeth all our miserie or felicitie for the lyfe to come For as God vvhen he vvolde take vengeance of Pharao had no more greuous vvaye to doe it than to saye Indurabo cor Pharaonis I vvill harden the hart of Pharao that is as S. Austen expoundeth I vvill take awaye my grace and so permitt hym to harden his owne harte so when he wolde shew mercie to Israel he had no more forcible meanes to expresse the same than to saye I vvill take avvaye the stony hart ovvt of your fleshe and geue you a fleshie hart in steade therof That is I will take away your hard hart and geue you a soft hart that wil be moued when it is spoken vnto And of all other blessings and benefites whiche God dothe bestowe vpon mortabll men in this lyfe this soft and tender hart is one of the greatest I meane suche a hart as is soone moued to repentance soone checked and coÌ„trolled soone pearsed soone made to bleede soone styrred to ameÌ„demeÌ„t And on the contrarie parte there can be no greater curse or malediction layed vpoÌ„ a Christian than to haue a hard and obstinate hart which heapeth euery day veÌ„geance vnto it selfe and his maister also as S. Paul sayeth is compared by the same Apostle vnto the grownde whiche no store of rayne can make frutefull thoughe it fall neuer so often vpon the same therfore he pronounceth therof Reproba est maledicto proxima euius consummatio in combustionem That is it is reprobate and next doore to maledictioÌ„ whose ende or consummation must be fire and burning VVhiche thinge being so no maruaile though the holie scripture doe dehort vs so carefullie from this obduration and hardnes of hart as from the moste daungerous desperate disease that possiblie may fall vppon the Christian being in deed as S. Paul signifieth the next doore to reprobation it selfe The same Apostle therfore crieth nolite contristare nolite extinguere spiritum dei doe you not contristate or make sadde doe you not extinguishe the spirit of God by obduration by