who waite vpon him and suppose our selues wretched if we bee not vouchsafed any place amongst them though we know the weaknes and instability of thâ—se terrene things somtimes for forreine warres sometimes for ciuill conterwaits and sometimes for malicious spite yet howsoeuer it bee it grieueth those that haue fallen thence How then shall it not much more vexe vs if with the highest king who holdeth the whole globe of the earth Isai 40. not a part thereof onely yea who holdeth it in his fist who measureth the heauen with an hand breadth who supporteth each thing by the word of his power who reckoneth the Gentiles as nothing yea as spettle with this I say when he bestoweth honour that shal last for euer we haue no place neither be numbred among his seruants Will it not pinch vs more then any paine But peraduenture thou sayest it will suffice vs to escape hell albeit wee bee not thought worthy of the sight of the King What more vnhappy and wretched soule is there than to which this is sufficient Supposest thou that the King wherof we speake shall come to iudge the earth carried in Chariots of Mules or in gilded waggons or with the terrible power of a diademe Nay harken how the Prophets foretold as much as might be declared to men the comming of Christ One of them saith thus Our God shall come Psal 50.3 and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuour before him and a mighty tempest shall be mooued round about him he shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people And harken how another to wit Isaiah sheweth the diuerse sorts of punishments these are his wordes Behold the day of the Lord commeth cruel with wrath Isai 13.9 and firce anger to lay the land wast and he shall destroy the sinners out of it For the starres of heauen Verse 10. and the planets thereof shall not giue their light the Sunne shall be darkened in his going forth and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Verse 11. And I will visit the wickednes vpon the world and their iniquitie vpon the wicked and I wil cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease I will make a man more precious then fine Gold Verse 12. euen a man aboue the wedge of gold of Ophir Verse 13. Therefore I will shake the heauen and the earth shall remooue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hoasts and in the day of his fierce anger And againe hee saith the windowes from on high are open Jsa 24.18 and the foundations of the earth doe shake The earth is vtterly broken downe 19. the earth is cleane dissolued the earth is exceedingly mooued The earth shall reele too and fro like a drunken man 20. and shall be remoued like a tent the iniquity thereof shal be heauy vpon it so that it shal fall and rise no more And in that day 21. shal the Lord visit the hoaâ—t aboue that is on high euen the Kings of the world that are vpon the earth and they shal be gathered together as the prisoners in the pit and they shall be shut vp in prison And the Prophet Malachies words are consonant hereto Malac. 3. Verse 1.2 Behold he shall come saith the â—ord of hoasts But who may abide the day of his comming and who shall indure when he appeareth For he is like a purging fire and like fullers sâ—pe Verse 3. And hee shall sit downe to fine and try the siluer he shall euen fine the sons of Leuie and purifie them as gold and siluer Chap. 4.1 And againe he saith for behold the day commeth that shall burne as an ouen and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall bee as stable and the day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of hoasts and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch And another of the Prophets saith Dan. 7.9 I beheld till the thrones were set vp and the auncient of daies did sit whose garment was white as snow and the haire of his head like pure wooll Verse 10 A fiery streame issued and came forth from before him the iudgement was set and the bookes opened And a little after Vers 13. as I beheld in visions by night beholde one like the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen and approached vnto the auncient of these dayes and they brought him before him And he gaue him dominion Vers 14. and honour and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and his kingdome shall neuer bee destroyed Vers 15. I Daniel was troubled in my spirit in the midst of my body and the visions of mine head made me afraid So then when these things shall begin the gates of heauen shall be opened yea rather the very heauen shall be taken away as if the couerings of a pauilion were drawne together to wit that it may be restored and transfigured into better Then all things shall be in feare amazednesse and trembling shall fill euery place Then also feare shall shake the Angels and not the Angels alone but perchance the Archangels thrones dominions rules and powers For this is signified where it is said I will shake the heauen Jsai 13.13 for they are the fellow seruants of them that must bee iudged and must giue an account of this life If when one Citie is to bee iudged by the iudges of this world other feare and shake although it be not for great danger like to insue when the vniuersal world shall come to be iudged of him that lacketh not witnesse that doth not seek arguments that doth not require an orator for the cause but all these things being remooued that doth reueale the deeds wordes and thoughts of men that placeth each thing in open sight and heweth euery fact as it wrre in a painted table before the eyes both of the transgressors and the beholders how much more shall euery creature bee mooued with feare And if then no fierie streame should issue forth neither the terrible Angels or greesely executioners should stand by but if thus onely it were that men should be called before the king and some should be praysed and honoured other some without honour cast to confusion if men did onely suffer this punishment would it not surpasse the torments of hell that when other were endowed with gifts of the king they should shamefully suffer the repulse Which paine how vntolerable it is although speech now may not declare yet then shall we cleerely perceiue it when we come to experience Furthermore besides all these anguishes of torments fet before your eyes not confusion alone and vtter shame but the way how men are drawne to fire and deliuered vp to racking Thinke vpon those cruell and vgly tortors which throw sinners downe headlong
in the beginning either of Ieremie or of the other Prophets how when he was despised and set light by of the people yet hee returned againe to them and thirsting after their loue hee continually followed them And this is that which God himselfe declareth in the Gospell Mat. 23.37 Luk. 13.34 where he saith Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent to thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her chickens and ye would not And Paule saith to the Corinthians For God was in Christ 2. Cor. 2.19 and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ as though god hid beseech you through vs wee pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God Let vs thinke these things spoken to vs for not onely infidelitie bâ—t the polution and vncleannes of life maketh this excerable enimitie betwixt God and men and so the Apostle saith that the wisedome of the flesh is enimity against God Rom. 8.7 Go too then let vs raze to the ground this wall of enimitie let vs smooth the way to an attonement with God that we may be loued desired of him again I am sure you wonder not a little at the beauty of Hermione Hermione daughter to Menelaus Helena very beautiful for whom Orestes the sonne of Agamemnon slew Pyrthus the sonne of Achilles because hee maried his betrothed minion and thinke the like may not be found on the whole earth But if you wold my friend you may be so much fairer and comelier then she by how much gold exceedeth dirt For if many haue in admiration the beauty of that body and fall in loue therwith what fairenes do you thinke to be in a soule if euery point therein were liuely portraited How much more amiable how much more wonderfull would it be For the substance of bodily beauty coÌ„sisteth in naught else but in phlegme blood moisture and * Or melancholy gall which are maintained by the corruptible iuyces of meates Hereby the aples of the eyes glister hereby the cheekes are ruddy and hereby the whole face is adorned And vnlesse they be dayly moistened with such iuyce which ascendeth out of the liuer incontinent the skin is dryed vp the eyes waxe hollow al ruddines and beauty departeth from the visage Now if thou consider what is hidden within that skin which thou iudgest beautifull what is shut vp in the nostrils what within the iawes and belly thou wilt protest that this brauery of body is nothing but a blanched sepulchre which without appeareth faire to men but within is full of filthynes and vncleannes Moreouer if thou see on a ragged cloath the phlegme and spittle that proceedeth froÌ„ the body thou loathest it and wilt not touch it with the tip of the finger looking askew theron how then canst thou loue and desire the cel and seat of phlegme But thy beauty was not such For by how much heauen is more beautifull than the earth by so much â—id the trimnes of thy soule â—urmount the beauty of the â—airest body And notwistanâ—ing none at any time hath â—eene a soule departed from the body yet some other time I wil attempt to delare the comlines of it by the powers therof At this time let it suffice to rehearse the words of the Lord which say they are as the Angels of God in heauen Againe Mat 22.30 Mar 12.25 in that of bodies there is so great a difference betweene those that are thin and those that are thicke and heauy as for example heauen passeth the earth fire water the stars stones the rainebowe all terrestriall flowers whaâ— would wee say if it might so chance that with corporal eies we might behold the gainesse of the soule Wouldest thou not scoffe at all externall beauty and brauery in consideration of that internall substance I pray thee then let vs not contemn so great a felicity nor regard lightly so great a treasure that is in vs especially sith a returne is not hard and with no great labour may all the beauty of our soule be renued For as soone as thou shalt imagine the things to come and thou shalt be inamored with them straightway the soule retireth to her former brauenes So it is written 2. Coâ— 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent 18. an an eternall weight of glory While we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are corporal but the things which are not seene are eternall Now if Paule call tribulaâ—â—ons light and easie for that we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not saue how much more easie shall it be for thee to shake of the foule burden of vncleannes Neither now doe I exhort thee to those labours and dangers or to those daily deaths which the Apostles suffered or to those persecutions or stripes or bands or imprisonments or the contempt of all worldly riches or famine or nakednes or many watchings or perils of iourneying or shipwrackes on sea or dangers of robbers or dangers of thine own nation or dangers of false brethren for all those afflictions the Apostles indured nothing of all these I require of thee but this I desire alone that seruitude being forsaken thou returne to thy former liberty considering both the plague which followeth riot and the glory which is laid vp for vertues It is no maruell if those which beleeue there shall be no resurrection neglect their life feare nothing the iudgement to come and are nothing pricked in heart but wee which looke more certainely on future then present things ought we to liue so miserably and wretchedly that wee not onely should not feare at the remembrance of the iudgement to come but vtterly contemne it A part it is of extreame madnes and no mischiefe is comparable that beleeuing we be like the vnbeleeuing Yea amongst them not a few haue beene found who haue flourished in this life in the vertues of the mind and what shall be our excuse what our solace if in the day of doome those shall be brought forth for examples against vs Some that exercise marchandise we see haue suffered shipwracke and the losse of all their goods yet for this they haue not beene dismayed but againe haue applyed the same way and trafficke These did â—eese their substance not by â—oth but by violence of winds But we which know afore vndoubtedly that if we our selues wil we may incur neither shipwrack nor damage of soule shuld we not take in hand againe our former exercises renue our busines by neglygence ouerslipped Neuerthelesse we lie retchlesly and fold our idle hands on our breast after the manner of sluggards and
would God our hands were idle and did not worke our owne decay Which if they doe it hath great affinitie with most manifest outrage as if for example a champion leauing his aduersary should turne his hands on his owne head and buffet himselfe The diuell hath put vs to flight and hath dashed vs in sunder we haue need then to rise and to resist him When thou art once cast downe if thou be willing not onely to lie still but to throw downe thy selfe headlong this is to assent to thine enemie and to take in defence his part Blessed Dauid fell after rhe same sort thou diddest neither so alone but in more grieuous wise for he combined murder with adultery and what did he then Did he lie so Did he not rise and resist the enemy and so ouercame him that his good deeds profited his posterity ween he was gone For when Salomon had committed that hainous crime and was deemed worthy of a thousand deaths yet for Dauids sake the Lord said he would bestow the kingdome on him longer These be the words I will surely rent the kingdome from thee 2. Ki. 11.11 and will giue it to thy seruant Notwithstanding in thy daies I will not doe it 12. because of Dauid thy father 2. Ki. 19.34 but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne Hezechiah when he was much indangered albeit he were a iust man himselfe yet for blessed Dauid the Lord promised to helpe him * Or I will defend this citie to saue it for mine own sake and for Dauid my seruantes sake I will defend this Citie for mine owne sake and for Dauid my seruants sake I will saue it See what was the strength of repentance see what power conuersion had But if he had thus thought which thou now thinkest and had said it is impossible that the Lord should now be merciful to me he hath greatly honoured me and hath endued me with the gift of prophecy he hath exalted me to a kingdome he hath deliuered me from manifold dangers how then can I promerite clemencie at the hands of God forasmuch as I haue thus fallen If Dauid had thus thought he had loâ—â— not only that went afore but that that followed also For not only the wounds of the body if they be neglected bring death but the wounds of the soule semblably Are we so sottish to put a plaister to a bodily wound and neuer attempt to cure the soule Many wounds of our body may not be cured yet we dispaire not and though the Chirurgions say the wound is vncuâ—â—able yet we earnestly and vrgently beseech them that they would mittigate some what the paine But in the wounds of the soule which are not vnsanable for the soule is not tyed to necessity neither abideth any passion we are remisse we are past hope we are pricked with no care When there is no hope our griefe of body may be healed yet we withdraw nothing from our care but here when no occasion is of desperation without vsing any labour we omit all care So you perceiue how that more ardently we loue our body then our soule knowing not that if we regard not our soule we cannot saue our body For the soule was not ordained for the body but the body for the soule and he that esteemeth not the higher but polisheth the inferiour marreth both But he that obserueth an order and garnisheth the first admitte hee doe not passe for the second by the saluation neuerthelesse of the first the seeond shall be saued The which is builded on the plot of Christ his words Feare ye not them which kill thâ—â— body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell Thinke you we haue done enough and satisfied you in this thing that no infirmity of the soule is vncureable Or else is it needfull wee should vse other reasons and confirme it yet further For although a thousand times thou dispaire of thy selfe wee will neuer dispaire of thee Neither doe we this that wee mislike in other howbeit there be ods whether one dispaire of himselfe or another of him To dispaire of another is pardonable but to dispaire of him selfe is not because he is not master of anothers mind this ruleth his owne purpose Wherefore we hope there is a returne for you to the state of your former life and to the vertues of the minde which we know are in you Besides these things this we adde The Nineuits heard the Prophet saying definitely Jon. 2.4 yet forty dayes and Nineueh shal be ouerthrown notwitstanding they were not discouraged No not when they were not certaine that the Lord would not bring to passe his words and when in mans iudgement there was no hope of forgiuenesse And as soone as that abrupt saying was ended they determined repentance saying who can tell if God will turne and repent Verse 9. 10. and turne away his fierce wrath that we perish not And God saw their workes that they turned from their euill waies and God repented of the euill that he had said he would doe vnto them and he did it not If Barbarians and ignorant folke could vnderstand so much of the mercy of God doth it not much more behoue vs to do so who are instructed in the word of God and know this example was before our time and that many more like are contained in Gods booke either in words Isai 55.8 or in acts For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord. 9. For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher theÌ„ your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Farthermore if we receiue our seruants who haue offended vs when they promise they will amend and account of them as before nay many times credit them more after reconcilement will not God much rarher deale thus with vs If he had made vs to punish vs thou mightest well despaire and doubt of thy saluation but if for his goodnes onely he made vs to enioy his euer-during blisse and rewards and doth al things from the beginning of the world till this day to this end and purpose that he may saue vs what matter of despairing what matter of misdoubting is there left We haue offended him say you more than euer any man For this cause shouldest thou more speedily and earnestly make satisfaction and be sorrowfull for thine offence and abandon those deedes with which God is offended Neither doth a grieuous iniury offende any body so much as to continue in it when there is time and opportunâ—tie of satisfaction To sinne is humane but to perseuer in sinne is diabolicall To conclude Hier. 3.7 Or and I said when she had done all this turne thou vnto me but she returned not behold how God by the Prophet mistiketh this more then that And I haue
backe again open sinners and blasphemers to earnest repentaunce for their owne sinfulnesse and to haue a sure trust in the mercy of God and in the merit of Christs passion and death though they be euen at the departure out of this presēt life for it is neuer too late so long as life lasteth Let vs therefore with all feruentnesse call vpon them and exhort them in any wise with a good courage and a sure and vndoubful faith aske call and cry for Gods mercy for his sweet sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake and vndoubtedly they shall haue it For since the beginning of the world hitherto was there neuer one that in faith asked mercy heartely but he had it through the gratious goodnesse of our aforesaid most mercifull sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour laude and praise world without end Amen Yours at commaund to his power T. C. Giue all the honor laud and praise to God onely 1. Tim. 1. The prayer of Daniel turned into metre and applyed vnto our time Daniel IX O Lord thou high and fearefull God By whom all things do moue Thy mercies great are sure to such As thy precepts doe loue We sinfull men haue sore transgrest Against thy lawes deuine Full frowardly we haue fled backe From these precepts of thine Thy Prophets deare to speake were prest In setting forth thy name Both rich and poore as bold were bent For to gainesay the same To thee therefore thou Lord of hoastes All iustice doth belong To poure on vs such shame and griefe In this we haue no wrong Our shame is great and due to all Our flight is but in vaine To tread strange lands our sin hath sought Our shame doth still remaine But though such shame a reward iust To all in common be Yet mercy Lord and to forgiue Doth still belong to thee Indeede O Lord as for our selues No lesse confesse wee can But that thy lawes wee set at nought Much lesse haue kept them than Thy Prophets spake wee would not heare Ne of thee stand in awe Strange plagues from time to time we felt For breaking of thy lawe The force whereof so fiercely bent Was such as hath not bene For all the plagues in Moses lawe Fell on this Realme for sinne And yet to thee who made his sute His path way so to guide That flying vice might learne thy lawe And therein to abide Wwerefore thou sawest all would not helpe And couldst not hold thine hand But haste thy curse which now doth fall Vpon this sinfull land For as thou art a righteous God Thy workes doe soe appeare Consuming such as scorne doth take Thy louing voyce to heare But yet O Lord thou broughtest forth Thy flocke from Egipt land Whereby thy name was largely spread So now stretch forth thine hand But we haue sinned more then they Oh Lord yet stay thy rod. As for this land was sometime thine And thou also our God Our sinnes and eke our fathers faultes This day to passe hath brought That all which border vs about They set vs cleane at nought Now then O Lord hide not thy face Oh heare thy seruaunts cry Behold thine house sometime full rich How wast it doth nowe lie Thy truth is fled thy flock fast bound As sheepe led to be slaine Thy foes preuaile and prosper much Though mischiefe they maintaine And wilt not thou thy foes confound That thus thy workes reproue At least yet for thy great names sake Their vile intents remoue For why as for our owne deserts We can no such thing haue It is for thy great mercies sake That we such thinges doe craue Forgiue vs Lord intreated be To heare vs make no stay We beare thy name it is thy cause Oh Lord make no delay A Prayer against Despaire O Eternall God most louing and gratious father in Iesus Christ who art alwaies praysed and magnified by thy children in theyr great deliuerances and preseruation from their perils and daungers but especially when they perceiue themselues freede from the power of Satan death and hell from the which no creature can saue and deliuer them but thou onely O Lorde And because no chaine of the deuill or euill temptation is more strong to fetter the body and soule of man then despaire which is a wilfull forsaking of faith and confidence in thee O God it arising springing from fear and doubt as if thou wert not faithfull in thy promises or able in thy power to preserue vs Helpe Lord I beseech thee and free and deliuer me thy poore seruaunt from this temptation thraldome of Satan and soe strengthen I humbly pray thee my faith and confidence euer more in thee that in al my perils necessities wants sorrowes and griefe in this world I may haue a strong and stedfast hope in thee whereby I may ouercome repell and keepe backe the dangerous and subtill suggestions of Satan the world and the flesh to thy great glory and praise and my eternall and vnspeakable comfort through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Morning O Lord thou which couerest the night with darkenesse and causest man therein to take his rest and by euery day and night doest shew thy great glory in the heauens and also thy wisdome and power by gouerning and preseruing all thy creatures vpon the earth O Lord I thy poore seruaunt and creature doe most humbly thanke thee from the bottome of my heart for my sweete and comfortable rest this night past and for watching ouer mée by thine eye of prouidence and kéeping both my body and soule by thy grace from sinne and death beseeching thée O Lorde God my father Sauiour and comforter to blesse to sanctifie direct and preserue me in this thy new day and that I may become a newe creature vnto thée O God in holinesse and righteousnesse labouring faithfully and painfully in my calling that so my laboures this day may be sanctified and blessed vnto mée and mine and that I may shew forth thy praise in al my waies and declare my loue and charity vnto men in all my works that after the dayes of this my life and pilgrimage finished and ended here in this world I may liue with thee for euer in the world to come throgh Iesus Christ my Lorde and Sauiour who liueth and reigneth with thée and the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen ¶ A Prayer for the Euening O gratious and mercifull God I am most bound vnto thy heauenly Maiesty for my preseruatiō this day because I and al men are continually subiect vnto all dangers and perils griefes sorrowes sicknesse and death yea we lie open vnles thy grace and might doe defend vs vnto the temptations tyranny of the world the flesh the deuill which daily seek and desire our hurt and confusion both of body soule for euer Wherefore O gratious and euerliuing God as thy right hand and sauing health hath bene with mée this day and thou hast directed blessed and comforted mee thy poore seruaunt in all my wayes and labours for the which I most hūbly thank thée so I most earnestly entreat thy Maiesty in thy loue and mercy for Christ Iesus sake to keepe mée and al mine in safety this night and to couer vs vnder the shadow of thy winges from all perils and dangers whatsoeuer and that our soules as well as our bodies may take their swéet and comfortable rest and ioy in thée and likewise that thou wouldest grant that whensoeuer thou shalt knocke at the doore of our hearts to call vs vnto thee O God we may with the wise Virgins be watchfull haue oyle in our lamps that we may be receiued into eternall rest through Iesus Christ thy deare sonn and our onely Sauiour Amen FINIS
all these is left all things are taken from thy soule she is bereft of all her beautie and all the giftes which God bestowed on her she remaineth spoiled deformed fowle she hath lost all her aide and safegard No doore now is shut in her no entrie is kept but she lyeth open to all naughtie spirits which corrupt the soule No vncleane thought no filthie desire is thence expelled but if the spirit of fornication come it entreth in if the spirit of pride if the spirit of auarice if more hellish and vnpure than these shall come none forbiddeth them none beareth them backe For she hath no keeper no Sexton And as to the secrets of heauen there is no accesse for an vngodly person so at the first no infection could touch thy mind But perhaps I may seeme to speake incredible things to those especially that knew not thy former estate and onely see the destruction wherein thy soule now lieth This surely is the cause why I weepe without remedie because I knew thee and why I sorrow vncessantly because I remember how long it is vntill I see thee returne vnto thy wonted and pristine glory Which for all that men may iudge impossible Mat. 19.26 * Psal 113.8 9. 1. Sam. 2.8 For he it is that raiseth the needy out or the dust lifteth vp the poore out of the dunge That he may sâ—t him with princes â—uen with the princes of the people He it is that maketh the barren woman to dwell with a family and a ioyfull mother of children Let vs not then doubt nor despaire If Sathan draw to sin God can pull backe to goodnes but that thou mayest be conuerted into a better case For if the diuell could do so much in thee as to draw thee from the height of vertue to the depth of wickednes how much more shal God be able to reclaime thee to the highest pitch of goodnesse and not onely make thee that thou wast once but farre more blessed than thou diddest seeme in thy owne conceit Onely be of stout courage neither cast of the hope of goodnesse let not I pray thee that betide thee which doth the godlesse Vngodlines without penitencie breedeth to despaire It is impietie not the multitude of sinnes that bringeth a foole to desperation and therefore Salomon sayd not that each one when hee commeth into the depth of euils contemneth but * Pro. 18.3 the wicked saith he if he come into the depth of euils contemneth It is then a point of the impious to haue no hope of saluation Or when the wicked commeth theÌ„ commeth contempt and to contemne when they come into the depth of sinnes vngodlinesse not permitting them to haue respect to God and to returne thither from whence they fell So that this thought which cutteth away all hope of conuersion issueth from impietie and as a most heauie stone accloying the soule it perpetually compelleth it to behold the earth and neuer to looke vpward on God When we sinne we must not despaire But a lusty stomacke and loftie minde will cast down this hurtful weight of his soule and tread vnder feet Sathan that being his owne gouernour hee may sing the Psalmists words of God * Psal 113 2. As the eies of seruans looke vpon the hands of their masters and as the eies of a maiden vpon the hands of her mistres so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God till he haue mercy vpon vs. Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered too much contempt And in these wordes of this heauenly prophecie there is singular doctrine we haue suffered too much contempt This is that hee would haue vs say that although for the multitude of our sinnes wee haue suffered much contempt and are surrounded with reproches yet our eyes shall waite vpon the Lord our God till hee haue mercy vpon vs that we will not leaue of beseeching vntill we be vouchsafed forgiuenes We ought to be earnest in prayer when wee sue for forgiuenes and not to rest till God haue fulfilled our petitions For this is the badge of a constant and setled minde that it is not wearie of perseuering in intrearie through dispaire to obtaine but continueth and persisteth in crauing vntill the Lord haue mercy vpon it * These two periods following G.F. Capito hath not in his translation And least you should think you offende greatly before the Lord if not vouchsafed to be heard you continue importunately in prayers call to memory the Euangelicall parable and there you shall find that the Lord sheweth that stiffe perseuering beggers are not vnacceptable to him For he saith * Lu. 11.8 Though he would not giue him because he is his friend yet because of his importunitie he will rise and giue him as much as hee needeth Vnderstand therefore deare friend that the diuell putteth into our mindes despaire of obteining to this end that he may cut from vs the hope of the goodnesse of God which is the Anchor of our saluation the foundation â—f life the guide of the way â—hrough which wee passe to â—eauen in briefe the Apostle â—aith * Ro. 8.24 by hope we are saued Insomuch that our saluation consisteth in hope which drawâ—th vp our soules from out the earth knit as it were to certaine chaines hanging downe from heauen and calleth againe those to the heauenly dwelling place which cleaue to themselues exalting them securely aboue the troubles of this life and earthly miseries Wherefore if any encumbred with these calamities bee dissolute and let goe out of his hands the anchor of hope hee must needes fall and be caried into the bottomlesse pit and profunditie of euils The dangers of despaire Which assoone as the enemie shall perceiue and see vs loath the multitude of our sinnes and feare through remorse of conscience straightway he draweth neere and casteth before our eyes cogitations of despaire more heauie than any leade or grauell which if wee vndertake we must of necessity bee drowned in the depth or euils because with the very load the staies of our saluation are broken Into the which depth because thou art cast thou dost throw behind thee the precepts of a good and gentle lord and thou doest obey the becke of a bloudy and mercilesse tyrant Mat. 11.30 the enemie of thy saluation Thou hast shaken off the sweete yoke of Christ and hast laid on thy necke for it the hard and iron fetters of sinne thou hast shaken off the easie burden of a lowly and meeke Lord and for it hast hanged about thy neck a milstone but how long doest thou so continue Stand now at the last and cease to drown thy vnhappy soule without any care without any aduise how long doest thou hast it foorth and cast it downe headlong to thy owne decay Luke 15. And truly the woman in the Gospell which found againe the lost groate
that they may not surmise they cannot tread the true way vnlesse they see thee returne Regard I desire you the pensiuenesse of the whole congregation of the faithfull brethren the great ioy and triumphing of the faithlesse the vsuall by words of slouthfull youthes regard wbat authority thou art to many to wallow in the mire of riot And if so be that you returne into the way of your former vertues all these things will be turned into the contrary Our shame and confusion shall light on them we shall be ioyfull and glad For we will blaze abrode throughout the world that thou art a subduer of lust a subduer of vncleane and foolish voluptie and riot and we will brute farre and wide thy glorious triumph That victory is the greater that is gotten after a fall and that is restored after flight And you shall not onely be rewarded for your owne labour and reformation but shall receiue a meede for the safety of them who leuelling their life to thy conuersation haue without dispaire returned themselues to repentance Neither any hereafter hauing fallen howsoeuer will not be greedy by and by to rise and incontinently to be restored Despise not if you loue me these great profits neither bring our soules with sorrow to the graue but vouchsafe vs some rest and chase away the cloud of heauines which for thy sake hath ouercouered vs for loe letting passe our owne euils we bewaile thy fall But if you would a little looke vpward and be in loue with celestiall things we should be eased of this lamenting and we might be caused to consider our owne offences That men may by repentance repaire their pristine gainesse yea somtimes be made more excellent than before they were hetherto we haue confirmed out of the word of God And to coÌ„clude this point this is the cause why that harlots and Publicans inherit the kingdome of heauen and that many that were last shall be first Henceforth I will adde the things that haue beene done in our age of which thou * G. F. C. of which my selfe may bee a witnes thy selfe art a witnes * G. F. C. I know You know that yong man the sonne of Vrbanus the chiefest of that prouince whose parents died in his minority but left him very wealthy in houshold stuffe gold siluer and possessions That youth contemning at the first all pompe and pride which that age and ritches for the most part follow he left the schooles of humane artes and betooke himselfe to a base life in which putting on course and homely arayment he departed to the mountaines and desart places Where being exercised in the temperancy of true philosophy he not onely matched which is but seldome seene in those yeeres but passed too great and wonderfull men in the vertue of abstinency yea when afterward he was baptised he passingly increased in vertues At which thing all reioyced praysed the Lord that borne to so great wealth descended of such a family euen in the Aprill of his daies he troad vnder foote at once all vanity of this momentary life and had an hungry desire of eternall ioy Liuing after this sort and in this admiration among all certaine of his kindred but naughty persons at the first came to see him and after by continuance of lewd talke Euill speeches corrupt good manners drew him againe to that he hated and loathed so that all philosophy which he studied being layed apart he came from the hilles to the market place Then carried on a palfrey through the midst of the citie and guarded with footemen he vauntingly began to wander vp and downe the streetes Insomuch that the raines of chastity were also let loose because it hath no fellowshippe with dainties and ryot After this he was snarled in the baite of filthy loue and led into captiuitie by euery lust which caused all men to despaire of his saluation For swarmes of parasites enuironed this hope lost yonker the adulterous rabble compassed him in And what hope would a man thinke to be remaining Those also which were giuen very much to reprehending found fault with this likewise that in the begining he entred a course he could not continue in and had aspired to that was aboue his reach forsaking the study of learning wherein he might haue profited When these and such like things as touching his life being rumored abroad were knowne to all and we also were ashamed of his doing certaine holy men expert in this kind of hunting and who had found out by long vse and experience that naught was to be despaired putting on the armour of hope they began to watch him more narrowly And if it fortuned he were in the street they approached neere and courteously saluted him but he on horse-backe scarce greeted them againe or thought them worthy an answere when they went by his side such was his pride and wickednes But those mercifull men accounting none of these an iniury respected only that they had intended that they mâ—ght if it were possible by any meanes deliuer the lambe out of the teeth of wolues which by patience was in fine achiued For weighing they did this often and prying into his owne life with the inward eyes of his mind he blushed somewhat at their boldnesse and tendring and when he marked they came a far off he would dismount from his horse and bowing his head towards the earth he harkened diligently to their speeches and in processe of time he reuerenced them more And so reuolting by peece-meale through the grace of God and their meeke counsell and rid from all the nets of death wherin he was entangled he went againe to the wildernes to the mountaines and to the wonted exercises of philosophie and after was of such humilitie that his latter doings exceeded his wonderfull beginning He learned by proofe the occasion of his fall and the allurement of all his error That also he did which doubtlesse was agreeable to Christs commaundement in the Gospell Mat. 19.21 Selling all he had and distributing it on the poore to the end he might remooue his treasure from the earth to heauen and his heart might bee there where his treasure was But because as yet hee had somewhat left on earth his heart returned to the earth and making an estimate of all his goodes for he cared nothing for them he bestowed much on the needy that so freeing himselfe from care of mind he might take away all occasion of stumbling And thus walking in the way to heauen by amendment he is come to each accomplement of vertue so you see how this yong man fell quickly and arose speedily Another also after many labours he had sustained in the wildernes hauing onely the company of one in his life and mansion place continued an Angelicall life from his yong age to his very old daies * Good Lord how much difference is there betweene the Romish Masse-mongring Moonkes now being