how to decke and set out themselues with fine apparel with swéete smelles with daunces and other like allurements The which to doe is no better then to wrest the heauenly light of the minde which was made to beholde God to the obedience of a most wicked bond-slaue and to make the minde being withdrawne from heauenly exercises to be subiect vnto the appetites of a most abiect hand-maide 8 Therefore whoredome is a great and intollerable tyranny ouer the minde of man And no lesse is that tyranny of Ambition For behold and see what a heauie yoke ambition layeth vpon his bondmen commanding them that al their words and workes bée wholly imployed as nets and snares to get the common praise and fame of men and it compelleth them also to creepe as it were vpon the ground and to flye through the ayre For man at the commandement of Ambition séeketh to climbe higher then all men to bée subiect to none to rule al men and yet sometime when occasion serueth he prostrateth himselfe and humbleth himselfe to al men Thus the miserable man being contrary to himselfe and deuided in himselfe outwardly preferreth humilitie and in heart pride 9 Furthermore the lawes of this most cruel tyrant are such that if a man doe receiue a litle reproache or detriment eyther by right or by wrong he thinketh that he is vtterly disgraced if hée doe not presently reuenge it and if by no other meanes then to prouoke his enemie to some singular combat and so rather to loose his soule and body then to hazard the least part of his dignitie 10 I omit the tyranny of couetousnes and of other vices which are innumerable affirming with the Prophet Dauid that all the seruants of sinne do sit in darknes and in the shadowe of death fast bound in miserie and iron For what greater blindnesse can be imagined then that man should not know himselfe that he should not know God that he should not know wherefore he liueth and seeth not his bondes his miseries his perils and his harmes 11 And what greater miserie can there be then that miserable man should haue an infinite sort of desires as it were an infinite sort of mouthes stomacks which alwayes barke alwayes craue alwayes hunger and is not able to satisfie and fill so much as one of them 12 But now let vs sée what reward sin giueth vnto her seruants for so great labors Let vs harken to the Apostle and he wil tell vs The wages of sinne saith he is death that is to say both the first and the second death For what gall is to the lips a Cockatrice to the eyes a dead carcasse to the nose and Alowes to the taste the same and more is sin to the soule of man 23 Therefore let the bond-slaues of sin and wickednes go and serue their masters let them run into all dangers let them not spare for cost nor labors let them watch day night least peraduenture they be beguiled of so great a stipend O fooles which for the wages of eternal death will willingly beare so heauie a yoke when as with much lesse labour ye might serue righteousnesse who rewardeth her seruants with eternall liâ—e in the kingdome of heauen Wicked men labor and good men labour also both suffer both sweate both delue and digge but good and godly men till that ground likewise husbandmen which is firme sound fruitfull that is to say they exercise themselues in good workes and in sound vertues whereby they rearpe in the ende euerlasting life but wicked and vngodly men plow in the sand and sowe in the flesh and of the same shall receiue the wages of sinne eternal death 14 Therefore whether yée consider the wickednesses by themselues or the wages of the same the seruice of sin must néeds be horrible and wofull But yet there is nothing which doth so much set foorth the miserie of seruitude and the excellency of libertie as the manner of our setting at liberty and the passion of the Deliuerer For God which made the world without labour and as it were with a becke onelie at his will that he might deliuer vs from bondage slauery thought it good to be borne in a stable and was content to die in sorowes and paines But what manner of sorrowes Verilie such that the onely cogitation expectation of them might haue bin able to haue brought him into a bitter agonie to sweate water and bloud plentifullie The suffering of them made the most hard stones to rent the earth to tremble and heauen it selfe to be abashed 15 If God made so great a reckoning of thy libertie that hee vouchsafed to take vpon him the forme of a seruaunt and to liue thrée and thirtie yeares in hunger and thirst in colde in nakednes in fastings in watchings in iorneys in persecutions and in the end to shead forth his most precious heart bloud vppon the Crosse rather then hée would suffer this precious gemme to be taken from out of his handes let vs then acknowledge that excéeding glorie of the sonnes of God wherevnto wée are called which is the mother of all good things which alone is able to giue true peace perfite ioye blessed rest and tranquilitie If the heathen Romains of olde time for a false and fading libertie suffered great perils and death it selfe as Quintus Mutius Scaeuola thrust into the fire his right hand the Decii vowed themselues to the death that their legions of souldiers might bée preserued and get the victory Curtius being armed at all points and mounted vpon a horse threwe himselfe willingly into a gulphe of the earth that the Cittie of Rome might be deliuered from the pestilence for so had the Oracle giuen answere that the wrath of the gods would cease if that which the Romains estéemed best were throwne into that gulph Brutus also for the preseruation of the libertie of his Countrey did not sticke to slay his owne children If the heathen I say estéemed thus of their liberty which is in no point comparable to ours how much ought we to estéeme of that most true liberty wherby we are deliuered from sinne from sathan from death and from the wrath of GOD. They sought humaine praise a thing doubtlesse vnconstant and of small force as appeareth by the saying of the Poet Virgill concerning Brutus His Countries loue him driues and greedie lust of endlesse same But our ende is to approue our selues vnto God whose iudgment cannot be deceiued and to get the prize of the kingdome of heauen and the fellowship of Angels which is set before vs as the ende of our libertie which we séeke to attaine by this Pilgrimage CHAP. X. Concerning the Imitation of Christ THe true and sound perfection of a Christian man coÌ„sisteth in this to imitate Christ so neere as possibly he can for he is the head we are his members he is the captaine we his souldiers he is the Doctor we are his disciples It is said
Lord 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnatiō because he discerneth not the Lords body c. Here the Apostle sheweth vs the danger of the vnworthy receiuing the Lordes body and blood and also the meanes how we may bée worthy receiuers of the same namely by examining our selues which examinatiō consisteth chiefly in foure pointes That is to say in Faith Kepentance Giuing of thanks to God and loue towards our neighbours First we must haue Faith that is to say a certaine and infallible assurance and firme perswasion that God is a mercifull Father vnto vs in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whom he deliuered to death for vs. Yea euery sinner must apply Christ his merites particularly vnto himselfe This Faith commeth not of vs neither is it grounded vpon vs or vpon any thing that is in vs but it commeth from God and is grounded vpon God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and vpon the promises of the Gospell confirmed inwardly within vs by the working of the holy Ghost which cryeth in our hearts Abba Rom. 8 15 Gal. 4.6 that is to say Father Furthermore this faith is nourished confirmed and increased in vs by the holy Sacraments For in the Supper God as a good father after that he had once brought vs into his Church by Baptisme nourisheth vs spiritually with the proper substance of his Sonne Iesus Christ applying and making proper vnto euery one of vs the merit of his death and passion To this ende and purpose is it that Iesus Christ himselfe giueth vs the Bread and Wine that he commandeth vs Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.21 Luke 22.19 1. Cor 11.14 to eate and drinke it that he saith that the Bread is his body which is giuen for vs and that the Wine is his blood which is shed for the remission of our sinnes by which words he giueth himselfe wholly vnto vs he will be out nourishment and spirituall life he wil dwell in vs by his holy Spirit and will that we abide in him by faith that through beliefe we may not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3 36.18 Psal 8.7 Mat. 11. Heb. 1.2 Iohn 17.12.27 and 28. whereof he is the onely heyre and giuer In like sort the breaking of the Bread of the Supper serueth to the confirmation of our Faith and sure warranting of our saluation insomuch as it assureth vs and causeth vs to see with spirituall eyes that Iesus Christ was once broken with the paines of death in Hierusalem to deliuer vs from the same and to get vs eternall life Also in that that by the Commandement of Christ Iesus we take the Bread in our hands and then the Cup moreouer in that that we eate the Bread and drinke the Wine which turne into the nourishment of our bodies we are certified that by the hands of Faith we take and imbrace Iesus Christ our Lorde for our onely Sauiour and Redéemer and that by the same Faith we eate his body spiritually and drinke his blood to the hope of eternall life Nowe euery one of vs must liue by his owne faith according as wée may make our Confession in the Beliefe which is called the Apostles in that euery man saith by himselfe I beleeue in God and saith not Wée beléeue We must not here cast our braines or thinke vpon the beléeuing or vnbeléeuing vpon the worthynesse or vnworthynesse of an other man but vpon our owne For S. Paul doth not teach vs to examine other men or that other men should examine vs but he saith namely Let a man examine himselfe Therefore let euery one of vs for his owne part be assured in his heart that Iesus Christ the true Messias is come into the world to saue sinners amongst whom hée ought to account estéeme himselfe by the example of S. Paul the chiefest Let him beleeue that Iesus Christ came downe from Heauen into earth to lift him vp from earth to heauen that he was made the Sonne of man to make him the child of God that hée was conceyued by the holy Ghost and that he was borne of the Virgin Marie to purifie and cleanse his wicked conception and birth .. Let him perswade himselfe that the Sonne of God hath ourcome the Diuel to deliuer him from the tyranny and slauish subiection of the Diuell that he hath fulfilled all the Lawe louing God his Father with all his heart strength and might and his neighbour as himselfe to get him iustice that hée appeared before Pilate an earthly Iudge and receiued as an euill doer sentence of condemnation for this life to exempt him frō appearing before the terrible iudgement seate of Gods iustice to receiue sentence of death and euerlasting damnation for that he had offended one eternal and euerlasting God Let him assure himselfe Psal 22.1 that the same Iesus Christ went downe to Hell for him that is to say that hée suffered the sorrowes and terrours of the second death and of the sincere wrath of God to deliuer him that hée died a death accursed of God in that hée was hanged on the Crosse to purchase him life and blessing before God that hée rose againe for a gage and assurance of his resurrection that he ascended into Heauen for a certaine token that hée also shall ascend thither that hée sitteth on the right hand of God his Father to be for him an euerlasting Priest Teacher King defender reconciler and aduocate to be short that he shall come at his last comming for his comfort and full redemption We must also euery one of vs for his owne part make proper vnto our selues yea and make ours all the goodnesse and all the riches that is in Iesus Christ because that in giuing himselfe to vs he giueth vs also his benefits So then in that that Iesus Christ is God it is to make vs partakers of his Diuinitie in that that he is heyre and Lord of the world it is to make vs partakers of his Lordship and inheritance and that we recouer in him the gouernment of all things which we lost in Adam in that that he is well beloued of his Father it is that we may be acceptable vnto him in that that he is rich it is to make vs partakers of his riches in that that he hath all power against the Diuel Sinne Hell Antichrist the Worlde and all our enemies it is to defend and shield vs in that that he is iust and good it is to iustifie vs and make vs good in that that he is happy and immortall it is to make vs partakers of his blessednesse and immortalitie When we shall thus particularly apply all the actions and benefites of Iesus Christ our Lord and also all his essentiall qualities vnto our selues putting our whole trust in him and in his promises and distrusting
tasting is most of all troubled with hunger and thirst and manie times medicines and meats that are bitter sharpe salt and vnsauerie do distemper it 24 The sence of smelling is compelled to endure and suffer many times al manner of stinkes all vapors and fogges and things of bad sent 25 As touching the sence of hearing what il tidings how many cursed speakings and iniuries doth it heare which like sharpe swords doe pearce the heart 26 The sence of séeing how many things doth it beholde which it would not and how many things doeth it not sée which it desireth 27 As for thought how many horrible and feareful things doeth it imagine and faine 28 What shall wée say of vnderstanding to what an innumerable sort of errors is it subiect so as it seemeth to be like vnto a little child to whom a tedious and very hard knot to be dissolued is deliuered he contendeth what hee can to vndoe it and when the knot beginneth in one part to be opened hee sheweth it and reioyceth and séeth not that the knot in the other part is more fast shutte So in like manner God hath made this generalitie of all things and hath set the same before mans minde to be considered saith séeke and search out the reasons and the causes of all these things if thou canst when as indéede the truth of the thing is more secret and profound then mans vnderstanding being placed in the prison of the body can reach vnto This is the cause that the phylosophers and worldly wise men haue fallen into so many and sundrie sects and dissentiōs about all things euen of least moment And they doe so cōtend among themselues vntill falsehoode hauing put on the habite and vizor of trueth deceiueth them all Hereunto accordeth the saying of the Preacher chap. 3 God hath set the worlde in their heart Eccles. c. 3. v. 11. Or God hath giuen them the worlde to dispute of yet cannot man finde out the worke that God hath wrought from the beginning euen to the end Be not curious therfore saith Syrach chap. 3. ver 24. in superfluous things for many things are shewed vnto thée aboue the capacitie of men And yet we see that the most ignorant do many times soonest offend herein rushing into those matters whereof they haue no knowledge and nothing belonging vnto them They will build Tabernacles with Peter and lay platformes for the Church whereof they haue no skill Euerie common person will bée an Agryppa ouer Paul and euery woman a Bernice and euery meane person make a shoppe a Consistory to controll a State forgetting the Prouerb Ne sutor vltra crepidam The shoomaker is not to excéede his pantofle 29 But a greater miserie as yet holdeth our actiue and practising vnderstanding For how many meanes how many reasons and waies doth it deuise to clime vp higher and to growe in the opinion and estimation of men For the which cause the Prophet Dauid in his Psalmes saith that our whole life is like a copwebbe For as the Spider is occupied all his life time in weauing of copwebbes and draweth out of his own bowels those thréeds wherwith he knitteth his nets to catch flies and oftentimes it commeth to passe that when the Spider suspecteth no ill a seruant that goeth about to make clean the house swéepeth downe both the copweb and the Spider and throweth them together into the fire Euen so the greatest part of men consume their whole time spende all their witte and strength and labour most painfully to haue their nettes in a readines with the which they may catch the flies of honors and of riches And when they glorie in the multitude of the flies which they haue taken and promise vnto thēselues rest in time to com◠beholde death Gods handmaide is present with the broom of diuers sicknesses griefes and swéepeth these men away to hell fire they being fast asléepe in the chaire of securitie and so the worke together with the workemaster in a moment of time doe perish 30 Neither is the man of meanest capacity and of least vnderstanding frée from miseries Who can number the suspitions the hatreds the iealousies the enuies the feares the desires the vaine hopes the gréefs and anguishes of mans mind If he do euil he feareth the Iudges banishment whipping reproaches and tormentes If hée doe wel he feareth euil tongues Who is able to expresse with what miserable desire all men are inflamed in so much that no man liuing is contented with his estate but we are all like vnto sick men which turmoile and tosse first from one side of the bed and then to the other and yet neuer find rest 31 After these things behold and consider all ages How weake is infancie how ignorant is childehood how light and inconstant is adolescencie how rash and confident be young men how gréeuous and irkesome 〈◊〉 olde age What is a young boy but as a bruite beast hauing the forme and shape of a man what is a flourishing yonker but as an vntamed horse what is an olde man but the receptacle of all maladies and sicknesses And in all these ages with how great a heap of miseries and necessities are we ouerwhelmed We must daily eate drink and sleepe we are daily compelled to serue many other necessities and which is much more miserable and vnhappy we must of necessity purchase vnto our selues these occupations with infinite labors and sweatings 32 Now who is not astonished if hée cōsider how al the creatures which compasse vs round about doe bend their whole force and fight against mankinde as if the things which haue bene already repeated were not sufficient to fil the bosome of mans hart with miseries That same most cléere brightnesse which we call the Sunne which is as a certaine generall father to all liuing things doeth sometimes so scorch with his beames that all things are parched burnt vp with the heate thereof at another time he taketh his course so farre from vs that all thinges die with colde 32 The earth also which is the mother of vs all how many men doth she swallowe vp with her downfalles gulphes and quakings 33 And what doe the seas how many doe they deuour Verely they haue so many rocks so many flats sands so many sirts so many Charibdes and so many perillous places that it is a most harde thing of all other to escape the danger of shipwrack and they which are most safe in the ship haue but the thicknesse of a planke betwéen them and death 34 What shal we say of our aire Is it not many times corrupted and doeth it not ingender and gather clowdes thicke mistes pestilences and sicknesses 35 As for the bruite beasts they yéeld no reuerence to man their Prince and not only the Lyons Beares Tygers Dragons and other greater wild beastes but the very flies also gnats fleas and other of the most smal sort of liuing creatures doe
Amos. 8. and I will darken the earth in the cleere day That is to say when men thinke it to bée the high noone of their age when they thinke that they haue yet many yéeres to liue when their minde is occupied about their gaine about theyr affaires about their honors buildings mariages and pleasures when they say vnto their soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for thée for many yeeres eate drink rest and be merrie then it shall suddenly be saide vnto them Behold death is at the doore thou foole this night shall thy life be taken away from thee Eccl. 41. and whose are then those things which thou hast gotten 9 Then death vnlooked for frustrateth all our counsels cutting off the webs of our deuises and with on stroke she casteth down and layeth flatte on the ground al those Towers builded in the ayer and then what a wound doeth the heart of the sinner receiue which loueth this present life when the Physitian saith vnto him Thou must from hēceforth thinke no more of life but of death 10 Here first of all all those things which he loued in time past offer themselues vnto him from the which he shal be pulled away and seperated by death whether he wil or no. The body shal dye once but the heart shal dye so often as the things be in number which he loued Then in very déede shal the most cléere light be turned into darkenesse because those things which were aforetime occasions of great ioy shal be now horrible vexations and torments It is a most swéete and pleasant thing to them which liue to sée their louing and faithful friendes to remember their honors to think vpon the pleasures past and to come But all these things in the time of death shal be as swords as torments and most bitter potions 11 But if it be so harde a matter to bée pulled away from those things which do not so néerely touch man how bitter I pray you will the seperation bée of the body from the life and soule For such two louing familiars which haue alwaies liued sweetly together euen from the mothers wombe cannot be seperated without great gréef If the Oxe do commonly lowe mourn when his yoke-fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken away how will euery one of vs mourn when the minde shal be seperated from the body Then wil the body and the mind with teares repeate againe and againe doest thou thus seperate bitter death O death dost thou thus seperate 12 And when the cogitation of so sharp a seperation is déeply setled in our mind then gréefes follow gréefes and sorrow commeth vpon sorrow for then it commeth presently into the minde what a miserable condition the body and soule shal be in after the seperation And first of all when a man beginneth to recount with himselfe that his body after a fewe houres shall be buried in a graue or dark tombe he cannot cease from wondring at so abiect and miserable a condition What the body that now liueth which seeth which heareth whith speaketh shal it be made after one houre in a moment blinde deaffe dumbe without sense without spirit without life Shal I haue then in stead of a large pallace a base sepulchre in stead of a soft bed the hard ground for delights rottennesse for swéete smelles stinkes and in stead of seruants and familiar fréends wormes And thus this cogitation of the graue will verie sore trouble and terrifle a man in these extremities 13 But yet notwithstanding euery man feareth much more when he beginneth to consider what condition remaineth for the soule For when he beholdeth that eternity and that new Region vnknown to all men liuing which hée then alone and naked is to enter and againe when he vnderstandeth that there is to be founde in the same both euerlasting glorie and perpetual paine and misery and knoweth not of which hée shal take his part it cannot bée tolde with how great feare with what carefulnes and with what excéeding sorrow he shal be tormented When hée perceiueth plainly that after two houres he shaibe either in eternal ioyes or in euerlasting paines Is not this a crosse farre surpassing all other crosses 14 This incertainty therefore of blisse or of a cursed estate which after two houres the sinner expecteth that remembreth his sinnes feareth the iust iudgement of God without hope of remission or faith in Christ bringeth a hell in minde not to be expressed For by how much the kingdome which hée desireth is of largenes and by how much the fierie furnace which he feareth is terrible by so much greater shal this perturbation be For from the one Angels shal come to carie the faithful vp into heauen and from the other diuels shal come to cary the wicked and infidels into hell fire 15 But there is yet a farre greater perturbation then this namely that he shal cal to mind the account which he is to make to God of all his words déedes and thoughts For of it selfe it is a horrible thing to enter into iudgement with God the which horror wil wonderfully vexe and disquiet the diuels themselues For as so long as we liue they set forth vnto vs the mercie of God and doe also commend the same and do striue all that they can to keepe vs from meditating of his iustice and iudgements Euen so now on the contrary part they extenuate and make his mercy insufficient and doe set before our eies the greatnesse and seuerity of the Lords Iustice 16 Then the sinner wil begin to tremble and to fall into desperation and wil begin to reason thus with himselfe If God for the sinnes of others spared not his onely sonne wil he spare me which am guiltie of so many sinnes If this be done in the greene tree what shal befal that which is feare and drie If the Prophets if the Apostles if the Martyres after they liued godly so many yeares entred not into the kingdome of heauen without tribulations what other place can be left for me but that of hell fire which know no good that I haue done 17 If the Scripture be true which saith He wil render to euery man according to his works I which haue done so great wickednesses what should I looke for but eternal torments If the Apostle lye not as indéede he doth not when he saith That which a man soweth that shall hee reape Gal. 6. what shal hée reape but eternall death which hath made so cursed sowing If no polluted thing shal enter into the kingdome of God how shal I which am altogether filthy and vncleane haue hope to make so happie and blessed an entrance 18 Then therefore all his sinnes which he committed with so great facility when hée liued shal violently inuade the sinful man like an hoast of his enemies Then the feare of punishment wil open the eyes which sléeping securitie in sinne before had
make the eares of them that heare it to tingle O sentence intollerable which depriueth sinners of all good things and bringeth them to all woe The Lord sometime accursed the Fig-trée and immediately not onely the leaues but also the body and rootes were wholy withered Euen so that feareful curse of the last day shal be no lesse effectual For on whomsoeuer it falleth it shal so scortch them and shal so make them destitute of Gods grace that they shal neuer more be able to doe to speake to thinke or to hope for any good thing 31 Then therefore the wicked being stricken with this thundering sentence will lift vp their mouthes towards heauen wil spue foorth their shamefull blasphemies against God the Iudge they will curse this day and the houre wherein they were borne and their Parents which begat them and the wombs which bare them the aier which gaue them breath and the Earth which hath borne them but they shal not be suffered any long time to speake these things against the Iudge 32 For suddenly the Spirite of the Lord shal ouerwhelm them and shal with great violence caste them downe headlong into the déepe Apoc. 18. as in Saint Iohns Reuelation appeareth in these wordes Then a mightie angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the Citie of Babilon bee cast Apoc. 20. and be found no more And againe Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire And this déepe shal be shut vp with gates of brasse and with yron barres which cannot bee broken with any force nor cut in sunder by any arte and there they shal drinke of the cup of the Lords wrath and the smoke of their torments shal ascend worlde wtout end they shal not rest day nor night 33 On the contrarie part the iust being in the fruition of ful blessednesse and of euerlasting glorie shall haue in their mouthes the prayses of the Lorde and giuing of thankes and shal with singing and with mirth extol the name of their Lorde and God with whom they shal reigne without ende 34 But although wée heare of those things often yet neuerthelesse wée are not awaked from the sléepe of sinne before wee be ouerwhelmed with the night of death and of darkenes Why doe we which haue this time now looke for another time which peraduenture wée shal neuer haue Now is the accepted time now is the day of saluation There is nothing more profitable for a man then to knowe his time and therefore in our worldly businesse wée obserue times and seasons as a conuenient time to eare a fitte time to sowe to plant and such like Yea the brute beast by the instinct of nature can make choyce of his time for benefite The Swallowe when winter approacheth prepareth himselfe to take his flight into a warmer Countrey The Bée and the Ant in the time of summer prepare their foode against winter And the Prophet Ieremie saith that the Storke knoweth his appointed time If brute beastes deuoide of reason haue this foresight to make choise of time for their good and if man him selfe in a worldly regarde can make choyse of a fitte and due time to gette earthly and transitorie things how much more prouident ought hee to bee for heauenly things that to attaine these hée lose not his fittest time to attaine saluation 35 The olde worlde that liued in the dayes of Noah knewe not their time that was the cause they then perished with the flood The Cities of Sodome and Gomer knew not their time that brought fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads to their destruction The foolish Virgins knewe not their time therefore when their Lorde came they being altogether vnready were shut out of the Lords ioy Let vs then knowe the season how it is time now that wee should awake out of sleepe Rom. 13.36 1. Thes 5. Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober least the darkenesse come vpon vs wherein we can neither walke nor worke Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes that day and time wherein we shall appeare before God and his Angels and before the whole worlde to answere our cause and either to receiue a Crown of glory or else perpetual shame and confusion Let vs know that we haue here a very short time limitted vnto vs. wherein wée must so endeuour our selues that for short and transitory things we lose not that which is eternall If wee haue this consideration of that great day of the Lorde wée shal not only be the more secure in death but also be the better prepared to méet with our Lord and Sauiour when he shal come to iudgement CHAP. IIII. Concerning Hell and the torments thereof THere is nothing that the Diuell laboureth more then to perswade men that there is no hel that so the more easily hée may leade them thether as it were blindfolde by the way of sinnes while they haue no feare of any punishment euen as shéeues are wont to bee ledde with a vaile before their faces when they are going to the gallowes as Ezechias was serued whose eyes Nabuchadnezer commanded to be put out whē he was caried away captiue into Babilō 2 But it may bée shewed by many reasons and authorities that there is a hel For as a Princely magnificence requireth that a King haue a beautiful Pallace for to entertaine the best sort of men and a prison for the worst Euen so the king of kings and Lord of all glorie and principalities hath a Pallace wherein there are many mansions as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel testifieth which is the kingdom of heauen and he hath also a darke prison or dungeon which is hel 3 The lawe of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences be driuen into exile for euer euen so God doth banish from his presence Luke 16. the impenitent sinners into hel For so it is said of Diues that he dyed was carried into hel Esay 5 And the prophet saith Hel hath inlarged it self hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth among them shall discend into it Also S. Iohn saith that the feareful and vnbeleeuing and murderers Apoc. 21. the whormongers sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And Christ Iesus saith Feare him which hath power to cast body and soule into hell 4 But forsomuch as God hath not made Death nor the kingdom of Hell vpon earth Wisd 1. We must vnderstand that the principal procurer of this Hell is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse who béeing in
of Platoes Schollers that both their diet and their apparel was alwayes like vnto that of their Masters And the Heathen could say that the perfection of a man is to be like Iupiter So in like manner Christians must doe all things after the example of Christ because the perfection of Christianitie is to bée like Christ 2 But let no man be afraid or troubled Let no man say with dispaire how can it be that men which are made of dust shoulde imitate GOD that we which are a masse or lumpe of sinne shoulde bee like the vnspotted lambe of God For we are not commanded to immitate and followe Christ in that glory and maiesty wherein he sitteth in heauen at the right hand of his Father nor yet in that power vertue by which he gouerneth the whole world and worketh signs and woonders but onely in that patterne of holines which hee set before vs in our fleshe when he was here on earth 3 For thou shalt neuer finde these precepts in Scripture hée which walketh not vpon the sea is not worthy of me he that doth not daily raise vp dead men vnto life cannot be my disciple and blessed is hée which foresheweth things to come and is mighty in signes and woonders because to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen These are not the things that we are commanded to follow in Christ but these rather Learne of me for I am meeke and humble in hart Mat. 11. Christi exemplum saith Saint Augustine est medicamentâ—m vnâ—rum c. The example of Christ is a remedy to amend wickednes in vs but especially it is saith hee a medicine for pride and a paterne of humility For both his doctrine and his whole life was nothing els but an example of méekenes and humilitie what man bearing the name of a Christian is not ashamed to sée Christ so humble and méeke and himselfe so proud Math. 10. Againe hée saith Hee that taketh not vppe his Crosse and followeth mee is not worthy of mee Also blessed are the meeke Math. 5. blessed are the poore in spirite blessed are they which mourne blessed are the mercyfull blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen 4 This thing our Captaines and guides the Apostles very wel vnderstoode who albeit they spake the languages of all nations and were moste famous in working of miracles knowing themselues to bée the teachers of the whole world yet herein alone they reioyced that they were counted worthie to suffer contumelie for the name of Iesus And the blessed Apostle Paul beside those things which hée had in common with the other Apostles béeing rapt vp into the third heauens heard certaine things which are secrete and yet for all that hee iudged not himselfe any whit the more like or neare vnto Christ but for those things onely which hée rehearseth in the latter Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 12. they saith he are minsters of Christ I speake as a foole I am more In labours more abundant In stripes aboue measure in prison more plentiously In death often 5 These are the things which we are to imitate in our great Commaunder and captaine namely in aduersitie patience In hard matters fortitude In all perill and labour constancie What heart is so cold and cowardly which considering the inestimable greatnesse of the gift that God hath bestowed vpon vs in giuing vnto vs his owne so well beloued Sonne with all his perfection is not enflamed with an excéeding earnest desire to becom like vnto him in good works especially séeing the Father hath giuen him vnto vs for an example whereon we must continually looke framing our life after such a sort as it may be a true counterpaine of the life of Iesus Christ as saith saint Peter For as much as Christ hath suffered for vs 1. Tet. 2. leauing vs an example to the end that we shoulde followe his foote-steps Out of this consideration followeth the whole frame and fashioning of our selues like vnto him in all his déedes words and thoughts leauing our former wicked life and decking our selues with the new life that is to witte with the life of Christ By reason wherof Saint Paul saith Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of life not in feasting nor in drunkennesse nor in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife but put you on the Lorde Iesus Christ and make no preparation for the flesh nor for the lusts therof 6 Hereuppon the true Christian béeing in loue with Iesus Christ saith in himselfe Sith that Iesus Christ not hauing any néede of me hath redéemed me with his own bloud and is become poore to inrich mée I wil likewise giue my goods yea and my very life for the loue and welfare of my neighbour Hée that hath not this affection is no true Christian For hée cannot say that hée loueth Iesus Christ if he loue not his members and if we loue not our neighbour for whose sake Christ hath shed his bloud we cannot truely say that we loue Iesus Christ who being equal with God was obedient to his Father euen to the death of the crosse and hath loued and redéemed vs giuing himselfe vnto vs with all that euer he hath After the same maner wee being rich and hauing aboundance of good things at Christs hand must also bée obedient vnto God to offer and giue our workes and al that we haue yea and euen our selues to our neighbours and brethren in Iesus Christ seruing them and helping them at their néede and being vnto them as another Christ 7 And as Iesus Christ hath endured all the persecutions and spites of the world for the glory of God so must wée with al patientnes chéerfully beare the persecutions and reproaches that are done by false Christians to all such as wil liue faithfullie in Iesus Christ who gaue his life for his enemies and prayed for them vppon the Crosse And this is to followe Christes steppes according to Saint Peters saying 8 But now turne thy eyes a while vnto thy selfe and diligentlie beholde and see what thou doest imitate and followe in the life of Christ Thou delightest in sumptuous wardroabes and in many suites of costlie apparell But Christ in the most colde time of Winter was layed naked in a Manger Thou spendest howers and dayes in feasting and banquetting amidst thy daintie dishes talking and seruing thy bellie and the Son of God afflicted his moste innocent bodie with hunger and thirst Thou liuest in peace and pleasure in recreations in playes in pastimes and art delighted in idlenes passing thy time in singing laughing and sporting And the Sonne of God came down from heauen for our saluation that we might not perish eternally and for this cause was a pilgrim preached labored tooke no rest and spent whole nights in prayer for vs. Thou earth ashes canst not digest the least iniurie of wordes without displeasure
Iesus in the supper in that we are made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones in that we liue by his holy spirit ought not this vpon good cause to exhort vs to conforme our selues to the Image and likenesse of the holines of our Lord Iesus Christ Can he dwel in vs nourish vs with his own substance quicken vs with his holy spirit ioyne vs vnto himself by the bond of Faith yet so that he his holy spirit and faith bring not forth in vs good holy works Moreouer for so much as he doth not giue himselfe vnto vs halfemeale and destitute of his qualities and riches accompanied with all spirituall giftes and blessings adorned with righteousnesse and perfection accompanied with innocencie sanctification how can we receiue Iesus Christ enriched with all his graces that the righteousnesse of our head may not shine in vs which are members yea shine in all our parts as well inward as outward Must it needs be that the two partes of our soule that is to say our mind and heart which ought to apprehende and take hold of the promises of God which ought to receiue by faith the body and blood of our lord Iesus Christ that is to say whole Iesus Christ true God equal in euery respect to God his father and true man made of humane body and soule that this minde heart I say must be applyed to the meditation and loue of worldly and wicked things being destitute of the knowledge and loue of God and of the loue of our neighbour Doth it behoue our body which is the temple of God to be prophaned That our eares which were created of God to heare his voice shuld be stopped against it and be opened to vanities wanton talke vnchast worldly songes Doth it behooue our tongue which is bound by the right of creation to sing the praises of God and by the right of redemption to shew forth the Lords death till he come h That this tongue which is so proper an instrument of the glory of God should be mute to goodnesse incessantly occupied in backbiting slaundering blaspheming or at the least in speaking idle words whereof one day wée shal yéeld an account before the throne of the Maiesty of God i Mat. 12.36 Doeth it behoue our mouth which ought to receiue the blessed signe of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus to suppresse the benefit of our redemption and to haue adders poyson in it Doeth it behooue our hands which ought to take at the supper the assured gage of the loue of God the infallible pledges of his league with vs the earnest penny of our saluation to be voide of goodnesse beside that be giuen to extortion theft murther oppression violence Doth it behooue our féete which ought to runne and make hast to goodnesse to be ready and light to runne to mischiefe No surely but as he which calleth vs is holy so likewise must we also be wholy holy as he hath brought vs by holy Baptisme into his holy house which is his Church the Cōmunion of Saints Euen so likewise must we lead therein a good holy conuersation as he hath washed vs from our sinnes by the precious blood of his sonne Iesus Christ so must we dye to them liue in righteousnesse as he hath called vs to the the incorruptible hope of the blessed resurrection eternal life so must we lift vp our harts on high and not be buried like Moles in this fraile and transitorie earth To be short séeing that the grace of God is set before vs euery day and his holy word soundeth in our eares l Tit. 2.11 12.13.14 to this onely end that it may be saluation vnto vs and that renouncing all vngodlinesse worldly desires we should liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ We must pray vnto this good God that he would giue vs grace so to behaue our selues towardes him in liuing godly so towards our neighbours in liuing iustly so towards the poore in reléeuing them charitably so towards our selues in liuing soberly that we may be found at the day irreprehensible by the meanes of that his wel beloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ 3 Thirdly Of thankes giuing we must giue thanks to this good God for the benefit of our redemption for this cause it is that the Auncients called the holy supper Eucharistia that is to say gratefulnesse good grace giuing of thankes For if so be that our ordinary food and daily bread which GOD giueth vs for the nourishmēt of our bodies ought to be sanctified by the word receiued with thankesgiuing ought we not much more to thanke God for the heauenly bread for the nourishment of our soules which is offered vnto vs really giuen vs in the holy Supper of Iesus Christ And we sée also how Iesus Christ himselfe sheweth vs an example hereof For when he tooke the bread of the Supper S Matthewe and S. Marke say that Iesus Christ blessed And S. Luke expoundeth this word to blesse when he saith that he gaue thankes Now then séeing that we sée that Iesus Christ when he tooke the bread of the supper gaue thankes to God his father as he did also when he tooke the cup that for the redemption of mākind it is our duty to do the like And that we may be the better moued to giue thanks to God we haue to consider the greatnesse of the benefit of our redemption and the excellency of the gift which God giueth vs at his holy table which cannot bée done vnlesse we consider our miserable condition which was before figured by the temporall captiuitie of Egypt We see there how Pharaoh was strong and mighty how he knew not the generall how he went about to kill all the séede of the Israelites Exe 1.3 by the suppression and death of their men children we sée also how excessiuely he caused the Israelites to worke without any hope of wages how he would not suffer them by any meanes to sacrifice to the Lord nor to goe forth of the land of Egypt Which thing continued not for one yeare or two but for the space of foure hundred and thirtie f Exo. 12.30 yeares Here may we liuely beholde a draught of our misery We were all lost and destroyed in Adam Wee were holden captiues in the helly Egypt vnder the Tyranny of a spirituall Pharaoh which is the Diuell This Tyrant was strong and mighty hee suffered vs not to serue our GOD. He made vs to labour incessantly in slauish and vnfruitfull workes of sinne to the establishment of his owne kingdome He slew not onely our men children but he led vs all indifferently to vtter ruine and destruction And this Tyranny had not onely continued for a certaine time but had béene eternall and
for euer permanent if the mercy and power of our God had not plucked vs out of it by the ministery of the true Moses which is our Lord Iesus Christ who is the true Lambe which the heauenly father hath deliuered to death to deliuer vs from it and purchase vs eternall life As it is saide that God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beléeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now then séeing this good God hath done in vs so great a pleasure as to frée vs from the tyranny of the Diuel of sinne of death of hel séeing that his loue was so great that he deliuered his onely Sonne to the cruel and ignominious death of the Crosse for vs which were the seruants and bondslaues of Sathan his welbeloued for vs which were his enemies the iust and the Lambe without spotte for vs which were sinners and corrupt the onely heire of Paradice for vs which were worthily heires of hel ought we not to be rauished with admiration of this great and vnspeakeable loue of God towards vs our tongues to be for euer displayed to publish with a loud voyce the praise of the benefit of our redemption It is very reasonable and therefore we sée that Iesus Christ admonisheth vs of our dutie in this behalfe Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 speaking of the celebration of the holy Supper Doe this in remembrance of me And S. Paul expresseth what remembrance this is when he aduertiseth vs 1. Cor. 11. that as often as wée shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe wée shewe the Lords death till he come Séeing thē that God requireth of vs a true acknowledging of his benefits which wée receiue at his hands bountifulnesse by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ let vs take heede that we be not spotted with the fault of ingratitude especially if we will not incurre the wrathful displeasure of God and acknowledge him for Iudge whom we would not acknowledge for a gentle and mercifull father as Saint Paul also to this purpose threatneth the ingrate and forgetful when he saith Whosoeuer shal eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation And rightfully is the vengeance of God displayed against them which wickedly suppresse the glory of God in that that concerneth their owne saluation For if so be that a murtherer ready to be hanged for his wicked déedes casting away and reiecting his princes gratious pardon and not vouchsafing to thanke him for it deserueth worthily the gallowes or if a childe deserue the rod for not giuing once I thanke you to his father when he hath receiued at his handes great and singular benefits much more wee which for our sinfull and wicked déedes deserue to bée hanged in hell if wée contemne the grace of God our soueraigne Prince and make no count of this euerlasting benefite which our heauēly father presenteth vs withal in Iesus Christ who is offered to vs in the supper by good right and reason we are worthy to perish for our vnkindnesse vnthankfulnesse But here must we diligently marke the pointes that followe First this acknowledging must be made to one onely God by his onely sonne Iesus Christ For euen as God by his onely sonne hath created vs redéemd vs frō euerlasting death so wil he that to him alone and by him alone in whom he is well pleased we render thanks for all his benefits As we sée how S. Paul setteth this forth vnto vs in many places and precisely in the Epistle to the Ephesians where he saith Blessed be God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all his spirituall blessing in Heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world but they which call vpon Saints and put their trust in them or in their merites they also which make them patrons and aduocates to GOD warde and likewise they which trust in their owne strength in their owne frée will or good workes robbe God of his glorie and cannot giue him true thankes for the benefit of redemption For we cannot giue to any creature the least ioy that may be in the matter of our saluation but we commit sacriledge against God the Creator And therefore renouncing our selues and euery liuing creature let vs say with the Apostle Vnto the king euerlasting immortall 1. Tim. 1.17 inuisible vnto God only wise be honour and glory for euer and euer Secondly thanks must be giuen not with the mouth onely but with the hart also For séeing that God is a spirit he requireth a seruice of vs that is agréeable to his nature that is to say he will be serued of vs in spirit and truth And therefore when that praysing of God for the benefit of redemption commeth in question we must haue our hearts lift vp on high and there must be a consent and mutuall agréement betwéen our inward affections and our tongues as we sée how Dauid exhorteth himselfe to the same when he saith My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within mee praise his holy name My soule I say praise thou the Lord Psa 103.1 and forget not all his benefits And the blessed Virgin singeth the selfe same in her song Luke 1.46 saying My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Now all hypocrites and wicked persons also they that sing and praise in an vnknowne tongue are here reproued For where there is no vnderstanding there is no affection nor wil and consequently no faith without which whatsoeuer we doe bee it neuer so faire and glorious before men it is but sinne and abhomination before God Let vs take héede therefore that in this behalfe we wander not and goe astray least we be condemned with the Iewish people which honoured and serued God in vaine insomuch as they came neare vnto him onely with their mouthes Esa 29.13 Mat. 15.8 and honoured him with their lips but not with their hearts Thirdly it must be done at all times and seasons Psal 34.1 that is to say aswel in affliction as in prosperity to this purpose Dauid protesteth That he will alwaies giue thanks vnto his Lord 1. Thes 5.18 and that his prayse shall be in his month continually And Saint Paul admonisheth the Thessalonians To giue thanks in all things adding For this is the wil of God in Christ Iesus But this is cleane contrarie to time seruers and to all them which in time of prosperity lawn vpon the Gospell and are wel cōtent for that time to praise God whom afterward in time of affliction they defie and set at naught The cause of this mischiefe is for that they haue not yéelded themselues to the Church of GOD for a good end and purpose as to extoll the glory of God to séeke