heauenlye that euerye man doth couet himselfe to be so much doth this life become the more vnpleasant vnto him to wéete the more he both féeleth and clearly seeth the offences of mans corruption For to eate to drinke to watch to sléepe to rest to traueyle and to be subiect to all the other necessities of nature is vnfainedly great miserie and calamitie to the godlye person who coueteth to be set frée and at libertie frō all maner of sinne For grieuously is a man pressed downe with the necessities of the bodie in this lyfe and therefore doth the Prophet make humble prayer in these wordes to be deliuered from them O Lorde drawe me out of my necessities But wretched are they that knowe not their owne miseries and agayne more wretched which do loue this miserie and mortall lyfe which some doe so far embrace wheras neuerthelesse through their traueyle and carefulnesse they can scant yet get themselues but necessarie thinges that if they might liue here euermore they would passe nothing at all on the kingdome of god O mad braynes and faithlesse persons who lie drowned so déepely in the earth that lyke wretches they haue naught else in their mindes but carnall things and shall once at the length féele not without torment howe vile and nothing it is that they haue loued so much But those good men of God and all the vertuous sort as many as euer were christs friendes did not looke vpon those things that did please the fleshe or that did make a goodly shew for this present tyme but with all hope and gréedinesse did breath to euerlasting good things and with their whole heart were caried vnto the highest and the inuisible things least they should be drawen down to the lowest things through the leue of the visible O brother do not dispayre in comming forward in godly thinges As yet thou hast tyme and space why then dost thou put of thy purpose from day to day Arise and begin out of hand and reason thus with thy selfe nowe is the time to be dooing now is the time to be fighting now is the time to repent and amende thy life In roughnesse aduersity is the time to deserue Thou must passe through fire and water before thou come vnto refreshing and comfort Except thou minister violence vnto thy selfe thou shalt not maister sinne So long as we beare about this frayle bodie of ours we can not liue without irkesomnesse and sorow In déede we would faine haue rest frō all wretchednesse but bicause through sinne we haue lost our innocency we haue also forgone our true happinesse and felicitie Therfore we must hold vs still vnto pacience and awaite for the mercy of God til such time as vnrighteousnesse passe away and this mortalitie of ours be swallowed vp of lyfe Lorde God how great is mans frailty which euermore is prone vnto sinning This day thou confessest thy sinnes and hauing confessed the same to morow thou cōmittest them againe Nowe presently thou determinest to beware and take héede and within an houre after thy dooings be such as though thou hadst not determined at all Therefore great cause haue we to kéepe vnder our selues and neuer to haue anye great good lyking of our selues which are so fraile vnconstant It may also be sone lost with negligēce which with much traueile hath scantlye béene attayned by the help of god What shall become of vs at the last that do wax warm so soone Wo be to vs that thus traueile vnto rest as though there were peace securitie alredy when as no token of true godlinesse doth yet appeare in our condicions Surely we haue néede to be instructed vnto good maners afresh againe like yong beginners if happily there be any hope of amendment and greater profiting in heauenly things Of the meditacion of death The .xxiii. Chapter SEing thy life shall haue an end so quickly looke wel about thée Man flourisheth to day to morow he is no where and being taken out of the sight of the worlde is by by also forgotten of the same O blockishnesse and hardnesse of mans hart which thinking only vpō things present hath no regard to that that shall come after Thou oughtest in such wise to behaue thy selfe in al both déede and thought as though thou were ready to die by and by If thou haddest a good conscience thou wouldest not much feare death Better it is to beware of sinne than to flie death If thou bée not in a readinesse to day how wilt thou be ready to morrow The daye following is vncertaine How knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue till to morrowe or no What preuayleth it to liue a great while when wée be so little amended in oure liues Surely long lyfe doth not alwayes make a man better Nay oftentimes it increaseth sinne Woulde to God we had behaued our selues well in this life but one dayes space Many doe recken the yeares of their amendment repentaunce when oftentimes the fruite therof is but slender If it be a terrible thing to die perchaunce it is a more perillous thing to liue any longer Happie is he that hath euermore the houre of his death before his eies and frameth himselfe euerye day to die If thou hast euer séene a man dye thinke that thou must passe the same way to Be in doubte in the Morning whether thou shalt liue till the Euening And againe at night be afearde to promise thy selfe lyfe tyll Morning and alwayes bée in such a readynesse and liue in such sorte that death mays neuer fynde thée vnprouided Manye die so dainely and when they looke not for it for the sonne of man will come when we thinke not of his comming When as that last houre shall come thou shalt begin to thinke much otherwise of the whole life passed then thou didst before shalt be in déepe sorrow and heuinesse for that thou hast béene so necligent and so slacke O happie and wise man who endeuoureth now to be such a one in hys lyfe as he wisheth to be founde at the time of hys death For the perfite contempt of the world the earnest desire of commyng forwarde in vertue the loue of discipline or good forme of liuing the labour of repentaunce the readie mind to obey the deniall of himselfe and the suffering of euery calamitie for the loue of Christ are cause of great hope to die wel and happily Thou art able to doe many thynges well whilst thou art in health but being sick I knowe not what thou shalt be able to doe For fewe are made better through sicknesse they that driue of the amendement of theyr life vntill that time are seldome times made Gods seruants Better it is to repent and to liue so now whilst thou mayest as after thou mayst liue for euer Otherwise if thou forgo this occasion and oportunitie thou shalt afterwardes séeke for it to late and the tyme shall be when perhaps
thou shalt in vaine desire to haue no more but one daye one houre to amende thy lyfe Therefore bestirre thy selfe and wey déepely from how great daunger thou shalt be rid how great a mischiefe thou mayst auoyde if thou alwayes warily foresée death Endeuor so nowe presentlye to liue that at the houre of thy death thou mayst rather reioyce than bée afearde Learne now to die to the worlde that then thou mayst liue with Christ Learne nowe to contemne all things that then thou mayst fréely passe forwarde vnto Christ Subdue thy body nowe with repentance and amendment of life that thou mayst haue assured confidence and trust in Christ. Ah foole wherfore doest thou think that thou shalt liue long séeing thou hast no warrant for one day here How many haue béene deceyued and taken out of the worlde sodainly How many times hast thou heard it spoken He was slayne with the Sworde that man was drowned in the water That man fell downe and broke his neck He dyed with meate in his mouth Hée ended his lyfe in playing another with fire another wyth sworde another wyth plague or pestilence another was slayne of théeues Thus death is the ende of all and the life of men passeth away like a certaine shadow Who shall help thée when thou art deade if thou forgo the occasion when thou are alyue Now nowe I say it is time to be dooing whilst both thou art ignoraunt of the houre of death and mayst also safely looke to thy selfe against the time to tome Whilest thou hast time heape vp vnto thy selfe immortall ryches thinke vppon nothing else but vppon thy saluation and passe onely vpon heauenly things Procure thée friendes now that may receiue thee when thou art dead into euerlasting tabernacles Become a Pilgrime and stranger on the earth as vnto whome worldely businesse doth nothing belong Haue a soule frée and lyfted vpward vnto god séeing thou hast no long dwelling or aboade in this life Dyrect thy Prayers and dayly sighyngs wyth teares vnto that place that thy spirite after death may blessedly flit vnto God. Of the last iudgement of God and punishment of sinners The .xxiiij. Chapter IN all things haue an eye to the ende and after what sort thou shalt stande before that seuere Iudge from whom nothing is hid who neither is pacified with bribes nor alloweth vnreasonable excuses but doth iudge according to vprightnesse and truth O wretched foolish art thou O thou sinfull man what aunswere wilt thou make vnto almightie God which knoweth all thy sinnes who sometimes fearest the countenaunce of an angrie man why doest thou not looke vnto thy self against the day of that iudgement wherin no body can be excused or defended by his Attorney For euery man shall haue ynough to aunswere for himselfe Nowe is thy labor profitable if thou list now is thy mourning accepted now may thy sighing be harde and thy repentance pacifie God and purge thy selfe And wholy is the pacient man purged after a healthful sort who receiuing iniury is more sory for the wickednesse of an other man than for the wrong that is done vnto himselfe and gladly craueth pardō for his enimies and forgyueth them with his hart and doth not slacke or foreslow the time himselfe to aske forgiuenesse of them and sooner pittieth than is angrie and oftentymes doth vse violence and compulsion to his owne selfe and endeuoreth to make his fleshe wholye subiect vnto the spirite Now these things are not to bée dryuen off from time to time but must be practised in this life and that also quickely Howbeit we surely doe deceyue our selues through the inordynate loue of our flesh I pray you what else shall that fire burne than sinnes The more thou shalte now fauourably yéelde vnto thy selfe shalt obey thy fleshe so much the more gryeuous punishement shalt thou suffer afterwarde and so much the more plentifull matter shalt thou heape vp to thy selfe to be burned For looke in what things euery man hath sinned in the same shal he be punished againe according to the greatnesse of the sinne There shall the slouthfull be pricked wyth hote burning prickes There shall the Gluttons be tormented wyth bytter hunger and thyrst There shall the lecherous and louers of pleasures be bathed in burning Pitch and stincking Brymstone There shall the enuious howle out like mad Dogges and euery vice shall bée punished wyth hys owne torment There shall the prowd be ouerwhelmed with all reproche and rebuke the couetous persons shall be vexed with most my serable néedinesse To be shorte there one houre of punishment shall be more tedyous and paynefull than was a long time here in the betteryng of our manners There the wretches haue no rest no comfort but here yet is somewhat a pawse of sorrowe and the comforting of our friendes doth quiet our hearts Wherefore be carefull now and be sorie for thy sinnes that in the day of that iudgement thou mayest safely reioyce wyth the blessed For then shall the iust stand with great constancie agaynst those of whome they haue béene vexed and oppressed Then shall he sit as Iudge which nowe humblye submytteth hymselfe to the iudgement of menne Then shall the poore and modest person bée of great fayth and trust whilest the prowde bée in feare altogyther Then shall he séeme to haue béene wise in this lyfe which learned to be a foole and an abiect for Christ his sake Then shall the remembraunce of miserie paciently suffered be pleasant when as all the vnrighteous in the meane time shal be mute and silent Then shall all the godly reioyce all the vngodly shall mourne and sorrowe Then shall the man that before was vexed more triumph reioyce then if he had béene brought vp in continuall dainties then shall course apparell glister and fine garments be dimmed and disgraced Then shall the poore cottage be more praysed then is now the gilded Pallace Then shall constant pacience helpe more then all the power of the world Then shall simple obedience be more extolled then all the subteltie of men Then shal a cleane and good conscience more reioyce a man then learned philosophie Then shal the contempt of riches be of greater price then the whole treasure of all the worlde Then shall godly prayer cause greater comfort vnto thée then the eating of dayntie meates Then shalt thou more reioyce for kéeping of silence than for long bablyng Then thy Godly déedes shall be of more power than aboundant eloquence Then shall straight lyfe and austeritie in correctyng of maners be more pleasaunt than all earthly delectacion Wherefore learne nowe to suffer small trifles that then thou mayst be able to be deliuered from the heauier burthens Examine before in this lyfe what afterwardes thou canst well abyde And in case thou canst not nowe beare so small things howe shalt thou bée able then to suffer euerlasting torments And if nowe so little a payne doe make thée impacient what will
Hell fyre then make thee For surely thou mayest not bée twyse happye or blessed both to enioye pleasures in thys lyfe and afterwarde to reygne also wyth Christ in Heauen And nowe put case thou hast hytherto lyued in continuall honour and pleasures what good shoulde all these things haue done thée if it had chaunced thée to dye out of hande Doest thou not sée that all thinges are but vaine beside the loue and the seruice of God onely For he that loueth God wyth all hys heart the same feareth neither death nor punishment nor iudgement nor Hell bicause perfite loue doth make safe accesse to almightie god But it is no woonder if he feare death and iudgement which yet taketh delyte in sinne Notwythstanding it is expedient if loue doe not yet reclayme thée from euill that the feare of Hell fyre doe at least wyse brydle thée But he that refuseth the feare of GOD the same person can not long continue in goodnesse but runneth quickly into the trappes and snares of the Deuill Of the zealous amendment of our whole lyfe The .xxv. Chapter BE watchful and diligent in the seruice of God and consider whervnto thou wast ordeyned and for what cause thou hast giuen ouer the world namely that thou mightest liue vnto God become an heauenly person Therfore be feruent to come forward For thou shalt shortly receiue the rewarde of thy traueyles neyther shall there be any feare or sorrow afterward within thy boundes or limits A little whiles shalt thou now labour and so shalt finde great rest nay rather continuall ioy If thou wilt shew thy selfe faithful or nimble still in doing God vndoubtedly will declare himselfe faithfull bountifull in rewarding Nourishe inwardly a good hope to obtaine the victorie but retchlessenesse must be auoided least thou be blunt and dull or else doe waxe prowd There was sometime a certaine man which carefullye tossed betwéene feare and hope dyd humbly say thus whilst he was in praying O that I knew certainely that I should perseuere And forthwith he hard this aunswere from GOD within himselfe in his owne soule And what then if thou diddest know it Wouldest thou willingly doe it Go to then doe nowe but as thou wouldest thē haue done haue thou no doubt of perseuerance He being forthwith cōfirmed with this comfort did cōmit himselfe to the wil of God so ceassed his careful doubtfulnesse neither woulde he curiously search what should become of him but rather endeuored to séeke out what thing was conuenient vnto the will of God and acceptable and perfite vnto the same to begin and finish wel dooing Put thy trust in the Lord and do well saith the Prophet and thou shalt inhabite the earth and shalt be fed with the plentie therof One thing there is that withdraweth manye men from comming forwarde and from feruent correction of themselues The horriblenesse of the difficultie of it and the traueyle of the fight and combat Surely they doe most of all other come forward in vertues which endeuour with their powers to conquere most grieuous things and such as are most of all contrarye vnto themselues For euery man doth come forwarde so much the better and obtaine the more ample grace of god as that the more he ouercommeth and subdueth himselfe by Gods helpe But a like power is not in all men to ouercome and mortifie themselues howbeit the same that shal the more diligently ytch forward this worke it is euen he that shall be sturdyer or stronger to mooue foorth effectuallye though he must beare the mo things paciently thā an other otherwise well ynough fashioned of nature yet somewhat sluggish to vertue Nowe two thinges there are chiefly that make much for men to the amendement of themselues that is to withdrawe themselues violently from those thinges vnto which our corrupt nature is prone and againe to apply our selues with tooth nayle vnto that good thing whereof we haue néede Againe thou must especially take héede of those thinges maister them which doe most of all and most often mislyke thée in other men Fynde the meanes that thou mayest take commoditye and aduantage of all things that in case thou sée before thyne eyes or heare of any examples of wel dooing that be kindled and prouoked to doe the lyke But if thou perceyue any thing worthye dysprayse take héede that thy selfe doe not the lyke or if at anye tyme thou hast so done quickely endeuor to amende thy selfe Lyke as thou hast thine eies bent vpon other men euen so haue other men likewise their eyes bent vppon thée Howe pleasaunt and swéete a thing is it to beholde zealous and Godlye Christians well nurtured and obedyent to the dyscipline of Christ And agayne howe sorrowfull and grieuous a thyng is it to sée men lyuing inordinately and not exercising those things where vnto they are called how greatly hurtefull is it to forsake the purpose of thy calling and to bende thy selfe to those things which are no poynt of thy charge Be myndfull of thy purpose or profession and set the remembraunce of Christ crucified before thine eies when thou beholdest his lyfe be ashamed of thy selfe the hast not all thys while shewed thy selfe more diligent in following of Christ his steppes whereas neuerthelesse thou hast a long time professed a Christian lyfe Surely if the Godly person doe practise himselfe attentiuelye and wyth bent studye vppon that most holy lyfe of Iesus and the torments of his passion the same shall there plentifully finde all thyngs profitable and necessary for him Neyther is it néedefull for him to séeke for anye better thyng beside Iesus Christ. If Iesus crucified might enter into our hart how soone and sufficiently should wée become learned A feruent and zealous Christian man doth and beareth wyth facy litie that which hée is commaunded but if the same partly be negligent and but warm he then is pressed downe with calamities vppon calamities and is vexed rounde aboute wyth anguishe and sorrowes bycause hée is both voyde of inwarde comfort and also forbidden to séeke after the outwarde comfort And whosoeuer at all doth go out of the boundes of the discipline of Christ the same is subiect to a gryeuous fall and hée that séeketh for a more loose and siacke lyfe the same is alwayes vexed and tormented bycause there is euermore somewhat that maye myslyke him Set before thée rather that streight life and full of Godlinesse of those holy Apostles and Disciples of Christ and make thy reckening to follow their steps and as touching the good will of God towarde thee put no doubts but he wll readily graunt strength vnto thee for those thinges By thys meanes thou shalt become full of strength and hope By this meanes thou shalt with an heauenly gate so traueyle thyther that thou mayest despise all worldely things And would to God we had nothyng else at all to doe and to trouble vs but to prayse God
if thou wilt obtaine the victory Surely without fighting thou shalt neuer get the crowne of pacience Now if thou wilt not suffer thou refusest to be crowned but if thou desire to be crowned striue like a man beare the fight paciently For neither is rest gotten without labor nor yet victory procured without fighting SERVANT Bring to passe lord that through thy benefite I may be able to doe that which me thinke I am vnable to do by naturall power Thou knowest well that I otherwise of my selfe can beare but litle that I am soone cast down discouraged euē with a light fal Bring it to passe that al misery and aduersity may be vnto me amiable to be wished for for thy names sake For it is very helthful vnto my soul to suffer to be vexed for thy cause Of the confession of a mans owne infirmitie and of the miseries of this life The .xxij. Chapter LOrde I will confesse vnto thée mine vnrighteousnesse and infirmitie or weakenesse A small matter doth manye times dyscourage me and cast mée into heauinesse Some time I determine to holde my self stoutly and valiauntly and by and by with a small chaunce of aduersitye I am in great trouble and sorowe A most grieuous temptaciō doth grow of a most vile thing I that thought to my self that I did not behold it when as I did not féele it euen I the same doe perceiue that I am almost ouerthrowne sometime with alight slender blast Wherfore O Lord looke vpon my humility frailty being perfitly known vnto thée haue pitty vpon me deliuer me out of this mire lest being drowned I perishe vtterly This thing doth oftentimes vexe me at the hart maketh me ashamed in thy sight to thinke that I am so frayle so weake to resist my troublesome affections which though they doe not drawe me wholy to consent vnto them yet is the vexation of them gréeuous painefull vnto mée and it very much yrketh me to liue euery day in stryfe after such sort And hereby is myne owne infirmitie made plaine and manifest vnto me bycause wicked thoughts doe much sooner inuade me than depart frō me Would to God thou wouldest looke vpon my labors and sorrows O most mighty God of Israel and most desirous of faithfull soules wouldest prosper all my enterprises Strengthen me with heauenly strength least olde Adam my wretched fleshe not yet wholye subiecte vnto my spirite doe maister or beare rule ouer me against which I must fight so long as the breath is in this most wretched body of mine most wretched I saye bicause calamities and miseries are neuer wanting therin bicause al things are therein full of snares enymies For temptacions doe followe temtacions yea also whilst the first conflict doth yet endure diuers other do come in the necke of it we not so much as thinketh of anye such matter Can then this life be loued which hath so manye bytter tastes and is subiect to so many miseries and calamities Or yet may it rightly be termed life which causeth so many deathes plagues yea for all that it is loued and in the same do many men hunt after pleasures The worlde is manye times dispraised bicause it is so deceytfull vaine and yet is it hardly forsaken bicause the desires of the fleshe doe heare to great a sway For some things doe allure to loue it other some doe allure man to despise it To loue it the desire of the flesh and the eies doth allure and the pride of his life The punishments and miseries that doe follow after are cause of the hate and yrksomnesse of the same But alacke for pitty wicked pleasure doth maister the mind being bent vnto the world so that it is kept in delight with the ticklings of the senses when as yet neyther it hath séene nor tasted of the pleasantnesse of God the inwarde swéetenesse of vertue But they which vtterly contemne the world and endeuor to liue vnto god vnder holy discipline the same are not ignorant of the promised swéetnesse in God to them that haue wholy renoūced themselues and againe doe sée howe lamentably or gréeuously the worlde wandreth and how diuersly it is deceiued That we must rest repose our selues in God aboue all good things and gifts The .xxiij. Chapter REst thou alwaies in GOD aboue all things in al thinges O my soule For he is the euerlasting rest of the Saintes and godly men Graunt me O most swéete and louing Iesus to repose my selfe in thée aboue all thinges in the worlde aboue all health and beautie aboue al glory and honor aboue all power and dignitie aboue all knowledge and witte aboue all riches and Artes aboue al ioy and triumphant reioysing aboue all fame and praise aboue all swéetenesse and comforte aboue all hope and promise aboue all deserte and desire aboue all giftes and offices which thou canst giue and poure forth aboue all gladnesse and ioye of voyce which the minde is able to comprehende and féele To be short aboue al Aungels Archangels aboue the whole Army of heauen aboue all visible and inuisible thinges and aboue all whatsoeuer thou art not O my god For thou art O my God the best of all other thou onely art most mighty thou onely art most plentifull and most full thou onely art most pleasant and most able to cause comfort thou onely art most bountifull and most amiable Thou onely of all other art most noble most glorious In thée onely rest all good things the same perfit both are and haue béene shal be And therefore it is both lesse little whatsoeuer thou giuest vnto mée besides thy selfe or doest vtter vnto me promise as touchyng thy self being not yet séene nor fully attained vnto For my mind can not soundly take rest nor be contented sufficiently with that which is present except it passing by all gifts and al worldly things doe repose it selfe in thée O my most swéete spouse Iesus Christ a most pure louer Lorde of the whole worlde would God I had wings of true libertie to flie vnto thée and to rest my self in thée O Lord when shall it be lawfull wholy to employ my wit to sée how plesant thou art O my Lord God When shall I at the length settle all my powers in thée in such wise that for very loue of thée I may not nowe féele my selfe but thée onely after an incredible maner of séeling that not knowne to euery man Now I doe many times sigh and doe beare my infelicity with sorow bicause many euils do occurre in this vale of miseries which doe trouble mée oftentimes make me sad pensiue darcken mine vnderstanding many times doe let distract allure shackle and entangle me that I may not haue frée accesse vnto thée nor enioy thy pleasant imbracements being alwayes present with thy blessed spirits Let so
swéetely solace themselues with most pleasant thoughts and thinke themselues present among the companies of angels farre otherwyse than the world thinketh of them Their cogitacions are alwayes busied in the misterie of mans redemption in that Lambe which was slayne from the beginning of the world in the forgiuenesse of sins reuealed and promised by almightie God for the deliuerer to come in that séede of the woman dreading downe the head of the serpent in the séed of Abraham which is Christ as the apostle saith in that Prophet of whom Moses maketh mention in Deuteron briefly in our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ promised vnto the fathers alreadie giuen vnto vs that is in him onely to whome all the Prophetes doe beare witnes that who so euer doth put trust of his saluatiō in him shal obtain forgiuenesse of sins by his name who came into the world to saue sinners to séeke out saue that which was lost to giue his life for the redemption of many who was sent to bring the glad wished message or Gospel vnto the poore afflicted to heale the contrite of hart to preach deliueraunce to the captiue to comfort them that mourne to deliuer the oppressed who in fine is our aduocate with the father our enterpretour and pacifier betwéene God and men the throne of grace the high bishop the greatest priest to make intercession cōtinually for vs the propitiacion for the sinnes of the world our hope lyfe righteousnesse sanctification and redemption The cōsideration of these things abandoneth heauynesse out of the mindes of the Godly and maketh them to reioyce at all tymes more than one woulde beléeue And now howe great gladnesse doe they at large enioy whiles they set before theyr eyes the holy Catholyke apostolyke right beléeuing true Christian Church or cōgreation whiles they remember that communion or felowship of saints which being euen from the very beginning of the worlde after the promise giuen touching the Messias or Sauiour to come doth continue on still euen to this daye spreade first abroade in the fathers and Prophetes afterwards in the Apostles and Martyrs then by and dyuers degrées orders of Christians professing all one faith displayed throughout the whole worlde Whyles they waye and consider that Christ the sonne of God our Lorde and Redéemer doth rule this same spouse or congregation of his with his worde and Gospell doth helpe it with the holy Ghost defende and maintaine it continually against the Deuill whiles they plesantly and swéetely remember that they are adioyned vnto this fellowship of the Godly true Christian congregation by fayth wyll meaning inuocation prayer and by confession which hath the sonne of God for heade principall Aungels for defenders the holye Ghost for a sanctifier the godly and chosen of all ages for companions I say whiles they remember that they are the members of the people of God and mysticall bodye whose chiefe captaine is Christ Whiles they occupie their heades about thinking vppon that most blessed familiarity in time to come with all the Saintes in the kingdome of Heauen vnto the which they trauaile and labour tooth and nayle with excéeding great desire Therfore howe great ioye thinkest thou that they haue large fruition of whiles they are fixed vpon these and such other cogitacions And surely it behooued Christians alwayes to occupie their mindes about such things and being as it were astonied with the consider atiō of them to brast out into the prayses of God into Psalmes and Hymmes into spirituall songs singing and making melodie in theyr harts vnto the Lord giuing thanks alwayes for all things vnto God the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth And bycause the Godly doe this contynually what woonder is it if they alwaye reioyce in the Lorde And what then is there that can euer make heauy and sad can trouble or faare one that in such wise reioyceth Is it the breache of the lawe But the Apostle doth comfort vs Christ sayth he hath he redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe becomming himselfe a curse for vs. Is it sinne But S. Iohn doth comfort vs If anye man haue sinned we haue an Aduocate wyth the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiacion for our sinnes Is it death The Godly wote full well that it is the gate of life euerlasting a certaine passage out to thys worlde vnto the Father Is it the wrath and the iudgement of God But we are reconcyled vnto God through Christ as Paule sayth Is it Satan Christ hath conquered him already and hath triumphed ouer him being conquered as sayth the same Paule Is it hell fire and the tormentos of hell Nay Christ when he had ouercome hell dyd open a waye vnto Heauen to the Godly And in the Prophet Osea the Lorde sayth I wil be thy death O death I wil be thy destruction O hell Likewise Dauid also in his Psalmes doth testifie that Christ did leade Captiuitie captiue when he ascended into heauen that is as much to say did as a man woulde saye leade the enymies of mankinde prisoners in hys shewe of Triumph the deuill I meane sinne death hell Briefly in all terrours and temptacions of Sathan in all heauinesse in the most sorrowfull cogitacions many tymes of death of the last iudgement of the iudgement seate of the Lorde among the other comfortes of the holy Ghost the godly doe chiefely stay themselues with the wordes of the Apostles Créede I beleeue say they the Communion or fellowship of Saints the remission of sinnes the resurrection of this fleshe and the life euerlasting They leaning vpon this fayth chasing all feare and heauinesse from them if that the deuill doe minister any doe reioyce alwayes in the Lorde Howbeit some man will here obiect that considering they are men it can not be otherwyse chosen but that they should be troubled with passions mourne and be sorowfull oftentimes For they can not lay the nature of mankinde from them renounce as it were the féele of flesh and bloude which all men haue in them I graunt that the godly are distressed with heauinesse many a time and oft and that their minds are sometimes troubled and mazed and that it can not bée otherwise in these tumults of worldly affaires Howbeit the same doe foorthwith come to themselues againe and disquietnesse of mind being setled or appeased they so facion themselues in Gods regard and prouident care toward them that with ioy they take all things very quietly and reioyce in their afflictions reposing themselues in thapprooued loue of God towarde them doe conceyue such gladnesse and pleasure in their minds therof that the same sorrow of theirs is soone ouerwhelmed withall if happily these outwarde things as commonly it comes to passe haue caused any in them For like as a very little sparkle falling into a great riuer is forthwith quenched and come to nothing euen so whatsoeuer euill
feared and not discussed as they which doe passe mans vnderstanding capacity Desire not so much as to search or dispute about the merits of the saints and Godly who shall bée more holy or greater then other in the kingdome of heauen For these things doe manye times cause vnprofitable debates contentions doe also mainetaine pride and ambicion whereof aryseth enuyinges and dissentions whilest one stryueth prowdly that an other is holier than the rest The desire to learne these things the searching of them out are fruitlesse Nay rather doe displease the godly sort For I am not God of dissension but of peace which peace consisteth in true modestty and lowlinesse not in arrogancy and pryd Some for the affection of loue doe cast more fauour vnto these then to those but they do it rather vpon their carnall affection then that God is so affected I am he that haue created all the saints that haue endued the same wyth gifts haue giuen them honor I know the merites of euery man I prouoked them with moste pleasant gifts and benefits I knew that they were to be loued before the beginning of the worlde I did choose them out of the worlde not they me I called thē w my fauor I drew them to me with my mercy I led thē through diuers temptacions and did poure vpon them notable comforts I gaue them perseuerance and did crowne their pacience I knowe both the first and the last I embrace all men with loue incredible I am to be praysed in all my saintes ioyntly and to be magnified and honored in all particularly aboue all thinges which saints being appointed by me to saluation I haue so gloriously lifted vp without any of their deserts going before Therfore he that despiseth euen the least of my seruaunts the same doth neither honor the great in as much as I haue made aswell the small as the great so that he the doth derogate from any on of the saints the same doth both derogate frō me from al the parteners of the heauenly kingdome For they are al but one in the bonde of loue thinking all one thing willing all one thing also louing al one another with mutuall loue Nay rather which is a much more high matter they more loue me than themselues their owne merits For being rauished aboue themselues drawne beside the loue of themselues they do go forward altogither vnto the loue of me do repose themselues in the fruition therof in so much that nothing can turne thē from it or thrust them down as the which being full of euerlasting truth doe burne w the fire of vnquenchable loue Therfore let the carnall sensuall men leaue of to reasō about the state of the saints which knowe not to do ought else but to loue their priuat ioies Many as yet by their naturall affection and worldly loue are bent to these or to those and euen as their iudgement is in the inferior things so doe they likewise imagine of the heauenly things Without doubt it cannot be vttered in words in how great vnlikelynesse in those things do differ the one from the other which the vnperfit men do think with themselues which the men that by God are lightned doe behold as made open vnto them frō aboue Wherfore beware Sonne that thou occupie not thy self somewhat curiously about those things which passe the capacitie of thy wit but rather apply thy selfe vnto that that thou mayest bée found euen the least in the kingdome of god Now in case a man did know who were accounted more holye or greater than other in the heauenly kingdome what should the knoledge thereof auaile him vnlesse he did humble himselfe so much the more vnto me and rise vp higher vnto the greater prayse of my name He doth a much more acceptable thing vnto God which doth thinke vpon the greatnesse of his sinnes and the slendernesse of hys vertues and how farre of he is from the perfection of the saintes then he which reasoneth about the greatnesse lownesse of the saints and godly They do not boast of their merits which doe ascrybe no goodnesse at all vnto themselues but acknowledge that all cōmeth from me which they haue bicause I haue bestowed al those things vpon them accordyng to my excéeding great loue of Godlinesse and surely they are enuironed with so great loue of Godlynesse and so great ioy of mynd that no glory at all no maner of felicitie is wanting vnto them The more high in honor and glory that all the saints are so much the more modest and the nygher and eke the more déere the same are vnto mée And for this cause that same in the Apocalips is wrytten That they did cast their Crownes before God and with a groueling countenance before the lambe did worship him liuing for euermore Many doe séeke who is greatest in the kingthe kingdome of God and cannot tell whether that they themselues shall bée reckened in the number of those that are least It is a great thing to be the verye least in Heauen whereas all be great for all shall be called and shall so be in déede the children of God. The least shall growe into a thousande and the hundreth person that shall be punished of me shall dye a yoong man For when the disciples asked who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of God they had this same aunswere Vnlesse yee be altered in manners and become like vnto the little ones yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore who so shall humble hymselfe lyke to this little chylde he shall be greatest in the Kyngdome of heauen Wo be to them that disdaine to submitte themselues wyth the little ones for the gate of the Heauenly Kingdome is to lowe for them to enter in at Wo bée to the ryche also that haue their comfortes here in thys Worlde For when the poore doe enter the Kingdome of GOD they shall stande wythout crying and howling Keioyce yée lowly and méeke Triumph ye poore for the kingdome of God is yours in case yée doe obey the truth That all hope and trust must be fixed in God alone The Lxiiij Chapter SERVANT LOrde in whome is my trust set in this life or what is my greatest comfort among all things that are vnder the cope of heauen Art not thou O my Lord GOD being endued with infinite mercye When was I eyther in good case wythout thée or in euill plight whilest thou wast present with me Surely I had lieffer to be poore for thy sake then to be rych wythout thée and had rather to be a traueyler with thée vpō the earth than wythout thée to possesse heauen Where thou art there is heauen And again where thou art not there is death and Hell. Thou art my longing and wishe therfore doe I recken it necessarye to sigh to cry to praye vnto thée In fine I can fully put
my trust in no man to helpe mée in myne necessyties when tyme requyres but in thée onely O my god Thou art my hope thou art my trust thou art my comforter and in all things most faithfull All menne doe applye themselues vnto their owne affaires busily but thou desirest nothing sauing my saluation and comming forwarde and vnto me turnest all vnto good And wheras thou doest throwe me abroade vnto sundry temptacions and aduersities all that doest thou appoint out to my commoditie and profite who art woont to make tryall of thy beloued children after a thousande wayes in which proofe and tryall of thine thou oughtest no lesse to be beloued than if thou shouldest replenish me with heauenly comfortes Therefore O Lorde GOD I place my whole hope and refuge in thée in thée doe I settle all my calamities and sorrowes For whatsoeuer I doe beholde without thée all that doe I find to be but weake and vnstable For neyther fryends can doe one good nor strong men helpe at néede nor wise giue profitable counsell nor bookes of the learned comforte nor any abundance of wealth deliuer nor hid place defend except thou thy selfe be present doe helpe strengthen comfort instruct and kéepe For all things that séeme to make to the attaining of peace felicitie are nothing at all in thy absence and in effect doe brynge no maner felicity Therfore art thou the ende of all good things and the toppe of life the depth of all speach and to haue a hope in thée aboue al things is the most sure coÌ„fort of thy seruants I haue mine eies cast vpon thée in thée I trust O my God the Father of mercy Make happy make holy my soule with heauenlye felicitie that the same maye become thy holy habitacioÌ„s and seate of euerlasting glory and that no soyle or filth be found in thy temple to offende the eyes of thy maiestie According to the greatnesse of thy goodnesse multitude of thy mercy looke thou vpon me giue eare to the prayers of thy néedie seruant liuing a great waye off in exile in a wilde and sauage Countrey Defende and preserue the Soule of thy poore seruaunt in the middest of so many daungers of thys lyfe and direct me with the guiding of thy fauour through the waye of peace into the countrey of euerlasting bryghtenesse FINIS A short and pretie Treatise touching the perpetuall Reioyce of the godly euen in this lyfe Seene and allowed according to the order appoynted Imprinted at London by Henry Denham dwelling in Pater noster Row at the signe of the Starre Anno. 1568. Hieronymi Wolfij Carmen ad Lectorem SI quis ab assidua premitur grauitate laborum Commoda letitiae perpetis vnde petat Ipsa vetat natura malis gaudere dolores Siue sedent animo corpore siue sedent Siue ea dispereunt per quae traducere vitam Cogimur absque quibus mors magis apta foret Sed quis in immenso tam foelix cernitur or be Quem non fortunae praegrauet acre iugum Spes metus ira dolor luctus frustratio culpa Innumeris agitant pectora fessa modis Vndique tot cingunt horrenda pericula vitam Vt locus effugij vix superesse queat Haec inter quae laetitiae datur ergo facultas Materiam potius quisque doloris habet Praecipuè tamen his seges est infausta querendi Non ficta Christum qui pietate colunt Saeuit in hos semper tenebrarum dira potestas Corpora fortunas pectora fraude petens Quae si fraude minus valeat iam Martis aperti Praelia terribili mole cruenta ciet Armat in hos quoscunque potest requiete negata Quid mihi laetitiae nomina vana refers Num paradoxa iuuant quibus olim Stoica lusia Secta Poetarum ceu furiosa cohors Dij meliora sumus veri sine fraude colentes Nec sine re nobis nomen inane placet Sunt tamen haec fateor crassae minus obuia blebi Quae defixa gerit lumina semper humi Nil nisi quod videant oculi quod brachia tangant Brutaque precipiant corpora credit enim Sed quibus in coelos mens est errecta Deumque In Christo summum qui posuere bonum Hi nos vera loqui syncero pectore norunt Munere â—etitiae nam didicere frui Quippe graui munit nos experientia teste Huic est praecipuè semper habenda fides Quae nisi te doceat nostri decreta libelli Haud mirer moueant si mea verba parum Sed faciat deus vt pietatis amore subactus Gaudia magnanimus non peritura geras Sic quoduis leue fiet onus dolor omnis abibit Semper erit ciuis mens generosa poli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Of the Reioyce and gladnesse of the Godly euen in this lyfe IN as much as mans frayletye lyeth open continually to so great miseries paynefull labors and calamities and séeing that as one sayeth it is left for all men to passe ouer so great euiles or troubles in thys mortall life as there is none but woteth it well inough surely we may iustly marueyle what it shoulde meane that the holye Apostle of GOD blessed Saint Paule in hys fyrst Epystle wrytten to the Thessalonians byddeth vs to reioyce alwaies For thus among other matters hée sayth Bee glad alwayes pray incessantly gyue thankes in all thyngs And in déede if a man call to remembrance that contynuall wrestelynge togyther that menne haue wyth the Fleshe the Worlde and the Deuyll if hée looke vppon the heauye tormentes of conscyence touchyng hys dyssolute lyfe past and the anguyshes the cares the feares of hys mynde if he consider the most gréeuous féele of Gods wrath and the inward mournings for sinne if he thinke of the iudgement daye to come of the Lords iudgement seat of the punishment of the godlesse in Hell to let other things passe beside the same person may suppose that the Apostle doth in a manner but in vayne exhorte vs alwayes to reioyce and be glad For what leysure can we haue to ioy among so infinite eeuils as doe enuiron or compasse vs about among so many rough stormes heauy haps as betide vs Neuerthelesse if we remember that the Apostle giueth