the lord They went about in shéepes felles in goates skynnes néedy afflicted miserable For whome the worlde was not yet worthy Straying in solitarie places in mountaynes in dennes and in caues of the carth in daunger of floods in daunger of théeues in daunger of the Iewes in 〈◊〉 of the Gentylles and in daunger of faulse brethren In labour calamitie in much watching in hunger and thirst in many necessities and in cold and nakednesse For the 〈◊〉 doth deny himselfe and 〈◊〉 his members together with all vices and coâ—…pisences that the world may be 〈◊〉 vnto him And he to the worlde He hath héere no place of aboade but séeketh diligently for the heauenly habitation to come He susteyneth the world as an exile beinge 〈◊〉 vp in his bodie as in a pryson sayinge I am an inhabitour and a stranger in the earthe as all my forefathers haue bene Forgeue me that I may be cooled before I depart I will abyde no longer Alas that my dwelling place is prolonged I haue euer dwelled with the inhabitaÌ„ts of cedar my sowle hath remayned with them Who is weakened and I am not weake Who is weakened and I am not vexed For the sinnes of the neighbors are the refreshinges of the iust This is that watering place which Caleph gaue vnto his daughter Axa in dowry The lyfe of man vpon earth is a warfare Yea is it not 〈◊〉 right warfare when manyfold enemies doe on euery syde assayle it that they may take man and persecute him and kyll him the deuill and man the world and the flesh The deuill with vices and concupisences man with beastes the world with Elements and the flesh with the sences For the flesh doth couet against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh But we must not wrastle against flesh and bloud but against the lyuely breathinges of wickednesse in heauenly thinges and against the captaines of these darcknesses For your aduersary the deuill goeth about lyke a roaring Lion séeking whome he may deuowâ—…r The fyry dartes of the most wicked are kindled Death commeth in by the wyndowes the eye doth robbe the Sowle the whole world doth fight against the sences that is nacion against nacion kingedome against kingdome great Earthquakes in many places pestilences and hongers tempestes and terrors from heauen The Earth bringeth forth thornes and thissells the water flooddes and raging tempestes the Ayre thunder and great wyndes the Fyer lightninges and flashâ—…nges Saying cursed be the Earth in thy works it shall bring forth thornes and thissells vnto thée With the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread vntill thou retourne to the Earth For Earth thou art and to the Earth thou shalt goe The Bore out of the woode doth lye in waight and the best fruites are destroyed The Woulfe and the Beare the Leopard and the Lyon the Tyger and the wylde Asse the Crocodyle and the Gryffen the Serpent the Snake the Adder and the Bassâ—…liske the Dragon and the Ceracte the Scorpion the Uyper yea Nittes Lyse Fleas and Ants Flyes and Gnats Waspes and Hornets Fyshe and Fowles For whereas we are created to beare rule ouer the Fyshes of the Sea and the fowles of the Ayre and all lyuing creatures which moue vpon the Earth Now we are geuen as a praye for them and are made foode for their mouthes For it is wrytten I will send the téeth of wylde beastes against them with the fury of Serpents and things which glyde vppon the Earth Unhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me out of the body of this death Surely man would be brought out of pryson and would depart out of his body For the body is the prison of the Sowle Wherevpon the Psalmist saith Bring my sowle out of pryson No rest nor quietnesse no peace nor securitie at any tyme On all sydes feare and trembling and on all sides labour and payne Flesh shall be sorowful euen whylest it lyueth and the sowle shal morne and lament ouer it selfe Who had euer yet a whole day pleasant in his delight who in some part thereof the guiltinesse of consience the feare of anger and feircenesse or the motion of concupisence hath not troubled whome the swelling of enuie the earnest desyer of couetousnesse or the puffing vp of pryde hath not vexed Whome some losse or offence or passion hath not disquieted and to conclude whom neither sight nor hearing or some thing that touched dyd not offend Rara auis in terris 〈◊〉 simillima Signo Herken herevpon vnto the saying of the wise man Betwene morning sayth he and night the tyme shal be changed Uayne thoughts and cogitacions doo one succede another the mynde is wrapped into sundry conceytes They houlde the Tymbrell and Lute in theyr handes and they reioyce at the sounde of the Organnes they leade theyr life in iollytie and at the twincke of an eye they goe downe into hell Alwayes some sodeyne sorrowes doo succede and fâ—…low after worldly ioye And he which beginneth in ioye endeth in griefe For the worldly felicitie is mingled with many sorrowes and sharpe mishappes as he well knewâ—… which sayd They laughter shall be mingled with sorrow lameÌ„tacioÌ„ comes in th end of reioycing This did the sonns children of Iobe wel trye who whiles they did eat draÌ„k wine in the house of their eldest brother sodeynly a vehement wynde brake in from the desart country strake the foure corners of the house which fell downe and oppressed theÌ„ all Whereby their father sayed not without iust cause My harp is tourned into lamentacion myne organe pypâ—… into the voyce of wéepers mourners But it is better to goe vnto the house of weping lamentacion then to the houses of banqueting Geue eare and marke a holsome admonicioÌ„ In the day of reioycing good fortune be not vnmidfull of mishaps Remâ—…ber the latter daies thou shalt neuer sin Alwayes the last day is the first and yet the first daye is neuer reputed for the last yet we should so liue as though we were euer ready to dye For it is written Be myndeful and remember that death will not long tarry from thée time passeth away death approcheth A thousand yeares before the eyes of him the dyeth are as yesterday which passed away For all thinges to come doo grow and renew and alwaies thinges present doo dye and fade And whatsoeuer is past is altogether dead Then we dye alwaies as long as we lyue then at length we leaue dying when we leaue to lyue any longer Therefore it is better to dye vnto lyfe then to lyue vnto death Wherevpon Salomon saide I haue more praysed the dead then the liuinge and haue accounted him more then bothe which was neuer borne Life flieth swiftly away and cannot be
Lord doo regarde iniquities O Lord who shal abyde it For who would not feare a Iudge the is most mightie Since no man can flye froÌ„ him or escape his hands Most wyse bicause no man can hide himself from him or deceiue him And most iust since no man can corrupt him If you looke for might streÌ„gth he is most stroÌ„g mightie Wise in his heart mightie in powre If you call for equitie in iudgemeÌ„t no maÌ„ dare geue testimonie for me If I wold iustifie my self mine own mouth wold coÌ„demne me If I shold say that I am innoceÌ„t he wil proue me lewd faltie yea though I were simple He spake the words they were made he did coÌ„mand they were created Which calleth the stars they say héere we are Which maketh his angels spirits his ministers the flame of fyer Whose wil nothing at al resisteth Unto whom no word is impossible Unto whom all knées doo bend both heauenly earthly they that are in hell TheÌ„ him no man can flye froÌ„ or eskape as the Prophet saith If I ascend vp into heauen thou art there And if I go down into hell thou art there also He searcheth the hart and the raynes vnto whose eyes all things are made open Which can number the droppes of the rayne the sands of the Sea. The God of knowledge the Lord which foreséeth al things and is pryuie to all thinges the searcher of all secrettes From him no man can lurke as the Apostle sayeth there is no creature vnuisible in his sight He is a iuste iudge mightie and long sufferyng Which neyther by entreatie nor by rewardes neyther for loue nor for hatred will declyne from the right way But goyng euermore in the high way doeth suffer none euill to scape vnpunished Nor leaueth any goodnesse vnrewarded Therefore no man can corrupt him Accordyng to the saying of the Psalmist thou shalt giue vnto euery one accordyng to his déedes Then who would not feare that examination wherein he shal be both the Accuser the Aduocate and the Iudge For he shall accuse when he shall say I was hungry and you gaue mée not to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me not to drinke He shall pleade lyke an Aduocate when hée shall adde therevnto as long as you did it not to one of the least of these you did it not vnto mée Hée shall iudge when he shall conclude saying goe from mée you accursed into euerlastyng fyre There shall néede no witnesses in that iudgement for then the hidden places of the darke shall be made manifest For nothing is hidden which shal not be reuealed Then the bookes of conscience shall be opened Then shall the dead be iudged by those thinges which are written in the booke for theyr works do folow them How greatly shal sinners be ashamed wheÌ„ theyr most wicked and abhoâ—…inable faultes shall be apparant and manyfest vnto all men Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered For hée can neuer bee revoked or called backe from that sentence Since the father hath giuen all iudgement vnto the sonne Which shutteth and no man openeth Which openeth and no man shutteth For the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it Then wealth shall not preuayle honours shall make no defence nor friendes can make any intercession For it is written theyr golde and theyr siluer shall not bée able to delyuer them in the day of the Lordes furye All the Kynges of the earth shall wéepe and lamente when they shal sée the smoke of the fyer through the heate of their sorments What then will you doo in the day of the Lords furie in the day of visitacion and calamitie comming from farre of to whome will you runne for helpe euery man shall beare his owne burthen The soule which hath sinned shall dye O streight iudgement When men shall yeald accoumpt not onely of their déedes but of euery idle worde which they haue spoken in that day of iudgement The debt with the vsury shall be demaunded and exacted vnto the last farthing Who then can fly from the wrath and anger to come then the sonne of of man shall send his Angells and they shall gather out of his kingedome all scandalles and offences and such as doo wickedly And they shall make them as faggettes to burne and cast them into the furnasse to burne and shall cast them into the furnasse of burninge Fyer whereas wéepinge and gnashinge of téethe howling and complayning lamentacions and tormentes crying and shryching feare and trembling shal be heard Payne and labour heat and stinch darknesse and perplexitie bitternesse néede and calamitie doubtfullnesse and heauinesse forgetfulnesse and confusion grypes and panges sowre sorrowes and terrors honger and thryst colde and frost fyer and brymestone and burning fyer for euer and euer world without ende Amen ¶ FINIS Of the huge greatnes and enormitie of sinnes The second parte GOd is péerelesse and no man may alter his determination Wherfore I hauâ—… béen troubled in my mynde to behold him and whilest I considered him I was perplexed with feare The more diligently and clearly that a man doeth weigh ponder the rigor of the diuine iustice togither with the trespasses of his own coÌ„uersatioÌ„ so much the more feareful hee shal be on all sides since he is not ignorant how terrible it is to fal into the haÌ„d of god which speaking by Moyses saith There is no man the can take out of my hande or power Wherevpon it foloweth that no man can alter his determinatioÌ„ For so much as whatsoeuer he determined in him selfe decréed to be done froÌ„ the beginning that no man can let or hinder Euen as God him self being holy glorious doeth testifie by the Prophet My purpose shall stand all my will shall be fulfilled And againe who is lyke vnto mee or who is able to susteine mée and what is he that may resist my countenance behold God is great God is high in his mightie strength and none of the lawe giuers is lyke vnto him who may search out narowly his wayes or who can say vnto him Thou haste done iniquitie Here vpon also God is called inflexible or immoueable Not for that he can not be pleased or appeased or for that by his prouidence he setteth necessitie vpon things But bicause his foresights and ordinances are vnuariable infallible and most certayne Neyther is there any thing comparing it to the eternall and prouident regard of the diuyne vnderstandyng that can be thought casuall or that changeth by happe Wherefore the more sharpely that we behold the incomprehensible and vnseareheable depth of the diuine iudgements the vnspeakeable frailtie defects of our own nature togither with the greatnes of our saluatioÌ„ So much the more huÌ„ble wary we shal haue iust cause to be
and so much the more fearefully héedefully we shal walke before the maiestie of the highest god For behold we are set in the middest of the whole world That is to say on this earth betwéene the heauenly kingdome and the confused hellish Chaos Certeynly knowe that at the length we shall be led eyther to the eternall felicitie of heauen or els to the perpetuall tormentes of hell Oh that the tongue of our hartes would tast this selfe same morsell as it deserueth to be tasted For then I thinke we should neuer loosely be giuen ouer vnto vayne pleasure and delights we should not spend our tyme laughing sporting or playing but in wéeping and repentance So as we might truly confesse with Iob That we haue alwayes feared God as the swelling waues which would ouer whelme vs Being induced there vnto by the déepe contemplation of the Psalmist saying Come and behold the works of God which is terrible in his degrées vpon the sonnes of men And Paule sayth O profound depth of the treasure of Gods knowledge and wisedome howe incomprehensible are his iudgementes and how vnsearchable are his wayes he is the Lord that almightie King in whose power and dominion all thinges are constituted Who only is péerelesse So that his being doeth infinitely excell the being of any thing that is created as that in respect thereof all other things séeme as it were to haue no being at all Furthermore since we are beset in so greate daunger what remayneth for vs to doe or what remedye is profered vnto vs but euen that we eschue and auoyde with a most vigilant mynde those thinges whereby God so dreadfull is offended and whereby such paynes of infinite damnation are procured which are sinnes euen as the scripture doeth admonishe vs saying Flye from sinne as from the sight of a Serpent For none aduersitie shall bée hurtfull vnto thée if none iniquitie get the ouer hande of thée Wherefore a yong man of singular capacitie and my dearest of all deare brother to the ende that we may more warely hereafter eschue and auoyde sinne I intende fyrst by Gods helpe to wright for the stirring vp and inflaming of our soule Of the enormities great mischiefes and hurtes that come by sin That the vylenesse and filthinesse of sinne beyng perfectly vnderstoode and perceyued you may at the length flye from vyce with so great dilligence that you may as well deserue to be preuented and adorned by your creator with giftes of grace as you are already by him adorned and preuented with giftes of nature That only sinne causeth a reasonable creature to be displeasaunt dispisable and odious vnto God. The first acte EEuen as there is nothing more to be desired than to please God and to be of him beloued estéemed or honoured So is there nothing worse more detestable or more terrible than to displease him and to be of him dispised and hated In lyke maner as vertues and the actions of the same doe make vs pleasing honorable and welbeloued vnto the true God So vicious qualities and sinnes do make vs vnto God displeasing contemptuous and hatefull For he the almightie creator of the vniuersall world although he loue all things as touching that they haue of him that is to say as touching their being which he doth vncefsantly conserue in his kynd according to the saying of the wise man Thou louest O Lord all things that are and thou hatest nothing of those which thou haste made yet neuerthelesse he hateth sundry reasonable creatures as touching that which they reteyne and are of their owne frée will. That is to say as touching iniquitie their transgressions as the scripture sayth The wicked and his wickednesse are hatefull vnto god And agayne thou haste hated all them that worke iniquitie and thou shalt distroy all them which speake leasings and that dispiseth them hée witnesseth saying Thou hast dispised all them that went a stray from thy righteousnesse since their thoughtes were wicked And agayne he that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh at them and the Lorde shall laugh them to skorne Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and in hys furie shall he vexe and trouble them yea euen this thyng happeneth by the most iust iudgement of god That they which contempne and dishonour God which is aboue all things to be exalted and to be thought worthiest of all worthies preferring their owne will before his diuyne pleasure should be dispised and ouerthrowne by him as he him selfe protesteth saying whosoeuer glorifieth mée I will glorifie him But they which dispise me shall be vnable Such are all the wicked and peruerse which haue no care to heare the word of God or doe omit the fulfilling therof when they haue heard it Of whom the euerlasting vncreated wisedome sayeth bicause I haue called aâ—…d you haâ—…e held backe dispising all my councelles and neglâ—…cting my rebukes I also will laugh at your distruction and will skorne you when that is happened vnto you which you most feared Beholde my welbeloued by these wordes the madnesse of them is reproued which linger their conuersion and in the ende of their life the very instant of death créeping now vpon them doe determine to make confession of their life and to amend themselues And yet neuer marking how horrible the eternall God and most high Iudge doeth threaten and affirme that he will skorne and laugh at suche men at the tyme of their death Fynally as Iob sayeth The wicked are preserued vntil the day of distruction and they shall be ledde vnto the day of reuenge and shall drinke of the furie of the almightie Wherefore if thou desire to please God if thou feare to be of him dispised and hated decline from euil â—…ye sinne deteâ—… vice and vncessantly feare to displease the high Iudge Who hath power to cast both body and soule into hell fyre Consider howe and howe much the children of this world and the seruants of Princes goe about to please their maisters How they dread to be dispised What great paynes they take to obtayne a voluble and worldly prayse Wherefore if thou desire to be accounted amongest the sonnes of God blushe then and bée ashamed that thou shouldest lesse indeuor to please God and to be honored and beloued of him then they study to attein mans fauour And finally lyke as of the humanitie pleasantnesse wherewith thou art naturally indued thou doest decently and mannerly behaue thy self before men So much the more behaue thy self reuerently and orderly before god inwardly or rather both inwardly and outwardly For if when thou hast to speake with any worthie personage thou commest reuerently vnto him puttest of thy Cap and doest kéedely beware what thou speakest and when thou shouldest talke with God by prayer or by saying Psalmes then come with reuerence and begin pronounsing without any regard doest thou not then ouer lightly estéeme the maiestie of the
most beasty wallow and delight in sinne wickednesse if he bestow but one howre in a daye to reade record the lessonnes therein conteyned I doubt not but he shall reape much profit and I some thankes for my trauayle The third and last deuision is called The Needlâ—…s Eye And teacheth aswell the right rewles of chrystian lyfe as also the meanes how to auoyde the crooked by pathes which leade vnto destruction So that the offences ones auoyded and the mynde fully bent to goe forthwardes in godlynesse it shal be hard to withdraw vs from performance of our possible duties Vnto these three parts thus collected ordred I haue thought good to adde an olde letter which teacheth Remedies against the bitternes of Death Being perticulerly and yet in myne opinion â—…loquently and well wrytten by the originall aucthour Yea very meete to be redde as the present tyme requireth All which to gether drawing to a reasonable vollume I haue now finished and publyshed in print And aswell bicause I thought the light of the aucthors ouer bright a Candle to be hydden vnder a busshell as also for that I would make the worlde wytnesse how deepe my graue freendes aduise dyd sinke into my memorye but especially to leaue some pawne of thankfulnesse in your honorable handes vntyll I may with greater deserte dyscharge some parte of such infinite dewties as I owe vnto your Lordshippe I presume ryght humbly to dedicate my trauayle herein vnto your patronage noble name Euen so beseching the same to pardone myne imperfections if any through ignoraunce and not for lacke of zeale haue passed my penne throughout this worke And much the rather for that in deede I haue bothe vsed the conference and abyd the correction of learned Deuines to make it the more worthy of so honorable a patrone How so euer it be my wyll and desire are very earnest to please and profyt all true christians in generallitie and to purchase the continuance of your comfortable fauour in perticularitie In full hope whereof I seace any further to trouble your good â—…ordshippe but shall neuer cease to beseech the almightie that he vouchsafe longe to vpholde the prosperous pyllers of your estate to his pleasure From my lodging where I finished this trauayle in weake plight for health as your good L well knoweth this second daye of Maye 1576. ¶ Your Lordshippes right humble and faithful seruaunt George Gascoigne An aduertisement of the Prynter to the Reader VNderstand gentle Reader that whiles this worke was in the presse it pleased God to visit the translatour thereof with sicknesse So that being vnable himselfe to attend the dayly proofes he apoynted a seruaunt of his to ouersee the same Who being not so well acquainted with the matter as his maister was there haue passed some faultes much contrary vnto both our meanings and desires The vvhich I haue therefore collected into this Table Desiring euery Reader that vvyll voâ—…hsafe to peruse this booke that he vvyll firste correct those faultes and then iudge acordingly Leafe Lyne Fault Correction B. 1. b. 1. man men B. 2. a. 17. 18. paie paie paine pray D. 2. b. 3. reuolueth reuolueth not D. 8. b. 10. euer faile neuer fayle E. 1. b. 16. shal be they shal be Eodem 23. temparalty temporally E. 3. a. 15. many might E. 6. a. 5. Chaos Chaos And yet after this fraile and transitory lyfe we doe not Eodem 17. degreâ—…s decrees E. 7. a. 1. that despiseth that he despyseth E. 7. b. 16. 17. then with thou without F. 1. a. last sower sowrce Eodem b. 17. coÌ„mittedagainst as the sinne is more greuous which is done against a F. 2. b. 4. minde created mynde to a goodnesse created And then put out all the fyfth lyne to the next poynt Eodem 23. fact face F. 3. b. 14. God goodnesse Eodem 23. momentarious momentarie F. 6. a. 1. and to be and be Eodem 3. this dishonour his dishonour F 7. a. 24. mynisterie mysterye F. 8. a. 14. becomme be common Eodem b. 14. dispose despise G. 1. a. 8. takers takers gratitude Eodem 25. ingratefull ingratefull vnto him Eodem b. 24. wyttinesse wytnesse G. 2. a. 10 it is not is not G. 3. a. 13. that which is with God that with God G. 4. a. 26. such is accompted in is accoumpted in such G. 5. a. 2. sinners the sinnes G. 7. b. 11. this one is this one wherefore is H. 5. b. 1. 2. in an hillate adnychilate H. 8. b. 8. sinnes sinners I. 1. b. 1. which holy which is to come it is but a mâ—…ment As holy Eodem 9. and they and as they I. 2. a. 29. foule fowre Eodem b. 3. but that he the which he I. 3. a. 14. of conference is often conference Eodem 16. passed doth passed which doth K. 4. b. 20. me such the such K. 8. b. 24. voyde open wyde open L 1. a. 20. carefulnesse carelessenesse M. 3. b. 24 intrusecall intrynsicall M. 4. a. 8. it be able yet be able P. 2. b. last torments of torments of hell fyre Q. 4. b. 32 for it is not for is not R. 1. a. 30 conuicted connected R. 6. b. 35. afflictions affections S. 3. b. 23. conceiued conueyed T. 1. b. 34. light they light for that which they ¶ The first Booke of the vewe oâ—… worldly vanâ—…ties WHerefore came I out of my mothers womb that I might behold sorrow and payne and that my dayes might be consumed in confusion Yf he whome our Lord God dyd sanctifie in his mothers womb dyd speake thus of him selfe what shall I then saye of my selfe whom my mother hath begotten in sinne Ah las for me O mother may I well saye wherefore hast thou begotteâ—… or conceyued me the sonne of bitter sorrow and payne Wherefore dyed I not in my mothers wombe Or wherefore dyd I not perrish euen as sone as I came forth of the same Wherfore was I receiued betwene hir knées suckled with hir teats yet borne to become meat for worms and fuell for Fyer Oh that I had béene slayne in hir entrales and that she had become my Sepulcre hir wombâ—… had bene my last conception Then had I bene as if I werâ—… not transferred from the Wombe to the Tombe Who therefore will geue me a Fountayne of teares to mynâ—… eyes that I may be wayle the miserable entrie of mans coÌ„dicion the culpable proceding of mans conuersacion thâ—… damnable ending of mans dissolucion Let man then with teares consider whereof he is made what he doth what hâ—… meaneth to doe Suerly he shall fiâ—…de that he was formed and facioned of the Earth coÌ„ceiued in sinne borne vnto misery that he dothe lewde thinges which are not lawfull filthy thinges which are not comely and vayne thingâ—… which are not expedient He shal be made fewell for Fyer meate for wormes and matter for corruption But let mâ—… expound these wordes more playnely I should better hauâ—… sayed Man
is formed and made of Dust Clay Asshes and a matter much vyler which for modestie I doe not name coÌ„â—…eiued in concupisence of the fleshe in the feruent heate oâ—… lust in the loathsome stinck of desyre and that worse is in the blot and blemish of sinne borne vnto payne sorow and fearâ—… yea and that which is most miserable vnto death He doth lewd thinges wherby he offendeth God his neighbor and him selfe He doeth filthy facts whereby he defileth his good name his conscience and his person and he doth vayne thinges wherby he neglecteth serious profitable necessary things He shal become the fewel for fier which alwayes burneth and can not be quenched the foode of worms which euer gnaw and féede vpon him the continewall masse of corruption which alwayes stincketh is filthie odious and horrible Then our Lord God hath formed man of the â—…ime of the Earth which is more vile then the rest of the Elements as it appeareth in the second of Genesis He made the Planets and Starres of the Fyer the blastes and wyndes of the Ayre the Fisshes and Fowles of the Water and Man and beast he made of Earth Then if he consider of the creatures created in the water he shall perceiue him selfe to be vile Considering the creatures made of Ayre he shall finde himself more vile coÌ„sidering the creatures of fyer he shal fynd himself most vyle Neither shal he make him self equal with the heaueÌ„ly creatures nor dareth prefer himselfe before the creatures of the Earth for he shal finde him selfe equal vnto beastes and shall acknowledge himselfe lyke vnto cattell sithence th end of man and cattel of the feild is all one and their condicion and estate are equall neither can man doe any more then a beast From the Earth they sprang and rose and to the Earth they shal retorne together These are not the wordes of any worldly man but of the wysest euen Salomon What is man then but slyme and dust and thervpon he sayth vnto God Remember I besech thée that thou hast made me lyke vnto Earth and shalt bring me into dust againe and thervpon also God sayth vnto man Thou art dust and shalt retorne into dust I am compared sayth Iob vnto Clay and am lykened vnto Imbers and Asshes Clay is made of Water and dust and both the substaunces doe remaine therein and Asshes are made of Fyer woode and bothe the substances doe fayle An expresse mistery but to be expounded in an other place Then what is Clay to be prowde on or whereof doest thou extoll thy selfe O dust O Asshes whereof doest thou glory Peraduenture thou wylt answere that Adam him selfe was fashioned and formed of clay and that thou art procreate of the séede of man But he was formed out of virgin clay and thou art procreate of séede which is vncleaue for who can make that cleane which is conceiued of vncleane séede What is man that he may seme vndefiled or that which is borne of man may seme iust For behold I was begotten in iniquitie and my mother conceiued me in sin Not onely in one iniquitie nor in one onely transgression but in many iniquities and in many transgressions yea euen in strange iniquities and transgressions for there are two kinde of conceptions one of séede an other of nature The first is made in such factes as are committed The second in such thinges as are purchased and gotten for the parents commit in the first and their issue doe purchase in the second For who is ignorant that the act of generation yea euen betwene maried folkes is neuer committed without prouocation of the fleshe without heate of lâ—…st or of concupisence wherevpon the séedes which are conceiued be vncleane be blotted and made corrupt and the sowle beinge therewith ouer flowed dothe purchase the spot of sinne the blot of gilt and transgression and the blemish of iniquitie euen as liquor is corrupted beinge thrust into an vâ—…cleane vessell and beinge once poluted is defiled euen by the first touch therof For the sowle hath thrée natural powers or three natural forces that is to say a reasonable power to deserne betwene good and euill a passionate power to reiect the euill and a power of appetite to desier that which is good These three powers are originally corrupted with three opposite and contrary vices the reasonable power â—…y ignoraunce that it may not deserne betwene good and euill the passionat power by wrath and anger that it may reiect the good the power of appetite by the concupisence that it may desier that which is euill The first of these vices begetteth transgression the last bringeth forth sinne the midlemost ingeÌ„dereth both sinne traÌ„sgression for it is traÌ„sgression to doe that which is not to be done it is sinne to indeuor that which is not to be indeuored These thrée vi â—…es are purchased and gotten out of corrupted flesh by thrée allurements for in carnall copulation the vnderstanding is lulled on slepe to th ende that ignorance may be sowed the prouocation of lust is styrred vp to th ende that anger and motion of mynde may be spred a broade and the affection of voluptuousnesse is satisfied to thend that concupicence may be obtayned This is that Tyran fleshe the lawe and ruler of the members of man the norishment of sinne the languishment of nature and the fodder of death without the which no man is borne and without the which no man dyeth the which although it passe ouer at any tyme in state of accusation yet it remayneth alwayes in acte For if we say that we haue no sinne we beguyle our selues the trueth is not in vs Oh greuous misery and vnhappy estate condition before we sinne we are bound and wrapped in sinne and before we transgresse we are caught in transgression By one man sinne entered into the worlde by sinne death tooke hold of all men for dyd not the forefathers eate a sower Grape and their childrens téeth are set on edge Wherfore theÌ„ was light geuen to him that is in wretched nesse lyfe lent to such as are in bitternes of the sowle Oh happie they are which dye before they are borne which tast of death before they know what lyfe is for soure are borne so deformed and prodigious that they seme not men but rather abhominations vnto whom nature perhappes should much better haue foresene if she had neuer suffered them to be sene for they are demonstrate and set to shew as monsters and shewes and some againe lacking some of theyr members sences are borne vnperfect to the grefe of their freindes the infamy of their parents and the abashinge of their neighbors But what nede I speake perticularly of these imperfections sithence all men generally are borne without knowledge without speach without vertue without power wéeping wayling weake féeble and but little deâ—…eringe from brute beastes or
and the ritch mans cause you folow toeth and nayle Towards the one you extend rygor and towards thother you vse gentill dispensation You respect th one with great difficultie and thother you handle with great fauour The one you harken vnto but sleightly and neglygently and thother you bende eare vnto willingly The poore man cryeth out no man heareth him The ritch man doth but whisper cuery man harkeneth Whiles the ritch man spake all men kept filence and his wordes were extolled vp to the skyes The poore man spake and the people sayed who is this And if he tell them they will ouerthrowe him The patient man 〈◊〉 out vpon wronge and no man heareth him he cryeth out alowde with his voyce there is no man to geue sentence Yea if at any tyme you vndertake the poore mans cause you delaye them lyngeringly But when you haue taken in hand the cause of the ritch man then you further it with all expedicion You despise the poore and honour the ritch These you ryse vnto reuerently but those other you sporne frō you with dyspight If any man with a gouldē ringe on his finger gallant garmēts doe come into your cloysters a poore man also come in with a homely garment if you looke vpon him that is well clothed saye sit thou héere alofte then say vnto the poore stād thou ther or sit downe vnder the foote stoole of my féete doo you not now iudge acording to your owne affectiōs becōe the iudges of wicked thoughts for of you against you the Prophet saith They are magnified they are become ritch they are wel fatted and become greasy they haue neyther vnder taken the Orphanes cause nor geuen sentence for the poore men But it is cōmaunded in the lawe That there be no respect of persons but heare the small as well as the great You shall haue no respecte to any mans person For the 〈◊〉 appertaineth to god And ther is no respect of persons with god But you neither geue fauour fauourably franckly 〈◊〉 doe iustice iustly For vnlesse some what be felt nothinge is delt Neither can you geue well vnlesse you sell. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you defer iustice so longe that you take more then the whole 〈◊〉 them which mayntained the contention Bicause the charge of expences is gerater then the worthe of the sentence But what can you answere in the stryct daye of iudgement vnto him which commaundeth you sayinge Fréely you haue taken and fréely geue Gaynes in the coffer bringe losse and dammage in the conscience 〈◊〉 catche after mony but you entangle your sowles And 〈◊〉 doth it profit a man if he gayne all the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purchase dampnation for his soule 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 shall man make for his sowle The brother shal not redéeme the brother a man shal not appease god for himself nor geue him the price of his redemption He hath 〈◊〉 for euer and he shall 〈◊〉 vntill the later end Geue care 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 men what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saythe 〈◊〉 you Goe to nowe ye ritche men 〈◊〉 and howle 〈◊〉 your nuseries which shall happen vnto you Your riches are 〈◊〉 Your gaye garments are eaten with mothes Your gold 〈◊〉 is become rust And the rust thereof shal be a witnesse against you and shall fret and consume your flesh lyke fyer 〈◊〉 haue horded vp vnto your selfe wrathe anger in the latter daye Behould and harken the 〈◊〉 of your workemen which wrought tylled your 〈◊〉 that you planted doth crye And the noyse therof hath 〈◊〉 the eares of the Lorde of Sabaoth Therefore the trueth commaundeth Doo not lay vp for your selues 〈◊〉 in earth where rust eateth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And where théeues digge it vp and steale it O vnqueachable 〈◊〉 and vnsatiable 〈◊〉 what couetous man was euer yet contented with his 〈◊〉 desire when he obtayneth to that which he desired he desireth more he alwayes setteth his end in thinges which he must haue And not in things which he hath already The eye of a couetous man is vnsatiable And he is not to be satissied with his iniquities A couetous niggard shall net be cōtented with his mony And he which loueth riches shall receiue no fruite thereof Hell and destruction are neuer filled No more are the vnsatiable eyes of men The bloodsucker hath two daughters which say Affer Nam Brynge for Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia 〈◊〉 Wilt thou O couetous wretch know wherefore thou art alwayes emptie and art neuer filled marke then Thy measure is neuer full Which whatsoeuer it houldeth yet is it capable of more But the humble mynde is capable of good Bicause he which cleaueth fast vnto god is one spirit with god So that whatsoeuer then it houldeth it is neuer full vnlesse it haue god of whome it is alwayes capable Then if thou wilt be satisfied leaue to be couetous For as long as thou art couetous thou canst not be satisfied For ther is no cōparison of light vnto darkenesse nor of Christ vnto Beliall Synce no man can serue both God and mamon O false felicitie of riches whiche doth in déede make the riche man an vnhappie childe For what is more vnhappie then the welthe and abundaunce of this worlde whiche is cauled riches The ritche and the poore are opposytes and contraryes But yet the welthe of the worlde doth not take away but bringe the 〈◊〉 For more suffiseth sayth Salomon A little vnto a poore man then much aboundaunce vnto a riche man For whereas much riches are there are many also to eate the same Howe many and how greate are the higher powers which haue néede So as by my selfe I can often fynde experyence that welthe maketh not a man ritche but néedie Howe many hath couetousnesse seduced And 〈◊〉 many more hath this miserable niggardlines ouer throwne and cast awaye The Asse condempneth Balame Bicause being ouer come with the couetousnesse of their faire promises he vndertoke to cursse The people of Israell did stone Acham bicause he tooke gold and siluer for the offerings Naboth was slayne that 〈◊〉 might possesse his vyneard Giezi was stryken with leprosy bicause he asked and receyued siluer and gold and garmentes vnder the name of 〈◊〉 Iudas did hange himself in a halter bicause he sould betrayed christ Ananias and Saphira dyed sodeynly bicause they went about to beguyle the Appostles of the price of their feild Tirus did buyld his treasury and heaped vp siluer lyke earth gold lyke vnto the claye of the stréetes But behould the Lord shall possesse it And shall stryke the strength thereof in the Seas and it shall be deuoured with fyer Why should any man goe about to heape to gether when he which doth heape together can not longe stand nor continewe for lyke vnto a flower he commeth forth and is shaken And flyeth
to their parentes disorderâ—…d without loue without truth and without mercy With such and much worse this world is replenished as with heritikes scismatikes periures Tyrans Symonsellers hypocrytes ambitious men robbers spoylers extorcioners and pollers vsurers and false witnesses wicked théeues and church robbers traytors lyers flatterers deceyuers tale tellers wauerers gluttons dronkards adulterers incesteous men tender treaders and vayn vauÌ„ters slouens sluggardes and loyterers prodigall spenders and vnthriftes rashe quarellers and hackers vnpatient and vnconstant men poysoners and witches presumpteous and â—…rogant wretches deuilish mynded and desperate men To conclude with such as are packt full of all paltry of the earth and farced with all kynde of vyle abhomination Yet euen as the smoke vanisheth away so shall they vanish and as waxe melteth before the fyre so shall sinners perysh before the face of God. The wicked men doe suffer foure princypall paynes at theyr death The fyrst is the perpiexitie of the body which is then greater and more gréeuous than euer it was or is in this present lyfe vntil that tyme of dissolution For some thinke that euen without motion suche is their gréeâ—…ous paines they teare themselues in péeces For the violence of death is strong and vncomparable Bicause the knyttinges and naturall combyninges of the body with the spirit arâ—… then broken insonder And therevpon the Prophet Dauid sayth in the Psalme the panges of death haue compassed mée There is no member nor no parte of the body but is touched and twitched with that vntollerable payne Thâ—… second payne is when the body being altogither wéeryed and ouercome the force and strength therof cleane vanquished the Soule doth much more playnely perceyue in one moment all the works which it hath done good and bad and all those things are set before the inward eyes This payne is so great and this torment and disquiet is so gréeuous that the soule being much vexed and troubled is constrayned to confesse and declare against it selfe As it is sayde in the Psalmes the floodes of iniquitie haue troubled mée For as the floodes come with great force and sway and séeme to beare downe all things before them so in the houre of death the wicked man shall sodeinly sée and behold all the workes that he hath done or committed good or bad The third paine is when the soule now beginneth iustly to iudge and séeth all the paynes and tormentes of hell to hang worthely ouer it for all the iniquities whereof it is giltie Wherevpon it is also sayd in the Psalme the paynes of hell came about mée The fourth payne is when the soule béeing yet in the bodye doeth sée the wicked spirites readye to receyue it wherein the dread is suche and so vnspeakeable payne that the myserable soule although it be now parted from the body doeth runne about as long as it may to redéeme the tyme of hir captiuitie before shée forsake the body Also euery man as well good as euill doeth sée before the soule departe from the bodye Christ crucified The wicked séeth it to his 〈◊〉 when hée maye blushe and bée ashamed that hée is not redéemed throughe the bloud of Christ and that his owne giltynesse is the cause thereof Wherevpon it is sayde vnto the wicked in the gospell They shall sée agaynst whom they pricked and stoonge The which is vnderstoode by the commyng of Christ vnto iudgement and of his comming at the instant tyme of any mans death But the good man shall sée him to his comforte and reioysing as we may perceyue by the wordes of the Apostle which sayeth vntill the comming of our Lord Iesu Christ that is to say at the day of death when Christ â—…rucifyed shall appeare as well vnto the good as vnto the wicked And Christ him selfe sayeth of Iohn the Euangelist So will I haue him to abyde vntill I come That is to say continuing in virginitie vntill I come vnto hys death For we read of foure maner of commings that Christ shall come Two of them are visible The first in humilitie to redéeme the world The second in maiestie vnto iudgement And the other two are vnuisible The first whereof is in the mynde of man by grace Whereof it is sayd in the gospell wee shall come vnto him and shall make our remayning place with him The second is in the death of euery faythfull man And therevpon Iohn in the reuelation sayeth come Lord Iesus HIs spirite shall departe and he shall return into his earth At y tyme all their thoughtes shall perishe O howe many things how greate thinges doe mortall men consider and thinke vpon about the vncerteyntie of theyr worldly prouisions But sodeynly by the comming of death all thinges which they thought on and forecasted doe immediatly vanish away Lyke vnto a shadow when the sunne declyneth they are taken away And lyke vnto a Locust they are smitten down So that the spirit of man shal go out of him not willingly but vn willingly Hee shall dismisse with doler that which he did professe with desire and whether he will or nyll there is a terme apoynted the which hée shal not passe ouer In the which earth shal return vnto earth For it is written Thou arte earth into earth thou shalt goe For it is naturall that the thing made of any substance should bée resolued into that substance agayne He shall take away their spirite therefore and they shall fayle and shall returne into their dust And when man dyeth hée shall enherite beastes cattell Serpents and wormes For all those shall rest in dust and wormes shall consume them The worme shall eate them lyke a garment and shall consume them as a moth consumeth the wollen cloth I am to bée consumed sayeth Iob lyke vnto rottennesse and lyke vnto a garment that is fretted with mothes I haue sayde vnto rottennesse My father my mother my sister are gone vnto wormes meate Man is rottennesse and putrifaction and so are the sonnes of man Filthy are our forefathers vile are our mothers and how vyle are our sisters For man is begotten and conceyued of bloud putrifyed by the feruent heate of lust and concupisence And yet the wormes do come about his carkasse as mourners Whilest he liued he bredde nittes and lyse and being dead hée bréedeth wormes and magottes Whilest he liued hee made filthy ordures and excrements And being dead he maketh putrefaction stinke One man defendeth another onely But being dead hée defendeth many wormes Oh what is more filthy than the carkasse of a man or what more horrible than a dead man he whose embrasing had bene most aâ—…able méeting him on lyue euen his looke will bée most terrible when hée is dead What preuayle ritches therefore whatpreuayle banquetings what delightes they can not deliuer man from death They can not defend him from the worme Neyther shall they preserue
him from stinking He which earewhile sat glorious in his throne or chayre lyeth now despysed in his Toombe Hée which but lately florished in the Courte doth now lye filthily in his graue He which but earewhiles did fare 〈◊〉 in his parler is now consumed tâ—…re with wormes in his Sepulchre The worme and the fyre are the reuenge of the flesh vnto the wicked man And eyther of them is of two kyndes That is to say the inwarde and the outwarde worme and fyre The inwarde worme and fyre gnaweth and burneth the harte the outwaâ—…d worme or fyre doeth fret and burne the body Theyr worme sayth hée shall neuer dye and their â—…yre shall not be quenched The Lorde shall send wormes and fyre vpon their flesh that they may be burned and feele it for euer The worme of conscience shal temporally teare them the memory shall afflict them repentance shall vexe them and perplexitie shall torment them For they shall come into the thought of their sinnes fearefully and theyr iniquities on the other side shall dishonour them Saying what hath the boast of riches profited vs and what hath pryde preuayled for vs All those thinges are passed ouer lyke vnto a shadow euen lyke vnto a shippe which passeth in the flowing waâ—…es whose steppâ—…s or pathe no man can fynde or perceyâ—…e when it is paste Euen so we as soone as we be borne begin to leaue this lyfe For wée are able to shewe no token of vertue but are consumed in our wickednesse They shall record with excéeding great trouble that which they did with ouer great delight That the goade of their memory may pricke them vnto punishment payne whom the Sepulchre of wickednesse did dryue vnto sinne They which repent and doe penance will saye in themselues we haue erred from the way of truth and the light â—…f righteousnesse hath not shone vpon vs Then shal they begin to say vnto the hilles and mounteynes fall vpon vs and couer vs They shall repent to their payne and punishment but they shall not bee conuerted vnto remission and forgiuenesse For it is but méete and right that they which would not when they might should be barred to haue power when they would For the Lorde hath giuen a tyme and place for repentaunce and they haue abused the same Therfore the rich man which was tormented in the flame did say vnto Abraham I beséech thée father that thou wilt send Lazarus vnto the house of my father For I haue fiue brethren That he may be a witnesse vnto them least they also doe come into this place of torment Unto whom when Abraham had aunswered they haue Moyses and the Prophets Let them heare those He added No father Abraham but if any man should goe fro the dead vnto them they will repent So he also dyd now repent in hell But bicause hée knewe that it was vnprofitable he desired that this might be declared vnto his brethren That they might doe frutefull pennaunce in this worlde For repentaunce may then profitte a man when it is in hys power to sinne Men beholde Angelles and are troubled with horrible feare mourning through perplexitie of the spirite and saying these be they whom heretofore we had in derision and lykened them vnto mockyng stockes in reproche and skorn For we beyng senselesse did estéeme theyr lyfe madnesse and their ende without honour But beholde howe they are compted amongest the sonnes of God and their lot is amongest the Saintes Agayne it shall be a punishement for the wicked to behold the glory of the blessed although percase after the ende of iudgement But the blessed shall sée the reprobate in tormentes according to this text the iust man shall reioyce when he séeth the reuenge of sinners But the reprobate shall not sée the blessed in glory according to this text let the wicked man be taken away least he see the glory of god Such things doe the wicked say in hell bicause the hope of the wicked is lyke vnto thiâ—…e down which is tossed with the wynde And lyke vnto a slender froth which is cast from the déepe waters and lyke vnto smoke scattered with the wynd and lyke vnto the remembraunce of a gest which taryeth but one day ¶ Of the vnspeakeable perplexitie of the damned The â—…yre of hell is neyther nouryshed wyth fewell nor kyndled wyth bellowes but was created by God vnquencheable from the beginning of the world For it is written the fyre shall consume him which is not kindled And it is thought to be vnder the earth according to that saying of Esay hell vnder the earth is troubled against thy comming But all places are penall vnto the reprobate Which doe alwayes carry torments and veration against themselues I will bring forth sayeth hée fyre from the middest of thée which shal eate thée And the fyre of hel shal euer burne and neuer shine it shall euer skald and neuer consume And shall euer assayle and euer fayle For in hell there is merueilous cloudy darkenâ—…sse vnmeasurable bitternesse of payne and infinite euerlastingnesse of all mysery Bynde him hand and foote sayth hée and throw him into outward darkenesse There shal be wéeping and gâ—…ing of téeth Euery member for his sinnes shall beare his proper punishment That it may therewith be punished wherwith it hath sinned For it is written by what soeuer a man sinneth by the same shall he be punished So that he which sinned with his tongue shall be tormented by the tongue And therefore he cryed O father Abraham haue compassioÌ„ on mée and send Lazarus that he may dippe the end of his finger into the water and coole my tongue For I am tormented in this flame The reprobate shall not onely be wrapped in outwarde darkenesse but also in inward darkenesse For they shall at one selfe tyme lacke both the spirituall light and the corporall light For it is written the wicked shall be taken away least he should sée the glory of god Who onely shall then be light euerlasting And the reprobate shall beare so great perpleritie in their punishmeÌ„t that they shal skarcely be able to think vpon any other thing than their paines And shal there apply the force of their thoughts Salomon sayeth there is neyther working nor accompt in hell Nor wisedome nor knowledge where thou makest such hast to goe For obliuion shall be so great in the reprohate so great blyndnesse of mynde and so great confusion of reason that seldâ—…me or neuer they can ryse to thinck vpon god Nor can breath one thought of repentance For confession perisheth from a dead man as from him which is not at all As it is written The dead shall not prayse thée O Lord nor they which goe downe into hell Shall not confesse thée Nor death laude and prayse thée Let me goe sayth Iob that I may lament a while my paynes before I
doest thou blush hereat but furthermore doest euen as yet were bury thy selfe quicke in y earth Now put the case that thou shouldest certeynly méete with all the euil things vnder the soÌ„ne if all perills possible were imineÌ„t vnto thée if iniuries â—…launders quarels fyre sworde wyld beasts misfortunes hunger sicknesse yea all the euils that may be told or thought of should attones ouerwhelme thée should not al these thinges séeme vnto thée rydiculous and worthy to be contempned in respect of suche and so great a treasure and reward as thou thereby shouldest win wherfore let no maÌ„ be so abiect or vnhappy nor of so base and coward lyke a mynde y whiles he wysheth to atteyne heanue hée be carefull about the earthly rest and delightes of this worlde For it should be to him vndecent not onely to séeke after them but to estéeme or honor them when they be already obteyned Wherevpon Gregorius sayth No payne is great neither ought any tyme to séeme long wherby we may wynne the glory of the euerlasting kingedome Let vs labour therfore stoutly fight hardly agaynst vyces Yea let it be most pleasant vnto vs to be weryed in the seruice and warres of god Bicause we are assured that our labour shall not be in vayne But that God of his mercy wyll reward our fayth For such as are not set on worke here w men especyally in actuall repentaunce and are not â—…kurged or punyshed as men in this lyfe shal be skourged and formented with wicked spirites in the world to come by the opinyon of Hierome Furthermore for the more perspycuous reprehention of our slouth and for the better styrringe vp and warmynge of our cold mindes let vs consider how many and how greate paynes men doe suffer and eâ—…dure for earthly frayle and small coÌ„modyties That euen yet thereby we maye learne for the loue of GOD for the inherytaunce of his kingdome and for the euerlasting felycytie to walke waryly and worthyly in this narrowe path Let vs learne to despyse all worldly vanyties and make oblation of our selues to God altogither with an vnfayned harte and deuotion For as Augustin doth by y way rehearse vnto what storms and tempestes what dreadfull and hortyble roaring of the wyndes and waues doe merchauntes submitt themselues to get rytches which are fadyng and shal sone peryshe or be lost yea ritches which bringe greater stormes of care to kéepe them then they founde trouble or paynes in séeking them What rages what furyes what coldes what perylles by sea by lande in dennes in deserte doe huntesmen hazard for the poore praye of a selly beast Yea how longe can they hunger and thirst and how vyle meates can they be contented with all for the obteyning of the same men suffer theÌ„selues to be cut launced to be burnt seared that they may remoue no euerlasting payne but a payne of smal coÌ„tine wauÌ„ce with a payne of greater patieÌ„ce The Knight and souldiers vndertake most crewel warres for small tryflyng pleasures in this shorte and vncerteyne lyfe Yea they spende oftentimes more yeares in attayning theyr desires then they lyue afterwardes to enioye them But in all these examples such as loue not the things rehearsed doe thyncke them gréeuous And they which doe loue them suffer the same extremyties also but thinke them nothing gréeuous For loue maketh the hardest seuerest most gréeuous things to séeme easie gentle lyght and almost nothyng at all Let charytie then be able to worke much more effycacy yea let it make vs more patient more happy and more stowte theÌ„ greedy couetousnesse can make them for the obteynings of méere myseryes Synce we may be sure to obteyne the true and euerlasting treasure of felicity Let all tempor all aduersitie bée easely borne by vs when wée mayâ—… both auoyde and eskape thereby as by a fruite of our fayth euerlastinge payne and obteyne also an euerlastinge reygne For the passiones of this teÌ„porall world are not sufficyently worthy for the glory to come which shal be reuealed in vs as y Apostle saith Let vs not serue god w a sluggish minde luke-warme zeale but let vs ministre vnto hym with a feruente spirite least he turne the sentence of that Reuelation vpon vs I knowe thy déedes that thou art neither hot nor cold And bicause thou art leukewarme neyther hott nor cold therfore will I begin to vommyt thée out of my mouth The first coÌ„maundement is Thou shalt loue y Lorde thy god with al thy hart with all thy soule With all thy minde and with all thy power And this coÌ„maundement conteineth in it the ende the rule and the perfection of all the commaundementes To the full accomplyshement whereof as much as maye possibly by vs be performed not onely all the other commaundementes but all the dyscyplyne of Christ in his holy gospell doe also tende And this commaundement is not fully fulfilled and accomplyshed at any tyme in this world vntill we come to the euerlasting kyngdome prepared Yet such as with full deuoytion and syncerity of mynde doe renounce and forsake all worldly vanities which may hynder their loue towards the diuyne Maiestie and doe onely bend theyr eyes towards God accordinge to their dewty doe goe nearest to the accomplyshment and fulfillynge of this commaundement But when we haue done all that we can yet are we vnprofitable And yet euery wayfarynge man which iornyeth and trauayleth in this lyfe to attayne vnto the euerlastinge kyngdome must thus farreforth fulfill it that hée loue nothing more then GOD nor nothyng that is contrarye to his will. Yea and that hée reioyse finally in nothyng but in GOD onely Now then wée haue sayd much of this streyght and narrowe waye to saluation And thereby it falleth out that it is the obseruing and kéepyng of Gods commaundementes in holy scryptures conteyned and of the lessonnes taught vs by our sauiour Christ. Let vs then also consider which bée those streyght commaundementes and preceptes for the dificulty whereof Christ hymselfe dyd affyrme that the sayd waye was so streyght and the gate so narrowe And againe that the waye was so brode and spatyous which led vnto euerlastinge damnation Behold our sauiour sayth then You haue hard it sayd quod hée Thou shalt not kyll But I say vnto you that whosoeuer is angrye with his brother shal be gyltie in iudgement But hée which sayth vnto his brother Racha That is a worde of dysdayne or reproche he shal be gylty to be condempned by the whole councell And â—…e which sayth to his brother Foole he shal be gylty of hell fyre which is euerlasting coÌ„dempnation Is this now not a hard streight sentence but moreouer he sayth You haue hard that it was saied of olde Thou shalt not forsweare but I saye vnto you sweare not at all But let your communycatiooÌ„ be yea yea and nay nay Where vpon also the apostle James in his Epistle sayth My brethren aboue all
Sea which is tossed with tempestes And is passed with great daungers and many difficultyes Agayne behold the Lorde GOD with whome all thinges doe consist in an vnchangeable eternytie as the highest thinge to be séene or beheld vpwardes And the world it selfe as the lowest thynge downewardes Then consider saye they lykewyse the mynde of man placed as it were in the myddest béetwene them both The which by the crcellence of manes condition doth floate aboue the chaungeablenesse of this world and yet hath not attayned the vnchaungeablenesse of the diuyne nature Then if mans minde should chaunce through loue gréedy desire of these thinges which passe downwards to drown it selfe therin immediately it wil be ouerthrowen with sundry waues and beinge as it were deuided from it selfe wil quickly be dyssipate and destroyed But so much the easier it wil be to gather it altogether on a heape to preserue it if it rayse vp it selfe with an earnest thought and desire forsaking those base and earthly places vntill at last it become altogither vnchaungeable by atteyning vnto that highest most excelent immutabylity Againe when a mans minde doth declyne downewardes by the loue which it hath to earthly thinges it suffereth shipwracke in the floodes of this world And being myxed or myngled amongest the changeable thinges doth flowe away with the streame Yea it is by a kynde of twofould daunger tossed retossed For both it is in perill to be drowned by the déepe affection it beareth to the lower parts and againe by contyne wall working of the waue in multytude of affections it is meruelously dyssypate and dysseuered But if it rayse it selfe vpwardes from the loue of this present lyfe by the desire that it hath vnto eternytie and doe gather together all his thoughtes and cogitations then doth it as it were swym alofte in the floode and doth spurn and kycke awaye all traunsitory thinges as fylth or wéedes swymming lose in the water Therefore let the mynde of man as it were so repose it selfe in safety by raysing it selfe aboue and on it selfe towardes God and by retorning to it selfe in it selfe that by the considerations aforesayd it béeing raysed aboue the world maye behold the perylles a farre of and reioyse that it hath by any meanes eskaped them And this it is to go into the Arke of the hart and the spyrituall Shippe By helpe whereof we maye happyly eskape the waues of this worlde wherewith we are tossed alwayes Then spurne from thée and despyse these transitorye and frayle thinges and behold thou arte swoome and eskaped out of this great dyluge of roaring waters Consider déepely and medytate the heauenly Sacraments of thy redemption together with the benefytes of the diuine goodnesse bestowed vpon thée and thou art alredy entred into the Arke of thy hart and the Shippe aforesayde Againe this world is most conueniently compared vnto a large féelde full of crewell théeues and robbers In the which many are kylled and murdered and very few eskape at any tyme vnwounded or not sore hurt Yea that which is worst they which walke commonly in this field doe betray eche other into the hands of those théeues That is whilest one of them doth leade another into the fall of finne whereby he falleth into the diuells handes And thou my welbeloued if thou wouldest be afeard to walk in such a féelde replenished with théeues who might endaunger thée with temporall death how darest thou then walke through this wycked worlde wherein so many enemies are suborned by wycked spyryts and so many stumbling blockes are layed to make thée fall into euerlasting fyre Agayne this world is compared to a wood set on fyre wherof in maner all the trées are burnt and destroyed For we maye dayly behold howe the loue and charytie of God is waxed colde in mens hartes how the loue of the world hath preuayled howe the fyre of concupyscence the feruentnesse of pryde and the flame of couetousnes are kyndled In such sorte that almost euerye man séeketh to shyfte for himselfe And neuer séeketh Christe Jesus nor those thinges which pertayne vnto his glorye Men are carefull for worldly sustenaunce and not for the purenesse of the soule nor the cleanennesse of the hart Yea they doo rather séeke to avoyde the dyscoÌ„modities of this present lyfe then to eskape the bytter and eternall tormentes of hell fyre And howe then darest thou chuse but be carefull how to eskape out of this woode yea and that with spéede least thou be burned and consumed with the fyre of vyce lewdenesse Lastly it is compared vnto an olde Citie which for the morâ—… part is become ruinous battred destroyed In such sort that the enemyes may aproch and assault it on euery syde So that it is now no safe dwelling therein But we must flye vnto some stronger place of defence For if we doo rightly consider our owne frayltie how prone we are to euyll and how slow to goodnesse we shall fynde it requisite to séeke some safer resting place for our soules wherein we may the better eschew and auoyde all occasions of sinnes The princely Prophet in his foure and fortyth Psalme hath these wordes My daughter behold and geue eare and bend thyne eare to me and forget thy people and the house of thy father and the king will earnestly desyre thy coomlynesse Although these wordes be lytterally to be expounded by the Church which is the vniuersall Spouse of Christ yet may they also be vnderstoode by euery faythfull soule and mynde which is also the perticuler Spouse of christ For as Sainct Augustine sayth euery soule is eyther the spouse of Christ or the diuells concubyne And therefore the holy Prophet saying Forget thy people and thy fathers house meaneth despise these earthly thinges in respect of God and for his sake Set asyde kynsmen brethren neyghbors and all â—…arnall affections To th ende that all thyne affection may be towardes god Yea make thy selfe ryche of spirituall ryches and adorne and decke thy selfe with all grace and vertue For the more perfectly that thou contempne worldly thinges so much the more thou shalt be replenyshed with heauenly treasure As Gregory sayth He doth very well withdraw his loue from the creatures which doth onely with the eyes of his hart and vnderstanding beholde the excedinge bright bewtie and louelynesse of the Creatour So that my deare and chrystian brother if thou doo so the kyng of kynges the lorde of lordes the onely begotten sonne of GOD wyll earnestly desyre thy coomelynesse That is thyne inward coomelynesse thyne inward reformation the bryghtnesse of thy wysedome and the feruentnesse of thy loue And that shal be sayed vnto thée which is wrytten in the Cantycles O my beloued how fayre and amyable thou art yea he wyll louâ—… thée being so fayre and louely He will blesse thée with heauenly light and the true fruites of the holy Ghost He will assocyate thée vnto him for euer So that thou
mayest enioye him thy fill most swéâ—…tely and aboundauntly For in him the whole fulnesse of blessednesse doth consist Yea the delight of God is to be with such a soule and to dâ—…cke and adorne it daily with great plenteousnesse and to vysit and comfort it with most godly reioysinges Then let vs for gods sake by the beholding of so great profit and by the desyre and affection whiche we ought to haue vnto so greate nobylitie learne to contempne euen from our hartes this moste vayne varyable néedye frayle intysing world which with draweth vs from god Synce it cannot satysfie nor contâ—…t our affecte nor our desire As Augustine 〈◊〉 saying A reasonable soule created to the lykenesse of God maye be occupyed in all thinges but it cannot be replenyshed satysfied nor fulfilled For he which is capable of GOD cannot be filled and satisfied with any thing that is lesse theÌ„ god And agayne he sayth O Lorde thou hast made â—…ur hart for thée and it is therefore troubled out of quyet vntyll it maye come vnto thée Nowe we haue shewed before sufficiently that the more our soule is stretched out or dâ—…spersed in earthly thinges yea the more it be occupied in temporall thinges and affected vnto worldly thinges so much the lesse can it be occupyed gathered together or affected towardes god And therefore if we would haue it incessauntly occupyed and exercysed in him by syncere contemplation feruent loue déepe medytation contyne wall praier harty prayse and thankesgeuing let vs withdrawe and turne it away from the world and all that is therein and let vs wholy applye it yea and as it were laye it flat and prostrate before the diuine maiestye For so shall it wounderfully growe and increase in grace And let vs so entirely loue and conserue this true godly and moste noble perfection which is beyond all comparyson better more excelent and more to bée desyred then all the goods of this world that we may altogither and in euery respect contempne the world for the loue and desire which we haue to the said perfectioÌ„ as a thing of nothing and altogither vayne Neyther yet let vs thynke that we haue done anye greate thing to leaue and forsake earthly and base things for so supernaturall and excellent treasures but let vs singe prayses vnto God with an humble and louely spirite bicause he hath so taught illumynate erected and styrred vp our hartes to the true discerning and full forsaking of all vanytie and vylenesse in this world For they are truely blessed whome the Lord â—…oth so vouchsafe to teach so to enduce vnto the contempt of the world and so to rayse and styre vp vnto the full perfectioÌ„ of a spyrituall lyfe Now my welbeloued should not he séeme to haue a mynde sore darkened a hard hart which hauing red hard and vnderstood these thinges is neyther prouoked to contempne the world nor enflamed to attayne the Godly perfection before rehearsed Doe not thou then for the loue of the lesse hazard to lose the more Be not more delighted in creatures then in the creator Doe not cleaue more earnestly vnto the world then vnto god For behold the world with all the concupyscence and vanytie thereof passeth away and vanysheth lyke smoke But he which doth the will of God shall abyde for euer It is written in the seuenth Chapiter of Ecclesiastes remember thy latter ende and thou shalt neuer sinnne And surely such as neyther the horrour of death the trembling feare of Gods iudgemente the bytter and euerlasting paynes of the infernall tormentes nor the infinyte felicitye of the heauenly habitacion can prouoke or styre to walke warely to amend theyr lyfe penitently to feare GOD and to contempne the world Are to be thought of a stony or rather a stéely hart and mynde Especyally since we must beleue nay rather we know perfectly that we must once dye and yet we are altogither ignoraunt when we shal be called hence Therewithall we must vnderstand y after this lyfe ther is no tyme of conuersion nor repêtaunce And why doe we then ouerskype any 〈◊〉 or occasion wherein we might doe well Why doe we suffer anâ—… houre to passe without some fruite or profit Or why â—…are we presume to perseuer in such estate as yet we â—…ave not dye therein But let vs doe as Salomon sayth Whatsoeuer thy hand can worke that doe thou worke earnestly For there are neyther working skyl connyng nor knowledge beneath where thou goest Yea let it not be fulfilled in vs which Salomâ—…n sayth in the same place meaning by the neglygent and vnaâ—… uysed euen as fyshes are taken with the hooke and byrdes with snares so are mâ—…n caught and ouer taken in the 〈◊〉 ill houre which shall sodeynely come vpon them Wherefore let vs neuer suffer the horrour of death the stryctnesse of Gods dreadefull iudgement nor the feare of hell fyre to be estranged or eloyned from the eyes of our vnderstanding For as â—…ierome sayth Nâ—…thing can more withdrawe a man from sin then the ofteÌ„ remembraâ—…ce of death And as Chrysostome sayth This world is deâ—…full the ende thereof doubtfull the issue horryble the Iudge terryble and yet the payne vntermynable To conclude euen as Ambrose sayth Plato the Phylosopher was also of the same opymon the whâ—… lyfe of theÌ„ which are wyse is exereysed in the 〈◊〉 of death And therefore let vs forecast what we must be in tyme to come For whosoeuer doth stoutly consider in himselfe that he must dye he shall doubtlesse despyse thinges prâ—…sent and make hast towards thinges to come Wherevpon it restâ—…th that god would haue our end vnknoweÌ„ vnto vs And y day of our death vncertayne That whiles it is alwayes vnknoweÌ„ and yet alwayes thought to be redy at hand euery man might be so much the more ferueÌ„t in operatioÌ„ as he is the more vnâ—…rteyne of his voratioÌ„ Therfore let vs not ouerpasse such 〈◊〉 dreadfull causes with skipping dauncing Neyther let â—…s sollycit the affayres of our death iestingly or vnaduisedly But wheÌ„ we ryse betime let vs not thinke to liue vntill the euening when we lye downe to rest let vs not presume of our vprysing And by these meanes we shall easily brydle our selues from all vyce and worldly affection Let vs well ponder that the houre approcheth wherein we shall remoue out of this lyfe into an vnknowen region There immedytately to abyde before the trybunall seate of the most mighty and dreadfull indge Then our tyme myspent and vnfruitfully lost will playnely appeare to be irrecuperable Neither shall any thinge that we haue vnordynately loued or vniustly done here be anye waye able to helpe or to comforte vs Then shall we be sory that we haue lyued so carelesly that we haue omytted so many good things and coÌ„mitted so many euils But let vs now whiles we haue tyme shewe forth the true fruites of repentaunce Let vs nowe so reuerence and honour Christ our iudge that we
may then be reuerently by him receyued Let vs now be so sory and contryte for our sinnes that we may then by Christ be eternally comforted Agayne if wée doe well consider the stryctnesse of Gods iudgement wée shall euen thereby learne vtterly to despyse all the vanyties of the world and gréedily to runne to true repentaunce For in the day of iudgement the world shall stand in flamyng fyre which shall burne and consume the wicked and reprobate Christ shal be resident in the ayre All the holy companyes of Angels and of the heauenly Citizens shal be assysâ—…aunt and shall vysibly appeare The reprobate shal lye vpoÌ„ the grounde or earth which they haue so loued with their horryble blacke and lothsome bodyes which then shal be most deformed horryble to behold Some being halfe eaten and torne with the wormes in theyr sepulchre Al the rable of hell and all mankynde shal be present Then euery mannes lyfe shall appeare vnto himselfe that they maye all at ones acknowledge the iudgement of God to bée moste iuste Oh what care what payne what intollerable myserye and dreade wyll it then be for the wicked to sée that they must by and by be throwen into the tormeÌ„ts For immediately this sentence must be pronounced Oo yâ—… accurssed into euerlasting fyre The earth shal opeÌ„ hir mouth swallowe theÌ„ â–ª And they shall fall hedlong into the most déepe pytt of hell wherein they shal be shutt and enclosed perpetually Let euery true Christian be teryfied by the remembraunce of this iudgement as Hierome was 〈◊〉 saying As often as I doe consider that daye I doe shake and tremble on all partes For whether sayth he I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I doe the sounde of that most terryble troumpet doth alwayes thunder in myne eares saying Ryse you that are deade and come vnto iudgement And agayne he sayeth When God the Lord shall come to iudge the world shall pytiously roare and crye One Tribe shall shocke and iustle agaynst another The most mighty Prynces shall go bare and naked groping rounde about Plato the foole shal be brought in with his fonde Desciples Aristotels fyne arguing shall not then preuayle When the Sonne of that poore handycraftesman shall come to iudge the endes of the worlde Then our sinnes shal be on the ryghte hand redye to accuse vs On the lefte hande an infynit number of wycked spyrites ready to take hold on vs Underneth vs the horrible masse or Chaos and confused heape of hell Aboue vs the heauens opened and rent in sunder In the ayre the angrey Iudge Without the world burning Within the conscyence skalding ond skorching Yea the iust man shall hardly be saued Wo be vnto the wretched sinner so ouertaken Whether shall hée flye It shal be impossible for him to lurke here and there and it shal be as vntollerable to appeare The reprobate which are to be dampned séeing these thinges shal be troubled with a horryble feare they shall mourne and languish for vexacion of spyrite and say We haue erred from the waye of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shyned in vs We haue ouerweryed our selues in the waye of iniquytie Wherefore my welbeloued let vs learne and chuse with the chosen of God to abhorre the delightes of the world to bringe forth the true fruites of repentaunce to serue God with dew reuerence feare and purenesse of hart rather theÌ„ to encurre wylfully so great callamyties For whosoeuer doth dyligently and profoundly reuolue ponder these paynes and tormentes of hell fyre he shall vndoubtedly abhorre all sinne all vanitie and prayse of this wicked world For what a thinge is it to be for euer enclosed in the pryson of hell in the myddest of vnquencheable fyre in a moste fylthie stinckinge and lothesome lake there to be vnspeake ably tormented and with innumerable paynes to bée afflycted without any least hope of deliuerie For Gregorie sayth there shal be in hell vntollerable colde vnquencheable fyre a worme alwayes gnawing a stynche alwayes smellynge palpable darkenesse the skourge euer stryking the ougly spyrites alwayes gréeuing the confusion of sinnes the desperacion of all goodnesse the hate and detestinge of all that is good and ryghteous an vnremedyable turning backe from the highe heauenly maiestie and an irecuperable turning towardes all euill and frayltie For although in hell there be the prycke of payne and punyshement yet there is no corection nor amendement of will and consent Synce the reprobate shal be so accused with their owne iniquinye that righteousnesse neuerthelesse shall not by any meanes be of them embraced loued or desired But what néede we to heape to gether somanye wordes of proofe of this matter Doe thou thy selfe imagnne to behold with the eyes of fayth and vnderstanding a lake full of all myserie yea most brymfull of all desperation trouble crying and howlyng boyling with a most skalding fyre and abundantly replenyshed with most sorowfull soules and then consider what a thinge it were to be for euer gréeued and tormented therein to walke contynually in the blase of such flamyng fyres to be racked and tormented vncessantly and to be perpetually afflycted with the most horryble socyetie of the dampned and the moste ougly faces and shapes of the Diuills For this is it which in the booke of Job is called the Tenebrous land ouerwhelmed with the thycke cloudes of death The land of myseryes darkenesse where the shadow of death and no order but perpetuall horrur doth enhabyt For ouer and besides other infinit paynes of hell there is also troublesome paynefull and vnestymable dysorder coÌ„tineually Then doe not they séeme vnto the most vnhappy yea more then thryse and foure times most vnhappy who for these most short and transitory lyberties vnlawfull delyghtes worldly vanyties frayle affections rytches or prosperytie doe fall into such an vnspeakeable myserie which shall endure for euer Wherefore let vs come forth forsake this broade opeÌ„ way of these worldlynges leading vnto destruction and vnhappinesse and let vs embrace and followe the streyght waye lyuing fruitefully fearefully reuerently before y Maiesty of the highest God. Yt is written in the lxxxiii Psalm How louely delightfull are thy Tabernacles O Lord god of vertues my soule doth eagerly desire and faynte in the Court of god And as the doctors and Fathers of the Church haue agréed the loue and charytie of God is the lyfe of the soule So that without loue and charytie nothing is pleasing nor acceptable before god Neither can it profite any thing at all towards the obteyning of the heauenly felycitie Then all our actions our thoughts affections speaking doing or suffering cannot be acceptable in the sight of God vnlesse it procéede from charytie eyther by way of allurement by way of commaundement or by way of direction Wherevpon it foloweth that such as doe bewayle confesse and repent their misdéedes onely for feare of payne for seruyle dreade they doe not therefore obtayne