discription of Mannes myserable and corrupt nature For to omytte many places wherein he is expressed in his nature and kinde As all flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth and I am but duste and ashes I come to that Dialouge and communication betwéene the vertuous Patriarche Iacob and good Phorao King of Egipt that fastorer and fauorer of Gods people Iacob demaunded by the Prince of his yeares and age aunswereth thus The whole tyme of my Pylgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares fewe and euyl haue the dayes of my life bene and I haue not attained vnto the yeares of the lyfe of my Fathers in the dayes of their Pylgrimages Out of this aunswer issue thuse two notable lamentatioÌ„s of mans fragility vttred by the two chiefe Prophets Moises and Dauid Most worthie to bee considered and learned without booke of all Christians But to returne to Jacobs aunswere First I thinke it worthy the consideration that hee calleth Mannes lyfe a Pylgrimage Most true it is that we haue not any certain or continewall habitation here vppon earth for we were created of God in the beginning and againe restored by Christe to immortalitie and eternall blessednesse in heauen We are then Pylgrimes here vppon earth neyther haue we any abyding Cittie but looke for another and our conuersation or common wealth is in Heauen and our desyre is to be straungers from the bodye and to be present with the Lorde Let vs then earnestly recorde with our selues alwayes that our lyfe on earth is a perpetuall exyle and Pylgrimage to the true and heauenly Countrey and the laste Harborowe or Inne in this viage is Death from whence we shall passe immediatly into eternall lyfe Nowe as Trauellers Pylgrimes doo not delyte to tary long at any bayte or lodging nor staye not at euery Orcharde or Gardin all theyr minde being set vppon their Natiue Countrey and proper family euen so we running the race of this lyfe ought not to haue our mindes fixed vpon rytches pleasure and honour but dayly to haue our eyes fyred vpon the Gole or marke of eternall lyfe whether wee ought to runne and contend with all our might Moreouer as those that trauell by Sea or by Lande who eyther by the goodnesse of their Horses or commodiousnesse of the winde coming home to their countrey doo thinke their fortune better theÌ„ those that wanted lyke oportunitie Euen so ought we to reioyce of the departure of our friends in their florishing tyme arriuing happily into the hauen of rest The other Epitheton is that mans dayes are euyll for the yéeres of our Infancie are spent in déepe ignoraunce Youthfull dayes vanishe awaye moore quickly then the Maie flower old age seapeth on our backes vnwares which we are admonished to feare For that she neuer commeth alone Whervnto the Wise man consenteth saying All mans daies are sorowes and his trauailes griefe his hart also taketh not rest in the night vvhich also is vanitie Experience verily teacheth vs that no kind of life is without great care pensiuenesse and studie The Craftesman is busie vnquiet and alwayes toyling in the exercise of his Arte The Wise man is commonly seuere and sadde and a straunger to all pleasure The bookes of Ethnickes are full of complaintes concerning the cares and labours which the gouernours of the common wealths sustaine in their Regiment and there is some controuersie amongst them whether the wisedome of Themistocles Demostenes Cicero Cato and such lyke haue more hurte or holpen their Natiue couÌ„trey But certaine it is that in many of them it hath bene an occasion of ruine to themselues for Solon that wyse Lawier dyed in banishment so dyd those famous Captaines Themistocles amongste the Athenians and Scipio amongste the Romaines Achitophell who in the tyme of Dauid was accoumpted a verie Wyse man when he perceyued his counsell to bée contempned hee tooke it so déepelye to harte that he hanged himselfe Some pleasaunt companion wyll happelye choppe in and say Let vs then contemne vvisdome and follow folly Not so let vs rather highly estéeme vvisdome as a singular good gifte of God But let vs not repose any trust and confidence in it for whatsoeuer appertayneth to perfite quietnesse and true felycitie is to bee had at Gods hande onelye as the Prophete teacheth Let not the vvise man sayeth he glorie in his vvisedome c. Therefore if any man wyll vse Wisedome well he must ioyne it vnto God and then it shal be wholsome and take good successe But to returne to myserable man againe The holye scripture stayeth not with such discriptions as not hauing there withall fully comprysed his calamytie but vnto his fraylenesse addeth his daylye daungers by meanes of his dreadfull aduersaries aswell bodily as ghostlie Be sober and vvatche sayeth Saint Peter For your aduersarye the deuyll as a roaring Lion vvalketh about seeking whome he may deuoure whome resist stedfast in the faith And that tryed and approued olde souldior Iob. Is not mannes lyfe a vvarrefare vppon the earth or as the Septuaginta translate it a schoole of temptations Saint Paule also trayning vp his young souldiours the Ephesians in this warrefare paynteth out most liuely the assaulting enemie and the surest waye of defence after this manner Brethren be strong through the Lorde and in the power of his mighte Put on the vvhole armour of God that ye maye be able to stande against the assaultes of the deuill For vve vvrestle not against flesh and against blood but against principallities against powers and against the vvorldly gouernours the prince of the darknes of thir vvorlde against spirituall vvickednes vvhich are in the high places For this cause take vnto you the vvhole armour of God that ye may be able to resist on the euyl daye and hauing finished all things stande fast c. These holy men in such symilytudes endued to expresse Mannes miserie heere vpon earth The feare and terror of a battaile is set out by the Prophete Nahum in this sorte O blooddie Cittie the noyse of a whippe and the noyse of the mouing of the wheeles and the beating of the Horses and the leaping of the Charrettes The horsemen lyfteth vp both the brighte sworde and the glyttering Speare and a multytude is slaine and the deadde boddies are many there is no ende of theâ—r Corpses c. As in warrefare al things are sorrowfull and terrible so is Mannes life subiect to a thousand peryls by meanes of his mighty malitious enemy Satan who being Generall chiefe Captaine hath a huge hoast and many Pety captaines of such puissaunce that euen one of them is able to vanquishe and put to flight all mortall menne But there is yet some difference betwéene the Spyrituall and that corporall warrefare For in those worldly conflictes and battaylles albeit there be many fearefull aduentures and present death be verie often before mennes eyes yet the souldior is
iniquitie and in sinne my mother conceiued me What should I speake of the tyme betwéene his conception and byrth which is full of sorrowe and sicknesse the mother being encombred with weaknesse of stomack headache swymming of the head and many other infirmities yea ofteÌ„tymes if she eyther snéese or smell the snuffe of a Candle shee trauayleth before her tyme. If besydes these you marke the time of delyueraunce you shal hardly iudge whether Nature be a more louing mother or an heauier stepdame to man For Man is caste forth bare and naked vpon the earth senceles and is compelled to kiuer him selfe and hyde his priuie partes by the reliefe of others so that if we wyl signifie any notable miserie wee neede no more but note the Byrth of man into this worlde WhervpoÌ„ the Thratians were wont to wéepe in their chyldebedde and the Parentes with mourning to receyue their Chyldren new borne into the worlde but at their death to bury them with marueilous reioysing gladnesse as though that he which is newe borne were rather to be lamented then he that deceaseth and departeth the myserie of the worlde Other Beastes entering into light are cladde and couered and by the verie motion of nature doo séeke after foode The Lambe as soone as he is yeaned is able to followe the damme the Chicken as soone as it is out of the shell wyll doo the like and euerie one in their kindes haue couerings and defences to reskew them selues from daunger The Elephante his snowte the Bucke his hornes the Boore his tuske the Woolfe his téeth the Birdes theyr bylles and Tallants and to euerie creature accordingly But naked man is cast into naked nature crying wayling and straight waye is wrapped in swadlyng cloathes as it were in manacles and fetters cast vpon his handes and feete beginning his lyfe with a kinde of imprisonment so that we may right well saye with Plinie O meere madnesse to thinke that vve are borne to pride vpon such simple beginnings how long is it before a man can speake how long before he can go Nowe when man is brought vp many thousand lets many dauÌ„gers many kindes of intrapmentes declare howe harde it is for him to passe the race of his lyfe and to come to his fatall ende Surely he is subiecte to all kinde of perylles and daungers in his minde body and goodes In daunger of water of fyre of ruyne of houses of the sworde and of diuerse kinde of maladies wherby he is cut of most commonly by death before he come to olde age Which things moued a certaine Wise man to saye That Citties and Tounes were nothing else but places of humane sorrowes and miseries wherein mourning lamentation and troublesome labours of mortall men are inclosed and contayned Whereof Plinie also wryteth after this manner The gyft of Nature is fyckle vncertaine yea it is euyll and short to those that loÌ„gest enjoy it VVhat should I speake of one halfe of mans age passing away in sleepe and spent in darknes For we may not accoumpt the time of infaÌ„cy any part of lyfe which almost wanteth senceâ— neither yet olde age which is ful of so many sorrowes cares thoughtes and feares insomuch that olde men pâ—ay for nothing so often as for death aâ— though nature could geue nothing so good vnto man as a short lyfe For in olde age the limmes waxe stiffe the sight dimme the hearing deaffe and the teeth fall away Againe no lyuing creature is in daunger of moo disseases none standeth in more haâ—arde of priuie Amboushmentes then he doth and that by man Lyons for all theyr wyldnesse yet doc not one encounter another the SerpeÌ„t stingeth no Serpent but Man is a Woolfe to Man at whose hand he daily receaueth much harme Furthermore none is couetous but hee none ambitious none vncontentable in desyre of thinges but he onely he is in continuall paine wearyed with calamyties of which euylles although thou arte perswaded that thou hast discomfetted one or two and so thinkest thy selfe in safetie Yet thou must abyde a sore conflict with Nature her selfe séeing thou arte enforced to feare euen the lyghtning of the Element the stenche of the earth the Scorpions stroke so many kindes of poyson and venime which although they neuer chaunce vnto thée yet fleshly flées crablyce and many other lyke vermins shall annoy thée and declare that man is in daunger of many thousande myseries But also the necessitie of death is not to be so much counted vpon séeing it is common to all lyuing creatures for whatsoeuer is horne must dye and returne to duste whence it had his begynning were it not that another kind of death had fallen to man which came through sinne whereby we haue also founde another begynning of a myserable lyse For there is no other lyuing thing but it decayeth vniuersallye and totally man alone excepted whose onlye body perisheth the soule which is seuered from it coÌ„tinuing euerlastinglie so that the good be receaued into a blessed life whereas the baddâ— be thrust downe into euerlasting tormentes of hell hauing in this poynt death lyke to brute Beastes because they neyther thinke the soule immortall neyther beléeue that there is any resurrection or any hell that thereby the death of an â—xe and a Man séemeth lyke Heape hyther so many meanes whereby wée eyther hasten our owne death or vpon very tryfling occasions léese our lyfe séeing moe dye by surseyt wine then by the sworde Many whyies that contrarye to their nature they labour by helpe of cunning and arte to lengthen their yeares and onely séeke meanes to lyue cast them selues away by vsing too much Phisicke Here I néede not to touche diuerse kindes of soddaine deaths wherby very many haue miscaried and decayde So dyed Anacrien the Poet chooked with a reysyn kyrnell So dyed Fabius the Senatour of an heayre which he did drink in mylke Cornelius Gallus which somtime had bene Praetor and Quintus Heterius a knight of Rome dyed whyles they were in the very acte of generatioÌ„ Sophocles and Dyonisius the tyraunt of Cycille both deceassed for ioye when they heard tydings of the vpperhand of a Tragedy Of which sort of examples I could rehearse a number wherby we be put in minde of our mortality that ere we weene we dye soddainly Sure we are to dye but by what kinde of death in what momeÌ„t we know not We must watch therefore whyles we lyue in this ciuile lyfe among men lest the soddaine necessitie of death finde vs vnprouided not awake for we shal be so much the lesse be able to geue an accomâ—pt of our former life the more we yéelde to wickednesse and dispise the obedience of Gods commaundement Finally the dauÌ„gers of that soule neglected or slightly passed ouer by carnall men are principally to be considered such are the errors and ignoraunces of the minde prophane opinions of God
the Sainctes Yet wee ought to know that both fatall ruins and mutations hange ouer their heades and also that the sonne of GOD who hath intituled hymselfe the Emperour and Captayne of hys armye wyll bridle their headdy and varbarous rage and giue a ioyfull rest and gloryous peace to his Church Yea hee wyll also defende and conserue honest polycies and Common weales so longe as they suffer Christes shippe to ryde quietlye in their strandes giue harbour vnto his guie harbour vnto his Churche mayrtayne Schooles and Uniuersities being the fountayne of humanytie and Christianitie Euen as the sonne of God in the vniuersall floud saued the Arke and in the same Noah and his family who were Gueedâ—ne and keepers of the diuine promyses concerning Mcssias Iesus Christe Whereof litle England hath had good proofe who amonge the raging furors of Sathan the mortall hatred of the worlde and daungerous conspiracies as well of domesticall as forren enimies retayninge with sure handfalt Christes Gospell and intertaynig his Church hath binne blessed by almightie God with the Halcyons daies in their polycie and common wealth that they might learne both to knowe and serue hâ—n in this lyfe and hereafter to prayse him throughout all eternyties Of this argumente I haue written somewhat largely in the Treatesse following and haue applyed the same to the estate of these perilous times tragical daies which I humbly present vnto you honor The reading wherof may happely renew in your minde the cruell practises and dealinges of wicked men which with greate dolour and perryl you were constranâ—ed to be holde in that Massacre where amongst an innumerable companye that penished as it were with the Machabies yet almighty GOD in his mercy saued many euen in the fyerie furnace and denne of Lyons and vsed your honour as mother Obadia to hide and preserue many of Christes seruantes from the ege of the sworde whereof some of them haue giuen open testimonye to the worlde in their writinges and haue made gratefull remembraunce of your wysdome honour vertue and great charges plentifully powred vpon Christes members in their myserye for the whiche you cannot bee vnrewarded at that great daye That time made you fytte for this your present estate and the often remembraunce of the same wyll not suffer you to bee vnprouided for lyke euents for those that feare God will not be rechlesse by meanes of prosperytie knowing that there is a chaunge of al things and nothing vnder the Sunne fyrme and stable Morcouer bicause mans wisdome and regyment is neither happy in time of warre nor peace without the direction of the worde of God this matter deriued out of the same cannot be impertinent to your calling Lastly if your honour whom God hath indued with excellent wisdom vertue and learninge will fauourably accept this lyttle woorke it shall the rather escape the checks of the malycious and procure credit of the honest and godly The father of al mercy giue you many good dayes and yeares and direct you with the spirite of wisdome and counsell that you may continew long a comfort and ornament vnto the Church of Christ and this common wealth increase you presentlye with temporall honours and in the ende crowne you with those that bee eternall From Exetor the last day of May. 1â—77 Your honours humble Iohn VVolton ⧠Of the temptations and assaultes of Sathan against mankinde vniuersallie Chap 1. IT is truly written of that learned and wyse Hebrewe Sirach A great trauayle is created for all men and an heuie yoke vpon all the sonnes of Adam from the daye that they goe cut of theyr Mothers wombe tyll they be buried in the earth the mother of all things Which is an excellent sentence and worthy to bee obserued of all such as professe them selues the seruauntes of Christe For whereas man was created in the beginning to lyfe and immortalitie and indued with the Image of God whereby he diuerse and sundry waies resembled his creator but espetially in Righteousnesse and true holynesse carnall men haue with great care and pensiuenesse of minde marueyled at and inquired the cause of that horrible ruine and destruction of Man the chiefe and principall amongst all visible creatures Whose noble and excellent nature dailye fadeth awaye the Uyolette or Rose and in tracte of tyme dyeth and corrupteth much more lothsomelye and lamentablye then an Oxe or Asse for that as learned men haue obserued immediatlye after his death fylthye Todes wyll bréede of his guttes and venemous Serpents of his reynes and kydnes Othersome there are so astonied and as it were depriued of all sence and féeling that they neuer thinke howe they receyued lyfe nor how they shall at the laste taste of death And if peraduenture by meanes of greate callamities the face and feare of death nowe then oppresseth them yet they neuer thinke vppon any remedies whereby they myght bée somewhat eased vnder so heauie and weightie a burden The wyse man therefore in this his sentence satisfyeth the carefull cogitation of the one and healeth the senceles Apoplexie of the other in rendring the causes and occasions of mannes myserie and callamitie Which whyles wee beholde and consider let vs also fyxe our eyes vppon the Redeemer and delyuerer of mankinde Iesus Christe and in regard of the greate imbecillity and tyckle estate of mortall mens matters bow our mindes to humility modestie and feare of God. Wherevnto this graue wryter exhorteth all menne in making mention of olde Adam and of our mother from whome we haue our origen and ofspring And although none almost can bée ignoraunt of this propagation and discente yet the Wyse man calleth them to the consideration of that whiche conunonlye they forgette or lyttle recorde and admonisheth them of the malediction and curse pronounced againste Adam and Eue in Paradize for the transgression of Gods commaundemente This curse is the course of all our myserie For as Gregorie sayeth vvhat strength can hee haue that is borne in infirmitie vvhat thing can come of fleshe but flesh vvhat can descende of a miserable father and mother but a myserable creature Which he enlargeth in laying downe before our eyes our painefull and perillous byrth our combersome vnquiet lyfe our ineuitable and terrible death All which thinges wyll appeare and more euidently shine in our eyes if we open and vnfold these thinges somewhat more perticularly Fyrst if we consider the beginning of our byrth whereby man is prepared to this lyfe it is vncleane and almoste lothsome to nature her selfe for other Beastes doo openly engender euen nature as it were mouing them therevnto The conceauing of man onely beareth shamefastnesse desyring rather to be hydde then opened because of the staine of sinne which driueth man to bashfulnesse and causeth him to bee ashamed of him selfe Nature bringeth forth brute Beastes but sinne after a sort bringeth forth man the Prophete wytnessing the same Beholde I was conceyued in
carnall securitie dystrust cuyll concupiscence tormentes of the Conscience and horrible terrors of death wherewithall Saule Caine Iudas and suche like being vexed and afflicted fell into damnable dyspayre and murdred them selues These myseries of man myght be séene by Reason and felto by dayly experience if we were not too perciall and euen wylfullye blinde in our owne causes Whereof so many complaintes are almost in euerie page of prophane wryters out of the which heape a learned man of our tyme hath made thoyse of three principall sentences The first is out of Aristotle who asketh this question vvhat is man He is an example of weaknesse a spoyle of time a plaie of fortune an Image of inconstancie a ballaunce of enuie and callamitie and whatsoeuer is besides is but fleame and Choler The seconde saying is taken out of Euripides There is no myserie nor wofull mishappe and mischiefe vvhereunto mans nature is not subiecte The thirde is of Pindarus vve are men but of one day vvhat is some body and what is no body all men are no better then a dreame of a shadowe And vnto these thrée sentences we maye reduce all other complaintes which eyther the Cthincke Poets Historians or Philosophers haue vttered of the fraylnesse of mans lyfe All which sentences Ludouicut Vines endeuored to comprehende briefly after this manner Mans body is infirme and subiect to all iniuries euerie member hath his especiall malladie And as for his minde it is exceeding sicke and vnquiet blinde and improuident neither doth vvyll suffer it selfe to be lyghtned being much lyke the taste of a sick man desiring those thinges that be hurtfull and lootheth those things that be wholsome vnruely and intractable towarde such as would cure him all his affections are out of order and whole man is a seruaunt of those thinges vvhich are needfull for him vvherof he vvas sometime Lord and maister Thus man lyeth in this sicknesse as it vvere in his death bedde vntill he giue vp the goast vvhich is called Death vvheras mannes byrth might more aptly be tearmed Death as Manilius vvriteth Nascentes morimur finisque ab origna peÌ„det Such a continuall death is laide vppon Adams children for a punishment of his transgression being much more bytter then if he had immediatly dyed Thus we sée the estate of this our sorrowfull and short lyfe some part wherof aâ— Seneca wryteth vve spende in doing euil a greater part in doing nothing and the greatest part of al in doing those thinges that appertayne nothing vnto vs. These thinges moued Theophrastus to vtter his lameÌ„table complaint That Nature is rather a stepdame to mankind then a louing mother For whereas she hath dealt with brute Beastes lyberally and louingly geuing vnto many of them a long lyfe seruing to no purpose She hath lent to man a verie short time vnto whome moe yeares had bene conuenient to the ende he might haue commen to perfite knowledge in wisdome which is mannes chiefe felicitie Besides these thinges she hath expelled him into this worlde poore and weake not able to do any thing but with howling and crying to foreshew his miserable estate and coÌ„dition Albeit I am not ignoraunt that Theophrastus saying hath beene reprehended both of humaine and deuine wryters of these because he vsurped the woord Nature as they suppose for God himselfe so charged the Creatour with the faulte of she Creature And it can not be denyed but that both Philosophers and Diuines haue tearmed God by the name of Nature For so speake not onely Hippocrates Seneca but also Lactantius although else where hee séemeth to mislyke that phrase As for those wordes of Saint Augustine Omnis quippe natura vel Deus est qui nullum habet autorem vel deus non est qui ipsum habet autorem Are not to this purpose for the worde Nature there hath a farre other signification And y great Phylosopher of our tyme Mattheus Beroaldus amongst many significations of the worde alloweth that manner of spéeche yet the wordes of his Maister Iohn Caluine please me much better writing hereof after this manner I graunt that vve may godly vse this phrase Nature is God so it proceede of a sincere minde but because the speache is harde and vnproper for that Nature is an order appointed by God It seemeth vnto mee very daungerous and hurtfull in matters of so great moment and vvherein there ought to be a singular Religion to vvrappe and confounde the eternall God vvith the inferiour course of his handy vvorkes Of the same mynde was Lactantius wryting That the subuersion of true Religion brought forth the name of Nature For they being eyther ignoraunt by vvhome the vvorlde vvas made eyther desirous to perswade that nothing vvas made by God sayd that Nature vvas the mother of all thinges meaning that all things sprang of their owne accord vvherin they opened their great vnskilfulnesse For if prouidence and Gods povver be set apart Nature is plainly nothing And if they call God Nature vvhat peruersenesse is it to tearme it Nature rather then God Nature verily is not God but the vvorke of God. But in my opinion Theophraste who had that name geuen him partlye for his diuine sentences of God and his prouidence and partly for his swéete vaine in wryting vsed not the woorde Nature in any such sence but rather for vitious corrupte qualities which haue infected this diuine workemanshippe Hereof that common saying commeth that the beginning of vertue is of Nature to wyt of Perfect Nature and that vices procéede of Nature verily of corrupt and poysoned Nature And if any man thinke that I thus conuÌ„erre Theophrastes wordes ledde with ioylfulnesse to discent from others rather then with a desyre to séeke oute Truth let him vnderstand that I haue not sucked this out of my owne conceit but haue receiued the same of that learned father Saint Augustine who alleadging the very same sentence cyted out of Theophraste by Cicera pronounceth thereof after this manner The same Tullie in his third booke of a common wealth writeth that man is brought forth into this lyfe not of a Mother but of a stepdam in body both naked weake and infyrme and in his minde perisiue in sorrowes abiecte in feare faint in labours prone to lecherie vvherein notwithstanding there is couered certaine dâ—â—â—sâ— sparkes of vvitte and vnderstanding VVhat saye you to these things he saue the disease but he was ignoraunt of the cause Hitherto Augustine who notwithstanding myslyketh this complaint if it be applied to Nature sincerre and incorrupt But to the ende that this matter may bee more easily discussed you shall vnderstande that the worde Nature as we reason of it in this place hath two significations as Saint Augustine in sundry places hath obserued The fyrst estate of man vvhich vvas sincere and vvithout sinne is properly called mans Nature but by translation we vse it
dymissed at the last with his passeport and wages returneth to his owne home and there enioyeth desired rest and quietnesse And so it fareth coÌ„monly with all other sorts of men that although theyr calling be full of trouble and calamitie yet it contineweth not so alwayes with them for ther taste of swéete and sower togeather but in this battayl against sathan ther is no peace no rest no quietnes but coÌ„tinual Allarmers dauÌ„gerous assaultes geuen vnto man so long as he lyueth heere vpon earth Now sith the case so standeth it is no maruayle that so many reuolt froÌ„ true Christianitie and it is more marueylous that we al doo not fall perish amongst so many perylles daungers but we should take occasion hereby to be more vigelaunt carefull more déepely to consider our selues more dylligent to meete with the enemie and more earnestly to call vpon God Happy therefore are wee if wee fight manfully for then wee shall be crowned The Ethnickes were wont to saye Those that vvyll be blessed must labour for reuerende knovvledge lyeth not in a softe bedde On the other side those bee vnhappie that suffer them selues to bee ouercome that yeelde them selues captiues and preferre the myseries of this world before the ioyes of Heauen that resist not sinne but followe pleasure as their guide and soueraigne and so defying Heauen make a couenaunt with death and hell destroye and dampnâ— them selues Let vs learne then that we are not borne to ease and rest but to labor and trauell as the holy man Iob sayth Man is borne to labour as the byrde is to flye That we ought to trande in the fielde armed against our enemies As the Apostle exhorteth That vve shoulde fight a good fight keeping our faith and a good Conscience Let vs learne that our lyfe is short instable and fléeting being an â—ccasion to the wicked of eternall destruÌ„cison so that it had bene better for them neuer to haue bene borne then to come to that wofull ende as our sauiour Christ speaketh of Iudas Let vs learne also that if we labour fight with the enemie God wyll geue vs victorie and a Crowne of eternall glorie and though in this conflicte our outwarde man perishe yet the inwarde man is renued daylye for our lyght affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glorie whyle wee looke not on the thinges which are séene but vpon the thinges which are not séene for the things which are séen are temporall but the things which are not séene are eternall But O good Lorde fewe and small is that number if at least there be any at all that pondereth howe shorte and fleeting Mans lyfe is howe full of myseries how many and mightie enemies he hath howe sorrowfull the last daye shall be to the wicked and howe ioyfull to the blessed The promised rewardes in the lyfe to come and heauenly kingdome doo not styrre vp men to vertue neyther doeth the feare of endlesse formentes staye them from vices Such an amazed sencelesnesse hath euen possessed almost all mennes mindes that albeit they bee compassed and besieged with infinite daungers and enemies and haue death hanging euery moment ouer their heads yet they neuer consider the greatnesse of their daungers nor yet thinke of any remedy whereby this their heauie burden may be mitygated and cased But rather â—yke the wicked Théefe who hanging vpon the Crosse mocked Christe euen so moste part of men in this frayle lyfe being in the myddle of death doo with wicked securitie scoffe at godlinesse féeke after filthy pleasure as though all things were well and they them selues out of all Conne shotte They very much resemble those that are taken with the Phransye who neyther vnderstande the gréeuouse daunger of their discease neyther regarde the holsome counsayle of Phisicions euen so blynde and carelesse men repute sermons and communications of Gods wrath of the daye of doome of endles torments to be but vaine bugges and no better then olde wiues fables Hipocrates doeth accoumpte it an yll sygne in disceases if the minde be sicke and those soores are accoumpted of the Chirurgian moste daungerous that can féele neyther knife nor Coraziue euen so that misery and blyndnesse is the greatest when mans harte is harder then anye flynt and so without all sence that he considereth not any perryll or daunger Let vs then that haue any feare of God before our eyes abandon this deathfull dullnesse farre from vs let vs vnfould and in partycularites set before our eyes the infinit immensie and Desperate daungers wherevnto our lyfe is subiect by meanes of our mighty and most malycious enemy the deuyll and his Petycaptaynes and souldiers and afterwarde let vs examyne and finde out if we can some heroyecall and noble Prince who wyl be content to ioyn vs in leage and confederacy with him and receaue vs into his Tutele and protection Of the first I haue sayd somwhat before but as I sayde I meane to handle the same in his parts more specially ⧠Of the temptations and assaults of Sathan against man kinde handled more particularly Chap. 2. EXperience plainlye prooueth and euery mannes conscience wyll wytnesse vnto him that this lyfe is most myserable hauing in it no rest quietnesse nor contentation whyles euerie man is wearie of his condition and wisheth an exchaunge with his neyghbour The Prince and mightie man oppressed with endlesse cares and subiect to many daungerous downefalles wisheth himselfe a poore countrey man who hath commonly a quiet minde and with healthfull exercise of his boddy getteth his lyuing They sée oftentymes the highe mountaine stricken with lyghtnings and thunderboltes and the long Ashe tumbled downe with the great winde but the lowe valley and lyttle bushe to remaine vntouched The rytche Marchaunt in many perylles vpon the Sea by meanes of Pyrates of rockes flats sandes and in great stormes almoste sonken in the sourges wisheth himselfe a poore Coteger vpon the Lande with a smokie house a few acres of grounde and the poore Husbandman who styll toyleth in the myre to foster and cherish his séely familye is wearie of husbandrie and wisheth for a house in the Cittie full of costly wares and Marchaundise The honourable Lawier stricken with daungerous sicknesse accoumpteth the Physitions profession most excellent Againe the Phisition alwayes wrastling with disseases and as it were with death it selfe hauing sighing groning and gasping as a common Tune whether soeuer he is inuited accoumpteth the Lawiers lyfe more happie And to be shorte euerie one thinketh anothers condicion better then his owne and wisheth an exchaunge with his neyghbour But this vaine opinion is discouered by an earnest consideration and collation of one estate with another whereof one wryteth no lesse truely then finely after this manner I knowe right well that if all men woulde laye downe puylikely their priuate
who can and wyll delyuer vs if not corporally yet spiritually if not our body yet our soule For it was the same God that deliuered the thrée children out of the fierie fornace and suffered the Machabeis to bée consumed with fyre They singe in the fyre and these dye and yet hée was the same God of them both He delyuered them to confound the Idolles of Babilon and suffred the other to perish in their bodies that the paine and damnation of their persecutours might bée the greater It commeth to passe also sometyme that the godly and vngodly suffer in this worlde together but for diuerse respectes and endes They in the distruction of their bodies doo in a momente and spéedely lay aside the vncleanenesse of their fleshe and are so brought to euerlasting peace and reste but the other doo then but beginne to feele fearfull and endles torments of body and minde And that saying of Dauid hath place herein In the hande of the Lorde there is a cuppe and the wine is redde in it it is full myxt and he powreth out of the same As for the dregges thereof all the vngodlye of the earth shall drynke of them and sucke them out When therfore we stande in some perylles lyke braunches to be cutte of the body of the trée or lyke valiant souldiers to fall in the forefront of this battell let vs comforte our selues with the consideration of these things Let vs be assured that God can deliuer vs if he wyll but if he wyll not it is for great and weighty causes and the same tending to our owne best profite For hée eyther closeth our eyes with good King Iosias that we should not behold the wofull estate of our countrey and Church which shall ensue or else he taketh vs awaye in our best tyme least malyce and wickednesse should alter our harts and in the meane tyme hee maketh vs worthy vesselles to testifie his honour and glorie euen before most cruell tyrauntes and ryddeth vs shortlie out of temporall miserie to the ende we maye spéedelie passe into endlesse felicitie And if we geue our lyues vnto death for these thinges as the matter is most excellent and lawdable so is it not so terryble and fearefull to the mortified and spirituall man as fleshe and bloode woulde make vs beléeue For if the Heathen souldiours doo abyde a long and sharpe warfare eyther to defende their owne countrey or to enlarge their dominions shall we shrinke to passe the pykes to the ende wee maye keepe our faith and possesse those dominions that are most excellent and endlesse Codrus king of Athens vnderstoode by an Oracle that if hee were preserued his Countrey shoulde perishe hee therefore purposely procured his owne death and shall we sticke to giue our lyues for our heauenlie Ierusalem That noble Romane Marcus Curtius cast him selfe headlong into a bothomles lake for his Cittie and Countrey and shall we feare imprisonment and daungers temporall that we maye possesse Pallaces and lyberties eternall Shall Zopirus the Persian cause his seruaunts to whippe him to cutte off his noose his eares and lyppes and that so comming to Babilon he myght the more spéedily obtaine credite of them to haue some authoritie whereby hee might betraye and yéelde the Cittie otherwyse inuinsible vnto his Maister King Cyrus and shall Christyans faynt with lyke tormentes to purchase not for others but to rerayne and keepe that Cittie alreadye prouyded for them by Christe Surelie these thinges made Iob to exclame Albet he kyll mee yet wyll I trust in him And the Apostles departed from the counsayle reioysing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus And Saint Paule certyfied by Agabus the Prophet of the calamyties and miseries which he should suffer at Ierusalem and his case much bewayled by the Brethren aunswered VVhat doo you weeping and vexing my harte for I am not onely ready to be bounde but also to suffer death for the name of the Lorde Iesus So spake Ignasius in â—â—ke case I am ready to abide the fire beastes sworde and crosse so that I may see Christ my sauiour who dyed for me And againe Let all paines and tormentes most exquisitly deuised by the diuell himselfe be executed vpon me alone so that I may haue the fellowship of Iesus Christ Fynallie the blessed and happye exchaunge of temporall paine into euerlasting ioye which the godlie shall possesse in the worlde to come ought to make them abide these short afflictions manfully whereof wee haue an euident example in the ritche man and Lazarus Abraham sayde to the ritche man Sonne remember that thou hast receyued vveale in thy life and Lazarus woe But nowe he is in ioye and thâ—â— art in tormentes Our sauiour Christ also sayeth to his Apostles You shall vvepe and lament but the vvorld shall reioyce You shall be full of sorrow but your sorrowe shall be turned into love VVhen a vvoman traueileth shee hath paine bicause hir howre is come but vvhen she is deliuered she remembreth not hir paine bicause a man chylde is borne into the vvorlde And you novv shall haue sorrovve but I vvyll see you againe and your hart shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take avvay from you Although there are no greater paynes then in Chyldebâ—…th yet after delyueraunce the Mother for ioye of hir Chylde forgetteth all Euen so the godlie in this worlde â—…de wonderfull tormentes but after they haue passed this lyfe they neuer thinke of worldlie sorrowes by meanes of that vnspeakeable ioye of Heauen Which as yet the eye hath not séene the eare hath not hearde neyther hath it entered into the harte of man For our lyght affliction vvhich is but for a time causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glorie Whereof he Apostle saint Peter wryteth thus VVe are regenerate to an inheritaunce immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for you The man of God nameth the celestiall inheritance immortall bicause it neuer fleeteth nor vanish away as the ioyes of this world doo Whether they be honour or ryches or power or friendshippe all these perish and decaye he calleth it vndefiled bicause it is voyde of all sorrowe heauinesse and sinne it is pure sincere and permanent he sayth also that it fadeth not away bicause there is no fulnesse nor wearinesse of it These ioyes are in a vision expressed more largelye in the Reuelation And after these I beheld and loe a great multitude vvhich no man could number c. stoode cloathed vvith long vvhite robes and palmes in their handes These are they which come out of great tribulation and haue vvashed their long robes and haue made their long robes vvhite in the blood of the Lambe Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple