in the Apocalyps and vseth maruailous speeches to entyse vs to this fortitude For these are his woordes he that hathe an eare to heare let hym heare what the spirit sayth vnto the churches To hym that shall conquere I will geue to eate of the tree of lyfe whiche is in the paradise of my God This sayeth the first and the last he that was deade and now is a lyue I know thy tribulation and thy pouertie but thow art riche in deede and art blasphemed by those that saye they are true Israelites are 〈◊〉 But are rather the Sinagoge of Satā Feare nothing of that whiche you are to suffer beholde the deuill wil cause some of you to be thrust into prison to the end you may be tempted and you shall haue tribulation for tēne dayes But be faythefull vnto deathe and I will geue the a crowne of lyfe He that hathe an eare to heare lett hym heare what the spirit sayeth vnto the churches he that shall ouercome shall not be hurt by the second deathe And he that shall ouercome and keepe my woorkes vnto the end I will geue vnto hym authoritie ouer nations euen as I haue receaued it from my father and I will geue him besides the morning starre He that shall ouercome shal be appareled in whyte garmentes and I will not blott his name owt of the booke of lyfe but will confesse his name before my father and before his Angels Beholde I come quickelie holde fast that thow hast lest an other man receaue thy crowne He that shall conquere I will make him a pillar in the tēple of my God he shall neuer goe foorthe more and I will wryte vpō hym the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Ierusalem He that shall conquer I will geue vnto him to sitt withe me in my throne euen as I haue conquered and doe sitt with my father in his throne Hitherto are the woordes of Christ to S. Ioh. And in the end of the same book after he had described the ioyes and glorie of heauen at large he concludeth thus And he that satte on the throne sayde to me VVryte these woordes for that they are moste faythfull and true Qui vicerit possidebit haec ero illi deus ille erit mihi filius timidis autem incredulis c. pars illorum erit in stagno ardenti igne sulphure quod est mors secunda He that shall conquer shall possesse all the ioyes that I haue heere spokē of and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne But they whiche shal be fearfull to fight or incredulous of these thinges that I haue sayed theyr portiō shall be in the lake burning withe fire and brymstone which is the second deathe Heere now we see bothe allurement threates good and euill lyfe and deathe the Ioyes of heauen and the burning lake proposed vnto vs. VVe maye streache owte our handes vnto whiche we will Yf we fight and conquer as by gods grace we maye thē are we to enioye the promises layd downe before Yf we shew our selues ether vnbeleeuing in these promises or fearefull to take the fyght in hande being offered vnto vs then fall we into the daunger of the contrarie threates euen as S. Iohn affirmeth in an other place that certayne noble men dyd among the Iewes whoe beleeued in Christ but yet durst not confesse hym for feare of persecution Heere thē must ensewe an other vertue in vs moste necessarie to all tribulation and affliction and that is a strong and firme resolution to stand and go throughe what opposition or contradiction soeuer we fynde in the world ether of fawning flatterie or persecuting crueltie This the scripture teacheth cryeing vnto vs esto firmus in via domini Be firme and immouable in the waye of our lord And agayne State in fide viriliter agite Stand to your faythe and play you the men And yet further confide in deo mane in loco tuo Trust in God and abyde firme in thy place And finalie confortamini nō dissoluantur manus vestrae Take courage vnto you and let not your handes be dissolued from the worke you haue begonne This resolution had the three children 〈◊〉 Misach Abdenago when hauing heard the flattering speeche infinite threates of cruell Nabuchodonasar they answered with a quiet spirit O kyng wee may not answere you to this long speeche of youres For beholde our God is able yf he will to delyuer vs from this furnace of fyre whiche you threaten and from all that you can doe otherwyse against vs. But yet yf it should not please hym so to doe yet you muste know Syr king that we doe not woorshippe your goddes nor yet adore your golden ydole whiche you haue sett vp This resolution had peter Iohn who being so often 〈◊〉 before the councell bothe commaunded threatened and beaten to talke no more of Christ answered styll Obedire oportet deo magis quam hominibus vve muste obey God rather than men The same had S. Paul also when being requested with teares of the Christianes in Cesarea that he wolde forbeare to goe to Ierusalem for that the holie ghoste had reuealed to manye the troubles whiche expected hym there he answered what mean you to weepe thus and to afflict my hart I am not onelie readie to be in bondes for Christ name in Ierusalem but also to suffer deathe for the same And in his epistle to the Romanes he yet further expresseth this resolution of his when he sayeth what then shall we saye to these thinges yf God be with vs whoe will be against vs who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation shall distresse shall hungar shall nakednes shall perill shall persecution shall the swoore I am certaine that nether deathe nor lyfe nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor strengthe nor hyghthe nor depthe nor any creature els shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God whiche is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Finallye this was the resolution of all the holye martyres and confessors and other seruantes of God wherby they haue withstoode the temptations of the deuill the allurementes of fleshe and bloode and all the persecutions of tyrantes exacting things vnlaufull at their handes I will alleage one exāple more owte of the scripture and that before the cōming of Christ but yet nighe vnto the same and therfore no maruaylle as the fathers doe note thoghe it tooke some heate of Christian feruour and constancie towardes martyrdome The example is wounderfull for that in mannes sight it was but for a small matter required at their handes by the tyrantes commaundement that is onelie to eate a peece of swynes fleshe for thus it is recorded in the scripture It happened seuen brethren to be apprehended
to eate them thoghe otherwyse in taste they appeared sweet and pleasant How then cometh it to passe that so manie earnest admonitions of God him selfe can not staye vs from the loue of this daungerous vanitie 〈◊〉 cor apponere saythe God by the prophet that is laye not your harte vnto the loue of riches Qui diligit aurum non iustificabitur say the the wyse man he that loueth gold shall neuer be iustifed I am angrie greatelye vppon riche nations sayethe God by Zacharie Christ saythe Amen dico vuhis quia diues difficile intrabit in regnum caelorum Truelie I saye vnto you that a riche man shall hardlie gett into the kyngdome of heauen And agayne vvobe to you riche men for that you haue receaued your consolation in this lyfe Finallie S. Paul saythe generallie of all to all They vvhich vvilbe riche doe faell into temptation and into the snare of the deuill and into many vnprofitable and hurtfull desires vvhiche doe drovvne men in destruction and perdition Can any thing in the world be spoken more effectuallie to dissuade from the loue of riches thā this must not heere now the couetous men ether denye God or condēne them selues in their owne consciences lett them goe and excuse them selues by the pretence of wyfe childrē as they are wont sayeing they mean nothinge els but to prouyde for their sufficiencie Dothe Christ or S. Paul admitt this excuse ought we so much to loue wyfe or children or other kynred as to endaunger our soules for the same vvhat comfort may it be to an afflicted father in hell to remember that by his meanes his wyfe and childrē doe lyue wealthelie in earthe all this is vanitie deare brother meere deceate of our spirituall enemye For within one momēt after we are dead we shall care no more for wyfe children father mother or brother in this matter than we shall for a meere straunger and one penye geuen in almes while we lyued for gods sake shall comfort vs more at that daye than thowsandes of poundes bestowed vpon our kynne for the naturall loue we beare vnto our owne fleshe and bloode The whiche I wold to Christ worldlye men dyd cōsider And then no dowte they wolde neuer take suche care for kynred as they doe especiallie vpon their deathe beddes whēce presentlie they are to departe to that place where fleshe bloode holdeth no more priuilege nor riches haue any power to deliuer but onelie suche as were well bestowed in the seruice of God or geuen to the poore for his names sake And this shal be sufficient for this point of riches The third braunche of worldlie vanities is called by S. Iohn cōcupiscēce of the fleshe whiche conteyneth all pleasures and carnall recreatiōs as banquetting laughing playeing and the lyke wherewithe our fleshe is much delyted in this world And albeit in this kinde there is a certaine measure to be allowed vnto the godlie for the conuenient maintenance of their healthe as also in riches it is not to be reprehended yet that all these worldlie solaces are not onelie vain but also daungerous in that excesse and abundance as worldlie men seek and vse them appeareth playnelie by these woordes of Christ. VVo be vnto you whiche nowe doe laughe for you shall weepe VVo be vnto you that now lyue in fyll and satietie for the tyme shall come when you shall suffer hunger And agayne in S. Iohns gospell speaking to his Apostles and by them to all other he saythe You shall uveepe and pule but the vvorld shall reioyse making it a signe distinctiue betwene the good and the badde that the one shall mourne in this lyfe and the other reioyse and make them selues merye The verye same dothe Iob cōfirme both of the one the other sort for of worldlinges he saythe that they solace them selues with all kynde of Musicke doe passe ouer their dayes in pleasure and in a verie moment doe goe doune into hell But of the god ie he saythe in his owne persone that they sighe before they eate theyr breade And in an other place that they feare all their woorkes 〈◊〉 that God spareth not hym which offēdeth The reason whereof the wyse man yet further expresseth sayeing That the uvorkes of good men are in the handes of God and no man knovveth vvhether he be vvoorthie of loue or hatred at gods handes but all is kept vncertayne for the tyme to come And olde Tobias insinuateth yet an other cause when he saythe VVhat ioye can I haue or receaue seing I sytt heer in darkenes Speaking literallye of his corporall blyndenes but yet leauinge it also to be vnderstande of spirituall and internall darkenes These are then the causes beside externall affliction whiche God often sendeth whye the godlie doe lyue more sadde and fearefull in this lyfe than wicked men doe according to the counsayle of S. Paul and whie also they sighe often and weepe as Iob and Christ doe affirme for that they remember often the Iustice of God theyr owne frayltie in sinning the secrete iudgement of gods predestination vncertaine to vs the vale of miserie and desolation wherein they lyue here whiche made euen the Apostles to grone as S. Paul saythe thoughe they had lesse cause therof than we In respect wherof we are willed to passe ouer this life in carefullnes wachefullnes feare and trembling and in respect wherof also the wyseman saythe It is better to goe to the house of sorovv thā to the house of feasting And agayne VVhere sadnes is there is the hart of vvysemen but vvhere myrthe is there is the harte of 〈◊〉 Finallie in respect of this the scripture saythe Beatus homo qui semper est pauidus Happie is the man whiche alwayes is fearefull VVhiche is nothinge els but that whiche the holie ghoste commaundethe euery man by Micheas the Prophet solicitum ambulare cum deo To walke carefull an diligent withe God thynkynge vppon his commaundementes how we keepe and obserue the same how we resist and mortifie our members vppon earthe and the like whiche cogitations if they might haue place withe vs wolde cutt of a greate deale of those wordlie pastimes wherwithe the careles sorte of synners are ouerwhelmed I meane of those good feloushippes of eatings drynkings laughings syngings disputings other suche vanities that distract vs most Hereof Christ gaue vs a moste notable aduertisement in that he wept often as at his natiuitie at the resuscitation of Lazarus vpō Ierusalem vpon the crosse But he is neuer redde to haue laughte in all his lyfe Heerof also is his owne natiuitie deathe a signification which being bothe in godes handes are appointed vnto vs withe sorow greefe as we see But the midle parte therof that is our lyfe being left in our owne handes by gods appointement we passe it
thence shal be a Cocatrice their vvebbes shall not make clothe to couer them for that their vvoorkes are vnprofitable and the vvorke of iniquitie is in their handes These are the woordes of Esay declaring vnto vs by most significant similitudes how daungerous thornes the riches and pleasures of this world are And first he saythe they put theyr hope in thinges of nothing and doe talke vanities To signifie that he meanethe of the vanities and vayne men of this worlde whoe commonlie doe talke of the thinges whiche they loue best and wherin they place their greatest affiance Secondlie he saythe they conceaue labour and bringfoorthe iniquitie alluding herein to the chyldbyrthe of women whoe fyrst doe conce aue in their wombe and after a greate deale of trauaile doe bring foorthe their infant so worldlie men after a greate tyme of trauaile and laboure in vanities doe bring foorthe no other fruite than sinne and iniquitie For that is the effect of those vanities as he speaketh in the same chapiter crieinge owte to suche kynde of men VVoe be vnto voas vvhich doe 〈◊〉 iniquitie in the ropes of vanitie But yet to expresse this matter more forciblye he vsethe two other similitudes sayeing they breake the egges of serpentes and doe vveaue the vvebbes of spiders Signifieing by the one the vanitie of these worldlie cares and by the other the daunger therof The spider we see takethe great paynes and labour many dayes together to weaue her selfe a webbe and in the ende when all is done cometh a puffe of wynde or some other litle chaunce and breaketh all in peeces euen as he in the gospel which had takeÌ„ great trauayle care in heaping riches together in plucking down his olde barnes and buylding vp of now and when he was come to saye to his soule Novv be merie That night his soule was taken from him all his labour lost Therfore Esay saithe in this place that the vvebbes of these vveauers shall not make them clothe to couer them vvith all for that their vvoorkes are vnprofitable The other comparison contayneth matter of great daunger and feare For as the bird that sitteth vpon the egges of serpentes by breaking hatching them bringeth foorthe a perilous broode to her owne destruction so those that sytt a broode vppon these vanities of the worlde saythe Esay doe hatche at last their owne destruction The reason wherof is as he saythe for that the vvorke of iniquitie is in their hande Still harping vppon this stringe that a man can not loue and folow these vanities or intangle hym selfe with their ropes as his phrase is but that he must in deede drawe on muche iniquitie there with that is he must mingle muche sinne and offence of God with the same whiche effect of sinne because it kylleth the soule that consenteth vnto it therfore Esay compareth it vnto the broode of serpeÌ„tes that kylleth the byrd which bringeth theÌ„ foorthe to the world And finallie Moyses vsethe the lyke similitudes when he saythe of vayne and wicked men Their vineyard is the vineyarde of Sodomites their grape is the grape of gaule and their clusters of grapes are moste bytter their vvyne is the gaul of dragons and the poyson of cocatrices vncurable By which dreadfull lothesome comparisons he wolde geue vs to vnderstand that the sweete pleasures of this worlde are in deede deceytes and will proue them selues one daye most bytter and daungerous The fowerth point that we haue to consider is how this woorde aerumna that is miserie and calamitie may be verified of the world and the felicitie therof VVhiche thing thoghe it may appeare sufficientlie by that whiche hathe bene sayd before yet will I for promise sake discusse it a litle further in this place by some particulars And among many miseries which I might heere recount the first and one of the greatest is the breuitie aud vncertaintie of all worldlie prosperitie Oh how greate a miserye is this vnto a worldlie man that wolde haue his pleasures constant and perpetuall O deathe hovve bytter is thy remembrance sayethe the scripture â—…nto a man that hathe peace in his riches we haue seene many men aduanced and not endured two monethes in their prosperitie we haue heard of diuers maryed in greate ioye and not haue lyued six dayes in their felicitie we haue read of straunge matters happened owt in this kynde and we see with our eyes no few exaÌ„ples daylie VVhat a greefe was it think you to Alexander the greate that hauing subdewed in twelue yeeres the moste part of all the world shoulde be then enforced to dye when he was moste desirous to lyue and when he was to take moste ioye and coÌ„fort of his victories what a sorowe was it to the ryche man in the gospell to heare vppon the suddayne hac nocte Euen this night thou must dye what a miserie will this be to many wordlings whan it cometh whoe now buyld palaces purchase lands heape riches procure dignities make mariages ioyne kynredes as though there were neuer an ende of these matters what a doolefull daye will this be to them I saye wheÌ„ they must forgoe all these things which they so muche loue when they must be turned of as princes mules are wont to be at the iourneys ende that is their treasure taken from them and their gauld backes onelie left vnto them selues for as we see these mules of princes goe all the daye long loaden with treasure and couered with fayre clothes but at night shaken of into a sorie stable much brused gauled with the cariage of those treasures so riche men that passe through this world loaden with golde and siluer and doe gaul greatlie their soules in cariage therof are despoyled of their burden at the daye of deathe and are turned of with their wounded consciences to the lothesome stable of hell and damnation An other miserie ioyned to the prosperitie of this world is the greuous counterpeaze of discontentemeÌ„tes that euerie worldlie pleasure hathe with it Runne ouer euerie pleasure in this lyfe and see what sawce it hath adioyned Aske them that haue had moste proofe therof whether they remayne contented or no The possession of riches is accompanyed with so many feares and cares as hathe bene shewed The aduauncement of honoures is subiecte to all miserable seruitude that may be deuised The pleasure of the fleshe thoughe yt be laufull and honest yet is it called by S. Paul tribulation of the fleshe But yf it be with sinne tenne thousand times more is it enuironed with all kynde of miseries VVhoe can recken vp the calamities of our bodye so many diseases so manie infirmities so many mischances so many dangers whoe can tell the passions of our mynde that doe afflict vs now with angar now with sorowe nowe with enuie nowe with furie who can recounte the aduersities and misfortunes that come by our goodes whoe can
the begynning of this chapiter I haue to adde a woorde or two in this place how we may auoyde the daunger of this world and also vse it vnto our gayne and commoditie And for the first to auoyde the daungers seyng there are so many snares and trappes as hathe bene declared there is no other waye but onelie to vse the resuge of byrdes in auoyding the daungerous snares of fowlers that is to mounte vp into the ayer and so to flye ouer them all 〈◊〉 rete ante oculos pennatorum saythe the wyse man that is the nett is layde in vayne before the eyes of suche as haue wynges and can flye The spyes of Hierico thoghe many snares were layde for them by their enemyes yet they escaped all for that they walked by hilles sayeth the scripture whiche place Origen expounding sayeth that there is no waye to auoyde the daungers of this world but to walke vppon hylles and to imitate Dauid that sayed Leuaui oculos meos ad montes vnde veniet anxilium mihi I lyfted vp myne eyes vnto the hylles wherhēce all myne ayde and assistance came for auoyding the snares of this world And then shall we saye with the same Dauid Anima nostra sicut passer crepta est de laquco venantium Our soule is deliuered as a sparowe from the snare of the fowlers VVe must saye with S. Paul Our conuersation is in heauen And then shall we litle feare all these deceytes daungers vpon earthe For as the fowler hathe no hope to cache the byrde excepte he can allure her to pyche and come downe by some meanes so hath the deuill no waye to entangle vs but to saye as he dyd to Christ mitte te deorsum throw thy selfe downe that is piche downe vpon the baytes whiche I haue layde eate and deuoure them enamour thy selfe with them tye thyne appetite vnto them and the lyke VVhiche grosse and open temptation he that will avoyde by contemning the allurement of these baytes by flyeing ouer them by placeyng his loue and cogitations in the mountaines of heauenlie ioyes and eternitie he shall easilie escape all daungers and perilles Kyng Dauid was past them all when he sayed to God VVhat is there for me in heauen or vvhat doe I desire besides thee vpon earthe my fleshe and my harte haue faynted for desyre of thee Thou art the God of my hart and my portion o Lord for euer Saint Paul also was past ouer these daungers when he sayed that now he was crucified to the world and the world vnto hym that he esteemed all the wealthe of this world as meere dung And that albeit he lyued in fleshe yet lyued hee not according to the fleshe VVhich glorious exāple yf wee wolde folow in contemning and despising the vanities of this world and sixing our mindes in the noble riches of gods kyngdome to come the snares of the deuill wolde preuayle nothing at all agaynst vs in this lyfe Touching the second pointe how to vse the riches and commodities of this world to our aduantage Christ hathe layed downe playnlie the meanes Facite vobis amicos de Māmona iniquitatis Make vnto you freēdes of the riches of iniquitie The riche gloutton might haue escapede his tormentes and haue made hym selfe a happie man by helpe of worldlye wealthe yf he wolde And so might manye a thousand which now lyue and will goe to hell for the same Oh that men wolde take warning and be wise whiles they haue time S. Paul sayeth Deceiue not your selues Looke vuhat a man sovueth and that shall he reape VVhat a plentifull haruest then might riche men prouide them selues yf they wolde whiche haue suche stoore of seede and so muche ground offered thē daylie to sowe it in whie doe they not remember that sweete haruest song Come ye blessed of my father enter into the kingdome prepared for you for I vuas hungrie and you fedd me I vvas thirstie and you gaue me to drinke I vuas naked and you appareled me Or yf they doe not care for this whie doe they not feare at least the blacke Sanctus that must be chaunted to them for the contrarie Agite nunc diuites plorate vlulantes in miseriis vestris quae aluenient vobis goe to now you riche mē weepe and howle in your miseries that shall come vpon you The holy father Iohn Damascen reporteth a goodly parable of Barlaam the heremite to our purpose There was sayeth he a certaine citie or commō wealthe which vsed to chuse them selues a kyng from among the poorest sorte of people and to aduaunce him to great honour wealthe and pleasures for a time But after a while when they were wearie of him there fashiō was to rise against hym and to dispoyle hym of all his felicitie yea the verie clothes of his backe and so to banishe him naked into an yland of a farre countrie where bringing nothing with him he should lyue in greate miserie and be putt to greate slauerie for euer VVhiche practise one kyng at a certaine time considering by good aduise for all the other thoughe they knewe that fashion yet throughe negligence and pleasures of their present felicitie cared not for it tooke resolute order withe him selfe how to preuent this miserie which was by this meanes He saued euerye daye great sommes of moneye from his superfluities idle expēces so secretlie made ouer before hād a great treasure vnto that yland wherūto he was in daunger daylie to be sent And whē the time came that Ī deede they deposed him from his kingedome and turned him awaye naked as they had done the other before he went to the yland with ioye and confidence where his treasure laye and was receyued there with exceeding great triumphe placed presentlie in greater glorie than euer he was before This parable teacheth as muche as possiblie may be sayd in this point For the citie or common wealthe is this present worlde which aduauncethe to authoritie poore men that is suche as come naked into this lyfe vpon the sodaine when they looke least for it dothe it pull them downe agayne and turneth them of naked into theyr graues and so into an other world where bringing no treasure of good workes with them they are like to finde litle fauoure but rather eternal miserie The wyse king that preuented this calamitie is he whiche in time of wealthe in this life according to the coūsayll of Christ do the seeke to laye vp treasure in heauen by almes deedes and other good workes against the daye of his deathe when he must be banished hence naked as all the princes of that citie were At whiche time yf their good deedes do folowe them as God promyssethe shall they be happie men and placed in much more glorie than euer this worlde was able to geue them But yf they come without oyle in their
as S. Paul teacheth and hym selfe protesteth when he sayeth I vvill not the deathe of a sinner but rather that he turne from hys uvickednes and lyue And againe by the prophet Ieremie he coÌ„playneth greeuouslie that men vvill not accept of his mercie offered Turne from your uvicked vvayes saythe he vvhye uvill ye dye you hovvse of Isreal By which appeareth that he offereth his mercie most willinglie and freelie to all but vseth his iustice onelie vpon necessitie as it were constrained therunto hy our obstinate behauioure This Christ signifieth more plainlie when he sayth to Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem whiche kyllest the prophetes and stonest them to deathe that are sent vnto thee how often wolde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne clocketh her chickyns vndernethe her wynges but thou woldest not beholde thy howse for this cause shal be made desert and left withoute children Heere you see thee mercie of God ofteÌ„ offered vnto the Iewes but for that they refused it he was enforced in a certaine maner to pronounce this heauie sentence of destruction desolatioÌ„ vpon them which he fullsilled within fortie or fiftie yeeres after by the handes of Titus and Vespasian Emperours of Rome who vtterlie discomfaited the citie of IerusaleÌ„ whole nation of Iewes whome we see dispersed ouer the world at this daye in bondage bothe of bodie soule VVhiche worke of gods Iustice thoghe it be moste terrible yet was his mercie greater to them as appeareth by Christs woordes yf they had not reiected the sonne Thirdlie his mercie exceedeth his Iustice euen towardes the damned them selues in that he vsed many meanes to saue them in this lyfe by geuing them freewill and assisting the same with his grace to doe good by mouing them inwardlie with infinite good inspirations by alluringe them owtwardlie with exhortatioÌ„s promisses exaÌ„ples of other as also by sickenes aduersities other gentle corrections by geuinge them space to repent with occasions opportunities and excitations vnto the same by threatning them eternall deathe yf they repented not All whiche thinges beinge effectes of mercie and goodnes towarde them they must needes confesse amyddest theyr greatest furie and tormentes that his iudgementes are true iustified in them selues and no wayes to be compared with the greatnes of his mercies By this then we see that to be true which the prophet sayeth Misericordiam veritatem diligit dominus God loueth mercie and trueth And againe Mercie and trueth haue mett together Iustice and peace haâ—…e kyssed them selues VVe see the reason why the same prophet protesteth of hym selfe I vvill sing vnto thee mercie iudgemeÌ„t o Lord not mercie alone nor iudgement alone but mercie and iudgement together that is I will not so presume of thy mercie as I will not feare thy iudgement nor will I so feare of thy iudgement as I will euer despayre of thy mercie The feare of Gods iudgement is alwayes to be ioyned with our confidence in gods mercie yea in verye saintes them selues as Dauid sayeth But what feare that feare trulie whiche the scripture describeth when it sayeth the feare of our Lord expelleth sinne the feare of God hateth all euill he that feareth God neglecteth nothing he that feareth God will turne and looke into his owne hart he that feareth God will doe good woorkes They whiche feare God will not be incredulous to that whiche he saye 〈◊〉 but will keepe his wayes and seeke owt the things that are pleasant vnto hym They will prepare theyr 〈◊〉 and sanctifie their sowles in his sight This is the description of the true feare of God sett downe by the scripture This is the descriptioÌ„ of that feare which is so much commended and coÌ„maunded in euerye part and parcell of gods woorde Of that feare I saye which is called 〈◊〉 vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientia gloria gloriatio beatum donum That is the fountaine of lyfe the roote of prudeÌ„ce the crowne fulnes of wisedome the glorie gloriation of a Christian man a happie gyft Of hym that hathe this feare the scripture saythe happie is the man vuhiche feareth our Lorde for he vvill place his mynde vpon his coÌ„maundementes And againe the man that feareth god shal be happie at the last ende and shal be blessed at the daye of hys deathe Finallie of suche as haue this feare the scripture saythe that God is theyr foundation God hath prepared great multitude of sweetnes for them God hathe purchased them an inheritance God is as mercyfull to them as the father is mercifull vnto his children And to conclude Voluntatem timeÌ„tium se faciet God will doe the will of those that feare him with this feare This holie feare had good Iob wheÌ„ he sayd to god I feared all my vvorkes And he yealdeth the reason therof For that I knevve that thovv sparest not hym that offendeth thee This feare backed the other of whome the prophet sayeth The sinner hathe exaspered God by sayeing that god will not take accoÌ„pte of his doeings in the multitude of wrathe Thy iudgementes o Lord are remoued from his sight And againe wherfore hathe the wicked man styrred vp god against hym selfe by sayeing god will not take account of my doeyngs yt is a great wickednes no dowt and a greate exasperation of God against vs to take the one halfe of gods nature from hym whiche is to make hym mercifull without iustice and to lyue so as though God wolde take no accouÌ„t of our lyfe wheras he hath protested most earnestlie the contrarie sayeing that he is a hard and eouetous man whiche will not be coÌ„teÌ„t to receyue his owne againe but also will haue vsurie that he will haue a reckening of all hys goodes lent vs that he will haue fruite for all his labours bestowed vppon vs finallie that he will haue account for euery woorde that we haue spoken Christ in the three score eight psalme which in sundrye places of the gospell he interpreteth to be writen of him selfe amonge other dreadfull curses whiche he setteth downe against the reprobate he hath these lett theyr eyes be daseled in suche sorte as they may not see powre owte thy wrathe my father vpon them lett the furie of thy vengeaÌ„ce take hand fast on them add inquitie vpon their iniquitie and lett hym not enter into thy iustice Lett them be blotted owt of the booke of lyfe and lett them not be inrolled together with the iust Heer loe we see that the greatest curse which God can laye vpon vs next before our blotting owt of the booke of lyfe is to suffer vs to be so blinded as to adde iniquitie vpon iniquitie and not to enter into consideration of hys iustice For whiche cause also this coÌ„fident kynde of sinning vpon hope of gods
well noteth that this was but one particular acte of Christ which maketh no generall rule euē as we see that a temporall prince perdoneth some tyme a malefactor when he is come to the verie place of execution yet vvere it not for euerie malefactor to trust therupon For that this is but an extraordinarie acte of the prince his fauoure and nether shewed nor promised to all mē Besides this this act was a speciall miracle reserued for the manifestation of Christ his power and glorie at that howre vpon the crosse Agayne this acte was vpon a moste rare confession made by the theefe in that instant when all the world forsooke Christ and euen the Apostles them selues ether dowted or lost their faithe of his godhead Beside all this the confession of this theefe was at suche a time as he could nether be baptized nor haue further tyme of penance And we holde that at a mans first conuersion there is required no other penance or satisfaction at all but onelye to be baptised for the gayning of heauen But it shall not be amysse perhappes to put to S. Austens verye woordes vpō this matter For thus he writeth It is a remedyles perill when a man gyueth hym selfe ouer so muche to vices as he forgetteth that he must geue accompt therof to God! and the reason whye I am of this opinion is for that it is a greate punishement of sinne to haue lost the feare and memorie of the iudgement to come ce But dearlie beloued least perhappes the newe felicitie of the beleeuing theefe on the crosse doe make any of you too secure and remisse least peraduenture some of you saye in his harte my guyltie conscience shall not trouble nor torment me my naughtie lyfe shall not make me verie sadde for that I see euen in a moment all sinnes forgeuen vnto the theefe we must consider first in that theefe not onelye the shortnes of his beleefe and confession but his deuotion and the occasiō of that tyme euen when the perfectiō of the iust dyd staggar Secōdlie shew me the faith of that theefe in thy selfe and then promise to thy selfe his felicitie The deuill doeth put into thy heade this securitie to the ende he may bryng thee to perdition And it is vnpossible to number all them which haue perished by the shadowe of this deceitfull hope He decerueth him selfe and maketh but a Ieste of his owne damnation whiche thinketh that gods mercie at the last daye shall help or releeue hym It is hatefull before God when a man vpon confidēce of penance in his olde age dothe sinne the more freelie The happie theefe wherof we haue spoken happie I saye not for that he layed snares in the waye but for that he tooke holde of the waye it selfe in Christ layeing handes on the praye of lyfe and after a straung maner makyng a bootie of his owne deathe he I saye nether dyd deferre the tyme of his saluation wittinglie nether dyd he deceytfullie put the remedye of his state in the last moment of his lyfe nether dyd he desperatlie reseruo the hope of his redēption vnto the howre of his deathe nether had he any knowlege ether of religion or of Christ before that tyme. For yfhe had perhappes he wold not haue bene the last in number amōg the Apostles which was first in the kyndome of heauen By these woordes of S. Austen we are admonyshed as you see that this particular facte of Christ maketh no generall rule of remission to all men not for that Christ is not allwayes redye to receyue the penitent as he promiseth but for that euerie man hath not the tyme or grace to repent as he should at that howre according as hath beene declared before The generall waye that God proposeth to all is that whiche S. Paul sayeth Finis secundum opera ipsorum The ende of euill men is according to their workes Looke how they lyue and so they dye To that affect sayeth the prophet Once God spake and I heard theese tvvo things from his mouthe Povver belongeth to God and mercie vnto thee o Lord for that thou vviltrender to euerie man according to his vvorkes The wyse mā maketh this playne sayeing the waye of sinners is paued with stones and their ende is hell darkenes and punishmentes Finallie S. Paul maketh this generall and peremptorie conclusion Be not deceyued God is not mocked looke vvhat a man sovveth and that shall he reape He that savveth in fleshe shall reape corruption he that sovveth in spirit shall reape lyfe euerlasting In vvhiche vvoordes he doeth not onelie laye dovvne vnto vs the generall rule vvherto vve must trust But also saieth further that to persuade our selues the contrarie therof vvere to mocke and abuse God vvhiche hathe layed dovvne this lavv vato vs. Notvvithstanding as I haue sayd this barreth not the mercie of God from vsing a priuilege to some at the verie last cast But yet miserable is that man vvhiche placeth the Ancker of his eternall vvealthe or vvoe vpon so tyclesome a point as this vs. I call it ticlesome for that all diuines vvhiche haue vvriten of this matter doe speake verie dovvtfullie of the penance or conuersion of a man at the last ende And althoughe they doe not absolutely condemne yt in all but doe leaue it as vncertaine vnto gods secret iudgement yet doe they incline to the negatiue parte doe alleage fovver reasons for vvhiche that conuersion is to be dovvted as insufficient for a mans saluation The first reason is for that the extreeme feare and paines of deathe being as the philosopher sayeth the moste terrible of all terrible thinges doe not permitt a man so to gather his spirites and senses at that tyme as is required for the treating of so vveightie a matter vvith God as ys our conuersion and saluation And yf we see often that a verie good man can not fyxe his mynde earnestlie vpon heauenlie cogitations at suche tyme as he is troubled with the passions of cholique or other sharpe diseases how muche lesse in the anguishes of deathe can a vvorldlie man doe the same beinge vnaequainted with that exercise and loaden with the guilt of many and greate sinnes and cloyed with the loue bothe of his bodie and thinges belonginge thervnto The second reason is for that the conuersion which a man maketh at the last daye is not for the most parte voluntarie but vpō necessitie and for feare suche as was the repentance of Semei whoe hauing greeuouslie offended king Dauid in tyme of his afflictiō afterward when he sawe hym in prosperitie againe and hym selfe in daunger of punishement he came and foll downe before hym asked hym forgyuenes with teares But yet Dauid well perceyued the matter how it stoode therfore thoughe he spared him for that daye wherein he wolde not trouble the myrthe with execution of iustice yet after he gaue order that he should be
exactlie bothe these partes are to be exercised The description of a Christian lyfe The lamentable condition of this time by negligence herein The care and diligence of auncient fathers touching the same The remedies that they vsed for the one part and the insinite monumentes of pyetie they left behinde touchinge the other The different estates of good and euill men aswell presentlie at the daye of deathe as in the lyfe to come The fyueth chapiter Of the seuere account that uve must yeelde to God vvherein is declared pag. 45. A Principall point of wisdome in an aecounmptant for veweing of the state of his accoumpt before hand The Maiestie of ceremonie and circumstāces vsed by god at the first publicatiō of his law in writing his seuere punishemēt of offēders The sharpe speeches of our sauiour against sinners VVhy two iudgementes are appointed after deathe The suddaine comming of them bothe The demaundes in our accoumpt at the generaAll iudgement The circumstances of horrour and dread before at and after the same VVhat a treasure a good cōsciēce will thē be The pitifull case of the damned How easilie the daunger of those matters may be preuented in due tyme. The sixt chapiter A consideration of the nature of sinne and of a sinner to shevv the cause vvhy God iustlie vseth the rigoure before mentioned vvherein is described pag. 65. GOds infinite hatred to sinners The reasons why God hateth them That they are enemies to God to thē selues How god punished sinners aswell the penitent as the obstinate and of the bitter speeches in scripture against sinners Of the seuen miseries and losses which come by sinne The obstinacye of sinners in this age Two principall causes of sinne Of the daunger to liue in sinne How necessarie it is to feare The seuenth chapter An other consideration for the further 〈◊〉 of gods iudgementes and declaration of our demerit taken from the 〈◊〉 of God and his benefites tovvardes vs. VVherein is shevved pag. 85. A Contemplation of the maiestie of God and of his benefites Of the seuerall vses of sacramentes Diuerse complaintes against sinners in the persone of God Our intollerable cōtēpt ingratitude against so great a maiestie and benefactour Of great causes we haue to loue God beside his benefites How he requireth nothing of vs but gratitude That it resteth in due resolutiō to serue hym An exhortation to this gratitude with a short prayer for a penitent sinner in this case The eight chapiter Of vvhat opinion and feeling vve shal be touchinge these matters at the time of our deathe vvherin is expressed pag. 98. THe induration of some hartes kept from resolution by worldlie respectes Of three matters of terrour payne miserie that principallie molest a man at his deathe A contemplation of the terrours speeche or cogitation of a sinner at the houre of deathe Of diuerse apparitions visions to the iust and to the wicked lyeing a deinge How all these miseries may be preuented The nyenth chapiter Of the paynes appointed for sinne after this lyfe of tvvo sortes of thē vvherein is declared pag. 118. HOW God vseth the motiue of threates to induce men to resolution Of the temporall paynes of purgatorie Of the seueritie therof Of the greate feare that holie men had therof in olde tyme. Of the euerlasting payne in hell reserued for the damned and common to all that are there Of the two partes therof that is payne sensible and payne of losse Vehement coniectures towchinge the seueritie of those paynes Of the seuerall names of hell in diuerse tongues Of the particular paynes for particulare offēders peculiar in qualitie and quantitie to the sinnes of eche offonder A certaine vision of the handling of a wicked man in hell shewed to a holy man Of the worme of conscience The tenthe chapiter Of the revvardes benefites and commodities prouided for gods seruātes vvherin is declared pa. 149. HOw God is the best payemaster Of his infinite magnificence The nature greatnes value of his rewardes A description of paradise Of two partes of selicitie in heauen A contēplatio of the cōmodities of the sayde two felicities ioyned together The honour wherunto a Christian is borne by baptisme An admonition against securitie in this lyfe THE CONTENTES OF THE SECOND parte of this first booke touching impedimentes of resolution The first chapiter Of the first impediment vvhiche is the difficultie that many think to be in vertuous lyfe VVherein is declared pag. 195. NYene speciall priuyleges helpes wherwith the vertuous are ayded aboue the wicked 1 The force of Gods grace for easinge of vertuous lyse against all temptations 2 Of what force loue is herein And how a man may know whether he haue loue towardes God or no. 3 Of a peculiar light of vnderstanding pertayning to the iust 4 Of internall consolation of minde 5 Of the quiet of a good 〈◊〉 Ī the iust 6 Of hope in God whiche the vertuous haue And that the hope of the wycked is in deede no hope but meere presumption 7 Of freedome of soule and bodie whiche the vertuous haue 8 Of the peace of minde in the vertuous to wards God their neighbour them selues 7 Of the expectation of the rewarde that the vertuous haue Of the comfort that holie men haue after their conuersion And how the best men haue had greatest conflict therin Of S. Austens conuersion and fower annotations therevpon The second chapiter Of the 〈◊〉 impedimēt vvhich is tribulatiō vvherein are handled fower speciall pointes pag. 239. 1. FIrst that it is an ordinarye meanes of saluation to suffer some tribulation 2. Secondlie that there be thirtene speciall cōsideratiōs of gods purpose in sending afflictiōs to his seruantes which are layed downe and declared in particular 3. Thirdlie what speciall considerations of comfort a man may haue in tribulation 4. Fowerthlie what is required at mans handes in tribulation The third chapiter Of the third impedimēt vvhich is loue of the vvorlde vvhich is dravven to six poyutes pag. 292. 1. FIrst how and in what sense the world and cōmodities therof are vanities of three generall pointes of worldly vanities 2. Secondlye how worldlye commodities are meere deceytes 3. Thirdlie how the same are prickyng thornes 4. Fowerthlie how the same are miserie and affliction 5. Fyuethlie how they strangle a man VVith a descriprion of the world Sixtlie how a mā may auoyd the daūger therof and vse the cōmodities therof to his owne gaine The fowerth chapiter Of the fovverth impedimēt vvhich is to much presu ming of gods mercie vvherein is declared pa. 347. THat prolōgyng of our iniquities in hope of gods mercie is to buyld our sinnes on gods backe Of the two feete of our Lord that is mercie and trueth Of two daūgers of sinners 〈◊〉 how gods goodnes helpeth not thē that perseuere in sinne VVhether gods merciē be greater than his iustice The description of true feare Of seruile feare and of the feare
of worldlie wealthe profitt or comfort thee at that hower whē it shal be sayed to thee as Christ sayed to thy lyke in the ghospell when hee was nowe come to the topp of his worldly felicitie thovv foole this nyght shall they take avvaye thy soule and then vvhoe shall haue the thinges vvhich thou haste gotten together Beleue me deare brother for I tell the no vntrewth one howre bestowed in the seruice of God will more comforte the at that tyme than a hundrede yeares bestowed in aduauncinge thy selfe thy familie in the world And yf thou mightest feele nowe the case wherein thy poore harte shal be then for omittinge of this thinge whiche it should most haue thought vppon thow wouldest take from thy sleepe and from thy meate alsoo to recompence thy negligence for the tyme past The difference betwyxt a wyse man and a foole is this that the one prouidethe for a mischeef whyle tyme serueth but the other when it is to late Resolue thy self therfore good Christian whyle thow hast tyme. Resolue thy selfe without delay to take in hande presentlye to applye for the tyme to come the great and weyghtie busines for which thow wast sent hither which onely in deede is wayghtie of importance and all other are meere tryfles and vanities but onely so far furthe as they concerne this Beleeue not the world whiche for runninge a wrie in this pointe is detested by thy Sauiour and euery frend therof pronounced an enemye to hym by his Appostle Saye at lenght vnto thy Sauyour I doe confesse vnto the o Lorde I doe confesse and can not denye that I haue not hitherto attended to the thinge for which I was created redeemed and placed here by thee I doe see my error I can not dissemble my greeuous faulte and I doe thancke the ten thowsande tymes that thou hast geeuen me the grace to see it whyles I maye yet amend it which by thy holye grace I meane to doe wthout delaye to alter my course beseechinge thy diuine maiestie that as thou hast geeuen me this light of vnderstandinge to see my daunger this good motiō to reforme the same So thow wilt continew towardes me thy blessed assistance for performance of the same to thy honour and my soules healthe Amen Of the ende of man more in particuler and of tvvo speciall thinges required at his handes in this lyfe CHAP. IIII. HAuinge spoken of the ende of man in generall in the former chapter shevved that it is to serue God in this lyfe therby to gayne heauen in the next it semethe cōuenient for that the matter is of greate and singuler importāce to treate some vvhat more in particuler vvherin this seruice of God do the consist that therby a Christian may iudge of him selfe whether he performe the same or no cōsequentlye whether he doe the thinge for whiche he was sent into this worlde First therfore it is to be vnderstood that the whole seruice whiche God requireth at a Christian mans handes in this lyfe consisteth in tvvo thinges The one to flye euill thother to doe good And albeit thes two thinges were required of vs also before our redemption by Christ as appeareth by Dauid whose commaundement is generall declyne from euill and doe good and by Esay the prophet whose wordes are leaue to doe peruerslie and learne to do well yet muche more particulerlye and with farr greater reason are they demauuded at the handes of Christian people whoe by the death and passion of their redemer doe receaue grace force to be able to performe thes two thinges which the old lawe did not gyue albeit it commaunded the same But novve vve beinge redeemed by Christ and receauinge from him not onlye the renevvinge of the same cōmaundement for the performance of thes tvvo thinges but also force and habilitie by his grace wherby we are made able to doe the same vve remayne more bounde therto in reason and dewtie thā before for that this was the fruite and effect of Christ his holye passion as S. Peter sayeth that vve beinge dead to sime shoulde liue to iustice Or as S. Paule more plainelye declareth the same when he sayeth the grace of God our Saueour hath appeared to all men instructinge vs to this end that we renouncinge all wickednes and seculer 〈◊〉 should liue soberlye iustlye and godlye in this worlde Thes two thinges then are the seruice of God for whiche we were sent into this world the one to resist sinne the other to follow good woorkes In respect of the first we are called souldiers our lyfe a warfare vppon the earthe For that as souldiers doe alwaies lye in waite to resist theire enimies so ought we to resist sinne and the temptations therof And in respect of the seconde we are called labourers sowers workemen marchantes bankers stewardes farmers and the like for that as thes men attende diligentlye to their gayne increace of substāce in this lyfe so should we to good workes for the encrease of our treasure in the world to come Thes tvvo thinges are the pointes vvhich a Christian man should meditate vppon the exercises vvherin he should be occupied the tvvo legges vvhervppon he muste vvalke towardes his countrie the two armes vvhervvith he must apprehende and lay holde on gods eternall kingdome and fynally the tvvo vvynges vvherby he must flie and mounte to heauen And vvhosoeuer vvanteth any one of thes though he had the other yet can he not ascend to heauen no more than a byrde can flye lackinge one of her vvynges I say that nether innocencie is sufficient vvith out good vvoorkes nor good vvorkes anye thing auaileable vvhere innocēcie frō sinne is not the latter is euident by the people of Israell vvhose sacrifices oblatios prayers and other good vvorkes commended aud commaunded by God hym selfe vvere often tymes abhominable to God for that the doers thereof lyued in sinne and vvickednes as at large the prophet Esaye declareth the former also is made apparent by the parable of the foolishe virgines vvhoe albeit they vvere innocent from sinne yet because they lacked the oyle of good vvorkes they vvere shutt ovvt of doores And at the last daye of iudgement Christ shall saye to the damned because you clothed me not fed me not and did not other deedes of charitie appointed to your vocatiō therfore goe you to euerlastinge fire et ce Bothe thes poyntes then are necessarie to a Christian for his saluation and so necessarie as one vvithout the other auayleth not as I haue sayed And tovvchinge the first vvhiche is resistinge of sinne vve are vvilled to doe it by S. Paule euen vnto deathe and vvith the last of our blood yf it vvere neede and in diuers other places of scripture the holie ghost vvilleth vs most diligentlye to prepare our selues to resist the deuill
euerie hooke layed vs by the deuill most greedelye doe deuoure euerie poysened pleasant bayte vvhich is offered by the enimye for the destructiō of our sovvles and thus muche aboute resistinge of synne But novv touchinge the second poynte vvhiche is continuall exercisinge our selues in good vvorkes it is euident in it selfe that vve vtterlie fayle for the most parte of vs in the same I haue shevved before hovv vve are in scripture commaunded to doe them vvithout ceassinge and most diligentlye vvhiles vve haue tyme of daye to doe them in for as Christ sayth the night vvill come vvhen no man can vvorke anye more I might also shevv hovv our forefathers the sainctes of God vvere most diligent and carefull in doinge good vvorkes in their daies euen as the husbandman is carefull to caste seede into the grovvnde vvhyles fayre vveather lasteth and the marchāte to laye out his monye whiles the good markytt endureth they knew the tyme woulde not last longo which they had to worke heir owne saluation in and therfore they bestirred thē selues whiles oprortunitie serued they neuer ceased but came from on good worke to an other well knowing what they did and what gayne they hoped for If there were nothinge els to proue their wounderfull care and diligēce herein yet the infinite monumentes of their almes deedes yet extant to the worlde are sufficient testimonies of the same to wit the infinite churches builded and indowed with greate and abundant maintenance for the ministers of the same so manye bishopprickes deaneryes archdeaconryes Canonryes prebendes chauntryes and the like So manye hospitalles houses of orphanes and poore people so many scholes Colledges vniuersities so manye bridges high wayes and publique cōmodities so manye Abbayes Nunries Priaries hermitages and the like for the sēruice of God and repose of holye people whiche would leaue the world and betake them selues onlye to the contēplation of heauenlye thinges VVhich charitable deedes all a thow sand more bothe priuate and publique secrete and open which I can not reporte came owt of the purses of our good auncesters 〈◊〉 oftentimes not onlye gaue of their abundance but also saued from their owne mouthes plucked from their owne childrē posteritie and bestowed it vppon deedes of charitis for behoofe of their sovvels VVheras we are so farof from geeuinge awaye our necessaries as we will not bestow our verie superfluities but will imploye thē rather vpon haukes and dogges and other brute beastes some times also vpon much viler vses then to the reliefe of our poore brethren and to the ease of our sowles in the lyfe to come Alas deare brother to what a carelesse and senseles estate are we come to wchinge our owne saluation and damnation S. Paule cryeth owt vnto vs vvorke your ovvne saluatiō vvith feare and tremblinge And yet no man for that maketh accounte therof S. Peter warneth vs grauelye and ernestlye brethren take you great care to make your vocation and election suer by good vvorkes yet vvhoe almost vvill thinke vpō them Christ him selfe thundereth in thes vvordes And I tell you make your selues frindes in this voorld of vniust māmon that vvhē you fainte they maye receaise you into eternall tabernacles That is by your riches of this vvorlde purchase vnto you the prayers of good people that by their intercession you may enioye lyfe euerlastinge And yet for all that vve are not moued herevvithall so deade vve are and lumpyshe to all goodnes If God did exhorte vs to good deedes for his owne commoditie or for any gayne that he is to take therby yet in reason we ought to pleasure him therin seinge we haue receaued all from his onlye liberalitie before But selnge he asketh it at our handes for no neede of his owne but onlye for our gayne and to paye vs home agayne with vsury it is more reason we should harken vnto him If a common honest man vpon earthe shoulde inuite vs to do a thinge promisinge vs of his honestie a sufficient rewarde vve woulde beleeue him but God makinge infinite promises vnto vs in scripture of eternall revvarde for our vvell doinge as that vve shall eate vvith him drincke vvith him raigne vvith him possesse heauen vvith him and the like can not moue vs notvvithstandinge to vvorkes of charitie Marie because our forefathers vvere moued here vvithall as hauinge hartes of softer metall than ours are of therfore they brought forth such abundant fruite as I haue shevved Of all this then that I haue sayde the godlie Christian maie gather first the lamentable estate of the vvorld at this daye vvhen amongest the small number of those vvhiche beare the name of Christians so manye are like to perishe for not perfourminge of thes tvvo principall pointes of theire vocation Secondly he maye gather the cause of the infinite difference of revvarde for good and euill in the lyfe to come vvhiche some men vvill seeme to meruaille at but in deede is most iust and reasonable consideringe the greate diuersitie of lyfe in good and euill men vvhiles they are in this vvorlde For the good man dothe not onlye lyue voide of mortall syn but also by resistinge the same daylie and hovverlye encreaseth his merit The loose man by yeldinge consent to his concupiscence do the not onlye lose all merit but also 〈◊〉 synne vpō synne vvithout number The good man besides auoydinge syn dothe insinite good vvorckes at the least vvise in desyre and harte vvhere greater abilitie serueth not But the vvicked man neyther in hart or deede dothe anye good at all but rather seeketh in place therof to doe hurte the good man imployeth all his mynde harte vvordes and handes to the seruice of God and of his seruauntes for his sake But the vvicked man bendeth all his force and povvers 〈◊〉 of bodye and mynde to the seruice of vanities the vvorld and his fleshe in so muche that as the good man encreaseth hovverlye in merit to vvhiche is due encrease of grace and glorye in heauen so the euyl from tyme to tyme in thought vvorde or deede or in all at once heapeth vp sinne and damnation vppon him selfe to vvhiche is due vengeance and encrease of tormentes in hell and in this contrarie course they passe ouer their lyues for tvventie thirtie or fortie yeres and so come to dye And is it not reason novv that seinge there is so great diuersitie in their estates there shoulde be as greate or more diuersitie also in their revvarde especiallye seinge God is a great God and revvardeth small thinges vvith greate vvages ether of euerlastinge glorye or euerlastinge payne Thirdlye and lastlye the diligent and carefull Christian may gather of this vvhat greate cause he hath to put in practyse the godlie counsaile of S. Paule vvhich is that euerie man shoulde proue and examine his ovvne vvorke and so be able to iudge of hym selfe in vvhat case he standeth And yf
signifieth an vtter destroyer At the sixth blast of the triumpet were loosed sower angels tyed before and then rushed forth an armye of horsemen in number twentie hundred times ten thowsand and I sawe the horses and they which satte vpon them had breastplates of fyre and brymstone The heades of these horses were as lyons and out of their mouthes came fyre and smoke and brymstome wherby they slewe the third parte of men which had not repented and their strength was in their tailes whiche were like serpentes Then was there an angel whiche puttinge one foote vppon the fea and an other vppon the land did sweare by hym that lyuethe for euer and euer that after the blast of the seuenth trumpett there should be no more tyme. And so when the seuēth angell had sounded their came greate voyces from heauen sayinge the kyngdome of this world is made to our lorde and his Christ and he shall raigne for euer And I hearde a great voice sayinge to the seuen angels goe and powre out seuen cuppes of godes wrath vpon the earth so they did And the first brought foorth cruell wounds vppon men the second turned the sea into Reade bloode the thirde turned the riuers and fountaines into bloode the fowrth afflicted men with fyre and made them blaspheme God the fifthe made them eate their owne tougues for sorowe the sixth dried vp the water And I sawe three foule spirites lyke frogges issew out of the mouth of a dragon And finallie the seuenth cuppe beinge powred out there came a mightie voyce from the throne of God sayinge it is dispatched And there followed lyghtninges and thunders and voices and earthquakes such as neuer were sence men dwelt vppon the grounde Can any tongue in the world expresse a thinge more forcybly than this matter is expressed by the holie Apostle him selfe VVhat mortall harte can but tremble in the middest of this vnspeakeable terrour is it meruaile yf the verie iust men the Angels them selues are sayde to feare it and then as S. Peter reasoneth yf the iust shall scarse be saued vvhere shall the vvicked man and sinner appeare vvhat a dreadfull daye vvil it be for the careles and loose Christian which hath passed his tyme pleasantlye in this worlde when he shall see so infinite a sea of feares miseries to rushe vpon hym But besides all thes most terrible and fearce preparations there wil be many other matters of no lesse dreadfull consideration as to see all sepulchres open at the sounde of the trumpett to yelde forth all their dead bodies which they haue receaued from the beginninge of the world to see all men wemen and children kynges and Queenes princes and potentates to stand there naked in the face of all creatures their sinnes reueiled their secrete offences laide open done committed in the closettes of their palacies and they cōstrayned and compelled to geeue a counpte of a thowsande matters wherof they would disdaine to haue ben tolde in this lyfe as how they haue spent the tyme how they haue imployed their wealth what behauyour they haue vsed towardes their brethren how they haue mortifyed their senses how they haue ruled their appetites how they haue obeied the inspirations of the holie ghost and sinallye how they vsed all godes gyftes in this life Oh deare brother it is vnpossible to expresse what a great treasure a good consciēce wil be at this daye it wil be more worth then tenne thowsande worldes For wealth will not helpe the iudge will not be corrupted with monye no intercession of worldly frindes shall preuaile for vs at that daye no not of the Angels them selues whose glorie shal be then as the prophet saieth to binde kynges in fetters and noble men in yron manacles to execute vpon them the iudgment prescribed and this shal be glorie to all his sainctes Alas what will all those wyse people do thē that now lyue in delites and can take no paine for their saluatiō what shyft will they make in those extremities whether will they turne them vvhose helpe vvill they craue they shall see all thinges crye vēgeance about them all thinges yelde cause of feare terror but nothinge to yelde them anye hope or comforte Aboue them shal be their iudge offended vvith them for their vvickednes beneath them hell open the cruell fornace readie boilynge to receaue them on their right handes shal be their sinnes accusinge them on their left handes the deuilles redye to execute gods eternall sentence vpon them vvithin them their conscience gnavvinge vvithout them their frendes bevvaylinge on euerie side the vvorld burninge Good Lorde vvhat vvill the vvretched sinner doe enuironed with all thes miseries how will his harte sustaine thes anguishes what waie will he take to goe backe is impossible to goe forwarde is intollerable what thē shall he doe but as Christ foretelleth he shall drie vp for verie feare seeke death death shall flye from him crye to the hilles to fall vpon him and they refusinge to doe hym so much pleasure he shall stāde there as a most desperate forlorne miserable caytife wretch vntill he receaue that dreadfull irreuocable sentēce Goe you accursed into euerlastinge fyre VVhich sentence once pronunced consider vvhat a dolefull crye and shout vvill streight follow The good reioysinge and singinge prayses in the glorie of their Sauyour the vvicked bevvailinge blaspheminge and cursinge the daye of their natiuitie Consider the intollerable vpbraydinge of the vvicked infernall spirites against these miserable condemned soules novv delyuered to them in pray for euer VVith how bitter scoffes and tauntes will they hale them on to tormentes Consider the eternall seperation that then must be made of fathers children mothers and daughters frindes and companions the one to glorie the other to cōfusion without euer seinge one the other agayne and that whiche shal be as greate a greefe as anye other the sonne goinge to heauen shall not pitie his owne father or mother goinge to hell but shall reioyse at the same for that it turneth to godes glorie for the execution of his iustice VVhat a seperatiō I say shall this be what a farewell whose harte woulde not breake at that daye to make this seperation yf a harte could breake at that tyme and so end his paines but that will not be lavvfull VVhere are all our delites now all our pleasant pastimes become our brauerie in apparell our glisteringe in golde our honour done to vs with cappe and knee all our delicat fare all our musicke all our wanton daliances recreations we were wount to haue all our good frindes and merie 〈◊〉 panions accustomed to laugh and disporte the tyme with vs where are they become Oh deare brother how sower will all the pleasures past of this worlde seeme at that howre how dolefull will their memorie be vnto vs how vaine a thinge will all our dignities our
worlde at the last daye sayinge 〈◊〉 the vertuous whome they despised in this life Nos insensati etc. vve senseles mē did esteeme their lyfe to be madnes and their end to be dishonorable but looke howe they are now accounted amonge the children of God and their portion is with the sainctes VVe haue erred from the waye of trewfh and the light of righteousnes hath not shyned before vs necher hath the sonne of vnderstandinge appeared vnto vs. VVe haue weried out our seues in the waye of iniquitie and perdition and we haue walked craggye pathes but the waye of our lord we haue not knowen Hytherto are the wordes of scripture wherby we may perceyue what greate chaunge of iudgement there wil be at the last daye from that which men haue now of matters what confessinge of folye what acknowledginge of errour what hartie sorow for laboure lost what fruiteles repentance for hauinge runne a-wrie Oh that men would consider these thinges now VVe haue vveried out our selues saye thee miserable men in the vvaye of 〈◊〉 and perdition and vve haue vvalked craggie pathes VVhat a description is this of lamentable wordlinges whoe beate their braynes 〈◊〉 and wearie out them selues in pursuyte of vanitie chaffe of this worlde for which they suffer notwith standinge more paine ofte times thā the iust doe in purchasinge of heauen and when they arriue to at the last daie werly ed and worne owt with trouble and toyle they sinde that all their laboure is lost all their vexatioh taken in vaine For that the litle pelfe which they haugotten in the worlde and for which they haue strugled so sore will helpe them nothinge but rather greatly afflicte and torment them For better vnderstandinge wherof it is to be considered that three thinges will principallie molest these men at the daye of their death and vnto these maye all the rest be referred The first is the excessyue paynes whiche commonlye men suffer in the seperation of the sowle and bodie which haue lyued so longe together as two deare frendes vnited in loue and pleasure and therfore most lothe to parte now but onlye that they are enforced therunto This payne may partlye be conceaued by that yf we would dryue out lyfe but from the least parte of our bodye as for example owt of our litle singer as surgeans are wont to doe when they will mortifye any place to make it breacke what a payne doth a man suffer before he be dead what raginge greefe dothe he abyde and yf the mortyfyinge of one litle parte onlye dothe so muche afflicte vs Imagine what the violent mortyfiinge of all the partes together will doe For we see that first the sowle i ̄s driuen by death to leaue the extreamest partes as the toes feete and fyngers then the legges and armes and so consequentlye one parte dyeth after an other vntill lyfe be restrained onlye to the harte which holdeth out longest as the principall parte but yet must finallye be constrained to render it selfe though with neuer so much payne and resistance which paine how greate and strōge it is may appeare by the breakinge in peeces of the verye stringes and holdes wherwith it was enuyroned thorough the excessyue vehemencie of this deadlye torment Marye yet before it come to this pointe to yelde no man can expresse the cruell conflict that is betwixt death and her and what distresses she abydeth in tyme of her agonie Imagyne that a prince possessed a goodlye citie in all peace wealth and pleasure and greatlie frinded of all his neighbours aboute hym whoe promise to assiste hym in all his needes and affayrs and that vpon the sudden his mortall enymie should come and besyege this citie and takinge one holde after an other one wall after another one castell after an other should dryue this prince onlye to a litle tower besiege him therin all his other holdes beinge beaten downe and his men slaine in his sight what feare anguishe and miserie woold this prince be in how often would he looke owt at the windowes and loope holes of his tower to see whether his friendes neighboures would come to help hym or no and yf he saw them all to abandone hym and his cruell enemye euen readie to breake in vpon hym would he not be in a pityfull plight trow you And euen so fareth it with a poore soule at the hower of death The bodye wherin she raigned lyke a iolye princesse in all pleasure whiles it florished is now battered and ouerthrowen by her enemye which is death the armes legges other partes where with she was fortified as with walles and wardes duringe tyme of health are now surprised beaten to the grounde and she is driuen onlye to the harte as to the last extremest refuge wheresne is also most fearcelye assayled in suche sorte as she can not hold owt lōge Her deare frendes which soothed her in tyme of prosperitie and promised assistance as yowth phisicke and other humane helpes doe now vtterlye abandone her the enemye will not be pacified or make any league but night and daye assaulteth this turret where in she is and whiche now begynneth to snake and shiuer in peeces and she looketh howerlye when her enemye in most raginge dreadfull maner will enter vpon her VVhat thinke you is now the state of this afflicted sowle It is no maruaile yf a wise man become a foole or a stowte vvorldlinge most abiect in this instant of extremitie as vve often see they doe in such sorte as they can dispose of nothinge vvell ether tovvardes God or the world at this hower the cause is the extremitie of paines oppressinge their myndes as S. Austen also proueth and geeueth vs therwithall a most 〈◊〉 forevvarninge yf men vvere so happie as to follovv it VVhen you shal be in your last sicknes deare bretheren sayeth he o hovv harde painfull a thinge vvill it be for you to repent of your faultes comitted of good deedes omitted vvhye is this but onlye for that all the intention of your mynde vvil runne thither vvhere all the force of your paine is Manie impedimeates shall let men at that day As the payne of the bodye the feare of deathe the sight of children for the which their fathers shall often tymes thinke them selues often damned the weepinge of the wife the flatterie of the world the temptation of the deuill the dissimulation of phisitions for lucre sake and the lyke and beleeue thow 〈◊〉 which readest this that thow 〈◊〉 quickelye proue all this trew vppon thy selfe and therfore I beseeche the that thow wilt doe penance before thow come vnto this last daye dispose of thy house and make thy testament whyle thow arte whole while thow art wise while thow art thyne owne man for if thowtarye vntill the last date thow shalt be ledd whether thow wouldest not Hitherto are S. Austens woords The seconde thinge whiche shall make death terrible
holie S. Hillarion whose sowle beinge greatlie afeard vpon these considerations to goe out of the bodie after longe conflict he tooke courage in the end sayde to his soule Goe out my sovvle goe out vvhy art thovv afeard thovv hast serued Christ almost threescore and ten yeres and art thovv novv a fearde of deathe And to lyke effect the holye martyr Saint Cyprian telleth of a vertuous and godlie bishoppe vvhich dyinge in his tyme was greatlye a feard notwithstandinge his good lyfe vntill Christ appeared vnto hym in the forme of a goodlye yonge man and did chyde hym for it sayinge You are a feard to suffer and you vvill not goe out of this lyfe vvhat shall I doe to you vvhich example saint Austen did often vse to recounte talkinge of this matter as his scholar Possidonius dothe vvrite in his lyfe Now then if good men and saintes are so a fearde at this passage yea such as had serued God vvith all puritie of lyfe and perfect zeale for three score and ten yeres together vvhat shall they be vvhich scarce haue serued God trewlie one daye in all their lyues but rather haue spent all theire yeres in sinne and vanitie of the vvorld must not these men be needes in greate extremitie at this passage surely S. Augusten dothe describe the same maruailouslie in a certaine sermō of his And accordinge to his manner doth geeue a notable exhortation vpon the same Yf you vvil knovv dearlie beloued saithe he vvith vvhat greate feare paine the sovvle passeth from the bodie marke diligently vvhat I vvill saie The Angels at that hovver doe come to take the sovvle and to bringe her before the iudgemēt seate of a most dreadfull iudge then she callinge to mynde her vvicked deedes beginneth greatlye to tremble and vvould gladlie seeke to flye and to leaue her deedes behynde her seekinge to entreate the Angels to request but one hower space of delaye But that vvill not be graunted and her euill vvoorkes cryeinge out all together shall speake against her saye vve vvill not staye behynde or parte from the thovv hast donne vs and vve are thy vvorkes and therfore vve vvil follovv the vvhether foeuer thovv goest euen vnto the seate of iudgment And this is the state of a sinners soule vvhich partinge from his bodye vvith most horrible feare goeth onvvardes to iudgement looden vvith sinnes and vvith infinite confusion Contrarivvise the iust mans sovvle goeth out of his bodie vvith greate ioye and cōforte the good Angels accompaininge her vvith exultation VVherefore brethren seinge these thinges are so doe you feare this terrible hovver of death novv that you maye not feare it vvhen you come to it Foresee it novv that you maye be secure then Thus farre S. Augusten And because S. Austen maketh mention of good and euill Angels heere vvhiche are readie to receyue the sovvles of the iust and vvicked men at the hovver of their death it is to be noted that often tymes God doth permit the visions of Angels both good and euill as also of other sayntes to men lyinge on their death beddes before they departe this lyfe for a tast ether of 〈◊〉 or sorovv to 〈◊〉 that vvhich shall ensevve after in the vvorld to come and this is one singuler priueledge belonginge to this passadge also And so concerninge the iust I haue shevved before in example out of S. Cyprian and S. Austen tovvchinge one to vvhome Christ appeared at the 〈◊〉 his death and S. Gregorie the greate hath diuers other lyke exaples in the fourthe booke of his dialogues for diuers chapiters together as of one vrsinus to vvhome the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paule appeared and the lyke but of dreadfull appanitious of diuers and vvicked Angels vvhich snevvedethē selues vnto diuers synners at the honor of their deathe denounced to them their eternall damnation theire horrible tormentes appointed in hell vve haue manie also and most terrible examples recorded in the auncient vvriters As that in S. Gregonie of one 〈◊〉 a greate and riche man but as full of sinne as of vvealth as S. Gregorie saieth to vvho me lyinge on 〈◊〉 deathbed the infernall fiendes in most vglye manner appeared shevvinge hovv novv he vvas deliuered into their povver so neuer left hym vntill he died left his sovvle vnto thē to be caried avvaye to eternall tormētes The like doth S. Beede vvrite of diuers in Englande at his tyme as of a courtyer of kyng Coenride a most vvicked mā though in greate fauour of the prince to vvhome lyinge in his panges of deathe and beinge novv a litle recouered bothe the good euill Angels appeared visibly the one layinge before hym a litle small booke of his good deedes the other a greate huge volume of his mischieuous factes The vvhich after they had caused hym to reade by the permissiō of the good Angels from God they seazed vpon him appointinge him also vvhat hovver de should dye as hym selfe confessed openlie to all that came to visit hym and as by this horrible desperate death ensueinge at the hovver by them appointed manifestlie vvas confirmed The like storie he sheyveth in the chapter folovvinge of one vvhome he knevv him selfe and as both he and S. Gregorie and S. Cyprian also doe note all these and the lyke visions vvere permitted for our sakes vvhich doe lyue and maye take commoditie by the same and not for theirs vvhich dyed vvhome they profited nothinge Novv then deare Christian these thinges beinge soe that is this passage of death beinge so terrible so daungerous and yet so vnauoydable as it is seinge so manye men perish and are ouer whelmed dailye in the same as it can not be denied but there doe and both holie scriptures and auncient fathers do testifie it by examples and recordes vnto vs what man of discretion would not learne to be wise by other mens daunger or what reasonable creature would not take heede and looke a boute him beinge warned so manifestlie and apparantlie of his owne 〈◊〉 yf thow be a Christian and doest beleeue in deede the thinges which Christian faith doth teache the then doest thow know and most certainlie beleeue also that of what state age strength dignitie or condition so euer thow be now yet that thow thy selfe I saye which now in health and mirth readest this and thinkest that it litle pertaineth to thee must one of these daies and that perhaps shortlie after the readinge hereof come to proue all these thinges vppon thy selfe which I haue here writen that is thow must with sorow greefe be enforced to thy bed and there after all thy strugglings with the dartes of deathe thow must yelde thy bodie which thow louest so muche to the baite of wormes and thy sowle to the tryall of iustice for her doinges in this lyse Imagine then my freende thow I saye which art so freshe and froelicke at this daie
that the ten twentie or two yeres or perhaps two monethes which thow hast yet to lyue were now ended and that thow were euen at this present stretched out vppon a bed wearied and worne with dolour and paine thy carnall frindes aboute the weepinge and howlinge the phisitions 〈◊〉 with theire fees as hauinge geeuen the ouer thow lyinge there alone mute and dumme in most pitifull agonie expectinge from moment to moment the last stroake of death to be geeuen the. Tell me in this instant what would all the pleasures and commodities of this world doe the good what comforte would it be to the to haue bene of honour in this world to haue bene ryche and purchassed muche to haue borne office and bene in the princes fauoure 〈◊〉 haue left thy children or kynred wealthye to haue trodden downe thyne enimies to haue sturred much and borne greate swaye in this lyfe what ease I saye or comfort would it be to the to haue ben fayre to haue ben gallant in apparell goodlie in personage glytteringe in golde would not all thes thinges rather afflict than profit the at this instant for now shouldest thow see the vanitie of thes trifles now would thy hart begyn to saye within the o follye and vnfortunate blindenes of myne Loe heere is an end now of all my delytes and prosperities all my ioyes all my pleasures all my myrth all 〈◊〉 pastymes are now finished where are my frindes whiche were wont to laugh with me my seruantes wont to attende me my children wont to disporte me where are all my coches horses wherwith I was wont to make so goodlie a shew the cappes and knees of people wont to honour me the troupes of suters followinge me where are all my daliances and trickes of loue all my pleasant musicke all my gorgeous buyldinges all my costlie feastes and banquettinges and aboue all other where are my deare and sweete frindes whoe seemed they would neuer haue forsaken me but all are now gone and hath left me heere alone to aunswere the reckoninge for all none of them will doe so muche as to goe with me to iudgemēt or to speake one worde in my behalfe VVoe worthe to me that I had not foreseene this daye rather so haue made better prouisiō for the same it is now to late and I feare me I haue purchased eternall damnation for a litle pleasure and lost vnspeakable glorie for a slootinge vanitie Oh how happie twise fortunate are they whiche so lyue as they maye not be a fearde of this daye I now see the difference betwixt the endes of good and euill and maruaile not thought the scriptures saye of the one the deathe of sainctes are precious And of the other the death of sinners is miserable Oh that I had lyued so vertuouslye as some other haue donne or as I had often inspirations from God to doe or that I had done the good deedes I might haue donne how sweete and confortable woold they be to me now in this my last and extremest distresse To these cogitations and speeches deare brother shall thy harte be enforced of what estate soeuer thow be at the hower of death yf thow doe not 〈◊〉 it nowe by good lyfe and vertuous actions whiche onlye can yeeld the comfort in that sorowfull daye For of good men the iudge hym selfe sayeth His autem fieri incipientibus respicite leuate capita vestra quoniam appropinquat redemptio vestra VVhen these terrible thinges begyn to come vpon other men doe you looke aboute you and lyft vp your heades for that yourred emption cōmeth on from the laboures and toyles of this worlde And the holye prophet sayeth of the vertuous man which hath done good woorkes in this lyfe that he shal be at this tyme beatus vir a happye man he 〈◊〉 the cause quia in die mala liberabit eumdominus opē feret illi super lectum doloris eius For that God will deliuer hym in this euill daye and will assist hym vppon the bed of his sorow VVhiche is ment no doubt of the bed of his last departure especialye for that of all other beddes this is the most sorowfull as I haue shewed beinge nothinge els but a heape of all sorowes together especiallie to them whiche are drawen vnto it before they are readie for the same as commonly all they are which deferre their amēdement from daye to daie and doe not attend to lyue in such sorte now as they shall wishe they had done when they come to that last passage Of the paines appointed for sinne after this lyfe and of tvvo sortes of the same CHAP. IX AMongest all the meanes whiche God vseth to wardes the childrē of men to moue them to this resolution wherof I entreate the strongest and most forcible is the consideration of punishmentes prepared by hym for rebellious sinners and transgressours of his cōmaundemēts VVherfore he vseth this motyue often as maye appeare by all the prophetes whoe doe almost nothinge els but threaten plagues and destruction to offenders And this meane hath often tyme preuailed more than anye other that could be vsed by reason of the naturall loue which we beare towardes our selues and consequentlie the naturall feare whiche we haue of our owne dannger So we reade that nothinge could moue the Niniuites so much as the foretell nge them of theire imminent destruction And S. Iohn Baptist although he came in a simple and cōtemptible maner yet preachinge vnto the people the terrour of vengeance to come and that the axe vvas novv put to the tree to cut dovvne for the fyre all those vvhich repented not he moued the verie publicanes and souldiers to feare which otherwise are people of verie harde mettall whoe came vnto hym vppon this terrible embassage and asked what they should doe to auoyde these punishmentes After then that we haue considered of death and of godes seuere iudgmente which ensueth after death and wherin euerie man hath to receyue accordinge to his woorkes in this lyfe as the scripture sayeth it followeth that we consider also of the punishmentes which are appointed for them that shal be founde faultie in that accounte hereby at leastwise yf no other consideration will serue to induce Christians to this resolution of seruinge God For as I haue noted before if euerie mā haue naturallie a loue of him selfe and desire to conserue his owne ease then should he also haue feare of perill wherby he is to fall into the extreame calamitie This expresseth S. Bernard excellently accordinge to his wounte O man saiethe he if thow haue left all shame which appertaineth to so noble a creature as thow art if thow feele no sorow as carnall men doe not yet leese not feare also which is founde in very beastes VVe vse to loade an asse to werie him out with laboure and he careth not because he is an asse but yf thow
is the cheefest for that men feele the disease of concupiscence in their bodies but doe not consider the strengthe of the medicine geuen vs against the same they erye with S. Paul that they fynde a law in their members repugning to the lavv of their mynde whiche is the rebellion of concupiscence left in our flesh by originall synne but they confesse not or cōsider not with the same S. Paul that the grace of God by Iesus Christ shall delyuer them from the same They remember not the comfortable sayeing of Christ to S. Paul in his greatest tēptations Sufficittibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient to strengthen thee against them all These men doe as Helizeus his disciple dyd whoe casting his eyes onelye vpon his enemies that is vpon the huge armie of Syrians redie to assault hym thought hym selfe lost vnpossible to stand in their sight vntill by the prayers of the holye prophet he was permitted from God to see the Angels that stoode there present to fyght on his syde then he well perceaued that his parte was the stronger So these men beholding onelye our miseries infirmities of nature wherby daylie tentations do ryse against vs doe account the battaill paynfull and the victorie vnpossible hauing not tasted in deed nor euer proued through their own negligence the manifold helpes of grace and spirituall succours which God allwayes sendeth to them who are content for his sake to take this conflict in hand S. Paul had well tasted that ayde whiche hauing reckned vp all the hardest matters that coulde be addeth Sed in his omnibus superamus propter eum qui dilexit nos But we ouercome in all these combates by his assistance that loueth vs. And then falleth he to that wounderful protestatiō that nether death nor lyfe nor Angels nor the lyke should separate him all this vpon the cōfidence of spirituall ayd ftō Christ wherby he sticketh not to avouch that he could doe all things Dauid also had proued the force of this assistance whoe sayde I dyd runne the uvay of thy cōmaudemētes vvhen thou dyddest enlarge my hart This enlargemēt of hart was by spirituall consolation of internall vnction wherby the hart drawen together by anguishe is opened and enlarged when grace is powred in euen as a drye purse ys softened and enlarged by annoynting it with oyle VVhich grace being present Dauid sayed he dyd not onelye walke the way of gods commaundements easilie but that he ranne them Euen as a carte wheele whiche crieth and cōpleyneth vnder a small burden being drye runneth merilye and without noyse whē a litle oyle is put vnto it VVhich thinge aptlye expresseth our state and condition whoe without gods help are able to doe nothing but with the ayde thereof are hable to conquere and ouercome any thing And surelie I wolde aske these men that imagine the waye of Gods law to be so hard and full of difficultie how the prophet could saye I haue taken pleasure o lord in the vvaye of thy commaundementes as in all the riches of the vvorlde And in an other place That they vvere more pleasant and to be desyred than golde or pretious stone and more svveter than hony or the hony combe by which woordes he yeeldeth to vertuouse lyfe not onely due estimation aboue all treasures in the world but also pleasure delyte and sweetnesse therby to confound all those that abandone and forsike the same vpon ydle pretensed and feyned difficulties And yf Dauid could say this muche in the olde law how muche more iustlie may we say so now in the new when grace is geuen more abundantlie as the scripture sayeth And thow poore Christian whiche deceauest thy selfe with this imagination tell me whye came Christ into this worlde whye laboured hee and tooke he so much paines heere whie shed he his bloode whie praied he to his father so oftē for thee whie appointed he the sacramētes as cōduites of grace whie sent he the holye ghoste into the worlde what signifieth gospell or good tydings what meaneth the woord grace and mercie broght with him what importeth the cōfortable name of Iesus is not all this to delyuer vs frō sinne frō sinne past I say by his onlye deathe frō sinne to come by the same deathe and by the assistance of his holy grace bestowed on vs more abundantlie than before by all these meanes was not this one of the principall effectes of Christ his coming as the prophet noted that craggie vuayes should be made streight and hard vuayes playne was not this the cause whie he indewed his chur che with the seuen blessed gyftes of the holie ghoste and with the vertues infused to make the yookeof his seruice sweete the exercise of good lyfe easye the walking in his commaundementes pleasant in such sort as men might now sing in tribulations haue confidence in periles securitie in afflictions and asseurance of victorie in all tēptations is not this the begynnyng mydle ende of the gospell were not these the promises of the prophetes the tydinges of the euāgelistes the preachinges of the Apostles the doctrine beleefe and practise of all saincts and finallie is not this verbum abbreuiatum The woord of God abbreuiated wherein doe consist all the riches and treasures of Christiantie If any man will be contentiouse and aske me how God doeth this maruailous woorke I answere hym as I haue done before that he doeth it by the assistance of his holie grace poured into the soule of man wherby it is beautified and strengthened against all temptations as S. Paul was in particular against temptations of the fleshe And this grace is of suche efficacie and force in the soule where it entereth that it altereth the whole state thereof making those thinges cleare which were obscure before those thinges pleasant which were bytter before those thinges easie which were hard difficult before And for this cause also it is sayed in scripture to make a new spirit and a new hart As where Ezechiel talking of this matter sayeth in the persone of God I vvill geue vnto them a nevv hart and vvill put a nevu spirit in their bovvelles that they may vualke in my preceptes and keepe my commaundementes Can any thing in the worlde bespoken more playnlie Now for mortifyeing and conquering of our passions whiche by robellion doe make the vvay of gods commaundementes vnpleasant S. Paul testifieth clearlie that abundāt grace is geeuē to vs also by the deathe of Christ to doe the same for so he sayeth This uve know that our olde man is crucified also to the ende that the bodie of sinne may be destroyed and vve serue no more vnto sinne By the olde man and the bodie of Sinne S. Paul vnderstandeth our rebellious appetite and concupiscence which is so crucified and destroyed by the most noble sacrifice of Christ
the expectation of wicked men is furie And yet further spes impiorum abhominatio animae The hope of wicked men is abhomination and not a comfort vnto their foule And the reason herof is double First for that in verie deede thoughe they saye the contrarie in woordes wicked men doe not put their hope and confidence in God but in the world in their riches in their strengthe freendes and authoritie and finallie in the deceauing arme of man euen as the prophet expresseth in their persone whē he sayeth VVe haue put a lye for our hope That is we haue put our hope in thiges trāsitorie which haue deceaued vs And this is yet more expressed by the scripture sayeing the hope of vvicked men is as chaffe vvhiche the vvynde blovveth avvaye and as a buble of vvater vvhiche a storme disperseth and as the smoke vvhich the vvynde blovveth abrode and as the remembrance of a gest that stayeth but one daye in his Inne By all which metaphores the holie ghoste expresseth vnto vs bothe the vanitie of the thinges wherein in deede the wicked doe put their trust and howe the same fayleth them after a litle time vppon euery small occasion of aduersitie that falleth owte This is that also whiche God meaneth when he so stormeth and thundreth against those which goe into Egypt for helpe dce put their confidence in the strengthe of Pharao accursing them for the same and promising that it shall turne to their owne confusion which is properlie to be vnderstoode of all those which put their cheefe confidence in wordlie helpes as all wicked men doe what soeuer they dissemble in woordes to the contrarie For which cause also of dissimulation they are called hypocrites by Iob for where as the wyseman sayeth the hope of vvicked men shall perishe Iob sayeth the hope of hypocrites shall parishe calling wicked men hypocrites for that they say they put their hope in God where as in deede they doe put it in the world VVhich thing beside scripture is euident also by experience For with whome doeth the wicked man consult in his affayres and doubtes with God principallie or with the worlde whome doeth he seeke too in his afflictiens whome doeth he call vpon in his syckenes from whome hopeth he comfort in his aduersities to whome yeeldeth he thankes in his prosperities whē a worldlye man taketh in hande any worke of importance doeth he first consult with God about the euent thereof doeth he fall downe on his knees and aske his ayde doeth he referre it wholie or principallie vnto his honour yf he doe not ho we can he hope for ayde therein at his handes how can he repayre to hym for assistance in the daungers and lettes that fall out about the same how can he haue any confidence in hym whiche hathe no parte at all in that woorke It is hypocrisie then as ' Iob truelye sayeth for this man to affirme that his confidence is in God whereas in deede it is in the worlde it is in Pharao yt is in Egypt yt is in the arme of man it is in a lye He buyldeth not his house with the wyse man vpon a rocke but with the foole vpon the sandes and therfore as Christ well assureth him vvhen the rayne shall come and fluddes descend vvyndes blovve al together shall rushe vpon that house which shal be at the hower of his deathe then shall this house fall the fall of yt shal be great Great for the great chaūge which he shall see great for the great horroure which he shall cōceaue great for the great miserie which he shall suffer greate for the vnspekable ioyes of heauen lost great for the eternall paynes of hell fallen into great euery waye assure thy selfe deare brother or els the mouthe of God wolde neuer haue vsed this woorde great And this is sufficiēt for the first reason whye the hope of wicked men is vayne for that in deede they putt it not in God but in the worlde The second reason is for that albeit they should put their hope in God yet lyuing wickedlie it is vayne and rather to be called presumption than hope For vnderstanding wherof it is to be noted that as there are two kynde of fayethes recounted in scripture the one a deade fayeth without good woorkes that is whiche beleeueth all you saye of Christ but yet obserueth not his cōmaundemētes the other a lyuelie a iustifieing fayeth which beleeueth not onelie but also woorketh by charitie as S. Paules woordes are So are there two hopes foloweing these two fayethes the one of the good proceding of a good conscience whereof I haue spoken before the other of the wicked resting in a guyltie conscience which is in deede no true hope but rather presumption This S. Iohn proueth playnlie whē he sayeth Brethren yf our harte reprehende vs not then haue we confidence with God That is yf our harte be not guyltie of wicked lyfe And the vvoordes immediatlie folovveing doe more expresse the same vvhich are these VVhat so euer vve aske vve 〈◊〉 of hym for that vve keepe his commaundementes and doe those thinges vvhiche are pleasing in his sight The same confirmeth S. Paule when he sayeth that the end of Gods commaundementes is charitie from a pure harte and a good conscience VVhich woordes S. Auston expoundinge in diuers places of his woorkes proueth at large that without a good conscience there is no true hope can be conceaued S. Paul sayeth he addeth from a good conscience because of hope for he vvhich hathe the scruple of an euill conscience dispareth to attaine that vvhich he beleeueth And agayne Euery mans hope is in his ovvne consciēce according as he feeleth hym selfe to loue God And agayne in an other booke the Apostle putteth a good cōscience for hope for he onelie hopeth peth uvhich hathe a good 〈◊〉 he vvhome the guylt of an euill conscience doeth prycke retyreth backe from hope and hopeth nothing but his ovvne dānation I might heere repeate a greate many more priuileges and prerogatiues of a vertuouse lyse which make the same easie pleasant and cōfortable but that this chapiter groweth to be long and therfore I will onelie touche as it were in passing bye two or three other pointes of the moste principall which notwithstanding wold requyre large discourses to declare the same according to their dignities And the first is the inestimable priuilege of libertie freedome which the vertuouse doe enioye aboue the wicked according as Christ promiseth Ī these woordes If you abyde in my commaundementes you shal be my scholares in deede you shall knouve the trueth and the trueth shall set you free VVhich woordes S. Paul as it were expounding sayeth vvhere the spirit of our lord is there is freedome And this freedome is meant from the tyrannye and thraldome of our corrupt sensualitie and
the time of Noe. The dreadfull consuming of Sodom and Gomorra with the cities about yt by 〈◊〉 and brimston the sending downe quicke to hell of Chore Dathan and Abyron with the slaughter of two hundred and fiftie their adherents for rebellion against Moyses and Aaron The suddain killing of Nadab Abiu sonnes of Aaron and chosen preestes for once offering of other fire on the Aultar than was appointed them The most terrible striking dead of Ananias and Saphira for retaining some parte of their owne goodes by deceit from the Apostles with many mo such examples whiche the scripture dothe recounte And for the greeuousnes of gods iustice heauines of his hād when it lighteth vpon vs thoughe it may appeare sufficientlie by all these examples before alleaged wherin the particular punishementes as you see are moste rigorous yet will I repeat one act of God more owt of the scripture whiche expresseth the same in wounderfull maner It is well knowne that Beniamin among all the twelue sōnes of Iacob was the dearest vnto his father as appeareth in the booke of genesis therfore also greatlie respected by God and his tribe placed in the best part of all the land of promise vpon the diuisiō therof hauing Ierusalem Iericho and other the best cities within it Yet notwithstandinge for one onelie sinne committed by certayne priuate men in the citie of Gabaa vppon the wife of a leuit God punished the whole tribe in this order as the scripture recounteth He caused all the other eleuen tribes to ryse against them and first to come to the house of God in Silo to ask his aduise and folow his direction in this warre against their brethren And thence hauing by gods appointement entered battaile twise with the tribe of Beniamin the third daye God gaue them so greate a victorie as they slew all the liuing creatures within the compasse of that tribe except onelie six hundred men that escaped awaye into the desert the rest were slayne bothe man woman children and infantes together with all the beastes and cattall and all the cities villages and howses burnt with fire And all this for one sinne committed onelie at one time with one woman And who will not then cōfesse with Moy ses that God is a iust God a great God and a terrible God who will not confesse with S. Paul It ys horrible to fall into the handes of the lyuing God VVho will not say with holye Dauid A Iuditiis tuis timui I haue feared at the remembrance of thy iudgementes If God wolde not spare the destroyeing of a whole tribe for one sinne onelie yf he wolde not perdon Chore Dathan and Abiron for once the sonnes of Aaron for once Ananias and Saphira for once if he wold not forgyue Esau though he demaunded it with teares as S. Paul saieth if he wold not remitt the punishemēt of one fault to Moyses Aarō thoughe they asked it with great instance if he wolde not forgyue one prowde cogitation vnto the Angells nor one eatinge of an apple vnto Adam without infinite punishement nor wolde not passe ouer the cuppe of affliction from hys owne sonne though he asked it thrise vpon hysknees with the sweate of bloode and water what reason hast thow to thinke that he will lett passe so many sinnes of thyne vnpunished what cause hast thow to induce the imagination that he will deale extraordinarilie with thee and breake the course of hys iustice for thy sake art thow better thē those whome I haue named hast thow any priuilege from God aboue them If thou woldest consider the greate and straunge effectes of gods iustice whiche we see daylie executed in the world thou shouldest haue litle cause to persuade thy selfe so fauorablie or rather to flatter thy selfe so daugerouslie as thou doest VVe see that notwithstāding godes mercye yea after the deathe and passion of Christ our Sauiour for sauing of the whole world yet so many infinite millions to be damned daylie by the iustice of God so many infideles heathens Iewes and Turkes that remayne in the darkenes of their owne ignorance and among Christians so many hereti ques misbeleuers amonge Catholiques so many euell lyuers as Christ truelie sayde that fewe were they whiche should be saued albeit his deathe was payd for all yf they made not them selues vnworthie therof And before the comming of our Sauyour muche more we see that all the world wēt a-wrye to dānatiō for many thousand yeres together excepting a fewe Iewes whiche were the people of God And yet among them also the greater part perhappes were not saued as may be coniectured by the speeches of the prophetes from tyme to time and speciallie by the sayeings of Christ to the pharisees and other rulers therof Now then yf God for the satisfieing of his iustice could lett so manye milliōs perishe throughe their owne sinnes as he dothe also now daylie permitt without any preiudice or impechement to his mercie whye may not he also damne thee for thy sinnes notwithstanding his mercie seyng thou doest not onelie cōmitt them without feare but also doest confidentlie persist in the same But here perhappes some man may saye yf this be so that God is so seuere in punishement of euerie sinne and that he damnethe so many thousandes for one that he saueth how is it true that the mercies of God are aboue all his other vuoorkes as the scripture saythe and that it passeth and exalteth it selfe aboue his iudgement for yf the number of the damned doe exceede so muche the number of those which are saued it seemeth that the worcke of iustice dothe passe the worcke of mercie To which I answere that touching the small number of those that are saued and infinite quantitie of suche as are damned we maye in no wyse dowte for that beside all other prophetes Christ our Sauiour hathe made the matter certaine owt of question VVe haue to see therfore how notwithstāding all this the mercie of God dothe exceede his other worckes And first his mercie may be sayd to exceede for that all our saluation is of his mercie our damnation from our selues as from the first and principall causes therof according to the sayeing of God by the prophet Perditio tua Israel taniummodo in me auxilium tuum Thy onelie perdition is from thy selfe o Israel thy assistance to doe good is onelie from me So that as we muste acknowlege gods grace and mercie for the author of euerie good thought and acte that we doe and consequenlie ascribe all our saluation vnto hym so none of our euill actes for whiche we are damned doe proceede from hym but onelie from our selues and so he is no cause at all of our damnation and in this dothe his mercie exceede his iustice Secondlie his mercie dothe exceede in that he desireth all men to be saued
vsed according to his desertes The thyrd reason is for that the custome of sinne whiche hath continued all the life long can not be remoued vpon the instaÌ„t beinge growen into nature it selfe as it vvere For vvhiche cause God sayeth to euill meÌ„ by the prophet Ieremie yf an Ethiopian can chaunge his black skynne or a leoparde hys spottes that are on his backe then can you also doe vvell hauing learned all dayes of your life to doe euill The fovverth cause is for that the actes of vertue them selues can not be of so greate value vvith God in that instant as yf they had bene done in time of healthe before For vvhat greate matter is yt for example sake to pardone thy enemies at that tyme vvhen thovv canst hurt them no more to geue thy goodes avvaye vvheÌ„ thovv cannest vse them no more to abandon thy concubine vvhen thovv cannest keepe her no longer to leaue of to sinne vvhen sinne must leaue thee All theese thinges are good and holie and to be done by him vvhiche is in that last state but yet they are of no suche value as othervvise they vvolde be by reason of this circumstance of time vvhiche I haue shevved Theese are the reasons vvhie the holie fathers and doctors of Christ his church doe speake so dovvtfullie of this last conuersion not for any vvant on gods parte but on theirs vvhiche are to doe that great acte I might heere alleage greate store of authorities for this purpose But one place of S. Austen shall serue for all Thus then he vvriteth of this matter in a certaine homilie of his If a man haue done penance truelie do dye being absolued from the bondes wherwith he was tyed and seperated from the bodie of Christ he goeth to God he goeth to reste But yf a man in the extreeme necessitie of his sicknenesse doe desire to receyuo penaÌ„ce and doe 〈◊〉 it and doe passe hence reconciled I confesse vnto you that we doe not denye hym that whiche he demaundeth but yet we presume not that he goeth hence in good case I doe not presume I tell you playnelie I doe not presume A faythefull man that hathe lyued well goeth awaye securelie He that dyeth the same howre he was baptized goeth hence securelie He that is reconciled in his healthe and doeth penance and afterwarde I yueth well goeth heÌ„ce securelie But he that is reconciled and doeth penance at the last cast I am not secure that he goeth hence securelie VVhere I am secure I doe tell you and doe geue securitie And where I am not secure I may geue penaÌ„ce but I can geue no securitie But heere perhappes some man will saye to me good pryest yf you knowe not in what state a man goeth hence nor can not geue securitie that he is saued to whome penance was assigned at his death teache vs I beseeche you how we must lyue after our conuersion and penance I saye vnto you abstayne from dronkennesse from coÌ„cupiscence of the fleshe from thefte from muche babling from immoderate laughter from ydle woordes for whiche men are to geue account in the daye of iudgemeÌ„t Loe how small thinges I haue named in youre sight But yet all these are great matters and peftilent to those which coÌ„mit them But yet I tell you further a man muste not onelie at staine from these vices and the lyke after penance but also before when he is in healthe For yf he dryue it of to the last ende of his lyfe he can not tell whether he shal be able to receyue penaÌ„ce and to confesse his sinnes to God and to the pryest or no. Beholde the cause why I sayd vnto you that a man should lyue well before penance and after penance better Marke well what I saye perhappes it shall be needfull to expounde my meaning more plainlie leste any man mistake me VVhat say I then that this man whiche repenteth at the ende shal be damhed I doe not say so VVhat theÌ„ Doe I saye he shal be saued no. VVhat theÌ„ doe I saye I say I know not I say I preâ—…me not I promise not I know not VVilt thow deliuer thy selfe foorthe of this dowte wilt thow escape this daungerous and vncertaine point doe penance then whiles thow art hole For yf thow doe penance while thow art in healthe and the last day chaunce to come vpon thee runne presentlie to be recoÌ„ciled and so doeinge thow art safe And whie art thow safe for that thow diddest penance in that tyme wherein thow myghtest haue finned But yf thow wilt doe penance then wheÌ„ thow cannest sinne no longer thow leauest not sinne but sinne leaueth thee But you will saye to me how knowest thow whether God will forgeue a mans sinnes at the last howre or no you say well I know it not For yf I knewe that penance wold not profit a man at the last howre I wolde not geue yt hym Agayne yf I knewe that it wold deliuer him I wolde not warne you I wolde not terrifye you as I doe Two thinges there are in this matter ether God perdoneth a man doeing penance at the howre of deathe or he doeth not pardone him VVhiche of these two shal be I know not wherfore if thow be wise take that whiche is certaine and let goe the vncertaine Hitherto are S. Austens woordes of the dowtfull case of those whiche doe penance at the last daye And heere now wolde I haue the carefull Christian to consider with me but this one comparison that I will make If those whiche repent and doe suche penaÌ„ce as they may at the last daye doe passe hence notwithstaÌ„ding in suche daungerous dowtfullnes as S. Austen sheweth what shall we thinke of all those whiche lacke ether timeÌ„ or abilitie or will or place or meanes or grace to doe any penance at all at that howre what shall we saye of all those whiche are cutt of before whiche dye suddenlie whiche are stricken dumme or deafe or senseles or frentike as we see manye are what shall we saye of those which are abandoned by God left vnto vice euen vnto the last breathe in theyr bodie I haue shewed before owte of S. Paul that ordinarilie sinners dye according as they liue So that it is a priuilege for a wicked man to doe penance at his deathe And then yf his penance when it is done be so dowtfull as S. Austen hath declared what a pitifull case are all other in I meane the more parte whiche repent not at all but dye as they liued and are forsaken of God in that extremitie according as he promiseth when he sayeth for that I haue called you and you haue refused to come for that I haue held owt my hande and none of you wolde vouch safe to looke towardes me I will laughe also at your destructioÌ„ when anguyshe and calamitie cometh on you You shall call vppon me and I will not heare you shall ryse
presentlie whiles it is offered Breake from that tyrant whiche detayneth thee in seruitude shake of his chaynes cutt a sunder his bandes runne violentlie to Christ whiche standeth redye to embrace thee with his armes open on the crosse Make ioyfull all the Angels and court of heauen with thy conuersion strike once the stroke with God agayne make a manlye resolution saye with that olde couragious souldier of Iesus Christ S. Ierome If my father stoode weeping on his knees before me my mother hanging on my necke behynde me and all my bretheren sisters children and kynsefolkes howling on euery syde to retayne me in synfull lyfe with them I wolde fling of my mother to the grounde dispyse all my kynred runne ouer my father treade hym vnder my feete therby to runne to Christ when he calleth me Oh that we had suche hartes as this seruant of God had suche courage suche manhoode suche feruent loue to our Maister VVho wolde lye one daye drowned in sinne who wolde lyue one daye in suche slauerie as we doe who wolde eate hulkes with the prodigall sonne amonge swyne seeynge he may returne home and be soo honorablye receyued and entertaynede by his olde father haue so good cheere and banquetinge and heare soo greate melodie ioye and triumphe for his returne I saye no more heerin deare brother than thow arte assured of by the woorde and promise of godes owne mouthe from whiche can proceede nether falshode nor deceyte Returne then I beseeche thee laye hande faste on his promise whoe vvill not fayle thee runne to hym now he calleth whiles thow hast tyme and esteeme not all this worlde woorthe a strawe in respect of this one acte For so shalt thow be a most happie and thryse happie man and shalt blesse hereafter the hovvre and moment that euer thow madest this fortunate resolution And I 〈◊〉 my parte I trust shall not be voyde of some portion of thy good happe and felicitie At leastwise I doubt not but thy holie cōuersion shall treate for me with our common father whoe is the God of mercies for remission of my many folde sinnes and that I may serue and honoure hym together with thee all the dayes of my lyfe whiche ought to be bothe our petytyons and therefore in bothe our names I beseeche his diuyne Maiestye to graunt it to vs. For euer and euer Amen The ende of the fyrst booke touching resolution A description of deuotiō 2. Ti. 2. Bookes of 〈◊〉 ne cessarie though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 3. 1 a co 3. 1. Co. 1. Heb. 12. Good life a meane to right faithe Act. 10. Sap. 1. Ihon. 5. 1. Co. 13 Iaco. 2. 1. Cor. 9 Tvvo partes of Christiā diuinitie Theorike Practike Actiue diuinitie harder thē speculatiue Mat. 25. The partes of actiō more hurte thāe the partes of vnderstandinge by the fall of Adam Three thinges necessarie to a Christiā in this lyfe Mat. 10 24. The diui siō of this vvorcke The first booke The secōd 〈◊〉 The third booke The ende of this booke Tvvo partes of this booke The necessitie of resolution Act. 7. Apoc. 3. Rom. 1. An aduertisement The deuyles argument VVil full ignorance increa sethe sinne Psal. 35. Ose. 4. Iob. 21. See S. Au sten of this 〈◊〉 de gra lib. arbi cap. 3. S. Chrisostome ho ni 26 in epist. ad Rom. VVhat mynde a man should bringe to the readinge of this booke Luc. 15. Iere. 12. Ion. 3. Leu. 11. Deu. 14. Deut. 6. Deu. 11. Iosu. 1. 1. Tim. 4 Psal. 1. Pro. 15. Eccl. 14. Gen. 24. Esa. 38. Psal. 118 Psal. 62. Psal. 118 Psal. 38. Psa. 118 Psal. 76. Beleef in grosse Maruelous effectes of ī consideration Iere. 12. The nature of consideration A 〈◊〉 similitude 2. Cor. 4 Deut. 6. Luc. 1. Mat. 12. 1. Cor. 5. Lph. 5. Gen. 6. Gen. 19. Mat. 7. Act. 1 1. Cor. 4 2. Cor. 4 6. 11. 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 9 Phili. 2. 1. Cor. 2. A 〈◊〉 Mat. 7. Luc. 12. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 〈◊〉 3. Gal. 3. The conclusion of this chapter Esa. 28. Deu. 6. Iosu. 22. Gen 14. Luc. 1. The 〈◊〉 cōsequēce The second cōsequēce Phili. 2. Luc. 13. 23. Mat. 19. Mar. 10. Luc. 19. The lamētable state of men of the vvorld A comparison 1. Cor. 9 Gal. 6. Ioh. 9. Luc. 1. Ioh. 7. 8. 12. 1. Ioh. 2. Tvvo par tesof our ende in this lyfe Psal. 36. Esa. 1. Rom. 6. 1. Pet. 2. Tit. 2. Tvvo 〈◊〉 tes of the seruice of God Iob. 7. 2 Cor. 10 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 2 Pphil 1. Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 Math. 9 10. 20. Luc. 10. 1. Tim. 5. Psal. 125 Mat. 13. Esa. 1. Mat. 25. Luc. 13. Mat. 25. Hovv vve ought to resist sinne Heb. 12. Eph. 5. Iaco. 4. 1. Pet. 5. Math. 5. Exod. 12. Deut. 5. Hovv vve must doe good voorkes Eccle. 9 Eccle. 1. Gal. 6. 1. Cor. 15 A description of a Christian Ephe. 2. The perfectiō of a Christian life Aug. lib. 2 cōc Iulian li. 1. de peccat mer. ca vl 10. Cassian 1. 5 c. 12. deinceps Mat. 5. Iob. 9. Psal. 76. 1. Cor. 4 2. Co. 12 2. Cor. 6 11. 1. Tim. 1 1. Cor. 9 Remedies vsed by the auncient fathers for resistinge of synne 10. Cassian de instit renunciant coliat patrum M. Marulus de factis dictis que memorabili bus Hovv much vve fayle in doinge good vvorkes Io. 6. Gal. 6. Phili. 2. Phili. 2. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 16. Luc. 22. Mat. 13. Rom. 8. Apo. 22. The differēt state of a good eutl mā at the daye of deathe Gal. 6. A principall point of vvysedome in a seruant A necessarie cō sideratiō Rom. 2. Rom. 7. Gal. 3. Heb. 12. Exo. 19. The dreadfull publication of the lavve Act. 7. Exo. 20. Deut. 5. Heb. 12. God spunishements Gen. 3. Gen. 7. Gen. 19. 1. Re. 18. 2. Re. 12 Christes speches Mat. 25. Mat. 24. Mat. 22. Mat. 25. Matt. 13. Luc. 18. Mat. 19. Iho. 14. Ioh. 2. Math. 5. Mat. 28. Luc. 13. Iob. 5. Matt. 5. Mat. 12. Of the daye of iudgement Two iud gements after death Ioh. 5. Mat. 25. 16. Luc. 16. Lib. 2. de anima chap. 4. 2. Cor. 5. The particuler oudgement Aug. tra 49. In 10. VVhy there be two iud gements appointed 1 2 3 4 Consider vvellthis reason good reader Of the generall day of iudgement Eccl. 12. Luc. 21. Mat. 24. Marc. 13 Esa. 13. 1. Cor. 13 Mat. 25. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Co4r Lu. 〈◊〉 Psal. 74. Sap. 5. Luc. 23. Apoc. 6. Mat. 25. Apoc. 6. Apoc. 9. Apo. 11. Apo. 16. 1. Pet. 4. The demandes at the last day Psa. 149 A pitifull case Mar. 24. Apoc. 6. Apo. 9. Mat. 25. The last sentence pronunced the conclusion Mar. 13. Mat 24. A goodlie exhot tation of Christ. 2. Pet. 3. Eccl. 18. 1. Co. 11 Godes hatred to synners Psal. 5. Psal. 14. Pro. 15. Iob. 11. Esa. 1. Psal. 13. Psal. 49. Eccl. 15. The