thou mayest at the last obtaine the reward which our Sauiour Christ hath promised Come ye blessed of my Father c. Which Lord for thy mercie sake graunt vs Amen CHAP. III. Concerning the generall day of Doome FOrsomuch as the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome and al for the most part are restrayned from sinne and wickednes by the feare of punishment paines and are brought to a good mind and purpose they which exclude this feare out of their hearts doe shut vp against themselues the true and wholesome repentance For as the Scripture testifieth the feare of the Lord expelleth sinne and he which is without feare cannot he iustified August in Ioan. Tract 9. The which St. Augustine by a very proper similitude setteth foorth If there be no feare there is no entrance for loue euē as we sée when a man soweth the thréed is brought in with a néedle the néedle first entereth but except the néedle goe out also the thréed followeth not Euen so feare first possesseth the minde but feare remaineth not there alone because it therefore entred to bring in loue Wherefore to awake vs sléeping in sinnes and to ingender feare in our minds the Lord doth oftentimes in the Gospel threaten vtter darknes gnashing of teeth euerlasting fire and other torments of hell that at the leastwise for feare of paines and torments we might bridle our mindes our eyes and our hands from sinne and wickednesse 2 This feare is not onely probable but also very necessarie For if now after so many threatnings of our Creator so fearefull and so greeuous we scarcely forsake our sins what would we do if God did not threaten at all Therefore I holde this that the feare of the Lord is as it were the parent and kéeper of righteousnesse temperance loue and of all vertues 3 But there is nothing that doeth more worke this feare in vs then the remembrāce of that great day wherein al the causes of al men are to be pleaded and their matters determined Insomuch that Saint Augustine affirmeth if Christian men should heare no other Gospel then that wherein the general iudgement is set foorth that one might suffice both to reuoke sinnefull men from their wickednesses and also being reuoked to cōteine them in their dutie 4 Wherefore in this Chapter wée will handle two notable points concerning the iudgement to come The first shal be concerning the greatnes horror of that day and of the fearefull signes that shall go before the same The second shal be concerning the raising vp of the dead bodies and the comming of the Iudge 5 The greatnesse and horror of that last day may be knowen hereby that it is called in holy Scripture a great day and the day of the Lord. And shall it not indéede be a very great day which shal cōprehend all the daies of all ages aswell those that are past as those that are to come For in that day men shall render an account of all the dayes that are past In that day God will poure out that infinite treasure of his wrath and indignation which he hath heaped vp in the space of al the worlds that are past In that day the motions of the heauens shall cease the course of the starres the reuolution of yéeres the vicissitude or returne of moneths and dayes the decay of mortal things al the cogitations of men al their studies al their Artes al their disciplines all their affaires shall rest in eternall silence 6 Also in that day it shal be decréed by the sentence and irreuocable constitution of the most high and eternal Iudge what state and condition euery one of vs shall haue and retaine in al eternitie of worlds 7 And not without cause the holy scriptures haue called it the day of the Lord. For as al the dayes of men going before are called their dayes because men watch in them and do whatsoeuer they will and God beareth suffereth endureth expecteth and after a sort sleepeth resteth in them Euen so then the day of the Lorde shal shine wherein hée shal be continually waking shal do whatsoeuer he wil and we whether we wil or no must suffer and endure 8 Thou now doest adde sin vnto sinnes and ceasest not to offend God dayly God is silent at al these things And why so Because this day is thy day But the day shall come beléeue me the day of the Lorde shall come which shal bring an ende to so long silence and wherein he wil take vengeaunce of all the iniuries that haue béene done vnto him 9 Thus we sée that al Eternitie comprehendeth two dayes onely The one of man the other of God In the one men shal watch and God shal sleepe In the other men shal sleepe and God shal watch 10 How horrible this day shall bée wée cannot plainly vnderstand and yet we may gesse at it by the present calamities For then the hoast of al punishments which their confederate battel of al offences shal assaile vs with maine force 11 But as in the warres of men before the last and general battel there are many excursions and short skirmishes euen so before that great and most fearefull conflict which shal be in the day of the Lorde God is wont with his seueral bands to make certaine excursions and one while to send vpon vs famine another while pestilence another while warre another while earth-quakes another while floods of waters and another while drougth as it were his horsemen to inuade vs who when they haue damnified vs retire and abide in their tents If therefore we so greatly feare pestilence warre famine earth-quakes and such like when as they are but the beginning of sorrowes and short excursions what I pray you wil wée doe when the last and general conflict shal come at what time al tribulations extremities calamities and miseries shal also fight against vs 12 And if wée doe yet more fully desire to know the greatnes and horror of that last day let vs consider those signes which shal a little while come before that day Therefore before the comming of that great day heauē and earth and all the Elements shall giue signes For there shal be signes in the Sun in the Moone and in the stars Luke 21. and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the Sea and waters shal roare and mens heartes shal faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shal come vpon the world 13 For as man which is a litle worlde when he draweth néere to his end the humors in him as certaine Elements are troubled and his eyes which are as the Sunne and Moone are obscured lose their light and the rest of the sences as the lesser Starres do by little little fall and faile and yet his minde and reason as the power of heauen is mooued from his seate wandereth erreth Euen so in the dissolution and fall
his first Creation a bright shining Lucifer beautified as a precious stone and more excellent than al the Angels of Heauen in resplendant brightnesse through his pride against God lost his light glory and beautie and as he was worthy became a foule féend deiected from heauen into this Elementall world lower than al the Spheares into the Fire Ayre Earth and Water 5 I saw saith S. Iohn a starre fall from Heauen to the earth Apoc. 1. and to him was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pit Further he saith There was a battel in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon Chap. 12. the Dragon fought and his angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in Heauen And the great dragon that olde Serpent called the Deuill and Sathan was cast out which deceiueth all the world He was cast euen into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him And being thus deiected hée now neuer ceaseth compassing the whole earth Iob. 1. but in his circuite séeketh like a roaring Lyon whom hee may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. Luk. 22. Apoc. 12. For the which cause S. Iohn pronounceth this woo saying Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea for the diuel is come down vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time 6 For albeit the world séemeth to be the parent the bringer foorth and nourisher of bodies yet is it the prison of Spirits the exiling of soules and a place of all wretchednesse and paines For as the worlde is a place of sinne and transgression a Station of Pilgrimage and of woe a habitation of wailing of teares of trauaile of wearines of fearefulnesse and of shame of mouing of changing of passing and of corruption of insolence and of perturbation of violence and opprssion of deceit and of guile and finally the laystall of all wickednesse and abhomination so also by GODS Iustice it is appointed the place and pitte of punishment and euerlasting torment wherin the euill Angels that rebelled with Lucifer and the damned spirites of wicked men departed this life haue endlesse paine without rest 7 And albeit the Apostle calleth Sathan a Prince that ruleth in the Ayre Ephe. 2. yet is that Rule so slane-like and his power so weakened by the Almightie that when the Lorde intending to punish the sonnes of Adam and to strike the earth with tempestes of lightning and thunder Hée thereby also beateth Sathan and the whole rable of his hellish féendes that in their fury and rage therewith they terrifie men by ougly shapes and aparitions and by GODS permission to murther man and beast sometimes do ouer-throwe buildings Iob. 1. and doe fire and consumne houses leauing a most noysome and horrible stinke behinde them of the hellish place from whence they come For it is not the diuell but the glorious God that maketh the thunder and as testifieth Syrach Psal 29. Eccle. 43. It is the sound of the Lords thunder that beateth the earth 8 Thus by Gods iust iudgement hée raungeth like a runagate in the sphere of his Hell vntill the day of doome for which season he is let loose and yet with such prohibition and restraint that in his mallice hée can procéed no further than shal séeme fit to the mightie Iehouah his Creator and then hée shall receiue that punishment whereof S. Iude speaketh in these words The Angels which kept not their first estate 2. Pet. 3. Apoc. 21. but left thier owne habitation hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgment of the great day at which time there shall be a new heauen and a newe earth wherein shall dwell nothing but righteousnes when the are refined with the fire of Gods iustice and then al the creatures of those new heauens and new earth shall be made perfit for which perfection and restauration euery creature waiteth being now subiect to vanitie Rom. 8. for the which they groane that they may be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For albeit the fashion and forme of this world goeth away as saith the Apostle yet they subtance shall reamine 1. Cor. 7. whether of the heauens themselues or of the Elements or of men al which shall abide for euer 9 At this time of restauration when al things shall become new and when the dead are raised vp againe to life in their corporall bodyes then shal be prepared an out-set habitation which shal be a Chaos ful of confusion deuoyd of the first most excellent thing that God made Light and in steed thereof replenished with darknesse a thousand times worse theÌ„ the palpable darknes of Aegypts plague Exod. 10. wherein the burning and intollerable tormenting fire giueth no light where the freezing colde which causeth gnashing of téeth Iob. 10. mittigateth nothing at al the burning heate 10 The holy Scripture to inable the weake capacitie of man to comprehend and vnderstand the excéeding horror and most feareful torment of this place calles it a Bottomles pit â—ophet á Dùnge on déepe large Apoc. 1. Esai 30. Apoc. 21 the burning whereof is fyer brimstone the lake of the second death which burneth with fyer and brimstone And in regard of the weeping howling roaring secréetching in that place it is compared to the valley of Hynnom neere Hierusalem where the idolatrous people at the sacrificing of their children so the Idole Moloch Iere. 32. made a confused noyse of crying howling together with singing and sounding of Instrumments that the pitifull screetching of the children tormented in that diuellesh sacrifice might not be heard And for this cause Christ calleth Hell Gehennon which the Prophet Dauid calleth the neithermost Hell 11 And albeit to men that measure all things by Philosophy and humane reason it may seeme absurde that Fyer should aflict the soules of the reprobate departed and the damned spirites in Hell forsomuch as the Agent is euer reputed more noble than the patient but no corporal body is more noble than the Spirit and according to the minde of the Philosopher in his booke of Generation Those things are only agent and patient in themselues which communicate in the same matter yet in this poynt as also in many other things which leane onely on Faith and not on humane reason we must beléeue it because the word of God so deliuereth it For the soule of Diues in Hell cryeth and shall crye for euer Luke 16. I am tormented in this flame Which is no Parable but really acted This then is no immaginarie fyer but a true corporal fyer working really vpon body soule on the soule before the day of Iudgement and on both together in a higher degrée of torment after the day of doome not by a proper vertue and naturall action which the fyer hath but as the
instrument of Gods iustice not consuming but afflicting after a certaine manner of perpetuall detaining in the torment of reall punishment 12 But is this place of Hell so to bée vpholden onely by Faith that humane reason cannot conceiue it to be such or as it is deliuered to be in the word of God yes verely and for this cause the conceite of Poets was not altogether idle and deuoyde of reason in saying that Saturnus deuiding his Kingdome among his sonnes gaue the West part toward the lower Sea to Pluto his yongest sonne the East part to Iupiter and the Ile-landes to Neptune of the Sea And héeuppon they fayned that Iupiter was King and God of Heauen Pluto of Hell and Neptune of the Sea And to describe Hell they could not bethinke them of a more fit place in the earth to make a resemblance thereof than a certain territory in Italie betwéene Baiae Cuniae where the Cimerii inhabite a place in very déede so inuironed with high hilles that the Sunne from the first rising to the setting thereof neuer shineth there by reason of which continual darknesse this Prouerbe is vsed Cimmeriis tenebris atrior More blacke then the darknesse of Cimmeria And here they place Acherusia a darke Dungeon or way to Hell Out of which Hercules drew Cerberus the dogge of Hel Thus these Poeticall fictions grouÌ„ded vpon earthly darknesse represent and set before vs that inuisible darknes which no man euer liuing on earth hath seene nor tongue is able sufficiently to expresse 13 Geographers tell vs of the mountaine Aetna in Cicile Plinie at this day called Gibello Monte on the toppe whereof is a barren ground mixt with ashes in the winter time couered with snowe the circuit of which mountaine is twentie furlongs and is inuironed with a banke of ashes on the height of a wall In the middle of this mount is also a round hill of the same cooller and matter wherein be two great holes called Crateres out of which do rise sometimes sundry great flames of fyer sometime horrible smoke sometime are blowne out burning stones in infinite numbers before the visible fight of which fyer there is also heard within the ground terrible noise and roaring 14 What else can these fearefull fierie flames horrible smoke burning stones in such hydeous manner blowen vp and the terrible roaring within that Mountaine Aetna import but a certaine subterraneall part of Hell As also it may bee in like manner thought of the marine Rocke of Barry in Glamorgan-shire in Wales Giraldus by a certaine cleft or rift whereof if a man lay his eare thereon is heard the worke as it were of a Smythes Forge one while the blowing of bellowes another while the sound of hammers beating on a stithie or Anuile the noyse of knyues made sharpe on a Whet-stone and the cracking of fyer in a Furnace and such like very strange and admirable to heare 15 Nauigators report that there is a sea in the Voiages to the West Indyes called the Burmudas which is a most hellish Sea for thunder lightning and stormes Also they assure vs of an Ile-lande which they call the Ile-lande of Diuels for that to such as approach néere the same there doth not only appeare fearefull sights of Diuels and euill spirits but also mightie tempests with most terrible and continuall thunder lightning and the noise of horrible cries with scréeching which doth in such wise afright amaze those that come nere that place that they are glad with all might and mayne to ply and spéede them thence wiâ—h all possible haste they can 16 Cosmographers also informe vs of a certaine wonderfull Whirle-poole in the frozen sea not farre from Ise-land towards the Ile-laÌ„ds of the Hebreedes whereunto al the waues of the sea froÌ„ far haue their course recourse without stop with their conueying theÌ„selues into the secret receptacles of nature are swallowed vp as it were into a bottomles pit and if chance any ship to passe this way it is pulled drawen with such violence of the waues that eftesoones without remedy the force of the Whirle-poole deuoureth the same 17 I doubt not but there are some which ascribe all these things to natural causes and workings or els will account them no better than fables as they do all things els which concerne Religion But yet let such men now know as one day with wofull experience they shall féele that these and many mo wonderfull workes of God in earth his wonders in the déepe beside his counsels iudgements reuealed in his word doth assure those which feare God that there is a Hell 18 Who is so ignorant that hée doth not sée and knowe how in all things both naturall and supernaturall there is an opposition and a contrarietie and therefore also a God and a Diuel a Heauen and a Hell This Hell in the day of doome as touching the paynes and torments to be layed on the diuel and his adherents shall be therein so inlarged and redoubled that the darkenes of Cimeria and all the darknesse of the earth beside the fire in the Region that compasseth the earth the fierie flames lightnings thunder and tempestes the smoke terrible noyce and roaring in the mountaine Aetna the fearefull visions néere the Ile-land of Deuils the chilling colde and frozen Ise in Frygida Zona the indraughts and swallowing Gulphes of Waters the whole barrennesse of the earth with all bitternesse stench and whatsoeuer else may offend the sences of damned men the punishments of sinne shall bee gathered together into one Chaos of confusion whereinto Sathan with his Legions of damned Spirites which are nowe for a time let loose to remaine and conuerse in the fierie Region in the Ayre in the hollowe Caues and Dungeons of the earth and in the waters and where it hath pleased God to appoint them shal bée plunged for euer and euer 19 Therefore let Hell be where it hath pleased God in his secret counsel to place it to men vnknowne whether in the North or in the South vnder the frozen zoane or vnder the burning zoane Or in a pit or gulph that shal excéedingly participate of both it maketh to vs no matter of exception For most true it is that Saint Gregory saith Gregor super illud Mat. Eiâ—cientur in tenebras The wicked shall be cast into vtter darkenesse that they may there gnash their teeth which delighted here in nothing but gluttonie For heat and burning coÌ„monly maketh men to wéep and colde causeth men to beate and gnashe their teeth In Hell saith he there shall be cold intollerable fire vnquenchable the worme immortal stinke that cannot be indured darkenes palpable the horrible scourges of diuels and the fearefull sight of diuels 20 Thus much then we learne hereby concerning Hell that it is a most feareful and horrible place into the which the soules of all that lyue vngodly in this present world Esay 5.14 and in vnbeléefe
make the eares of them that heare it to tingle O sentence intollerable which depriueth sinners of all good things and bringeth them to all woe The Lord sometime accursed the Fig-trée and immediately not onely the leaues but also the body and rootes were wholy withered Euen so that feareful curse of the last day shal be no lesse effectual For on whomsoeuer it falleth it shal so scortch them and shal so make them destitute of Gods grace that they shal neuer more be able to doe to speake to thinke or to hope for any good thing 31 Then therefore the wicked being stricken with this thundering sentence will lift vp their mouthes towards heauen wil spue foorth their shamefull blasphemies against God the Iudge they will curse this day and the houre wherein they were borne and their Parents which begat them and the wombs which bare them the aier which gaue them breath and the Earth which hath borne them but they shal not be suffered any long time to speake these things against the Iudge 32 For suddenly the Spirite of the Lord shal ouerwhelm them and shal with great violence caste them downe headlong into the déepe Apoc. 18. as in Saint Iohns Reuelation appeareth in these wordes Then a mightie angell tooke vp a stone like a great Milstone and cast it into the Sea saying With such violence shall the Citie of Babilon bee cast Apoc. 20. and be found no more And againe Whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire And this déepe shal be shut vp with gates of brasse and with yron barres which cannot bee broken with any force nor cut in sunder by any arte and there they shal drinke of the cup of the Lords wrath and the smoke of their torments shal ascend worlde wtout end they shal not rest day nor night 33 On the contrarie part the iust being in the fruition of ful blessednesse and of euerlasting glorie shall haue in their mouthes the prayses of the Lorde and giuing of thankes and shal with singing and with mirth extol the name of their Lorde and God with whom they shal reigne without ende 34 But although wée heare of those things often yet neuerthelesse wée are not awaked from the sléepe of sinne before wee be ouerwhelmed with the night of death and of darkenes Why doe we which haue this time now looke for another time which peraduenture wée shal neuer haue Now is the accepted time now is the day of saluation There is nothing more profitable for a man then to knowe his time and therefore in our worldly businesse wée obserue times and seasons as a conuenient time to eare a fitte time to sowe to plant and such like Yea the brute beast by the instinct of nature can make choyce of his time for benefite The Swallowe when winter approacheth prepareth himselfe to take his flight into a warmer Countrey The Bée and the Ant in the time of summer prepare their foode against winter And the Prophet Ieremie saith that the Storke knoweth his appointed time If brute beastes deuoide of reason haue this foresight to make choise of time for their good and if man him selfe in a worldly regarde can make choyse of a fitte and due time to gette earthly and transitorie things how much more prouident ought hee to bee for heauenly things that to attaine these hée lose not his fittest time to attaine saluation 35 The olde worlde that liued in the dayes of Noah knewe not their time that was the cause they then perished with the flood The Cities of Sodome and Gomer knew not their time that brought fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads to their destruction The foolish Virgins knewe not their time therefore when their Lorde came they being altogether vnready were shut out of the Lords ioy Let vs then knowe the season how it is time now that wee should awake out of sleepe Rom. 13.36 1. Thes 5. Let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let vs which are of the day be sober least the darkenesse come vpon vs wherein we can neither walke nor worke Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes that day and time wherein we shall appeare before God and his Angels and before the whole worlde to answere our cause and either to receiue a Crown of glory or else perpetual shame and confusion Let vs know that we haue here a very short time limitted vnto vs. wherein wée must so endeuour our selues that for short and transitory things we lose not that which is eternall If wee haue this consideration of that great day of the Lorde wée shal not only be the more secure in death but also be the better prepared to méet with our Lord and Sauiour when he shal come to iudgement CHAP. IIII. Concerning Hell and the torments thereof THere is nothing that the Diuell laboureth more then to perswade men that there is no hel that so the more easily hée may leade them thether as it were blindfolde by the way of sinnes while they haue no feare of any punishment euen as shéeues are wont to bee ledde with a vaile before their faces when they are going to the gallowes as Ezechias was serued whose eyes Nabuchadnezer commanded to be put out whē he was caried away captiue into Babilō 2 But it may bée shewed by many reasons and authorities that there is a hel For as a Princely magnificence requireth that a King haue a beautiful Pallace for to entertaine the best sort of men and a prison for the worst Euen so the king of kings and Lord of all glorie and principalities hath a Pallace wherein there are many mansions as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel testifieth which is the kingdom of heauen and he hath also a darke prison or dungeon which is hel 3 The lawe of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences be driuen into exile for euer euen so God doth banish from his presence Luke 16. the impenitent sinners into hel For so it is said of Diues that he dyed was carried into hel Esay 5 And the prophet saith Hel hath inlarged it self hath opened his mouth with out measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and he that reioyceth among them shall discend into it Also S. Iohn saith that the feareful and vnbeleeuing and murderers Apoc. 21. the whormongers sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And Christ Iesus saith Feare him which hath power to cast body and soule into hell 4 But forsomuch as God hath not made Death nor the kingdom of Hell vpon earth Wisd 1. We must vnderstand that the principal procurer of this Hell is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse who béeing in
mediditation shal be the contemplations of those men who when they might in this life fruitfully haue thought vpon these things would not and they which disdained here to vse these most profitable meditations as a bridle of their lustes shal in that time suffer them as most cruel torments 13 Furthermore the memorie shal bée no smal crosse to the mindes of the damned when they shal beginne to cal to mind their former delights and the pleasures past for the which they are now come vnto these torments For then too late they shal perceiue with what bitter sauce they were seasoned which in times past séemed so swéete vnto them But they shal much more vehemently bée tormented when they shal compare the breuitie of the pleasures past with the eternity of the present sorrowes For what Mathematician so skilful can bée found out which can declare vnto vs how much greter that euerlasting time shal be then the time of those transitorie pleasures How shal they then groane and mourne and what great déepe sighes shal they fetch when they shal finde by experience that their pleasures were most momentanie and that they are gone as a dreame shadow and that their sorrowes shal haue no end 14 But the vnderstanding as it is a faculty more excellent and perspicuous Vnderstanding so shal it bee tormented with a more intollerable crosse In this facultie shal that worme be which the Scriptures so oftentimes threaten to sinners where it is saide that their worme dyeth not and the fire shal not be quenched For as the worme hath his original from the wood and yet doeth continually eate and consume the woode whereof it commeth Euen so this worme springeth from sinne and holdeth a perpetual warre with sinne and is nothing else but a continual repentance and sorrow ful of rage and desperation which they haue by reason of their sinnes when they sée and féele that for them they haue lost the kingdome of heauen and haue incurred those vnspeakeable torments This worme of the damned resteth neither day nor night but biteth and gnaweth continually and féedeth vpon the bowels of those miserable men alwaies bringing to their remembrance the notable opportunitie which they had here in earth not onely with verie small labour to haue escaped those punishments but also without mony or money worth to haue gotten the kingdome of heauen Therefore they shall euermore contend with themselues and say O miserable men that we be to whom the kingdome of heauen was sometimes offered fréely to receiue and possesse the which the Preachers of Gods word did humbly and louingly beséech vs to imbrace we refused If we had truly repented vs of our sins all had ben forgiuen How small a thing had it béene to haue repented If we had craued mercy we had easily obtayned it If wee had called for helpe and grace faithfully it had béene at hande If wée had giuen but a cuppe of cold water for the Lords sake wée had not bene vnrewarded But now wée fast continually and shal bee tormented we shal be afflicted and shal reap no fruite thereof O that golden time mis-spent how is it now gone and neuer shal returne again Who bereaued vs of our wits Who shutte our eyes Who stopt our eares Whoso bewitched vs that we neuer thought vpon these punishments that wée neuer had regard to these times that we neuer foresaw this misery and that we harkened not vnto them which forewarned vs 30 And if the vnderstanding shal féele these thinges what shal wée then say of the wil which is the chiefe and principal cause of sinnes The wil therefore shal bée euermore tormented with a certaine outragious enuie which it shal conceiue of the honour and glory of Almighty God and of all the Saints in heauen according as it is set down in the Psalme The vngodly shall see it and it shall grieue him hee shall gnash with his teeth and consume away the desire of the vngodly shall perish Psal 112.10 ver Also in the willes of these sinners there shal be ioyned with enuy an extreme hatred against God from whēce shal arise horrible curses and blasphemies Heare and tremble oh wicked and prophane which shal neuer cease in their mouthes For when they shal perceiue that there is no hope any more to recouer their saluation and shal also be assured that they shal at no time come into the fauor of God and that their tormēts shal neuer haue ende And further when they shal sée that it is God himselfe which keepeth them as it were fast bounde with chaines in those perpetual torments and that it is hée which doeth from an high cast downe vpon them thundring tempests and with his omnipotēt breath doth kindle those furnaces of hel fire then they wil rage and some like mad dogges and wil neuer cease from barking from blasphemies and cursed speakings They wil curse him because hée created them and adiudged them to death and yet dying are neuer dead They wil curse his punishmentes because hée tormenteth them so vehemently from wicked blasphemies good Lord deliuer vs. They wil curse his benignitie because it is now turned into seuerity They wil curse his crosse and his blood shedde vpon the same because it hath bene profitable to so many nothing auaileable vnto them 31 To cōclude they wil curse al the saints and Angels of heauen because they shall sée them in ioy and felicitie and themselues in euerlasting miserie This shal be ther perpetual simphonie and melodie these shall bee their euening and morning songs these their Psalmes and Himnes which they shal sing in those doleful Temples of diuels where they shal haue fire and brimstone in steede of frankencense the noyse of stripes with whips and maules which shal inforce wéeping howling and gnashing of téeth in stead of Organes Trumpettes Cornettes and Harpes 32 Thus farre concerning the sorrow which ariseth of the losse of the chiefe felicity and which the inward faculties of the mind doe suffer which hath béene shewed to be the greatest and vnspeakeable Nowe also we wil shewe that to bée an excéeding sorrowe which the very tormentes shal worke in the external sences of men 33 Therefore as the reward of the blessed is not some certaine particular goodnesse seuered and deuided from other good thinges but a certaine common and general good or felicitie wherein al good thinges al delights and pleasures are contained So the paine and torment of the damned is not one kinde of sorrowe as of the head of the eyes of the téeth of the raines and so forth But it is a certaine general punishment which comprehendeth all the sorrowes of al the members and sences together 34 If the sorrow and paine of a woman trauailing in childbirth bee so great and so general that it inuadeth euery part what shal become of them vpon whom all maner of sorrowes shal come If a man cannot indure a little fire
botches and sores hath no whole part What man will be coupled with this monster who hath no other dowrie and portion of her father the diuell but hell fire Lette him then that hath béene inchanted with her adulterous eyes diuorce himselfe betimes from her company without delay for delay is perilous Her handmaide Security will peraduenture flatter vs say It is yet too soone to depart and so to craue further companie much like vnto Swetonius Tranquillus crowe which in the Emperour Domitians dayes stoode vppon the Capitoll and saide thus All shall be well It is the diuels voyce which saith Cras Cras to morrowe hereafter but God saith Hodie Today if ye will heare his voyce harden not your heartes If we harken to the diuels voice he wil serue vs as he serued Adam Eue and wil lay open our nakednesse and shame 5 A third cause of our delaied repentance is the absence of the holy Ghost from vs. For as the spirite of the Lorde dwelling in our heartes maketh the way of vertue easie and swéete insomuch that the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 119. I haue as great delight in the way of thy commaundementes as in all maner of riches and againe I haue runne the way of thy commandementes when thou hast set my heart at libertie Euen so contrariwise the absence of the holy Ghost maketh the same way hard and vnpleasant And as the light of the Sun chéereth vp mens spirits to goe to their labour euen so the sonne of righteousnesse shining in our heartes with the bright beames of his grace maketh vs to haue a delight in the way of his commandementes The first outward meane of Paules conuersion was the great light which he saw from heauen then he was cast down to the ground and humbled he heareth a voice and acknowledgeth it to be Gods voice Act. 9 3. Act. 26. and 22. And then ariseth vp and saith Quid faciam Domine What shall I doe It is the celestiall illumination that worketh our conuersion vnto God and which frameth our hearts to his obedience And therefore the Lord saith by the mouth of the Prophet Ose thus to sinful men Ose 9.12 Woe vnto them when I shall depart away from them And by the Prophet Ieremie Vnderstand and know what a grieuous thing it is that the Lord thy God hath forsaken thee 6 The last cause is a certaine sicknesse and languishing of all the faculties of our soule For the apple is not so eaten of worms nor the garment with moathes as the powers of the soule are corrupted with sins and wickednesses as the vnderstanding is darkned the iudgement dulled and the wil depraued Whereof it commeth that now to liue a holy and godly life is a very hard and painfull matter Who seeth it not then in what perill and error they are in who putting off their repentunce and conuersion from day to day doe thinke that the same which is now hard vnto them they shall finde afterwardes more easie when all the causes of difficulty and hardnesse are increased when they haue increased the causes of their labour and difficultie by adding sinnes vnto sinnes when an euil custome hath taken more déepe roote Shall not the Diuell then more fortifie his castle which is thy soule Shall not GOD whirh is thy light depart further off from thée Shall not the powers of thy soule then hauing receiued many woundes bée made more weake and insufficient to goodnes Beside this thou must greatly hazard the losse of heauenly treasures by thy long delay God hath thought vpon and loued vs from euerlasting and hath prepared for vs an eternal reward with what face then canst thou holde from God a little momentarie seruice which owest vnto God all that thou art able to doo for euer 7 God hath giuen vnto thée the life of his onely begotten sonne the which is of greater price then the life of all men and of the Angels and by what right and prerogatiue darest thou denie vnto him the flower of thy youth and to spend the same in other things then in the seruice of God and to offer vnto him the dregs and rottennes of old age onely Mala. 1. Consider what the Prophet Malachie saith If yee offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke is it not euill Offer it now vnto thy Prince will hee bee content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hostes But cursed be the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing All that we haue and our selues wholy are not sufficient to serue the Lord. Therefore let our youth bee dedicated to his seruice as well as our age Let vs serue him not onely in sicknesse but also in health Let vs turne vnto him not onely when we are in affliction vnder the crosse but also in prosperity For forced holinesse is of no great account Pharaos repentance Festus trembling and Iudas sorrowe auailed them nothing Saint Augustine in his second booke of true and false Repentance speaking of that Repentance which affliction wringeth frō men saith Vis dicam liberaliter c. Wilt thou haue me speake my minde fréely I do neither say nor will say that he shall be damned But saith he will ye put the matter out of doubt Repent then whilest thou art in health otherwise whether a man doe safely depart out of this life I my selfe am not sure And the same Author in another place saith us Wilt thou repent thee when thou canst sinne no longer Thy sinnes then haue forsaken thee and not thou thy sinnes 8 Sinne is common to all times ages of mans life yea to fraile youth more then to olde age which caused King Dauid to say Remember not O Lord the sinnes of my youth There is then at no time want of matter in vs for repentance and yet our sinnes are much more then our sacrifices Sinne is common to all but timely and spéedy repentance to fewe 9 But let the exhortation of our Sauiour mooue vs which hée so oftentimes repeateth Math. 24. Mar. 13. Watche watche because yee knowe not the day nor the howre For I demaund of thée whosoeuer thou bée which assurest thy selfe that after a fewe yéeres be past thou wilt repent thée who made thée an vndoubted promise I will not say of yéeres and moneths but of the morow which is but one day nay who can assure thée of one hower And what greater follie and rashnesse can there bée deuised then for a worme of the earth to determine anie thing certaine concerning the times and seasons which the Father hath set in his owne power Art thou ignorant how many this vaine confidence hath deceiued euen to this day 10 But thou wilt say the Lorde is full of compassion and mercy who hath made large promises to those that trust in him who sent his
but God sent his sonne for vs to suffer most méekely of wicked men euil sayings reproaches spitting vpon buffetings whipping crowning with thornes wounding and at last death it selfe Thou contemnest great things and magnifiest smal trifles if thou sinnest thou sayest it is nothing if thy head doe ake but a little thou thinkest it to bée a great matter To loose thy soule thou makest no great reckoning but if thou be in perill to loose but a finger thou wilt call together all the Physitions and Chirurgians in the Cittie But Christ with his true example of life taught that there is no euil so much to bée feared as sinne and hel that nothing was so much to be desired as God the glorie of God saluation and vertue and that he is rich noble wise and beautifull indéede which is indued with patience humilitie charity chastity and with other vertues that he is a poore man vile deformed and witlesse which is a fornicator a drunkard a couetous and proude person and which is polluted with other vices as with a leprie and scabbe For Christ being God and hauing all thing in his power to choose what manner of life hée would during the time that hée liued on earth chose the most vile and abiect state of life and therfore for his house had a stable for his bed a manger for clothes of Tapistry hay and the same none of his owne a poore mother thin and a spare diet apparel suteable to bée short he sought no manner of pompe riches or pleasure of this world And contrariwise he refused no labours no afflictions no miseries nor any euils sauing onely sinne only which euil hée would haue his Disciples and professors vtterly to abhorre 9 And thou canst not say that he neither could nor knew how to choose a better state For hée which was God most mightie was also most wise And what other thing doth Isaias commend in him more Isaia 7. then that hée should bée called Emanuel and hée should know how to shun the euill and choose the good Hath not Christ then plainely and euidenly by his example of life taught that there is no euil so much to be eschewed thée as with a shielde who hath saide I am the way the truih and the life him therfore follow in this pilgrimage here on earth so shalt thou neuer erre CHAP. XI Concerning the crosse and tribulations of this life IF in all other things it behooueth a wise man to haue skill to behaue and gouerne himselfe how much more in aduersity the which is of such force to shake discomfort the mind of man that thereof come heresies desperation thefts homicides and all manner of wickednesse with the which all men doe so abound that whether we be small or great rich or poore noble or base or whatsoeuer else we haue more calamity then felicity 2 The efficient cause of these calamities is God himselfe as he testifieth by the mouth of Isay the Prophet saying Isay 45.7 I am the Lord and there is no other I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create euill I the Lord doe all these things And holy Iob whenin one day he had lost all his riches all his children and the health of his body vnderstanding that hée was thus afflicted partly by the Sabeians and partly by the Chaldeans partly by the winde and partly by fire which the diuell in his malice raised and therewithall consumed and spoiled his goods did hée say the Lord hath giuen and the diuell hath taken No verily but hée saide The Lord hath giuen Iob. 1. and the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. And in another place Shall we receiue good from the handes of the Lord and not euill also 3 Wherefore whatsoeuer befall vs whether storme or tempest théeues or murderers losses at the sea or on the land famin or pestilence sicknesses or imprisonment or whether we be afflicted with heretiques or scismatiques with Angels or diuels with heauen or earth or from whence soeuer any tribulation doth come God alone is to be feared to be prayed vnto to be pacified to his will and commaundement all things obey For fire water haile snowe frost raine winde storme and tempest these when they séeme to be grieuous vnto men what do they else but fulfil his word 4 There are two gates then to be considered by which tribulations doe enter into the worlde the one is Gods prouidence the other is sinne Concerning his prouidence Salomon saith Wisdo 6. Chap. 14. Hee hath made the small and great and careth for all alike And againe Thy prouidence O Father gouerneth it And our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them falleth not to the ground without your heauenly father Math. 6. The very haires of your head are numbred 5 Not only the scriptures but that most excellent and comely order by which we sée so many seuerall things gouerned being so different so diuers and so disagréeing in natures and in places doth proue vnto vs that all things in the world are gouerned and ruled not by fortune and chance but by the prouidence of God Euen as if thou heare a harpe sound pleasantly or if thou sée a wagon or a ship to goe forward by arte reason and order although thou sée not the harper wagoner or maister of the ship yet thou art out of doubt that there is a harper which causeth the hary to sound in good tune a wagoner and a shipmaister which maketh both the wagon and ship to moue and goe 6 We are two maner of waies afflicted by God For sometimes we are troubled by those things which without any fault of their owne doe hurt vs and sometime by those things which hurt vs not without their fault and sinne The first followe the lawes of nature by which it is ordained that among mortall creatures the weaker shal alwaies giue place vnto the stronger The other doe breake the lawe of God As when we suffer and sustaine any thing at the hands of wicked men God hath a worke therein so farreforth as it may be to our good and therefore suffereth the euil to be done drawing out of the euil a greater good 7 For God is said to work in that which is good for there is nothing so euill which hath not some good ioyned with it And there is no good so small whereof God cānot make a bottomlesse fountaine and as it were an Ocean of all good things As for example behold a lame man What is it to halt To halt is to walke but yet not without a maladie To walke is good but the maladie is euil Whereof or from whence hath the man that walking which is good From the power of his wil and mouing instrument of the mind From whence commeth the maladie commeth it from his will No verily but either of the shortnesse or
one while he laugheth another while he wéepeth now he will anon he wil not To conclude the Moone nor any other thing that is mutable sheweth not so many chaÌ„ges vnto vs as do the daily almost sodaine alterations of men And yet for all this they liue as men in a frensie which knowe not their miseries And although they cannot repose their hope and assurance in the present things of this life yet they doe not transferre and remoue the thoughts of their minde their counselles their works and endeudurs vnto the happinesse to come And if it were possible they would make the place of their exile and banishment their Countrey and inheritance But in vaine they desire this for death commeth and playeth the last Pageant shutting and finishing the life of all calamities CHAP. II. Concerning Death and the meditation thereof THe errors of al men for the most part take their originall froÌ„ hence that they forget the end of their life which they ought to haue alway before their eyes For here-hence commeth Pride Ambition too much carefulnesse for the body hereof also come these Towers which we build vpon the sand For if we did consider what wée should be after a few dayes our maner of liuing would be parrduenture more humble and temperate For who would haue a high looke and proud stomacke if hée would with the eyes of his mind behold what manner of one shortly after hee shall bée in his graue Who would then worship his belly for a God when he wayeth with himselfe that the same must in a short time be wormes meat Who would be so in loue with money that he would run like a mad man by sea land as it were through water and fire if he vnderstood that he must leaue all behinde him sauing his winding shéete If this were thought vpon all our errors would soone be corrected 2 The word of God telleth vs in many places of this vanitie to the ende we might the more earnestly séeke a better course and more happy life The Prophet desireth of God Psal 90. that he may learn to number his â—aies to the end he may applie his heart vnto wisdome For vnlesse wée thinke vpon death we cannot applie and fashion our selues to a godly life Yea we finde daily in our selues by experience that the forgetfulnes of death makes vs applie our heartes to follie and all kinde of vanity The holy men of olde time were wont in such wise to kéepe an account of their dayes that aboue all things they might apply their hearts to wisedome Of all Arithmeticall Rules this is the hardest to number our dayes Men can number their heardes and droues of oxen and of shéepe they can account the reuenues of theyr manners farmes they can with a little paines number and tell their coyne and yet they are perswaded that their dayes are infinite and innumerable and therefore doo neuer begin to number them Who saith not vpon the viewe of another surely yonder man looketh by his countenance as if he would not liue long or yonder woman is olde her dayes cannot be many Thus we can number other mens dayes and yéeres and vtterly forget our owne Therefore this is the true wisedome of mortall men to number theyr owne dayes and like skilfull Geometricians to measure all theyr actions all their studies all theyr cares all their thoughtes all theyr desires and all theyr counsells by their departure out of this life as by the end whereto they are referred as it were by a certaine rule and thereunto to direct all things and so to finish the course of our life which God hath giuen vnto vs that at the last we may come to the happy hauen of rest 3 The case standing thus we cannot nor ought not to doubt but that the diuell a most cruell enemy of mankind laboreth all that he can to take away from vs the most wholesome remembrance of death which by most euident demonstrations setteth before our eyes the breuity of our life the miserie of our flesh the deceits of the world the vanity of things present and whereunto all humane beauty and the vniuersall glory of the world shall come at the last For otherwise how could it be that we should at any time forget a thing so fearefull which by no manner of meanes we can shunne and auoid 4 If a light suspition of some losse eyther of our goods or of honour doth preuaile so greatly with vs that many times it taketh from vs our sléepe what might the meditation of most assured death doe which is more terrible then all other terrors beside 5 Wherefore as they which in open games of actiuitie as of shooting and wrestling and such like doe long before the day come thinke vpon the same and doe exercise their hand bow spending and consuming many arrowes at the marke that in the day of trial â—or the best game they may shoot néerest the marke and as Fencers which are to play their prizes of triall doe daily try their strength and exercise their weapons bending their whole minde how they may best foyle their enemies that when the day commeth they may haue honour and triumph Euen so ought we to do for whom a greater reward without all comparison is set if wée die wel and if otherwise it come to passe wee shall be punished with vnspeakeable shame and reproach 6 And this our meditation of death shal be handled in no other order then the same which our death and departure from this life bringeth with it For as they which are to runne a race do oftentimes lead their horses vp and downe the running place that they may sée be acquainted with all the stones vneuen places and other impedimentes in the same that when the day commeth they may finish the race without stay or stop Euen so wée which whether wée will or no must measure and pace the race of death shal doe very well if now in our mind and memorie we frame this race and doe diligently consider all those things which are in the same especially séeing the way is most obscure and ful of sundry impediments and is so perillous that there are very fewe which finish the same happily They which slip and stumble in it shal neuer more find any hope of saluation 7 Therefore that we may begin there where this most bloody battell hath his originall wee ought diligentlie to consider the same namely that then death doth especially come when men doe least thinke of it Herevpon the Apostle Paul salth The day of the Lorde shall come as a theefe in the night And in the Apocalips Beholde I come as a theefe And théeues haue this propertie that they breake vp houses to steale when men are most fast asléepe and when they least suspect any such thing 8 Hereupon also the Prophet Amos hath these words In that day will I cause the sun to goe downe at noone
Amos. 8. and I will darken the earth in the cleere day That is to say when men thinke it to bée the high noone of their age when they thinke that they haue yet many yéeres to liue when their minde is occupied about their gaine about theyr affaires about their honors buildings mariages and pleasures when they say vnto their soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for thée for many yeeres eate drink rest and be merrie then it shall suddenly be saide vnto them Behold death is at the doore thou foole this night shall thy life be taken away from thee Eccl. 41. and whose are then those things which thou hast gotten 9 Then death vnlooked for frustrateth all our counsels cutting off the webs of our deuises and with on stroke she casteth down and layeth flatte on the ground al those Towers builded in the ayer and then what a wound doeth the heart of the sinner receiue which loueth this present life when the Physitian saith vnto him Thou must from hēceforth thinke no more of life but of death 10 Here first of all all those things which he loued in time past offer themselues vnto him from the which he shal be pulled away and seperated by death whether he wil or no. The body shal dye once but the heart shal dye so often as the things be in number which he loued Then in very déede shal the most cléere light be turned into darkenesse because those things which were aforetime occasions of great ioy shal be now horrible vexations and torments It is a most swéete and pleasant thing to them which liue to sée their louing and faithful friendes to remember their honors to think vpon the pleasures past and to come But all these things in the time of death shal be as swords as torments and most bitter potions 11 But if it be so harde a matter to bée pulled away from those things which do not so néerely touch man how bitter I pray you will the seperation bée of the body from the life and soule For such two louing familiars which haue alwaies liued sweetly together euen from the mothers wombe cannot be seperated without great gréef If the Oxe do commonly lowe mourn when his yoke-fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken away how will euery one of vs mourn when the minde shal be seperated from the body Then wil the body and the mind with teares repeate againe and againe doest thou thus seperate bitter death O death dost thou thus seperate 12 And when the cogitation of so sharp a seperation is déeply setled in our mind then gréefes follow gréefes and sorrow commeth vpon sorrow for then it commeth presently into the minde what a miserable condition the body and soule shal be in after the seperation And first of all when a man beginneth to recount with himselfe that his body after a fewe houres shall be buried in a graue or dark tombe he cannot cease from wondring at so abiect and miserable a condition What the body that now liueth which seeth which heareth whith speaketh shal it be made after one houre in a moment blinde deaffe dumbe without sense without spirit without life Shal I haue then in stead of a large pallace a base sepulchre in stead of a soft bed the hard ground for delights rottennesse for swéete smelles stinkes and in stead of seruants and familiar fréends wormes And thus this cogitation of the graue will verie sore trouble and terrifle a man in these extremities 13 But yet notwithstanding euery man feareth much more when he beginneth to consider what condition remaineth for the soule For when he beholdeth that eternity and that new Region vnknown to all men liuing which hée then alone and naked is to enter and againe when he vnderstandeth that there is to be founde in the same both euerlasting glorie and perpetual paine and misery and knoweth not of which hée shal take his part it cannot bée tolde with how great feare with what carefulnes and with what excéeding sorrow he shal be tormented When hée perceiueth plainly that after two houres he shaibe either in eternal ioyes or in euerlasting paines Is not this a crosse farre surpassing all other crosses 14 This incertainty therefore of blisse or of a cursed estate which after two houres the sinner expecteth that remembreth his sinnes feareth the iust iudgement of God without hope of remission or faith in Christ bringeth a hell in minde not to be expressed For by how much the kingdome which hée desireth is of largenes and by how much the fierie furnace which he feareth is terrible by so much greater shal this perturbation be For from the one Angels shal come to carie the faithful vp into heauen and from the other diuels shal come to cary the wicked and infidels into hell fire 15 But there is yet a farre greater perturbation then this namely that he shal cal to mind the account which he is to make to God of all his words déedes and thoughts For of it selfe it is a horrible thing to enter into iudgement with God the which horror wil wonderfully vexe and disquiet the diuels themselues For as so long as we liue they set forth vnto vs the mercie of God and doe also commend the same and do striue all that they can to keepe vs from meditating of his iustice and iudgements Euen so now on the contrary part they extenuate and make his mercy insufficient and doe set before our eies the greatnesse and seuerity of the Lords Iustice 16 Then the sinner wil begin to tremble and to fall into desperation and wil begin to reason thus with himselfe If God for the sinnes of others spared not his onely sonne wil he spare me which am guiltie of so many sinnes If this be done in the greene tree what shal befal that which is feare and drie If the Prophets if the Apostles if the Martyres after they liued godly so many yeares entred not into the kingdome of heauen without tribulations what other place can be left for me but that of hell fire which know no good that I haue done 17 If the Scripture be true which saith He wil render to euery man according to his works I which haue done so great wickednesses what should I looke for but eternal torments If the Apostle lye not as indéede he doth not when he saith That which a man soweth that shall hee reape Gal. 6. what shal hée reape but eternall death which hath made so cursed sowing If no polluted thing shal enter into the kingdome of God how shal I which am altogether filthy and vncleane haue hope to make so happie and blessed an entrance 18 Then therefore all his sinnes which he committed with so great facility when hée liued shal violently inuade the sinful man like an hoast of his enemies Then the feare of punishment wil open the eyes which sléeping securitie in sinne before had