tearmes that haue bin giuen what of the producing of the testimonies both of the plaintiffe and defendant and what can be said to this That the iudge ought to esteeme himselfe to haue receiued an affront if his sentence be reuoked Thou doest passe ouer it all by the loue which thou bearest and by the desire which thou hast to powre blessings downe vpon vs. And thou saidst I haue heard thy prayer and I haue seene thy teares All tearms seeme long till thou mayst free him that is faulty for neuer did any man so desire to receaue pardoÌ„ as thou dost to giue it and more doest thou ioy to pardon them to whome thou desirest to giue life then the sinner doth himselfe for hauing escaped from death Thou obseruedst no ordinary delayes or lawes but the law shall be That he who hath broken thy lawes shall afflict his hart with griefe for what is past and shall purpose an amendment of life for that which is to come and shall apply the wholesome receites of thy Sacraments which thou didst leaue in thy Church or at least shal haue intention to take them And the delayes shall be these That (k) Ezech. 33. whensoeuer a sinner shall be deeply sorry for his sinnes thou wilt remember them no longer And to the end that sinners may take hart in crauing thy pardon for their offences thou wert pleased to graunt this man more fauour then he asked of thee by fifteene yeares of life and the deliuery of his Citty and the retraite of the Sunne as far as it is wont to walke in ten houres in token that vpon the third day after that the King should go vp into the Temple safe and sound And thou wert mercifull by vouchsafing him other secret fauours who neither yet wouldst suffer sinne to approach to vs but only for the bringing of greater good from thence letting vs see thy mercy by our misery and thy pardon and goodnes by our wickednes and thy power by our weakenesse Therefore (l) A conclusionful ful of comfort thou O sinner whosoeuer thou be who art threatned by that sentence of God which (m) Ezech. 18. sayth The soule that sinneth the same shall dye be not yet all dismayed vnder the burthen of thy great sinnes and that insuportable waight of the wrath of God But taking courage in the consideration of the mercyes of him who (n) Ezech. 33. desireth not the death of a sinner but that he may be conuerted and liue do thou humble thy selfe by weeping in his sight whome thou hast despised by committing sinne And then receaue thy pardon from the hand of that piteous Father who (o) Infinit goodnes of God hath so very great desire to giue it yea and to impart greater blessings to thee then thou hadst before As he did to this King who rose vp sound in body sound â—n soule as appeared by the thankes he gaue in these wordes Thou (p) Isa 38. O Lord hast deliuered my soule that it might not perish and thou hast cast away my sinnes behind thy backe CHAP. LXXXIII Of two threats which God vseth to expresse One absolute and the other conditionall and of two kinds of promises like those threats and how we are to carry our selues when they arriue THov art not to be scandalized in that the word vvhich was spoken to this King Thou shalt dye and thou shalt not liue was not accomplished But thou art to know That sometymes our Lord commandeth that to be declared which he hath determined to be effected in his high counsell and eternall will and that vvillbe sure without all fayle to arriue In this sort he commanded that it should be told King Saul That he would cast him off and choose a better in his place And so also did he threaten Hely the Priest and accordingly it was fullfilled And in the same manner he also menaced King Dauid That he would kill that sonne of his whome in adultery he had begotten of Bersabee And notwithstanding the earnest suit which the King made for the life of the child by prayers by hairecloth and by fastes it was not graunted for God had resolued that the child should dye But (a) That which sometime may seem to be denounced by God as absolute is but meant to be conditionall at other tymes he commandeth that to be published vpon which he hath not absolutly resolued but only vpon condition of the mending or not mending such a fault And in this sort he sent word to the Citty of Niniue That within fourty dayes it should be destroyed But afterward by their pennance he did reuoke that sentence for he had not determined to destroy them because he did it not But he declared what their sinnes deserued and what also would haue happened if their liues had not beene reformed And although considering thinges after an exteriour manner it seemed to fauour of inconstancy to say that it shal be destroyed and not to destroy it yet is it not so in that high will of God because he did not absolutely meane to do it For as S. Augustine sayth God varieth his sentence but he changeth not his counsell Which in this case was not to destroy it but not to destroy it by means of their pennance which he resolued to incite them to by that menace And this is that which our Lord sayth by (b) Hier. 18. Heremy Suddainly will I say to Nations and Kingdoms That I will destroy them and roote them out but if that people do pennance for their sinnes I will also repent my selfe of the euill which I meant to bring vpon them and I will instantly say of Nations and Kingdomes That I will plant them and build them vp But if they worke wickednes in my sight and do not hearken to my voice I also will repent my selfe of the good which I sayd that I meant to do them The (c) What vse we are to make of not knowing whether any thing which God denounceth be an absolute sentence or a coÌ„ditionall threat vse which we are to make heerof is this That because we know not when that vvherewith God doth threaten vs is but only a threat or whether it be a finall determinatioÌ„ we must not cast our selues vpon despaire nor forbeare to implore his mercy that so he may be pleased to reuoke the sentence which he gaue against vs as he did to this King and to the citty of Niniue who did both of them get their suits And though Dauid did not obtaine his yet did he not sinne in beseeching our Lord to reuoke the sentence coÌ„cerning him because it appeared not to him whether it were a decree or a threat And in the same manner if God make a promise to affoard vs any blessing we must not vse neglect in seruing him by saying I haue a byll that is written by the hand of God which can deceaue no body For the same Lord (d)
nothing of the matter which signifieth that he did not approue or like it And he that shall consider how God (t) Osâ—ae c. 8. abandoned King Saul the same God hauing placed him in the Kingdom wil find that he (v) A sad example but fit for ambitious men to looke much vpon hath much reason to vndeceiue himselfe since there will be no assurance giuen him by any that he is not to proue as frayle as Saul but only by his owne pride and ambition of command Of (x) Note this I am very sure that he shal neuer more honestly enter into it then Saul did S Augustine had reason when he sayd That authority and dignity is necessary for such as are to rule the people and that when a man is in it he must administer it according to reason but that it is vnlawfull for him that hath it not to desire it And of himselfe he sayd That he desired and procured to saue his soule in a low place that he might not put it to hazard in a higher This is especially to be done when the place whereof we speake doth concerne the charge of soules the well discharging whereof doth carry with it so much difficulty as that it is called the Art of Artes. These (y) Certaine excellent directions for practise dangers ought to be fled by vs as much as with a morall possibility we may in imitation of the example already touched which our Lord did shew in flying from the acceptance of a Kingdome he hath represented to vs many other holy wise persons who haue fled the like with al the harts they had And such as enter into these places had need do it either by reuelatioÌ„ of our Lord or by obedience to such as haue power to command them or by counsell of such others as do well vnderstand the obligation of such an office and the dangers thereof and they must be sure to keep the iudgment of God before their eyes and to cast all temporall respects behind their backes If these conditions may not be found it will at least be needfull that there be ground for good coniecture that God is pleased to lay such a burthen vpon them that such or such a man may giue credit to those coniectures before he imbarke himself into so great a danger And notwithstanding all this there will be matter inough of feare and continuall watch must be kept and our Lord must be prayed that since he kept the entrance free from ill he may also defend them in the issue of it for feare least otherwise it end in euerlasting condemnation For we haue seen many of them who liued with much contentment in such command dye full of wishes that they had neuer beene imployed therein and loaden with great feares of that whereof before they were in their opinion secure And (z) Platerv and false iudgment is then out of date in all likelyhood the truth of a mans iudgment concerning temporall thinges doth shine brighter vpon him when he is departing from them when he is more approaching to the iudgment of God wherein all Truth remaynes CHAP. V. How much we ought to fly from the pleasure of flesh and â—loud and what a most dangerous Enemy this is of what helpes we are to serue our selues for the subduing thereof FLESH and Bloud speakes of Delights and pleasures sometymes expresly sometymes vnder a colour of necessity The warre which is made vpon vs by this enemy besids that it brings vs much affliction is full of danger Because it fightes with pleasure in the hand which is (a) Note and take heed the strongest weapon of all others This doth euideÌ„tly appeare since many haue beene conquered by pleasure who were not so by riches honours or eueÌ„ by cruel torments Nor is it any meruayle For this ware is so secret and so in the way of ambush or treasoÌ„ that a man had need of much coÌ„sideration for his defence Who (b) We may well beleeue it vpon the infinit experieÌ„ce that hath byn takeÌ„ would belieue that death and death eternall should come towards vs vnder a maske of sweet and smooth delight death being the top of bitternesse delight the very thing that we most aspire to tast A cup of gold with a draught of poyson is this false pleasure whereby they are made drunke who haue no eyes but for the exteriour This is the treason of (c) 2. Reg. 20. Ioab who killed Amasus by imbracing him and of (d) Matt. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. Iudas who by that treacherous kisse of peace deliuered ouer his blessed mayster into the hands of death So is it when by drinking the pleasure of a mortal sin Christ dyeth in the soule vpon whose death it also dies for company for the life it had came from him So sayth (c) Rom. 8. S. Paul If you liue according to the flesh you shal dy And in another place (f) Tim. 5. The widdow that remaynes in pleasure being yet aliue is dead aliue by the life of her body but dead by that of her soule By how much the more closely we are ioyned to this (g) It is a traytour lodging in our bosome flesh and bloud so much the more we are to feare it for our Lord hath sayd (h) Matt. 10â— That a mans enemies are they of his owne house And this flesh bloud is not only belonging to this house of ours but of the two walls whereof the same house is made this is one For this and other reasons S. Augustin sayd that the combate of our flesh bloud was continuall and the conquest full of difficulty and whosoeuer will proue victorious must go armed with many and strong (i) Of Armes pieces For the pretious iewell of chastity is not imparted to al but to such as by the much sweat of many earnest prayers and of other holy peÌ„nance do obteyne it of our Lord. He was pleased to be wrapt in a fayre sheete of linnen which must passe through many rude handlings before it wil come to be white Wherby we may vnderstaÌ„d that the man who desireth to obteyne to conserue the guift of chastity and so to lodge Christ in himself as if it were in another sepulâ—her must be content with a great deale of cost labour to gayne this purity (k) Chastity is such a iewell as that it can neuer be ouer-bought which is a thing so rich that whatsoeuer be spend vpon it he may account himself to buy it cheap And as many more painfull works of pâ—nnance satisfaction are to be required at his hands who hath much offended our Lord then at his who hath not so much offended so though all of vs who liue in flesh must be afrayd of it and watch ouer it bridle it and rule it with discreet-temperance yet they who particulerly are infested by it wil haue need to vse
thy prayses with great ioy and to serue thee with most ardent loue Nor doest thou content thy selfe O Lord to open thyne eares towards our prayers so to heare them with attentiue speed but as one that loues another in all truth of affection and doth take pleasure to heare him speake or sing so thou O Lord doest say to the soule which is redeemed by thy bloud Shew (y) Canâ— â— 2. me thy face let thy voice sound in myne cares for thy voyce is sweet thy face is very faire What is this O Lord which thou sayest That thou desirest to heare vs and that our voyce is sweet How doth our face seeme fayre in thyne eyes which we hauing defiled with many sinnes committed by vs euen whylest thou wert looking on are a shamed to let thee see Infallibly it is true that eyther we merit much in thy sight or else thou doest loue vs much But (z) The true humility which is taught by the doctrine of the holy Catholike Church far be it from vs O Lord far be it froÌ„ vs that out of thy mercifull proceeding we should draw a reason of being proud Since that whereby we please thee and are acceptable to thee is thyne owne grace which thou didst giue vs. And besides that thou doest regale and thou doest reward thy seruants more aboundantly then becomes any merit of theirs Let glory therfore begâ—uen to thee O Lord from whom all our good proceedeth and in whome all our good consisteth to vs in vs let confusion be for our vnworthynesse and wickednes Thou art our ioy and thou art that glory wherein we glory and this we do not vniustly but vpon great reason For a high honour it is to be beloued by thee and so beloued as that thou wouldst deliuer thy selfe ouer for our sakes to the tormentes of the Crosse from whence all blessings are deriued downe vpon vs. CHAP. LXXXVI Of the great loue wherewith our Lord doth behold such as are iust and of the much that be desyreth to communicate himselfe to creatures and to destroy our sinnes which we must behold with detestation that God may looke vpon them with compassion NOvv that thou hast vnderstood the speed wherwith God heareth the prayers of such as are iust it remaineth for thee to know the great loue wherwith he behouldeth them that (a) God heareth seeth our prayers as he requireth vs to looke vp to him to giue eare to his holy inspiratioÌ„s so he may entirely performe in himselfe that of hearing and seeing which he commaundeth of vs. The eyes of our Lord saith Dauid are vpon the iust to deliuer them from death but the face of our Lord is vpon the wicked that he may cast out the memory of them from the earth Heereby it appeares that our Lord placeth his eyes vpon the iust as the pastour doth vpon his sheep that they may not perish And so also doth he place them vpon the wicked to the end that they may not passe without the punishment which their sinnes deserue Two (b) What God made and what we make thinges there are in vs one which God made and that is the creature consisting of a Body and Soule with all the good that we haue the other which our selues did make and that is sinne Now if we did not accompany that good which we haue of God by somewhat else which is an euill of our owne there could be nothing in vs which our Lord would behold with the eyes of Anger but only of Loue since it is a naturall thinge for any cause to loue the effect of it selfe But now though we haue defiled and destroyed that which the beautifull God had made fayre in vs yet will he not totally cast vs off Nor can our wickednesse hinder his supereminent goodnes which for the recouering of that which he made good resolueth to destroy that euill which our selues did make For (c) An excellent comparison set forth with great life of circumstance if we see that this corporall sunne do with so liberall a hand impart it selfe and goeth as it were inuiting men to receiue it bestoweth light and heat vpon all them who giue no impediment thereunto yea when they do yet doth it as it were euen become obstinate in making them remooue the same and if it meete with any chinke or crany how little so euer it doth by that conuey it selfe and fill the whole house full of light what shall we say of that supreame diuine goodnesse which with so great anxiety as it were and force of loue doth go circling round about the creatures that he may bestow himselfe vpon them and fill them with liuely and diuine splendours What occasions doth he seeke of doing good to meÌ„ And to many for some smal seruices he hath vouchsafed to do no small fauours What entreaties doth he vse to them who depart that they will returne againe What imbracementes doth he giue them when they come backe What seeking of such as are lost What addressing such as are gone astray What pardoning of sinnes without reproach What ioy in restoring men to saluation Letting them know that he more desireth to graunt a pardon then they care to sue it out And therefore it is that he sayth to sinners Why (d) Ezech. 33. will you needs dye Know that I desire not the death of a sinner but that he may returne and liue Returne to me and you shall liue Our (e) Note this excellent consideration death consisteth in our departure from God and therefore to returne to him is to liue Whereunto we are inuited by Almighty God whose principall intention is not to lodge the eyes of his wrath vpoÌ„ the worke of his hands which is our selues but vpon the worke of ours which are our sinnes These would God faine destroy if we did not hinder him but this we do when we loue our sinnes giuing them life by our loue which by being loued do murther vs. And so great is the hungar which that soueraigne bounty hath towards the destruction of our wickednesse to the end that so his creature may not be destroyed that (f) Let all the Angels prayse our Lord for so infinite goodnes when soeuer a man will and how oft soeuer he will and how great soeuer the sinnes be which he hath committed if he will dispose himselfe to do pennance and to begge pardon of our Lord for his part he is ready to receaue vs. Forgiuing that which we haue deserued curing that which we made sicke straightning that which we made crooked and giuing vs grace to abhorre those thinges which formerly were by vs beloued Yea in such sort doth he destroy our wickednes and deuide it from vs that Dauid (g) Psalâ— 102. sayth Looke what distance there is betweene the rising and setting of the Sunne so far hath he separated our sinnes from vs. So that the beginning and first
as much as may be that so being frighted he may fall afflicted as vnder the weight of a heauy burthen without hope of help Thus did he proceed with Iudas from (a) This is the vsuall tricke of the Diuel whose sight he tooke the grieuousnesse of the sinne when he was to commit it but afterwards he represented to his mind what a huge crime it was to haue sold his maister and for so meane a price and to such a death And thus he blinded his eyes by the greatenesse of the sinne and made him fast in the snare and from thence he carried him into hell So that as he blindeth some by their good workes letting them see the same and remouing their sinnes out of sight that so he may deceiue them through pryde so from others he hideth the memory of the mercy of God and the good deedes which by his grace they haue performed and he bringes their sinnes into their remembrance and so pulls them downe by desperation But (b) A most profitable aduice as the remedy of the former was That when he would vainely hoyse vs vp into the ayre we were to fasten our selues to the earth not considering our peacockes feathers but the durty feete of our sinnes which we had committed or should commit if it were not for the help of God so in this other deceit our remedy must be to transfeâ—re our eyes from our sinnes and to lodge them vpon the mercy of God and vpon the good deedes wherein by his grace we haue imployed our selues For when our sinnes do striue to make vs despayre it wil be very well done to call the good deedes to mind which we haue done or do performe according to the example which we see in Iob and King Eâ—echias But (c) Note this for it is a most comfortable and withall a most safe doctrine this must not be done for the placing of confidence in our owne good works in as much as they are ours for feare that least when we are flying from one snare we fall into another but to the end that we may hope in the mercy of God that since he did vs so much fauour as to make vs by his grace to do well he will reward it in vs yea euen to a cuppe of cold water which we gaue for his sake And that for as much as he hath placed vs in the course of doing him seruice he will not leaue vs in the halfe vvay since his vvorkes are perfect as himselfe is and it was a greater matter for him to draw vs formerly out of emnity against him then to conserue vs now in amity with him This (d) Philip. 1. S Paul doth teach vs saying If when we were enemies we were made friendes with God by the death of his Sonne much more now that we are made friends shall we be saued in his life It is most certaine that since his death was of power to raise the dead his life will be as able to preserue life in them that liue If he loued vs when we loued him not he will not vnloue vs since now we loue him So that we may presume to say with (e) Philip. 1. S. Paul That he who began this good worke in vs will continue it euen to the day of Iesus Christ And if the Diuell procure to trouble vs by laying those sinnes before vs which we haue coÌ„mitted let vs consider that he is neither the party offended nor yet the iudge who is to giue any sentence concerning vs. It is God whome we offended when we sinned and he it is that must iudge both men and Diuells Therefore let not that trouble vs which this accuser doth obiect against vs but let vs be comforted in that he who is the true iudge doth pardon and absolue vs by (f) God absolueth vs from our sinnes by means of the sacraments which are ministred by his true Priests meanes of Pennance and of his Priests and Sacraments This is that which (g) Rom. â— S Paul sayth If God be for vs who shall be against vs he that pardoned not his owne Sonne but deliuered him vp for vs. And how then shall it be possible that he hauing giuen vs his Sonne shall not with him haue giuen vs all thinges Who shall be able to accuse the elect of God It is God that iustifyeth who shall condemne All this sayth S. Paul And this being considered ought to giue vs great strength of hart and to hope well for that which is to come since we haue such tokens for what is past Nor let vs be frighted by our sinnes since the eternal Father did punish his only Sonne for them that so man might haue his pardon who deserued to be chastized if he would dispose himselfe to sue it out And since he is pleased to forgiue vs what can the Diuell get by crying out in demaund of Iustice. The Iustice due for all the sinnes of the world was once done vpon the Crosse and it fell vpon the innocent Lambe Iesus Christ our Lord that so euery sinnefull person that would might approach to him and might enioy the benefit of hi redemption when (h) Not by sayth alone but accompanied with Pâ—unâ—nce shall we be saued if we haue sinned he should be pardoned by doing pennance What kind of Iustice would it therfore be to punish the sins of a penitent man a second tyme in hell they hauing beene sufficiently punished once before vpon the person of Iesus Christ our Lord I say punished with hell for I speake of a penitent who is already baptized and who hath now by meanes of the Sacrament of pennance â—eceaned pardon and grace which was lost because to such a one the punishment of hell which is eternall is changed into temporall which is either satisfyed in this life with good works or in (i) They who haue not satisfied in this life nor will beleeue a Purgatory where they may satisfy in the next shall be â—aâ—e to do it in Hell Purgatory by suffering those other paynes Yet (k) Note this and thereby learne to answere the obiection which is made by ProtestaÌ„â—s let no man conceaue that the not taking totally away the payne proceedes from any want in the redemption of our Lord whose vertue is and worketh in the Sacraments * Psalm 129. For his redemption is aboundant as Dauid sayth but this happeneth by the fault of the penitent who wanted disposition to receaue more And such griefe shame he may haue for his sinnes that he may rise from the feet of his Confessour fully pardoned as wel of all the paine as of all the guilt no lesse then if he had then receaued holy Baptiâ—me For in Baptisme all that is taken away in them who are but euen moderatly disposed to the receauing of it Let all men know that the Oyle which our great Elizaus Iesus Christ our Lord did giue vs when he gaue vs
his passion and which doth worke in his most pretious (l) The benefit of the Passion of our Lord Iesus is conueyed to our soules by the Sacraments of the Holy Church sacraments is that we may thereby be able to pay all our debts to liue heere in the life of grace and afterwards in that of Glory But it is necessary that like the other Widdow we doe walke on maintayning good dispositions in our selues according to which euery one shall be sure to receaue the effect of his sacred passion which in it selfe is most sufficient yea and superaboundant CHAP. XIX Of the much which God the Father gaue vs in giuing vs Iesus Christ our Lord and how thankefull we ought to be and to help our selues by this fauour and to strengthen our selues thereby for the excluding of all desperation wherwith the Dinell is wont to assault vs. MVCH reason hath God to complaine and his Preachers to reproue men for being so forgetfull of this benefit which is so excellent as that for it we should giue thankes to God day and night For as S. Iohn sayth So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne to the end that euery one who belieueth in him loueth him may not perish but haue eternall life All other blessings are locked vp in this as the lesse in the greater and as the effect in the cause It is a plaine case that he who gaue the sacrifice against sin did giue pardon to those sinnes for as much as concerned him and to whome our Lord gaue that he also gaue command ouer them And in (a) The great reason of our comfort fine he that gaue vs his Sonne and such a Sonne and so giuen and borne for vs will deny vs nothing that is necessary And he that hath not what is fit let him blame himselfe for to complaine of God he hath no reason For the vnderstanding heerof S. Paul sayth thus He that gaue vs his sonne will he not giue vs all things togeather with him Nay he sayd more He hath already giuen vs all thinges with him for in as much as concerneth the part of God all is already giuen pardon grace and heauen O (b) Lay vp these considerations at thy hart you men why do you loose such happinesse and why are you vngratefull to such a louer and for such a benefit And why are you slothfull in the preparation of your selues to receiue it Worthy it were of all reprehension that a man should goe naked vp and downe halfe dead with hungar and full of miseries and if when another had giuen him great legacies by his will whereby he might pay his debtes and depart from his wantes liue at ease he should yet remaine without enioying all this happines rather then trauell two or three leagues for the prouinge of that will Our redemption was made so copiously that although Gods forgiuing the offences which men coÌ„mit against him be a blessing which exceedes all humane conceite yet the payment which is made by the passion and death of Christ our Lord doth exceed the debt of man in valew much more then the highest part of heauen doth the lowest part of the earth as S. Augustine sayth It (c) This coÌ„parison in full of coÌ„sort to vs sinners was due to sinfull man that he should be fettered torne and killed and can you find in your hartes to thinke that these debtes are not well payd by the scourges tormentes and death of a man who was not only a iust man but man and God An inexplicable fauour it is that God doth adopt for his sonnes the sonnes of men who are but as so many little wormes of earth But to the end that we might not doubt of this fauour it is seconded according to (d) Ioâ—n 1. S. Iohn with another and a greater For he sayth The word of God is made flesh As if he had thus expressed himselfe you may not fayle to belieue that by spirituall adoption men are borne of God for in proofe of this wonder hearken here to a greater which is That the sonne of God 〈◊〉 made man the sonne of a woman So (c) Note also is it a wonderfull thing that a miserable little thing called man made of earth should arriue to heauen enâ—oying God and accompanying the Angells therein with vnspeakeable glory But yet a farre greater matter was it that God should be placed in the torment and ignominy of a Crosse and that he should dye betweene a couple of murthering theeues Whereby the diuine iustice was so entirely satisfied both by reason of the much that our Lord did suffer and chiefely because he that suffered it was God as that he both pardoned that which was past and doth further powre his benedictions vpon vs for the future But yet so as that our barrennesse must bring forth the fruite of good life worthy of heauen which is figured by the Sonne who was graunted to (f) Gen. 18. Sara when she was old and barren For the calfe which was sodden in the house of Abraham this being Christ Iesus crucified by the people who (g) The â—ace of the lewes descended from Abraham was of so much gust to God that of wrathfull he grew calme thereby and curses were exchanged into blessinges Because he receyued a certayne thing which contented him more theâ—â— all the sinnes of the whole world could displease him Why then O man dost thou despayre hauing for remedy of thy miseries for payment of thy debtes God himselfe humaned who is of infinite merit and who by dying put our sinnes to death much better then the (h) Iud. 16. Philistines were made to dye by the death of Sampson And (i) How infinitely good is God although thou hast committed as many sinnes as the very Diuell himselfe who thus would draw thee into despayre thou must take hart in Christ who is That lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Of whom it was prophesied That be would cast and as it were shoote all our sinnes into the lowest bottome of the sea and that he was to be anointed the holy of holies And that sinne should haue an end and then that Iustice should raigne for euer Yf then our sinnes be remooued be drowned and be dead vvhat cause can there be that such vveake and defeated enemies should ouercome and cast thee vpon despayre CHAP. XX. Of some meanes which the Diuell vseth against the remedy that is spoken of whereby to fright vs and how for this we must not fainte but animate our selues the more considering the infinite mercy of our Lord. BVT I already heare O Man that which thy weakenesse answeareth to what is sayd What (a) A shrewd obiection but mark the answear for it satisfyeth doth it profit thee sayest thou that Christ dyed for thy sinnes if the pardon therof be not applied to thee And though Christ dyed for
him So God is not solitary but in the vnity of Essence there are three persons Nor is he couetous or barren since there is a communication of an infinite Deity Neither must thou forbeare to belieue that so it is although thou know not how it commeth to be so since euen because it is so high it carryeth a kind of trace or sent to be a thing of God And because it is better to be so then not euen for this very reason it is a thing which it is fit for God to haue and that so we should belieue it since of God we are to thinke according to the greatnes of God that is the highest that possibly we can imagine CHAP. XL. Wherein answere is made to thē who obiect against the receauing of our Faith that it teacheth meane and low thinges of God and how in these meane things which God teacheth most high glory is contayned NEITHER yet is there any reason to stumble at the humility which the most high God took vpon him abasing himselfe to become man to liue in pouerty and to dye vpon a Crosse For these workes are not only not to be sayd vnworthy of God but they are most worthy if they be well vnderstood Indeed if he had abased himselfe because he could not chuse or if by that abasement he had lost the height which he had before or if he had been moued to it by any interest of such an abasement But neither did he leaue to be what he was by taking that which he was not nor came he from heauen to earth by any constraint nor was he induced by regard of profit since God cannot increase in being rich But (a) Note this well discourse and learne to loue God greatly by it he was moued to it by his owne only goodnes and by the loue which he bare to men and the desire which he had to recouer them by such meanes as might be of most glory to himselfe and of most aduantage to vs. And such was the meanes he tooke by making himselfe man and dying vpon a Crosse For there is not a greater signe of loue then that a man should dy for his friends Which loue so excellent did not spring from any desert of theirs but from his owne excellent goodnes So that his lownesse and his death do not argue in him any want of power or goodnesse For as much as he being omnipotent and wholy wise might haue giuen vs remedy by many meanes besides this but it argueth in him an immense excesse of loue and goodnes and this so much the more as God who loueth and suffereth this is the greater and as that which he suffered was more grieuous and painefull and they for whome he suffered were the more vnworthy and base And since in louing such persons his excellent goodnesse is manifested this worke is to be called a great height since in spirituall things high and good are all one and when it is the more good so much the more great and high it is And since the greatest honour which we can do any man is to hold him for good more then for being valiant or wise for as much as no mā who is sensible of honour doth not so desire it it is euident that since these workes do manifest his goodnes and loue more then all the rest they giue him consequently more honour and they giue it better then all the rest And (b) In true account nothing doth so exalt Christ our Lord as his abasement if in the opinion of ignorant persons the abasement which God hath made of himselve take honour from his dignity and height it ought in the iudgment of wise men to extoll the honour of his goodnes and consequently of his height and greatnes and so he looseth neither the one nor the other And not only doth his goodnes shine in these workes more then others but so also doth his wisedome and power other his most wonderfull attributes appeare therin For amongst all the workes which God hath wrought or is to work there is none equall in being moruailous nor is there to be found so great a miracle as that God should make himselfe man and suffer afterward for man And whosoeuer belieueth not this doth his best to take from God the greatest honour he hath and greater then if he should take the honour that is due to him for all the other workes which he hath made or is to make in (c) Since the Creation of the world Tyme Consider well of this and thou shalt discerne how the omnipotency and wisedome of Goth doth shine in making two so different extremes to meet in one as are God and man in the vnity of one person And note that his power is more declared in combatting and conquering our sinnes and death by the armes of our weaknes then if he had ouercome them with the weapons of his owne omnipotency as we sayd before whylest we were speaking of despaire And (d) An excellent discourse consider that when God continued in his greatnesse he had but a small people that serued him and the same went also dayly from him to adore strange Gods and euen when it did not so it serued him yet with much weakenes But when God abased himselfe so far as to be man and to dy for him it made such deep impression vpon the minds of men as that they who were high did abase themselues and the weake became strong the wicked good and finally there grew so great a change ouer the world as well in the destruction of idolatry as in the renouation of life and manners that the accomplishment of the word which our Lord spake was plainely seene (e) lo. m. 1◠When I shall be exalted from the earth and placed on the Crosse I will draw all things to my selfe And so it appeares that he obteyned that victory ouer the hartes of men by basenesse weakenes tormentes and death which he obteyned not whylest he remained in the height of his Maiesty And thus was that fullfilled which S. Paul (f) t. Cor. 1. sayth The weaknes of God is more thē the strength of men And so it also appeareth that God doth not only gaine the honour of goodnesse but of wisedome power also by taking vpon him our basenesse and by working that thereby which he wrought not by his greatnes For this it is that S. Paul (g) Rom. 1. sayth That he is not ashamed to preach the Ghospell since it is the vertue of God for the sauing of men For although this humanity hunger dishonour torment death be truly affirmed of God yet there is no cause for a Christian to be ashamed thereof since by meanes of these thinges God obteined the conquest ouer other thinges that were so mighty as are sinne and death and procured that man might obtayne the grace of God and his Kingdome which are the greatest things that could
arriue to man Hereby God gained more honour then by hauing created heauen and earth and all that is therein And therefore this worke is for the eminency and excellency of it called the work of God as our Lord sayd This is my foode to do the will of my Father in my finishing his worke which is the redemption of men Not but that God hath wrought other workes but because the Inâ—ernation and redemption which follow hereupon is the greatest worke of them all and that which he prizeth most as the thing whereby he receiueth most honour For (h) The same excellent discourse continued although to haue scourged Egypt for the loue of his people and to haue drawne it out from thence to haue conducted it through the desert did giue honour to God as Isaias saith yet already thou canst not chuse but see which is the more high and heroicall act of loue for God to whip his enemies for the loue of his people or to suffer himselfe to be scourged in his owne flesh for the loue both of his domestiques and of strangers and both of his friends and of his enemies One thing it is for God to carry his children through the desert like an eagle that would teach his yong ones how to fly taking them vp vpon his shoulders when they are weary that so they might vnweary themselues whylest yet God groweth not weary thereby and another thing it is to ouerloade his owne shoulders with a heauy Crosse which did euen flea them of their skin togeather with all the sinnes of the whole world which like the beame of a wyne-presse did straine him so far as to depriue him of life vpon the same Crosse and this to the end that men might be out of paine Who is he that will not discerne that this was a most excellent heroicall act of loue the like whereof was neuer seene which gaue more honour to God then all that was past That other was to him but a common thing and there was no need of so great loue for the doing of it But this later was a busines that would haue byn imbraced by few and hardly wil there be found a man vpon earth who would suffer himself to be publikely whipped or put to death for any good man or any frend And yet if such a man could be found there would still be no comparison to be made betweene that and the much that our Lord did loue and suffer for vs. For he hath no equal Nor is it to be greatly meruaâ—led at if a Lion carry himselfe like a Lion but that a Lion should be content to suffer like a Lambe and that the only cause therof should be his loue this is a busines of a strang extent and worthy of eternall honour And since in former tymes they sayd Let (i) Exod. 15. vs sing vnto our Lord for he hath byn magnified in a glorious manner Let vs also say with a most profound gratitude Let vs sing vnto our Lord who hath byn magnifyed in a most humble manner For as much as formerly God did neither abase himselfe nor take paines in the ease which he gaue vs nor although he imparted riches did he impouerish himselfe but here he impouerished himselfe he did sweat yea he abased himselfe to death and death of the Crosse to raise his seruantes from sinne and to conduct them to heauen and he preuailed in his enterprize and that which Isaias (k) Isa 55. sayd was fulfilled that insteed of the little shrubbe there should grow the Firre-tree and insteed of the nettle there should grow the myrtle And that our Lord should be renowned by an eternall token which shall neuer be taken away For the honour which God did gayne in placing of of this signe which is the Crosse and to dy thereon and to make men good of bad shall last for euer and there shall none be able to ouerthrow it CHAP. XLI That not only the glory of our Lord doth shine in the humble thinges of God which our Faith teacheth but also our owne great profit our strength and vertue NOT (a) He stil prosecuteth the same excelleÌ„t discourse in an excellent manner only doth the honour of God shine after an excellent manner in the workes of his humanity and humility but from thence also doth result the great profit and glory of man whome nothing doth so much exalte as that God hath put himselfe into Brotherhood with him Nor is there any thing which doth so much strengthen his hart against the swooning afflictions which sinne causeth in it as to see that God died for the remedy thereof and that he gaue himselfe to man as his owne Nor is there any thing which can so mooue him to loue God as to see himselfe beloued by him euen to the death nor to make a man despise prosperity or suffer aduersity nor to humble himselfe to God and to his Neighbour nor indeed to any good thing be it great or smal as to see God abased humaned that he was pleased to passe through these thinges giuing vs commandements to performe examples to behold and strength to go through And since this way of remedying our humility and basenes turneth more to the glory of God and to the good of men it is a signe that this is a worke of God since in that which God worketh he pretendeth the manifestation of his owne glory and mans good And therefore he that either denyeth this worke or hindreth it is an enemy of God and of all mankind Since thereby he will depriue God of the greatest honour which by his workes can come to him and man of the greatest glory and benefit that can be imagined And since he declareth himself as an enemy both to God and man it is but reason that he be punished and that with eternall death in hell And the answere that he will be able to giue when God shall aske him this question Why (b) Read this with great attention didst thou not belieue those high things of me must be this Because O Lord they seemed so high to me that I did not thinke thou hadst been so high And being asked why he did not belieue those mysteryes of his humanity and humility since they were the testimonyes of his goodnes of his loue he must answere That he did not thinke the loue and goodnes of our Lord to haue beene so great that he could find in his hart to do and suffer so much for the loue of men So that he stumbleth both vpon the high and vpon the low And the roote of all is because he thinketh basely of God And that he tooke his height and his goodnes to be a limitted kind of thinge Which root and that which proceeds thereof shall iustly burne in the fire of hell as being iniurious to the most high God whom it doth diminish and confine with in a certaine narrow compasse How much better
our Lord Iesus is the Sancta SanctornÌ„ I answere That it is the hart of Iesus Christ our Lord who is truly the Holy of Holyes For as he did not content himselfe to suffer only in the exteriour but with a cordiall loue so thou art not to stay vpon the seeing and imitating that which exteriourly appeares but thou must enter into his hart to behold imitate the same And to the end that this entry might be more easy for vs and that which was locked vp in his hart more manifest he permitted after he was dead that howsoeuer he then felt no paine his hart should be (b) By the point of a launce disclosed that so as by an open gate wherby we might discouer a world of admirable mysteryes men might be induced to enter into it might be inuited as to a thing wherein they were to behold that strange beauty which was there conteined But who is able with a tongue to speake therof since he that hath entrance thither and lookes vpon them cannot reach to the greatnes And eueÌ„ that which he reacheth he is not able to expresse S. Iohn (c) Apoe 11. deliuereth in figure of this that the temple of God was opened and that the Arke of the Testament was seene therein for in the hart of Christ the law of God is fulfilled and there is kept the Manna of celestiall bread and that pretious and complete (d) By the incarnation passion of Christ our Lord. sweetning of God which was signified by that couerture of gold of the ancient Arke And all this in so great excellency that it far exceedeth the very highest pitch of all our thoughtes Dauid (e) Psal 39. sayth Many meruailes hast thou wrought O Lord my God and in those thoughtes which thou hadst for my good there is none like to thee Meruailous (f) Marke this gradation is all that which God hath done and more meruailous is all that which he hath suffered But yet if thou consider the thoughts of his (g) O bottomles Abysse of the lou of our Lord Iesus to mankind hart which euen whilest lest he was suffering did through his loue think as it were but little of any thing except the same very loue thou wilt cry out with a loud cry of thy soule There is none O Lord like to thee Do thou desire him O Virgin when thou shalt see him suffer his handes and necke to be tyed when thou shalt see him endure buffets thornes nailes and death to do thee the fauour to let thee know why being so strong and so powerfull he should suffer himselfe to be treated as if he were so weake without ability of making resistance To this S. Iohn (h) Aâ—oc 2. wil answeare thee in his name He loued vs and he washed vs from our sin with his bloud Ruminate well vpon these wordes and lodge them deepely in thy hart and entertaine thy selfe in thinking what an admirable and excessiue loue that is which burneth so in his hart as to flame out by suffering such thinges in the exteriour Say within thy selfe What (i) Obserue well the gradations of this chapter which tend towards the making thee all enamoured of our Lord Iesus it is the top of any thing that I haue seene in this kind person might there be in the world for whom I or such an one as I would endure such miseryes without pretending any proper interest but only for pure loue of that other person and thou wil see that to suffer all that which our Lord suffered is not such a kind of thing as which we may looke to find elsewhere for there would be no forces fit for so heauy a burthen To endure some small part of what he endured might perhaps be found betweens fathers and sonnes brother and brother friend and friend man and wife or the like to whoÌ„ either necessity or bloud or friendship may giue strength to suffer yea and to dye though this of dying but very rarely But to suffer for strangers without any interest of a mans owne without being obliged to it yea and to dye and that for nothing but for meere loue was a thing neuer seene And yet if it should be seene that a slaue should offer to dye for a King and that before his death he wold be scourged endure some of the many tormentes which our Lord did suffer it would be such an act of prowesse as that the slaue might deserue a Pardon although he had committed many faultes And all men would iudge that he had merited many fauours at that Kinges handes if he were able to impart any in the other life Nor would this famous action depart froÌ„ the mouths of men for a long time yea the King himselfe would recount it both with much thankefullnes and much tendernesse But (k) Giue great attention now let vs turne the story the other way and conceaue that the King himselfe after hauing suffered greiuous tormentes and extreame reproach would needs dye for his slaue from whom he had receiued no seruice but great offences which deserued a most cruell death that the cause of the Kinges dying were the meere nothing but the loue which he bare this slaue This would be a thing neuer seene and neuer heard before and it would betoken such an excessiue kind of loue as would cast them that heard of it into a horrible kind of amazement and would furnish matter to men for publishing the goodnesse of that King al the dayes of their liues And so admirable so new and so sublime a loue would this be that some men of superficiall vertue and weake vnderstanding would be scandalized thereat and would not make such a iudgement of this worke as were conuenient affirming it to be a kind of absurd excesse that the maiesty of a King full of all power and vertue should so cast away his pretious life to the end that his wicked slaue might liue who had most iustly deserued death And (l) Be still attentiue for these are circuÌ„stances of high importance if moreouer it were added to this story that this King were so wise and so powerfull as that with much facility and without suffering the least inconuenience and without doing the least iniustice to any he could deliuer that slaue of his from death and that yet neuerthelesse he would make vp his loue into so huge a heape and would giue him to vnderstand that he were resolued to endure such and so many miseries as neuer any man endured and all this for no other reason but because that so it would be better for the slaue most certaine it is that few eyes would be found in the world which could be able to behold such a bright sunne of burning loue as this And if any maÌ„ should haue so good an apprehension as to thinke thereof as the thinge deserued he would escape well if he kept his wittes through
his hauing been pleased to performe them first He hath commanded vs as hath beene sayd that we should heare him and behould him and encline our eare vnto him which is all most reasonable and easy For such a maister who will not heare Who will not be delighted in beholding such a delightfull light Who will not encline his eare to that infinite wisdome But (a) The example of the holy life of our Lord Iesus to the end that the thing which is light might be yet more light he was pleased to passe by the same law which he hath imposed vpon vs he performed it with great diligence He heareth vs he seeth vs he enclineth his eare to vs to the end that we may no loÌ„ger say there is none who looketh towards me none who hearkneth to my complaintes A (b) Look attentiuely to this consideraon great comfort it is for one that is in distresse to haue some body who at all tymes of both day and night will be at good leasure and in good humour to heare his difficultyes related and if without the fayling of any moment he stand looking vpon his miseryes and infirmityes and if he doe not so much as say I am weary of seeing those afflictions thy wounds and soares do turne my stomacke And although such a person were hard of heart we would yet be glad that he should euer heare and see vs. For we would hope that the gutter of our sorrowes which would fall vpon his heart by the conduit of his eares and eyes would one day eate into him and breed compassion since how hard soeuer he were he would not be more hard then stone which yet is wrought vpon by the fall of water although sometimes that water cease to fall And although we knew that he were not able to relieue our miseries yet should we comfort our selues much by the only compassion which he might haue of our case Now (c) The case applyed if we should owe much gratitude to such a person how great must that be which we owe to our Lord And how ioyfull ought we to be in that his eyes and eares are bent vpon the sight of our afflictions and that he doth not at any tyme retire them from vs. And this is done by him not with any hardenesse of hart but with internall and profound mercy and not with mercy of the hart alone but with entire power to relieue our necessities Be (d) God doth euer heare our coÌ„plaints he is inclined to pitty our ease he is highly able to help vs. thou O Lord eternally blessed who art neither deafe nor blind to our afflictions since thou doest euer heare and see them Nor art thou cruell since of thee it is said Our Lord is a worker (e) Psal 10â— of mercies and he is of a mercifull hart he expecteth vs and he is very mercifull Nor is he weake withall since all the miseries and sinnes of the world are both weake few if they be compared to his infinite power which hath no end nor measure We read that in tymes past God gaue a meruailous victory to King (f) 4. Reg. 10. Fzechias ouer his enemies who as some relate did not yield those thankes and sing those praises to our Lord which were both due and accustomed to be presented in such cases For which offence God (g) A great example of â—ods mercy and mans misery did cast him into a sicknesse and that so dangerous that humanely speaking it could expect no cure And least through a vayne hope of life he might forget to set his soule in order the Prophet Isay was sent to him and he said by the commaundment of God This saith our Lord Dispose of the affayres of thy house for know that thou shalt dye and not line The King being frighted by these wordes turned his face towards the wall and wept with great lamentation imploring the mercy of our Lord. He considered how iustly he had deserued death since he had not bin gratefull to him who had giuen him his life and he reflected vpon the sentence which had already passed on him which said Thou shalt not line Ho found not that there was any thing superiour to him who had passed that sentence that so he might procure to haue it reuersed And although there had bin any such yet would not his title haue bin good For from the man who is vngratefull that is iustly taken away which was mercifully afforded to him He saw that he was but a man of middle age and that the line of Dauid was to fayle in his person for then he was to haue dyed without children And besides all this he was assalted by all the sinnes of his life past the feare wherof is wont to presse men most in that last houre And by these things his hart was euen broken with griefe and troubled like a tempestuous sea and which way soeuer he looked he found reasons of sorrow and feare But (h) They are sure of remedy who haue recourse to prayer especially if they resort to it immediately after the occasion is ministred yet in the middest of so many miseries the good King met with a remedy and it was to aske physicke at his handes who had made him sicke and security of him by whome he had bin frighted and to conuert himselfe to him by hope and pennance from whome he had fled before through pride Yea and of the iudge himselfe he desires that he will become his aduocate and he falls vpon an inuention how to appeale from God not as to any other more high then he but from himselfe being iust to himselfe being mercifull And the reasons of his defence are no other then the accusations of himselfe and the Rhetorike that he vseth are but sighes and teares And by these meanes he is able to preuaile so farre in that court of Chancery of the diuine mercy that before the prophet Isay who was the proclaymer of the sentence of his death could go but haâ—fe way ouer the Kings chamber our Lord sayd to him Returne and say thus to King Ezechias that Captaine of my people I haue heard thy prayer and I haue seene thy teares I grant thee health and I giue thee moreouer fifteene yeares of life and I will deliuer this Citty out of the handes of thine enemies What is this O Lord So soone doest thou sheath thy sword agayne so soone doest thou turne thy anger into mercy Can a few teares which are shed not in the Temple but in the corner of a bed whilest the eyes looke not vp to heauen but vpon a wal make thee so soone reuoke that sentence which thy maiesty had giuen and commaunded to be notifyed to that guilty person What (l) The pardon of God to man is instant and amorous without vpbrayding is then becomâ— of coppying out the whole processe what of the costes of the suite what of the
Hier. 18. saith That if we depart from doing his will he will also repent himselfe of the good he promised Not that God can repent since he is not capable of any change but his meaning is That as one who repenteth himselfe doth vndoe the thing which he had done so will he discharge the sentence of punishment which he had giuen against a man if he do pennance and he will retract that promise which he made of doing him good if that man depart from him CHAP. LXXXIIII What a man is of his owne stock and of the great benefits that we enioy by Iesus Christ our Lord. RETVRNING then to our purpose it is plaine how well this law and practise is fulfilled by Almighty God He heareth and he seeth since he did so soone heare the prayer and see the teares of this (a) Ezechias King And did comfort him not only him but the same he doth to others as Dauid (b) Psal 33. saith The eyes of our Lord are vpon iust persons and his eares are bent towards their prayers to deliuer their soules from death and to susteyne them in tyme of hunger I well belieue that thou likest well this word and yet I belieue also that the cōdition vnder which it is said doth put thee into some feare A blessed thing it is that the eyes and eares of God are present to vs. But yet thou wilt say In what case am I for he speaketh that of such as are iust and for my part I am full of sinne Thou saiest true and see that thou do truly belieue it For if there were any men who had no sinnes who should they in all reason be rather then the holy Apostles of Iesus Christ our Lord who as they were nearer to him in conuersation of body so were they also in sanctity of mind and so as that none do equall them excepting only the blessed Mother of God who equalleth and exceedeth both them and the Angells And although S. Paul (c) Rom. 8. do say both in his owne person and in that of the Apostles also That they receiued the first fruites of the spirit which signifieth greater grace and giftes then were imparted to other men yet neuerthelesse our Lord commauded them to say that prayer of the Pater Noster whereof this is a part Forgiue vs our debtes or sinnes And since this prayer is for euery day it is plaine that we are told thereby that (d) Be not rash in mistaking but read on and thou wilt see that this is meant of venial sins as distraction in prayer idle words or thoughts and the like not of such others as depriue the soule of grace we haue faultes and that euery day we commit one or other And therefore (e) 1. Ioan. 1. S. Iohn said Yf we say that we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and truth is not in vs. Now if all men haue synne excepting him alone who is God as well as man and her who is his true Mother for whome were those wordes spoken That the eyes of our Lord are vpon iust persons and his eares are inclined to their prayers I answeare that God is not humorous nor yet doth he pay men with wordes alone sines we see that as he said so he performed with King Ezechias and in numerable others also whom he heard and saw But (f) See heere the verity purity of Catholik doctrine concerning grace and sinne works do thou know that he is a iust person who is not in mortall sinne since such an one is in grace and is the friend of God and of this sort there are many although they haue veniall sinnes But now when there is speach of these last there is none who can truly lay that he is wholy free And to the end that thou mayst be thankefull for this grace and iustice to that Lord through whose merits they are giuen to such as are well disposed thou art to vnderstand that iust persons haue in them two kinds of good some of nature others of grace though Pelagius be in a chafe at this last who said That a man is iust through the good workes which he doth by the strength of his owne nature without needing that grace and strength which is infused by God This errour is condemned by the Catholike Church which commaundeth vs to belieue That of our nature we are sinners first by originall sinne and them by others also which with our will we commit afterward and that in those other workes which yet are after their manner good but yet still within the only latitude of morality and these are the best that we can worke by force of nature true iustice doth no way consist For this it is that S. Paul (g) Rom. 3. saith That no man is iust that is to say of himselfe for we are all sinners of our selues The being iust is giuen to vs it groweth not out of our soyle or stocke for to haue it (h) Christ our Lord is only iust originally of himselfe al other creatures yea euen the pure mother of God her self were to be iustifyed by his redēption She was secured from falling into the least sinne either originall or actual because his passion wrought in her holy soule by way of Preseruatiue we are freed after falling because it workes in vs by way of remedy so is the priuiledge of Christ our Lord alone who not by meanes of any other but of his only selfe is the true iust person and in whose workes and death is true iustice For if in the workes which we can do by our nature did consist true Iustice or that by them we could deserue it Christ Iesus (i) The protestāts will heere find that they haue no reason to slander vs in this point according to their custome had died in vayne as S. Paul saith since we might haue obteined that without his death which he purchased for vs therby The same Apostle (k) Galat. 3. saith That Christ is made iustice to vs and he saith it because the merit of our iustice doth consist in his workes and death which (l) Suspēd your rash iudgment a while if you be a Protestāt and read the 88. chapter which wil deliuer you from errour in this point merit he communicateth to vs by Faith and by loue which is the life thereo◠and by the Sacraments of the Church as we declared before And thus are we incorporated in Christ Iesus and the grace of the holy Ghost is giuen vs by the infusion whereof into our soules we are made the adopted Sonnes of God pleasing to him and so we also receaue vertues and giftes to the end that we may worke agreeably to the high state of the grace which was giuen to vs. By all which we are made truly iust in the sight of God by a iustice which is ours and which dwelleth in vs and (m) Note this which
the bloud of Christ our Lord. CONSIDER then how deformed the spot is which sinne doth cause and how farre we are to fly from it since being once receiued into the soule it could neither be washed away by the shedding of so much bloud as was offered in the Temple by the commaundment of God himselfe nor could all the force of man arriue vnto it And if that beautifull and deare (a) Christ our Lord. Word of God had not come downe to beautify vs the deformity of sinne would for euer haue remained in vs. But that lambe without spot comming downe he had the power and he had the way and he had the will to put away these spotts he destroyed our deformity and he endewed vs with beauty And to the end that thou mayest see with how much conueniency the Sonne of God rather then God the Father or the holy Ghost was to be he that should beautify our deformed soules with his bloud Consider that as Eternity is attributed to the Father and Loue to the holy Ghost so to the Sonne of God as God is attributed Beauty because he is most (b) The first quality of Beauty prefect and without the least defect and he is the (c) The second quality of Beauty image of the Father as S. Paul (d) Heb. 1. saith and so liuely an one that in regard he is engendred by way of the vnderstanding he is to all purposes as his Father who gaue him the same essence that himselfe hath in such sort as that he (e) Ioan. 14. who seeth him seeth the Father as the holy ghospell saith Now by reason of this proportion betweene the Sonne and the Father which is so absolute most iustly is beauty ascribed to him since the image is taken in so liuely a maner out of the originall Light (f) The third quality of Beauty is not wanting to him for he is called the Worde which is a thing engendred by the vnderstanding and in that vnderstanding as S. Iohn (g) Ioan. 1. saith which was true light Greatnes is not (h) The fourth quality of beauty wanting to him since he is infinitly immense and therefore was it conuenient that this beautifull God by whom we were made wheÌ„ we were not should come to restore vs when we were lost and who apparaylling himselfe with our flesh should take vpon him the resemblance of our deformity and so imparte to vs the excellency of his owne beautie And although neither our being punished or spoken faire was able to free vs from our spots yet was the valew so great of the punishing of that beautiful person that the sharp salpetre of his passion falling vpoÌ„ his shoulders there distilled downe vpon vs the sweet dew of his whitnesse And howsoeuer God doth say to the sinner Although (i) Hier. 12. thou wash thy selfe with salpetre with the Fullers hearbe thou shalt not be cleane yet telling vs that he would send a remedy against this spot he sayth in another place If thy sinnes be as red as scarlet they shal be made white like snow and if they shal be as red as bloud they shall become whyte like woll Very truly well did Dauid belieue this when he (k) Ps 50. sayd Thou shalt sprinkle me O Lord with (l) The inward meaning of this place deliuered â—yssope and I shal be cleane thou shalt wash me and I shall become more white then snow Hyssope is a litle hearbe and somewhat hot and hath the property to purge the lunges wherby we breath This hearbe they brought to a wand of Cedar they tyed it thereunto with a string of crimson double died And so being bound togeather they called it that Hyssope wherewith when first it had beene steeped in bloud and water and then with water and ashes they sprinkled both leaprous persons and such as had touched any dead body and thereupon they were held for cleane Full well knew Dauid that neither the herbe nor the Cedar nor the bloud of birdes or beastes nor yet water or ashes could giue any cleannesse to the soule although it were figured by them And therfore he desired not God that he would take into his hand a branch of Hyssope sprinkle him with it but (m) That hysop was a figure of the humility and Passion of Christ our Lord. he sayth so in respect of the humanity and humility of Iesus Christ our Lord which is called an herbe because it grew from the earth of the Blessed Virgin Mary and because he was begotten without the help of man as the flower springeth in the field which is neither plowed nor sowed For this it is that he sayth I am (n) Can. 2. the flower of the field And this her be is called little for the meanenesse which he tooke vpon himselfe in the world so far forth as to say A (o) Psal 21. worme I am and no man the dishonour of men and the very out-cast of the people This (p) The passion of our Lord is the only soueraign cure of pride humbled flesh of our Lord is such a remedy against the puffe of our foolish pride as that it may be cured by this so great humility since there is no colour for a worme to exalt it self when the King of Maiesty is so abased And forget not that Hyssope is hot For Christ by the fire of that loue which was burning in the roots of his hart was pleased to abase himself to purge vs thereby to make vs know that if he who was so high did abase himselfe how much reason there is why we who haue so true cause to abase our selues should not by our selues be exalted And if God be humble how much more should a man be so This (q) Of our Lord Iesus flesh so full of true phisicke was then put to the sticke of a Cedar when it was placed vpoÌ„ the crosse tyed by that delicate thrid of wooll twice died For although the nayles which fastned thereunto his handes and feete were hard and great and long inough yet if the thrid of his ardent loue had not fastned him to that crosse and vnles he had been willing to deliuer vp his life for the killing of our death those nayles would not haue beene strong inough for such a businsse So that it was not they but the loue he bare vs that held him there And (r) The double aspect which was carryed by the loue of our Lord the reparation of Gods honour and the remission of mans sin this loue carryed a double aspect as crimson which is double died for he suffered that which he suffered to satisfy for the honour of his father who was offended by our sinnes and for the loue of sinners who were lost thereby CHAP. CIX That the sacred humanity of Christ our Lord was figured in the gaâ—â—ent of the high Priest and in the veyle which God commaunded Moyses to make
without feare of seing them as if they had seene them no more Hereby they tooke occasion to giue glory to him that slew them and they sayd Let vs singe vnto our Lord for he hath beene gloriously magnifyed and he hath drowned both horse and horsemen in the sea All this is a figure of that straite affliction wherein our sinnes do put vs representing themselues vnto our soules as enemyes of mighty strength who are about to kill and swallow vs vp But the word of God being full of all reason to make vs hope doth giue vs hart by requiring that we despayre not and that we turn not backe vpon the vices of Egypt but that proceeding in the good purpose whereby we began to walke in the way of God we should keep on foot being comforted in his assistance to the end that we may see his wonders Which are that in that sea of his mercy and in the crimson bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne our sinnes are drowned so also is the Diuell who came mounted vpon them like a Cauallier that so neither he not they may do vs hurt But (n) A circumstaÌ„ce excellently applyed rather we remembring them although they grieue vs as it is fit they should they may yet giue vs occasion to render thankes and glory to our Lord God for hauing beene such a father of pitty in pardoning vs and of supreme wisedome in drawing good out of our euill by giuing true death to sinne which killed vs. And that which remayneth therof in vs aliue which is the memory of hauing committed it doth but serue that his elect may grow the better by it and become the exalters of his honour CHAP. XXII Where he prosecutes the treaty of the Mercy of God which he vseth towards vs his Maiesty ouercomming our enemyes after an admirable manner THIS admirable maister-piece of Gods hand which driueth treacle out of poyson against the very poyson it selfe and draweth the destruction of sinne out of the very sinne doth spring and carry a resemblance to another piece of prowesse which the most High hath wrought not lesse but greater both then that other and then all the rest This was the worke of the Incarnation and Passion Wherein God was not pleased to fight with the weapons of the greatnes of his maiesty but by taking those of our weaknesse and apparailing himselfe with human flesh which howsoeuer it were free from all sinne it did yet resemble the flesh of sinners for as much as it was subiect to that payne and death which sinne had brought into the world And by this paine and death which without their being his due he tooke vpon him he ouercame and destroyed our sinne and they being destroyed both payne death which entred in by their meanes were destroyed also As (o) A noble consideration and a lâ—uely comparison if a man should set the body of a tree on fyre by the braunches of the same tree and so should burne vp both the tree and the braunches How (p) The infinitenes of our obligatioÌ„ to our Lord Iesus greatly O Lord is thy glory magnified and with how much reason are we to sing to prayse thee more then they praysed Danid for going into the field against Golias who put the people of God into straites when there was none that could ouercome yea or who had the courage to set vpon him But thou O Lord our King our honour dissembling as it were the weapons of thy Omnipotency diuine life which thou hast as thou art God didst fight with him by taking that stafle of the Crosse into thy hand and in thy most holy body fiue stones which were the fiue wounds and so thou didst ouercom and kill him And although the stones were fiue yet one of them had beene inough for the victory For if thou hadst endured lesse then what thou didst endure there would yet haue beene merit inough for our Redemption But (q) Note thy pleasure was O Lord that our redemption should be copious and superaboundant That so weake persons might be comforted such as were negligent inflamed by seeing the excessiue loue wherewith thou didst suffer for vs and kill our sinnes being figured in the person of Golias whomâ— Dauid slew not with any sword which he might haue carryed of his owne but by the very sword of the Giant and so the victory became more glorious and the enemy was made subiect to more dishonour Much (r) The infinite wisedom which did accompany the iâ— finne mercy of God honour had our Lord gained if with his owne weapons of life and diuine Omni potency he had fought against our sinnes death and had so defeated them But much more did he gaine in ouercomming them without so much as drawing his sword Nay by taking the same sword that is the effect of sinne which is payne and death he did in flesh condemne sinne offering his flesh to be made subiect to payne and such hard vsage as if it had beene the flesh of a sinner being indeed both of a iust man and of God That so by this meanes as S. Paul sayth The iustification of the law might be fullfilled in vs who walke not according to the flesh but the spirit And since the iustification of the Law is fullfilled in vs by our walking according to the spirit it is plaine that these being such workes as wherwith the Law is fullfilled are such as it requireth at our hands and wherby satisfaction is giuen to it and so it groweth to be euident that he spake falsly who sayd That (s) This is saâ—d by nâ—â—e but our moderne Sectaryes all the workes which were done by a iust man were sinne Christ (t) They who affirme as our Sectaâ—â—s do that sinne doth still remayne in the soule of persons who are penitent pardoned depriue the passion of our Lord of the better part of the worth thereof did perfectly ouercome sinne both by deseruing pardon for such as were past and force for the auoyding of such as might be to come and so he freed our soules from the law of sinne Because we are no longer subiect to the command thereof and he deliuered vs from the hurt or payne due vnto it since by giuing vs grace to suffer payne we satisfied for that to which we might be liable in Purgatory and besides it helpeth vs to gayne crownes in heauen He did further also deliuer vs froÌ„ the law of death For howsoeuer we be to passe that way we are not yet to remay ne therein but as one who laieth himselfe downe to sleepe and is afterward awaked our Lord will rayse vs vp to leade a new life which neuer is to dye againe And that life is to be so happy as that it shall reforme this base body of ours and shall conforme it to the body of his brightenesse and then we shal be ioyfull and entirely secure and despising our
enemies and triumphing ouer them we shal say O death where is thy victory O death where is thy sting which sting is sinne in them where death is still in force whereby it doth wound as the Bee is wont to do with her sting for by sinne death entred into the world Both the one and the other enemy which were wont to gouerne and to wound the world remayne drowned in the blessed bloud of Iesus Christ and slayne by his precious death And in (u) See heer how copious the Redemption is which our Lord hath purchased for vs. their place succeedeth that euerlasting iustice whereby heere the soule is iustifyed and afterwards shall succeed the vision of God face to face in heauen and a life which shal be eternally blessed both in body and soule What shall we say to this O Virgin but that which S. Paul hath taught vs Thankes be giuen to God who hath graunted vs victory through Iesus Christ Him thou art to adore and with a gratefull and enamoured harte say to him Let all the earth adore thee and prayse thee and singe a hymne to thy name And see thou say this often euery day and especially when at the Altar his most holy body is eleuated by the hands of the Priest CHAP. XXIII Of the great mischeise which despayre doth worke in the soule and how we must ouercome this ene my with spirituall alacrity and diligence and feruour in the seruice of God THis despayre and loosing of hart is such a dangerous instrument of our enemy that when I remember the great mischeifes which haue growen by it to the consciences of many I desyre to speake a little more concerning the remedy thereof if perhaps any good may come thereby It (a) This is a case too common happeneth so that sometymes there are persons who be loaden with a multitude of great sinnes and neither know what despayre nor so much as a little feare is nor doth it once passe through their thought But they goe on as being assured by a false hope offending God and yet not fearing punishment for the same And (b) We see by lamentable experience that such as are not Catholiks do passe from one extremity of presâ—â—â—tion to the other of de peration without resting in true hope if once the mercy of God shine vpon their soules and they beginne to see the grieuousnes of their sinnes though it be reason that since they aske pardon of God with purpose of amendement and that they receiue the benefit and comforte of the Sacramentes they should be strengthned thereby both against that which is past and that also which in the seruice of God might afterward present it selfe yet fall they vpon the other extreame of feare as before they were subiect to that of false security Not (c) Note considering that they who oftend God and do not repent haue reason indeed to feare tremble though all the world smile vpon them because the wrath of the omnipoteÌ„t is prouoked against them which wrath there is no power that can resist and that they who humble themselues to God and receiue his holy Sacramentes and who will procure to do his will ought to haue the hart of Lions for as much as they are commaunded to confide in God by that token that God is with them Whome as they hold for an enemy to the wicked and for that themselues haue byn such they are in feare so it is all reason that they should hold him for a friend of the good and that in regard of the holy purposes which he hath inspired them with they may confide that he is also their friend and that so he will be giuing increase to the good seed which himselfe did plante and perfecting that which he hath begunne This is certainely true that when once a man coÌ„meth to say in earnest that which Dauid sayd I haue held vp my hands towardes the performance of thy commanamentes which I haue loued God putteth his eyes and hart where that man putteth his hands that so he may help him and as one who is good by an infinite goodnesse he taketh him into protection with care and ranketh that man on his syde who will fight for his honour making warre vpon himselfe to giue contentment to God And (d) The difficulties which vse to occur to such as begin to serue God although it be true that when a man beginneth to serue God through some particuler calling which may incite him with the contempt of all thinges to seeke that pretious pearle of the Ghosâ—ell by the perfection of a spirituall life there may grow against such a man such traines and warres of the Diuells both immediately from themselues and also by the meanes of wicked men and they lock him vp in such straytes that when he rayseth the first foote from ground and placeth it on the lowest of those fifteene steppes whereby men rise to perfection he is forced to say When I was in tribulation I called vpon our Lord and he heard me O Lord deliuer my soule from wicked lipps and from the deceitefull tongue which wicked lippes are they which doe expressely hinder that which is good and a deceitfull tongue is that which procureth in a disguised manner to deceyue and sometymes so great impediments are presented or at least it seemeth so towards the making one depart from his course begunne that they are like those great Giantes wherof the children of Israel sayd Compared with them we are no more then a few little grashoppers and the walles of the Citty which we are to assault seeme to threaten heauen with their height and the earth in that place seemeth to open to swallow vp her inhabitantes notwithstanding I say all this thou art to consider and let vs all consider it with well opened eyes how much that faint-hartednes despaire displeased God which the Sonnes of Israel were subiect to by the meanes aforesayd For as much as the sinns which they committed in the wildernes howsoeuer they were great many and one of them was that they adored a Calfe for God which seemeth to be the very outside of wickednes yet God endured all this at their hands and did them fauour towards the prosecuting of their enterprize begun But (c) Note how predominaÌ„tly despaire is displeasing to Almighty God he would not endure their disconfidence and despaire of his mercy and power and he sware to them in his wrath as Dauid sayth that they should not enter in to his rest and as he sware it so he performed it Doth it not seeme to thee that we haue reason to curse this vice which is opposite to the honour of the diuine goodnes That being so much greater then our wickednes as God is greater then man And be thou assured that as the way of perfect vertue is a kind of stiffe battaile made against our enemies who are full of strength both within vs and without vs yet
he that shal begin such a warre cannot bring in his company a thing of greater preiudice then pusillanimity of hart For he that hath this will be put to flight euen by shaddowes With much reason did God command in tymes past That when his people were in the warres his Priests should encourage them before they began to fight not by humane reasons of the multitude of their men and strength but by thinking vpon the (f) Firrne hope in God is the only souÌ„d receite against hart-breaking protection of the Lord of hoastes who holdeth victory in his hand and who is wont to conquere lofty Giants by little grasse-hoppers for the glory of his holy Name And agreably to this which God commanded the valorous S. Paul sayth to them who were entring into the spirituall warre Comfort (g) Ephes 4. your selues in our Lord and in the power of his strength that so being hartned you may fight the battailes of God with cheerefullnesse and courage So is it read of Iudas Machabaeus who fought with cheerefulnes and so he conquered And S. Anthony a man well experienced in theses piritual combats was wont to say That this spirituall cheerefullnesse was an admirable thing and a powerfull remedy towards the ouercomming of our enemyes For certain it is that the delight which is taken in doing of any worke doth increase a mans forces towards the doing of it Therefore (h) How necessary it is to haue alacrity and courage in the seruice of God doth S. Paul aduise vs thus Reioyce alwayes in our Lord. And we read of S. Francis that he reprehended such of his fryars as he saw to go sadly vp and downe as if they were ill contented and he would say to them He that serneth God should not be after this fashion vnles it were for hauing committed a sinne and if thou haue committed any confesse it and returne to thy former alacrity And of S. Dominicke it is also read That there appeared in his face a kind of cheerefull serenity which gaue testimony of his inward ioy This is wont to grow out of the loue of our Lord and from a liuely hope of his mercy whereby they are able to carry their Crosse vpon their backes not only with patience but euen with pleasure as they did whose goods were stolne yet they remayned content the reason of that was because they had lodged in their harts a better kind of riches in heauen Experimenting that which S. Paul sayd Being ioyfull in hope and patient in tribulation for (i) It is hard to haue patience in a longe-liued Crosse without hauing a great hope in God without the former men can hardly ariue to the later But when this vigour and alacrity fayleth it deserueth great compassion to see how men that walke in the way of God are full of vnprofitable sadnesse their harts being discontented and without gust in things that belong to God and vntoward euen to themselues and to their neighbours and with so little confidence in the mercy of God that there wanteth not much to make it none There are many amongst these persons who commit no mortall sinnes or very rarely But they say that because they serue not God as they ought and as they desire and by reason of the veniall sinnes which they commit they liue in such a fashion as we see But (k) A worse effect of an euil cause if the effects of superfluous sadnes be such as these they do men more harme then the faults themselues which they committed And that which they might preuent and cut off if they had discretion and courage they make to increase and so they fall out of one euill into another Such as they ought to procure and labour to serue God withal diligence if they see they fall let (l) This is indeed good counsaile them weep but not distrust and knowing that they are weaker then they thought let them humble themselues more and demand more grace and liue with greater caution taking help of the tyme past for the tyme to come There (m) Excessiue sloath doth sointymes also cast men afterward vpon despayre are many who on the contrary syde are carelesse and slothfull in seruing God and when they fall into sinne they know not how to help themselues but they go down into the pit of disconfidence and of greater negligence Whereas in very deed for the auoyding of despaire we must auoyd to be lukewarme and negligent in the seruice of God For (n) No man can haue a good hope who endeauours not to lead a good life otherwise as long as a man hath these rootes within him he cannot though he would neuer so faigne haue that vigour and strength of minde which (o) Note this point well groweth from a good and diligent life And if such persons would consider that they endure more (p) The Diuells Martyrs trouble by these sadde and despairing thoughtes which grow from melancholy then they should in cutting vp by the roote those cuill affections and dangerous occasions which hinder them from seruing God with feruour they would especially since they loue to fly from payne make choyce of those troubles which are annexed to the perfection of vertue to fly those others which follow vpon the want thereof S. Paul (q) â— Tâ—â—â— 4. sayth That the end of the law is Charity which proceedeth from a pure hart and vpright conscience and a fayth vnfeigned And he meaneth this vpright conscience to be hope as S. Augustine sayth giuing thereby to vnderstand that vnlesse there be a good conscience hauing fayth and loue and good works which flow from thence there (r) There may be in such men a fond daÌ„gerous kind of presumption such as the Sectaryes are acquainted with but no true Christian hope which is pleasing to God wil be no liuely hope which may giue vs alacrity and if there be any want at all of good conscience there wil be also want of cheerefulnesse and consclation which are caused by a perfect hope For although such a fearefull man be not slayne perhaps by sinne but do liue in state of grace yet he shall worke but weakely So as they who tell thee Belieue that God doth pardon thee and loue thee and then thou shalt be pardoned and loued with such other words as these doe (s) As Luther and Caluin hauedone their followers grieuously deceiue thee and they giue testimony that they speake by imagination not by experience or according to the doctrine of fayth And (t) A most certaine a most soueraign truth the not vnderstanding whereof makes so many cast themselus away by violent death such braueries as those for as much as they are not of God cannot hold a man vpon his feete when tribulation coÌ„meth if it be a sound one Strength of hart and the ioy of a good conscience are the fruites of a good life which they
gather who liue well although they looke not for it And after the rate of the one increaseth the other Now from a contrary cause followeth a contrary effect as it is written The (u) Eccl. â— wicked hart giueth sorrow and from hence groweth disconfidence and other miseries in company thereof CHAP. XXIV Of two remedies for the getting of Hope in the way of our Lord and that we must not turne coward although the remooue of the temptation be differred and how there be certayne hartes which know not how to be humbled but by the knocks of tribulation and therefore that they must so be cured THE conclusion that thou must draw out of all this is That since it doth so much import to go on comforted with a good hope and with alacrity in the seruice of God thou must procure two thinges towards it The one is the consideration of his diuine goodnesse and loue which he hath manifested by giuing vs Christ Iesus for our owne The other that castng off all slacknesse and sloath thou serue our Lord with diligence and when thou fallest into any fault be not deiected with disconfidence but procure remedy and hope for mercy And if many tymes thou fallest procure thou many tymes to rise For (a) If this be not true what is no discourse of reason will endure that thou shouldest be weary of asking pardon since God is neuer weary of giuing it And since he commaunded vs to pardon our neighbours not only (b) Matt. â—â— seauen tymes in the day but seauenty tymes seauen which signifyeth that we must doe it without limitation much and much better will our Lord graunt vs pardon as often as it shal be asked since his goodnes is greater and is placed before vs for an example which we are to follow And if integrity of life and the remedy which thou desirest do not come so soone as thou couldest wish let not that make thee conceiue that it will neuer come Nor (c) Take heed that such a thought as this do not once enter into thy hart be thou like them that sayd If God send not remedy within fiue dayes we will giue our selues vp to our enemies For the holy (d) Iud. 7. Iudith reprehended such men as these with great reason and she sayd who are you that will thus tempt our Lord For such wordes as these are not to mooue him to mercy but rather to stirre vp his wrath and to kindle his fury Haue you perhaps appointed a tyme wherein our Lord is to shew mercy and haue you set downe the day according to your owne mind Learne to hope in our Lord till his mercy come and be not weary of suffering since patience importeth you as much as life And (e) Note if the straytes be great which weaken thy hope euen (f) A comfortable consideration for English Catholikes which ought to fill our soules with patience and with an humble peaceful expectatioÌ„ of the good will of God those very straites should in reason giue thee courage because they vse to be the very Eue and introduction of the remedy For the houre wherein our Lord deliuereth is when the tribulation hath lasted long and at the present afflicteth most As it appeareth plainly in the case of his disciples (*) Luc. 5. Whom he permitted to suffer during three parts of the night and in the last he gaue them comfort He also deliuered his people out of the captiuity of Egypt when the tribulation which they suffered was growne vp to the highest so wil he do with thee when thou thinkest not of it And if thou conceaue that thou wouldest faigne leade a holy life and perfect life and which all might be to the glory of God thou (g) Examine thy consciéce by this light and see if the case be not thyne art to know that there are some so proud and lofty that there is no humbling of them but vpon the price of temptations discomfortes and falling into sinne and so weake they are withall that they will not goe on in the way of God with diligence if they be not ridden vpon the spurre and their hart is so hard as that they must be hammered vpon with a great deale of misery Nor haue they any caution or discretion but vpon the experience of many of their owne errours In fine they haue a mind which is filled and puffed vp with a few graces and they haue need of many afflictions to make them proceed with humility in the sight of God and of their neighbours Thou seest already that the cure of these inconueniences cannot be wrought but with (h) If gentler pnisicke be not able to cure vs we must be cotent that God do play the Surgeon with vs. burning irons and by Gods permitting men to fall into desolations obscuritics of mind and euen into sinnes that so being much afflicted they may humble themselues and then be freed from their miseries The Prophet Micheas sayth Thou (i) Mich. 4. shalt goe as farre as Babylon and there thou shalt be deliuered and God will redeeme thee from the hand of thine enemies For by the confusion of this kind of life and by these falles in to sinne a man vseth to be humbled and both to seeke remedy of God and to find it which if he had not fallen he might perhaps haue lost by pryde or not haue sought with diligence and greâ—fe Eternall thankes be giuen to thee (k) Amen O Lord who out of such preiudiciall miseries art wont to draw these celestiall benefits and that thou art glorified as wel in pardoning sinners as thou art in making and keeping them iust and who sauest by the way of a contrite and humbled hart him who was not in disposition to serue thee with a hart of innocency and who makest a mans sinnes giue him occasion of being humble diligent and aduised that so as thy selfe did say He (l) Luc. 7. to whome more is forgiuen may loue more that so it may be fulfilled which the Apostle sayth Mercy in iustice maketh that iustice of thyne appcare more glorious as it maketh thy goodnesse seeme more in pardoning and sauing such as haue sinned and returne to thee In another place he also sayth That (m) Roun 8. all things prooue to the good of such as loue God Yea so do (n) Infinite goodnes of our God the very sinnes themselues which they haue committed as S. Augustine sayth But (o) Absâ—â— yet this must not be taken as a ground for thy tepidity or facility in sinning to buyld vpon for that must in no case be done But to the end that if thou fall into so great misfortune as to offend our Lord thou do not yet commit a greater sinne then that can be by dispayring of his mercy CHAP. XXV How the Diuell procureth to draw vs to despayre by tempting vs against fayth and the diuine mysteries of the remedies